ES1304886U - OZONIZED WATER SUPPLY DEVICE (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Ozonated water supply device for one or more ozonated water consuming devices, wherein the supply device comprises: an ozonated water supply circuit (20) with a first end connectable to a source of ozonated water and with at least a second end (22), opposite to the first end, connectable to a water intake of one or more devices consuming (1) ozonated water; at least one first solenoid valve (30), interposed between each consumer device (1) and the rest of the ozonized water supply circuit (20), and controlled by at least one controller device (40); characterized in that said at least one controller device (40) includes, for each consumer device (1), an auscultation sensor (41) not connected to the electrical circuits of the consumer device (1) and in contact or proximity with parts of the consumer device (1), the auscultation sensor (41) being a magnetic sensor, an electrical conductivity sensor, a capacitive sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor or an accelerometer; and wherein said at least one controller device (40) is configured to, in response to the readings of each auscultation sensor (41), regulate said at least one first solenoid valve (30) to supply each consumer device (1), ozonated water according to a specific ozonated water consumption need. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

DESCRIPTION

OZONIZED WATER SUPPLY DEVICE

Technical field

The present utility model concerns a water purifying device that comprises an ozonized water generating unit and an ozonized water distributing unit to feed washing machines with ozonized water, whether domestic or industrial washing machines.

State of the art

Patent JP2001137588A discloses an ozone purification system for a washing machine that comprises a distribution pipe that transports water from the outside, in which the ozone gas from an ozone generator, also called ozonator, thus such as a detergent, a solvent or the like are pumped by liquid pumps from a detergent container and an adjuvant container and said components are mixed through mixers. The mixture is agitated and pressurized in a transport pump 5 which drives it through a transport tube to a sprayer arranged in one embodiment in a front door of a washing machine. The sprayer continuously disperses the mixture into the wash liquid.

On the other hand, WO0037730A1 describes a dispenser for a washing machine that integrates a bubble generator, an ozone generator and a radical generator. A dispenser housing has a gas mixing chamber inside it. A bubble generator is arranged in the casing and generates air to generate air bubbles and ozone and pump it into a gas mixing chamber. An ozone generator is arranged in the gas mixing chamber and applies high voltage to the air introduced into the gas mixing chamber from the bubble generator to produce ozone. A radical generator has a ceramic catalyst to decompose ozone from the ozone generator into oxygen to generate air bubbles and an oxygen generator to be reactive with a hydrogen ion in the wash water to generate a radical. The dispenser sterilizes bacteria, viruses, mold, fungi or algae that live in water or clothing. The dispenser also improves the washing effect of a washing machine by oxidizing and bleaching the actions of ozone and radicals.

However, none of the known antecedents describe an ozonized water supply device that can be easily connected and coordinated with an external ozonized water consumer device. The present invention solves the above and other problems.

Brief description of the invention

The present invention concerns a device for supplying ozonated water for one or more consumer devices, as described in claim 1.

It is understood that the device consuming ozonated water is any machine intended to use ozonated water, typically in a washing and/or disinfection process, for example a dishwasher or a clothes washing machine, both domestic and industrial.

The proposed ozonated water supply device is intended to supply ozonated water to one or more consuming devices, and comprises, in a manner known per se:

an ozonized water generator provided with an inlet for unozonized water and an outlet for ozonized water;

an ozonated water supply circuit with a first end connected to the ozonated water outlet of the ozonated water generator and with at least one second end, opposite the first end, connectable to a water intake of one or more consumer devices;

at least one first solenoid valve, interposed in said ozonated water supply circuit between each second end and the first end, and controlled by at least one controller device.

Ozonated water is water mixed with ozone, which gives it disinfectant capacity. Thus, the ozonized water generator will obtain unozonized water through the unozoned water inlet, which will typically be connected to a mains water supply network, add ozone to it by dissolving it into the water converting it into ozonized water, and supply said ozonated water through the ozonated water outlet. The ozonated water supply circuit is connected to said ozonated water outlet at a first end and distributes the ozonated water to one or more consumer devices through one or more second ends of the supply circuit. Each device consuming ozonated water will be connected to a second end of the supply circuit.

The ozonized water supply circuit also includes, interposed, at least one first solenoid valve, that is, a flow regulation valve that can be automatically activated by electricity and that therefore can be controlled by at least one controller device integrated into the supply device. of ozonated water.

Said at least one controller device may be, for example, one or more programmable logic controllers, one or more computing devices, one or more computers, or the like. It is contemplated that a single controller device can simultaneously control multiple devices that consume ozonated water, or that, on the contrary, each device that consumes ozonated water has a dedicated controller device.

The present invention also proposes, in a way not known in the state of the art, that said at least one controller device includes, for each device consuming ozonized water, an auscultation sensor configured to, by simple contact or proximity with parts of the consumer device and without intervening in the electrical circuits of the consumer device, detect disturbances or alterations in physical magnitudes indicative of a supply of washing water in the consumer device.

Thus, the auscultation sensor is a sensor that allows detecting the operating status of the consumer device simply by placing it next to or in contact with a specific component of the consumer device, but without the need to modify the consumer device or intervene on its electrical or electronic circuits. of control. The at least one controller device will be configured to, in response to the readings of each auscultation sensor, determine a consumption need for ozonated water for each consumer device and to regulate said at least one first solenoid valve to supply, to each consumer device, ozonated water according to the need for consumption of determined ozonated water.

It is understood that the need for ozonated water can be a pre-established amount of ozonated water, or calculated in proportion to the magnitude of the readings obtained by the auscultation sensor.

The disturbances or alterations of physical quantities detected by the auscultation sensor may be, for example, variations in the magnetic fields generated by an electric motor, variations in electrical conductivity in the presence of water, variations in the electrical capacity of water pipes when filled with water, sound variations, vibrations or position variations of certain elements. Thus, the auscultation sensor could be, for example, a magnetic sensor, an electrical conductivity sensor, a capacitive sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor or an accelerometer.

Thus, a magnetic sensor will be associable, for example, to a motor, typically a washing water pumping motor of the consuming device, for detecting the drive of the washing water pumping motor and therefore detecting the water consumption. washing. Alternatively, a magnet may be attached to a certain mobile part of the consumer device that moves during the consumption of washing water, the movement of the magnet being detected by said magnetic sensor.

It is understood that the magnetic sensor is a sensor capable of perceiving disturbances in magnetic fields, typically thanks to the Hall effect, and that the pump motor is an electric motor that drives a pump.

An electrical conductivity sensor, located in contact with a floodable area of the consumer device, such as the inside of a washing water supply pipe or the inside of a washing area, where clothes or dishes are washed, for example, will be able to detect a variation in electrical conductivity when washing water enters the consumer device.

Alternatively, a capacitive sensor will be associable to a washing water delivery conduit of the consumer device to detect the washing water supply. The capacitive sensor placed adjacent to or in contact with a pipe, for example a washing water supply, will perceive an alteration in the dielectric constant of the pipe when it is full of water compared to the same pipe when it is empty of water, given the high dielectric constant of the water, sensing when the consumption of washing water of the consumer device begins.

An acoustic sensor may detect a sound generated by the entry of washing water into the consumer device, or generated by the operation of the pumping motor or the pump.

A vibration sensor may be associated, for example, with the pumping motor, or with a washing water supply line, detecting the vibration produced by the drive of the pump or by the flow of water through the line.

An accelerometer may be attached to a certain part of the displaceable actuator device during the supply of wash water to detect its movement.

Thus, the auscultation sensor allows the supply of ozonated water to be coordinated with the washing water supply cycle of the consuming device in a simple and non-invasive way with the consuming device, allowing quick installation of the ozonized water supplying device by personnel that does not require high qualification, since they only have to identify the position in which to place the monitoring sensor within the consumer device, without the need for electrical connection with parts of the consumer device, whose improper handling could affect the correct functioning of the consumer device. .

Brief description of the figures

The above and other advantages and features will be more fully understood from the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken by way of illustration and not limitation, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of the ozonated water supply device according to a first embodiment in which it supplies ozonated water to a single consumer device;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of the ozonated water supply device according to a second embodiment in which it supplies ozonated water to three consumer devices.

Detailed description of the invention and some embodiment examples

The attached figures show embodiment examples with a non-limiting illustrative character of the present invention.

The proposed ozonated water supply device makes it possible to supply ozonated water to one or more consuming devices.

Ozonated water is understood to be water, typically drinking water obtained from a drinking water supply network, to which ozone has been dissolved.

It is also understood that an ozonized water consuming device is any device, external to the ozonized water supply device, that is intended to wash by applying water. Consumer devices include, but are not limited to, household, professional and industrial dishwashers and clothes washers.

The proposed ozonated water supply device comprises an ozonated water supply circuit (20) with a first end connected to a source of ozonated water, for example to an ozonated water outlet (12) of an ozonated water generator (10), and with at least one second end (22), opposite the first end, connectable to a water intake of one or more devices consuming ozonated water (1).

The ozonized water supply circuit (20) includes at least a first solenoid valve (30) interposed between the consumer device (1) and the rest of the ozonized water supply circuit (20), typically at the second end (22) of the supply circuit. . Each first solenoid valve (30) allows the passage of ozonated water to be closed or opened to at least one of the consumer devices (1).

At least one controller device (40), such as a programmable logic controller, a computing device or a computer, will be connected to the first solenoid valve (30) allowing its opening and closing to be regulated by said at least one controller device (40). 40) following a pre-established schedule. For example, said at least one controller device (40) can be configured to open the first solenoid valve only for a short preset period of time, for example a few seconds, for each certain time of detecting the supply of washing water in the consuming device, for example 10 seconds of ozonated water supply for every minute of washing water consumption detection, or any other relationship. Alternating the opening of the first solenoid valves allows various consumer devices to be supplied with a single ozonized water supply device of reduced size and cost.

The example shown in Fig. 2 shows an ozonized water supply circuit (20) equipped with a single first end but with three second ends (22) connected in parallel, each of them including a first independent solenoid valve (30). and connected to a different ozonated water consumer device (1).

Thus, according to one embodiment of the invention, the ozonized water supply circuit (20) may include multiple second ends (22), each provided with a first solenoid valve (30). In this case, each first solenoid valve (30) will be associated, through the controlling device (40), with an auscultation sensor (41) configured to, through simple contact or proximity with parts of the consumer device (1) and without intervening in the electrical circuits of the consumer device (1), detect disturbances or alterations in physical magnitudes indicative of a supply of washing water in the consumer device (1).

Despite the above, it is also contemplated that, as shown in the example in Fig. 1, the ozonated water supply circuit (20) only has a second end (22), equipped with a first solenoid valve ( 30), connected to a single consumer device (1) of ozonated water.

It is also contemplated that the supply circuit has an additional outlet equipped with a manual valve, allowing a user to obtain ozonized water directly from said manual valve, for example to carry out manual cleaning tasks. The auscultation sensor (41) may be, for example, a capacitive flow sensor associable to a delivery conduit (3) of washing water of the consumer device for detecting the supply of washing water, and/or a magnetic sensor associable to a washing water pumping motor (2) of the consumer device (1) for detecting the operation of the washing water pumping motor (2).

Said at least one controller device (40) is configured to, in response to the readings of the monitoring sensor (41), detect a supply of washing water in each of the consumer devices (1) and to regulate said at least one first solenoid valve (30) in response to said detection of the washing water supply.

It is proposed that each auscultation sensor be associated with an attachment device, for example a self-adhesive surface, a clamp, an elastic clamp, a flange, a magnet, or a combination of the above. Any of these fixing devices will facilitate the fixation of the auscultation sensor in the position close to or adjacent to the element of the consumer device to be auscultated.

Optionally, a section of the ozonized water supply circuit (20) may include a magnetic softener (50) around it, to provide ozonized and softened water.

The source of ozonized water may comprise, for example, an ozonized water generator (10) provided with an inlet of water (11) without ozonation, typically a stream of water obtained from a network intake, and a water outlet (12). ) ozonated. The water, after passing through the ozonized water generating device (10), contains dissolved ozone or a higher concentration of ozone than before entering the ozonized water generator (10).

Thus, the ozonated water generator (10) is responsible for dissolving ozone in the water that enters the device. To achieve this, the ozonated water generator (10) typically comprises an ozone generator (13) connected to a mixer (14) associated with a conduit that connects the unozonated water inlet (11) and the water outlet (12). ozonated.

The ozone generator (13) produces ozone, and supplies it to the mixer (14) responsible for dissolving the ozone in the water stream that passes through the ozonated water generator (10).

The ozone generator (13) can be, for example, a generator intended to generate ozone by the corona effect using high electrical voltage.

The ozonized water generator (10) may include, between the inlet of unozonized water (11) and the outlet of ozonized water (12), a sensor capable of determining the circulation of water through it, for example a flow sensor. , and the ozone generator (13) may be configured to generate ozone automatically in response to the detection of a flow by said sensor. In this way, whenever a first solenoid valve opens, the pressure of the mains water will drive a flow of water through the ozonated water generator (10), which will be detected by the sensor and will cause the generation of ozone by the generator. of ozone (13) and its dissolution in the mixer.

Alternatively, it is proposed that the control device can be configured to also regulate the ozone generator (13) in response to the readings of the at least one auscultation sensor (41), simultaneously with the opening of a first solenoid valve.

Claims (8)

1. Ozonated water supply device for one or more ozonated water consuming devices, where the supply device comprises: an ozonated water supply circuit (20) with a first end connectable to a source of ozonated water and with at least one second end (22), opposite the first end, connectable to a water intake of one or more consumer devices (1 ) ozonated water; at least one first solenoid valve (30), interposed between each consumer device (1) and the rest of the ozonated water supply circuit (20), and controlled by at least one controller device (40); characterized because said at least one controller device (40) includes, for each consumer device (1), an auscultation sensor (41) not connected to the electrical circuits of the consumer device (1) and in contact or proximity with parts of the consumer device (1 ), the auscultation sensor (41) being a magnetic sensor, an electrical conductivity sensor, a capacitive sensor, an acoustic sensor, a vibration sensor or an accelerometer; and where said at least one controller device (40) is configured to, in response to the readings of each auscultation sensor (41), regulate said at least one first solenoid valve (30) to supply, to each consumption device (1), water ozonated according to a specific ozonated water consumption need. 2. The ozonized water supply device according to claim 1 wherein the ozonized water supply circuit (20) includes multiple second ends, each provided with a first solenoid valve (30), and where each first solenoid valve (30) is associated with through at least one controller device (40), with an auscultation sensor (41) 3. The ozonized water supply device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the ozonized water source comprises an ozonized water generator (10) provided with a non-ozonized water inlet (11) and a water outlet (12). ozonated, a mixer interposed between the water inlet (11) and the water outlet (12) and intended to dissolve ozone in a stream of water passing through it, and an ozone generator (13) connected to the mixer (14) to supply ozone. 4. The ozonized water supply device according to claim 3 wherein the ozonized water generator (10) includes, between the inlet of non-ozonized water (11) and the outlet of ozonized water (12), a water circulation sensor, and the ozone generator (13) is activated to generate ozone automatically in response to readings from the water circulation sensor. 5. The ozonized water supply device according to claim 3 wherein the at least one control device (40) is connected to the ozone generator (13) and configured to also regulate the ozone generator (13) in response to the readings of the at least one auscultation sensor (41). 6. The ozonized water supply device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said at least one auscultation sensor (41) is associated with a fixing device. 7. The ozonated water supply device according to claim 6 wherein the fixing device is selected from: self-adhesive surface, clamp, elastic clamp, flange, magnet, or a combination of the above. 8. The ozonated water supply device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein a section of the ozonated water supply circuit (20) includes a magnetic softener (50) around it.