JP2005283039A - Electric water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a residual bathtub water existence determining means with a suppressed cost in a hot water supply device having a high temperature hot water adding function. <P>SOLUTION: The electric water heater is provided with a hot water storage tank 2 provided with an electric heater 6, a first hot water and water mixing means 3 and a second hot water and water mixing means 15 for mixing water from a water supply source with hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 and outputting hot water of a set temperature, a hot water pipe 11 for outputting hot water mixed in the first hot water and water mixing means 3 from a hot water tap, a hot water filling pipe 13 for filling a bathtub 14 with hot water mixed in the second hot water and water mixing means 15, a hot water filling solenoid valve 5 opened during hot water filling in the hot water filling pipe 13, and a flow rate detecting means 16 for detecting a water passing amount of the hot water filling pipe 13. A residual water existence judging means is provided for judging that there is no residual water in the bathtub when a detected flow rate becomes a predetermined value or less after the flow rate detecting means 16 detects a flow rate of a predetermined flow rate or more for an instance during hot water filling operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  In order to raise the temperature of the hot water in the bathtub, the present invention has a hot water hot water function capable of supplying hot water (for example, 85 ° C.) to the bathtub through a bath adapter attached to the wall surface of the bathtub. The present invention relates to an electric water heater provided.

In order to avoid the risk of burns during hot hot water, first, the presence or absence of residual water in the bathtub is detected. If there is no residual water, a means for determining the presence or absence of residual water is required to stop the hot water.
In a conventional water heater having a high-temperature hot water function, a bath adapter is provided with a bathtub temperature detection device, and the presence or absence of residual water in the bathtub is determined based on a signal from the bathtub temperature detection device (for example, Patent Document 1). reference.). As a means for determining the presence or absence of residual water in the bathtub, when the bath temperature detector is provided in the bath adapter in this way, the structure of the bath adapter becomes complicated and the cost including the parts cost of the bathtub temperature detector itself increases. However, there is a problem that wiring between the bathtub temperature detecting device and the remote control device is required, which increases the labor of construction, and thus the construction cost increases.

  Also, as a means for stopping the supply of hot water to avoid the risk of burns, a bath provided with a valve drive means for operating a hot water supply path opening / closing valve using a material that deforms depending on the temperature, such as a shape memory alloy. There is an adapter (see, for example, Patent Document 2). In such a bath adapter, the hot water supply suddenly stops during hot hot water supply, so it stops because there is no residual water in the bathtub, or for other reasons, such as water supply on the water supply side. There was a problem that it was not possible to determine whether the supply of hot water was stopped.

JP-A-11-237118 JP-A-8-247556

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub residual water presence / absence determining means that keeps costs low.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a hot water storage tank equipped with an electric heater, water from a water supply source and hot water in the hot water storage tank are mixed to discharge hot water at a set temperature. First hot water mixing means and second hot water mixing means, hot water mixed by the first hot water mixing means, a hot water pipe for discharging hot water from a hot water tap, and mixing by the second hot water mixing means A hot water pipe for hot water being poured into the bathtub, a hot water solenoid valve for opening the hot water pipe when hot water is poured, and a flow rate detecting means for detecting the amount of water passing through the hot water pipe. By providing a residual water presence / absence determining means for determining that there is no residual water in the bathtub when the flow rate detecting means once detects a flow rate equal to or higher than a predetermined flow rate during a beam operation and the detected flow rate becomes a predetermined value or less. Hot water supply using materials that deform with temperature, such as shape memory alloys Even with bath adapter having a valve driving means for operating the opening and closing valve, without newly providing a bath temperature sensing device, it made it possible to detect the presence or absence of the bathtub remaining water.

Further, according to the invention described in claim 2, when there is no residual water in the bathtub, a notification is given, and a stop means for stopping the hot water is provided, so that there is no residual water in the bathtub. The user can recognize that the hot water has been interrupted, making it possible to distinguish it from other problems such as water supply interruption.

According to the present invention, even when a bath adapter having a valve driving means for operating a hot water supply on-off valve using a material that deforms depending on the temperature is used, the bathtub residual water is not provided without newly providing a bathtub temperature detection device or the like. There is an effect that it is possible to detect the presence or absence.
In addition, there is an effect that the user can recognize that the hot water has been interrupted due to the absence of residual water in the bathtub, and can be distinguished from other problems such as water supply interruption.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an electric water heater according to the present invention.
Water from a water supply source (not shown) is guided to the hot water tank 2 through a bypass pipe 7 branched from the water supply pipe 8 and heated by the heater 6 to become hot hot water (for example, 85 ° C.). 3 and the hot and cold water mixing valve 15 for bath, and also led to the hot and cold water mixing valve 3 and the hot and cold water mixing valve 15 for bath through the water supply pipe 8. The hot water mixed with hot water having a set temperature set by the remote controller (not shown) by the hot water / water mixing valve 3 is supplied to the hot water tap (not shown) through the hot water outlet pipe 11.

  Furthermore, the hot water mixed by the hot water / water mixing valve 15 for bath is supplied via the hot water solenoid valve 5 for starting / stopping the supply of hot water when the hot water is supplied to the bathtub 14 via the bath adapter 17 with a closing valve. It leads to the pipe 13. When hot hot water is applied to the bathtub, the hot water side of the bath water mixing valve 15 is fully opened. Further, the hot water pipe 13 is provided with a flow rate detecting means 16 for counting the amount of hot water applied to the bathtub 14.

Next, the control operation of the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not the hot water is in hot water. If the hot water is in hot water, the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 2.0 liters / minute or more in steps S2 and S3. It is determined whether or not it has continued for 2 seconds. If the flow continues for 3 seconds with 2.0 liters / minute or more, the flow rate detection flag is set to 1 (step S4).

  In step S5 and step S6, it is determined whether or not the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is less than 2.0 liters / minute and continued for 30 seconds. Informs that there is no remaining water in the bathtub by voice or text on the remote control (step S7), and closes the hot water solenoid valve (step S8).

  If the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 2.0 liters / minute or more in step S3 and 3 seconds have not passed, or the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 2.0 liters / minute or more in step S5. If there is, or if less than 2.0 liters / minute does not continue for 30 seconds in step S6, the process returns to step S1.

  If the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is less than 2.0 liters / minute in step S2, it is determined in step S9 whether or not the flow rate detection flag is 1. Proceed to step S5.

  If it is determined in step S9 that the flow rate detection flag is not 1, it is determined in step S10 and step S11 whether the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is less than 1.2 liters / minute and continued for 1 minute. And when it continues for less than 1.2 liters / minute for 1 minute, it will alert | report that it has water-stopped with the audio | voice and the character with a remote control (step S12), and a hot water solenoid valve is closed (step S8).

  If the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 1.2 liters / minute or more in step S10, or if less than 1.2 liters / minute is not continued for 1 minute in step S11, the process proceeds to step S1. Return.

  As described above, when the high-temperature hot water operation is performed, if the flow rate detection means 16 once detects a flow rate that is equal to or higher than the predetermined flow rate, It is determined that there is no remaining water and the shutoff valve of the bath adapter 17 is automatically closed, and the user is notified by voice or text by a notification means such as a remote controller. If the water is cut off on the water supply side, the flow rate detection means 16 does not detect the flow rate immediately after the hot water hot water operation is performed, so that it can be distinguished from the case where there is no residual water in the bathtub. The case where there is no bathtub remaining water and the water supply interruption are each notified to the user by voice or text by means of notifying means such as a remote controller as different notification contents.

As a second embodiment, it is considered that a slight amount of leakage occurs even when the bath adapter is closed. Details will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in step S21, it is determined whether or not the hot water is in hot water. If the hot water is in hot water, the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 2.0 liters / minute or more in steps S22 and S23. It is determined whether or not it has continued for 2 seconds. If the flow continues for 3 seconds with 2.0 liters / minute or more, the flow rate detection flag is set to 1 (step S24).

  Then, in step S25 and step S26, it is determined whether or not the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 exceeds 0 liter and continues for 30 seconds at less than 2.0 liters / minute. When it continues for 30 seconds with less than 1 liter / minute, the remote controller notifies that there is no remaining water in the bathtub by voice or text (step S27), and closes the hot water solenoid valve (step S28).

  If the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 2.0 liters / minute or more in step S23 and 3 seconds have not passed, or the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 0 liters or 2.0 liters in step S26. If more than / min does not continue for 30 seconds, the process returns to step S21.

  If the detection value of the flow rate detection means 16 is less than 2.0 liters / minute in step S22, it is determined in step S29 whether or not the flow rate detection flag is 1. Proceed to step S25.

  If it is determined in step S29 that the flow rate detection flag is not 1, or if the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 0 liter or 2.0 liters / minute or more in step S25, step S30 and step S31 are performed. Then, it is determined whether or not the detection value of the flow rate detection means 16 has continued for 1 minute at 0 liter. And when it continues for 1 minute with 0 liter, it will alert | report that it has water-stopped with the audio | voice and the character with a remote control (step S32), and closes a hot water solenoid valve (step S28).

  If the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is not 0 liter / minute in step S10, or if 0 liter / minute is not continued for 1 minute in step S31, the process returns to step S21.

  As described above, when the high temperature hot water operation is performed, the flow rate detection means 16 once detects a flow rate equal to or higher than the predetermined flow rate, and then the flow rate detected by the flow rate detection means 16 becomes a predetermined value or less and zero or more after a predetermined time. In this case, it is determined that there is no remaining water in the bathtub and the shutoff valve of the bath adapter 17 is automatically closed. On the other hand, the flow rate detection means 16 once detects a flow rate higher than the predetermined flow rate, but the flow rate after a predetermined time. When the detected flow rate by the detecting means 16 becomes zero, it is determined that the water supply is shut off, and the case where there is no remaining water in the bathtub and the case where the water supply is stopped are separately notified by the notifying means such as a remote controller. Notify the user by voice or text. If it is this method, even if it cuts off in the middle of high temperature hot water, it can be distinguished from the case where there is no bathtub residual water.

As a third embodiment, it is considered that a certain time is required from the start of closing when the bath adapter is closed until the closing is completed. Details will be described with reference to FIG.
First, in step S41, it is determined whether or not the hot water is in hot water. If the hot water is in hot water, the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 2.0 liters / minute or more in steps S42 and S43. It is determined whether or not it has continued for 2 seconds. If the flow continues for 3 seconds with 2.0 liters / minute or more, the flow rate detection flag is set to 1 (step S44).

  Then, it is determined whether or not 10 seconds have passed in step S45, and after 10 seconds, whether or not the detection value of the flow rate detection means 16 is less than 2.0 liters / minute and continued for 30 seconds in step S46 and step S47. Judgment, and if it continues for 30 seconds with less than 2.0 liters / minute, the remote controller notifies that there is no remaining water in the bathtub by voice or text (step S48), and closes the hot water solenoid valve (step S48) S49).

  It should be noted that if the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 2.0 liters / minute or more in step S43 and 3 seconds have not elapsed, if 10 seconds have not elapsed in step S45, or if the flow rate detection means 16 is not in step S46. If the detected value is 2.0 liters / minute or more, or if less than 2.0 liters / minute is not continued for 30 seconds in step S47, the process returns to step S41.

  If the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is less than 2.0 liters / minute in step S42, it is determined in step S50 whether or not the flow rate detection flag is 1. Proceed to step S45.

  If it is determined in step S50 that the flow rate detection flag is not 1, it is determined in step S51 and step S52 whether the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is less than 1.2 liters / minute and continued for 1 minute. And when it continues for less than 1.2 liters / minute for 1 minute, it will alert | report that it has water-stopped with the audio | voice and the character with a remote control (step S53), and a hot water solenoid valve is closed (step S49).

  If the detected value of the flow rate detection means 16 is 1.2 liters / minute or more in step S51, or if less than 1.2 liters / minute is not continued for 1 minute in step S52, the process proceeds to step S41. Return.

As described above, when the high-temperature hot water operation is performed, when the flow rate detection unit 16 once detects a flow rate equal to or higher than the predetermined flow rate, and the flow rate detected by the flow rate detection unit 16 becomes a predetermined value or less after a predetermined time. Then, it is determined that there is no residual water in the bathtub 14 and the shutoff valve of the bath adapter 17 is automatically closed. On the other hand, after the flow rate detection means 16 once detects a flow rate higher than a predetermined flow rate, the flow rate detection means after the predetermined time. When the detected flow rate at 16 is equal to or less than the predetermined value, it is determined that the water supply is cut off. Inform. If it is this method, even if it cuts off in the middle of high temperature hot water, it can be distinguished from the case where there is no bathtub residual water.

The block diagram of the electric water heater which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention Control operation flow according to the first embodiment of the present invention Control operation flow according to the second embodiment of the present invention Control operation flow according to the third embodiment of the present invention

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric water heater body 2 ... Hot water storage tank 3 ... Hot water mixing valve 5 ... Hot water solenoid valve 6 ... Heater 7 ... Bypass pipe 8 ... Water supply pipe 10 ... Hot water supply pipe 11 ... Hot water pipe 13 ... Hot water pipe 14 ... Bathtub 15 ... Hot water / water mixing valve for bath 16 ... Flow rate detection means 17 ... Bath adapter with shut-off valve

Claims (2)

A hot water storage tank equipped with an electric heater, first hot water mixing means and second mixing means for mixing hot water from a water supply source and hot water in the hot water storage tank to discharge hot water at a set temperature; A hot water pipe for discharging hot water mixed by the hot water mixing means from the hot water tap, a hot water pipe for hot water mixed by the second mixing means to the bathtub, and the hot water beam The pipe is provided with a hot water solenoid valve for opening the valve during hot water and a flow rate detecting means for detecting the amount of water passing through the hot water pipe. After the hot water operation, the flow rate detecting means once detects a flow rate higher than a predetermined flow rate. An electric water heater provided with a residual water presence / absence judging means for judging that there is no residual water in the bathtub when the detected flow rate becomes a predetermined value or less. The electric water heater according to claim 1, further comprising a stopping means for informing when it is determined that there is no residual water in the bathtub and stopping the hot water beam.

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