JP2020153550A - Bath water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

To solve the problem that even though a drain plug 4 is open until a predetermined upper limit amount is exceeded, water replenishment operation is performed, which leads to discard a specified upper limit amount of hot water.SOLUTION: A control device 29 is provided with: water replenishment operation control means 30 that when entry determination means 35 determines that there is a person in a bathroom, starts the water replenishment operation when a water level of a bathtub 3 drops below a water level at the time of water replenishment start determination; and plug removal determination means 37 that when the entry determination means 35 determines that there is no person in the bathroom, determines that a drain plug 4 for draining the water accumulated in the bathtub 3 is removed when the water level of the bathtub drops below the water level at the time of water replenishment start determination.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a bath water heater provided with a refilling operation means for starting a refilling operation when the water level of the water (hot water) filled in the bathtub becomes lower than a predetermined water refilling start determination water level. ..

Conventionally, in a bath water heater equipped with an automatic hot water filling operation function including a water replenishment operation in which hot water is supplied so as to reach a set water level at a preset hot water supply temperature of this type, the water replenishment operation is performed. The amount of replenished water supplied with hot water is accumulated, and when the accumulated replenished water amount exceeds a predetermined upper limit, it is determined that the drain plug provided in the bathtub is open and water is drained, and the refilling operation is performed. It was known to stop.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2003-42534

However, in the case of Patent Document 1 and the like, the water replenishment operation is performed even though the drain plug is open until the predetermined upper limit amount is exceeded, so that the predetermined upper limit amount of hot water is discarded. There was a problem.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention includes a water level sensor that detects the water level from a pressure change in a bathtub installed in the bathroom and a human sensor that detects the presence or absence of a person in the bathroom. When the water level of the bathtub is lower than the predetermined water level for determining the start of refilling by monitoring the water level with the room entry determination means for determining whether or not a person has entered the room based on the detection result of the sensor and the water level sensor. In a bath hot water supply device provided with a control device having a water replenishment operation control means for performing a water replenishment operation of supplying hot water to a predetermined set water level via a pipe communicating with the bathtub, the control device includes the control device. When the room entry determination means determines that there is a person in the bathroom and the water level in the bathtub is lower than the water replenishment start determination water level, the water replenishment operation control means starts the water replenishment operation, and the room entry determination means When it is determined that there are no people in the bathroom, if the water level in the bathtub is lower than the water level for determining the start of refilling, a plug removal determination means for determining that the drain plug for draining the water accumulated in the bathtub is missing is provided. It was.

Further, the control device is provided with a plug opening / closing means capable of automatically opening / closing the drain plug, and when the plug removal determining means determines that the bathtub plug is pulled out, the plug opening / closing means is used. The stopper of the bathtub was closed.

According to the present invention, when it is determined by the entry determination means that there is no person in the bathroom, the water level is currently lowered even though there is no disturbance such as hot water because there is no person in the bathroom. Since it is determined that the water level is currently lowered when 4 is open, the plug removal determining means 37 can determine that the drain plug 4 is open.

In addition, when it is determined by the entry determination means that there are no people in the bathroom, the plug removal determination means 37 is performing the plug removal determination because the water level is currently lowered, so that a predetermined amount of hot water is drained. Unlike the one in which the plug-out judgment is not performed until the plug-off is done, the plug-off can be known immediately, and it is possible to prevent the hot water in the bathtub from being wasted. ..

Schematic diagram of the first embodiment of the present invention Flow chart showing operation of water replenishment operation of the present invention

Next, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
1 is a hot water storage tank for storing hot water, 2 is a heat pump unit as a heating means for heating hot water, 3 is a bathtub, and 4 is a drain plug for draining water from the bathtub on the bottom surface of the bathtub 3.

Reference numeral 5 denotes a heating circulation circuit that circulates the hot water storage tank 1 and the heat pump unit 2. The heat pump going pipe having the heating circulation pump 6 and being connected to the lower part of the hot water storage tank 1 and the heat pump returning connected to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1 are provided. The cold water in the lower part of the hot water storage tank 1 is heated by the heat pump unit 2 via the heat pump outbound pipe, and the heated high-temperature hot water is returned to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1 by the heat pump return pipe to be warm water in the hot water storage tank 1. Is heated and stored. A hot water storage temperature sensor 7 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the hot water storage tank 1, and the hot water storage amount is detected by detecting a predetermined temperature or higher.

8 is a water supply pipe that supplies water to the hot water storage tank 1, 9 is a hot water supply pipe that discharges hot water in the hot water storage tank 1, 10 is a water supply bypass pipe that branches from the water supply pipe 8 and bypasses the hot water storage tank 1, and 11 is a water supply bypass. A hot water supply mixing valve that mixes cold water from the pipe 10 and hot water from the hot water outlet pipe 9 so as to reach a set temperature, 12 is a hot water supply pipe that supplies hot water of the mixed set temperature, and 13 is provided at the end of the hot water supply pipe 12. It is a hot water tap. Reference numeral 14 denotes a hot water supply temperature sensor provided downstream of the hot water supply mixing valve 11, and reference numeral 15 denotes a hot water supply flow rate sensor for counting the amount of hot water supplied. Reference numeral 16 denotes a pressure reducing valve for reducing the water pressure to a predetermined pressure, and 17 is a pressure relief valve for releasing the overpressure caused by heating.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a bath circulation circuit, in which the bath heat exchanger 19 and the bathtub 3 for heat exchange between the hot water in the hot water storage tank 1 and the hot water of the circulating bath are connected to the bath going pipe 18a from the bathtub 3 to the bath heat exchanger 19. It is circulatedly connected to the bath return pipe 18b from the bath heat exchanger 19 to the bathtub 3. Reference numeral 20 denotes a circulation port connecting the bathtub 3 and the bath circulation circuit 18.

21 is a bath circulation pump provided in the bath circulation circuit 18, 22 is a running water sensor that detects the presence or absence of running water, 23 is a bath temperature sensor that detects the temperature of the bath flowing through the bath circulation circuit 17, and 24 is a bathtub from the water pressure of hot water. It is a water level sensor that detects the water level in 3, and is provided on the upstream side of the bath circulation pump 21 in the middle of the bath circulation circuit 18. Since the water level sensor 24 detects the water level in the bathtub 3 from the water pressure of the hot water, the water level cannot be detected if the circulation port 20 is exposed, so that the water level can be detected more than the circulation port 19. The water level needs to be high.

Reference numeral 25 denotes a hot water filling pipe that is branched from the middle of the hot water supply pipe 12 and connected to the bath circulation circuit 18 to fill the bathtub 3, and 26 is provided in the hot water filling pipe 25 and starts filling the bathtub 3. The hot water filling valve 27 for stopping is a bath flow rate sensor that counts the amount of hot water filled in the bathtub 3.

Reference numeral 28 denotes a heating control unit that controls the heating of the heat pump unit 2, and 29 is a control device that controls hot water supply and bath. Hot water storage temperature sensor 7, hot water supply temperature sensor 14, hot water supply flow rate sensor 15, running water sensor 22, bath temperature sensor 23. , The water level sensor 24 and the bath flow sensor 27 are input to drive the heating circulation pump 6, the hot water supply mixing valve 11, the bath circulation pump 21, and the hot water filling valve 26. The control device 28 is provided with a water replenishment operation control means 29 for controlling the operation during the water replenishment operation.

Reference numeral 31 denotes an in-bathroom remote control that can communicate with the control device 29 and is provided in the bathroom. An operation unit 32 that sets a set water level that is a target water level for refilling operation, a display unit 33 that displays the set contents, and a bathroom. A motion sensor 34 for detecting the presence or absence of a person inside is provided.

The motion sensor 34 is a pyroelectric sensor that detects the amount of temperature change of the heat source in the detection area, and detects that there is a person in the bathroom. Specifically, the motion sensor 34 detects whether or not a person is present in the bathroom by detecting a temperature change in the detection area when the person moves or moves limbs or the like. Therefore, based on the detection result of the motion sensor 34, the entry determination means 35 provided in the control device 28 determines whether to enter the bathroom or leave the bathroom.

The 36 is a remote controller outside the bathroom that can communicate with the control device 29 and is provided outside the bathroom, and has an operation unit 32 and a display unit 33 like the remote controller 31 in the bathroom.

Reference numeral 37 denotes a plug removal determining means for determining that the drain plug 4 is open under the conditions of the flowchart described later, and 38 is a plug opening / closing means that can be automatically opened and closed in conjunction with the drain plug 4. When the opening / closing means 38 opens / closes the drain plug 4 at the discretion of the control device 29, the remote controller 36 outside the bathroom is notified that the drain plug 4 is closed because the drain plug 4 is open.

Next, the boiling operation will be described.
When there is a boiling request, the control device 29 drives a heating circulation pump 5 in the middle of the pipe connecting the hot water storage tank 1 and the heat pump unit 2, draws water from the inner and lower parts of the hot water storage tank 1, and heats it with the heat pump unit 2. By continuing the operation of returning to the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1, the water in the hot water storage tank 1 gradually boils to high temperature water.

Next, the hot water supply operation will be described.
When the hot water supply tap 13 is opened, water is supplied from the water supply pipe 8, flows into the lower part of the hot water storage tank 1, passes through the water supply bypass pipe 10, and the high temperature water extruded from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1 and the water supply of the water supply bypass pipe 10 are the hot water supply mixing valve. Hot water that is mixed in No. 11 and adjusted so that the set temperature of hot water supply and the temperature detected by the hot water supply temperature sensor 14 are the same is supplied from the hot water supply tap 13.

In addition, the hot water filling operation will be described.
When the hot water filling switch of the in-bathroom remote control 31 and the out-of-bathroom remote control 36 is pressed, the control device 29 opens the hot water filling valve 26, supplies water from the water supply pipe 8, flows into the lower part of the hot water storage tank 1, and the water supply bypass pipe. The high-temperature water extruded from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 1 and the water supplied by the water supply bypass pipe 10 are mixed by the hot water supply mixing valve 11 and adjusted so that the bath set temperature and the temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor 23 are the same. The hot water filling is started by flowing the hot water into the bathtub 3. Then, the bath flow rate sensor 27 detects the flow rate, and when the total integrated value of the flow rates flows by the set amount of the hot water filling, the control device 29 closes the hot water filling valve 26 to complete the hot water filling. ..

Next, the refilling operation will be described.
After the hot water filling operation is completed, when the water level of the bathtub 3 falls below the water replenishment start determination water level which is the start water level of the refilling operation, the refilling operation control means 30 starts the refilling operation, and the in-bathroom remote control 31 or the out-bathroom remote control in advance. The refilling operation control means 30 calculates the difference between the current water level and the set water level so as to reach the set water level set in 36, and reaches the set water level from the difference and the bathtub cross-sectional area obtained in advance. The water replenishment operation is performed by obtaining the required amount of replenishment water and supplying hot water to the bathtub 3. Then, in this water replenishment operation, after the completion of hot water filling, the set time of the automatic heat retention operation (here, about 3 hours) in which the hot water in the bathtub set in advance by the remote controller 31 in the bathroom or the remote controller 36 outside the bathroom is repeatedly boiled to a constant temperature. During that time, it is repeated. The operation performed when the water level of the bathtub 3 falls below the water level for determining the start of refilling is referred to as the refilling operation.

Then, when the automatic heat retention operation is started after the hot water filling operation is completed, the operation of the refilling operation control means 30, the room entry determination means 35, the plug removal determination means 37, and the plug opening / closing means 38 of the present embodiment is performed. The operation is started, and when the power of the in-bathroom remote control 31 or the out-of-bathroom remote control 36 provided outside the bathroom is turned off or the automatic heat retention operation for a predetermined period is completed, the water replenishment operation control means 30 and the room are entered. The operation of the present embodiment is stopped by the operation of the determination means 35, the plug removal determination means 37, and the plug opening / closing means 38. Further, the user may optionally start or cancel the operation with a switch that selects the execution of the automatic heat retention operation.

Next, the operation of the refilling operation will be described in detail based on the flowchart of FIG.
First, when the hot water filling operation is completed (S1 is Yes), the automatic heat retention operation is started (S2). During this automatic heat retention operation, the refilling operation control means 30 confirms whether the current water level is lower than the refilling start determination water level (S3).

When the current water level becomes lower than the water level for determining the start of refilling (S3 is Yes) and the entry determination means 35 confirms that there is a person in the bathroom (S4 is Yes), the refilling operation control means 30 starts the refilling operation. (S5). During this refilling operation, the refilling operation control means 30 confirms whether or not the total amount of refilling water in the refilling operation has reached the set amount of hot water (S6), and when the total amount of refilling water reaches the set amount of hot water (S6). No), the plug removal determining means 37 determines that a plug removal error (S7), and notifies that the drain plug 4 is to be closed (S8).

In this way, when the entry determination means 35 determines that there is a person in the bathroom, the plug removal determination means 37 determines that the current water level is lower than the water refill start determination water level in the bathtub with a hot water or the like. If there is a person in the bathroom even if the drain plug 4 is open, it can be judged that the drain plug 4 is closed. Therefore, this decrease in water level is due to the drain plug 4 being open. It can be determined that this is not the case, and the refilling operation is continued until the accumulated refilling amount reaches the set amount of hot water.

In addition, when the water level is raised to a preset set water level and the amount of replenishment water required to reach the set water level is poured while the cumulative amount of replenishment water in the refilling operation does not reach the set amount of hot water (S6 is Yes). (S9 is Yes), the water replenishment operation is finished (S10), and the process returns to S3 to continue the automatic heat retention operation.

Then, when the entry determination means 35 determines in S4 that there is no person in the bathroom (S4 is No), the stopper opening / closing means 38 of the control device 29 and the drain plug 4 are interlocked to close the drain plug 4. It is confirmed whether this can be done (S11), and if the plug opening / closing means 38 and the drain plug 4 are not linked (S11 is No), the plug removal determining means 37 determines that a plug removal error (S7), and the bathroom The inner remote controller 31 and the outdoor remote controller 36 notify the user to close the drain plug 4 (S8).

In this way, when the entry determination means 35 does not determine that there is a person in the bathroom, the drain plug 4 is open because the water level is currently low even though there is no person in the bathroom. Since it is considered that the water level is currently low, the plug removal determining means 37 can determine that the drain plug 4 is open.

Further, when the entry determination means 35 determines that there is no person in the bathroom, the plug removal determination means 37 is performing the plug removal determination because the water level is currently lowered, so that the total amount of refilling water is set as the hot water filling amount. Unlike the case where the plug-out judgment is not performed until the temperature reaches, the plug-off can be known immediately, and it is possible to prevent the hot water in the bathtub from being wasted.

Further, when the drain plug 4 is not linked with the plug opening / closing means 38, the drain plug 4 is promptly notified by the in-bathroom remote controller 31 and the out-of-bathroom remote controller 36 to urge the user to close the drain plug 4. Can be closed.

Further, it is confirmed whether the plug opening / closing means 38 of the control device 29 and the drain plug 4 can be linked to close the drain plug 4 (S11), and when the plug opening / closing means 38 and the drain plug 4 are linked. (S11 is Yes), the plug opening / closing means 38 closes the drain plug 4 (S12). After that, the control device 29 notifies that the drain plug 4 has been opened by the remote controller 31 in the bathroom and the remote controller 36 outside the bathroom, and also notifies that the drain plug 4 has been closed (S13).

In this way, when the drain plug 4 is interlocked with the plug opening / closing means 38, when the plug removal determining means 37 determines the plug removal, the control device 29 closes the drain plug 4 with the plug opening / closing means 38. After that, since the drain plug 4 was opened by the remote controller 31 in the bathroom and the remote controller 36 outside the bathroom, it is possible to prevent the hot water from being thrown away by notifying that the drain plug 4 is closed.

Since the water replenishment operation control means 30 and the plug removal determination means 37 are interlocked with each other, when the user opens the drain plug 4 to drain the bathtub water in a state where he / she forgets to turn off the automatic heat retention operation, the water level is automatically lowered. Since the plug removal determining means 37 notifies that the drain plug 4 has been pulled out before the water replenishment operation is started by the operation of the heat retaining operation, it is possible to prevent wasteful consumption of hot water.

Further, when the user opens the drain plug 4 to drain the bathtub water while the automatic heat retention operation is turned off when the bathtub 3 is no longer immersed in hot water, the plug removal determination linked with the refilling operation control means 30 is performed. The means 37 does not perform a plug removal determination, and performs a troublesome operation such as notifying the user to urge the drain plug 4 to close even if the drain plug 4 is arbitrarily pulled out, or closing the drain plug 4 with the plug opening / closing means 38. Can be avoided.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment and does not prevent modification without changing the gist. For example, this time, the heat pump type hot water storage water heater was used, but the hot water storage tank 1 A water heater equipped with a heater inside or a water heater that heats hot water with a heat source such as a burner may be used.

1 Hot water storage tank 3 Bathtub 4 Drain plug 17 Bath circulation circuit 18 Bath heat exchanger 27 Bath flow sensor 29 Control device 30 Water replenishment operation control means 31 In-bathroom remote control 34 Human sensor 35 Entry judgment means 36 Out-of-bathroom remote control 37 Plug removal judgment means 38 Plug opening / closing means

Claims (2)

A water level sensor that detects the water level from the pressure change in the bathtub installed in the bathroom,
It is equipped with a motion sensor that detects the presence or absence of a person in the bathroom.
A room entry determination means for determining whether or not a person has entered the room based on the detection result of the motion sensor, and
When the water level of the bathtub is lower than the predetermined water level for determining the start of refilling by monitoring the water level with the water level sensor, the refilling water is supplied to a predetermined set water level via a pipe communicating with the bathtub. In a bath hot water supply device provided with a control device having a water replenishment operation control means for operating.
When the control device determines that there is a person in the bathroom, the water replenishment operation control means starts the water replenishment operation when the water level of the bathtub is lower than the water replenishment start determination water level.
When the entry determination means determines that there are no people in the bathroom, if the water level in the bathtub is lower than the water level for determining the start of refilling, it is determined that the drain plug for draining the water accumulated in the bathtub is removed. A bath hot water supply device characterized by being provided with a plug removal determination means. The control device is provided with a plug opening / closing means capable of automatically opening / closing the drain plug.
The bath water heater according to claim 1, wherein when the plug removal determining means determines that the bathtub plug is unplugged, the plug opening / closing means closes the bathtub plug.

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