JP2002065486A - Bathtub washing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To automatically set time required to shift from the opening operation of a bathtub drain stopper to the washing operation of a bathtub for eliminating the waste time in draining water and for shortening the time required to finish washing the bathtub. SOLUTION: The bathtub washing device has a mechanism for operating the drain stopper, and the bathtub is washed by jetting liquid cleaner from a nozzle in the bathtub, after draining the water in the bathtub by the opening operation of the drain stopper before washing the bathtub. This bathtub washing device is provided with a means for automatically setting the time required to shift from the opening operation of the drain stopper to the washing operation of the bathtub.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bathtub cleaning apparatus for cleaning a bathtub by spraying a cleaning liquid from a nozzle provided in the bathtub.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, there is known a bathtub cleaning apparatus in which bathtub water is drained by opening a bathtub drain plug before the bathtub is cleaned, and then the bathtub is cleaned. With this device, the time from the opening operation of the bathtub drain plug to the transition to the bathtub cleaning operation is
The bath tub drain plug was opened and the bath tub water was set to be long enough to allow for the actual drainage time required to complete drainage. In some cases, the time can be set according to the amount of water discharged from the bathtub, but it has been necessary to manually change the time.

[0003]

In the conventional bathtub cleaning apparatus, the time from the opening operation of the bathtub drain plug to the transition to the bathtub cleaning operation needs to be shifted to the cleaning operation after the bathtub water is completely drained. Since the bathtub drain cock is opened and the bathtub water drainage is set to be longer than the actual drainage time necessary to complete drainage of the bathtub, it takes more time than necessary, and as a result, until the bathtub cleaning ends There was a problem that it took time. In some cases, the time can be set in accordance with the amount of bathtub water drained. However, since the time has to be changed manually, there is a problem that it is cumbersome. The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to automatically and appropriately set a time period from an opening operation of a bathtub drain plug to a bathtub cleaning operation with respect to an actual drainage time. An object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub cleaning apparatus that is set so that it is not bothersome, wastes time, and has a reduced time until completion of bathtub cleaning.

[0004]

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention has a mechanism for operating a bathtub drainage plug, and the bathtub is opened by cleaning the bathtub before the bathtub is washed. In a bathtub cleaning device configured to wash a bathtub by injecting a cleaning liquid from a nozzle provided in the bathtub after draining water, the bathtub cleaning device shifts from an opening operation of the bathtub drain cock to a bathtub cleaning operation. Since there is provided a means for automatically setting the time until the operation is completed, unnecessary time can be saved. As a result, the time until the bathtub cleaning is completed is shortened without any trouble.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the means for automatically setting the time from the opening operation of the bathtub drain plug to the operation of cleaning the bathtub is characterized by a bath water supply function to the bathtub and a bathtub water level detection function. Calculate based on the water level of the bathtub water detected by the water level sensor built into the machine and the amount of hot water from the bath water heater to the bathtub, so there is no need to provide a new sensor and more reliable time setting Becomes possible.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a bathtub cleaning apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown, the washing unit 100 includes an inlet pipe 103, a flow rate detector 104, a water amount controller 105, an on-off valve 10 from the inlet side.
6. It is connected to the cleaning nozzle 101 through the detergent mixing section 107 and the discharge pipe 108. The detergent is supplied to the detergent mixing unit 107 through a detergent tank 109, a detergent pump 110, and a check valve 111. Also, the detergent tank 109
Is provided with a float switch 112 for detecting the presence or absence of a detergent.

In the case of a rinsing operation in which only water is sprayed, the on-off valve 106 is opened in response to a command from the cleaning substrate 102, the amount of water is controlled by the water amount control device 105, and water is sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 101. At this time, the detergent pump 1 is operated by the check valve 111.
10. Water is prevented from flowing back into the detergent tank 109. When spraying the detergent, the on-off valve 106 is opened by a command from the washing substrate 102, the amount of water is controlled by the water amount control device 105, the detergent pump 110 is operated, the detergent is supplied to the detergent mixing unit 107, and the detergent is diluted with water. Detergent cleaning nozzle 1
It is sprayed from 01.

A drain plug driving motor 124 is connected to the cleaning substrate 102 via a driving cord 52, and by driving the drain plug driving motor 124, a thrust lock motor is connected via a wire cable 121. Mechanism 1
By operating 23, the drain plug 122 moves up and down and can be opened and closed.

With these configurations, the drain plug 122 of the bathtub 33 is opened and drained in response to an ON command from the remote control device 40, and the detergent is sprayed from the washing nozzle 101. Thereafter, water is sprayed to wash the detergent, and the drain plug is drained. A series of bathtub cleaning operations of closing 122 can be performed. And remote control device 4
It can be opened by a drain plug open command from 0 or closed by a close command.

Further, the cleaning substrate 102 is also
If a connection is detected for a certain period of time during a series of cleaning operations, the operation is continued until the series of cleaning operations is completed. Further, although the embodiment in which the cleaning substrate 102 is built in the cleaning unit 100 is described, the cleaning substrate 102 may be installed at a position remote from the cleaning unit 100.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a bathtub cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. Remote control device 40
Are the electrical board 47 of the bath water heater main body 1 (hereinafter, referred to as the water heater main body) provided with the functions of the hot water supply to the bathtub and the bathtub water level detecting function by the remote control codes 50 and 51, and the cleaning substrate 102 of the cleaning unit 100. It is connected to the. Further, the water heater main body 1 is connected to a circulation adapter 34 of a bathtub 33 through a circulation flow path 32 so that hot water can be applied to the bathtub 33.
The cleaning unit 100 sprays water or a detergent from a cleaning nozzle 101 attached to the bathtub 33 so as to spray the bathtub 33.
Can be washed. Further, since the remote control cords 50 and 51 are two-core wires and employ a non-polar communication method, they are connected in the middle and connected to the remote control device 40 with one cord.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a water heater according to one embodiment of the present invention. The water heater body 1 is as shown
A water supply pipe 2 for supplying water from a water supply source to a water heater main body 1, and water heated in the water heater main body 1 is supplied to a hot water tap 5 through a hot water supply side 4 of a one-can two-water heat exchanger 3. It is composed of a hot water supply pipe 6 for supplying. Further, a bypass pipe 7 branched from the water supply pipe 2 in the water heater main body 1 and connected to the hot water supply pipe 6 without passing through the one-can two-water heat exchanger 3, and a junction of the bypass pipe 7 and the hot water supply pipe 6. The hot water supply side 4 of the one-can two-water heat exchanger 3
A mixing valve 8 is provided for controlling the mixing of the hot water heated by the stepping motor and the water sent from the bypass pipe 7 by a stepping motor M1 driven based on a command pulse.

The water supply pipe 2 has an incoming water temperature sensor 9 for detecting a temperature Tc of water from a water supply source, and a flow rate Q of water.
A hot water supply amount sensor 10, a heat exchanger outlet temperature sensor 11 for detecting a temperature Th at an outlet 4 on the hot water supply side of the one-tank two-water heat exchanger 3, upstream of the mixing valve 8 of the hot water supply pipe 6, Downstream of the mixing valve 8, the mixed hot water temperature Tm after mixing
Is provided.

The water heater main body 1 also includes a fan 13 for supplying air required for combustion.
Furthermore, four burner groups 1 composed of a plurality of burners
4, 15, 16, and 17, and a burner group 15, a burner group 16, and a burner group 17 next to the burner group 16 are provided at both ends of the burner group 14 that always burns at the time of ignition.

The burner group 14 includes two burners, the burner group 15 includes four burners, the burner group 16 includes five burners, and the burner group 17 includes three burners. It consists of a book burner. Burner group 1
The igniter 1 needed to ignite the upper part of the burner of No. 4
8, a flame rod sensor 19 for monitoring the combustion state is provided above the burners of the burner group 14 and the burner group 15.

Further, a plurality of burner groups 14, 15, 1
A gas supply pipe 20 for supplying gas to 6, 6 and 17 is provided. The gas supply pipe 20 has an original solenoid valve 21 for starting / stopping gas supply, and a gas proportional valve for varying the amount of gas to be supplied. A valve 22 is provided for each. Further, solenoid valves 23, 24, 25, 26 for starting / stopping gas supply to the respective burner groups 14, 15, 16, 17
Is provided.

Further, the water heater main body 1 has a hot water supply pipe 6 in the water heater main body 1 downstream of the mixed hot water temperature detection sensor 12.
And a hot-water line 28 connected to the reheating channel 27,
The hot water pipe 28 is provided with a bath water amount sensor 29 for detecting a flow rate Qf flowing through the hot water pipe 28 and a hot water solenoid valve 30 for starting / stopping hot water supply. The hot water solenoid valve 30 and the hot water filling pipe 28 on the downstream side of the bath water amount sensor 29 are branched into two, and the inlet and outlet of the reheating side 31 of the one-tank two-water heat exchanger 3 of the reheating path 27. It is connected to the.

On the other hand, the end of the additional heating channel 27 is
2 to the circulation adapter 34 of the bathtub 33,
In the middle of 7, a pump P for circulating hot water in the bathtub 33, a water flow switch 35 for detecting circulation of hot water by operation of the pump P, and a water level sensor 3 for detecting a water level Rr of the bathtub 33.
6. a bath temperature sensor 37 for detecting the temperature of hot water in the bathtub 33;
A reheating side 31 of the one-can two-water heat exchanger 3 is provided.

With these configurations, the electrical board 47 is connected to the sensors 9 and 1 by an ON command from the remote controller 40.
0, 11, 12, and 36 (Tc, Q, T
h, Tm, Rr), the gas proportional valve 22, the solenoid valve 2
3, 24, 25, 26, the main solenoid valve 21, the fan 13, the mixing valve 8, the hot water solenoid valve 30, the pump P, and so on, the hot water is supplied to the bathtub 33 to the set water level Rs by the detection signal of the water level sensor 36. The bath can be kept at the bath set temperature Tfs by the detection signal of the bath temperature sensor 37. Further, the amount of hot water is counted by the bath water amount sensor 29 at the time of hot water filling. Here, the embodiment of the gas water heater is described, but an oil water heater may be used.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Remote control device 40 includes
An operation switch 41, a temperature setting switch 42 for setting a hot water supply set temperature Ts of the hot water supplied from the hot water tap 5 and a bath set temperature Tfs of the hot water to be filled in the bathtub 33, and the bathtub 33.
Water level setting switch 43 for setting the hot water level Rs
A hot water insulation switch 44 that is turned on when additional heating is performed after filling the bathtub 33, a bathtub cleaning switch 45 that is turned on when the bathtub 33 is washed, a hot water supply set temperature Ts, a bath set temperature Tfs, and a hot water level Rs. Display section 4 for displaying etc.
6 and a voice generating means 48 for notifying the driving state and the operation content by voice. The operation switch 41, the hot water insulation switch 44, and the bathtub cleaning switch 45 are provided with lamps that are turned on when turned on or in the vicinity of the switches.

When the hot water insulation switch 44 is turned on, an instruction to turn on the hot water is transmitted to the water heater main body 1 and a command to close the drain plug 122 is transmitted to the cleaning unit 100. When the bathtub cleaning switch 45 is turned on, a bathtub cleaning ON command is transmitted to the cleaning unit 100. Of course, when the OFF operation is performed, the operation of the water heater main body 1 and the operation of the cleaning unit 100 can be stopped by stopping the transmission of the ON command and transmitting the OFF command.

If the bath tub cleaning switch 45 is turned on and the hot water retention switch 44 is turned on within a certain period of time, the drain plug 122 is opened, the bath tub is drained, and the bath tub is washed. With 122 closed, hot water is supplied from the water heater main body 1 to the bathtub 33. In this case, a switch may be provided that enables a series of operations from drainage of bathtub water to washing of the bathtub and hot water with a single switch operation.

In this operation, the time required for bathtub drainage varies depending on the size of the bathtub and the amount of bathtub water, although it ends within a limited time. In other words, the time from the opening operation of the drain plug 122 to the transition to the bathtub cleaning operation depends on the drainage time. For example, a water level sensor capable of detecting the water level of the bathtub water is provided. , It is possible to automatically set a time during which the operation can be shifted to the bathtub cleaning operation. In addition, the water level sensor 36 may use the one built in the water heater main body 1. In this case, as shown in FIG. 2, the electric board 47 of the water heater main body 1 and the cleaning unit 10
0 cleaning substrate 102 and remote control device 40 are connected by remote control codes 50 and 51, and water level sensor 3
6 can be transmitted.

The time from the opening operation of the drain plug 122 to the shift to the bathtub cleaning operation is determined by the time from the water heater main unit 1 to the bathtub 3.
It can also be calculated from the relationship between the amount of hot water drained to 3 and the water level at that time. Generally, the circulation adapter 34 is mounted at a certain height from the bottom of the bathtub 33, as shown in FIG. 2, so that only the water level sensor 36 built in the water heater main body 1 is lower than the circulation adapter. Water level cannot be detected. Therefore, it cannot be detected whether the drainage is completed.

In this case, first, after installing the water heater main body 1 and turning on the power, the amount of hot water until it reaches the circulation adapter 34 in the first hot water can be obtained. This is because, for example, the pump P is operated while the water is being gently poured, and if the circulation of the hot water is detected by the water flow switch 35, it is determined that the hot water has reached the height of the circulation adapter 34. At this time, the bath water amount sensor 29 Shows the amount of hot water. Next, hot water is removed to the set water level Rs.

As an operation of the remote control device, for example, when the bathtub cleaning switch 45 is turned on and the hot water insulation switch 44 is subsequently turned on within a certain period of time,
The drain plug 122 is opened, the bathtub is drained, the bathtub is washed, the drainplug 122 is closed, and the bathtub 33 is moved from the water heater main body 1.
A hot water beam is performed. During bath water drainage during this operation, the water level is detected by the water level sensor
The following can be detected. Next, since the amount of hot water below the circulation adapter 34 can be measured at the time of the first hot water filling, the drainage time below the circulation adapter 34 can be roughly estimated from the time required to drain the amount of hot water above the circulation adapter 34. . Thereby, the time from the opening operation of the bathtub drain plug to the transition to the bathtub cleaning operation can be automatically set so as to have a margin to the calculated total drainage time.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a bathtub cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a bathtub cleaning apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing a water heater according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a remote control device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Hot-water supply main body 2 ... Water supply pipe 3 ... One-tank two-water type heat exchanger 4 ... Hot water supply side 5 ... Hot water supply tap 6 ... Hot water supply pipe 7 ... Bypass pipe 8 ... Mixing valve 9 ... Water supply temperature sensor 10 ... Hot water supply water sensor 11 ... heat exchanger outlet temperature sensor 12 ... mixed hot water temperature detection sensor 13 ... fan 14, 15, 16, 17 ... burner group 18 ... igniter 19 ... frame rod sensor 20
... gas supply pipe 21 ... original solenoid valve 22 ... gas proportional valve 23, 24, 2
5, 26 ... solenoid valve 27 ... reheating channel 28 ... hot water pipe 2
9 bath water quantity sensor 30 hot water solenoid valve 31 additional heating side 32 circulation path 33 bathtub 34 circulation adapter 35 water flow switch 36 water level sensor 37 bath temperature sensor 40 remote control device 41 operation switch 42 Temperature setting switch 43: Water level setting switch 44: Hot water insulation switch 45: Bath tub cleaning switch
Reference numeral 46: display unit 47: electric board 48: voice uttering means 50, 51: remote control code 52: drive code 5
3: Signal code 100: Cleaning unit 101: Cleaning nozzle 102
··· Cleaning substrate 103 · Water inlet pipe 104 · Flow rate detection device 105 · Water amount control device 106 · Open / close valve 107 · Detergent mixing section 108 · Discharge pipe 109 · Detergent tank 110 · Detergent pump 111 · · ·
Check valve 112 Float switch 121 Wire cable 122 Drain plug 123
Thrust lock mechanism 124: Drain tap drive motor M1: Stepping motor P: Pump

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Hideo Sakai 431-1 Uozakihama-cho, Higashinada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo Prefecture Within Nihon Yupro Corporation (72) Inventor Hiroki Maruyama 43-1 Uozakihama-cho, Higashinada-ku, Kobe-shi, Hyogo No. F-term in Japan Yupro Corporation (reference) 3L024 CC01 CC16 DD04 DD05 DD13 DD14 DD17 DD19 DD22 DD27 EE02 FF02 FF06 FF08 FF11 FF18 GG03 GG04 GG05 GG12 GG22 GG24 GG28 GG38 HH19 HH24 HH27 HH31 HH38 H39

Claims (2)

[Claims] The present invention has a mechanism for operating a bathtub drain plug. The bathtub is drained by opening the bathtub drain plug before washing the bathtub, and then the bathtub is sprayed from a nozzle provided in the bathtub to discharge the bathtub. In a bathtub cleaning device adapted to be cleaned, the bathtub cleaning device further comprises means for automatically setting a time period from the opening operation of the bathtub drain plug to the transition to the bathtub cleaning operation. . The means for automatically setting the time from the opening operation of the bathtub drain plug to the operation of washing the bathtub is characterized in that a bath water heater having a bathtub function and a bathtub water level detection function is provided. The bathtub cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the bathtub cleaning apparatus calculates the bathtub water level detected by a built-in water level sensor and the amount of hot water from the bath water heater to the bathtub.