JP2001087155A - Bathtub water circulator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve handleability by enriching safety operation to be executed with lowering of the water level of bathtub water in a bathtub water circulator. SOLUTION: In a bathtub water circulator for forcedly circulating bathtub water between a bathtub 1 and a circulation water path 2 connected to it by means of a circulation pump 3, safety operation for protecting the pump 3 at the time of the lowered water level of the bathtub water is configured in a manner that the restoration of the water level of the bathtub water is monitored to switch over finishing and restarting of circulating operation in accordance with the situation of this restoration of the water level. Since monitoring of the restoration of the water level and restarting of circulating operation after the restoration are automated without a use involvement like this, a burden on the user is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bath water circulation device for taking out bath water from a bath and returning it to the bath. Examples of the bathtub water circulation device include a device for purifying bathtub water, and a device for performing jet jet mixing of air bubbles when returning bathtub water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In this type of conventional bathtub water circulating apparatus, in order to protect a mechanical seal of a circulating pump for circulating bathtub water, when the water level of the bathtub water drops continuously for a required time, the bathtub water circulating device is immediately turned off. The safety operation of stopping the drive of the circulation pump and forcibly terminating the circulation operation is performed.

[0003] More specifically, the water level of the bathtub may be lower than the inlet of the circulating water channel, for example, because the user draws out bathtub water from the bathtub or the drain cock is half-open. If such a water level drop continues for a required time, a large amount of air flows into the circulation pump without flowing into the circulating pump, causing a state of idling. It is not cooled and burns easily. For this reason, the above-described safety operation is required.

[0004] By the way, when the above-described safety operation is performed, the user takes measures to restore the water level of the bathtub water by supplying hot water from, for example, a hot water supply device, and to perform the safety operation after the water level is restored. It is necessary to perform an operation for releasing and restarting the circulation operation. However, when a device that keeps the bathtub water level constant, such as an automatic hot water filling device, is attached to the bathtub, the user does not need to take water level recovery measures.

[0005]

In the above conventional example, when the water level of the bathtub water drops, it is checked whether this situation has been continued for a required time or not. Although we are investigating whether the bathtub water is really short, if the water level drops continuously for the required time, we will perform a safety operation that immediately ends the circulation operation, and a form of safe operation He did not consider automating the resumption of circulation operation after the water level recovered, and was unfriendly.

In other words, after the circulation operation is terminated by the safety operation, even if the user performs a water level recovery procedure, the controller of the apparatus is not configured to recognize the water level recovery and restart the circulation operation. It is pointed out that it is troublesome for the user, for example, the user needs to notify the controller of the apparatus by performing an operation for canceling the safety operation after the water level recovery measure is completed.

[0007] In view of such circumstances, an object of the present invention is to improve the usability of a bathtub water circulating device by enriching the form of a safe operation performed when the bathtub water level falls.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A first bath water circulation device according to the present invention comprises a circulation water passage for taking out bath water from the side wall of the bath and returning the water to the bath water, and a circulation water passage and a bath water bath arranged in the middle of the circulation water passage. A circulating pump for circulating bathtub water, a water level detecting element for detecting a water level in the bathtub, and a control element for performing a circulating operation for circulating bathtub water, wherein the control element includes a circulating operation. During the execution, when it is recognized that the water level drop below the required level has continued for the required time based on the detection output of the water level detection element, the circulation operation is temporarily stopped and the presence or absence of subsequent water level recovery is determined. It monitors and performs a safety operation to restart or forcibly end the circulation operation.

[0009] The second bathtub water circulation device of the present invention comprises the first bathtub water circulation device.
In addition to the above configuration, a filtration tank for filtering bath water is provided downstream of the circulation pump in the circulation water channel.

The third bath tub water circulation device of the present invention is as follows. The first
Alternatively, in addition to the second configuration, a replenishing water tank is provided upstream of the circulation pump in the circulating water channel to store a required amount while passing bathtub water, and an air vent valve is provided in the circulating water channel downstream of the replenishing water tank. Have been.

[0011] The fourth bath water circulation device of the present invention comprises the first bath water circulation device.
3) a step of temporarily stopping the circulation operation, a step of monitoring the presence or absence of water level recovery a required number of times after a lapse of a required time from the time of the stop, and a step of monitoring the water level recovery in the monitoring process. The method includes a step of restarting the circulating operation when it is recognized, and a step of forcibly terminating the circulating operation when it is finally recognized that the water level has not recovered in the monitoring process.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the bathtub water circulating apparatus according to the first aspect.
The monitoring of the water level recovery of any one of the safety operations 4 to 4 is performed after the circulation pump is driven for a required time.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the bathtub water circulating apparatus according to the first aspect.
In any one of the configurations (1) to (5), when the circulation operation is forcibly terminated in the safe operation, an operation of notifying the water level drop is performed.

In summary, according to the present invention, the safety operation for protecting the circulating pump in accordance with the decrease in the water level of the bathtub water does not end the circulation operation immediately as in the conventional example, but determines whether or not the water level has recovered. Monitoring is performed so that the circulating operation is automatically restarted without intervention of the user if possible, and is terminated if not possible. Thereby, the burden on the user is reduced.

In the present invention, the water level restoring measures include a mode in which hot water is supplied by using a hot water supply device or the like through the intervention of a user, and a mode in which an automatic hot water filling device or the like is connected to the circulating water channel to automatically supply water. Both are included. By the way, in the former case, although the user needs to take a water level recovery measure, the water level recovery is monitored by the device and the circulating operation can be automatically restarted without the intervention of the user. Becomes In the latter mode, the user does not need to take a water level recovery measure, and the apparatus can monitor the water level recovery, and the circulation operation can be automatically restarted without the intervention of the user, which is more advantageous.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a bathtub water circulation device, and FIG.
It is a figure which shows the flowchart regarding filtration operation.

The bathtub water circulation device shown in the figure has a structure mainly for purifying bathtub water. In the figure, 1 is a bathtub, 2 is a circulation channel, 3 is a circulation pump, 4 is a makeup water tank, 5
Is a filtration tank, 6 is an indirect heating type temperature control device, 7 is an electric five-way valve, 8 is a chemical solution injection unit, 9 is a remote controller (hereinafter abbreviated as a remote controller) as an operation device, 1
0 is a controller as a control device.

The circulation channel 2 has an introduction portion connected to a side wall of the bathtub 1 and a reflux portion connected to a side surface of the bathtub 1.

The circulating pump 3 forcibly circulates bath water between the bath 1 and the circulation channel 2. This circulation pump 3 may be either a self-contained type or a non-self-contained type.

The replenishing water tank 4 has a function of removing foreign matter such as hair and relatively large dust contained in the bath water taken out from the circulation water channel 2 and a function of storing a required amount while passing the bath water from which the foreign matter has been removed. And This makeup water tank 4 is installed at a position higher than the introduction portion of the circulation water channel 2, and the bathtub water storage capacity in the makeup water tank 4 only needs to have a certain capacity.

The filter tank 5 separates relatively small scales and the like contained in the bathtub water, and also has a function of separating bubbles when the bathtub water contains bubbles.

The temperature control device 6 of the indirect heating type heats bath water flowing through the circulating water channel 2, and comprises a heat exchanger 61,
Hot water storage type boiler 62 as a hot water supply source, and circulation water channel 6
3, a bypass 64, and a three-way valve 65.
The heat exchanger 61 surrounds the outer periphery on the downstream side of the filtration tank 5 in the circulating water channel 2, and the hot water storage type boiler 62 keeps the stored water at a required constant temperature (for example, 80 ° C.). Circulating the stored water temperature-controlled by the hot water storage type boiler 62 between the hot water storage type boiler 62 and the heat exchanger 61, and the bypass passage 64 bypasses the supply side and the return side of the circulation water passage 63. The three-way valve 65 is provided between the bypass passage 64 and the supply side of the circulating water passage 63 to switch the flow passage.

The electric five-way valve 7 has a filtration state (see a solid arrow) in which the bath water supplied from the circulation water channel 2 is supplied to the filtration tank 5 in the filtration direction and then guided to the temperature control device 6 side.
A backwash state in which bathtub water is supplied to the filtration tank 5 in the backwashing direction and then to the drainage line 15 (see a broken line arrow), and bathtub water is supplied to the filtration tank 5 in the filtration direction and then drained. The bathtub water flow path is switched between three states, that is, a cleaning state (see a two-dot chain line arrow) leading to the conduit 15.

The chemical liquid injection unit 8 is for injecting an appropriate amount of sodium hypochlorite into bath water to be refluxed to the bath 1.

Although not shown, the remote controller 9 has a filter switch, a backwash switch, a wash switch, and the like. When these switches are turned on / off by a user, a corresponding signal is output to the controller 10. .

The controller 10 controls each of the above components based on at least an on / off command of a filtration operation which is input at the time of operation of various switches (not shown).

A temperature sensor 1 comprising a thermistor is provided downstream of the heat exchanger 61 in the circulating water channel 2 described above.
The detection output of the temperature sensor 16 is used for temperature adjustment control by the temperature adjustment device 6.

The above-mentioned makeup water tank 4 is provided with a water level sensor 17. The detection output of the water level sensor 17 is used for the controller 10 to indirectly recognize the water level in the bathtub 1. Examples of the water level sensor 17 include a float type, an electrode type, and the like, a water amount detector,
A water flow sensor, a pressure sensor, a pressure switch, and the like are used.

Further, the above-mentioned filtration tank 5 is provided with an air vent valve 18 for releasing air bubbles separated from bath water to the atmosphere. For example, when a large amount of air flows in from the introduction portion of the circulating water channel 2 and the circulating pump 3 stops, the air vent valve 18 introduces external air to the downstream side of the circulating pump 3 in the circulating water channel 2 to make up a makeup water tank. It also functions to make it easy to drop the bathtub water stored in 4 into the circulation pump 3 side.

Next, the operation of the bathtub water circulation device will be described with reference to FIG. The bathtub water circulation device of the present embodiment is configured to be able to selectively execute a continuous operation of continuously operating until the user performs an end operation and a timer operation of operating only for a time designated by the user. A description will be given of a mode in which timer operation is performed.

First, it is started when the power is turned on, and waits until the filtration switch is turned on in step S1. When the filtration switch is turned on and a filtration operation command is input, a filtration operation is executed in step S2, and a first timer for measuring the duration of the filtration operation is set. The first timer includes a 24-hour timer, and the operation time is set according to a start time and an end time arbitrarily designated by a user. In this filtration operation, the circulation pump 3 is driven by setting the filtration state (see the solid arrow) by the electric five-way valve 7. Thereby, the bathtub water in the bathtub 1 is introduced into the circulation channel 2, flows into the filtration tank 5 through the makeup water tank 4 and the electric five-way valve 7 from the filtration direction, and then flows through the bathtub 1 through the electric five-way valve 7. Refluxed to In the course of this reflux, an appropriate amount of sodium hypochlorite is injected from the chemical injection unit 8.

When this filtering operation is started, step S3
In, the water level drop in the bathtub 1 is monitored. In this monitoring, it is determined whether or not the detected water level L1 of the water level sensor 17 is equal to or higher than a preset reference water level L0 for abnormality determination. In addition, the reference water level L0 for abnormality determination
Is set to a water level allowing a margin for the water level in a state where the circulation pump 3 does not run idle.

If it is determined in step S3 that the water level has not decreased, it is determined in step S4 whether the first timer has expired. In step S5, whether a filtration stop command has been input in response to the operation of turning off the filtration switch. The filtration operation is continued while monitoring. When the first timer times out or when a filtration stop command is input, the filtration operation is stopped in step S6, and the process ends.

On the other hand, in step S3, the water level of the bathtub water in the bathtub 1 has dropped due to, for example, the user pumping out the bathtub water in the bathtub 1 or the drain plug being half-open. When it is detected, the duration of the water level drop is measured by the second timer in steps S7 and S8 to check whether the water level drop has occurred only temporarily or whether the bathtub water is really short. . This second timer is set to, for example, 30 seconds.

Here, when the second timer times out, in step S9, the driving of the circulation pump 3 is temporarily stopped, and it waits for the time required for the water level recovery to elapse. The time required for the water level recovery is empirically set to, for example, one minute based on an experiment or the like, and is measured by the third timer of the controller 10. In addition, as for the water level recovery measure when the water level decreases, for example, the user supplies water to the bathtub 1 using a hot water supply device (not shown), or automatically supplies water to the bathtub 1 using an automatic filling device that keeps the water level constant. What should I do? In the latter case, the water level is automatically recovered, so that the safe operation of the present invention is more effective.

When the third timer times out (step S10), a preliminary operation for driving the circulation pump 3 for a predetermined time is performed in step S11 to check whether or not the water level has recovered. At S12, it is checked whether or not the water level has recovered.

Here, if the water level has recovered, step S
In step S13, the filtering operation is restarted, and the process returns to step S3. If the water level has not recovered, the counter C = C + 1 in the water level recovery detection processing is set in step S14, and step S14 is performed.
At 15, it is determined whether or not the total number of times of the water level recovery detection processing has reached the set value Cs (for example, 5 times).

If the total number C is less than the set value Cs, the process returns to step S11 and repeats. If the total number C reaches the set value Cs, the process proceeds to step S6 to forcibly perform the filtering operation. To end. At this time, it is preferable to notify the user of the water level shortage by driving a buzzer (not shown) or the like.

By the way, during the above-mentioned filtration operation, by comparing the detected temperature Tm output from the temperature sensor 18 with a preset temperature Ts, it is monitored whether or not the temperature adjustment is necessary. I have. When temperature control is necessary, the three-way valve 65 of the temperature control device 6 switches to a flow path for flowing hot water from the hot water storage type boiler 62 to the heat exchanger 61. As a result, the heat exchanger 61
Hot water is supplied to the bath, and the bath water flowing through the circulation channel 2 is heated. By returning the heated bathtub water to the bathtub 1, the bathtub water in the bathtub 1 gradually rises in temperature.

Further, in addition to the above-mentioned filtration operation, the bath unit in this embodiment performs a backwash operation for backwashing the filtration tank 5, drains bathtub water in the filtration tank 5, and stably deposits a filter medium. The cleaning operation can be performed.

First, in the backwashing operation, the bathtub water is passed through the filter tank 5 in the opposite direction to that during the filtration by setting the motorized five-way valve 7 to the backwash state (see the broken arrow). In the above, the foreign matter clogged between the filter media is raised upward, and the bathtub water mixed with the foreign matter is drained from the drain pipe 15. This backwash operation is performed for about 2 minutes. On the other hand, in the cleaning operation, the electric five-way valve 7 is in a cleaning state (see a two-dot chain line arrow).
By passing the bathtub water through the filtration tank 5 in the same direction as when filtering, foreign matter remaining between the filter media in the filtration tank 5 is drained from the drainage line 15. This cleaning operation is performed for about 30 seconds. When the backwashing operation and the washing operation are completed, the electric five-way valve 7 is used to return to a filtration state (see a solid arrow).

As described above, when the water level in the bathtub 1 continues to drop for a required time during the filtration operation, the driving of the circulation pump 3 is temporarily stopped in order to prevent the mechanical seal in the circulation pump 3 from burning. It is checked whether or not the water level recovery measures have been performed, and if the water level recovers, the filtration operation is automatically restarted without user intervention, and the water level recovers. If not, the operation of the circulation pump 3 is forcibly terminated without restarting the driving of the circulation pump 3 while the circulation pump 3 is stopped.

As described above, since the safety operation accompanying the water level drop is enhanced, the burden on the user can be reduced, and the usability is improved.

Further, if the makeup water tank 4 is provided upstream of the circulation pump 3 as in the bathtub water circulation device of the above embodiment, even if air flows into the circulation water channel 2 due to a decrease in the water level, the supply of the water to the circulation pump 3 can be prevented. Since the bathtub water can be replenished, the pumping action of the circulation pump 3 can be ensured. This is particularly effective when the circulation pump 3 is a non-self-supply type.

That is, as described in the above description of the operation,
Even when the bathtub water level drops and a large amount of air flows into the circulation water channel 2, the presence of the makeup water tank 4 prevents a large amount of air from directly flowing into the circulation pump 3. The idling of the circulation pump 3 immediately after the water level drops is avoided. Further, when a large amount of air flows into the makeup water tank 4 and the bath water does not flow into the circulation water channel 2, the bath water stored in the makeup water tank 4 is gradually dropped to the circulation pump 3 side. Therefore, the mechanical seal inside the circulation pump 3 is cooled while the idling of the circulation pump 3 is prevented by the bathtub water.

As described above, in the waiting time (measurement time of the second timer) from the detection of the drop in the water level to the shift to the safe operation, the exhaustion of the bathtub water in the circulation pump 3 can be avoided. , The mechanical seal of the circulation pump 3 can be protected.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to only the above-described embodiment, and various applications and modifications are conceivable. (1) Regarding the configuration of the above embodiment, for example, instead of the electric five-way valve 7, a three-way valve (flow path switching valve) or a two-way valve (open / close valve)
Can be used in combination as appropriate, and various heating devices of a direct heating type can be used instead of the indirect heating type temperature control device 6. (2) In the configuration of the above-described embodiment, a two-way valve (open / close valve) is installed between the suction port of the circulating water channel 2 and the makeup water tank 4 (not shown) so that the circulating operation is not executed for a long time. In such a case, the two-way valve may be closed so that bathtub water does not flow into the circulation channel 2. In this case, if the circulating operation is performed with the two-way valve closed, the bath water does not flow into the circulating water channel 2, and the mechanical seal provided in the circulating pump 3 may be burned. However, according to the configuration of the above-described embodiment, even when the two-way valve is additionally installed, when the circulation operation is performed with the two-way valve closed, the controller 10 detects the shortage of the water level immediately after the start of the circulation operation. , The circulation operation will be forcibly terminated,
The mechanical seal can be protected. That is, in this configuration, in addition to the water level drop that occurs during the circulation operation due to the description in the above-described embodiment, the water level shortage that occurs immediately after the circulation operation due to forgetting to open the two-way valve also occurs. The detection can be performed, and the protection of the mechanical seal provided in the circulation pump 3 is thorough.

[0049]

According to the present invention, for safe operation for protecting the circulating pump when the bathtub water level falls, the recovery of the bathtub water level is monitored, and the circulation operation is terminated according to the water level recovery status. Since it is configured to switch between restart and restart, the burden on the user can be reduced as compared with the conventional example, and it is possible to contribute to improvement in usability.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a bathtub water circulation device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a flowchart relating to a filtration operation of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bath tub 2 Circulation water channel 3 Circulation pump 4 Refill water tank 5 Filtration tank 9 Remote control 10 Controller 17 Water level sensor 18 Air release valve

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shinichiro Chujo 93, Edocho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture Inside the Noritz Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 4D064 AA11 BF32 BF33 BF34 BF39 BF40

Claims (6)

[Claims] A circulating water passage for removing bath water from the side wall of the bath tub and returning the water to the bath tub; a circulating pump disposed in the middle of the circulating water passage for circulating bath water between the circulating water passage and the bath tub; A water level detecting element for detecting a water level of the bathtub, and a control element for executing a circulation operation for circulating bathtub water, wherein the control element is below a required level based on a detection output of the water level detection element during execution of the circulation operation. When it is recognized that the lowering of the water level has continued for the required time, the circulation operation is temporarily stopped, and the presence or absence of subsequent water level recovery is monitored to restart or forcibly terminate the circulation operation. A bathtub water circulation device that performs a safe operation. 2. The bathtub water circulation device according to claim 1, wherein a filtration tank for filtering bathtub water is provided downstream of the circulation pump in the circulation waterway. 3. The bathtub water circulation device according to claim 1, further comprising a makeup water tank for storing a required amount of bathtub water while passing the bathtub water upstream of the circulation pump in the circulation waterway. An air vent valve is provided downstream of the bathtub. 4. The bathtub water circulation device according to claim 1, wherein the safety operation includes a step of temporarily stopping the circulation operation, and a step of repeatedly performing a required number of times of recovery of a water level after a required time has elapsed from the time of the stoppage. Monitoring the presence / absence, restarting the circulation operation when the water level recovery is recognized in the monitoring process, and forcibly terminating the circulation operation when the water level is finally recovered in the monitoring process. A bath tub water circulation device comprising: 5. The bathtub water circulation device according to claim 1, wherein the water level recovery monitoring of the safe operation is performed after driving a circulation pump for a required time. Water circulation device. 6. The bathtub water circulation device according to claim 1, wherein when the circulation operation is forcibly terminated in the safe operation, an operation of notifying a decrease in water level is performed. Bath tub water circulation device.