JP2000205440A - Feed water control system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To realize a sure operation and improve a safety by opening a solenoid valve at a hot water side only when a signal denoting termination of opening operation of a water side solenoid valve is transmitted from a bottom detecting part to a control part. SOLUTION: Whether or not a request for opening valve from an operating means is made is determined (S101), and when the request is made, a solenoid valve on a water side is immediately opened (S107). When the request is not made, the determination in the S101 is repeated. Whether bottom detection signal is generated or not is determined while the water side solenoid valve is open (S102), and whether the opening operation of the water side solenoid valve is terminated or not is recognized. When the bottom detection signal is generated, a hot water side solenoid valve is opened (S104). When the bottom detection signal is not generated, the water side solenoid valve is opened again (S102) and this operation is repeated until the bottom detection signal is generated. An opening operation of a passage to a water delivery end is terminated in S104 and thereafter the request for closing valve from the operating means is waited (S105). When the request is made, the hot water side solenoid valve is closed firstly (S106), thereafter the water side solenoid valve is closed (S107) to return to start.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a water supply device having a water flow path and a hot water flow path.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a faucet that detects and outputs a signal from a sensor or a contact type switch or the like to open and close water by opening and closing a valve has a water flow path and a valve to prevent and discharge hot water, and a water side and a hot water. It has been practiced to add a control unit for controlling the opening and closing of a valve on the side to make a hot and cold water supply system. The details of this device are described as a water supply control device in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-217399. However, when the flow path to the water discharge end side is opened, an electromagnetic valve for opening and closing the water flow path is first opened, and then the hot water flow is controlled. It is characterized by opening a solenoid valve that opens and closes the road. This is intended to prevent hot water from suddenly flowing out of the hot water flow path to the water discharge end side, and to allow the user to operate safely.

In addition, when the valve opening is requested, the waveform of the current flowing through the solenoid in the solenoid valve is monitored, and the inflection point is detected to recognize that the opening operation of the solenoid valve is completed (bottom detection).
A water supply control device is also described in JP-A-10-160031.

[0004]

However, the control unit of the device described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 9-217399 has a function of opening and closing the solenoid valve, but has a function of recognizing whether the solenoid valve has completed the opening operation. I do not have. For this reason, if an accidental failure in the solenoid valve (such as disconnection of the solenoid or breakage of the connector) or an accidental failure of an electronic circuit component in the control unit occurs, the solenoid valve may not open. At this time, if the solenoid valve on the water side breaks down, the device performs the water discharge / water stop operation using only the solenoid valve on the hot water side, and there is a possibility that high-temperature hot water flows out from the hot water flow path to the water discharge end side. I will.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a water supply control device in which reliable operation and safety are improved.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, a bottom detection function for recognizing completion of the opening operation of the solenoid valve is provided to the conventional hot / water mixing type water supply apparatus. Originally, bottom detection was developed for the purpose of saving power of a faucet using a battery as a power source.When the completion of the opening operation of the solenoid valve is recognized, the energization of the solenoid is immediately terminated to save unnecessary energy. The purpose was. In contrast, the present invention focuses on the point that the bottom detection function can recognize the opening operation of the solenoid valve, and when the water-side solenoid valve is opened, that is, a signal indicating the completion of the opening operation of the water-side solenoid valve from the bottom detection unit. Only when it is transmitted to the control unit, the solenoid valve on the hot water side is opened. Thus, when a valve opening request is made by the operating means, the water flow path is always opened before the hot water flow path to ensure the operation toward the water discharge end, and the safety of the water supply control device can be increased. This is the invention of claims 1 to 3.

Further, a contact type switch and a human body detecting sensor are used as operating means of the electromagnetic on-off valve. Thus, it is possible to transmit a signal from the operation means to the control unit by an electric signal. According to the fourth and fifth aspects of the present invention.

Further, in response to a single request to open the solenoid valve on the water side,
If the signal indicating that the water-side solenoid valve has been opened from the bottom detection unit is not transmitted to the control unit, a signal is output from the control unit so that the water-side solenoid valve is opened again, and the water from the bottom detection unit is output. This operation is continued until the signal of the completion of the opening operation of the side solenoid valve is transmitted to the control unit. This ensures
When a valve opening request is made from the operation means, the water flow path is always opened and the operation toward the water discharge end can be secured, and the safety of the water supply control device can be increased. This is the invention of claim 6.

[0009]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In order to make the contents of the present invention easier to understand, the following description is made with reference to the drawings.

[0010]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a facility provided with a water supply control device according to the present invention, showing a flow path system up to a water discharge port and an arrangement of a foot switch 6 and a controller 7 together. In the illustrated example, for example, a foot switch 6 is disposed at a riser on the lower front surface of the sink cabinet, and the water outlet is further configured to be capable of discharging water toward a sink incorporated in a counter placed on the upper surface of the cabinet. .

In FIG. 1, water stopcocks 1a and 2a are connected to a water supply pipe 1 and a water supply pipe 2, respectively, which penetrate a back plate (not shown) of a cabinet and are piped from the building side. A water side solenoid valve 3 and a hot water side solenoid valve 4 are connected downstream of 1a and 2a, respectively. Further, a water supply pipe 5a and a hot water supply pipe 5b are respectively connected to a water discharge port 5 fixed to the upper surface of a counter (not shown), and these are connected to the water side and hot water side solenoid valves 3 and 4, respectively. Thereby, a flow path up to the water discharge port 5 is formed. Opening and closing operations of the water-side and hot-water-side solenoid valves 3 and 4 are performed by a foot switch 6 incorporated in a lower end portion of the cabinet, and a controller 7 is provided to control these operations.
Then, a power supply box 8 is provided as a power supply for all electric systems including the controller 7.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the controller 7. 9
Is a microcomputer that controls the entire product, and 10 is a power supply, which may be either a battery or a commercial power supply stepped down to a constant voltage. Reference numeral 11 denotes an oscillator for generating an operation clock of the microcomputer, and reference numeral 12 denotes a contact of a foot switch for requesting valve opening / closing. Further, a drive circuit 13 for energizing the solenoid in the solenoid valve, a solenoid 14 in the water-side solenoid valve, a solenoid 15 in the hot-side solenoid valve, and a bottom detection unit 16 for detecting completion of the opening operation of the water-side solenoid valve are provided. Prepare.
The microcomputer 9 has output ports PO1 to P04 and input ports PI1 and PI2. PO1 to P04 are connected to a drive circuit 13, PI1 is connected to a foot switch 12, and PI2 is connected to a bottom detecting unit 16. PO1
Is turned on, a large current flows through the solenoid 14, and the water-side valve corresponding to the solenoid 14 is opened. Then, after PO2 is turned on, PO1 is turned off and a small current flows through the solenoid 14, while the water-side valve corresponding to the solenoid 14 is kept open while PO2 is turned on, and the valve is closed when PO2 is turned off. I do. When PO1 is replaced by PO4 and PO2 is replaced by PO3, the solenoid 15 opens and closes similarly. PI1 inputs a contact signal of the foot switch 12, and PI2 inputs a valve opening operation completion signal of the bottom detection unit 16.

A circuit diagram in the case where a human body detection sensor 17 is used as a solenoid valve opening / closing request unit other than the foot switch 12 is also shown. The human body detection sensor 17 includes a non-contact type detection circuit 18, a light projecting element 19, and a light receiving element 20, and is activated from an output port PO5 of the microcomputer 9, and returns a detection result to an input port PI3 of the microcomputer 9. The detection circuit 18 is configured to turn on / off the power supply VCC by a transistor 21 connected to the output port PO6 of the microcomputer 9.

FIG. 3 shows a circuit example of the bottom detection unit. 22
Is a resistor that converts the current flowing through the solenoid 14 into a voltage,
Reference numeral 23 denotes an amplifying unit for amplifying the voltage of 22a.
4. It is composed of feedback resistors 25 and 26. Reference numeral 27 denotes a pulse generation circuit, which includes a comparator 28, a resistor 29, and a capacitor 30. The output pulse of the comparator 28 is transmitted to the input port PI2 of the microcomputer 9. FIG. 4 shows two input voltages and an output pulse waveform of the comparator 28. The vertical axis represents the voltage (amplified voltage), and the horizontal axis represents the time immediately after the energization of the solenoid 14 is started. 28a
Is the original signal waveform, 28b is the delay signal waveform, and 28c is the bottom detection signal waveform.

Next, the operation performed by the microcomputer 9 will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. First, in S101, it is determined whether or not a valve opening request is made from the operation means. If there is a request, the water-side solenoid valve is opened immediately (S107). If there is no valve opening request, the determination in S101 is repeated. In S103, the water-side solenoid valve is opened (S102)
The presence or absence of a bottom detection signal is determined during the operation, and it is recognized whether or not the opening operation of the water-side solenoid valve has been completed. If there is a bottom detection signal, the hot water side solenoid valve is opened immediately (S104). If there is no bottom detection signal, the water side solenoid valve is opened again (S102), and this operation is repeated until a bottom detection signal is generated. In S104, the opening operation of the flow path to the water discharge end is completed, and thereafter, a valve closing request from the operating means is waited (S105). If there is a request, the hot water side solenoid valve is closed first (S106), then the water side solenoid valve is closed (S107), and the process returns to the start.

[0016]

According to the present invention, the following effects are exhibited by the above configuration.

In the hot and cold water mixing faucet, only when the water-side solenoid valve is opened, that is, when the signal of completion of the opening operation of the water-side solenoid valve is transmitted from the bottom detection unit to the control unit and the completion of the opening operation can be recognized, By opening the solenoid valve on the hot water side, when a valve opening request is made by the operating means, the water flow path can always be opened before the hot water flow path to ensure the operation toward the water discharge end, increasing the safety of the water supply control device It becomes possible.

Further, by using a contact switch or a human body detecting sensor as the operating means of the electromagnetic on-off valve, it is possible to transmit a signal from the operating means to the control unit by an electric signal.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a product configuration diagram of a water supply control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit configuration diagram in the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a bottom detection unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a voltage waveform of a bottom detection unit in the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an operation flowchart of a water supply control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1a, 2a: water stopcock 3: water side electromagnetic, 4 ... hot water side solenoid valve 5 ... water discharge port, 5a ... water supply pipe, 5b ... hot water supply pipe 6 ... foot switch, 7 ... controller, 9 ... microcomputer 10 ... Power supply, 11 oscillator, 12 contact of foot switch, 13 drive circuit 14 solenoid in water side solenoid valve, 15 solenoid in hot water side solenoid valve 16 bottom detector, 17 human body detection sensor 18 Detection circuit, 19: light emitting element, 20: light receiving element, 2
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Transistor 22 ... Resistance, 23 ... Amplification part, 27 ... Pulse generation circuit

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. An electromagnetic on-off valve for opening and closing a water flow path toward a water discharge end side, an electromagnetic on-off valve for opening and closing a hot water flow path, and operation means of the electromagnetic on-off valve and recognition of completion of the opening operation of the valve. In the water supply control device provided with a bottom detecting means to be performed and a control unit for controlling these valves and means, when a valve opening request is made from the operating means, an electromagnetic on-off valve for opening and closing the water flow path is opened first, A water supply control device characterized by opening an electromagnetic on-off valve for opening and closing the hot water flow path thereafter. 2. The valve according to claim 1, wherein when the valve is requested to be closed by the operating means, an electromagnetic on-off valve for opening and closing the hot water flow path is closed first, and then an electromagnetic on-off valve for opening and closing the water flow path is closed. Water supply control device characterized by the above-mentioned. 3. The electromagnetic on-off valve according to claim 1, wherein the control section inputs an open operation completion signal of the electromagnetic on-off valve for opening and closing the water flow path from the bottom detection means only when the control section inputs the signal. A water supply control device, characterized in that the water supply control device is opened. 4. The water supply control device according to claim 3, wherein a contact switch is used as operating means for the electromagnetic on-off valve. 5. A water supply control device according to claim 3, wherein a sensor for detecting a human body is used as operating means for the electromagnetic on-off valve. 6. The electromagnetic on-off valve for opening and closing the water flow path according to claim 3, until an open operation completion signal of the electromagnetic on-off valve for opening and closing the water flow path from the bottom detecting means is input to the control unit. A water supply control device characterized by repeating an opening operation.