JP2022120229A - Drinking water supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a drinking water supply device capable of reducing an effort of turning a power supply ON/OFF when a user performs a cleaning operation using a self-cleaning kit.SOLUTION: A drinking water supply device 1 includes a cleaning mode in which a control part washes respective storage spaces (S1, S2) by washing water inside an interchangeable bottle B. When the cleaning mode is instructed by an operation part so as to be shifted into the cleaning mode, the control part stops supplying power to a water temperature regulator TR. When a storage liquid L1 corresponding to a first storage space S1 is instructed to be flowed out by the operation part, the control part opens an outflow passage 15a corresponding to the first storage space S1 by an opening/closing mechanism 40.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

The present invention relates to a drinking water supply device.

A water server is an example of a drinking water supply device. A water server discharges drinking water stored in a drinking water tank from a water outlet according to a user's operation (see, for example, Patent Documents 1 and 2). Such a water server is provided with a partition plate (baffle plate) that divides the internal space of a cold water tank that stores low-temperature drinking water into an upper space and a lower space. For example, the partition plate is designed so that low-temperature drinking water, which is cooled by a cooling device arranged around the lower periphery of the cold water tank and pooled in the lower part of the cold water tank, is stirred with room temperature drinking water supplied into the cold water tank. to prevent The upper space and lower space in the cold water tank are communicated through a gap between the outer peripheral surface of the partition plate and the inner peripheral surface of the cold water tank, so that drinking water can flow between the upper space and the lower space. It's becoming

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-1280 JP 2013-180808 A

By the way, a self-cleaning kit is provided that allows the user to remove drinking water remaining in the tank and clean the inside of the tank and the inside of the water pipe using a replaceable bottle containing cleansing water (electrolyzed water). When performing cleaning work using such a kit, the user turns off the power in order to return the cold water and hot water in the tank to room temperature. Since the cold water tank does not have a drain port due to the specifications, the user turns on the power to drive the cold water solenoid valve to drain the cold water remaining in the cold water tank, and then turn off the power. do. Furthermore, after circulating the electrolyzed water in the tank by attaching the electrolyzed water bottle, the user turns on the power to drive the cold water solenoid valve, and after the electrolyzed water remaining in the cold water tank is discharged, the power is turned on. Turn off. In this way, since the user is forced to repeatedly turn on and off the power, there is room for improvement.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and provides a drinking water supply apparatus that can reduce the trouble of turning on and off the power when a user performs cleaning work using a self-cleaning kit. intended to

In order to achieve the above object, a drinking water supply apparatus according to the present invention includes a replaceable bottle for storing liquid, and the above-mentioned drink that directly or indirectly communicates with the replaceable bottle and flows in from the replaceable bottle. a plurality of storage spaces for storing a liquid as a storage liquid; a plurality of outflow paths provided corresponding to each of the storage spaces for causing the stored liquid to flow out toward an outlet; and electrically opening and closing each of the outflow paths. an opening/closing mechanism for individually discharging the stored liquid from the water outlet; an operation unit for instructing the discharge and stop of the water discharge of each of the stored liquids; and a control unit that controls the stoppage of the water flow, and a water temperature adjuster that changes the temperature of the stored liquid in at least one of the plurality of storage spaces, wherein the plurality of storage spaces are configured to release the stored liquid to the outside. a first storage space whose drainage channel is the outflow channel, and a second storage space whose drainage channel is different from the outflow channel, and the controller controls the wash water in the replaceable bottle When the cleaning mode is instructed by the operation unit and the cleaning mode is entered, power supply to the water temperature regulator is stopped, and the operation unit operates the first The opening/closing mechanism opens the outflow path corresponding to the first storage space when the stored liquid corresponding to the storage space is instructed to flow out.

Further, in the drinking water supply device, the drainage channel corresponding to the second storage space has a drainage port formed at a position where the stored liquid can be discharged to the outside by gravity.

Further, in the drinking water supply device, the water temperature controller is a cooler and a heater, and the cold water tank to which the cooler is attached is the first storage space, and the It has a cold water storage space in which the stored liquid is cooled, and a normal temperature water storage space which is the second storage space and stores the normal temperature liquid flowing from the replaceable bottle, and the heater is attached. The hot water tank is the second storage space and has a hot water storage space in which the stored liquid is heated by the heater, and the hot water storage space communicates with the normal temperature water storage space.

Further, in the drinking water supply device, the control unit causes the display unit to inform the user that the drinking water supply device is in the cleaning mode.

According to the drinking water supply apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to reduce the trouble of turning the power on and off when the user performs cleaning work using the self-cleaning kit.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a drinking water supply device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration inside the drinking water supply apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of an operation panel of the drinking water supply apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the drinking water supply device according to the embodiment.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Below, embodiment of the drinking-water supply apparatus which concerns on this invention is described in detail, referring drawings. The present invention is not limited by the contents described in the following embodiments. That is, the components described below include those that can be easily assumed by those skilled in the art, or those that are substantially the same. In addition, various omissions, substitutions, or changes in configuration can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

[Embodiment]
A drinking water supply apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of a drinking water supply device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration inside the drinking water supply apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of an operation panel of the drinking water supply apparatus according to the embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the system configuration of the drinking water supply device according to the embodiment.

The drinking water supply apparatus 1 is, for example, a water server, stores drinking water and the like inside, and discharges the drinking water and the like according to a user's operation. Drinking water is, for example, natural water. The drinking water supply apparatus 1 includes a replaceable bottle B, an apparatus main body 10, a water outlet 20, an operation panel 30, and a control section 50, as shown in FIG.

The replaceable bottle B is a container for storing a liquid L such as drinking water. The replaceable bottle B stores, for example, normal temperature drinking water (hereinafter also referred to as "normal temperature water"). Here, normal temperature is the temperature of the environment in which the drinking water supply device 1 is installed, for example, the room temperature when the drinking water supply device 1 is installed indoors. The replaceable bottle B is held or accommodated in the device main body 10 in a state in which the liquid L is stored inside. The replaceable bottle B is configured to be detachable in the vertical direction with respect to the device main body 10 as a replacement water supply container. A new container is replaced. In this embodiment, the replaceable bottle B is exemplified as being held on the upper side of the device body 10 in the vertical direction.

The drinking water supply device 1 of the present embodiment is provided with a self-cleaning kit that allows the user to clean the interior using cleaning water. The self-cleaning kit uses electrolyzed water (hypochlorous acid water) as cleaning water, for example, to sterilize and clean the tank and the water-passing part in the drinking water supply device 1 . The self-cleaning kit includes, for example, a replaceable bottle B that stores electrolyzed water, a replaceable bottle B that stores purified water (drinking water) for rinsing, a cleaning brush, and the like.

The device main body 10 discharges the liquid L in the replaceable bottle B from the water outlet 20 . For example, the device main body 10 discharges the liquid L flowing from the replaceable bottle B from the water outlet 20 at room temperature, or cools or warms the liquid L from the water outlet 20 . The device body 10 includes a cold water tank 11, a hot water tank 12, a cooler 13, a heater 14, a plurality of outflow paths 15a, 15b, 15c, and an opening/closing mechanism 40, as shown in FIG.

The cold water tank 11 is a container that cools the liquid L flowing from the replaceable bottle B and stores it as cold water, and can store the liquid L as normal temperature water separately from the cold water. Cold water is, for example, drinking water at a temperature lower than that of normal water. The cold water tank 11 is arranged below the replaceable bottle B in the vertical direction when the replaceable bottle B is attached to the device main body 10 . The cold water tank 11 is covered with a heat insulating material or the like, and has a heat insulating structure so as to prevent cold air from escaping. As shown in FIG. 2, the cold water tank 11 has a vertical cross section formed in a concave shape, and has a partition plate 11a that divides the storage space of the cold water tank 11 into two. The partition plate 11 a forms a gap between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the cold water tank 11 when attached to the inner bottom surface of the cold water tank 11 . Normal temperature water flows downward from above the partition plate 11a through this gap. Here, the storage space is a space that directly or indirectly communicates with the replaceable bottle B and in which the liquid L flowing from the replaceable bottle B is stored. The partition plate 11a divides the storage space of the cold water tank 11 into a cold water storage space CS1 and a normal temperature water storage space OS3. The cold water storage space CS1 is formed inside the cold water tank 11 so as to extend vertically downward from the partition plate 11a. The normal temperature water storage space OS3 is formed in the storage space of the cold water tank 11 so as to extend vertically upward from the partition plate 11a. The normal temperature water storage space OS3 and the cold water storage space CS1 communicate with each other through the gap. Here, the liquid L stored in the cold water storage space CS1 is referred to as a storage liquid L1, and the liquid L stored in the normal temperature water storage space OS3 is referred to as a storage liquid L3. The stored liquid L1 is cold water, and the stored liquid L3 is normal temperature water.

The hot water tank 12 is a container that heats the liquid L flowing from the replaceable bottle B via the cold water tank 11 and stores it as hot water. Hot water is, for example, drinking water at a temperature higher than that of normal water. The hot water tank 12 is arranged below the cold water tank 11 in the vertical direction. The hot water tank 12 communicates with the normal temperature water storage space OS3 in the cold water tank 11 via a connecting passage 16 . The hot water tank 12 is covered with a heat insulating material or the like, and has a heat insulating structure so as to prevent hot air from escaping. The hot water tank 12 has a hot water storage space HS2. Let the liquid L stored in the hot water storage space HS2 be a stored liquid L2. The stored liquid L2 is hot water. The hot water storage space HS2 communicates with the normal temperature water storage space OS3 in the cold water tank 11 . That is, the stored liquid L3 stored in the normal temperature water storage space OS3 flows into the hot water storage space HS2 side due to the decrease in the stored liquid L2 stored in the hot water storage space HS2.

The hot water tank 12 has a drainage channel 12a for discharging the stored liquid L2 stored in the hot water storage space HS2 to the outside. The drainage channel 12a is provided with a drainage valve 12b and a drainage port 12c. When the drain valve 12b is opened, the stored liquid L2 staying in the hot water storage space HS2 in the hot water tank 12 is discharged from the drain port 12c through the drain passage 12a. The drain port 12c is formed at a position where the stored liquid L2 can be drained to the outside by gravity. On the other hand, the cold water tank 11 of the present embodiment is not provided with the drainage channel 12a having the drainage valve 12b and the drainage port 12c. A plurality of storage spaces (CS1, HS2, OS3) are divided into a first storage space S1 and a second storage space S2. It should be noted that the drain valve 12b is not limited to this, and may be of another form such as a screw cap.

The first storage space S1 has the same drainage path as the outflow path for discharging the stored liquid to the outside. The cold water storage space CS1 is included in the first storage space S1 of the present embodiment. That is, since the cold water storage space CS1 is not provided with the drainage channel 12a in the cold water tank 11, the open/close mechanism 40 is opened to allow the stored liquid L1 to flow through the outflow channel 15a corresponding to the first storage space S1. Discharge. On the other hand, the second storage space S2 has a drainage channel different from the outflow channel. The second storage space S2 of this embodiment includes the hot water storage space HS2 and the room temperature water storage space OS3. That is, since the hot water storage space HS2 communicates with the outside through the drainage port 12c of the drainage channel 12a, the stored liquid L2 is discharged through the drainage channel 12a without using the opening/closing mechanism 40. FIG. Since the room-temperature water storage space OS3 communicates with the hot water storage space HS2, the stored liquid L3 is discharged through the drainage channel 12a similarly to the hot water storage space HS2.

The cooler 13 is a water temperature regulator TR, and reduces the temperature of the liquid L by exchanging heat with the liquid L staying in the cold water storage space CS1 in the cold water tank 11 . The cooler 13 is arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the cold water tank 11 . The cooler 13 is configured to cool the stored liquid L1 that stays below the partition plate 11a. The cooler 13 is electrically connected to a control unit 50, which will be described later. A control signal from the control unit 50 controls the temperature of the liquid L in the cold water tank 11 to a preset cold water temperature (lower than normal temperature water). temperature). Further, the cooler 13 is driven so that the stored liquid L1 maintains a constant temperature. The water temperature controller TR changes the temperature of at least one of the storage spaces (S1, S2).

The heater 14 is a water temperature regulator TR, and increases the temperature of the liquid L by exchanging heat with the liquid L staying in the hot water storage space HS2 inside the hot water tank 12 . The heater 14 is arranged along the outer peripheral surface of the hot water tank 12 . The heater 14 keeps the stored liquid L2 stored in the hot water storage space HS2 at a high temperature. The heater 14 is electrically connected to the control unit 50, and raises the stored liquid L2 to a preset hot water temperature (higher than normal temperature water) in response to a control signal from the control unit 50. Further, the heater 14 is driven so that the stored liquid L2 maintains a constant temperature.

The outflow path 15a is a water path that is provided corresponding to the cold water storage space CS1 and allows the stored liquid L1 that is retained in the cold water storage space CS1 to flow out toward the water outlet 20 . The outflow path 15a is a pipe that communicates the cold water tank 11 and the water outlet 20, and the stored liquid L1 flows through the inside of the outflow path 15a.

The outflow path 15 b is a water path that is provided corresponding to the hot water storage space HS<b>2 and allows the stored liquid L<b>2 remaining in the hot water storage space HS<b>2 to flow out toward the water outlet 20 . The outflow path 15b is a pipe that communicates the hot water tank 12 and the water outlet 20, and the stored liquid L2 flows through the inside of the outflow path 15b.

The outflow path 15 c is a water path that is provided corresponding to the normal temperature water storage space OS<b>3 and allows the stored liquid L<b>3 staying in the normal temperature water storage space OS<b>3 to flow out toward the water outlet 20 . The outflow path 15c is a pipe that communicates the cold water tank 11 and the water outlet 20 at a position different from that of the outflow path 15a, and the stored liquid L3 flows through the inside of the outflow path 15c.

The opening/closing mechanism 40 electrically opens and closes the outflow passages 15a to 15c, and discharges the stored liquids L1 to L3 from the water outlet 20 individually. The opening/closing mechanism 40 has a cold water solenoid valve 41, a hot water solenoid valve 42, and a room temperature water solenoid valve 43, as shown in FIG. The cold water electromagnetic valve 41 is arranged on the outflow path 15a and opens and closes the outflow path 15a. The hot water electromagnetic valve 42 is arranged on the outflow path 15b and opens and closes the outflow path 15b. The normal temperature water solenoid valve 43 is arranged on the outflow path 15c and opens and closes the outflow path 15c. The cold water solenoid valve 41, the hot water solenoid valve 42, and the normal temperature water solenoid valve 43 mainly include solenoid coils, on-off valves, and springs (not shown). In the non-energized state, the cold water solenoid valve 41, the hot water solenoid valve 42, and the room temperature water solenoid valve 43 urge the on-off valves downward by springs to move the on-off valves to the closed position. In this state, a power source (not shown) energizes the solenoid coil to generate a magnetic flux around it, which drives the on-off valve upward and moves it to the open position. The cold water solenoid valve 41, the hot water solenoid valve 42, and the normal temperature water solenoid valve 43 transition from a non-energized state to an energized state in response to a control signal from the control unit 50, and drive the on-off valves to the closed position. to the open position.

The operation panel 30 is arranged on the front side of the apparatus main body 10, as shown in FIG. The operation panel 30 receives a user's operation on the drinking water supply device 1 and displays information on the drinking water supply device 1 . By operating the operation panel 30, the user can select a desired function from a plurality of functions that the drinking water supply apparatus 1 has. Also, by visually recognizing the information displayed on the operation panel 30, the user can recognize the functions provided by the drinking water supply apparatus 1 and which function is currently selected. The operation panel 30 has a plurality of operation sections 31 and a plurality of display sections 32 . The operation unit 31 has, for example, a jog dial 31a, a water supply determination switch 31b, and a lock release switch 31c.

The display unit 32 notifies (displays) information to the user. The display unit 32 displays a plurality of functions of the drinking water supply device 1 and also displays the currently selected function. The drinking water supply device 1 of this embodiment has seven functions including a cold water supply function, a hot water supply function, a room temperature water supply function, an energy saving function, a cleaning function, a heating function, and an alarm function. The display section 32 has a cold water display section 32a, a hot water display section 32b, a room temperature water display section 32c, an energy saving display section 32d, a cleaning display section 32e, a heating display section 32f, and a hydration display section corresponding to these seven functions. A portion 32g is provided. Each display unit (cold water display unit 32a to hydration display unit 32g) is composed of icons drawn on the operation panel 30 and a light source (for example, LED, etc.) not shown for transilluminating the operation panel 30 from the back side. It is

The jog dial 31 a is a cylindrical dial switch, and is an operation section for selecting various functions displayed by the display section 32 . The jog dial 31a is arranged on the operation panel 30 so as to be rotatable about its central axis. Around the jog dial 31a, display portions (32a to 32g) for each function are arranged at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction. By rotating the jog dial 31a to select one of the plurality of display sections (32a to 32g), the user can select the function corresponding to that display section (32a to 32g). The light source is lit in the display section selected by the jog dial 31a. On the other hand, the light sources of the other non-selected display portions are extinguished.

By operating the jog dial 31a, the currently selected function can be switched to another function. On the other hand, when a certain period of time has passed after the final operation on the operation unit 31, the currently selected function is automatically switched to the function associated with the default setting. Along with the switching of the functions, the light sources of the display units (32a to 32g) corresponding to the functions after switching are turned on, and the light sources of the display units (32a to 32g) corresponding to the functions before switching are turned off. . The default setting is associated with a particular function (eg chilled water function) selected at design time. It should be noted that the functions associated with the default settings may be automatically updated according to the usage status of the functions by the user.

The water supply decision switch 31b is an operation unit for executing the function selected by the jog dial 31a. The water supply decision switch 31b is a switch that performs a momentary operation. For example, the switch is turned on while the user is pressing it with a finger, and turned off when the finger is released. When the cold water display portion 32a is selected by the jog dial 31a, cold water is discharged from the water outlet 20 as the cold water discharge function when the water supply determining switch 31b is operated. When the hot water display portion 32b or the normal temperature water display portion 32c is selected, similarly, when the water supply determination switch 31b is operated, hot water or normal temperature water is discharged from the water outlet 20 as the hot water discharge function or normal temperature water discharge function. be done.

When the energy saving display portion 32d is selected by the jog dial 31a, the energy saving function is executed when the water supply determination switch 31b is operated. The energy saving function is a function for operating the drinking water supply device 1 in an energy saving mode. When the energy-saving function is executed, at least one of the process of raising the temperature of the cold water in the cold water tank 11 above the standard temperature and the process of lowering the temperature of the hot water in the hot water tank 12 below the standard temperature is performed, thereby reducing power consumption. be done.

When the cleaning display portion 32e is selected by the jog dial 31a, when the water supply determination switch 31b is pressed for a long time, the drinking water supply apparatus 1 shifts to a cleaning mode, which will be described later. Unlike the normal mode, the cleaning mode cleans each storage space (CS1, HS2, OS3) with electrolyzed water in the replaceable bottle B. FIG.

When the heating display portion 32f is selected by the jog dial 31a, the heating function is executed when the water supply decision switch 31b is operated. The heating function is a function of heating the stored liquid L2 in the hot water storage space HS2. When the heating function is executed, for example, a process of raising the temperature of the stored liquid L2, which is normally about 80° C., to 90° C. or higher is performed.

When the hydration display portion 32g is selected by the jog dial 31a and the water supply determination switch 31b is operated, an alarm function is executed. A warning function is a function which operates the drinking water supply apparatus 1 in heatstroke warning mode. When the warning function is executed, the drinking water supply apparatus 1 performs a process of judging the possibility of heat stroke and issuing a warning, thereby prompting the user to drink water.

The lock release switch 31c is an operation unit for releasing the so-called child lock state. The lock release switch 31c is a switch that performs a momentary operation. For example, the lock release switch 31c is turned on while being pressed by the user's finger, and turned off when the finger is released. The child lock state refers to a state in which the warm water function is prohibited even if the hot water display section 32b is selected and the water supply decision switch 31b is operated. The child lock state is released by pressing the lock release switch 31c continuously for a predetermined time (for example, 3 seconds). Note that the child lock state is not limited to prohibiting execution of the hot water function, and may be applied to prohibiting execution of the cold water function and normal temperature water function. Also, the child lock state may be applied to prohibit execution of other functions.

The control unit 50 comprehensively controls various components of the drinking water supply device 1 . Specifically, for example, the control unit 50 controls water discharge and water discharge stop by the opening/closing mechanism 40 based on instructions from the operation unit 31 . As shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 50 electrically controls the operation unit 31 and the display unit 32 of the operation panel 30, the cold water solenoid valve 41, the hot water solenoid valve 42, and the normal temperature water solenoid valve 43 of the opening/closing mechanism 40. It is connected to the. The control unit 50 controls the display unit 32 , the cold water electromagnetic valve 41 , the hot water electromagnetic valve 42 , and the normal temperature water electromagnetic valve 43 based on the operation content of the operation unit 31 . For example, the control unit 50 causes the display unit 32 to notify the user that the drinking water supply device 1 is in the cleaning mode. The control unit 50 switches the cleaning display unit 32e from lighting display to blinking display. The controller 50 is electrically connected to the power switch 60 . The power switch 60 is installed, for example, on the back panel (not shown) of the drinking water supply apparatus 1, and supplies power from the power supply (not shown) to the control unit 50 or the like according to the user's ON/OFF operation. is. In this embodiment, the power is turned on/off using the power switch 60. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the power switch 60 is omitted. It may be configured as

The control unit 50 also controls power supply to the water temperature regulator TR. In principle, the control unit 50 supplies power to the water temperature regulator TR when the power switch 60 is turned on. On the other hand, when the power switch 60 is turned off, power supply to the water temperature regulator TR is stopped. The controller 50 controls the water temperature controller TR to adjust the temperature of the liquid L2 retained in the hot water storage space HS2 to a predetermined temperature, and the temperature of the liquid L1 retained in the cold water storage space CS1 in the cold water tank 11 to a predetermined temperature. temperature.

Further, the control unit 50 has a cleaning mode that shifts to when a cleaning mode is instructed by the operation unit 31 . For example, the control unit 50 shifts to the cleaning mode when the cleaning display unit 32e is selected by the jog dial 31a on the operation panel 30 and the water supply determination switch 31b is pressed long. When shifting to the cleaning mode, the control unit 50 stops supplying power to the water temperature adjuster TR. When the cleaning mode is entered, the control unit 50 stops supplying power to the water temperature regulator TR even if the power switch 60 is in the ON state.

Next, an example of operation in the cleaning mode of the drinking water supply device 1 will be described.

First, the user uses up the drinking water in the replaceable bottle B attached to the device main body 10 . At this time, it is assumed that the power switch 60 of the drinking water supply apparatus 1 is maintained in the ON state.

Next, the user operates the operation panel 30 to switch to the cleaning mode, and then leaves it for about 5 hours. Specifically, the user rotates the jog dial 31a to select the cleaning display section 32e from the plurality of display sections (32a to 32g). After that, the user presses and holds the water supply decision switch 31b for 5 seconds as an operation different from the operation in the normal mode. When the control unit 50 detects selection of the cleaning display unit 32e by the jog dial 31a and long-pressing operation of the water supply decision switch 31b, the control unit 50 switches the display of the cleaning display unit 32e from lighting to blinking. The control unit 50 stops driving the cooler 13 and the heater 14 while the power is on in accordance with the transition to the cleaning mode. The reason why the water is left for a certain period of time is to turn the stored liquid L1 in the cold water storage space CS1 and the stored liquid L2 in the hot water storage space HS2 into room temperature water.

Next, the user opens the drain valve 12b of the drain channel 12a to drain the drinking water from the tank through the drain port 12c. The control unit 50 maintains the blinking display of the cleaning display unit 32e in the power ON state.

Next, the user rotates the jog dial 31a to select the cold water display section 32a while confirming the blinking display of the cleaning display section 32e, and continues to press the water supply decision switch 31b. When the control unit 50 detects selection of the cold water display unit 32a by the jog dial 31a and continuous pressing of the water supply decision switch 31b, the control unit 50 changes the electromagnetic valve 41 for cold water to the energized state, and the cold water storage space CS1 in the cold water tank 11 is supplied to the cold water storage space CS1. The remaining cold water is discharged from the water outlet 20 via the outflow channel 15a. When the user determines that water has finished flowing from the water outlet 20, the user stops pressing the water supply determination switch 31b. The control unit 50 closes the cold water electromagnetic valve 41 by transitioning from the energized state to the non-energized state when the pressing operation of the water supply determination switch 31b is not detected. When the cold water display section 32a is not selected with the jog dial 31a and the cleaning display section 32e is selected, that is, when the cleaning display section 32e is blinking and the water supply determination switch 31b is pressed, the cleaning display section 32e is displayed. The display changes from blinking to lighting, and the cleaning mode is canceled.

Next, the user replaces the empty exchangeable bottle B with an exchangeable bottle B containing electrolyzed water, and leaves it for about 5 minutes. Subsequently, the user opens the drain valve 12b of the drain passage 12a to drain the electrolyzed water in the tank from the drain port 12c. The control unit 50 maintains the blinking display of the cleaning display unit 32e in the power ON state.

Next, the user keeps pressing the water supply determination switch 31b while confirming the blinking display of the cleaning display section 32e. When the control unit 50 detects selection of the cold water display unit 32a by the jog dial 31a and continuous pressing of the water supply decision switch 31b, the control unit 50 changes the electromagnetic valve 41 for cold water to the energized state, and the cold water storage space CS1 in the cold water tank 11 is supplied to the cold water storage space CS1. The remaining electrolyzed water is discharged from the water outlet 20 via the outflow channel 15a. When the user determines that water has finished flowing from the water outlet 20, the user stops pressing the water supply determination switch 31b. The control unit 50 closes the cold water electromagnetic valve 41 by transitioning from the energized state to the non-energized state when the pressing operation of the water supply determination switch 31b is not detected.

Next, the user replaces the empty exchangeable bottle B with an exchangeable bottle B containing purified water for rinsing and leaves the bottle for about 5 minutes. Drain clean water. When the user determines that the drainage from the drainage port 12c is completed, the user closes the drainage valve 12b. Subsequently, the user keeps pressing the water supply determination switch 31b while confirming the blinking display of the cleaning display section 32e. When the control unit 50 detects selection of the cold water display unit 32a by the jog dial 31a and continuous pressing of the water supply decision switch 31b, the control unit 50 changes the electromagnetic valve 41 for cold water to the energized state, and the cold water storage space CS1 in the cold water tank 11 is supplied to the cold water storage space CS1. The remaining purified water is discharged from the water outlet 20 via the outflow channel 15a. The control unit 50 closes the cold water electromagnetic valve 41 by transitioning from the energized state to the non-energized state when the pressing operation of the water supply determination switch 31b is not detected.

Next, the user replaces the empty exchangeable bottle B with an exchangeable bottle B containing drinking water, selects the cleaning display section 32e with the jog dial 31a, and operates the water supply decision switch 31b to shift to the normal mode. . The control unit 50 starts driving the cooler 13 and the heater 14 in the power ON state after about 5 minutes have passed in accordance with the transition to the normal mode. The control unit 50 monitors the temperature detected by a water temperature sensor (not shown) arranged in each tank, the stored liquid L1 in the cold water storage space CS1 drops to the standard temperature of cold water, and the stored liquid L2 in the hot water storage space HS2 The water temperature controller TR is driven until the temperature rises to the standard temperature of hot water.

As described above, the drinking water supply apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has a cleaning mode in which the controller 50 cleans the storage spaces (S1, S2) with the cleansing water in the replaceable bottle B. FIG. When the cleaning mode is instructed by the operation unit 31 and the control unit 50 shifts to the cleaning mode, the control unit 50 stops power supply to the water temperature regulator TR, and the operation unit 31 causes the stored liquid L1 corresponding to the first storage space S1 to flow out. When instructed, the opening/closing mechanism 40 opens the outflow passage 15a corresponding to the first storage space S1.

In a conventional drinking water supply device, when cleaning with a self-cleaning kit, only the hot water tank has a drain port. The stored liquid in the cold water storage space inside cannot be removed. Therefore, every time the stored liquid is stored in the cold water storage space, the user switches the power supply from OFF to ON so that the opening/closing mechanism can be opened and closed, and drains water from the water outlet via the outflow path according to the operation of the water supply determination button. There is a need. On the other hand, if the power is left on, the cooler and heater will be driven. Dry heating of hot water tanks that are heated in an empty state can occur. In other words, in the conventional work, it is necessary for the user to turn the power on and off every time the stored liquid in the cold water storage space is drained.

With the above configuration, when the user cleans the drinking water supply device 1 using the self-cleaning kit, power supply to the water temperature regulator TR is stopped while power supply to the opening/closing mechanism 40 is maintained. The opening/closing mechanism 40 is driven to discharge the stored liquid L1 in the first storage space S1 from the water outlet 20 without the user having to switch the power switch 60 from the OFF state to the ON state and from the ON state to the OFF state multiple times. it becomes possible to As a result, the user's trouble of repeatedly turning the power ON and OFF can be reduced.

In addition, when the control unit 50 shifts to the cleaning mode, the drinking water supply apparatus 1 stops supplying power to the water temperature regulator TR, so that the hot water tank 12 can be prevented from being boiled dry. In addition, even if the cleansing water remains in the cold water storage space CS1, the cleansing water does not freeze, so that the components of the cleansing water remain in the cold water tank 11, and the liquid mixed with the cleansing water in the normal mode. Discharging from the water outlet 20 can be prevented.

Further, in the drinking water supply apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the drainage channel 12a has a drainage port 12c formed at a position where the stored liquid L2 in the second storage space S2 can be discharged to the outside by gravity. Thereby, the stored liquid L2 can be easily drained to the outside. Also, since no electric power is used, power can be saved.

Further, in the drinking water supply apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the hot water tank 12 has the hot water storage space HS2 in which the stored liquid L2 is heated by the heater 14, and the hot water storage space HS2 communicates with the normal temperature water storage space OS3. do. As a result, normal temperature water can be drained through the drainage channel 12a on the hot water tank 12 side without providing a new drainage channel 12a for the normal temperature water.

Further, in the drinking water supply apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the control section 50 causes the display section 32 to notify the user that the drinking water supply apparatus 1 has shifted to the cleaning mode. Thereby, the user can easily recognize that the drinking water supply apparatus 1 has switched from the normal mode to the cleaning mode.

[Modification]
In the above-described embodiment, after the cleaning display section 32e is selected by the jog dial 31a, the cleaning mode is switched to when the water supply decision button 31b is pressed and held for a certain period of time, but the present invention is not limited to this. . For example, instead of providing a dedicated operation unit such as the cleaning display unit 32e, another display unit, for example, the energy saving display unit 32d corresponding to the energy saving function may also be used. In this case, after the energy saving display section 32d is selected by the jog dial 31a, when the water supply determination button 31b is pressed for a certain period of time, the mode is switched to the cleaning mode.

Further, in the drinking water supply apparatus 1 of the above embodiment, when any one of the cold water display portion 32a, the hot water display portion 32b, and the normal temperature water display portion 32c is selected by the jog dial 31a and the water supply determination switch 31b is pressed, A configuration in which a corresponding sound is output may be used. For example, when the cold water display section 32a is selected, the control section 50 outputs a voice message "cold water is coming out" through a speaker (not shown) in response to the operation of the water supply determining switch 31b. Further, when the hot water display section 32b is selected, for example, "hot water is coming out" is output by voice in response to the operation of the water supply decision switch 31b. Further, when the normal temperature water display portion 32c is selected, for example, "normal temperature water is served" is output by voice in response to the operation of the water supply determination switch 31b.

Moreover, although the drinking water supply device 1 of the above-described embodiment supplies drinking water as the liquid L, it is not limited to this, and may supply beverages other than drinking water.

1 Drinking water supply device 10 Device body 11 Cold water tank 12 Hot water tank 12a Drainage channel 12b Drainage valve 12c Drainage port 13 Cooler 14 Heater 15a, 15b, 15c Outflow channel 20 Water outlet 30 Operation panel 31 Operation unit 31a Jog dial 31b Water supply determination Switch 31c Lock release switch 32 Display section 32a Cold water display section 32b Hot water display section 32c Room temperature water display section 32d Energy saving display section 32e Cleaning display section 32f Heating display section 32g Hydration display section 40 Opening/closing mechanism 41 Electromagnetic valve for cold water 42 Electromagnetic for hot water Valve 43 Normal temperature water solenoid valve 50 Control unit B Replaceable bottle L Liquids L1 to L3 Storage liquid S1 First storage space S2 Second storage space CS1 Cold water storage space HS2 Hot water storage space OS3 Normal temperature water storage space TR Water temperature controller

Claims (4)

a replaceable bottle for storing liquid;
a plurality of storage spaces directly or indirectly communicating with the replaceable bottle and storing the liquid flowing from the replaceable bottle as a storage liquid;
a plurality of outflow passages provided corresponding to each of the storage spaces and allowing the stored liquid to flow out toward the water outlet;
an opening/closing mechanism that electrically opens and closes each of the outflow paths and individually discharges the stored liquid from the water outlet;
an operation unit for instructing the outflow and stop of outflow of each of the stored liquids;
a control unit that controls the water discharge and the water discharge stop by the opening/closing mechanism based on an instruction from the operation unit;
a water temperature controller that changes the temperature of the stored liquid in at least one of the plurality of storage spaces;
The plurality of storage spaces are
a first storage space in which a drainage channel for discharging the stored liquid to the outside is the outflow channel;
A second storage space in which the drainage channel is different from the outflow channel,
The control unit
a cleaning mode for cleaning each storage space with cleaning water in the replaceable bottle;
When the cleaning mode is instructed by the operation unit and the cleaning mode is entered, power supply to the water temperature regulator is stopped, and the operation unit instructs the stored liquid corresponding to the first storage space to flow out. and opening the outflow channel corresponding to the first storage space by the opening and closing mechanism,
A drinking water supply device characterized by: The drainage channel corresponding to the second storage space,
Having a drain port formed at a position where the stored liquid can be discharged to the outside by gravity,
A drinking water supply device according to claim 1 . The water temperature regulator is
A cooler and a heater,
The cold water tank to which the cooler is attached,
a cold water storage space, which is the first storage space, in which the stored liquid is cooled by the cooler;
The second storage space has a normal temperature water storage space for storing the normal temperature liquid flowing from the replaceable bottle,
The hot water tank to which the heater is attached,
The second storage space has a hot water storage space in which the stored liquid is heated by the heater, and the hot water storage space communicates with the normal temperature water storage space.
3. Drinking water supply device according to claim 1 or 2. The control unit
causing a display unit to inform a user that the drinking water supply device is in a state of transition to the cleaning mode;
A drinking water supply device according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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