JP2002303448A - Hot water supplier - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a controller which can reduce the power consumption at waiting for operation. SOLUTION: In a hot water supplied where the main body 1 of itself and a remote controller 2 are connected with each other through two communication lines 23, the remote controller 2 is supplied with a first voltage through the above communication line 23, and also the data of operation information, etc., are modulated into high frequency signals and they are superposed on the above first voltage, whereby communication is performed between the above hot water supplier main body 1 and the above remote controller 2, and when operation of the above hot water supplier main body 1 is interrupted or at the main body 1 is at waiting for operation for more than a specified time, only the switch operation detecting circuit 15 of the above remote controller 2 is supplied with a second voltage smaller than the above first voltage, and also the above superposition of the high frequency signal to the second voltage is stopped.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for reducing power consumption of a water heater in which a water heater body and a remote controller are connected via two communication lines.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a method of reducing power consumption when a water heater is not used, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H11-294844, a remote controller of a water heater is used.
If there is no operation input for a certain period of time, there is a method of turning off the display and the backlight of the display unit, but power is still large because power is still supplied to circuits other than the display unit, microcomputer, etc. There's a problem.

To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 10-132 discloses
As indicated by reference numeral 381, there is a method of stopping power supply to a main circuit that does not require power supply in the remote controller when the water heater main body is stopped or when the operation is on standby for a predetermined time or more.

[0004]

However, the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-132381 still has a problem that power is still supplied to a communication circuit and a control circuit in a remote controller, and power consumption is still large. is there. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a water heater that can further reduce power consumption.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, a first aspect of the present invention is directed to a water heater in which a water heater main body and a remote controller are connected via two communication lines. At the time of operation of the water heater main body, the first voltage is supplied to the remote controller via the communication line, and data such as operation information is modulated into a high-frequency signal and superimposed on the first voltage so as to be superimposed on the first voltage. Communication between the main body and the remote controller is performed, and when the operation of the water heater main body is stopped or during operation standby for a predetermined time or more, a second voltage lower than the first voltage is applied only to the switch operation detection circuit of the remote controller. Supply and the suspension of the superposition of the high-frequency signal on the second voltage. Power supply to the control circuit such as a microcomputer is not performed, it is possible to further reduce power consumption.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the control unit 1 of the water heater body,
A sensor input unit 5 that captures values of various sensors provided in the water heater main body, a microcomputer 4 that controls various loads via a load control unit 6 based on information of the sensor input unit 5, And a power supply circuit 3 for supplying operation power to the computer 4 and the like. The power supply circuit 3 has a first voltage of 12 V and a second voltage of 5 V
Can be made.

On the other hand, the control unit 1 of the water heater main body and the communication line 23
The remote controller 2 is connected to the display unit 12 and a microcomputer 10 that processes information for communication based on an operation signal from the operation unit 11, and a communication line 23.
And a power supply circuit 9 that adjusts the power supplied via the power supply to a predetermined voltage for operation and supplies the microcomputer 10 and the like with power for operation.

Each of the control unit 1 and the remote controller 2 of the water heater main unit is provided with a receiving circuit 7, 13 and a transmission circuit 8, 14 respectively. In the control unit 1 of the water heater main unit, a power supply circuit 3 and a communication line are provided. 23 is a power supply switching means 25
Connected via the coil 16 or the resistor 24, and in the remote controller 2, the power supply circuit 9 and the communication line 2 are connected.
3 are connected via the coil 22 and the receiving circuits 7 and 13
And the transmission circuits 8, 14 and the communication line 23 are connected to the capacitor 1
7, 19 and 18, 20 are connected.

The remote controller 2 is provided with a rectifier 21 so that a positive voltage is always supplied to the power supply circuit 9 even if two communication lines 23 are positively and negatively connected to two connection terminals. It has become.

As described above, the power supply to the remote controller 2 is performed by the DC power supply, and the communication method is such that the communication data is modulated by superimposing a high frequency on the DC power supply (voltage V1) as shown in FIG. This is a band transmission method with an amplitude voltage V2). Since the power supply is DC, the coil 16,
22 is easy to pass through and capacitors 17, 18, 19, 2
0 is hard to pass.

Further, since communication data has a high frequency, it is easy to pass through the capacitors 17, 18, 19 and 20 and hardly through the coils 16 and 22. Therefore, as shown in FIG.
A modulated signal on which high-frequency communication data of DC power is superimposed is supplied as it is through the communication line 23. However, power supply power is supplied as it is to the power supply circuits 3 and 9, and communication data is transmitted to the reception circuits 7 and 13. Will be.

Further, the control unit 1 of the water heater main unit includes a power-supply switching unit 25 in which the contact is closed only when the power supply circuit 3 is switched to the 5V (second voltage) side of the power supply circuit 3 in the power consumption reduction mode. A connection circuit 26 is provided. In addition,
The power supply switching means 25 and the connection circuit 26 in the power consumption reduction mode are controlled by the microcomputer 4.

The remote controller 2 is provided with switches A and B having a two-contact structure, and the operation unit 11 is provided with one of the contacts a1 and b1.
A2 and b2, which are the other contacts of the switches A and B, and the communication line 23, and closes when the voltage of the DC power supply supplied to the communication line 23 is 12V (first voltage) and 5V ( In the case of (second voltage), the power supply contact C that opens and the communication line 2
The switch operation detection circuit 15 in the power consumption reduction mode, comprising: a switch operation detection contact D that opens when the voltage of the DC power supply 3 is 12 V (first voltage) and closes when it is 5 V (second voltage). Is provided.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the operation according to one embodiment of the present invention. First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the water heater is operating. If it is determined that the water heater is not operating, it is determined whether or not water of a predetermined flow rate or more is flowing (step S2).

If it is determined in step S2 that water of a predetermined flow rate or more is not flowing, it is determined whether or not the operation switch has been pressed (step S3). It is determined whether or not the operation time is equal to or longer than a predetermined time (step S4).

If it is determined in step S4 that the switch has not been operated for a predetermined time or more, the power supply switching means 25 is switched to DC5V (second voltage) in step S5. Connection circuit 26
Is closed, the power supply contact C is opened in step S7, and the switch operation detection contact D is closed in step S8.

The operation from steps S5 to S8 will be described in detail in comparison with FIG. 1. In a normal use state (during operation), the supply power switching means 25
By being connected to the C12V (first voltage) side, DC12V is supplied via the coil 16 and
Since the power supply contact C of the switch operation detection circuit 15 in the power consumption reduction mode of the remote controller 2 is closed, DC12V is supplied to the power supply circuit after the rectifier 21, the reception circuit, the transmission circuit, the microcomputer, and the like.
Communication using the band transmission method is performed between the control unit 1 of the water heater main unit and the remote controller 2 using the communication data shown in FIG. At this time, the connection circuit 26 in the power consumption reduction mode of the control unit 1 of the water heater main body is in the open state.

If it is determined in step S4 that the operation switch has not been operated for a predetermined time or more, the power supply switching means 25 is switched to DC 5V (second voltage), and the resistor 24 is connected to the communication line 23. 5 V is supplied through the power supply contact C of the switch operation detection circuit 15 in the power consumption reduction mode of the remote controller 2.
Is opened and power (5 V DC) is not supplied to the power supply circuit, the receiving circuit, the transmitting circuit, the microcomputer and the like after the rectifying element 21, and the switch operation detecting contact D is closed. Further, the connection circuit 26 in the power consumption reduction mode of the control unit 1 of the water heater main body is closed.

When switches A and B provided on the remote controller 2 are operated, their contacts a2 and b2
Is closed, the microcomputer 4 directly detects the closing via the connection circuit 26 in the power consumption reduction mode. At this time, communication by the band transmission method using the receiving circuits 7 and 13 and the transmitting circuits 8 and 14 is not performed. If it is determined in step S4 that the non-operation time of the switch is shorter than the predetermined time, the process returns to step S1.

If it is determined in step S2 that water of a predetermined flow rate or more is flowing, or if it is determined in step S3 that the operation switch has been pressed, the connection circuit 26 in the power consumption reduction mode is opened in step S9. In step S10, the power supply switching means 25 is switched to the DC12V (first voltage) side, the switch operation detection contact D is opened in step S11, and the power supply contact C is set in step S12.
Is closed to return to the communication system (band transmission system) in a normal use state (during operation).

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a time chart of communication data according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an operation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Control part of a water heater main body 2 ... Remote controller 3, 9 ... Power supply circuit 4, 10 ... Microcomputer 5 ... Sensor input part 6 ... Load control part 7, 13 ... Receiving circuit 8, 14 ... Transmission circuit 11 ... Operation part DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 12 ... Display part 15 ... Switch operation detection circuit in power consumption reduction mode 16, 22 ... Coil 17, 18, 19, 20 ... Capacitor 21 ... Rectifier element 23 ... Communication line 24 ... Resistance 25 ... Supply power switching circuit 26 ... Power consumption Connection circuit at the time of reduction mode a1, a2: Contact of switch A of operation unit b1, b2: Contact of switch B of operation unit C: Contact for power supply D: Contact for switch operation detection

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a water heater in which a water heater main body and a remote controller are connected via two communication lines, when the water heater main body is operated, the first voltage is supplied to the remote controller via the communication line. Supply
The communication between the water heater main body and the remote controller is performed by modulating data such as operation information into a high-frequency signal and superimposing the data on the first voltage. A hot water supply apparatus, wherein a second voltage lower than the first voltage is supplied only to a switch operation detection circuit of the remote controller, and superimposition of a high-frequency signal on the second voltage is stopped.