JP2017009168A - Bath device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a bath tub water to be uniformly increased in its temperature even if a slow reheating operation is carried out.SOLUTION: There are provided reheating instruction means 26 for specifying one of a plurality of heating modes of different heating speeds to instruct the reheating of bath tub water; and control means 32 for controlling a degree of opening of a three-way switching valve 21 in response to a heating mode specified by the reheating instruction means 26 and performing the reheating operation for the bath tub water by driving a bath pump 17. As the plurality of heating modes, at least two types of a fast heating speed mode and a slow heating speed mode are prepared. The control means 32 keeps, under the slow heating speed mode, a long time for keeping a semi-opened state of the three-way switching valve 21 as compared with that of the fast heating speed mode during a period starting from the reheating operation to its finishing time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a bath apparatus that performs a reheating operation of bathtub water.

  Conventionally, in this type of bath apparatus, a hot water storage tank, a bath heat exchanger disposed in the upper part of the hot water storage tank, a bath circulation circuit for circulating bath water to the bath heat exchanger, and a reheating switch are provided. And when the reheating operation is carried out when the amount of stored hot water in the hot water storage tank is greater than or equal to the predetermined heat amount, a powerful reheating operation in which the heating speed is increased by driving the bath pump at a higher rotational speed than normal is performed. (Patent Document 1).

JP-A-2005-90898

  Here, from this conventional one, it is conceivable to drive the bath pump at a lower rotational speed than usual to reduce the heating rate in order to realize a slower driving operation than usual. If the revolving operation of the bath pump is performed at a lower speed than usual, the outflow speed of the hot water circulated to the bathtub also becomes slow, and only the vicinity of the outlet rises in temperature and uniformly raises the bath water. There was a problem that it could not be heated.

  Therefore, in order to solve the above-described problems, the present invention provides a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a bath heat exchanger that is disposed in the hot water storage tank and heats the bathtub water, and a bathtub and the bath heat exchanger. A circulation circuit that connects the circulation circuit, a bath pump provided in the circulation circuit, a bypass pipe that bypasses the bath heat exchanger and short-circuits the circulation circuit, and a connection between the bypass pipe and the circulation circuit A three-way switching valve provided at the point, a reheating instruction means for designating one of a plurality of heating modes having different heating rates and instructing reheating of bath water, and designated by the reheating instruction means Control means for controlling the opening degree of the three-way switching valve according to the heating mode and driving the bath pump to retreat the bath water.

  The plurality of heating modes are prepared in advance in at least two modes, a fast heating mode and a slow heating mode. In the slow heating mode, the control means can start from the start of the chasing operation until the end. In the meantime, the time for maintaining the half-open state of the three-way switching valve was lengthened compared to the mode in which the heating rate was fast.

  According to the present invention, since the heating speed of the bathtub water can be slowed by controlling the opening degree of the three-way switching valve without changing the circulation speed of the bathtub water, the bathtub water can be kept uniform even if a slow chasing operation is performed. The temperature can be increased.

The schematic block diagram of the bath apparatus of one Embodiment of this invention (A) longitudinal sectional view and (B) transverse sectional view of a three-way switching valve according to an embodiment of the present invention Cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the three-way switching valve of the same embodiment Flowchart for explaining the chasing operation of the same embodiment

  Next, the bath apparatus 1 of this embodiment is demonstrated based on FIG.

  Reference numeral 2 denotes a heater 3 as a heating device, a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, 4 a water supply pipe for supplying water to the bottom of the hot water storage tank 2, 5 a hot water discharge pipe for discharging hot water from the top of the hot water storage tank 2, and 6 for a water supply pipe A water supply bypass pipe branched from 4, 7 is a mixing valve that mixes hot water from the hot water discharge pipe 5 and water from the water supply bypass pipe 6, 8 is a hot water supply pipe that connects the mixing valve 7 and the hot water tap 9, A hot water flow rate sensor for detecting the hot water flow rate from the mixing valve 7 provided in the hot water supply pipe 8, a hot water temperature sensor 11 for detecting the temperature of hot water from the mixing valve 7, and a plurality of 12 provided on the upper and lower sides of the hot water storage tank 2. The hot water storage temperature sensor detects the temperature of hot water in the hot water storage tank 2.

  13 is a bath heat exchanger that is provided in the upper part of the hot water storage tank 2 and heats the bath water using the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 as a heat source, and 14 is connected to the bath heat exchanger 13 and the bathtub 15 so that the bath water can circulate. 16 is a bath bypass pipe that bypasses and connects one (return pipe 14A) and the other (outward pipe 14B) of the bath circulation circuit 14, and 17 is provided in the return pipe 14A and bath water is supplied to the bath heat exchanger 13 A bath pump 18 is provided in the return pipe 14A between the bath pump 17 and the bathtub 15, and a water level sensor 19 detects the water level of the bathtub water in the bathtub 15 by pressure, and 19 is provided in the return pipe 14A from the bathtub 15. A bath temperature sensor 20 that detects the temperature of the returning bath water, 20 is a water flow switch that is provided on the downstream side of the bath pump 17 and detects the presence or absence of water flowing in the bath circulation circuit 14.

  A three-way switching valve 21 is provided at a branch point between the return pipe 14A and the bath bypass pipe 16 of the bath circulation circuit 14, and the first opening 21A of the three-way switching valve 21 is a bath heat exchanger 13 of the return pipe 14A. The second opening 21B is connected to the bath bypass pipe 16, and the third opening 21C is connected to the bathtub 15 side of the return pipe 14A.

  22 is a hot water pipe branched from the hot water supply pipe 8 and connected to the return pipe 14A of the bath circulation circuit 14, 23 is a hot water flow sensor for detecting the flow rate of hot water flowing through the hot water pipe 22 (hot water flow rate), 24 Is a hot water solenoid valve that opens and closes the hot water pipe 22, and 25 is a check valve that prevents back flow of hot water from the bath circulation circuit 14 to the hot water supply pipe 8.

  Reference numeral 26 denotes a remote controller as an operation unit of the bath device 1, a display unit 27 for displaying the operating state of the bath device 1, a hot water set temperature, a bath set temperature and the like, and a hot water set temperature and a bath set temperature are changed. A change switch 28 for performing a bath, a bath automatic switch 29 for performing a bath automatic operation for performing a heat retaining operation for a set time after filling a set amount of water in the bathtub 15, and a bath set temperature for bath water in the bathtub 15 A reheating switch 30 for performing reheating operation for heating to + α and a heating mode setting switch 31 for setting a heating mode for reheating operation to be described later are provided.

  Reference numeral 32 denotes a hot water supply flow sensor 10, hot water supply temperature sensor 11, hot water storage temperature sensor 12, water level sensor 18, bath temperature sensor 19, flowing water switch 20, and hot water flow sensor 23, and three-way switching valve 21, heater 3, The operation of the mixing valve 7, the bath pump 17, and the hot water solenoid valve 24 is controlled to heat up the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2 to the target temperature, the hot water supply operation to supply hot water at the hot water set temperature, The control unit is connected to the remote controller 26 so as to perform the automatic bath operation, the reheating operation, and the pipe cleaning operation. The control unit 32 stores a program for controlling various operations of the bath apparatus in advance, and has a calculation, comparison, storage function, and clock function.

  In addition, the control unit 32 stores in advance the opening control rules of the three-way switching valve 21 for each of a plurality of heating speeds of the reheating operation set by the heating mode setting switch 31, and a plurality of heating modes having different heating speeds. As described above, the rapid mode, the normal mode, and the slow mode can be selected and set by the heating mode setting switch 31, and the reheating switch 30 and the heating mode setting switch 31 of the remote controller 26 constitute reheating instruction means.

Next, the three-way switching valve 21 of one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
2A is a longitudinal sectional view of the three-way switching valve 21, and FIG. 2B is a transverse sectional view. Reference numeral 33 denotes a T-shaped valve case, 34 denotes a spherical valve body, 35 denotes a stepping motor that rotates the valve body 34, and 36 denotes a valve shaft that connects the valve body 34 to the stepping motor 35 so as to be rotatable.

  The valve case 33 includes a first opening 21A and a second opening 21B that are opposed to each other in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the valve shaft 36, and a third opening that is opened in the axial direction of the valve shaft 36. A valve chamber 37 in which the valve body 34 is housed is formed, and a T-shaped flow path is formed as a whole. The valve case 33 is made of cast or resin, and is formed with a valve case 33A in which a first opening 21A, a third opening 21C and a valve chamber 37 are formed, and a second opening 21B. It is formed of two parts, a valve case 33B.

  A first seat ring that contacts the outer surface of the spherical valve body 34 and seals between the valve chamber 37 and the first opening 21A at a position corresponding to the first opening 21A in the valve chamber 37. 38 is arranged, and at a position corresponding to the second opening 21B in the valve chamber 37, it contacts the outer surface of the spherical valve body 34 and seals between the valve chamber 37 and the second opening 21B. A second seat ring 39 is disposed, and the valve chamber 37 on the outer periphery of the valve body 34 communicates with the third opening 21C.

  The valve body 34 has a first port 40 opened in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the valve shaft 36 and a second port 41 opened in the axial direction of the valve shaft 36 corresponding to the third opening 21C. Are opened to form an L-shaped flow path, and a first flat portion parallel to the axial direction of the valve shaft 36 by scraping the spherical valve body 34 on the 180 ° back side of the first port 40. 42 is formed, and in a plane orthogonal to the axial direction of the valve shaft 36, the spherical valve body 34 is shaved 90 degrees away from the first port 40 around one direction of the valve shaft 36 to remove the spherical valve body 34 in the axial direction of the valve shaft 36. A parallel second plane portion 43 is formed.

  The first flat surface portion 42 and the second flat surface portion 43 have the same diameter α and larger than the diameter β of the open end of the first port 40, and the first port 40 communicates with the valve chamber 37. Then, from the closed state where the first opening 21A and the second opening 21B are closed by the spherical valve body 34 and the first and second seat rings 38, 39, the valve body is driven by the stepping motor 35. When the 34 rotates, the first port 40 passes through the first seat ring 38 or the second seat ring 39 and communicates with the first opening 21A or the second opening 21B. The first flat portion 42 and the second flat portion 43 communicate with the second opening 21B or the first opening 21A beyond the second seat ring 39 or the first seat ring 38. .

  Next, the state at the time of rotation of the valve body 34 is demonstrated based on the cross-sectional view for demonstrating the state which the valve body 34 rotates shown in FIG. The black dots on the first and second seat rings 38 and 39 are shown for convenience in order to explain the sealing position between the spherical valve body 34 and the linear seat surface.

  In FIG. 3A, the first port 40 is directed to a position of 90 °, and the valve chamber 37, the first opening 21A, and the second opening 21B are formed into a spherical valve body 34 and a first seat ring 38. The first opening 21A, the second opening 21B, and the third opening 21C are all closed by being fully contacted with the second seat ring 39.

  FIG. 3B shows a state in which the valve element 34 is rotated 45 ° counterclockwise from the state of FIG. 3A, and the first port 40 communicates with the first opening 21 </ b> A and the valve chamber 37. In the counterclockwise downstream side of the first flat surface portion 42 and the second flat surface portion 43, a maximum gap is generated between the spherical valve body 34 and the second seat ring 39, and the valve chamber 37 It will be in the half-open state which the 2nd opening part 21B is connecting.

  FIG. 3C shows a state in which the valve body 34 is further rotated 45 ° counterclockwise from the state of FIG. 3B, and the outer peripheral surface of the spherical valve body 34 is the first seat ring 38 and the second seat ring 38. The first port 40 is in communication with only the first opening 21 </ b> A, and the second opening 21 </ b> B is not in communication with the valve chamber 37. Here, since the first opening 21A is connected to the heat exchanger, this state is referred to as a heat exchange side.

  FIG. 3D shows a state in which the valve body 34 is rotated 90 ° clockwise from the state of FIG. 3A, and the outer peripheral surface of the spherical valve body 34 is the first seat ring 38 and the second seat. The first port 40 is in contact with the ring 39 and communicates only with the second opening 21 </ b> B, and the first opening 21 </ b> A is not in communication with the valve chamber 37. Here, since the second opening 21B is connected to the bypass pipe 16, this state is referred to as a bypass side.

<Boiling operation>
Next, the boiling operation will be described. The bath apparatus 1 of the present embodiment uses contract power with a low unit price of power during the midnight time period as a power source, and the control unit 32 determines the amount of hot water storage required for the next day based on past hot water supply results when the midnight time period is reached. The boiling start time is calculated so that the amount of hot water stored is completed at the end time of the midnight time zone, and when the boiling start time is reached, the heater 3 is started to start boiling the hot water in the hot water storage tank 2. At the end time of the midnight time zone, the heater 3 is stopped and the boiling operation is performed.

<Hot water supply operation>
Next, the hot water supply operation will be described. When the user opens the hot water tap 9, the hot water flow rate sensor 10 detects the hot water flow rate, and the control of the hot water supply operation by the control unit 32 is started, and the water from the water supply pipe 4 flows into the bottom of the hot water storage tank 2. Hot hot water is pushed out from the upper part of the tank 2 and flows out from the hot water discharge pipe 5, mixed with low temperature water from the water supply bypass pipe 6 by the mixing valve 7, and the detected value of the hot water supply temperature sensor 11 by the control unit 32 of the mixing valve 7 is obtained. The hot water supply operation is stopped when the hot water tap 9 is closed as the hot water of the hot water supply set temperature is obtained by adjusting the opening degree based on the opening degree.

<Casting driving>
Next, the chasing operation will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.
When the reheating switch 30 is turned on (Y in step S1), the control unit 32 starts reheating operation and switches the three-way switching valve 21 to the fully closed side (position in FIG. 3A) (step S2). ), Priming water is supplied to the bath pump 17 (step S3).

  When the priming is finished, the control unit 32 switches the three-way switching valve 21 to the bypass side (position shown in FIG. 3D) in step S46, drives the bath pump 17 in step S5, and the running water switch 20 detects running water. Whether or not (step S6).

  When the bathtub water is present above the water level that can be circulated in the bathtub 15, the flowing water switch 20 detects the flow (Y in step S <b> 6), and the control unit 32 performs the heating set by the heating mode setting switch 31. It is determined whether the mode is a rapid mode (step S7).

  If it is determined that the heating mode is not the rapid mode (N in step S7), the three-way switching valve 21 is moved from the bypass side (position of FIG. 3 (D)) toward the half-open side (position of FIG. 3 (B)). The stepping motor 35 is driven to rotate the valve element 34 clockwise (step S8).

  When the valve body 34 of the three-way switching valve 21 is rotated to the position shown in FIG. 3D, the three-way switching valve 21 is in a half-open state, and the bathtub 15 has unheated bath water and bath heat from the bath bypass pipe 16. The heated bath water from the exchanger 13 is mixed and supplied.

  Next, the control unit 32 determines whether or not the heating mode set by the heating mode setting switch 31 is the slow mode. If the control unit 32 determines that the heating mode is not the slow mode (N in Step S9), the reheating operation in the normal mode is performed. Start, starts counting the time since switching the three-way switching valve 21 to the half-open side, and when a predetermined time has elapsed after switching the three-way switching valve 21 to the half-opening side (Y in step S10), in the bath heat exchanger 13 The three-way switching valve 21 is switched to the heat exchange side (position in FIG. 3C) (step S11), and all the bath water in the bath 15 is bath heat exchanger 13. The bath water is circulated and heated.

  When the bath water temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor 19 is equal to or higher than the bath set temperature (Y in step S12), the bath pump 17 is stopped (step S13) and the three-way switching valve 21 is fully closed (see FIG. 3 (A)), the circulation of the bath circulation circuit 14 is interrupted (step S14), the remote controller 26 notifies the completion of the chasing operation (step S15), and the chasing operation is terminated.

  When it is determined in step S7 that the heating mode is the rapid mode, the three-way switching valve 21 is not fixed on the half-open side, and is immediately set as the heat exchange side (position in FIG. 3 (C)) in the bath heat exchanger 13 The high-temperature staying water staying in the tank is supplied to the bathtub 15 as it is, and a quick chasing operation using the heat of the high-temperature staying water is performed.

  In this rapid mode, the example in which the three-way switching valve 21 is not half-opened has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the time during which the three-way switching valve 21 is half-opened may be shorter than the normal mode. Good.

  If it is determined in step S9 that the heating mode is the slow mode, the chasing operation is continued in the half-open state without switching the three-way switching valve 21 to the heat exchange side, and the bath heat exchanger 13 In the state where the heating amount is reduced, a slow reheating operation in which the temperature rise of the bath water circulated and discharged to the bathtub 15 is suppressed is performed. At this time, the rotation speed of the bath pump 17 is the same as that in the normal mode. Since the rotation speed is kept unchanged, the circulation speed of the bathtub water does not change even when a slow chasing operation is performed, and the bathtub water in the bathtub can be uniformly heated.

  In this slow mode, the example in which the chasing operation is performed to the end while the three-way switching valve 21 is in the half-open side has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the time during which the three-way switching valve 21 is in the half-open side is used. A longer time may be used.

  On the other hand, if the flowing water cannot be detected in Step S6 (N in Step S6) because the amount of bathtub water that can circulate in the bathtub 15 is not stored, the bath pump 17 is immediately stopped (Step S16), and the three-way switching is performed. The valve 21 is switched to the fully closed side (the position shown in FIG. 3A), which is the initial position (step S17), and an error notification that the reheating operation cannot be performed is performed by the remote controller 26 (step S18). End driving.

  In this way, since the bath water heating rate can be slowed by controlling the opening of the three-way switching valve without changing the bath water circulation rate, the bath water can be evenly increased even if a slow chasing operation is performed. Can be warm.

  The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be changed without changing the gist of the invention. In the above-described embodiment, the three-way switching valve 21 is provided on the return pipe 14A side. Further, the heating pipe 3 may be provided on the forward pipe 14B side, and an electric heater is provided in the hot water storage tank 2 as the heating means 3. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the circulation connecting the lower and upper parts of the hot water storage tank 2 is provided. It is good also as a structure which provided the heat pump type heating means in the circuit.

  In addition, the rapid mode, the normal mode, and the slow mode have been described as examples of the plurality of heating modes. However, the normal mode and the slow mode may be used, or four or more heating modes may be used. A plurality of heating modes with different speeds can be realized by the control 21.

  Moreover, although the example which can select the heating mode with the heating mode setting switch 31 was demonstrated, it is not restricted to this, For example, while detecting that the person is bathing in the bathtub 15 by the water level sensor 18 grade | etc., The mode may be such that the slow mode is selected and the rapid mode is selected when it can be determined that there is no person in the bathroom by an illuminance sensor or the like (not shown).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bath apparatus 2 Hot water storage tank 3 Heater 4 Water supply pipe 5 Hot water discharge pipe 6 Water supply bypass pipe 7 Mixing valve 8 Hot water supply pipe 9 Hot water tap 10 Hot water supply flow rate sensor 11 Hot water temperature sensor 12 Hot water temperature sensor 13 Bath heat exchanger 14 Bath circulation circuit 14A Return Pipe 14B Outgoing pipe 15 Bath 16 Bath bypass pipe 17 Bath pump 18 Water level sensor 19 Bath temperature sensor 20 Flow switch 21 Three-way selector valve 21A First opening 21B Second opening 21C Third opening 22 Hot water filling pipe 23 Hot water flow sensor 24 Hot water solenoid valve 25 Check valve 26 Remote controller 27 Display unit 28 Change switch 29 Automatic bath switch 30 Reheating switch 31 Heating mode setting switch 32 Control units 33A and 33B Valve case 34 Valve body 35 Stepping motor 36 Valve shaft 37 Valve chamber 38 First seat ring 39 First 2 seat ring 40 1st port 41 2nd port 42 1st plane part 43 2nd plane part

Claims (2)

  A hot water storage tank for storing hot water, a bath heat exchanger disposed in the hot water storage tank for heating the bath water, a circulation circuit for connecting the bathtub and the bath heat exchanger so that the bath water can circulate, and the circulation A bath pump provided in the circuit, a bypass pipe that bypasses the bath heat exchanger and short-circuits the circulation circuit, a three-way switching valve provided at a connection point of the bypass pipe and the circulation circuit, and a heating rate Reheating instruction means for designating one of a plurality of different heating modes and instructing reheating of the bath water, and the opening of the three-way switching valve according to the heating mode designated by the reheating instruction means And a control means for driving the bath pump to perform the bath water reheating operation.   The plurality of heating modes are prepared in advance in at least two modes of a fast heating speed mode and a slow heating mode, and the control means is provided between the start and end of the chasing operation in the slow heating speed mode. The bath apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the time for maintaining the half-open state of the three-way switching valve is made longer than in the mode in which the heating rate is fast.

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