JP2002256599A - Automatic liquid supplying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem in an automatic water faucet device adapted to detect a user's hands by a hand detecting sensor and automatically discharge water, wherein in the case of discharging water from a discharge port obliquely forward and downward, a discharge flow is mistaken for the hands by the hand detecting sensor so that the water is left to flow out. SOLUTION: In the automatic water faucet device 10, a flow meter is provided for detecting a discharge flow of water from the discharge opening 18, and according to the discharge flow detected by the flow meter, a detecting area of the hand detecting sensor 20 is set or changed in setting to rear areas L1, L2 from a discharge flow of water from the discharge opening 18 in a control part 26.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic liquid supply device that detects a user's hand with a hand detection sensor and automatically discharges a liquid such as water or soap liquid from a discharge port under the control of a control unit. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a hand of a user inserted below a discharge port is detected by a hand detection sensor and water, hot water or hot water (hereinafter referred to as "water") is automatically output from the discharge port. Automatic faucet devices that discharge water (hereinafter simply referred to as water) are widely used in public washrooms and the like.

FIG. 3 shows an example of this automatic faucet apparatus. In the figure, reference numeral 200 denotes an automatic faucet device (automatic liquid supply device) installed in a hand washing machine 202, which has a water discharge main body 204 and a main body mechanism 206 installed separately from the main body. The main body mechanism unit 206 has a control box 208 in which various mechanism units such as a solenoid valve and a control unit are built.

The water discharge main body 204 has a discharge port 21 at its tip.
0 and a hand detection sensor 212 are provided. Here, the hand detection sensor 212 is of a photoelectric type, that is, emits light from a light projecting unit, receives light reflected by a detection target, that is, a hand by a light receiving unit, and electrically detects the presence or absence of a hand. It is arranged at the tip position, that is, at the front position.

In the case of this automatic faucet apparatus 200, the discharge port 2
When the hand is put out below 10, the hand detection sensor 212 detects this. The detection information is sent to the control unit in the control box 208, where the solenoid valve is opened by the control unit, water is supplied to the water discharge main body 204, and the water is discharged from the discharge port 210 toward the hand washing machine 202. You.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the case of the conventional automatic faucet apparatus 200, the discharge port 210 is generally arranged almost directly downward, and the hand detection sensor 212 is also adjusted almost directly downward. Had been arranged. In this case, the discharge port 210
Does not intersect with the optical axis of the hand detection sensor 212, specifically, the central axis of the detection area of the hand detection sensor 212, and the hand detection sensor 212 erroneously detects the discharge flow as a hand. This does not occur in particular.

However, such a type of automatic faucet apparatus 200 has a problem that the hand is held behind the bowl of the hand washer 202 during hand washing, making it difficult to wash the hand.
On the other hand, in order to secure the hand washing space, in recent years, as shown in FIG. 4, the discharge port 210 is oriented obliquely downward and forward to discharge water in the same direction. It is coming.

In the automatic faucet apparatus 200 shown in FIG.
The hand detection sensor 212 is disposed at a position after the discharge port 210 as viewed from the user, and is oriented substantially in the same direction as the discharge port 210, that is, obliquely downward and forward. There is a problem that the discharge flow from 210 is erroneously detected as a hand. Thus, the hand detection sensor 212
Erroneously detects the discharge flow as the hand that was offered,
There is an inconvenience that water is discharged from the discharge port 210 even though there is no user.

The automatic faucet apparatus for discharging water from the discharge port has been described above. However, the same problem occurs in other automatic liquid supply apparatuses for automatically discharging soap and other liquids from the discharge port by hand detection by a hand detection sensor. Occurs.

[0010]

The automatic liquid supply device of the present invention has been devised to solve such a problem. According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an automatic liquid supply apparatus which detects a user's hand with a hand detection sensor and automatically discharges a liquid such as water or a soap solution from a discharge port under the control of a control unit. ,
The hand detection sensor is provided at a position rearward of the discharge port, and flow rate detection means for detecting a discharge flow rate of the liquid from the discharge port is provided. The detection area set by the hand detection sensor is set or changed by the control unit to a rear area from a discharge flow of the liquid from the discharge port.

A second aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect, the automatic liquid supply device is an automatic faucet device for discharging water from the discharge port.

[0012]

As described above, in the present invention, the detection area of the hand detection sensor is set or changed in the area behind the discharge flow of the liquid from the discharge port. That is, the detection area is set or the setting is changed so that the discharge flow is always located on the front side of the detection area detected by the hand detection sensor.

According to the present invention, since the discharge flow is not located in the detection area of the hand detection sensor, the hand detection sensor erroneously detects the discharge flow as the hand that has been protruded. It is possible to solve the problem that the liquid is discharged from the discharge port even though there is no user.

The detection area detected by the hand detection sensor is divided into a right detection area and a left detection area so as to avoid the discharge flow, or the angle of the central axis of the detection area detected by the hand detection sensor with respect to the discharge flow is changed. Although it has been proposed to make an acute angle, in the former case, it is necessary to divide the detection area by using a special lens or to realize this by using a plurality of hand detection sensors. Cost increases. In the latter case, since the orientation of the orientation of the hand detection sensor is limited, the degree of freedom in the design of the discharge unit such as the water discharge main body is limited, and the disadvantage that the discharge unit is further increased in size. Occurs. However, according to the present invention, since there is no such restriction, there is an advantage that the automatic liquid supply device including the hand detection sensor can be configured at low cost or the degree of freedom in design can be kept high.

The present invention is suitably applicable to an automatic faucet device for discharging water from a discharge port (claim 2). still,
According to the present invention, when the discharge flow rate changes during the discharge of the liquid from the discharge port, the setting of the preset detection area can be changed accordingly. In the standby mode, the discharge flow rate of the liquid used last time is stored, and the detection area can be set according to the discharge flow rate.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an automatic faucet apparatus will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes an automatic faucet device (automatic liquid supply device), and reference numeral 12 denotes a water discharge main body in the automatic faucet device 10. The water discharge main body 12 is provided so as to stand up from a horizontal installation surface 14 such as a counter surface.

A flow path 16 is provided inside the water discharge main body 12, and hot water (hereinafter simply referred to as water) which is water, hot water or a mixture thereof is discharged from the flow path 16 to a tip portion. A discharge port 18 is provided. Here the discharge port 18
Are oriented obliquely downward and forward, so that the outlet 18
The direction of the discharge flow of water is obliquely downward and forward.

The water discharge main body 12 is also provided with a hand detection sensor 20 near the discharge port 18. Here, the hand detection sensor 20 is disposed below the outlet 18, that is, after the outlet 18 as viewed from the user. The hand detection sensor 20 is oriented substantially in the same direction as the discharge port 18, that is, obliquely downward and forward.

The hand detecting sensor 20 is of a photoelectric type, emits light from a light projecting portion, receives light reflected by a detection target, that is, an outgoing hand, by a light receiving portion, and determines whether the amount of reflected light is large or small. Or based on the detection of the distance from the hand detection sensor 20 to the detection target, it is detected whether or not the detection target, that is, the hand is present in the detection area.

In this embodiment, an electromagnetic valve 22 for opening and closing the flow path 16 and a flow rate of water flowing through the flow path 16, that is, a flow rate of water discharged from the discharge port 18 are detected on the flow path 16. (Flow rate detecting means) 24 for providing the information. The information detected by the flow meter 24 is sent to the control unit 26. The detection information from the hand detection sensor 20 is also sent to the control unit 26 together. The control unit 26 opens and closes the electromagnetic valve 22 based on the detection information from the hand detection sensor 20, and causes the water to be discharged from the discharge port 18 and the discharge to be stopped (water stoppage).

The automatic faucet apparatus 10 can be operated using the battery 28 as a power source, or can be operated using a commercial power source as a power source. In this case, it is connected to a commercial power supply via the power supply circuit 30 and the plug 32.

The automatic faucet apparatus 10 of the present embodiment is provided with a hand detecting sensor 20 according to the strength of the discharge flow of water from the discharge port 18.
To change the detection area. Specifically, the discharge port 1
The magnitude of the force of the discharge flow of the water 8, that is, the magnitude of the discharge flow is detected by the flow meter 24, and based on this, the detection area of the hand detection sensor 20 is widened or narrowed, and the control unit 26 sets or changes the setting I do. The setting or setting change of the detection area is performed by changing the light emission amount or the threshold value of the reflected light amount in the light amount type sensor, or by changing the threshold value of the detection distance from the hand detection sensor 20 to the detection target in the distance measurement type sensor. Can be changed.

FIG. 2 specifically shows this state. As shown in the figure, in this example, when the discharge flow rate from the discharge port 18 is large (the discharge flow is strong), and therefore the distance from the hand detection sensor 20 to the discharge flow (T _{2 in the} figure) is long. the detection area by hand detecting sensor 20 set to configuration changes to L _2, also (weak force of the discharge flow) whereas less discharge flow rate, therefore a short distance from the hand detecting sensor 20 to the discharge flow (T ₁₎ Sometimes, the hand detection sensor 20
The detection area by setting or configuration changes to L _1. That is, here, the detection area is set or changed in the control unit 26 so that the detection area of the hand detection sensor 20 is always an area behind the discharge flow.

In the case of the automatic faucet apparatus 10 of this embodiment, the strength of the discharge flow at the time of the previous use, specifically, the magnitude of the discharge flow rate of water from the discharge port 18 is stored, and based on this, A detection area of the hand detection sensor 20 in the standby state is set. Thus, when the next user puts out his hand and his hand enters the detection area, the hand detection sensor 20 detects this,
Water is automatically discharged from the discharge port 18.

[0025] At this time, usually less discharge flow rate when the start out of the water, thus the discharge flow is weak momentum as shown in FIG. 2 T _1, becomes shorter distance to the hand detecting sensor 20 . Therefore, at this time, the hand detection sensor 20
Detection area by the set change in FIG. 2 in L _1, continues to output the water from between the discharge port 18 and a manual on the detection area. And then the discharge flow rate is increased, the position of the discharge flow far away from the hand detecting sensor 20 (the position shown in FIG. 2 T _2), the detection area is changed and set to 2 in L ₂ accordingly.

The above description relates to the case where the setting of the detection area is changed when the discharge flow rate of water changes during one use. In the case where the water supply pressure differs depending on the installation location of the automatic faucet apparatus 10, Even when water is discharged from the discharge port 18 at the maximum discharge flow rate, the position of the discharge flow may be farther or closer to the hand detection sensor 20 according to the magnitude of the water supply pressure. Alternatively, depending on the opening state of the water stopcock, the discharge port 1 may be operated at the maximum discharge flow rate.
Even when water is discharged from the position 8, the position of the discharge flow is far or near from the hand detection sensor 20. In this case, in the automatic faucet apparatus 10 of this example, the setting of the detection area of the hand detection sensor 20 is changed according to the distance of the discharge flow from the hand detection sensor 20 in this case.

According to the automatic faucet apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, the discharge flow is always located on the front side of the detection area of the hand detection sensor 20, so that the hand detection sensor 20 outputs the discharge flow. It does not happen that the user mistakenly detects that the user has touched the hand and continues to discharge water from the discharge port 18 even when there is no user. Further, according to this example, the automatic faucet device 10 including the hand detection sensor 20 can be configured at low cost, and the degree of freedom in design can be maintained high.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, but this is merely an example. For example, in the above example, the flow meter 24 is used as the flow rate detecting means. However, when a generator that generates power by water flow is provided on the flow path 16, it is also possible to use the generator as a flow meter, Furthermore, it is also possible to constitute the flow detecting means with a flow sensor other than the flow meter.

Further, the present invention can be applied to various automatic faucet devices other than the above examples, and furthermore, in addition to such an automatic faucet device, a soap liquid or other liquid from a discharge port. The present invention can be configured in a form in which various changes are made without departing from the gist of the present invention, such as being generally applicable to an automatic liquid supply device that automatically discharges liquid.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a view showing an automatic faucet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an operation explanatory view of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a view showing an example of a conventional automatic faucet apparatus installed in a hand washing machine.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a main part of an automatic faucet apparatus in which a discharge port and a hand detection sensor are oriented obliquely downward and forward.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 automatic faucet apparatus (automatic liquid supply device) 18 discharge port 20 hand detecting sensor 24 flow meter (flow rate detecting means) 26 control unit T _{1, T 2} discharge flow L _{1, L 2} detection area

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An automatic liquid supply device that detects a user's hand with a hand detection sensor and automatically discharges a liquid such as water or soap liquid from a discharge port under the control of a control unit. Is disposed at a position after the discharge port, and a flow rate detecting means for detecting a discharge flow rate of the liquid from the discharge port is provided, and the hand detection sensor detects the discharge flow rate detected by the flow rate detection means. An automatic liquid supply device wherein the detection area is set or changed in the control section from the discharge flow of the liquid from the discharge port to the rear area. 2. The automatic liquid supply device according to claim 1, wherein the automatic liquid supply device is an automatic faucet device that discharges water from the discharge port.