JP2012016643A - Electrolytic water conditioner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electrolytic water conditioner which eliminates the use for replacement of a water cleaning cartridge not exclusive to this device.SOLUTION: The electrolytic water conditioner includes an electrolytic water conditioner body and a water cleaning cartridge which exclusive to the electrolytic water conditioner and is detachably mounted on the body. The electrolytic water conditioner returns a raw water sent from the body to the body after cleaning with the water cleaning cartridge with the water cleaning cartridge mounted on the body, subjects the cleaned water to electrolysis, and discharges the electrolytically reduced water. The body is configured to detect if the water cleaning cartridge is exclusive to the electrolytic water conditioner with the water cleaning cartridge mounted.

Description

  The present invention relates to an electrolytic water conditioning apparatus that performs electrolysis after purifying raw water.

  In recent years, electrolytic water conditioning apparatuses that purify raw water such as tap water and then electrolyze and discharge electrolytic reduced water (alkaline water) have been developed and commercialized. An electrolytic water conditioning apparatus generally includes an electrolytic water conditioning apparatus main body and a water purification cartridge that is detachably attached to the main body. Such an electrolyzed water regulating device is directly connected to the water faucet, and the tap water is sent from the main body to the water purification cartridge. After purifying the tap water with the water purification cartridge, the purified water is returned to the main body, It is electrolyzed in the body and separated into electrolytic reduced water and acidic water.

  Water purification cartridges used in electrolyzed water regulating devices are generally composed of activated carbon, hollow fiber membranes, etc. Due to their nature, water purification gradually increases as the cumulative amount of water passing through the water purification cartridge (integrated water flow rate) increases. Function declines. Therefore, in order to obtain electrolyzed reduced water having a stable quality by the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus, it is necessary to replace it with a new water purification cartridge. As described above, the water purification cartridge used in the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus is handled as a consumable item, and usually a water purification cartridge dedicated to the apparatus is manufactured for replacement.

  The electrolyzed water regulating device is a medical device approved by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, and can be manufactured and sold for the first time after an application for manufacturing and sales certification is filed with the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. This application for marketing approval requires that the medical equipment is clearly structured and the raw materials are specified as a medical device, and the electrolytically reduced water obtained by the electrolytic water preparation equipment is also safe for drinking purposes. Must be secured.

  However, recently, a third party other than the manufacturer of the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus has produced a replacement water purification cartridge in the same shape and size as the water purification cartridge dedicated to the apparatus, and sold it cheaply via the Internet. ing. The internal parts of the water purification cartridges sold by these third parties are manufactured by third parties, and are different from the water purification cartridges dedicated to the equipment for which the application for the manufacture and sale of electrolytic water purification equipment has been applied. Is. In addition, there remains doubt about the safety of the electrolytically reduced water finally obtained through such a water purification cartridge that is not dedicated to the device by a third party.

  For example, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-145053 (Patent Document 1), a consumable item with an IC tag storing an identification code, a reading unit of the IC tag, and an attachment / detachment detection unit for detecting attachment / detachment of the consumable item are controlled. When the attachment / detachment detection unit detects the wearing of the consumable item, the control unit includes an identification code read from the IC tag by the reading unit and the consumable item. There has been disclosed a consumer electronics device having a consumables management function for storing the usage accumulated time correspondingly. However, the home appliances assumed in Patent Document 1 are air conditioners and air purifiers, and there are no products that have introduced such a technique in the field of electrolytic water regulating devices.

JP 2006-145053 A

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electrolytic water conditioning apparatus that can be used not to replace a water purification cartridge that is not dedicated to the apparatus.

  The electrolytic water conditioning apparatus of the present invention includes an electrolytic water conditioning apparatus main body and a water purification cartridge dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus that is detachably attached to the main body, and the water purification cartridge is attached to the main body, After purifying the raw water sent from the main body with a water purification cartridge, it is returned to the main body, and is an electrolytic water conditioning apparatus that electrolyzes the water after the water purification with the main body, the main body being equipped with a water purification cartridge, The water purification cartridge is configured to detect whether or not the water purification cartridge is exclusively used for the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus.

  It is preferable that the electrolyzed water regulating device of the present invention is configured to stop electrolysis of water after water purification when the water purification cartridge is not dedicated to the electrolyzed water regulating device.

  When the water purification cartridge is exclusively used for the electrolytic water purification apparatus, the main body of the present invention causes the water purification cartridge to store information on the accumulated water flow and / or accumulated time of the water that has passed through the water purification cartridge. It is preferable that it is comprised.

  In the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus of the present invention, when the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus, it is preferable that the main body is configured to store information on electrolysis strength in the water purification cartridge.

  In the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the main body is configured to read information stored in the water purification cartridge when the energized state is changed from the non-energized state.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the water purification apparatus which can be made not to use for replacement | exchange about the water purification cartridge which is not for apparatus exclusive use can be provided.

It is a flowchart which shows a preferable example of the control method of the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus of this invention. It is a figure which shows typically a preferable example of the electrolyzed water regulating apparatus of this invention, Fig.2 (a) is a front view (partial sectional drawing), FIG.2 (b) is a side view (sectional drawing). It is a figure which shows typically a preferable example of the water purification cartridge only for the apparatus in the electrolytic water regulating apparatus of this invention, Fig.3 (a) is a front view, FIG.3 (b) is a side view (sectional drawing). It is the figure which showed typically the flow of the water in the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus of this invention.

  FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing a preferred example of the method for controlling the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing a preferred example of the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus of the present invention. ) Is a front view (partial sectional view), and FIG. 2B is a side view (sectional view). FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing a preferred example of the water purification cartridge dedicated to the apparatus in the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 3 (a) is a front view, and FIG. 3 (b) is a side view (cross section). Figure). As shown in FIG. 2, the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus 1 of the present invention basically includes an electrolytic water conditioning apparatus body 2 and a water purification cartridge 3 dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus that is detachably attached to the body 2. Prepare.

  The water purification cartridge 3 in the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus 1 of the present invention is realized, for example, in a columnar shape as shown in FIG. 3 and protrudes to one side in the axial direction to form a water inlet 4 and a water outlet 5. By fitting into the cartridge mounting portion of the main body 2 corresponding to the water outlet 4 and the water outlet 5, the main body 2 is detachably mounted. The water purification cartridge 3 has a structure in which, for example, activated carbon (microcarbon) is stored in a cylindrical shape in a casing 6 and a nonwoven fabric surrounds the cylindrical activated carbon layer 9 in a cylindrical shape. The water injected into the cartridge 3 passes through the activated carbon layer, moves from one side in the axial direction toward the other side (usually from the lower side to the upper side), and then the hollow portion of the cylindrical activated carbon layer. It is configured to be discharged from the water outlet 5 toward the one side in the axial direction. By passing the tap water through the water purification cartridge 3 in this way, free residual chlorine in the tap water, turbid components, total trihalomethane (chloroform, bromodichloromethane, dibromochloromethane, bromoform), tetrachloroethylene, trichloroethylene, 1, 1,1-trichloroethylene, CAT (agrochemical), 2-MIB (mold odor), soluble lead, etc. can be adsorbed and removed to purify the water.

  Here, FIG. 4 is the figure which showed typically the flow of the water in the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus of this invention. In the electrolytic water regulating apparatus of the present invention, first, in order to supply, for example, tap water as raw water, a branch tap 11 having a water inlet 12 and a water outlet 13 connected in a watertight manner is installed in a water tap. The water inlet 12 and the water outlet 13 are watertightly connected to the main body 2 at the ends opposite to the side connected to the branch tap 11. When the water tap is twisted in such a state, tap water is supplied to the main body 2 through the water inlet 12 in the branch tap 11. The tap water supplied to the main body moves from the water inlet 4 into the mounted water purification cartridge 3, is purified, discharged from the water outlet 5, and returned to the main body 2.

The electrolyzed water conditioning apparatus of the present invention includes an electrolyzed water generator 10 for electrolyzing water after purified water that has passed through the water purification cartridge 3. The electrolyzed water generator 10 is not particularly limited, and any conventionally known appropriate electrolyzed water generator including a cathode chamber including a cathode and an anode chamber including an anode separated from each other by a partition wall can be used. In the electrolyzed water generator, the cathode chamber is connected to a cathode water extraction pipe for extracting cathode water (alkaline water), and the anode chamber is connected to a discharge pipe for discharging anode water (acidic water) to the outside. ing. A water supply pipe is connected to each of the cathode chamber and the anode chamber, and is configured to be supplied with the water after the above-described water purification. By performing electrolysis using such an electrolyzed water generator, electrolytic reduced water (cathode water) containing dissolved hydrogen (H +, H ·, H ₂ ) from the cathode and acidic water (anodic water) from the anode Can be obtained.

  Returning to FIG. 4, the electrolyzed water is returned to the branch faucet 11 through the water outlet 13 and, for example, electrolytic reduced water is discharged. On the other hand, a part of the electrolyzed water (for example, acidic water when electrolytically reduced water is discharged from the branch tap 11) is partially drained out of the apparatus through the drainage channel 14.

  The present invention is an electrolytic water purification apparatus 1 having the basic configuration as described above, and as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 1, the main body 2 is attached with a water purification cartridge 3 (step S1), The main feature is that the cartridge is configured to detect whether or not the cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus (step S2). Here, it is possible to detect whether or not the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus when water is passed, for example, with the water purification cartridge attached. Of course, it may be detected whether or not the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus when the water purification cartridge is mounted. Such a configuration can be suitably realized by using, for example, an RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) method. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, the IC tag 7 is attached to an arbitrary portion of the casing 6 of the dedicated water purification cartridge 3 of the electrolytic water purification apparatus 1, while information is written and stored in the IC tag 7, A read / writer device 8 that can read information stored in the tag 7 is attached to the main body 2. The IC tag 7 attached to the water purification cartridge 3 dedicated to the electrolyzed water regulating device incorporates a UID (User Identifier) in advance, and when the water purification cartridge of the electrolyzed water regulating device 1 is replaced, By configuring the writer device 8 to identify this UID, it is possible to detect whether or not the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning device.

  The electrolyzed water regulating apparatus 1 of the present invention is preferably configured to stop the electrolysis of water after the water purification when the attached water purification cartridge is not dedicated to the electrolyzed water regulating apparatus. Moreover, it is preferable that the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus 1 of the present invention includes means for notifying the user when the attached water purification cartridge is not dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus. That is, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 1, when it is determined that the replaced cartridge is not dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus as a result of the detection in step S2, the electrolysis is stopped (step S3), and the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus If it is determined to be dedicated, control is performed so that electrolysis can be performed (step S4). In this way, when the user uses a replacement water purification cartridge manufactured by a third party other than the manufacturer of the electrolytic water purification device in the same shape and size as the water purification cartridge dedicated to the device, In addition, the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus does not operate, and it is possible to prevent the production of electrolytically reduced water that remains questionable in safety.

  The determination as to whether or not the replaced cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus, and the control of electrolysis according to the determination result can be performed by a control means (not shown) stored in the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus. it can. The control means can be realized by, for example, a central processing unit (CPU) or a microcomputer.

  When the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus, the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus 1 of the present invention may be configured to detect the accumulated water flow and / or the accumulated time of the water that has passed through the water purification cartridge 3. preferable. The water purification cartridge 3 is a so-called consumable product whose adsorption / removal capability gradually decreases due to its nature, and the replacement time is based on the accumulated amount of water passing through the water purification cartridge, the accumulated time, and the like. In the example shown in FIG. 1, when it is determined that the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus and can be electrolyzed (step S4), is the integrated water flow rate of the water passed through the water purification cartridge equal to or greater than a certain value? If it is determined whether or not it is equal to or greater than a certain value, the fact is displayed at an arbitrary position of the electrolytic water regulating device to inform the user that it is time to replace the water purification cartridge. (Step S6). On the other hand, when it determines with it being less than a fixed value, it returns to step S5. Although FIG. 1 illustrates the case of detecting the accumulated water flow rate of the water that has passed through the water purification cartridge 3, instead of detecting the accumulated time, both the accumulated water flow rate and the accumulated time are detected. You may make it do. For the integrated water flow amount of the water that has passed through the water purification cartridge 3, for example, a flow rate sensor (not shown) that can detect the flow rate of the water that has passed through the water purification cartridge 3 is provided at any location of the electrolytic water regulating apparatus 1. In the control means described above, calculation is performed from the flow rate. Further, the accumulated time can be detected by incorporating a conventionally known appropriate timer or the like in the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus 1 in advance. In addition, when it is determined that the accumulated amount and / or accumulated time of the water that has passed through the water purification cartridge 3 is equal to or greater than a certain value, the water purification performance has deteriorated with a known electromagnetic valve or the like appropriately provided at an arbitrary location. You may make it interrupt | block the flow of water so that water may not be taken out.

  The electrolyzed water regulating apparatus 1 of the present invention is also configured so that when the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolyzed water regulating apparatus, the main body 2 displays information on the accumulated water flow and / or accumulated time of the water that has passed through the water purification cartridge 3. 3 is preferably stored in the memory. Conventionally, information about the usage status of the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus 1 is often stored in the storage means in the main body 2, and the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus is not energized by, for example, a power failure or disconnecting the power cord. In such a case, the information is backed up, but the information is generally not retained after a certain period of time. Also, when the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus is sent out for repair due to a failure or the like, and it is necessary to replace the component substrate constituting the storage means and the control means, information on the use status is usually lost.

  When the main body 2 stores information on the accumulated water flow and / or accumulated time of the water that has passed through the water purification cartridge 3 in the water purification cartridge 3, the electrolytic water purification apparatus is not energized. Even when a component board is exchanged for repair or repair, information is not lost. Information is stored in the water purification cartridge 3 by writing information to the IC tag 7 attached to the water purification cartridge 3 by the read / writer device 8 attached to the main body 2 described above.

  In this case, it is preferable that the main body 2 is configured to read information stored in the water purification cartridge when the water conditioner is turned on from a state where it is not turned on. Thereby, from the information memorize | stored in the water purification cartridge 3, the lifetime (exchange time) of a water purification cartridge can be grasped | ascertained correctly here now.

  The electrolytic water conditioning apparatus 1 of the present invention is also configured such that when the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus, the main body 2 is configured to store information on the electrolysis strength in the water purification cartridge 3. preferable. The properties of electrolytically reduced water and acidic water obtained by the electrolyzed water regulating apparatus 1 usually depend on the strength of electrolysis. The electrolytic water regulating apparatus 1 is usually configured such that the user can select the strength set in several stages in order to obtain electrolytically reduced water and acidic water having appropriate properties (for example, pH value). However, when the electrolytic water conditioner is not energized by power failure or unplugging the power cord as described above, the selected setting is usually reset to the initial setting, and the user It is also assumed that it is used as it is without noticing. Since the main body 2 is configured to store the electrolysis strength information in the water purification cartridge 3, the information is not lost even when the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus is not energized. Information is stored in the water purification cartridge 3 by writing information to the IC tag 7 attached to the water purification cartridge 3 by the read / writer device 8 attached to the main body 2 as described above.

  Also in this case, it is preferable that the main body 2 is configured to read the information stored in the water purification cartridge when the water conditioner is energized from the non-energized state. Thereby, from the information memorize | stored in the water purification cartridge 3, the information of the intensity | strength of the electrolysis selected by the user can be grasped | ascertained correctly here now. Based on this information, the control unit controls the setting of the electrolysis intensity, which is initially set when the water conditioning apparatus is not energized, to automatically return to the electrolysis intensity selected by the user.

  In addition, the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus 1 of this invention is realizable by combining a conventionally well-known means suitably, and a specific structure and structure are not limited to what was mentioned above.

  The embodiments and experimental examples disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Electrolytic water conditioner, 2 Main body, 3 Water purification cartridge, 4 Water inlet, 5 Water outlet, 6 Water purification cartridge casing, 7 IC tag, 8 Lead writer apparatus, 9 Activated carbon layer, 10 Electrolyzed water generator, 11 Branch Water faucet, 12 inlet channel, 13 outlet channel, 14 drainage channel.

Claims (5)

An electrolytic water conditioning apparatus main body and a water purification cartridge dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus that is detachably attached to the main body, and the raw water sent from the main body is purified with the water purification cartridge attached to the main body. It is an electrolytic water conditioning apparatus that returns water to the main body after purifying with a cartridge, and electrolyzes water after the water purification with the main body,
The electrolytic water conditioning apparatus, wherein the main body is configured to detect whether or not the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus with the water purification cartridge attached.   The electrolyzed water regulating device according to claim 1, wherein the electrolyzed water regulating device is configured to stop electrolysis of water after water purification when the water purification cartridge is not dedicated to the electrolyzed water regulating device.   The said main body is comprised so that the information of the accumulated water flow and / or the accumulated time of the water which passed the water purification cartridge may be memorize | stored in a water purification cartridge when a water purification cartridge is only for an electrolytic water conditioning apparatus. 3. The electrolytic water conditioning apparatus according to 1 or 2.   The electrolytic water preparation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the main body is configured to store information on electrolysis strength in the water purification cartridge when the water purification cartridge is dedicated to the electrolytic water purification apparatus. apparatus.   5. The electrolytic conditioning according to claim 3, wherein the main body is configured to read the information stored in the water purification cartridge when the electrolytic water conditioning apparatus is energized from a non-energized state. Water equipment.

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