JP2000121152A - Bath device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the waste of hot water or energy when a drain plug is erroneously pulled out owing to the mischief of children or the like while supplying hot water to a bath or retaining heat. SOLUTION: A bath device comprises a hot water supply device 1 with a hot water supply or heat retaining function of a bath, a driving part for manually and auotmatically opening and closing the drain plug 52 of the bath, a detecting part for detecting the opening and closing of the drain plug 52, a remote controller 33 for operating the hot water supply device 1 and a control part 31 for controlling the driving part and the hot water supply device 1 by the output of the opening and closing detecting part and the operation of the remote controller 33. When it is detected that the drain plug 52 is opened during supplying hot water or retaining heat in the bath, the opening operation of the drain plug 52 is displayed or informed by the remote controller 33 and the drain plug 52 is automatically closed so that the outflow of a large quantity of hot water can be prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bath apparatus comprising a water heater having a bath filling or heat retaining function and an automatic drain plug of the bath.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 5-79692, the open / close state of a drain plug is detected, and if the drain plug is closed, hot water is filled. There has been an automatic hot water supply bath device that stops the tensioning operation.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In a conventional drainage device,
Since it can be operated both manually and automatically, the drain cock may be manually operated and opened during a child's prank or accidentally taking a bath, and the accumulated hot water is discarded and energy and water are wasted. In addition, when the drainage device is automatically operated, when the drain cock is opened, the hot water filling operation is stopped, but there is a problem in that the accumulated hot water is discarded and energy and water are wasted.

[0004]

Means for Solving the Problems and Their Functions and Effects To solve the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention is to provide a water heater having a bath filling or warming function, and a bath drain plug which can be manually opened and closed. A drive unit that automatically opens and closes, an open / close detection unit that detects the opening and closing of the drain plug, a remote controller that operates the water heater, and an output of the open / close detection unit and the operation of the remote controller that drives and drives the water heater. A bath device comprising a control unit for controlling the drainage, when detecting that the drainage plug has been opened while filling the bath or keeping the temperature warm, the drainage valve is automatically displayed or notified by a remote controller and the drainage plug is opened. To close.
In other words, abnormal processing for the abnormal drain operation is performed,
Hot water can be prevented from being drained due to children's mischief or erroneous operation.

[0005]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a water heater and an automatic drainage plug according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the gas water heater includes a water heater main body 1, a water supply pipe 3 for supplying water from the water supply source to the water heater main body 1, and a water exchanger 7 that heats the water heated in the water heater main body 1. Hot water tap 11
A hot water supply pipe 5 for supplying water to the hot water supply pipe. Further, a heat exchange pipe is provided at a junction of the bypass pipe 43 and the hot water supply pipe 5 which is branched from the water supply pipe 3 in the water heater main body 1 and connected to the hot water supply pipe 5 without passing through the heat exchanger 7. Hot water heated in the vessel 7,
A mixing valve 41 is provided for mixing and controlling the water sent from the bypass pipe 43 by a stepping motor M driven based on a command pulse issued from the control unit 31. In addition, the water supply pipe 3 has an incoming water temperature sensor 25 for detecting the temperature Tc of water from the water supply source, a water amount sensor 27 for detecting the amount Q of water, and an upstream side of the mixing valve 41 of the hot water supply pipe 5. A heat exchanger outlet temperature sensor 45 for detecting the temperature Th at the outlet of the heat exchanger 7, and a mixed hot water temperature detection sensor 2 for detecting the mixed hot water temperature Tm after the mixing, downstream of the mixing valve 41.
9 are provided.

Further, a fan 9 for supplying air required for combustion is provided in the water heater main body 1. Further, four burner groups 14, 1 each including a plurality of burners are provided.
6, 18, and 20, and burners 16, 18, at both ends of the burners 14 that always burn when ignited.
A burner group 20 is provided next to the burner group 18. The burner group 14 has two burners, the burner group 16 has four burners, the burner group 18 has five burners, and the burner group 20.
Is composed of three burners and a total of 14 burners. Further, an igniter 15 necessary for ignition and a flame rod sensor 17 for monitoring a combustion state are provided above the burners of the burners 14 and 16 above the burners of the burners 14.

Further, a plurality of burner groups 14, 16, 18,
A gas supply pipe 23 for supplying gas to 20 is provided. The gas supply pipe 23 has a main solenoid valve 21 for starting / stopping gas supply and a proportional valve 19 for varying the amount of gas to be supplied. Each is provided. Further, solenoid valves 22, 24, 26, 28 for starting / stopping gas supply to the respective burner groups 14, 16, 18, 20 are provided.

Further, the gas water heater includes a hot-water pipe 4 connected from the hot-water pipe 5 in the hot-water heater main body 1 to the additional heating pipe 2 downstream of the mixing valve 41. A bath water sensor 8 for detecting a flow rate flowing through the hot water pipe 4 and a hot water solenoid valve 6 for starting / stopping the supply of hot water are provided.

On the other hand, the reheating pipe 2 has an end connected to the bathtub 12, a pump P for circulating hot water in the bathtub 12, a water level sensor 10 for detecting a water level in the bathtub 12, and a bathtub 1 in the middle.
2 is provided with a bath temperature sensor 49 for detecting the temperature of hot water.

The remote controller 33 includes an operation switch 3
5. A temperature setting switch 39 for setting a set temperature Ts of the hot water supplied from the hot water tap 11 and a bath set temperature Tfs of the hot water to be filled in the bathtub 12; A hot water insulation switch 36 to be turned on, a drain switch 38 for switching a drain plug 52 in the bathtub 12 from open to closed or closed to open, a display unit 37 for displaying a set temperature Ts, a bath set temperature Tfs, character information, etc.,
A notification unit 50 by voice or the like is provided.

The automatic drain plug includes a drain plug 52 which can be opened and closed at a drain port at the bottom of the bathtub 12, a thrust lock mechanism 53 which is connected to the drain plug 52 and is kept open and closed, and a thrust lock mechanism. Operation button 55 for operating 53
The thrust lock mechanism 53 and the operation button 55 are connected to each other by a cable 54 having rigidity in the axial direction.
2 is switched between the open state and the closed state, and the stop height of the operation button 55 is different between the open state and the closed state. Further, the cable 54 is operated only in the downward direction by the slider crank mechanism 59 driven by the motor 56 in the middle of the cable 54, and the same operation as the operation of pressing down the operation button 55 is performed. (The motor 56 and the slider crank mechanism 59 correspond to a “driving unit” in the claims.) A magnet 58 is fixed in the middle of the cable 54, and the position of the magnet 58 is detected by a magnetic sensor 57. It detects whether the drain plug 52 is open or closed. (This magnetic sensor is
It corresponds to the "open / close detection unit" in the claims. The automatic drain cock control unit 51 transmits the detection data of the opening and closing of the drain cock by the magnetic sensor 57 to the control unit 31, and the control unit 31.
The motor 56 is driven in response to a command signal from the
2 can be switched from open to closed or closed to open. It should be noted that the position of the automatic drain plug control unit 51 is not particularly limited, and may be inside the water heater main body 1.

Further, the gas water heater has the above-mentioned sensors 25,
27, 45, 29 and detection signals (Tc, Q, Th, Tm, Tm) from the temperature setting switch 39 of the remote controller 33 and the like.
s, Tfs, etc.), the proportional valve 19, the solenoid valve 22,
24, 26, 28, original solenoid valve 21, fan 9, mixing valve 4
1. In order to provide the control unit 31 for controlling the opening and closing of the drain plug 52, not only the opening and closing of the drain plug 52 by operating the drain plug switch 38 of the remote control 33 but also the hot water insulation switch 36
The drain plug 52 can be automatically closed and filled with hot water by the above operation. Therefore, the hot water insulation switch 36 is turned on, and during the hot water or warm operation, the magnetic sensor 5 is turned on.
7 detects that the drain plug 52 has been opened, the controller 31 outputs an abnormality processing signal, and the remote controller 33
Of the drain plug 52 is opened by the display unit 37 or the notifying means 50, and the motor 56 is driven to close the drain plug 52. As an example of the notification, the display unit 37 displays the text "Drain plug cannot be opened while hot water is being kept warm", and the notification means 50 says "Drain plug can not be opened while hot water is being kept warm". Put out.

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the automatic drain plug unit. The automatic drain plug unit includes an operation unit fixed to the upper part of the bathtub 12 and a drain unit fixed to the bottom of the bathtub 12. The drain and the drainage part are connected by a cable 54 having rigidity in the axial direction. The operation unit is provided in the round hole on the upper rim surface of the bathtub 12,
The decorative flange 75 is fixed to the large case 72 by screwing the decorative flange 75 therebetween. A packing 74 is provided between the bathtub 12 and the decorative flange 75, and a packing 73 is provided between the bathtub 12 and the large case 72.

A motor 56 is fixed to the side surface of the large case 72, and rotates the crankshaft 59d to operate the slider crank mechanism 59. Crankshaft 59d
Is provided with an O-ring 60 and a slip sheet 61 for waterproofing and friction reduction. A crank 59c is fixed to the crankshaft 59d.
A link 59b is rotatably attached to 9c, and a slider 59a is rotatably attached to the link 59b. The slider 59a has a through hole, into which the shaft 71 is loosely inserted. Therefore, when the motor 56 rotates, the slider crank mechanism operates and the slider 59a moves up and down. When the slider 59a descends, the slider 59a is attached to the step 71a of the shaft 71.
When the slider 59a rises and the slider 59a rises, the shaft 71 slides in the through hole, so that no force is applied to the shaft 71 to raise it. Also, since the motor 56 is waiting at a position where the slider 59a is at the uppermost position except when rotating, the shaft 7 can be manually operated by the operation button 55 on the upper portion of the shaft 71.
1 can be moved up and down. The motor 56 is of a type capable of detecting the standby position, and may be either a DC brush motor or a stepping motor.

A cylindrical magnet 58 is inserted into a lower annular portion of the shaft 71 and fixed with a stopper 69. A lower portion of the shaft 71 has a hole, and the lower portion of the shaft 71 has a cylindrical shape. The cable 54 is inserted, caulked and connected. Further, the shaft 71 is inserted from below the small case 70, the spring 68 is externally mounted on the shaft 71 from below, the cable tube 66 is screwed into the small case 70 from below, and the shaft 71 is attached to the small case 70. The case 70 is inserted and fixed to the bottom of the large case 72 from above. A magnetic sensor 57 is fitted and fixed to the lower side surface of the large case 72, and the magnet 5 fixed to a shaft 71 that moves up and down by operating the operation button 55 or rotating the motor 56 to move up and down the slider 59a.
8 is detected, and the open / closed state of the drain plug 52 is detected.

The drainage portion is fixed to a round hole on the bottom surface of the bathtub 12 by screwing a drainage fitting 63 into a drainage body 64 with the bathtub 12 interposed therebetween. The drainage fitting 63 has a thrust lock mechanism from above. A part 53 is fixed by insertion fitting, and a drain plug 52 is fixed to the upper part of the thrust lock mechanism part 53 by insertion fitting.
2 are installed. A cable tube 66 is connected to the lower part of the thrust lock portion 53, and the cable 5
4 operates the thrust lock mechanism 53, and the drain plug 52 moves up and down to open and close. The drain port body 64 and the large case 72 are connected by a guide tube 67, and bathtub water that has entered the large case 72 is drained to a drain section. Also,
The cable 54 passes through the guide tube 67.

FIG. 3 shows that, similarly to the manual operation of the operation button 55, the motor 56 is driven to lower the slider 59a to the lowest point, and the thrust lock mechanism 53 is operated to move the drain plug 52 from open to closed or closed. Is in the process of switching from to open.

FIG. 4 shows the motor 5 with the drain cock open.
6 is a standby state. In this state, the slider 5
There is a considerable margin between the step portion 9a and the step portion 71a of the shaft 71, and the drain cock can be switched from the open state to the closed state by either the manual operation of the operation button 55 or the operation of the motor 56.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a bath apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows an automatic drain plug according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The figure with a drain cock in a closed state.

FIG. 3 shows an automatic drain plug according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The figure of the state where it is pushed down to the lowest point by motor drive.

FIG. 4 shows an automatic drain plug according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The figure of a drain cock in an open state.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Hot water heater main unit 2. Additional heating pipe 3. Water supply pipe 4.
... hot water pipe 5 ... hot water supply pipe 6 ... hot water solenoid valve 7 ... heat exchanger 8
... Bath water quantity sensor 9 ... Fan 10 ... Water level sensor 11 ... Hot water tap 1
2 ... Bathtub 14, 16, 18, 20 ... Burner group 15 ... Igniter 17 ... Frame rod sensor 19 ... Proportional valve 21
... Original solenoid valves 22, 24, 26, 28 ... Solenoid valve 23 ... Gas supply pipe 25 ... Incoming water temperature sensor 27 ... Water amount sensor 29 ...
Mixed water temperature detection sensor 31 Control unit 33 Remote control 35 Operation switch 36 Hot water retention switch 37 Display unit 38
Drain switch 39 ... Temperature setting switch 41 ... Mixing valve 43 ... Bypass pipe 45 ... Heat exchanger outlet temperature sensor 49 ... Bath temperature sensor 50 ... Notification means 51 ... Automatic drain plug control unit 52 ...
Drain plug 53 ... thrust lock mechanism 54 ... cable 5
5. Operation buttons 56 ... Motor 57 ... Magnetic sensor (open / close detection unit)
58: magnet 59: slider crank mechanism 59a: slider
59b link 59c crank 59d crankshaft 6
0: O-ring 61: Slip sheet 63: Drainage fitting 64:
Drain outlet body 65… Packing 66… Cable tube 67…
Guide tube 68 ... Spring 69 ... Clamp fitting 70 ... Small case
71 ... shaft 72 ... large case 73, 74 ... packing 75 ... decorative flange M ... stepping motor P ... pump

Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kiyotaka Nakano 43-1 Uozakihama, Higashinada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo Japan F-Terminal F-term (reference) 3L024 CC05 CC28 DD27 EE02 FF16 GG36 GG45 HH39

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A water heater having a bath filling or warming function, a drive unit for automatically opening and closing a drain plug of a bath that can be manually opened and closed, and an open / close detection unit for detecting opening and closing of the drain plug. A bath apparatus comprising: a remote controller for operating the water heater; a control unit for controlling the drive unit and the water heater by operating the output of the open / close detection unit and the remote controller; A bath apparatus characterized in that when it detects that a drain plug has been opened, the remote controller displays or notifies the user of the fact that the drain plug has been opened and automatically closes the drain plug.