Elongation measurement device and communication system

Abstract

To allow managers to exactly know how much load has been applied to anchor bolts.SOLUTION: An elongation amount measuring device 16 measures the amount of elongation of an anchor bolt 11 due to a load acting on the anchor bolt 11 of a metal anchor 10, provided in the metal anchor 10 to be anchored to a concrete frame C in order to support and secure a fixed target object S. The elongation amount measuring device includes a measuring unit that measures the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt 11 in the axial direction and an output unit that outputs information based on measurement results of the measuring unit to an information output device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an elongation measuring device that measures the elongation of a metal anchor fixed to a concrete structure, regardless of whether it is pre-attached or post-attached (post-construction). and It relates to a communication system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of metal anchor, there is known one that is post-attached and fixed to a concrete structure in order to support and fix a fixing object (see Patent Document 1). This metal anchor includes an anchor bolt having a loose-fitting hole drilled axially from the base end to the tip, a fixing mechanism portion for fixing the tip portion of the anchor bolt to the enlarged diameter portion of the anchor hole, a rod-shaped member that is loosely fitted in the loose-fitting hole and has its tip portion fixed to the anchor bolt at the inner end of the loose-fitting hole, and a load detection mechanism portion screwed to the base end portion of the rod-shaped member in a state of abutting against the base end surface of the anchor bolt from the outside. The load detection mechanism portion is formed of a relatively brittle metal material or the like, and is integrally formed by a disk-shaped visual recognition head that abuts against the base end surface of the anchor bolt from the outside, a mechanism body screwed to the base end portion of the rod-shaped member, and a neck portion interposed between the visual recognition head and the mechanism body. And the neck portion is configured to break by receiving the elongation of the anchor bolt when a load exceeding the assumption acts on the anchor bolt. Thereby, when a tensile load exceeding the assumption acts on the anchor bolt, it can be notified to the administrator.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In conventional metal anchors, the fracture of the neck portion can visually notify the supervisor that an unexpected load has been applied to the anchor bolt. In this case, in order to ensure that the neck portion fractures reliably at a predetermined load, the neck portion must be formed with precision. For example, if the predetermined load (strength) is set to the long-term allowable tensile load (approximately 25-30% of the yield strength), the neck portion of the load detection mechanism must be formed to fracture when it exceeds the long-term allowable tensile strength. However, since the load detection mechanism itself is made of brittle material, it is difficult to form the neck portion (load detection mechanism) with precision to achieve the predetermined strength. Therefore, conventional metal anchors have the problem that supervisors cannot accurately grasp how much load has been applied to the anchor bolt.

[0005] This invention provides an elongation measuring device that allows managers to accurately understand how much load is acting on an anchor bolt by measuring the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt. and The objective is to provide a communication system. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides an elongation measuring device that is installed on a metal anchor fixed to a concrete structure for supporting and fixing an object, and measures the amount of elongation of an anchor bolt due to a load acting on the anchor bolt of the metal anchor, comprising: a measuring unit that measures the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt in the axial direction, and an output unit that outputs information based on the measurement results of the measuring unit to an information output device. The metal anchor comprises an anchor bolt having a loose fitting hole drilled axially from the base end to the tip, with the object to be fixed being supported and secured at the base end, and a rod-shaped member that is loosely fitted into the loose fitting hole, with its base end protruding from the base end of the anchor bolt and its tip end locked to the anchor bolt to prevent it from coming loose, and the measuring unit measures the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt based on the distance between the base end of the anchor bolt and the base end of the rod-shaped member. It is characterized by the following:

[0008] In this configuration, the elongation measuring device notifies the administrator of information based on the measurement results of the elongation of the anchor bolt. This allows the administrator to accurately understand how much load is acting on the anchor bolt and to properly inspect and manage the metal anchor. Furthermore, this ensures the integrity of the metal anchor. Furthermore, the rod-shaped member incorporated into the anchor bolt is secured at its tip to the anchor bolt to prevent it from coming loose, while its base protrudes from the base of the anchor bolt. Therefore, when a tensile load is applied to the anchor bolt from the object being fixed, the anchor bolt elongates, while the rod-shaped member does not. Consequently, by measuring the distance between the base of the anchor bolt and the base of the rod-shaped member, the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt can be measured with high accuracy. The metal anchors may be post-installed anchors (attached afterwards) or pre-installed anchors.

[0011] In the above-described elongation measuring device, it is preferable that the output unit outputs to an information output device information indicating whether or not the elongation of the anchor bolt has reached a reference value, and information indicating the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt.

[0012] With this configuration, the administrator can determine whether the elongation of the anchor bolts has reached the standard value, and also determine the amount of elongation of the anchor bolts.

[0013] In the above-described elongation measurement device, the information output device is a display device, and it is preferable to further include a display device.

[0014] With this configuration, the administrator can determine how much load is acting on the anchor bolts from the display device provided in the elongation measurement device. The display device may be a display that shows characters or images, or it may be a lighting device such as an LED (Light Emitting Diode) that outputs information in the form of light emission.

[0015] In the above-described elongation measurement device, the information output device is preferably an external device, and the output unit preferably includes a communication interface for transmitting information to the external device.

[0016] With this configuration, the administrator can use an external device to determine how much load is being applied to the anchor bolts. The communication method of the communication interface may be wired communication or wireless communication.

[0017] In the above-described elongation measurement device, the external device is preferably an external server that can communicate with the elongation measurement device via a network.

[0018] According to this configuration, the administrator can grasp how much load is acting on the anchor bolt at a location away from the installation location of the metal anchor. Also, by connecting a plurality of elongation measuring devices and an external server through a network, batch management of a plurality of metal anchors becomes possible. Note that the external server may communicate with the elongation measuring device via a repeater, or may communicate via a plurality of networks.

[0019] The communication system of the present invention is characterized by including the above-described elongation measuring device and an external device.

[0020] According to this configuration, the administrator can construct a communication system capable of grasping how much load is acting on the anchor bolt using the external device.

[0021] In the above communication system, it is preferable that the external device includes a determination unit that determines whether or not repair of the metal anchor is necessary based on the information output from the elongation measuring device, and a notification unit that notifies that repair of the metal anchor is necessary when it is determined by the determination unit.

[0022] According to this configuration, the administrator can grasp whether or not repair of the metal anchor is necessary by the notification of the external device.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a structural diagram of the construction state of the metal anchor. [Figure 2] It is an exploded view around the sensing unit of the metal anchor. [Figure 3] It is an explanatory diagram for explaining the function of the elongation measuring device in the metal anchor, which is a diagram (a) of a steady state and a diagram (b) of a state where the anchor bolt has elongated. [Figure 4] It is a block diagram of the elongation measuring device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 5]This figure shows an example of information displayed on the elongation measuring device according to the first embodiment, and includes an example of warning information display (a) and an example of numerical information display (b). [Figure 6] This is a flowchart showing the measurement process using an elongation measurement device. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart showing the processing of user operations by the elongation measurement device. [Figure 8] This is a block diagram of the measurement system according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] This figure shows an example of an operation screen displayed on the administrator terminal, with (a) being an example of the operation screen before acquiring information from the elongation measurement device and (b) being an example of the operation screen after acquiring information from the elongation measurement device. [Figure 10] This flowchart shows the processing of the elongation amount measuring device according to the second embodiment, and includes the elongation amount measuring device side measurement processing (a) and the elongation amount measuring device side information transmission processing (b). [Figure 11] This is a flowchart showing the administrator terminal-side processing by the administrator terminal according to the second embodiment. [Figure 12] This is a system configuration diagram of the network system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 13] This is a block diagram of the elongation measurement device and centralized management server of the network system according to the third embodiment. [Figure 14] This figure shows an example of a display screen shown on the centralized management server according to the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] The following describes an elongation measurement device, a communication system, and a control method for the elongation measurement device according to one embodiment of the present invention, with reference to the attached drawings. The elongation measurement device is installed on a metal anchor fixed to a concrete structure in order to support and fix an object to be fixed to the concrete structure. The metal anchor is either pre-installed or post-installed (after-construction) anchor. The elongation measurement device also has the function of measuring the amount of elongation of an anchor bolt due to a tensile load acting on the anchor bolt which forms the main body of the metal anchor, and outputting information indicating the measurement result. The elongation measurement device is shown in two configurations: one equipped with a display (display device) and operation buttons, and one without these. The former will be described in the first embodiment, and the latter in the second and third embodiments.

[0025] On the other hand, the communication system includes a measurement system in which the above-mentioned elongation measurement device and an administrator terminal are connected in a communication manner, and a network system in which the above-mentioned elongation measurement device and a centralized management server are connected in a communication manner via a network. The former will be described in the second embodiment, and the latter in the third embodiment.

[0026] [First Embodiment] First, the structure of the metal anchor 10 will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a structural diagram of the metal anchor 10 in its installed state, and Figure 2 is an exploded view of the metal anchor 10 around the sensing unit U. As shown in both figures, the metal anchor 10 is a metal expansion anchor in the context of so-called post-installed anchors, and its main components, including the anchor bolt 11, are made of steel, stainless steel, or the like.

[0027] An anchor hole AH, with an enlarged diameter section AHa formed at the back, is drilled into the concrete structure C, and the metal anchor 10 is fixed by being driven into this anchor hole AH. The base end of the anchor bolt 11 of the metal anchor 10 fixed in the anchor hole AH (concrete structure C) protrudes from the surface of the concrete structure C, and the base plate Sa of the object to be fixed is fastened by a fixing nut N screwed onto this part via a washer W.

[0028] The metal anchor 10 comprises an anchor bolt 11 having a loose fitting hole 12 drilled axially from its base to its tip, and a fixing mechanism 13 that fixes the tip of the anchor bolt 11 to the enlarged diameter portion AHa of the anchor hole AH. The metal anchor 10 also comprises a rod-shaped member 15 that is loosely fitted into the loose fitting hole 12 and has its tip fixed to the tip of the anchor bolt 11, and a sensing unit U provided at the base end of the rod-shaped member 15.

[0029] The anchor bolt 11 and the anchoring mechanism 13 have the original anchoring function of a metal anchor 10 that supports and fixes the object S to be fixed to the concrete structure C. On the other hand, the rod-shaped member 15 and the sensing unit U have a function unique to this embodiment that allows the manager to understand the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt 11 due to the tensile load acting on the anchor bolt 11.

[0030] The anchor bolt 11 is a fully threaded bolt whose diameter matches the nominal diameter of the metal anchor 10. A loose fitting hole 12 is formed in the axial center of the anchor bolt 11, extending from the base end to the tip. The loose fitting hole 12 passes through the anchor bolt 11 axially along the same axis. The loose fitting hole 12 also has a hole body 12a into which the rod-shaped member 15 is loosely fitted, and a fitting hole portion 12b on the tip side into which the tip flange portion 31 of the rod-shaped member 15, which will be described later, is fitted and fixed.

[0031] The anchoring mechanism 13 includes an expanding nut 21 screwed onto the tip of the anchor bolt 11 and a driving sleeve 22 arranged to surround the anchor bolt 11. The expanding nut 21 is integrally formed with a nut body 24 in the lower half shown that screws onto the anchor bolt 11 and an expanding portion 25 in the upper half shown that is divided into four parts by a slit 25a.

[0032] A cone portion 26 is formed at the tip of the drive-in sleeve 22, and when the drive-in sleeve 22 is driven in, the expanding portion 25 of the expanding nut 21 expands radially outward. The expanded portion 25 spreads toward the peripheral wall of the expanded diameter portion AHa and is fixed to the expanded diameter portion AHa (see Figure 1). Then, through the cooperation of this expanded portion 25 and the expanded diameter portion AHa, the anchor bolt 11 exerts a wedge effect.

[0033] The rod-shaped member 15 is made of a rod material with a diameter significantly smaller than that of the anchor bolt 11. The tip of the rod-shaped member 15 has a tip flange portion 31 that fits into and is fixed to the fitting hole portion 12b of the loose fitting hole 12. The base end of the rod-shaped member 15 has a base male thread portion 32 into which the sensing unit U is screwed. The rod-shaped member 15 is assembled to the anchor bolt 11 by welding its tip flange portion 31 to the fitting hole portion 12b while the anchor bolt 11 is passing through the anchor bolt 11 in the axial direction. In this way, the rod-shaped member 15 is locked and fixed to the anchor bolt 11 so as not to come loose.

[0034] Note that the loose fitting hole 12 does not have to be a through hole. Alternatively, a female thread may be formed on the inner circumferential surface of the tip of the anchor bolt 11, and the tip of the rod-shaped member 15 may be screwed into it. In this case, the loose fitting hole 12 may or may not be a through hole.

[0035] The sensing unit U comprises a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped elongation measuring device 16 which forms the unit body, a unit base 41 that supports the elongation measuring device 16, a unit cover 42 that covers the elongation measuring device 16, and an adjustment nut 43 that is screwed onto the male threaded portion 32 at the base end of the rod-shaped member 15. The adjustment nut 43 has the form of a cap nut by having its upper end welded to the unit base 41 in the figure. That is, the unit base 41 is positioned at the base end of the rod-shaped member 15 by being screw-connected to the base end of the rod-shaped member 15 via the adjustment nut 43. The unit cover 42 is made of a soft resin and is shaped to cover all surfaces except the bottom surface of the elongation measuring device 16. The unit cover 42 is detachable from the unit base 41 and is removed when an administrator performs an inspection and reattached after the inspection is completed.

[0036] The elongation measuring device 16 measures the amount of elongation that occurs in the anchor bolt 11 when a load exceeding the allowable tensile load is applied to the anchor bolt 11. The elongation measuring device 16 has a built-in length measuring sensor 52 for measuring the amount of elongation. The length measuring sensor 52 is, for example, a laser sensor. Laser light emitted from the light emitter of the length measuring sensor 52 passes through the through hole 41a formed in the unit base 41 and is reflected from the base end face of the anchor bolt 11, and the reflected light passes through the through hole 41a and is received by the light receiver of the length measuring sensor 52. In other words, the length measuring sensor 52 measures the distance d between the length measuring sensor 52 and the base end face of the anchor bolt 11. The distance d is an example of "the distance between the base end of the anchor bolt and the base end of the rod-shaped member".

[0037] Furthermore, a display 54 and operation buttons 55 are arranged on the surface of the elongation measuring device 16 (see Figure 2). The display 54 shows information indicating whether the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 exceeds a standard value, and information indicating the elongation of the anchor bolt 11. In this embodiment, the elongation measuring device 16 displays warning information on the display 54 indicating that the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 has exceeded a standard value. The warning information is, for example, a flashing string of characters indicating that the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 has exceeded a standard value (see Figure 5(a)). In addition, the elongation measuring device 16 displays numerical information indicating the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 numerically on the display 54 (see Figure 5(b)). On the other hand, the operation buttons 55 are used to display the numerical information on the display 54 or to hide the warning information displayed on the display 54. The display 54 is an example of an "information output device" and a "display device". The warning information and numerical information are examples of "information based on measurement results of elongation".

[0038] Furthermore, during the installation of the metal anchor 10, the distance d (initial value of the distance d) between the length measuring sensor 52 of the elongation measuring device 16 and the base end face of the anchor bolt 11 is set to 120-200% of the elongation amount of the proportional limit or elastic limit of the tensile strength of the anchor bolt 11. As a result, even if a load exceeding the expected (design) is applied to the anchor bolt 11 and unexpected elongation occurs in the anchor bolt 11, the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt 11 will not exceed the distance d. In other words, even if a load exceeding the expected value is applied to the anchor bolt 11, the base end face of the anchor bolt 11 will not reach the unit base 41 of the sensing unit U, thus preventing damage to the sensing unit U.

[0039] Incidentally, in this type of metal anchor 10 (enlarged-base anchor), the tensile strength is designed based on the tensile strength (yield strength) of the anchor bolt 11, which is calculated by adding a safety factor to the yield strength. Specifically, for each object S to be fixed, the tensile strength of the anchor bolt 11 is set to 20-100% of the yield strength, and the anchor bolt 11 (metal anchor 10) is designed based on this.

[0040] In design, tensile strengths include long-term allowable tensile strength (approximately 25-30% of the yield strength) and short-term allowable tensile strength (approximately 40-50% of the yield strength). For example, if the object to be fixed S has a drive mechanism, is subjected to wind pressure or vibration, or is suspended, it is preferable to consider the long-term allowable tensile strength. Furthermore, if there is a possibility of metal fatigue in the anchor bolt 11 in relation to the object to be fixed S, it is preferable to set the tensile strength to 20% of the yield strength.

[0041] In this way, metal anchors 10 (anchor bolts 11) are designed, but in actual field conditions, the anchor bolts 11 may be subjected to loads exceeding expectations (unforeseen loads). In such cases, the anchor bolts 11 may suffer significant damage, making the support of the object S to be fixed unstable, or causing problems with the object S itself. However, unless there is a noticeable physical change, such as the anchor bolt 11 coming loose, this situation cannot be detected.

[0042] In this regard, the elongation measuring device 16 provided on the metal anchor 10 of this embodiment displays warning information indicating that the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 has exceeded a standard value, as well as numerical information indicating the elongation of the anchor bolt 11, on the display 54. This allows the administrator to understand whether a load exceeding expectations has been applied to the anchor bolt 11, and to what extent the load has been applied to the anchor bolt 11. The standard value is preferably 50 to 80% of the elongation of the proportional limit or elastic limit in the tensile strength of the anchor bolt 11.

[0043] Here, referring to Figure 3, the installation procedure for the metal anchor 10 will be briefly explained, along with the function of the sensing unit U (elongation measurement device 16). To install this metal anchor 10, first, the anchor bolt 11 incorporating the rod-shaped member 15 is inserted into the anchor hole AH, and the driving sleeve 22 is driven in to fix the anchor bolt 11 to the concrete structure C.

[0044] Next, the sensing unit U is attached to the base end of the rod-shaped member 15. At this time, the length measuring sensor 52 of the elongation amount measuring device 16 measures the initial value of the distance d between the length measuring sensor 52 and the base end face of the anchor bolt 11 (distance d0), and the zero point correction of the length measuring sensor 52 is performed based on this initial value (see Figure 3(a)). That is, the elongation amount measuring device 16 measures the difference between this initial value and the measurement value of the length measuring sensor 52 as the elongation amount of the anchor bolt 11. The zero point correction is performed, for example, by pressing the operation button 55 multiple times in succession.

[0045] Furthermore, around the same time as the sensing unit U is assembled, the object S to be fixed is brought in, and its base plate Sa is secured to the surface of the concrete structure C with fixing nuts N. In this way, the object S is supported and fixed to the concrete structure C via metal anchors 10 (see Figure 3(a)).

[0046] In this manner, when the object S is supported and fixed to the concrete structure C, if an unintended tensile load is applied to the anchor bolt 11, that is, if the object S is subjected to unintended wind pressure or vibration and a load exceeding the allowable tensile load is applied to the anchor bolt 11, axial elongation will occur in the anchor bolt 11. In other words, if axial elongation occurs in the anchor bolt 11, the distance d1 between the length measuring sensor 52 and the base end face of the anchor bolt 11 will become shorter than the distance d0 (see Figure 3(b)).

[0047] At this time, if the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 exceeds the standard value, warning information is displayed on the display 54 of the elongation measurement device 16 (see Figure 5(a)). This allows the administrator to understand that a load exceeding the expected amount has been applied to the anchor bolt 11. Note that the example shown in Figure 3(b) shows a state in which a load exceeding the elastic limit has been applied to the anchor bolt 11, and after the load has been removed (the elongation has returned), a small amount of elongation remains in the anchor bolt 11 due to permanent deformation. That is, in the state in which a small amount of elongation remains in the anchor bolt 11, the distance d2 between the length measuring sensor 52 and the base end face of the anchor bolt 11 is shorter than the distance d0 and longer than the distance d1 (see Figure 3(c)).

[0048] Next, with reference to Figure 4, the configuration of the control system of the elongation measuring device 16A (elongation measuring device 16) according to the first embodiment will be described. The elongation measuring device 16A includes a control unit 51, a length measuring sensor 52, a memory 53, a display 54, and an operation button 55 as the configuration of the control system.

[0049] The control unit 51 includes a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit) and controls each part of the elongation measuring device 16A. As described above, the length measuring sensor 52 measures the distance d between the length measuring sensor 52 and the base end face of the anchor bolt 11. The control unit 51 measures the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 by subtracting the measurement value of the length measuring sensor 52 at the time of elongation measurement from the initial value, which is the measurement value of the length measuring sensor 52 when the zero point correction of the length measuring sensor 52 is performed (measurement unit, measurement step).

[0050] Memory 53 is a rewritable memory device. Memory 53 stores the initial value, which is the measurement value of the length measuring sensor 52 when zero-point correction is performed, a warning flag indicating whether the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 exceeds a reference value, and the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 measured by the control unit 51. When the warning flag becomes "1", the display 54 displays warning information (see Figure 5(a)). In addition, when the operation button 55 is briefly pressed by the administrator, the display 54 displays numerical information indicating the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 (see Figure 5(b)). The operation button 55 is operated to display numerical information on the display 54 or to reset the warning flag.

[0051] With the above configuration, the control unit 51 periodically measures the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 based on the distance d measured by the length measuring sensor 52, and stores the measured elongation in the memory 53. When the measured elongation exceeds a reference value, the control unit 51 sets the warning flag stored in the memory 53 to "1" and outputs warning information to the display 54 accordingly (output unit, output step). In addition, the control unit 51 outputs numerical information indicating the elongation stored in the memory 53 to the display 54 based on a short press operation of the operation button 55 (output unit, output step).

[0052] Figure 5 shows an example of information displayed on the display 54 of the elongation measuring device 16A. Figure 5(a) shows an example of warning information display. The warning information shown in this figure is the flashing text string "Elongation exceeds the standard value." In this way, the control unit 51 displays warning information on the display 54 when the warning flag is "1".

[0053] Figure 5(b) shows an example of the display of numerical information. The numerical information shown in this figure indicates the amount of elongation in millimeters. When the operation button 55 is briefly pressed, the control unit 51 displays the numerical information on the display 54 for a certain period of time, and then hides the numerical information.

[0054] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing the measurement process by the elongation measuring device 16A. The flowchart in the figure represents a process that is performed periodically. The elongation measuring device 16A measures the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 based on the measurement result of the length measuring sensor 52 (S01). Each time the elongation is measured, the elongation measuring device 16A updates the value of the elongation stored in the memory 53 (S02).

[0055] The elongation measuring device 16A determines whether the warning flag is "0" (S03). If the elongation measuring device 16A determines that the warning flag is not "0" (S03: No), that is, if the warning flag is "1", it terminates the measurement process. If the elongation measuring device 16A determines that the warning flag is "0" (S03: Yes), it determines whether the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 has reached the standard value (S04).

[0056] If the elongation measuring device 16A determines that the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 has reached the standard value (S04:Yes), it sets the warning flag to "1" (S05). Accordingly, the elongation measuring device 16A displays warning information on the display 54. If the elongation measuring device 16A determines that the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 has not reached the standard value (S04:No), it terminates the measurement process.

[0057] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing performed by the elongation amount measuring device 16A in response to user operation. The flowchart in the figure shows the processing performed when the operation button 55 is operated. The elongation amount measuring device 16A determines whether the operation button 55 has been short-pressed or not (S11). A "short press" refers to an operation in which the operation button 55 is pressed for a duration of time T1 or more and less than time T2 (time T2 > time T1). If the elongation amount measuring device 16A determines that the operation button 55 has been short-pressed (S11: Yes), it displays numerical information indicating the amount of elongation stored in memory 53 on the display 54 (S12). On the other hand, if the elongation amount measuring device 16A determines that the operation button 55 has not been short-pressed (S11: No), it proceeds to S13.

[0058] Next, the elongation measurement device 16A determines whether or not the operation button 55 has been pressed for a long time (S13). "Long press" refers to pressing the operation button 55 for a duration of time T2 or longer. If the elongation measurement device 16A determines that the operation button 55 has been pressed for a long time (S13: Yes), it sets the warning flag stored in the memory 53 to "0" (S14). Accordingly, the elongation measurement device 16A hides the warning information that was displayed on the display 54. On the other hand, if the elongation measurement device 16A determines that the operation button 55 has not been pressed for a long time (S13: No), that is, if the duration of pressing the operation button 55 is less than time T1, it terminates processing for the user operation.

[0059] The user operation shown in Figure 7 is performed when inspecting the metal anchor 10. When inspecting the metal anchor 10, the administrator removes the unit cover 42 of the sensing unit U and checks whether warning information is displayed on the display 54 of the elongation measuring device 16A. The administrator also short-presses the operation button 55 to check the elongation of the anchor bolt 11. If warning information is displayed or the elongation is large, the administrator investigates the cause of the unexpected elongation (load) and attempts to resolve it. If the cause can be resolved and the elongation is expected to be within the elastic limit of the anchor bolt 11, the administrator long-presses the operation button 55 to hide the warning information. In this case, the metal anchor 10 is not replaced. If the cause can be resolved and the unexpected elongation exceeds the elastic limit of the anchor bolt 11, the metal anchor 10 is replaced. Similarly, if the cause cannot be resolved, the metal anchor 10 is replaced. Furthermore, if the metal anchor 10 is replaced and the sensing unit U (elongation measuring device 16A) attached to the original metal anchor 10 is not faulty, it is also possible to attach it to the new metal anchor 10 and use it.

[0060] As described above, the elongation measuring device 16A according to the first embodiment displays warning information and numerical information on the display 54 as information based on the measurement results of measuring the elongation of the anchor bolt 11. This allows the manager to understand whether the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 has reached the standard value and the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt 11, enabling proper inspection and management of the metal anchor 10. Furthermore, this ensures the soundness of the metal anchor 10.

[0061] In addition, the following modifications can be adopted in the first embodiment. In the first embodiment, the elongation measuring device 16A displays numerical information on the display 54 when the operation button 55 is briefly pressed, but the numerical information may be displayed without requiring operation of the operation button 55. For example, the elongation measuring device 16A may update the numerical information displayed on the display 54 each time the value of the elongation is updated by the measurement process (see Figure 6S02).

[0062] In the first embodiment, a length measuring sensor 52 was used as the sensor for measuring the distance d between the base end of the anchor bolt 11 and the base end of the rod-shaped member 15. However, the distance d may be measured using other measuring means. For example, a displacement sensor may be used as the measuring means. Optical, ultrasonic, and contact type displacement sensors may be used.

[0063] In the first embodiment, the elongation measuring device 16A displays warning information and numerical information on the display 54 as "information based on the measurement results of the measured elongation," but other information may also be displayed. For example, the elongation measuring device 16A may display on the display 54 the number of times the measured elongation exceeds a reference value.

[0064] Furthermore, the elongation measuring device 16A may display the maximum value of the measured elongation on the display 54. The maximum value of the elongation may be the maximum value of the elongation measured after the initial value of the separation distance d is stored in the memory 53, or it may be the maximum value of the elongation measured after the previous warning information was hidden. Alternatively, it may be the maximum value of the elongation measured over a certain period in the past, such as the past month or the past year, from the time the operation button 55 was pressed.

[0065] Furthermore, the elongation measurement device 16A may display the elongation measurement history (results of multiple elongation measurements) on the display 54. In this case, the elongation measurement device 16A does not need to update the elongation value stored in the memory 53 during the measurement process (see Figure 6S02), but rather simply needs to add the measured value to the memory 53. Also, for each short press of the operation button 55, the elongation measurement device 16A should display information linking the measurement date and time of the elongation with the elongation amount on the display 54 in chronological order of measurement date and time. By displaying the elongation measurement history in this way, the administrator can grasp the details of the load applied to the anchor bolt 11.

[0066] Furthermore, the elongation measuring device 16A may display a symbol, picture, or string of characters indicating the amount of elongation, rather than a numerical value. For example, the elongation measuring device 16A may display strings such as "Elongation: Large," "Elongation: Medium," or "Elongation: Small."

[0067] Furthermore, although the elongation amount measuring device 16A according to the first embodiment is equipped with a display 54, a lighting device such as an LED that outputs information in terms of light emission state may be used as a "display device". In this case, the elongation amount measuring device 16A can turn the lighting device on and off according to the state of the warning flag. In addition, the elongation amount measuring device 16A may be equipped with multiple lighting devices. In this case, for example, the elongation amount measuring device 16A can turn on the first lighting device when the warning flag is "0", and turn on the second lighting device when the warning flag is "1".

[0068] Furthermore, although the elongation measuring device 16A in the first embodiment is mounted on the base end of the rod-shaped member 15, the elongation measuring device 16A may be mounted on the base end of the anchor bolt 11, and the distance d between the length measuring sensor 524 built into the elongation measuring device 16A and the member provided on the base end of the rod-shaped member 15 may be measured.

[0069] [Second Embodiment] Next, with reference to Figures 8 to 11, the elongation amount measuring device 16B according to the second embodiment will be described. Compared to the elongation amount measuring device 16A according to the first embodiment, the elongation amount measuring device 16B according to this embodiment omits the display 54 and operation buttons 55 and adds a communication interface 56. In addition, information based on the measurement results of the elongation amount measuring device 16B is displayed on an administrator terminal 100 that can communicate with the elongation amount measuring device 16B. The administrator terminal 100 is assumed to be a tablet terminal that the administrator carries when inspecting the metal anchor 10. The administrator terminal 100 is an example of an "external device". Below, only the differences from the first embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those in the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions are omitted. Also, modifications applied to components similar to those in the first embodiment are also applied to this embodiment.

[0070] Figure 8 is a block diagram of the measurement system SY2 according to this embodiment. The measurement system SY2 is an example of a "communication system". The measurement system SY2 includes an elongation measuring device 16B and an administrator terminal 100. The elongation measuring device 16B includes a control unit 51, a length measuring sensor 52, a memory 53, and a communication interface 56 as part of its control system configuration. The communication interface 56 is an example of an "output unit". The communication interface 56 communicates with the administrator terminal 100 via wireless or wired communication.

[0071] Unlike the elongation measuring device 16A in the first embodiment, the memory 53 of the elongation measuring device 16B in this embodiment does not store a warning flag. The memory 53 of the elongation measuring device 16B stores the initial value which is the measurement value of the length measuring sensor 52 when zero point correction is performed, the elongation amount of the anchor bolt 11, and the device ID which will be described later.

[0072] On the other hand, the administrator terminal 100 is configured as a control system and includes a control unit 111, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 112, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 113, a communication interface 114, and a touch panel 115.

[0073] The control unit 111 includes a processor and controls various parts of the administrator terminal 100. The ROM 112 stores the management application 61. The management application 61 communicates with the elongation measuring device 16B and displays information obtained from the elongation measuring device 16B (elongation of the anchor bolt 11) on the touch panel 115, and determines whether or not the metal anchor 10 needs repair based on the information obtained from the elongation measuring device 16B. The RAM 113 is used as the work area of ​​the control unit 111. For example, the RAM 113 stores information obtained from the elongation measuring device 16B (device ID and elongation).

[0074] Figure 9 shows an example of the operation screen D1 displayed on the touch panel 115 of the administrator terminal 100. Figure 9(a) shows an example of the operation screen D1 display before acquiring information from the elongation measurement device 16B. Figure 9(b) shows an example of the operation screen D1 display after acquiring information from the elongation measurement device 16B.

[0075] As shown in Figure 9, the operation screen D1 displays an information acquisition button 121 and an information area 122. The information acquisition button 121 is a button for acquiring information from the elongation measurement device 16B. The information area 122 displays the "device ID," "elongation amount," and "correspondence" linked together. Here, the "device ID" is identification information for identifying the elongation measurement device 16B. Although not specifically shown, a label with the device ID printed on it is affixed to the surface (the surface visible from the outside) of the elongation measurement device 16B. If the administrator terminal 100 can simultaneously communicate with multiple elongation measurement devices 16B installed on multiple metal anchors 10 via wireless communication, the administrator uses the elongation measurement device ID to link the information displayed on the operation screen D1 with the elongation measurement device 16B. The memory 53 of the elongation measurement device 16B stores the same device ID as the device ID printed on the label affixed to the elongation measurement device 16B.

[0076] When the administrator presses the information acquisition button 121 on the operation screen D1 shown in Figure 9(a), the administrator terminal 100 sends an information acquisition command to the elongation amount measuring device 16B. In response to this information acquisition command, the elongation amount measuring device 16B sends the information stored in memory 53 (device ID and elongation amount) to the administrator terminal 100.

[0077] When the administrator terminal 100 acquires information from the elongation measurement device 16B, it displays the information in each field of the information area 122 of the operation screen D1, as shown in Figure 9(b). Hereinafter, the information displayed in the "Device ID" field of the information area 122 will be referred to as ID information, the information displayed in the "Elongation Amount" field will be referred to as numerical information, and the information displayed in the "Correspondence" field will be referred to as repair information.

[0078] The example in Figure 9(b) shows the ID information and numerical information displayed when "D001" is obtained as the device ID and "36 mm" is obtained as the elongation amount of the anchor bolt 11. If the administrator terminal 100 obtains information from multiple elongation measurement devices 16B, the information area 122 will display information (ID information, numerical information, and repair information) corresponding to each elongation measurement device 16B across multiple lines.

[0079] The administrator terminal 100 displays the text "Repair Required" in the "Response" column if the elongation amount displayed in the "Elongation Amount" column exceeds the standard value, and displays the text "No Repair Required" in the "Repair Required" column if it does not exceed the standard value. The control unit 321 determines whether or not the elongation amount exceeds the standard value based on the management application 61.

[0080] Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the processing of the elongation amount measuring device 16B according to this embodiment. Figure 10(a) is a flowchart showing the measurement processing on the elongation amount measuring device side. The flowchart in the same figure represents a process that is performed periodically. The elongation amount measuring device 16B measures the elongation amount of the anchor bolt 11 based on the measurement result of the length measuring sensor 52 (S21). Each time the elongation amount is measured, the elongation amount measuring device 16B updates the value of the elongation amount stored in the memory 53 (S22). After executing the process in S22, the elongation amount measuring device 16B terminates the measurement processing on the elongation amount measuring device side.

[0081] Figure 10(b) is a flowchart of the information transmission process on the elongation amount measuring device side. The flowchart in this figure is a process that is executed in parallel with the flowchart in Figure 10(a). The elongation amount measuring device 16B determines whether or not it has received an information acquisition command from the administrator terminal 100 (S31). If the elongation amount measuring device 16B determines that it has received an information transmission acquisition command from the administrator terminal 100 (S31: Yes), it transmits the information stored in memory 53 (device ID and elongation amount) to the administrator terminal 100 (S32). On the other hand, if the elongation amount measuring device 16B determines that it has not received an information acquisition command from the administrator terminal 100 (S31: No), it terminates the information transmission process on the elongation amount measuring device side.

[0082] Figure 11 is a flowchart showing the administrator terminal-side processing by the administrator terminal 100 according to this embodiment. The flowchart shown in the figure represents the processing that is executed periodically when the administrator terminal 100 is in a state where it can acquire information from the elongation measurement device 16B (when the administrator terminal 100 is activated). Furthermore, the flowchart shown in the figure represents the processing that is executed for each elongation measurement device 16B when the administrator terminal 100 is able to communicate with multiple elongation measurement devices 16B.

[0083] The administrator terminal 100 determines whether or not it has acquired information from the elongation measurement device 16B (S41). If the administrator terminal 100 determines that it has not acquired information from the elongation measurement device 16B (S41: No), it terminates the administrator terminal side processing. On the other hand, if the administrator terminal 100 determines that it has acquired information from the elongation measurement device 16B (S41: Yes), it stores the acquired information in the RAM 113 (S42). That is, it stores the device ID and elongation amount of the elongation measurement device 16B from which it acquired information in the RAM 113.

[0084] Next, the administrator terminal 100 determines whether or not the metal anchor 10 needs repair based on the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt 11 obtained from the elongation measuring device 16B (S43, determination unit). The administrator terminal 100 determines that the metal anchor 10 needs repair if the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt 11 exceeds the standard value, and determines that the metal anchor 10 does not need repair if the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt 11 is less than or equal to the standard value. If the administrator terminal 100 determines that the metal anchor 10 needs repair (S43: Yes), it displays ID information, numerical information, and repair information indicating that repair is required in the information area 122 (S44, notification unit). If the administrator terminal 100 determines that the metal anchor 10 does not need repair (S43: No), it displays ID information, numerical information, and repair information indicating that repair is not required in the information area 122 (S45).

[0085] As explained above, the elongation measurement device 16B according to the second embodiment does not require display and operation functions, thus simplifying the device configuration and consequently reducing the cost of the elongation measurement device 16B. Furthermore, if multiple elongation measurement devices 16B are within the communication range of the administrator terminal 100, it can simultaneously send information transmission commands to multiple elongation measurement devices 16B, allowing the administrator to quickly inspect multiple metal anchors 10. In addition, the administrator terminal 100 determines whether or not repairs are necessary for the metal anchors 10 and notifies the administrator of the determination result, allowing the administrator to determine whether or not repairs are necessary for the metal anchors 10.

[0086] In the second embodiment, the following modifications can be adopted. In the second embodiment, the administrator terminal 100 is assumed to be a tablet terminal equipped with a touch panel 115, but an information processing terminal other than the touch panel 115 may be used as the administrator terminal 100. For example, a smartphone or a smartwatch may be used as the administrator terminal 100.

[0087] Furthermore, if the elongation measuring device 16B is configured to store the elongation measurement history (results of multiple elongation measurements) in the memory 53, it may transmit the elongation measurement history in response to an information acquisition command sent from the administrator terminal 100. In this case, the administrator terminal 100 may determine whether or not the metal anchor 10 needs to be repaired based on the elongation measurement history. For example, even if the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 has not reached the standard value, if the rate of change in the elongation is large (if the elongation has increased significantly in a short period of time), it may be determined that the metal anchor 10 needs to be repaired.

[0088] Furthermore, the administrator terminal 100 may perform multiple-stage judgments based on multiple types of reference values. For example, the administrator terminal 100 may determine whether or not repair of the metal anchor 10 is necessary and whether or not inspection of the metal anchor 10 is necessary. For example, if the elongation exceeds the first reference value, the administrator terminal 100 may determine that repair of the metal anchor 10 is necessary, and if the elongation of the anchor bolt 11 is less than or equal to the first reference value and exceeds the second reference value (second reference value < first reference value), the administrator terminal 100 may determine that inspection and repair of the metal anchor 10 are unnecessary. The administrator terminal 100 also notifies the administrator of these judgment results by displaying them in the information area 122 of the operation screen D1.

[0089] Alternatively, a communication system including the elongation measuring device 16A of the first embodiment and an administrator terminal 100 may be constructed. In this case, the elongation measuring device 16A transmits a warning flag, a device ID, and the elongation amount to the administrator terminal 100 in response to an information acquisition command transmitted from the administrator terminal 100. The administrator terminal 100 determines that the metal anchor 10 needs repair if the acquired warning flag is "1", and determines that the metal anchor 10 does not need repair if the acquired warning flag is "0".

[0090] [Third Embodiment] Next, with reference to Figures 12 to 14, the network system SY3 according to the third embodiment will be described. The network system SY3 is an example of a "communication system". The network system SY3 enables monitoring of the status of the metal anchor 10 at a location away from where the metal anchor 10 is installed. In this embodiment as well, the same reference numerals are used for components similar to those in the first and second embodiments, and detailed descriptions are omitted. Furthermore, the same modifications applied to components similar to those in the first and second embodiments are also applied to this embodiment.

[0091] Figure 12 is a system configuration diagram of the network system SY3 according to this embodiment. The network system SY3 comprises one or more elongation measurement devices 16C, a repeater 310, and a centralized management server 320. The centralized management server 320 is an example of an "external device" and an "external server".

[0092] The elongation measurement device 16C and the repeater 310 are connected via wireless or wired communication. The repeater 310 and the central management server 320 are connected via an internet communication network (NW). The internet communication network (NW) is an example of a "network." Note that the elongation measurement device 16C and the repeater 310 may also be connected via a wireless or wired network. Furthermore, the repeater 310 and the central management server 320 may be connected via a network other than the internet communication network (NW), such as an internal LAN.

[0093] One or more elongation measuring devices 16C are installed on different metal anchors 10, and measure the elongation of the anchor bolts 11 in each metal anchor 10. The centralized management server 320 manages one or more elongation measuring devices 16C. Note that it is not necessary for all of the one or more elongation measuring devices 16C to be connected to a single repeater 310; they may be connected to different repeaters 310.

[0094] Figure 13 is a block diagram of the elongation measurement device 16C and the centralized management server 320 of the network system SY3 according to this embodiment. The configuration of the control system of the elongation measurement device 16C according to this embodiment is the same as that of the elongation measurement device 16B according to the second embodiment. However, the communication interface 56 of the elongation measurement device 16C according to this embodiment communicates with the centralized management server 320 via the repeater 310.

[0095] The centralized management server 320 comprises a control unit 321, a ROM 322, a RAM 323, a communication interface 324, and a display 325 as part of its control system configuration.

[0096] The control unit 321 includes a processor and controls various parts of the centralized management server 320. The ROM 322 stores the management application 61, similar to the second embodiment. The RAM 323 stores information acquired from the elongation measurement device 16C. The RAM 323 stores the installation location of the elongation measurement device 16C, i.e., the installation location of the metal anchor 10, linked to the device ID. The communication interface 324 communicates with the elongation measurement device 16C via the repeater 310. The display 325 displays various information.

[0097] Figure 14 shows an example of the display screen D2 shown on the display 325 of the centralized management server 320 according to this embodiment. The centralized management server 320 periodically obtains information from the elongation measurement device 16C by periodically sending information acquisition commands to the elongation measurement device 16C. The centralized management server 320 also updates the display on the display screen D2 in accordance with the acquisition of information from the elongation measurement device 16C. The elongation measurement device 16C according to this embodiment performs the elongation measurement device side measurement process shown in Figure 10(a) and the elongation measurement device side information transmission process shown in Figure 10(b). The centralized management server 320 also performs processing that is substantially the same as the administrator terminal side processing shown in Figure 11. Hereinafter, this processing will be referred to as the centralized management server side processing. The differences between the centralized management server side processing and the administrator terminal side processing will be described later.

[0098] As shown in Figure 14, the display screen D2 shows the "device ID," "installation location," "elongation amount," and "correspondence" linked together. The information displayed for "device ID," "elongation amount," and "correspondence" is the same as that displayed on the operation screen D1 of the second embodiment (see Figure 9).

[0099] The "Installation Location" column displays location information indicating the installation location of the elongation measurement device 16C. The installation location of the elongation measurement device 16C is stored in RAM 323 and linked to the device ID. In other words, when the centralized management server 320 obtains information from the elongation measurement device 16C, it reads the installation location linked to the device ID of the elongation measurement device 16C from RAM 323 and displays the read installation location as location information in the "Installation Location" column.

[0100] The following are differences between the centralized management server processing and the administrator terminal processing (see Figure 11). If the centralized management server 320 determines that the metal anchor 10 requires repair, it displays ID information, location information, numerical information, and repair information indicating that repair is required on display screen D2 (see S44). If the centralized management server 320 determines that the metal anchor 10 does not require repair, it displays ID information, location information, numerical information, and repair information indicating that repair is not required on display screen D2 (see S45).

[0101] As described above, according to the network system SY3 of the third embodiment, the administrator can use the centralized management server 320 to determine how much load is acting on the anchor bolt 11. In other words, the administrator can monitor the condition of the metal anchor 10 from a location away from where the metal anchor 10 is installed. Furthermore, since the centralized management server 320 can communicate with multiple elongation measuring devices 16C, multiple metal anchors 10 can be managed collectively.

[0102] In addition, the following modifications can be adopted in the third embodiment. In the third embodiment, the elongation measurement device 16C received an information acquisition command from the centralized management server 320 and transmitted the information, but it may also transmit information periodically and spontaneously. Alternatively, the elongation measurement device 16C may transmit information not periodically, but only when a change occurs in the measured value (elongation).

[0103] If the centralized management server 320 determines in its processing that the metal anchor 10 needs repair, it may not only display repair information indicating the need for repair on the display screen D2, but may also issue a repair instruction to the vendor server of the vendor that will repair the metal anchor 10. This repair instruction is an example of a notification by the "notification unit". This allows for the metal anchor 10 to be repaired quickly and effectively prevents the metal anchor 10 from breaking (the anchor bolt 11 from fracturing). Alternatively, the repair instruction may be sent via email or SNS notification to the person in charge at the vendor that will repair the metal anchor 10, rather than to the vendor server.

[0104] Although three embodiments have been described above, the elongation measurement device 16 (16A, 16B, 16C), the administrator terminal 100, and the centralized management server 320, as well as the methods for executing each process, the program for executing each process (management application 61), and the computer-readable recording medium on which the program is recorded, as shown in each embodiment and each modified example, are also included within the scope of the present invention. Furthermore, modifications can be made as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0105] 10…Metal anchor, 11…Anchor bolt, 12…Loose fitting hole, 13…Fixation mechanism, 15…Rod-shaped member, 16…Elongation measuring device, 21…Expanding nut, 24…Nut body, 25…Expanding part, 26…Cone part, 41…Unit base, 41a…Through hole, 42…Unit cover, 43…Adjustment nut, 52…Length measuring sensor, AH…Anchor hole, AHa…Expanded diameter part, C…Concrete structure, S…Object to be fixed, Sa…Base plate, U…Sensing unit

Claims

1. An elongation measuring device provided on a metal anchor fixed to a concrete structure for supporting and fixing an object, which measures the amount of elongation of the anchor bolt due to the load acting on the anchor bolt of the metal anchor, A measuring unit for measuring the amount of elongation in the axial direction of the anchor bolt, The system includes an output unit that outputs information based on the measurement results of the measurement unit to an information output device, The aforementioned metal anchor is The anchor bolt has a loose fitting hole drilled in the axial direction from the base end to the tip, and the object to be fixed is supported and fixed at the base end, The system comprises a rod-shaped member that is loosely fitted into the loose fitting hole, with its base end protruding from the base end of the anchor bolt and its tip end locked to the anchor bolt to prevent it from coming loose, The elongation amount measuring device is characterized in that the measuring unit measures the elongation amount of the anchor bolt based on the distance between the base end of the anchor bolt and the base end of the rod-shaped member.

2. The elongation amount measuring device according to claim 1, characterized in that the output unit outputs to the information output device information indicating whether or not the elongation amount of the anchor bolt has reached a reference value and information indicating the elongation amount of the anchor bolt as the information.

3. The aforementioned information output device is a display device, The elongation amount measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising the display device.

4. The aforementioned information output device is an external device, The elongation measurement device according to claim 1, characterized in that the output unit includes a communication interface for transmitting the information to the external device.

5. The elongation amount measuring device according to claim 4, characterized in that the external device is an external server capable of communicating with the elongation amount measuring device via a network.

6. The elongation measuring device according to Claim 4, A communication system characterized by comprising the aforementioned external device.

7. The external device is, A determination unit that determines whether or not the metal anchor needs to be repaired based on the information output from the elongation measuring device, The communication system according to claim 6, further comprising: a notification unit that notifies the determination unit if it determines that the metal anchor needs to be repaired;

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