Electrical equipment

Abstract

To provide an electric device that can suppress the consumption of a battery.SOLUTION: An electric device comprises: an electric circuit C; a power supply circuit 4 that can feed electric power to the electric circuit C and stop the feed; and a housing 5 that houses the power supply circuit 4 and the electric circuit C in an internal space S. The power supply circuit 4 has a battery 4a and an output control section 4b. The output control section 4b controls the power supply circuit 4 to transition to an ON continuation state in which the battery 4a continuously feeds electric power to the electric circuit C even after the end of a first operation by a first operation performed from outside the housing 5 in an OFF state in which the feed of the electric power to the electric circuit C is stopped, and controls the power supply circuit 4 to transition to the OFF state in which the feed of the electric power to the electric circuit C is stopped by a second operation in the ON continuation state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to electrical equipment.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes an electric light type water level display device that displays the water level detected by a water level sensor on a water level display panel and operates an alarm device.

[0003] The electric light type water level display device of Patent Document 1 contemplates using a storage battery charged by photovoltaic power generation as a power source, uses an inorganic EL panel for the water level display panel, and realizes power saving by controlling the operation of the water level display panel and the alarm device in accordance with fluctuations in the water level and ambient brightness.

[0004] Patent Document 2 describes an electronic device including a housing and a switch, which enables turning on / off the electronic device through a predetermined operation of the switch.

[0005] The electronic device of Patent Document 2 has an operation portion of the switch slidably supported on the housing, and includes a permanent magnet (first ferromagnetic body) provided on the operation portion, a permanent magnet (second ferromagnetic body) that moves along with the movement of the aforementioned permanent magnet, and a sheet disposed between these. In Patent Document 2, the electronic device is configured such that it can detect the operation position of the operation portion by including a pair of magnetic sensors that detect the position of the permanent magnet (second ferromagnetic body).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0006]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0007] Electronic devices that run on batteries, such as wearable devices and IoT devices (IoT stands for Internet of Things), have their usage time limited by the battery capacity.

[0008] From this perspective, as described in Patent Document 1, it is conceivable to save power by, for example, managing the operation of the controlled object. However, even when implementing control to manage operation for power saving as described in Patent Document 1, there are limitations to the power saving effect if the state in which power can be supplied from the battery to the controlled object (the state in which voltage is applied) is maintained.

[0009] Furthermore, portable electronic devices often house circuit boards in a sealed enclosure for waterproofing and dustproofing purposes. While it is conceivable to include a switch in the enclosure that can cut off the battery output to save power, configurations such as those described in Patent Document 2, which require placing a sheet between the movable part of the switch and the circuit board, are likely to complicate the structure and increase the number of components.

[0010] For these reasons, there is a need for electrical devices that can conserve battery power. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The characteristic configuration of the electrical device according to the present invention comprises an electrical circuit, a power supply circuit capable of supplying and stopping power to the electrical circuit, and a housing that houses the electrical circuit and the power supply circuit in an internal space, wherein the power supply circuit has a battery and an output control unit that controls the output of the battery, and the output control unit is It has a magnetic sensor and a power-keeping circuit, and the output control unit is A first operation from outside the housing while the electrical circuit is in the OFF state (where the power supply to the electrical circuit is stopped) controls the power supply circuit to transition to an ON state (where power is continuously supplied from the battery to the electrical circuit even after the first operation is completed), and a second operation while in the ON state controls the power supply circuit to transition to an OFF state (where the power supply to the electrical circuit is stopped). The first operation is to bring the magnet closer to the magnetic sensor outside the housing, the magnetic sensor functions as a switch that switches the output control unit to the ON state by detecting the magnetism when the magnet is close, the power keep circuit is connected to the magnetic sensor and has an ON terminal whose potential changes when the magnet is close, the power keep circuit switches the power supply circuit to the ON state based on the change in potential of the ON terminal when the magnet is close to the magnetic sensor, and maintains the power keep circuit in the ON state even when the magnet moves away from the magnetic sensor and no magnetism is acting while the power supply circuit is in the ON state.It lies in that point.

[0012] According to this feature configuration, from the outside of the enclosure Bring the magnet closer The first operation switches the output control unit of the power supply circuit from the OFF state to the ON state, allowing power to be supplied from the power supply circuit to the electrical circuit. Conversely, while the output control unit is in the ON state, the second operation switches the output control unit to the OFF state, stopping the power supply to the electrical circuit. In other words, with this feature configuration, it is possible to supply power to the electrical circuit at any time and stop the power supply at any time without directly manipulating the power supply circuit inside the casing, thereby suppressing battery consumption. Therefore, an electrical device capable of suppressing battery consumption was constructed.

[0013] In addition to the above configuration, the housing may have a sealing structure that prevents liquid from entering the internal space and prevents dust from entering the internal space.

[0014] According to this, the adhesion of liquids and dust to electrical circuits housed in a sealed enclosure is suppressed, enabling the proper operation of electrical equipment.

[0017] In addition to the above configuration, the housing has a recess into which the magnet is inserted, and the direction in which the magnet is inserted into the recess may be the direction in which the magnet approaches the magnetic sensor.

[0018] According to this method, inserting a magnet into the recess brings the magnet closer to the magnetic sensor, causing the output control unit to remain in the ON state. Furthermore, since the recess is formed in the housing, it does not impair the sealing performance compared to methods that form through holes in the housing.

[0019] As a configuration added to the above configuration, the recess is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape that allows linear insertion and extraction of the magnet, and when the magnet abuts against the bottom wall of the recess, the relative positional relationship between the bottom wall and the magnetic sensor, and the magnetic strength of the magnet may be set such that the magnetism acting on the magnetic sensor from the magnet enables the output control unit to shift to the ON continuation state.

[0020] According to this, when the magnet is inserted into the recess and reaches the position where it abuts against the bottom wall through linear operation, the output control unit can be shifted to the ON continuation state, so that when a user operates the magnet, the shift to the state where power is supplied from the power supply circuit can be reliably recognized.

[0021] As a configuration added to the above configuration, the housing may include a shutter that closes the opening of the recess when the magnet is not inserted into the recess, and switches to a posture that allows insertion of the magnet when the magnet is inserted.

[0022] According to this, when the magnet is not inserted into the recess, the shutter closes the opening of the recess, thereby eliminating the problem of dust or the like entering the interior of the recess. Further, when inserting the magnet into the recess, the shutter switches to a posture that allows insertion of the magnet, thereby eliminating the need for manual operation of the shutter.

[0023] As a configuration added to the above configuration, the electric circuit may include a data collection unit that collects data, and a wireless communication unit that transmits the data collected by the data collection unit to the outside of the housing via a wireless signal.

[0024] According to this, information collected by the data collection unit can be transmitted to the outside by the wireless communication unit.

[0025] As a configuration added to the above configuration, the power supply circuit may include a notification unit that notifies that the power supply circuit has shifted to the ON continuation state.

[0026] According to this, when the power supply circuit transitions to the sustained ON state, the transition to this state can be recognized from information from the notification unit. In configurations where, for example, a light-emitting diode or a liquid crystal display device is used as the notification unit, the transition of the power supply circuit to the sustained ON state can be easily recognized by the lighting of the light-emitting diode, an icon displayed on the liquid crystal display device, or the like.

[0027] As a configuration added to the above configuration, an OFF control terminal that causes the output control unit to transition from the sustained ON state to the OFF state by inputting a voltage signal may be formed on the outer surface of the housing, and the second operation may be an operation of inputting the voltage signal to the OFF control terminal from outside the housing.

[0028] According to this, inputting a voltage signal to the OFF control terminal formed on the outer surface of the housing makes it possible to cause the output control unit to transition to the OFF state. In particular, this configuration does not cause mechanical failure or degrade the sealing performance of the housing, compared to a configuration in which a movable part is operated like a switch, for example.

[0029] As a configuration added to the above configuration, the output control unit may include an optical sensor that detects light rays, and the first operation may be an operation of causing the output control unit to detect a light ray from a light source outside the housing with the optical sensor.

[0030] According to this, for example, by causing an optical sensor inside the housing to detect a light ray from a light source outside the housing, the output control unit causes the power supply circuit to transition to the sustained ON state. [[BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS]]

[0031] [Figure 1] It is a perspective view of the information collection unit. [Figure 2] It is a cross-sectional view of the information collection unit. [Figure 3] It is a block circuit diagram of the power supply circuit. [Figure 4] It is a block circuit diagram showing a target to which the output of the power supply circuit is supplied. [Figure 5] This is a cross-sectional view showing the change in the shutter's orientation when a permanent magnet is inserted. [Figure 6] This is a block diagram showing a modified power supply circuit. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view showing a shutter of another embodiment (b). [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0032] Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. [Basic configuration] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the circuit module Ac is configured with an electrical circuit C having a data acquisition unit 1 for collecting data, a wireless communication unit 2 for receiving control information and transmitting the collected data, and a main control unit 3 for controlling the data acquisition unit 1 and the wireless communication unit 2, and a power supply circuit 4 for supplying power to the electrical circuit C. Furthermore, the information acquisition unit A (an example of electrical equipment) is configured with the circuit module Ac and a housing 5 that houses the circuit module Ac in an internal space S.

[0033] The housing 5 is made of an insulator such as a non-magnetic resin or metal and is formed in a sealed structure that prevents liquid and dust from entering the internal space S. The outer surface of the housing 5 is equipped with a display unit 6 (an example of a notification unit) that indicates that the power supply circuit 4 is in an ON state, continuously supplying power to the electrical circuit C. This display unit 6 does not display anything when the power supply circuit 4 is in the OFF state, but it may also display something to indicate that it is in the OFF state.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the display unit 6 includes a light-emitting diode 6a provided on a circuit board 7 housed in a housing 5, and a light guide member 6b that guides the light rays emitted by the light-emitting diode 6a to the outer surface of the housing 5. The light guide member 6b is made of a transparent resin material that guides the light rays, with its inner end close to the light-emitting diode 6a and its outer end exposed so as to be inserted into an opening in the housing 5.

[0035] In information gathering unit A, the power supply circuit 4 consists of a battery 4a and an output control unit 4b. This power supply circuit 4 enables switching between an ON state, in which the output control unit 4b continuously supplies the output of the battery 4a to the electrical circuit C, and an OFF state, in which no output is supplied to the electrical circuit C. Details of this power supply circuit 4 will be described later.

[0036] The power supply circuit 4 supplies power from the battery 4a to the data acquisition unit 1, the wireless communication unit 2, and the main control unit 3, and the output control unit 4b controls the output of the battery 4a.

[0037] Information gathering unit A is intended for use in environments where commercial power is difficult to access, such as outdoors. Furthermore, the circuit module Ac that constitutes information gathering unit A can also be used in some portable electrical appliances found in typical homes.

[0038] Information gathering unit A is envisioned to be configured as a water level gauge installed outdoors. However, this information gathering unit A is not limited to a water level gauge; it may also be configured such that the data acquisition unit 1 performs sensing such as measuring the distance to an object or determining the presence or absence of an object, and the information acquired by the data acquisition unit 1 is transmitted externally via radio waves from the wireless communication unit 2.

[0039] To enable use in this configuration, as shown in Figures 1, 2, and 4, the information acquisition unit A is equipped with a sensor control unit 1c of the data acquisition unit 1, a transmit / receive circuit 2a of the wireless communication unit 2, a main control unit 3, and a power supply circuit 4 on a circuit board 7 housed in a housing 5. This information acquisition unit A can also be configured so that some of the functions of the data acquisition unit 1 and the wireless communication unit 2 are shared with the functions (including software) of the main control unit 3. Furthermore, the information acquisition unit A is not limited to a configuration in which all of the sensor control unit 1c of the data acquisition unit 1, the transmit / receive circuit 2a of the wireless communication unit 2, the main control unit 3, and the power supply circuit 4 are supported on a single circuit board 7, but may also be configured to be supported on multiple circuit boards 7, such as by supporting some on sub-boards.

[0040] The data acquisition unit 1 has a millimeter-wave transmitter 1a that can transmit signals to the outside of the housing 5, a millimeter-wave receiver 1b that can receive signals to the inside of the housing 5, and a sensor control unit 1c that controls these, all located inside the housing 5. The sensor control unit 1c is provided on a circuit board 7 and may consist of an ASIC or the like that which converts the received millimeter-wave signal into a predetermined digital signal, and the transmitter 1a and receiver 1b may also be built into the ASIC together with the sensor control unit 1c. Since the data acquisition unit 1 uses millimeter waves in this way, it is desirable that the housing 5 be made of a resin material that can transmit millimeter waves.

[0041] The wireless communication unit 2 includes a transmitting and receiving circuit 2a that enables the transmission and reception of radio wave signals, and an antenna 2b that performs the transmission and reception of radio wave signals. The antenna 2b may be provided on the outside of the housing 5, or a sheet-like antenna may be attached to the inside of the housing and a pattern antenna may be formed by plating or the like.

[0042] The main control unit 3 uses a microprocessor or DSP (digital signal processor), and the program of this main control unit 3 controls the data acquisition unit 1 and the wireless communication unit 2.

[0043] The information acquisition unit A (circuit module Ac) receives control information sent wirelessly from an external source via antenna 2b, enabling settings such as the timing of data acquisition execution and cessation, and sensing intervals. It also enables control such as sending out the collected data in real time or in batches at set intervals.

[0044] [Power circuit] The power supply circuit 4 enables the supply or cessation of power to the electrical circuit C (data acquisition unit 1, wireless communication unit 2, and main control unit 3). As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the power supply circuit 4 includes a battery 4a and an output control unit 4b that controls the supply or cessation of the output of the battery 4a. The output control unit 4b is configured to switch the power supply circuit 4 from an OFF state, where the output of the battery 4a is not supplied to the electrical circuit C, to an ON continuous state, where the output is continuously supplied to the electrical circuit C by a first operation.

[0045] The power supply circuit 4 supplies power to the electrical circuit C at any time based on the user's first operation, and allows the user to cut off power to the electrical circuit C at any time based on the user's second operation. In particular, the second operation is not the same or similar operation as the first operation, such as a repetition or reversal, but employs a distinctly different operation to prevent malfunctions.

[0046] Furthermore, the output control unit 4b includes a power-keeping circuit 10 as shown in Figure 3, a regulator 11 that maintains the output voltage, and a Hall element 12 (an example of a magnetic sensor).

[0047] The power-keeping circuit 10, through a first operation using the permanent magnet 8 (an example of a magnet) shown in Figures 2 and 3, enables the transition of the power supply circuit 4 to a continuously ON state from outside the housing 5 without the user touching any switches inside the housing. In this way, because the transition of the power supply circuit 4 to a continuously ON state is enabled from outside the housing 5, the sealing performance is not reduced compared to, for example, a system that mechanically operates switches inside the housing 5 from outside the housing 5.

[0048] The power-keeping circuit 10 has a structure in which a semiconductor circuit is packaged, and as shown in Figure 4, it has an input terminal 10a to which output is supplied from the battery 4a, an output terminal 10b to which output is sent, an ON terminal 10c to which a control signal (zero potential signal) is input to transition to the ON continuous state (powered state), and an OFF terminal 10d to which a signal (positive potential signal) is input to set to the OFF state (shutdown state in which power supply is stopped).

[0049] The power-keeping circuit 10 shown in Figure 3 controls the power supply circuit 4 to remain ON by connecting the terminal of a Hall element 12 (an example of a magnetic sensor) to the ON terminal 10c, thereby changing the ON terminal 10c to a switch potential when the permanent magnet 8 approaches. The power-keeping circuit 10 is configured such that even after the power supply circuit 4 has remained ON, the permanent magnet 8 moves away from the Hall element 12 and the voltage at the input terminal 10a recovers, the power supply circuit 4 continues to remain ON. In this way, the Hall element 12 functions as a switch that detects magnetism and changes the potential at the input terminal 10a to a switch potential, thereby transitioning the power supply circuit 4 to remain ON.

[0050] As shown in Figure 3, the power-keeping circuit 10 has an OFF control terminal 13, which is rod-shaped and made of a good conductor such as copper, connected to the OFF terminal 10d. As shown in Figure 2, one end of the OFF control terminal 13 is connected to the OFF terminal 10d on the circuit board 7, and the other end is exposed on the outside of the housing 5. By inputting a pulse signal (an example of a voltage signal) with a voltage at least equal to (or exceeding) the voltage of the battery 4a from a pulse generation circuit 14 outside the housing 5 to this OFF control terminal 13 (an example of control from outside the housing 5), it is possible to switch the power supply circuit 4 to the OFF state. Alternatively, instead of a pulse signal, a constant voltage equal to the voltage of the battery 4a may be input.

[0051] [Power circuit: Transitions to ON state] As shown in Figure 2, the housing 5 has a bottomed cylindrical recess 5a into which a rod-shaped permanent magnet 8 can be inserted. The relative positional relationship between the bottom wall 5b and the Hall element 12, as well as the magnetic strength of the permanent magnet 8, are set so that when the permanent magnet 8 inserted into the recess 5a comes into contact with the bottom wall 5b, the information acquisition unit A reduces the voltage acting on the ON terminal 10c and switches the power supply circuit 4 to an energized state (continuous ON state).

[0052] In this configuration, the permanent magnet 8 is inserted into the recess 5a (this insertion is the first operation), and at the moment the end of the permanent magnet 8 comes into contact with the bottom wall 5b, the power-keeping circuit 10 switches the power supply circuit 4 to an energized state (continuous ON state). As mentioned above, after the power-keeping circuit 10 switches to the continuous ON state due to the magnetic action of the permanent magnet 8, it maintains the continuous ON state of the power supply circuit 4 even when the permanent magnet 8 is removed from the recess 5a and the magnetic effect is gone.

[0053] When the power supply circuit 4 transitions to a continuously ON state, the main control unit 3 causes the light-emitting diode 6a to illuminate, making the light beam from the light-emitting diode 6a visible from the outer end of the light guide member 6b. Conversely, when the power supply circuit 4 is in an OFF state, the main control unit 3 does not cause the light-emitting diode 6a to illuminate, so the user can recognize the state of the power supply circuit 4 from the display state (presence or absence of illumination) on the outer end of the light guide member 6b of the display unit 6.

[0054] As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the opening of the recess 5a is equipped with a shutter 9 that closes the opening with the biasing force of a spring (not shown) when the permanent magnet 8 is not inserted, and switches to a position that allows insertion of the permanent magnet 8 when the permanent magnet 8 is inserted. This shutter 9 is made of a ferromagnetic material such as iron. Therefore, when the shutter 9 is in the closed position, even if the permanent magnet 8 approaches the vicinity of the opening of the recess 5a, the magnetism of the permanent magnet 8 does not strongly act on the Hall element 12, and the intrusion of dust into the interior of the recess 5a is also suppressed.

[0055] Furthermore, in a configuration where magnetism is applied to the Hall element 12 by inserting a permanent magnet 8 into the recess 5a, it is necessary to predetermine the direction of the magnetic poles (one direction of the north pole and the south pole). For this reason, it is conceivable to determine the cross-sectional shape of the recess 5a and the cross-sectional shape of one end of the permanent magnet 8 so that the designated magnetic pole of the permanent magnet 8 can be inserted into the recess 5a (and the other magnetic pole cannot be inserted). For similar reasons, it is also conceivable to fix a small permanent magnet 8 to the end of a non-magnetic rod-shaped body so that the required magnetic pole is located at the end, and then insert the permanent magnet 8 into the recess 5a together with this rod-shaped body. In addition, when using a bipolar Hall element 12, it is not necessary to predetermine the pole on the side into which the permanent magnet 8 is inserted.

[0056] [Power circuit: Set to OFF state] As partially explained earlier, in order to switch the power supply circuit 4 to the OFF state, a pulse signal equal to at least the voltage of the battery 4a is input from the pulse generation circuit 14 to the OFF control terminal 13, as shown in Figure 3 (second operation). By inputting a pulse signal in this way, a pulse voltage is input from the OFF control terminal 13 to the OFF terminal 10d, and the power keep circuit 10 can be set to the OFF state (cutoff state).

[0057] This operation cuts off the power supply from the power circuit 4 to the data acquisition unit 1, the wireless communication unit 2, and the main control unit 3, and this cutoff state is maintained.

[0058] [Power supply circuit: Modified configuration for setting to OFF state] Instead of inputting a pulse signal to the OFF terminal 10d, a configuration is conceivable in which an OFF switch 15 is provided inside the housing 5, which applies the voltage of the battery 4a to the OFF terminal 10d by a pressing operation (second operation), as shown in Figure 6. In this modified configuration, the OFF switch 15 is assumed to be a membrane type with a resin film placed on the outer surface of the operating part so that the electrical contacts can be operated to a conductive state by manual operation from outside the housing 5, and this configuration makes it possible to maintain the airtightness of the housing 5. In this modified configuration, it is also possible to use a mechanical switch other than a membrane switch for the OFF switch 15 that can be operated to a conductive state by manual operation from outside, and to maintain the airtightness of the housing 5 by using a gasket or the like.

[0059] In this data acquisition unit 1, it is conceivable that the power supply circuit 4 may be used for extended periods with the power supply circuit 4 in a continuously ON state. Given this usage pattern, situations requiring the power supply circuit 4 to be switched to the OFF state can be anticipated, such as maintenance or malfunctions.

[0060] In order to enable an operation to switch to the OFF state (second operation), a second modification is conceivable in which an OFF control terminal 13 and a switch for OFF operation (with the same configuration as in the first modification) are provided inside the housing 5, and the housing 5 is configured to be openable and closable. In this second modification, when switching the power supply circuit 4 to the OFF state, the housing 5 is opened, a pulse signal is input from the pulse generation circuit 14 to the OFF control terminal 13, or the switch for OFF operation is manually operated.

[0061] [Effects of the Embodiment] With this configuration, the user can switch the power supply circuit 4 to a continuously ON state by inserting the permanent magnet 8 into the recess 5a of the housing 5 immediately before using the information collection unit A. Furthermore, when the user finishes using the information collection unit A, the user can switch the power supply circuit 4 to an OFF state by inputting a pulse signal to the OFF control terminal 13 outside the housing 5. As a result, the power supply circuit 4 can be kept ON only while the information collection unit A is in use, thereby suppressing battery consumption 4a and achieving power savings.

[0062] Furthermore, in this configuration, the power supply circuit 4 can be switched between the ON state and the OFF state by operating the housing 5 from outside the housing 5 while maintaining the sealing performance of the housing 5. In addition, the ON state and the OFF state of the power supply circuit 4 can be properly confirmed from the display on the display unit 6.

[0063] In particular, since the information gathering unit A is configured to insert a permanent magnet 8 into a recess 5a formed in the housing 5, it is not necessary to form through holes or slits in the housing 5. Moreover, since the OFF control terminal 13 for setting the power supply circuit 4 to the OFF state is formed on the outer surface of the housing 5 and integrated with the housing 5 by insert molding or adhesive fixing, the sealing performance of the housing 5 is not reduced.

[0064] In this configuration, a permanent magnet 8 is used to initiate the ON state. Therefore, even if there is an error, such as slight pressure being applied to the outer surface of the housing 5, the inconvenience of unintentionally transitioning to the ON state is suppressed, resulting in good power saving.

[0065] Since the shutter 9 that opens and closes the opening of the recess 5a is made of a ferromagnetic material, for example, even if a permanent magnet 8 or an unintended magnetic material is moved near the recess 5a while the opening of the recess 5a is closed, the magnetism of the permanent magnet 8 or the unintended magnetic material will not act on the Hall element 12, and the power supply circuit 4 will not be switched to an ON state against the user's will.

[0066] Information acquisition unit A is capable of measuring the distance to an object using millimeter waves and sensing whether or not an object is present. The information acquired through such sensing can be transmitted externally by the wireless communication unit 2. In this configuration, sensing information can be acquired without using communication cables, and sensing can also be performed using ultrasound.

[0067] [Another embodiment] The present invention may also be configured as follows, in addition to the embodiments described above (parts having the same functions as the embodiments are given the same numbers and reference numerals as the embodiments).

[0068] (a) The output control unit 4b is equipped with a light sensor such as a photodiode or phototransistor that detects light, and is configured to allow the power keeping circuit 10 to transition to an ON state by irradiating this light sensor with a light beam from outside the housing 5 to lower the potential of the ON terminal 10c.

[0069] This alternative embodiment (a) includes a filter that selectively transmits light rays of a specific wavelength to the optical sensor in order to achieve non-contact operation, and the housing 5 has a transparent window portion, and it is conceivable that a light ray from a semiconductor laser light source that emits a specific light ray is emitted as the light source.

[0070] In this alternative embodiment (a), the optical sensor, which is integrated into the housing 5 by insert molding or adhesive fixing, has a light-transmitting portion for allowing light rays to enter it, and is equipped with an opening / closing member that can switch between an open state and a closed state that blocks light rays. By setting this opening / closing member to the open position, light rays from outside the housing 5 are allowed to enter the optical sensor through the light-transmitting portion, and this entry causes the power supply circuit 4 to switch to a continuously ON state.

[0071] (b) As shown in Figure 7, the shutter 9 is supported so as to be slidable relative to the outer surface of the housing 5. In this alternative embodiment (b), when the permanent magnet 8 is not inserted into the recess 5a, the shutter 9 is held in a position that covers the opening of the recess 5a by the biasing force of a spring (not shown), as shown on the left side of Figure 7. When the permanent magnet 8 is inserted into the recess 5a, the shutter 9 is configured to be slid to a position away from the opening of the recess 5a by human operation, as shown on the right side of Figure 7.

[0072] In this alternative embodiment (b), similar to the embodiment, a ferromagnetic material is used for the shutter 9, thereby preventing the magnetic field of the permanent magnet 8 from acting on the Hall element 12 and suppressing the intrusion of dust into the recess 5a.

[0073] Furthermore, in another embodiment (b), the shutter 9 may be supported so as to be pivotable with respect to a shaft supported on the outer surface of the housing 5, and so as to slide along the outer surface of the housing 5.

[0074] Furthermore, in another embodiment (b), the recess 5a may be provided on one of the sides of the housing so as to be recessed in a direction parallel to the mounting surface of the substrate 7, and the permanent magnet 8 inserted into the recess 5a may be configured to act on the Hall element 12 when it is in contact with the bottom wall 5b.

[0075] (c) Circuit module Ac can be configured to be used as an environmental judgment sensor by equipping the data acquisition unit 1 with an optical sensor, a temperature sensor, a sensor that detects specific gases or dust contained in the atmosphere, etc.

[0076] (d) A rechargeable secondary battery is used as the battery 4a, and a solar power generation unit that generates electricity from sunlight is provided outside the housing 5, and the battery 4a is configured to be charged with power from this solar power generation unit. By configuring it in this way, the depletion of the battery 4a can be suppressed effectively.

[0077] (e) The enclosure 5 is equipped with a speaker or buzzer as a notification unit, and is configured to inform the user by voice when the power supply circuit 4 transitions to the ON state. By configuring the information output unit in this way, the status of the power supply circuit 4 when it transitions to the ON state can be recognized by hearing.

[0078] (f) Use circuit module Ac in wearable devices and IoT devices. [Industrial applicability]

[0079] This invention can be used in electrical devices equipped with a battery. [Explanation of symbols]

[0080] 1. Data acquisition unit (electrical circuit) 2. Wireless communication section (electrical circuit) 3. Main control unit (electrical circuit) 4 Power circuit 4A battery 4b Output control unit 5 cabinets 5a recess 5b Bottom wall 6. Display Unit (Notification Unit) 8. Permanent magnets (magnets) 9 Shutter 10 Power-keeping circuit (output control unit) 11. Regulator (Output Control Unit) 12 Hall element (magnetic sensor) A Information gathering unit (electrical equipment) C Electrical Circuit S interior space

Claims

1. Electrical circuits and, A power supply circuit capable of supplying and stopping power to the aforementioned electrical circuit, The system comprises a housing that houses the electrical circuit and the power supply circuit in an internal space, The power supply circuit includes a battery and an output control unit that controls the output of the battery. The output control unit includes a magnetic sensor and a power-keeping circuit. The output control unit controls the power supply circuit to transition to an ON continuous state, where power is continuously supplied from the battery to the electrical circuit even after the completion of a first operation from outside the housing in the OFF state, where power supply to the electrical circuit is stopped, and controls the power supply circuit to transition to an OFF state, where power supply to the electrical circuit is stopped, in response to a second operation in the ON continuous state. The first operation is to bring the magnet closer to the magnetic sensor outside the housing, and the magnetic sensor functions as a switch that switches the output control unit to the ON state by detecting the magnetism when the magnet is close. The power-keeping circuit is connected to the magnetic sensor and has an ON terminal whose potential changes when the magnet is close. The power-keeping circuit switches the power supply circuit to the ON state based on the change in potential of the ON terminal when the magnet is close to the magnetic sensor. The power-keeping circuit remains in the ON state even when the magnet moves away from the magnetic sensor and no magnetic field is acting. The output control unit has an OFF control terminal that, when a voltage signal is input, transitions the output control unit from the ON state to the OFF state. An electrical device in which the second operation is the operation of inputting the voltage signal to the OFF control terminal from outside the housing.

2. The electrical equipment according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a sealing structure that prevents liquid from entering the internal space and dust from entering the internal space.

3. The electrical device according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a recess into which the magnet is inserted, and the direction in which the magnet is inserted into the recess is the direction in which the magnet approaches the magnetic sensor.

4. The recess is formed in the shape of a bottomed cylinder, which allows for the linear insertion and removal of the magnet. The electrical device according to claim 3, wherein the relative positional relationship between the bottom wall and the magnetic sensor, and the strength of the magnet's magnetic field are set such that when the magnet contacts the bottom wall of the recess, the magnetic field acting from the magnet on the magnetic sensor enables the output control unit to transition to the ON continuous state.

5. The electrical device according to claim 3, wherein the housing is equipped with a shutter that closes the opening of the recess when the magnet is not inserted into the recess, and switches to a position that allows the insertion of the magnet when the magnet is inserted.

6. The electrical device according to claim 1, wherein the electrical circuit comprises a data acquisition unit for collecting data and a wireless communication unit for transmitting the data collected by the data acquisition unit to the outside of the housing via a wireless signal.

7. The electrical device according to claim 1, which has a notification unit that notifies that the power supply circuit has transitioned to the ON continuous state.

8. The output control unit has an optical sensor for detecting light rays, The electrical device according to claim 1, wherein the first operation is an operation in which the output control unit causes the light sensor to detect a light ray from a light source outside the housing.

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