Method for preventing theft of electric wire and device for preventing theft of electric wire

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to avoid theft of an electric wire which is rampant recently in solar panel power generation facilities, and the present invention addresses the problem of providing a technique for taking an effective countermeasure without incurring a large cost.　The present invention is a method or a device for preventing theft of an electric wire (10), the method using a cable cover (20) into which the electric wire (10) is inserted, a fixture (30) for fixing the electric wire (10), a cement hydrate (40), and a foaming material (50) for blocking the cement hydrate (40), wherein: an opening (21) for pouring the cement hydrate (40) into the cable cover (20) and for mounting the fixture (30) is formed; the cement hydrate (40) is poured into the cable cover (20) in a state in which the electric wire (10) inserted into the cable cover (20) is fixed by the fixture (30); and the electric wire (10) is cured into a cement hardened body to prevent the electric wire (10) from being pulled out.

Description

Electric wire theft prevention method and electric wire theft prevention device

[0001] The present invention relates to a technology for preventing the extraction of wires when installing or after installing solar power generation equipment, and more specifically to a technology for preventing widespread wire theft by fixing the wires with fixing devices and pouring cement hydrate into a cable cover through which the wires are inserted to harden them.

[0002] Following the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011, the Japanese government implemented policies to ensure energy self-sufficiency and realize a low-carbon society, promoting an energy mix that does not rely too heavily on fossil fuels and nuclear power. This resulted in the implementation of a surplus electricity purchase system (feed-in tariff system) and various subsidies from the national and local governments, leading to a surge in new solar power generation businesses. In the case of solar power generation, an increasing number of people are installing solar panels on the roofs of their homes, not just businesses but also individuals, and the number of mega solar power plants is also on the rise in Japan.

[0003] However, this has led to a series of thefts of the electric wires used to transmit solar power. These are the result of unscrupulous dealers who have set their sights on the copper and aluminum used in the wires, which can be sold at high prices to industrial waste disposal companies.

[0004] For example, on May 16, 2017, an electrician was arrested for stealing power cables from several solar power plants in Hyogo Prefecture. The damage amounted to 50 cases, totaling approximately 91 million yen. Power plants in out-of-the-way locations, such as mountainous areas, where security is weak, are targeted, and depending on the situation, significant costs may be incurred for security measures.

[0005] As a result, the Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association has posted a notice on its website warning people about how to deal with cable theft from solar power generation facilities. Examples of operational considerations and measures include requesting that companies take measures such as detecting abnormalities in cable theft and responding to emergencies, cooperating with neighbors and power plants to prevent crime, establishing a crime prevention system through the promotion of community coexistence, strengthening crime prevention measures by utilizing security companies, and taking out property insurance and business interruption insurance to prevent damage.

[0006] In view of these problems, various technical proposals have been made to solve them. For example, an invention titled "Method for detecting theft of a power conditioner and a cable connected thereto" (see Patent Document 1) specifically addresses the problem of "reliably and quickly detecting theft of a power transmission cable of a photovoltaic power generation system in a power conditioner," and proposes a solution to the problem by providing a power conditioner having a solar panel connected to a DC input side via a cable, a power grid connected to an AC output side, and an inverter for converting DC power input from the DC input side into AC power, the power conditioner including a voltage application means for applying a DC voltage to a DC side circuit including the cable, a current detector for measuring a current flowing in the DC side circuit, and a wire break detection processing unit for detecting a wire break in the cable based on the DC current value measured by the current detector. The wire break detection signal enables theft of the cable connected to the power conditioner to be detected. However, the invention of Patent Document 1 includes a disconnection detection processing unit that detects a cable disconnection based on the capacitance and the DC current value, and detects theft of the cable connected to the power conditioner by a disconnection detection signal, and by the time the detection signal due to a disconnection is input, the cable has been cut and the damage has become severe.Furthermore, it does not adopt a configuration that prevents the electric wire from being physically pulled out, as in the present invention.

[0007] Furthermore, a technology entitled "Method for detecting theft of a power conditioner and a cable connected thereto" (Patent Document 2) specifically addresses the problem of "reliably and quickly detecting theft of a power transmission cable of a photovoltaic power generation system in a power conditioner," and discloses a solution to the problem as follows: "A power conditioner having a solar panel connected to a DC input side via a cable, a power grid connected to an AC output side, and an inverter for converting DC power input from the DC input side to AC power, the power conditioner including a capacitance measurement circuit for measuring capacitance between a DC input terminal and a ground terminal, and a wire break detection processing unit for detecting a wire break in the cable based on the capacitance value measured by the capacitance measurement circuit. The wire break detection signal can detect theft of a cable connected to the power conditioner" (see Patent Document 2). However, the invention described in Patent Document 2 detects theft of a cable connected to a power conditioner by detecting a wire break in the cable based on the capacitance value measured by the capacitance measurement circuit, and as with Patent Document 1, by the time a wire break detection signal is input, the cable is severed and damage is already severed. Furthermore, it does not employ a structure in which the electric wire cannot be physically pulled out, as in the present invention.

[0008] Furthermore, a technology entitled "Power Conversion Device and Its Anti-Theft Method" (Patent Document 3) specifically addresses the problem that "As the range of applications of photovoltaic power generation systems expands, there is a need to install many relatively small and lightweight inverters outdoors, but the inverters are not equipped with any anti-theft measures." As a solution, a technology is disclosed in which "upon receiving a state change signal for the anti-theft function (S1), the state of the anti-theft function is switched (S2). Then, in the case of an alert state (S3), when the output signal of the connection detection unit indicates that the power source or load is disconnected (S4), an alarm signal is output (S5)" (see Patent Document 3). However, the invention described in Patent Document 3 outputs an alarm signal when the output signal of the connection detection unit detects that the power source or load is disconnected. As with Patent Documents 1 and 2, by the time the alarm signal is input, the cable is severed and damage is already severed. Furthermore, unlike the present invention, it does not employ a configuration that physically prevents the electric wire from being pulled out.

[0009] JP 2017-169264 JP 2017-169263 JP 2002-142462

[0010] The present invention aims to prevent the theft of electric wires, which has become rampant in solar panel power generation facilities in recent years, and aims to provide a technology that can take effective measures without incurring large costs.

[0011] The present invention is a method for preventing theft of electric wires that utilizes a cable cover for placing electric wires, a fixture for fixing the electric wires, cement hydrate, and a foam material for blocking the cement hydrate. The method comprises forming an opening in the cable cover for pouring the cement hydrate and for attaching the fixture, and, while the electric wires that are inserted into the cable cover are fixed with the fixture, pouring the cement hydrate into the cable cover and hardening it into a hardened cement body, thereby preventing the electric wires from being pulled out.

[0012] The present invention may also employ a configuration in which an adhesive filler is filled into the gap formed in the opening.

[0013] Furthermore, the present invention may employ a configuration in which the opening is covered with a cover body.

[0014] The present invention can also be applied to an anti-theft device for electric wires, which uses a cable cover for inserting electric wires, a fixture for fixing the electric wires, cement hydrate, and a foam material for blocking the water-cement hydrate, and which has an opening formed in the cable cover for pouring the cement hydrate and for attaching the fixture, and which is configured so that the electric wires inserted into the cable cover are fixed with the fixture, and the cement hydrate is poured into the cable cover and hardened into a hardened cement body, preventing the electric wires from being pulled out.

[0015] The present invention may also be directed to an anti-theft device for electric wires, in which the gap formed in the opening is filled with an adhesive filler.

[0016] The present invention may also be directed to an electric wire theft prevention device having a configuration in which the opening is covered with a cover body.

[0017] With conventional security equipment that uses motion sensors and camera footage, it was difficult to identify the culprit after the fact, but the electric wire theft prevention method and electric wire theft prevention device of the present invention have the excellent effect of enabling the culprit to sense that it will be difficult to pull out the electric wire, thereby preventing theft before it occurs.

[0018] Furthermore, the electric wire theft prevention method and the electric wire theft prevention device according to the present invention have the excellent effect of making it impossible to pull out the electric wire from the cover.

[0019] Furthermore, the electric wire theft prevention method and the electric wire theft prevention device according to the present invention have the excellent effect of preventing electric wire theft without incurring large costs.

[0020] Furthermore, the electric wire theft prevention method and the electric wire theft prevention device according to the present invention exhibit the excellent effect of preventing the theft of electric wires without requiring any large-scale work process.

[0021] Furthermore, in the electric wire theft prevention method and device according to the present invention, when a configuration in which the opening is covered is adopted, it is possible to exhibit the excellent effect of preventing adverse effects such as electric leakage due to water intrusion.

[0022] Furthermore, the electric wire theft prevention method and the electric wire theft prevention device according to the present invention have the excellent effect of preventing secondary damage, such as the inability to generate electricity during the repair period due to theft of electric wires.

[0023] It is a flowchart explaining the basic configuration of the electric wire theft prevention method according to the present invention. It is a basic configuration explanatory diagram explaining the basic configuration of the electric wire theft prevention device according to the present invention. It is an implementation state explanatory diagram showing the implementation state of each step in the electric wire theft prevention method and electric wire theft prevention device according to the present invention. It is a usage state explanatory diagram explaining the usage state of the electric wire theft prevention method and electric wire theft prevention device according to the present invention.

[0024] The present invention provides a method or device for preventing theft of electric wires, which uses a cable cover for containing electric wires, a fixture for fixing the electric wires, cement hydrate, and a foam material for blocking the cement hydrate. The method or device has the following major feature: An opening is formed in the cable cover for pouring the cement hydrate and for attaching the fixture; the electric wires inserted into the cable cover are fixed with the fixture; the cement hydrate is poured into the cable cover; the cement hydrate hardens into a hardened cement body; and the electric wires cannot be pulled out. The following description is based on the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the shapes and configurations shown in the drawings, and modifications can be made within the scope of the effects achieved by the creation of the technical concept of the present invention.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating the basic configuration of the electric wire theft prevention method according to the present invention.

[0026] The electric wire theft prevention method 1 according to the present invention comprises a cutting step A, a clamping step B, a foam filling step C, a hydrate filling step D, and an opening closing step E, and optionally a covering step F. Each step will be described in detail below.

[0027] The cutting step A is a step of cutting the cable cover 20 using a cutting tool or the like to open a part of the cable cover 20 through which the electric wires 10 are inserted.

[0028] The clamping step B is a step of fixing one or more electric wires 10 by using a fixing tool 30 so as to bundle them together.

[0029] The foam filling process C is a process in which foam material is placed at a predetermined interval so as to sandwich the fixed clamp portion in the clamping process B from both sides.The foaming agent is filled and foamed, and the foam material 50 formed by this foaming acts as a stopper to block the cement hydrate 40 to be filled in the next hydrate filling process D.

[0030] The hydrate filling process D is a process in which mortar made by mixing cement with water and sand, or concrete made by further mixing gravel, etc. is filled through the opening 21 of the opened cable cover 20. By absorbing water into the cement, the gaps between the cement particles are filled and hardened over time to form a hardened cement body 41.

[0031] The opening closing process E is a process for closing the opening 21 opened in the cable cover 20 filled in the hydrate filling process D, and is a process for returning the opened opening 21 to its original state and filling the cut portion formed when cutting with a filler such as an adhesive filler.

[0032] The covering step F is not an essential step, but it is desirable to include a step of covering the opening 21 after burying the opening 21 in the opening closing step E, using a cover body 70 to cover the opening 21 and prevent leakage, water ingress, etc.

[0033] 2 is a diagram illustrating the basic configuration of the electric wire theft prevention device according to the present invention. Each component will be described in detail below.

[0034] The electric wire theft prevention method 1 is a method for preventing theft of an electric wire 10 that utilizes a cable cover 20 for placing the electric wire 10 therein, a fixture 30 for fixing the electric wire 10, cement hydrate 40, and a foam material 50 for blocking the cement hydrate 40. The method includes forming an opening 21 in the cable cover 20 for pouring the cement hydrate 40 and for attaching the fixture 30, and in a state in which the electric wire 10 to be inserted into the cable cover 20 is fixed by the fixture 30, pouring the cement hydrate 40 into the cable cover 20, and hardening the cement hydrate 40 into a hardened cement body 41, thereby preventing the electric wire 10 from being pulled out.

[0035] The electric wire theft prevention device 2 is a device for preventing theft of electric wires 10, which uses a cable cover 20 for placing the electric wires 10, a fixture 30 for fixing the electric wires 10, cement hydrate 40, and a foam material 50 for blocking the cement hydrate 40. The device has an opening 21 formed in the cable cover 20 for pouring the cement hydrate 40 and for attaching the fixture 30, and the electric wires 10 inserted into the cable cover 20 are fixed with the fixture 30, and the cement hydrate 40 is poured into the cable cover 20 and hardened into a hardened cement body 41, making it impossible for the electric wires 10 to be pulled out.

[0036] The electric wire 10 is a wire for conducting electricity, a linear component for transmitting electricity. The main materials used are good conductors such as copper, copper alloys, and aluminum. Electric wires can be broadly classified into power cables for transporting electricity, communication cables for transmitting electrical signals, and coiled wires used for energy conversion inside motors and generators. In the present invention, the term primarily refers to copper or aluminum wires for conducting electricity generated by solar panel power generation facilities.

[0037] The cable cover 20 is a cover for covering the electric wires 10, and in terms of material, shape, and composition, it is a flexible bellows-shaped piping material made of rigid polyvinyl chloride. Alternatively, flame-retardant polypropylene or heat-resistant nylon is also suitable. However, the material is not limited to these, and any material that is corrosion-resistant, durable, lightweight, and capable of functioning as a protective cover for covering the electric wires 10 may be used.

[0038] The opening 21 is opened in order to fix the electric wires 10 inserted through the cable cover 20 with the fixing device 30 and to fill with the cement hydrate 40. Specifically, the opening is made by cutting the cable cover 20 into a roughly U-shape with a cutting tool such as a sander and then turning it up.

[0039] The gap 22 is a gap that is created when a cut is made with a cutting tool or the like to provide the opening 21 in the cable cover 20 .

[0040] The fixture 30 is a metal fitting for securing the electric wires 10 so that they will not be pulled out, and it creates a protrusion on the electric wires 10 to prevent movement with hardened cement. The fixture 30 shown in the figure is an example of a U-bolt, but it is not limited to this and may be any general wiring bundling member as long as it can firmly bind the electric wires 10 and can form a protrusion facing outward on the electric wires 10 after bundling.

[0041] Cement hydrate 40 is formed by adding water to cement, and over time the cement hydrate 40 fills the gaps between cement particles through a chemical reaction and hardens. Examples of such a cement hydrate include mortar made by mixing cement with water and sand, and concrete made by further mixing gravel.

[0042] The hardened cement body 41 is a hardened body that has hardened over time from mortar, which is made by mixing cement with water and sand, or concrete, which is made by mixing gravel. It is generally said that it takes about 24 hours for the surface to harden, and it takes about three days to a week for the body to fully harden.

[0043] The foam material 50 is a plug for blocking the cement hydrate 40 inside the cable cover 20, and is provided so as to sandwich the fixing device 30 at a predetermined distance. The material is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, a foamed resin such as urethane foam, expanded polystyrene, expanded polypropylene, or expanded polyethylene.

[0044] The adhesive filler 60 is used to fill the gap created at the cut to close the opening 21 after the fixing device 30 and cement material have been filled through the opening 21 provided in the cable cover 20.

[0045] The cover body 70 is used to cover the opening 21 provided in the cable cover 20 and to prevent water from entering.

[0046] 3A and 3B are explanatory diagrams showing the implementation state of each step in the electric wire theft prevention method and electric wire theft prevention device 1 according to the present invention, in which Fig. 3A shows the implementation state in the cutting step A, Fig. 3B shows the implementation state in the clamping step B, Fig. 3C shows the implementation state in the foam filling step C, Fig. 3D shows the implementation state in the hydrate filling step D, and Fig. 3E shows the implementation state in the opening closing step E. Note that Fig. 3F is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the opening 21 is covered in the covering step F; this step is not an essential requirement, but it is desirable to include this step.

[0047] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating the use of the wire theft prevention method 1 and wire theft prevention device 2 according to the present invention. This diagram illustrates the implementation of the wire theft prevention method 1 and wire theft prevention device 2 according to the present invention, in which thieves prevent the DC power lines (DC lines) from being pulled through the junction box / current collection box S to the power conditioner P, and the AC power lines from the power conditioner P to the distribution board H, the watt-hour meter J, or the grid. As shown in FIG. 4 , each solar cell module is connected to another solar cell facility using a single-core cable with a dedicated connector, such as a cross-linked polyethylene insulated heat-resistant vinyl sheath cable (HCV), a cross-linked polyethylene insulated heat-resistant polyethylene sheath cable (EM CE / F), or a 1500V DC cable for solar cell power plant facilities. A similar cable is also used between the solar cell module M and the junction box. Furthermore, CV cables or SOLAR-CQ cables similar to those used in general electrical equipment are used between the junction box and the power conditioner P. However, because it is DC wiring, two-core cables or single-core two-twisted cables are used. To protect the cables, they are often laid underground or in a ground rack. However, because the current flows from the power conditioner P onwards, it becomes AC, so CV cables are used. Each of the wirings shown in Figure 4 shows a state in which theft prevention is possible by installing multiple electric wire theft prevention devices 2 according to the present invention.

[0048] Module M is a panel made up of multiple cells (cells are the basic components of a solar cell, also known as "solar cell elements"; they are the smallest units and cannot be disassembled further; they are typically around 150mm to 200mm square, with a low power generation capacity of 3.5W to 4W per cell, producing only a small amount of power. Therefore, solar cells are formed by combining multiple cells to generate the necessary power.) Also known as a solar panel, it can be thought of as the panel that typically comes to mind when thinking of solar cells. The cells are coated to protect them and ensure the durability required for outdoor installation. The power generation capacity per module is approximately 170W to 325W, and there are significant differences between products, so careful attention must be paid to the cable selection. While the diagram shows a small-scale power plant, cables compatible with large-scale solar power plants (mega solar) will also be used.

[0049] A junction box / current collection box S is one of the pieces of equipment used in solar power generation. Solar power generation generates electricity when light hits a module M (a solar cell or substitute battery module), and the junction box collects this generated electricity and sends it to a power conditioner P. A current collection box is a device that collects the output from the junction box or power conditioner P, and is required when multiple junction boxes or power conditioners P are used in a system. There are two types of current collection boxes: DC current collection boxes and AC current collection boxes, and each has different uses.

[0050] A power conditioner P is a device that converts the electricity generated by a solar power generation system or a home fuel cell so that it can be used in a home or other environment, and is a type of inverter. The electricity flowing from modules M used in solar panels is usually "direct current," but by converting this to "alternating current" which is used in ordinary Japanese homes, it can become electricity that can be used normally. In other countries, it is also called an inverter or line conditioner.

[0051] The distribution board H is installed between the power source and the load, and is a device for opening and closing circuits, raising and lowering the power source voltage, and switching electrical systems. It is equipped with various circuit breakers, protective relays, meters, etc.

[0052] The electricity meter J that is installed before solar power generation is installed is a meter that measures the amount of "purchased electricity." Once solar power generation is installed, another electricity meter is installed to measure the amount of "sold electricity." In some cases, a third total power generation meter is installed to measure the amount of electricity generated by solar power generation.

[0053] The electric wire theft prevention method and electric wire theft prevention device of the present invention are believed to have high industrial applicability because they can prevent the theft of electric wires, which is rampant at solar panel power plants that are widely installed throughout Japan.

[0054] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Electric wire theft prevention method 2 Electric wire theft prevention device 10 Electric wire 20 Cable cover 21 Opening 22 Gap 30 Fixing tool 40 Cement hydrate 41 Hardened cement body 50 Foam material 60 Adhesive filler 70 Cover body Cutting process A Clamping process B Foam filling process C Hydrate filling process D Opening closing process E Covering process F M Module S Junction box / current collection box P Power conditioner H Distribution board J Watt-hour meter

Claims

1. A method for preventing theft of electric wires (10), which utilizes a cable cover (20) for containing electric wires (10), a fixture (30) for fixing the electric wires (10), cement hydrate (40), and a foam material (50) for blocking the cement hydrate (40), comprising: forming an opening (21) in the cable cover (20) for pouring the cement hydrate (40) and for attaching a fixture (30); pouring the cement hydrate (40) into the cable cover (20) while the electric wires (10) inserted into the cable cover (20) are fixed with the fixture (30), and allowing the cement hydrate (40) to harden into a hardened cement body (41), thereby preventing the electric wires (10) from being pulled out.

2. The method (1) for preventing theft of electric wires according to claim 1, characterized in that the gap (22) formed in the opening (21) is filled with an adhesive filler (60).

3. The method (1) for preventing theft of electric wires according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the opening (21) is covered with a cover body (70) for covering the opening.

4. A device for preventing theft of electric wires (10), which utilizes a cable cover (20) for containing electric wires (10), a fixture (30) for fixing the electric wires (10), cement hydrate (40), and a foam material (50) for blocking the cement hydrate (40), characterized in that an opening (21) is formed in the cable cover (20) for pouring the cement hydrate (40) and for attaching the fixture (30), the electric wires (10) inserted into the cable cover (20) are fixed with the fixture (30), and the cement hydrate (40) is poured into the cable cover (20) and hardened into a hardened cement body (41), and the electric wires (10) cannot be pulled out.

5. The anti-theft device (2) for electric wires according to claim 4, characterized in that the gap (22) formed in the opening (21) is filled with an adhesive filler (60).

6. An anti-theft device (2) for electric wires according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the opening (21) is covered with a cover body (70) for covering the opening.

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