JP2022132819A - Bathtub washing system, hot water supply system, and bathtub washing control method - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a bathtub washing system capable of effectively getting rid of a contamination component in bath water adhering to a flow passage on an upstream side of a foam generation device.SOLUTION: A bathtub washing system includes: a bath water supply flow passage 16 for connecting a suction port 111 to a detergent water tank 66; a foam supply flow passage 17 for connecting a discharge port 112 to the detergent water tank 66; a bath water circulation pump 54; a foam generation device 67; a flow passage switch valve 61 for switching the state between a first state in which the bath water supply flow passage 16 is opened, and the foam supply flow passage 17 is blocked and a second state in which the foam supply flow passage 17 is opened and the bath water supply flow passage 16 is blocked; and a control part 81 for executing detergent water generation processing for supplying bath water to the detergent water tank 66 and generating detergent water in a state that the state is switched to the first state, bathtub washing processing for supplying foam to a bathtub 200 in a state that the state is switched to the second state, and bath water supply flow passage washing processing for supplying the foam to the bath water supply flow passage 16 in a state that the state is switched to the first state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to a bathtub cleaning system, a hot water supply system, and a bathtub cleaning control method.

The sebum dirt component generated from the human body by bathing dissolves into the bath water. Sebum soiling components eluted into the bath water adhere to the walls and bottom of the bath. Since it is a heavy burden to wash the sebum dirt components adhering to the inside of the bathtub by hand washing, there is a demand for measures for automatically or semi-automatically washing the bathtub.

For example, in Patent Document 1, in a gas-liquid mixing device, which is a foam generating device, air is mixed with detergent water generated using bath water in a bathtub to generate foam and discharge the foam into the bathtub. A hot water supply apparatus that cleans the inside of a bathtub with is disclosed.

JP 2019-190782 A

However, in the technique described in Patent Document 1, since foam is generated using bath water in the foam generating device, there is a problem that contaminant components of the bath water adhere to the flow path on the upstream side of the foam generating device.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION The present disclosure has been made to solve the above-described problems, and is a bathtub cleaning system, a hot water supply system and a hot water supply system that can effectively clean the dirt components of the bath water adhering to the flow path on the upstream side of the foam generating device. An object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub cleaning control method.

A bathtub cleaning system according to the present disclosure includes a detergent water reservoir that stores detergent water generated by mixing detergent and water, and a bath water supply flow that connects a suction port provided in the bathtub and the detergent water reservoir. a path, a foam supply channel connecting an outlet provided in the bathtub and the detergent water reservoir, and bath water supply means provided in the bath water supply channel for supplying bath water in the bathtub to the detergent water reservoir. a foam generator that mixes gas with the detergent water stored in the detergent water reservoir to generate foam; a first state in which the bath water supply channel is open and the foam supply channel is blocked; a second state in which the passage is open and the bath water supply passage is shut off; Detergent water generation processing for supplying water to a detergent water reservoir to generate detergent water, and a bathtub for supplying foam to a bathtub by controlling a foam generating device in a state where the channel switching means is switched to the second state. Control for performing a cleaning process and a bath water supply channel cleaning process for supplying foam to the bath water supply channel by controlling the foam generating device in a state where the channel switching means is switched to the first state. and

Further, the bathtub cleaning control method according to the present disclosure includes a detergent water reservoir that stores detergent water generated by mixing detergent and water, and a bath that connects a suction port provided in the bathtub and the detergent water reservoir. A water supply channel, a foam supply channel connecting an outlet provided in the bathtub and the detergent water reservoir, and a bath provided in the bath water supply channel for supplying bath water in the bathtub to the detergent water reservoir. a water supply means, a foam generator that mixes gas with the detergent water stored in the detergent water reservoir to generate foam, and a first state in which the bath water supply channel is opened and the foam supply channel is blocked. A bathtub cleaning control method for use in a bathtub cleaning system comprising channel switching means for switching between a second state in which the foam supply channel is open and the bath water supply channel is blocked, wherein the channel switching means is A first step of controlling the bath water supply means to supply the bath water to the detergent water reservoir to generate detergent water in a state where the control is switched to the first state, and controlling the channel switching means to the second state a second step of supplying foam to the bathtub by controlling the foam generating device in the state of switching to the first state, and controlling the foam generating device in the state of switching to the first state by controlling the flow path switching means to supply the foam to the bath water and a third step of supplying to the supply channel.

According to the bathtub cleaning system, the hot water supply system, and the bathtub cleaning control method according to the present disclosure, the foam generated by the foam generating device is supplied to the bath water supply channel. As a result, it is possible to effectively wash away the contaminant components of the bath water attached to the bath water supply channel, which is the channel on the upstream side of the foam generator.

1 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functions of the hot water supply system of Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system according to Embodiment 1, and is a diagram showing a bath water supply flow path; FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system according to Embodiment 1, and is a diagram showing a foam supply channel; FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the control unit of Embodiment 1 during cleaning operation. 4 is a flow chart showing operations in a detergent water generation process of the control unit of Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the controller in the bathtub cleaning process of the first embodiment. 4 is a flow chart showing the operation of the bath water supply channel cleaning process of the controller of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system according to Embodiment 2; FIG. FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing functions of a hot water supply system according to Embodiment 2; FIG. FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system according to Embodiment 2, and is a diagram showing a bathing water supply channel; FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system according to Embodiment 2, and is a diagram showing a foam supply channel; FIG. 10 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system according to a modification of Embodiment 2, and is a diagram showing a discharge flow path;

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Elements that are common in each drawing are given the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are simplified or omitted. The present disclosure may include any combination of combinable configurations among the configurations described in the following embodiments. Moreover, in the following description, the notation of "water" can include liquid water in general, from cold water to hot water, regardless of its temperature. Further, in the following description, foam means foam that forms a cream-like lump by gathering a large number of air bubbles. That is, foam means foam. Further, in the following description, water mixed with a detergent, that is, a surfactant is referred to as "detergent water". Also, in the following description, the water stored in the bathtub may be referred to as "bath water".

Embodiment 1.
The configuration of hot water supply system 100 including the bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system 100 according to Embodiment 1. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1 , hot water supply system 100 of Embodiment 1 includes hot water supply device 1 , bathtub cleaning device 2 , remote control device 3 and control device 4 .

Hot water supply device 1 is a device that heats water and supplies the heated water to bathtub 200 . Hot water supply device 1 has hot water storage tank 10 , heating device 11 , heating circuit 12 , water supply channel 13 , hot water supply channel 14 and bath water circulation circuit 15 . In the present embodiment, hot water supply apparatus 1 is a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus. The hot water supply apparatus 1 may be, for example, an instantaneous type hot water supply apparatus instead of a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus.

The hot water storage tank 10 stores water heated by the heating device 11 . In the hot water storage tank 10, temperature stratification is formed in which the upper side is high temperature and the lower side is low temperature due to the difference in water density due to temperature.

The heating device 11 is heating means for heating the water led from the hot water storage tank 10 . In the present embodiment, the heating device 11 is a heat pump type heating device that heats water using a heat pump cycle. The heating device 11 may be, for example, a fuel type or electric heater type heating device instead of a heat pump type heating device.

The heating circuit 12 is a circuit that sends the water in the hot water storage tank 10 to the heating device 11 and returns the water heated by the heating device 11 to the hot water storage tank 10 . The heating circuit 12 comprises a first heating pipe 21 , a second heating pipe 22 and a heating circulation pump 23 .

The first heating pipe 21 connects the lower portion of the hot water storage tank 10 and the water inlet of the heating device 11 . The second heating pipe 22 connects the hot water outlet of the heating device 11 and the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 10 . The heating circulation pump 23 sends the water in the hot water storage tank 10 to the heating device 11 . In this embodiment, the heating circulation pump 23 is provided in the middle of the first heating pipe 21 .

Water supply channel 13 is a channel for supplying water to water heater 1 from a water source such as a tap. The water supply channel 13 includes a first water supply pipe 31 and a second water supply pipe 32 .

The first water supply pipe 31 connects the water source and a mixing valve 43, which will be described later. The second water supply pipe 32 connects the middle of the first water supply pipe 31 and the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 .

Hot water supply channel 14 is a channel for supplying hot water heated by heating device 11 and stored in hot water storage tank 10 to bathtub 200 . The hot water supply channel 14 includes a first hot water supply pipe 41 , a second hot water supply pipe 42 , a mixing valve 43 and a hot water supply electromagnetic valve 44 .

The first hot water supply pipe 41 connects the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 10 and the mixing valve 43 . The second hot water supply pipe 42 connects the mixing valve 43 and the bath water circulation circuit 15 .

The mixing valve 43 is a three-way valve and has ports a and b serving as inlets and a port c serving as an outlet. A first hot water supply pipe 41 is connected to the a port of the mixing valve 43 . The b port of the mixing valve 43 is connected to the first water supply pipe 31 . A second hot water supply pipe 42 is connected to the c port of the mixing valve 43 . The mixing valve 43 adjusts the temperature of the water flowing out of the c port by adjusting the mixing ratio of the water flowing in from the a port and the water flowing in from the b port.

The hot water supply electromagnetic valve 44 is provided in the middle of the second hot water supply pipe 42 . The hot water supply electromagnetic valve 44 is an on-off valve that opens and closes the flow path in the second hot water supply pipe 42 .

Bath water circulation circuit 15 is a circuit for circulating bath water in bathtub 200 . The bath water circulation circuit 15 includes a first bath pipe 51 , a second bath pipe 52 , a heating unit 53 , a bath water circulation pump 54 and a water level sensor 55 .

First bath pipe 51 connects bathtub adapter 110 attached to the inner wall of bathtub 200 and heating unit 53 . The second bath pipe 52 connects the heating unit 53 and the bathtub adapter 110 . A second hot water supply pipe 42 is connected to the middle of the first bath pipe 51 .

Bathtub adapter 110 has inlet 111 and outlet 112 . A first bath pipe 51 is connected to the suction port 111 . The suction port 111 can suck bath water in the bathtub 200 into the bath water circulation circuit 15 . A second bath pipe 52 is connected to the outlet 112 . The discharge port 112 can discharge the bath water circulating in the bath water circulation circuit 15 to the bathtub 200 . In this embodiment, suction port 111 is provided at a position lower than discharge port 112 in the vertical direction.

The heating unit 53 heats bath water circulating in the bath water circulation circuit 15 . In the present embodiment, heating unit 53 is a heat exchanger that heats bath water by heat exchange with high-temperature water supplied from hot water storage tank 10 . The heating unit 53 may heat the bath water by, for example, an electric heater, or may heat the bath water by combustion heat of fuel.

Bath water circulation pump 54 circulates bath water in bathtub 200 to bath water circulation circuit 15 . In this embodiment, the bath water circulation pump 54 is provided in the middle of the first bath pipe 51 and generates a water flow from the bathtub 200 toward the heating unit 53 .

The water level sensor 55 is water level detection means for detecting the water level in the bathtub 200 . In this embodiment, the water level sensor 55 is provided in the middle of the first bath pipe 51 and detects the water level in the bathtub 200 based on the water pressure in the first bath pipe 51 .

The bathtub washing device 2 is a device for supplying foam to the bathtub 200 for washing the bathtub 200 . The bathtub cleaning device 2 is provided in the middle of the bath water circulation circuit 15 . The bathtub cleaning device 2 includes a channel switching valve 61 , a first cleaning pipe 62 , a second cleaning pipe 63 , a detergent tank 64 , a detergent electromagnetic valve 65 , a detergent water tank 66 and a foam generator 67 .

The channel switching valve 61 is channel switching means for switching the channel. The channel switching valve 61 is provided in the middle of the bath water circulation circuit 15 . In this embodiment, the channel switching valve 61 is provided in the middle of the second bath pipe 52 . The channel switching valve 61 is a three-way valve and has a port, b port and c port. One end of the second bath pipe 52 a on the heating part side is connected to the a port of the flow path switching valve 61 . The second bath pipe 52a on the heating part side is a portion of the second bath pipe 52 closer to the heating part 53 than the flow path switching valve 61 is. The other end of the heating section side second bath pipe 52 a is connected to the heating section 53 . One end of the bathtub-side second bath pipe 52b is connected to the b port of the flow path switching valve 61 . The bathtub-side second bath pipe 52b is a portion of the second bath pipe 52 closer to the bathtub 200 than the flow path switching valve 61 is. The other end of the bathtub side second bath pipe 52b is connected to the discharge port 112 of the bathtub adapter 110 . One end of the first cleaning pipe 62 is connected to the c port of the channel switching valve 61 . The other end of the first washing pipe 62 is connected to a detergent water tank 66 . The flow path switching valve 61 can switch the flow path among three flow paths of the ab flow path, the ac flow path, and the bc flow path.

One end of the second cleaning pipe 63 is connected to the middle of the first cleaning pipe 62 . The other end of the second cleaning pipe 63 is connected to the detergent tank 64 .

Detergent tank 64 is a detergent reservoir that stores detergent used for cleaning bathtub 200 . In the present embodiment, an example in which liquid detergent is stored in detergent tank 64 will be described, but the detergent may be, for example, powder detergent.

The detergent electromagnetic valve 65 is provided in the middle of the second cleaning pipe 63 . The detergent electromagnetic valve 65 is an on-off valve that opens and closes the channel in the second cleaning pipe 63 . By opening the detergent electromagnetic valve 65, the detergent in the detergent tank 64 is supplied to the detergent water tank 66 by gravity. The detergent solenoid valve 65 is an example of a detergent supplying means for supplying the detergent stored in the detergent tank 64 to the detergent water tank 66 . As the detergent supplying means, for example, a pump for supplying the detergent stored in the detergent tank 64 to the detergent water tank 66 may be provided.

The detergent water tank 66 is a detergent water reservoir for storing detergent water produced by mixing the bath water sent through the bath water circulation circuit 15 and the detergent sent from the detergent tank 64 .

The foam generator 67 is a device that mixes gas with the detergent water stored in the detergent water tank 66 to generate foam. In this embodiment, the foam generator 67 includes a detergent water circulation circuit 71, a detergent water circulation pump 72, a gas-liquid mixing device 73, an air supply passage 74, and an air supply electromagnetic valve 75.

The detergent water circulation circuit 71 is a circuit for circulating the detergent water stored in the detergent water tank 66 . One end and the other end of the detergent water circulation circuit 71 are connected to the detergent water tank 66 . The detergent water circulation pump 72 is provided in the detergent water circulation circuit 71 and generates a flow of detergent water from the detergent water tank 66 to the gas-liquid mixer 73 . A gas-liquid mixer 73 is provided in the detergent water circulation circuit 71 . The gas-liquid mixing device 73 is a device for mixing gas and liquid. The air supply passage 74 has one end connected to the gas-liquid mixer 73 and the other end connected to the air supply electromagnetic valve 75 . The air supply electromagnetic valve 75 is an on-off valve that opens and closes the passage in the air supply passage 74 . The air supply electromagnetic valve 75 is an air supply means for supplying gas to the gas-liquid mixing device 73 .

The gas-liquid mixing device 73 includes, for example, an ejector having a reduced-diameter portion that reduces the diameter of the flow path. When the air supply electromagnetic valve 75 is opened while the detergent water is circulating in the detergent water circulation circuit 71 by the detergent water circulation pump 72, the air supply passage 74 is closed by the negative pressure generated in the diameter-reduced portion of the gas-liquid mixer 73. The gas is supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 73 through it. As a result, gas is injected into the detergent water passing through the gas-liquid mixing device 73 to generate foam.

Note that the foam generator 67 is not limited to the structure described above. For example, the foam generator 67 may have an air pump as an air supply means for supplying gas to the gas-liquid mixer 73 . In this case, the gas-liquid mixing device 73 may not have an ejector, and may have a structure that can mix the gas supplied by the air pump and the detergent water circulating in the detergent water circulation circuit 71 .

The remote control device 3 is an operation terminal that receives operations from a user. The remote controller 3 is installed, for example, in a bathroom. The remote control device 3 has a display section 3a and an operation section 3b. Display unit 3 a displays information about the state of hot water supply system 100 . The display unit 3a is configured by, for example, a liquid crystal display. The display unit 3a is an example of notification means for notifying the user of information. Operation unit 3 b accepts user's operation regarding hot water supply system 100 . The operation unit 3b is composed of buttons or keys, for example.

Note that the display unit 3a may be a touch panel having the function of the operation unit. Alternatively, an audio device such as a speaker may be provided instead of the display unit 3a as notification means, and information may be notified to the user by voice. Also, the remote control device 3 may be installed, for example, in the kitchen or living room instead of in the bathroom. Also, for example, a mobile information terminal such as a smart phone may have a function as an operation terminal.

Control device 4 controls the operation of each device included in hot water supply system 100 . In the present embodiment, control device 4 is mounted in hot water supply device 1 . Control device 4 may be installed at a location other than hot water supply device 1 .

The control device 4 can also control the operation of an automatic drain plug 210 provided at the bottom of the bathtub 200 . The automatic drain plug 210 automatically opens and closes under the control of the control device 4 . When the automatic drain valve 210 is closed, bath water can be stored in the bathtub 200. - 特許庁When the automatic drain valve 210 is opened, the bath water stored in the bathtub 200 is discharged to the outside of the bathtub 200. - 特許庁

The bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 1 is implemented by at least bathtub cleaning device 2 , bath water circulation circuit 15 and control device 4 .

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing functions of hot water supply system 100 according to the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 2, control device 4 is communicably connected to hot water supply device 1, bathtub cleaning device 2, remote control device 3, and automatic drain plug 210, respectively. Information from the operation unit 3 b and the water level sensor 55 is input to the control device 4 . Based on the input information, the control device 4 controls the display unit 3a, the heating device 11, the heating circulation pump 23, the mixing valve 43, the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 44, the bath water circulation pump 54, the flow path switching valve 61, the detergent It controls the operations of the solenoid valve 65 for air supply, the detergent water circulation pump 72, the solenoid valve 75 for air supply, and the automatic drain plug 210.

The control device 4 includes a control section 81 and a storage section 82 . The control unit 81 executes various processes according to control programs stored in the storage unit 82 . The storage unit 82 stores a control program executed by the control unit 81 and data necessary for executing the control program.

The functions of the control unit 81 are realized, for example, by the processor executing a control program stored in the memory. The function of the storage unit 82 is implemented by storing data in a memory, for example. The processor is, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit). The memory is, for example, non-volatile or volatile semiconductor memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), and flash memory.

Next, the operation of hot water supply system 100 of Embodiment 1 will be described. Hot water supply system 100 of Embodiment 1 can perform a boiling operation, a hot water filling operation, a reheating operation, and a cleaning operation.

The boiling operation is an operation in which the water heated by the heating device 11 is stored in the hot water storage tank 10 . In the boiling operation, the controller 81 drives the heating device 11 and the heating circulation pump 23 . As a result, the low temperature water in the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 is sent to the heating device 11 through the first heating pipe 21 . High-temperature water heated and generated by the heating device 11 flows into the upper part of the hot water storage tank 10 through the second heating pipe 22 .

The hot water filling operation is an operation for supplying hot water heated by the heating device 11 and stored in the hot water storage tank 10 to the bathtub 200 . In the hot water filling operation, the controller 81 opens the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 44 . As a result, the water supplied from the water source flows through the first water supply pipe 31 and the second water supply pipe 32 into the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10 . When water flows into the lower part of the hot water storage tank 10, high temperature water is taken out from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 10. - 特許庁High-temperature water taken out from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 10 flows through the first hot water supply pipe 41 and into the a port of the mixing valve 43 . Low-temperature water supplied from a water source passes through the first water supply pipe 31 and flows into the b port of the mixing valve 43 . The mixing valve 43 mixes the high temperature water supplied from the upper part of the hot water storage tank 10 and the low temperature water supplied from the water source. The water mixed and temperature-controlled by the mixing valve 43 flows into the bathtub 200 through two flow paths. The first flow path is a flow path that flows into bathtub 200 through second hot water supply pipe 42 , first bath pipe 51 and suction port 111 . The second flow path is a flow path that flows into bathtub 200 through second hot water supply pipe 42 , second bath pipe 52 and discharge port 112 .

The reheating operation is an operation for heating bath water in bathtub 200 . In the reheating operation, the control unit 81 switches the flow path switching valve 61 to a state in which the a port and the b port are in communication. The control unit 81 also drives the bath water circulation pump 54 . As a result, the bath water in the bathtub 200 circulates through the bath water circulation circuit 15 and is heated by the heating unit 53 .

The cleaning operation is an operation for cleaning the inside of bathtub 200 . Hot water supply system 100 of the present embodiment performs a detergent water generation process, a bathtub cleaning process, and a bath water supply channel cleaning process in the cleaning operation.

The detergent water generation process is a process of mixing bath water in bathtub 200 and detergent in detergent tank 64 to generate detergent water. In FIG. 3, the bath water supply channel 16 through which the bath water passes in the detergent water generation process is indicated by a thick line. FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram showing hot water supply system 100 of Embodiment 1, and shows bath water supply flow path 16. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3 , bath water supply channel 16 is a channel that connects detergent water tank 66 and suction port 111 . In the present embodiment, the bath water supply flow path 16 is composed of the first bath pipe 51 , the heating section side second bath pipe 52 a and the first washing pipe 62 . In the present embodiment, the bath water circulation pump 54 is provided in the bath water supply flow path 16 and serves as bath water supply means for supplying the bath water in the bathtub 200 to the detergent water tank 66 .

The bathtub cleaning process is a process for cleaning the inside of the bathtub 200 by supplying foam generated by the foam generator 67 into the bathtub 200 from the discharge port 112 . In FIG. 4, the thick line indicates the foam supply channel 17 through which the foam passes in the bathtub cleaning process. FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram showing hot water supply system 100 of Embodiment 1, and shows foam supply channel 17 . As shown in FIG. 4 , the foam supply channel 17 is a channel that connects the detergent water tank 66 and the ejection port 112 . In this embodiment, the foam supply channel 17 is configured by the first washing pipe 62 and the bathtub-side second bath pipe 52b.

The bath water supply channel cleaning process is a process for cleaning the bath water supply channel 16 by supplying foam generated by the foam generator 67 to the bath water supply channel 16 .

Next, a specific operation of the control section 81 in the cleaning operation will be described. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the control unit 81 in the cleaning operation of the first embodiment. The cleaning operation process shown in FIG. 5 is started, for example, after the hot water filling operation is finished.

In step S1, the control unit 81 determines whether or not a cleaning command to start the cleaning operation has been received from the operation unit 3b. The control unit 81 waits in step S1 when the cleaning command has not been received from the operation unit 3b, and proceeds to step S2 when the cleaning command has been received from the operation unit 3b.

In step S<b>2 , the control section 81 opens the automatic drain plug 210 . As a result, the drainage inside the bathtub 200 is started.

In step S<b>3 , the control unit 81 determines whether the water level in the bathtub 200 detected by the water level sensor 55 is equal to or lower than the position of the discharge port 112 . If the water level detected by the water level sensor 55 is higher than the position of the discharge port 112, the control unit 81 waits in step S3. goes to step S4.

In step S<b>4 , the control section 81 closes the automatic drain plug 210 . Thereby, the drainage in the bathtub 200 is stopped. That is, the water level in the bathtub 200 is kept between the suction port 111 and the discharge port 112 . Note that FIG. 1 shows a state in which the bath water surface 201 in the bathtub 200 is positioned between the suction port 111 and the discharge port 112 .

In step S5, the control unit 81 carries out detergent water generation processing. That is, control unit 81 mixes bath water in bathtub 200 and detergent in detergent tank 64 to generate detergent water. Specific processing in the detergent water generation processing will be described later.

In step S6, the controller 81 performs a bathtub cleaning process. That is, the controller 81 causes the foam generator 67 to generate foam using the detergent water generated in the detergent water generation process of step S5, and supplies the generated foam to the bathtub 200 to wash the bathtub 200. Specific processing in the bathtub cleaning processing will be described later.

In step S7, the control section 81 performs bath water supply channel cleaning processing. That is, the controller 81 causes the foam generator 67 to generate foam using the detergent water generated in the detergent water generation process of step S5, and supplies the generated foam to the bath water supply channel 16 to supply the bath water. The flow path 16 is washed. Specific processing in the bath water supply channel cleaning processing will be described later. When the process of step S7 ends, the control unit 81 ends the cleaning operation shown in FIG.

Next, using FIG. 6, a specific operation of the controller 81 in the detergent water generation process will be described. FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the operation of the controller 81 of the first embodiment in detergent water generation processing. The detergent water generation process shown in FIG. 6 is performed in the process of step S5 in FIG.

In step S11, the controller 81 opens the electromagnetic valve 65 for detergent. The detergent stored in the detergent tank 64 is thereby supplied to the detergent water tank 66 .

In step S12, the controller 81 determines whether or not the amount of detergent supplied to the detergent water tank 66 has reached the set amount of detergent. If the control unit 81 determines that the amount of detergent supplied to the detergent water tank 66 has not reached the set amount of detergent, it waits in step S12, and the amount of detergent supplied to the detergent water tank 66 reaches the set amount of detergent. When it is determined that it has reached, the process proceeds to step S13.

Whether or not the amount of detergent supplied to the detergent water tank 66 has reached the set amount of detergent is determined, for example, by the following method. The amount of detergent supplied to the detergent water tank 66 can be estimated based on the elapsed time after opening the electromagnetic valve 65 for detergent. The control unit 81 determines that the amount of detergent supplied to the detergent water tank 66 has reached the set detergent amount when the elapsed time from opening the detergent electromagnetic valve 65 reaches a preset set time. .

In step S<b>13 , the controller 81 closes the detergent electromagnetic valve 65 . As a result, the supply of detergent to the detergent water tank 66 is stopped.

In step S14, the controller 81 controls the channel switching valve 61 to switch to the first state. The first state is a state in which the a port and the c port of the channel switching valve 61 are in communication. That is, in the first state, the bath water supply channel 16 from the suction port 111 to the detergent water tank 66 is open, and the foam supply channel 17 from the detergent water tank 66 to the discharge port 112 is blocked.

In step S<b>15 , the controller 81 drives the bath water circulation pump 54 . As a result, the bath water in the bathtub 200 is supplied to the detergent water tank 66 through the bath water supply channel 16 . In the detergent water tank 66, the detergent and bath water are mixed to generate detergent water.

In step S16, the controller 81 determines whether or not the amount of bathing water supplied to the detergent water tank 66 has reached the set amount. If the controller 81 determines that the amount of bath water supplied to the detergent water tank 66 has not reached the set amount of water, it waits in step S16, and the amount of bath water supplied to the detergent water tank 66 is set. When it is determined that the amount of water has been reached, the process proceeds to step S17.

Whether or not the amount of bath water supplied to the detergent water tank 66 has reached the set amount of water is determined, for example, by the following method. The amount of bath water supplied to the detergent water tank 66 can be estimated based on the number of revolutions of the bath water circulation pump 54 and the elapsed time since the bath water circulation pump 54 was started to be driven. The control unit 81 drives the bath water circulation pump 54 at a preset rotational speed, and when the elapsed time from the start of driving the bath water circulation pump 54 reaches the preset set time, the detergent water is supplied. It is determined that the amount of bath water supplied to the tank 66 has reached the set water amount.

In step S<b>17 , the controller 81 stops driving the bath water circulation pump 54 . As a result, the bath water supply to the detergent water tank 66 is stopped. When the process of step S17 ends, the controller 81 ends the detergent water generation process shown in FIG.

Next, with reference to FIG. 7, a specific processing operation of the controller 81 in the bathtub cleaning process will be described. FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the operation of the bathtub cleaning process of the controller 81 of the first embodiment. The bath cleaning process shown in FIG. 7 is performed in the process of step S6 in FIG.

In step S21, the control unit 81 controls the channel switching valve 61 to switch to the second state. The second state is a state in which the b port and the c port of the channel switching valve 61 are in communication. That is, in the second state, the foam supply channel 17 from the detergent water tank 66 to the discharge port 112 is open, and the bath water supply channel 16 from the detergent water tank 66 to the suction port 111 is blocked.

In step S<b>22 , the control section 81 drives the foam generator 67 . In this embodiment, the controller 81 drives the detergent water circulation pump 72 and opens the air supply electromagnetic valve 75 . As a result, the detergent water in the detergent water tank 66 is supplied to the gas-liquid mixer 73 through the detergent water circulation circuit 71 . Also, the gas is supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 73 through the gas supply passage 74 . In the gas-liquid mixing device 73, gas is injected into the detergent water to generate foam. The generated foam flows into the detergent water tank 66 through the detergent water circulation circuit 71 . The foam that has flowed into the detergent water tank 66 accumulates on the surface of the detergent water in the detergent water tank 66 . When the detergent water tank 66 is filled with foam, the first washing pipe 62 and the bathtub-side second bath pipe 52b are sequentially filled with foam, and the foam is discharged from the outlet 112 into the bathtub 200 . Foam discharged from the discharge port 112 accumulates on the liquid surface 201 in the bathtub 200 . The foam accumulated on the liquid surface 201 is pushed by the foam subsequently discharged from the discharge port 112 and rises upward. In this way, the space above the liquid surface 201 in the bathtub 200 is filled with foam. As a result, the foam adheres to the entire circumference of the inner wall of the bathtub 200 , so that the washing effect of the foam can be exerted on the entire circumference of the inner wall of the bathtub 200 .

In addition, in the present embodiment, the foam diameter of the foam discharged into the bathtub 200 is, for example, in the range of 1 μm to 5000 μm. The bubble diameter shall mean the value obtained by arithmetically averaging the diameters of individual bubbles. The diameter of the foam discharged into the bathtub 200 preferably includes bubbles with a diameter of 50 μm or less. A foam containing air bubbles with a diameter of 50 μm or less provides particularly good cleaning performance. The diameter of the foam discharged into the bathtub 200 may include bubbles with a diameter of 500 μm or more. By discharging foam containing bubbles having a relatively large diameter of 500 μm or more into bathtub 200, bathtub 200 can be filled with foam more quickly.

In step S23, control unit 81 determines whether or not bathtub 200 is filled with foam. For example, when the position of the foam upper surface 202 in the bathtub 200 is equal to or higher than a preset position, the controller 81 determines that the bathtub 200 is filled with foam. In the present embodiment, control unit 81 determines that bathtub 200 is filled with foam when foam upper surface 202 in bathtub 200 is positioned close to the upper end of bathtub 200 . FIG. 1 shows the position of the foam top surface 202 when the bath tub 200 is filled with foam to a position near the top. By filling a position near the top of the bathtub 200 with foam, the washing effect of the foam can be exerted to a position near the top of the bathtub 200 . If the controller 81 determines that the bathtub 200 is not filled with foam, it waits in step S23, and if it determines that the bathtub 200 is filled with foam, it proceeds to step S24.

The position of the upper surface 202 of the foam in the bathtub 200 is, for example, the water level in the bathtub 200 detected by the water level sensor 55 at the start of the bathtub cleaning process, the size of the bathtub 200, and the amount of foam supplied in the bathtub 200. can be estimated based on volume. The size of bathtub 200 can be estimated based on the relationship between the amount of water supplied during the hot water filling operation and the water level in bathtub 200 . The volume of foam supplied into bathtub 200 can be estimated from the driving time of foam generator 67 .

Also, the position of the foam upper surface 202 in the bathtub 200 can be estimated based on the detected value by the water level sensor 55 . In this case, the relationship between the value detected by the water level sensor 55 and the foam volume is stored in advance in the storage unit 82 . The control unit 81 determines the position of the foam upper surface 202 based on the water level in the bathtub 200 detected by the water level sensor 55 at the start of the bathtub cleaning process and the change in the detection value of the water level sensor 55 during the bathtub cleaning process. presume.

At step S<b>24 , the control unit 81 stops driving the foam generator 67 . That is, the controller 81 stops driving the detergent water circulation pump 72 and closes the air supply electromagnetic valve 75 . This stops the production of foam.

At step S<b>25 , the control unit 81 opens the automatic drain plug 210 . As a result, the bath water in the bathtub 200 is drained, the position of the foam accumulated in the bathtub 200 is lowered, and the foam adheres to the entire wall surface and bottom surface of the bathtub 200 . In other words, the entire bath tub 200 can be effectively cleaned by the foam. When the process of step S25 ends, the control unit 81 ends the bathtub cleaning process shown in FIG.

Next, a specific processing operation of the control unit 81 in the bath water supply channel cleaning process will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the operation of the bath water supply channel cleaning process of the controller 81 of the first embodiment. The bath water supply channel cleaning process shown in FIG. 8 is performed in the process of step S7 in FIG. That is, the bath water supply channel cleaning process is performed after the automatic drain plug 210 is opened and the water inside the bathtub 200 is started to drain in the bathtub cleaning process.

In step S31, the control unit 81 controls the channel switching valve 61 to switch to the first state. That is, the control unit 81 switches to a state in which the bath water supply channel 16 is opened and the foam supply channel 17 is blocked.

At step S<b>32 , the control unit 81 drives the foam generator 67 . That is, the controller 81 drives the detergent water circulation pump 72 and opens the air supply electromagnetic valve 75 . As a result, gas is injected into the detergent water in the gas-liquid mixing device 73 to generate foam. The generated foam accumulates on the surface of the detergent water in the detergent water tank 66, and the detergent water tank 66, the first washing pipe 62, the second bath pipe 52a on the heating part side, and the first bath pipe 51 are sequentially foamed. After being filled, foam is discharged into the bathtub 200 from the suction port 111 . As a result, the bath water supply channel 16 from the detergent water tank 66 to the suction port 111 can be cleaned by the foam.

In this embodiment, the diameter of the foam supplied to the bathing water supply channel 16 is, for example, in the range of 1 μm to 5000 μm. The diameter of the foam supplied to the bathing water supply channel 16 desirably includes bubbles having a diameter of 50 μm or less. A foam containing air bubbles with a diameter of 50 μm or less provides particularly good cleaning performance. The diameter of the foam supplied to the bathing water supply channel 16 may include bubbles having a diameter of 500 μm or more. By supplying the bath water supply channel 16 with foam containing bubbles having a relatively large diameter of 500 μm or more, the bath water supply channel 16 can be filled with foam more quickly.

In step S33, the controller 81 determines whether or not the inside of the bath water supply channel 16 is filled with foam. If the control unit 81 determines that the inside of the bathing water supply channel 16 is not filled with foam, it waits in step S33, and if it determines that the inside of the bathing water supply channel 16 is filled with foam, it goes to step S33. Proceed to S34.

Whether or not the inside of the bath water supply channel 16 is filled with foam is determined, for example, by the following method. The amount of foam supplied to the bathing water supply channel 16 can be estimated based on the elapsed time after the foam generator 67 is started to be driven. The control unit 81 determines that the inside of the bathing water supply channel 16 is filled with foam when the elapsed time from the start of driving the foam generator 67 reaches a preset set time.

At step S<b>34 , the control unit 81 stops driving the foam generator 67 . That is, the controller 81 stops driving the detergent water circulation pump 72 and closes the air supply electromagnetic valve 75 . This stops the production of foam.

In step S<b>35 , the control unit 81 opens the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 44 . At this time, the controller 81 switches the channel switching valve 61 to a state in which the a port and the b port are in communication. As a result, the water whose temperature has been adjusted by the mixing valve 43 flows into the bathtub 200 through the second hot water supply pipe 42 , the first bath pipe 51 , the second bath pipe 52 , the suction port 111 and the discharge port 112 . That is, the foam in the bath water supply channel 16 is rinsed. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the foam-derived detergent from remaining in the bath water supply channel 16 . Although an example of rinsing the inside of the bath water supply passage 16 using water whose temperature has been adjusted by the mixing valve 43 has been described, bath water can be supplied without adjusting the temperature of the water in the hot water storage tank 10 or the water from the water source. You may make it supply to the flow path 16. FIG. If water containing no detergent can be supplied to the bath water supply channel 16, the detergent can be rinsed.

In step S36, the control unit 81 determines whether or not a preset rinsing time has elapsed. The rinsing time is a preset value and stored in the storage unit 82 . If the control unit 81 determines that the rinsing time has not elapsed, it waits in step S36, and if it determines that the rinsing time has elapsed, it proceeds to step S37.

In step S<b>37 , the control unit 81 closes the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 44 . This completes the rinsing process in the bath water supply channel 16 . When the process of step S37 ends, the control unit 81 ends the bath water supply channel cleaning process shown in FIG.

After the bath water supply channel cleaning process is completed, the user may rinse the foam in the bathtub 200 using a shower or the like, or an injection unit for injecting water into the bathtub 200 may be provided to spray water. The inside of the bathtub 200 may be automatically rinsed by the unit.

According to the bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 1, the detergent water reservoir (corresponding to the detergent water tank 66) that stores the detergent water generated by mixing the detergent and water, and the suction port 111 provided in the bathtub 200 and the detergent water storage section, the foam supply flow path 17 connecting the discharge port 112 provided in the bathtub 200 and the detergent water storage section, and the bath water supply flow path 16. Bath water supply means (corresponding to the bath water circulation pump 54) for supplying bath water in the bathtub 200 to the detergent water reservoir, and foam for generating foam by mixing gas with the detergent water stored in the detergent water reservoir. The generating device 67, a first state in which the bath water supply channel 16 is open and the foam supply channel 17 is blocked, and a second state in which the foam supply channel 17 is open and the bath water supply channel 16 is blocked. The bath water supply means is controlled to supply the bath water to the detergent water reservoir in a state in which the channel switching means (corresponding to the channel switching valve 61) is controlled and the channel switching means is switched to the first state. A detergent water generation process for generating detergent water, a bathtub cleaning process for controlling the foam generating device 67 to supply foam to the bathtub 200 in a state where the channel switching means is switched to the second state, and a channel switching. a bathing water supply channel cleaning process of controlling the foam generating device 67 to supply foam to the bathing water supply channel 16 in a state in which the means is switched to the first state; Prepare. Therefore, in the hot water supply system 100 that uses the bath water to generate the detergent water to wash the bathtub 200, the bath water supply channel 16 through which the bath water passes when the detergent water is generated can be effectively washed with the foam. can.

Further, according to the bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 1, the detergent supplying means (corresponding to the detergent electromagnetic valve 65) for supplying the detergent to the detergent water reservoir is provided. The supply means is controlled to supply the detergent to the detergent water reservoir. As a result, the detergent can be automatically supplied to the detergent water reservoir, and the user's trouble of supplying the detergent each time to generate the detergent water can be reduced.

Further, according to the bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 1, the control unit 81 can control the opening and closing of the automatic drain plug 210 provided in the bathtub 200, and the automatic drain plug 210 is opened after performing the bathtub cleaning process. When it is opened, the bath water supply channel cleaning process is started. When the water inside the bathtub 200 starts to drain, the water level inside the bathtub 200 drops and becomes lower than the suction port 111 . Therefore, the foam supplied to the bath water supply channel 16 is supplied to the suction port 111 and discharged from the suction port 111 into the bathtub 200, so that the bath water supply channel from the detergent water tank 66 to the suction port 111. 16 can have a cleaning effect with the foam.

Further, according to the bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 1, the controller 81 performs the detergent water generation process, and after performing the bathtub cleaning process, performs the bath water supply channel cleaning process. As a result, it is possible to automatically sequentially perform the steps from the generation of detergent water to the cleaning of the bathtub 200 and the cleaning of the bath water supply channel 16, thereby improving convenience for the user.

Further, according to the bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 1, the water supply means (corresponding to the hot water supply electromagnetic valve 44) for supplying the water from the water source to the bath water supply channel 16 is provided, and the controller 81 controls the bath water supply flow In the path cleaning process, after foam is supplied to the bathing water supply channel 16, the water supply means is controlled to supply water from the water source to the bathing water supply channel 16 for rinsing. As a result, it is possible to prevent the detergent from remaining in the bath water supply channel 16 . The water source water supplied by the water supply means includes not only water directly supplied from the water source into the bath water supply channel 16 but also water supplied from the water source and heated by the heating device 11 .

Further, according to the hot water supply system 100 of Embodiment 1, the heating device 11 that heats the water of the water source is provided. is supplied to the bath water supply channel 16 . As a result, dirt in the bath water supply channel 16 can be more easily removed than when the water from the water source is directly supplied to the bath water supply channel 16 without being heated.

Further, according to the bathtub cleaning control method of Embodiment 1, the flow path switching means is controlled to switch to the first state, and the bath water supply means is controlled to supply the bath water to the detergent water reservoir. A first step of generating water (corresponding to step S5), and a second step of supplying foam to the bathtub 200 by controlling the foam generating device 67 while switching to the second state by controlling the flow path switching means ( Step S6 corresponds), and a third step (Step S7 corresponds to this) by controlling the foam generating device 67 to supply foam to the bath water supply channel 16 in a state where the channel switching means is controlled to switch to the first state. ) and As a result, the bath water supply channel 16 through which the bath water passes when the detergent water is generated can be effectively washed with the foam.

A modification of the first embodiment will be described.

In Embodiment 1, the control unit 81 opens and closes the automatic drain plug 210 so that the water level in the bathtub 200 is between the suction port 111 and the discharge port 112 in steps S2 to S4 of the cleaning operation. was in control. However, the processing of steps S2 and S4 may be omitted. That is, even if the user manually opens and closes the automatic drain plug 210 and the water level in the bathtub 200 reaches a position between the suction port 111 and the discharge port 112, the detergent water generation process of step S5 can be performed. good.

In Embodiment 1, control unit 81 starts the detergent water generation process in a state where the water level in bathtub 200 is between suction port 111 and discharge port 112 in the cleaning operation. However, the controller 81 may start the detergent water generation process at a position where the water level in the bathtub 200 is higher than the discharge port 112 . If the water level in bathtub 200 is higher than suction port 111, bath water can be supplied to detergent water tank 66 in detergent water generation processing. Further, in the bathtub cleaning process, if the water level in the bathtub 200 is lower than the discharge port 112, even if the water level in the bathtub 200 is lower than the suction port 111, foam will be generated in the bathtub 200. can be supplied.

Further, in Embodiment 1, in the cleaning operation, the control unit 81 performs the bathtub cleaning process and the bath water supply channel cleaning process after performing the detergent water generation process. However, if the detergent water is already generated in the detergent water tank 66 when starting the washing operation, the controller 81 may omit the detergent water generation process.

Further, in Embodiment 1, in the cleaning operation, the control unit 81 performs the bath water supply channel cleaning process after performing the bathtub cleaning process. However, it may be configured such that the bath water supply channel cleaning process can be performed independently. That is, the control unit 81 may start the bathing water supply channel cleaning process, for example, when receiving a command to start the bathing water supply channel cleaning process from the remote control device 3 .

Further, in the first embodiment, in steps S22 to S24 of the bathtub cleaning process, the control unit 81 fills the bathtub 200 until the foam upper surface 202 in the bathtub 200 reaches a position close to the upper end of the bathtub 200. was supplying. However, the controller 81 may supply foam into the bathtub 200 until the foam overflows from the bathtub 200 . As a result, the cleaning effect of the foam can be exerted even on the edge of the upper end of the bathtub 200 .

In addition, the sebum dirt component due to bathing in the bathtub 200 is concentrated at the maximum water level during bathing. For this reason, the control unit 81 may adjust the supply amount of foam according to the maximum water level during bathing. Specifically, when the water level difference between the water level detected by the water level sensor 55 at the start of the bathtub cleaning process and the maximum water level detected by the water level sensor 55 during bathing is the first water level difference, The foam generator 67 is controlled so that the amount of foam supplied to the bathtub 200 in the bathtub cleaning process is greater than when the water level difference is the second water level difference smaller than the first water level difference. As a result, it is possible to supply the bathtub 200 with an amount of foam corresponding to the position in the bathtub 200 where the dirt component adheres, and to minimize the amount of detergent water used to generate the foam. . Note that the control unit 81 obtains the maximum water level during bathing, for example, using the water level detected by the water level sensor 55 between the end of the hot water filling operation and the start of the washing operation. Further, when a human detection sensor for detecting whether or not the user is taking a bath is provided, the control unit 81 uses the human detection sensor to determine whether or not the user is taking a bath. The water level detected by the water level sensor 55 may be used to determine the maximum water level during bathing.

Further, when adjusting the amount of foam supplied according to the maximum water level during bathing, the amounts of detergent and bath water supplied to the detergent water tank 66 may be adjusted according to the amount of foam supplied. In this case, when the water level difference is the first water level difference, the controller 81 controls the amount of detergent and bath water supplied to the detergent water tank 66 in the detergent water generation process to be greater than when the water level difference is the second water level difference. The detergent electromagnetic valve 65 and the bath water circulation pump 54 are controlled so that the As a result, detergent water can be generated with an amount of detergent and bath water corresponding to the amount of foam supplied to bathtub 200 in the bathtub cleaning process, and the amount of detergent used can be minimized.

In the first embodiment, in the bathtub cleaning process, controller 81 supplies foam into bathtub 200, and then drains bathtub 200 by opening automatic drain plug 210 in step S25. However, the process of step S25 may be omitted. That is, the user may manually open the automatic drain plug 210 to drain the bathtub 200 .

Further, in Embodiment 1, the control unit 81 starts the bath water supply channel cleaning process when the automatic drain plug 210 is opened in step S25 of the bathtub cleaning process. However, if the water level sensor 55 detects a drop in the water level in the bathtub 200 after the bathtub cleaning process is performed, the control unit 81 determines that the drainage in the bathtub 200 has started, and A supply channel cleaning process may be started.

In the first embodiment, the controller 81 supplies foam to the entire bath water supply channel 16 from the detergent water tank 66 to the suction port 111 in the bath water supply channel cleaning process. . However, the controller 81 only needs to supply foam to at least a portion of the bath water supply channel 16 . If foam can be supplied to at least a part of the bathing water supply channel 16, the effect of the bathing water supply channel 16 will be increased compared to the conventional case where no foam is supplied to the bathing water supply channel 16. can be cleaned thoroughly.

Further, in Embodiment 1, an example in which the bathtub 200 is provided with an automatic drain plug 210 that can be automatically opened and closed has been described, but instead of the automatic drain plug 210, a manually openable and closable drain plug is provided. good too.

Further, in Embodiment 1, detergent remaining amount detection means for detecting the amount of detergent stored in the detergent tank 64 may be provided. When a liquid detergent is used as the detergent, the detergent remaining amount detection means may be, for example, a pressure sensor that detects the amount of detergent based on the water pressure in the detergent tank 64, or detects the water level in the detergent tank 64. It may be an infrared sensor. When the amount of detergent detected by the remaining amount of detergent detection means is less than the set amount of detergent set in advance, the control unit 81 notifies that the amount of detergent stored in the detergent tank 64 has decreased. Thus, the display unit 3a, which is a notification means, is controlled. As a result, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the bathtub cleaning process and the bath water supply channel cleaning process cannot be performed due to the lack of detergent.

Further, the remote control device 3 may be configured so that the user can set whether or not to carry out the bath water supply channel cleaning process. In this case, it is possible to prevent the bath water supply channel cleaning process from being frequently performed in a state where the bath water supply channel 16 is less soiled, thereby suppressing the uneconomical increase in detergent consumption. can do. In addition, it is possible to prevent the user's convenience from being impaired due to the time required for the bath water supply channel cleaning process.

Further, in Embodiment 1, the detergent tank 64 and the detergent electromagnetic valve 65 are configured to automatically supply the detergent to the detergent water tank 66 . However, the detergent tank 64 and the detergent solenoid valve 65 may not be provided, and the user may directly put detergent into the detergent water tank 66, for example.

Embodiment 2.
The configuration of hot water supply system 100b including the bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 2 will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 9 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system 100b according to the second embodiment. The description will focus on the differences from the above-described first embodiment, and the description of the same or corresponding parts will be simplified or omitted.

As shown in FIG. 9, hot water supply system 100b of the second embodiment differs from hot water supply system 100 of the first embodiment in the configuration of bathtub cleaning device 2b. Moreover, in addition to the bathtub adapter 110 , a second bathtub adapter 120 is attached to the bathtub 200 . Also, the second bathtub adapter 120 has the outlet 112 , and the bathtub adapter 110 has the second outlet 113 instead of the outlet 112 .

The second bathtub adapter 120 is provided at a position higher than the bathtub adapter 110 in the vertical direction. That is, the discharge port 112 is provided at a position higher than the bathtub adapter 110 in the vertical direction. Further, the second outlet 113 of the bathtub adapter 110 is provided at a position lower than the outlet 112 and higher than the inlet 111 in the vertical direction.

A bathtub cleaning device 2b of Embodiment 2 includes a first channel switching valve 61a and a second channel switching valve 61b as channel switching means. Moreover, the bathtub cleaning device 2b includes a third cleaning pipe 68 and a fourth cleaning pipe 69 in addition to the bathtub cleaning device 2 of the first embodiment.

The first flow path switching valve 61a is a three-way valve and has a port, b port and c port. One end of a third cleaning pipe 68 is connected to the a port of the first flow path switching valve 61a. The other end of the third cleaning pipe 68 is connected to the second flow switching valve 61b. One end of a fourth cleaning pipe 69 is connected to the b port of the first flow path switching valve 61a. The other end of the fourth washing pipe 69 is connected to the discharge port 112 of the second bathtub adapter 120 . A first cleaning pipe 62 is connected to the c port of the first flow path switching valve 61a. The first flow path switching valve 61a can switch the flow path among three flow paths of the ab flow path, the ac flow path, and the bc flow path.

The second flow switching valve 61b is provided in the middle of the bath water circulation circuit 15 . In Embodiment 2, the second flow path switching valve 61 b is provided in the middle of the second bath pipe 52 . The second flow switching valve 61b is a three-way valve and has a port, b port and c port. One end of the heating part side second bath pipe 52c is connected to the a port of the second flow path switching valve 61b. The heating part side second bath pipe 52c is a portion of the second bath pipe 52 closer to the heating part 53 than the second flow path switching valve 61b. The other end of the heating section side second bath pipe 52 c is connected to the heating section 53 . One end of the bathtub-side second bath pipe 52d is connected to the b port of the second flow path switching valve 61b. The bathtub-side second bath pipe 52d is a portion of the second bath pipe 52 closer to the bathtub 200 than the second flow path switching valve 61b. The other end of the bathtub-side second bath pipe 52 d is connected to the second outlet 113 of the bathtub adapter 110 . A third cleaning pipe 68 is connected to the c port of the second flow path switching valve 61b. The second flow path switching valve 61b can switch the flow path among three flow paths of the ab flow path, the ac flow path, and the bc flow path.

The bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 2 is implemented by at least bathtub cleaning device 2b, bath water circulation circuit 15, and control device 4. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing functions of hot water supply system 100b of the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 10, the control device 4 is communicably connected to the first flow path switching valve 61a and the second flow path switching valve 61b. The control device 4 controls operations of the first flow path switching valve 61a and the second flow path switching valve 61b.

Next, the operation of hot water supply system 100b of Embodiment 2 will be described. The hot water supply system 100b of Embodiment 2 controls the first flow path switching valve 61a and the second flow path switching valve 61b to open the bath water supply flow path 16b and shut off the foam supply flow path 17b. can be switched between a second state in which the foam supply channel 17b is open and the bath water supply channel 16b is blocked, and a third state in which the bath water circulation circuit 15 is open and the bath water supply channel 16b is blocked. be. The control unit 81 sets the detergent water generation process and the bath water supply channel cleaning process to the first state, the bathtub cleaning process to the second state, and the hot water filling operation and the reheating operation to the third state.

In FIG. 11, the bath water supply channel 16b of Embodiment 2 is indicated by a thick line. FIG. 11 is a configuration diagram showing a hot water supply system 100b according to Embodiment 2, and shows a bath water supply channel 16b. As shown in FIG. 11 , the bath water supply channel 16 b is a channel that connects the detergent water tank 66 and the suction port 111 . In Embodiment 2, the bath water supply flow path 16b is composed of the first bath pipe 51, the heating section side second bath pipe 52c, the third cleaning pipe 68 and the first cleaning pipe 62. As shown in FIG.

In FIG. 12, the foam supply channel 17b of Embodiment 2 is indicated by a thick line. FIG. 12 is a configuration diagram showing hot water supply system 100b according to Embodiment 2, and shows foam supply channel 17b. As shown in FIG. 12, the foam supply channel 17b is a channel that connects the detergent water tank 66 and the discharge port 112. As shown in FIG. In Embodiment 2, foam supply channel 17 b is configured by first cleaning pipe 62 and fourth cleaning pipe 69 .

The operation of the control unit 81 in the detergent water generation process is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the specific process in step S14 is different.

In step S14, the control unit 81 controls the first flow path switching valve 61a and the second flow path switching valve 61b to switch to the first state. Specifically, the control unit 81 switches to a state in which the a port and c port of the first flow path switching valve 61a are in communication and the a port and c port of the second flow path switching valve 61b are in communication. That is, in the first state, the bath water supply channel 16b from the suction port 111 to the detergent water tank 66 is open, and the foam supply channel 17b from the detergent water tank 66 to the discharge port 112 is blocked.

Also, the operation of the control unit 81 in the bathtub cleaning process is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the specific process in step S21 is different.

In step S21, the control unit 81 controls the first flow path switching valve 61a and the second flow path switching valve 61b to switch to the second state. Specifically, the control unit 81 switches to a state in which the b port and the c port of the first flow path switching valve 61a are in communication. That is, in the second state, the foam supply channel 17b from the detergent water tank 66 to the discharge port 112 is open, and the bath water supply channel 16b from the suction port 111 to the detergent water tank 66 is blocked.

Further, the specific processing operation of the control unit 81 in the bath water supply channel cleaning process is the same as that of the first embodiment, but the specific processing in steps S31 and S35 is different.

In step S31, the controller 81 controls the first flow switching valve 61a and the second flow switching valve 61b to switch to the first state. That is, the control unit 81 switches to a state in which the bath water supply channel 16b is opened and the foam supply channel 17b is blocked. Accordingly, when the controller 81 drives the foam generator 67 in step S32, the foam generated by the foam generator 67 is supplied to the bath water supply channel 16b.

Further, in step S35, the controller 81 opens the hot water supply solenoid valve 44. As shown in FIG. At this time, the control unit 81 establishes a state in which the a port and b port of the first flow path switching valve 61a are in communication, and the a port and c port of the second flow path switching valve 61b are in communication. As a result, foam in the bath water supply channel 16 is rinsed.

In addition, in the hot water filling operation and the reheating operation, the control unit 81 controls the first flow path switching valve 61a and the second flow path switching valve 61b to switch to the third state. Specifically, the control unit 81 switches to a state in which the a port and the b port of the second flow path switching valve 61b are in communication. That is, in the third state, the bath water circulation circuit 15 is opened and the bath water supply channel 16b is shut off.

According to the bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 2, the second outlet 113 provided in the bathtub 200 and the bath water supply channel 16b are connected to form the second outlet 113 and the suction port 111. The second discharge port 113 is provided at a position lower than the discharge port 112, and the channel switching means (the first channel switching valve 61a and the second channel switching valve 61b correspond) is a first state in which the bath water supply channel 16b is open and the foam supply channel 17b is blocked, a second state in which the foam supply channel 17b is open and the bath water supply channel 16b is blocked, and bath water circulation It is possible to switch between a third state in which the circuit 15 is open and the bath water supply channel 16b is blocked. Here, in the bathtub cleaning process, the liquid surface 201 of the bath water in the bathtub 200 needs to be at a position lower than the discharge port 112 . According to the bathtub cleaning system of Embodiment 2, the discharge port 112 is located at a higher position than the second discharge port 113 through which the bath water that has passed through the bath water circulation circuit 15 is discharged during operations such as the hot water filling operation and the reheating operation. provided in Therefore, even if the liquid surface 201 of the bath water in the bathtub 200 is at a relatively high position, the bathtub cleaning process can be performed. Therefore, the bathtub cleaning process can be started earlier than in the first embodiment. Further, by performing the bathtub cleaning process in a state where the liquid surface 201 of the bath water in the bathtub 200 is at a relatively high position, compared to the first embodiment, the amount of water necessary for washing the wall surface in the bathtub 200 is reduced. Since the amount of foam can be reduced, the amount of detergent used can be reduced and the time required for the bathtub cleaning process can be shortened.

A modification of the second embodiment will be described.

In Embodiment 2, the control unit 81 controls the first flow path switching valve 61a and the second flow path switching valve 61b to switch to the first state in the bath water supply flow path cleaning process. However, the control unit 81 may be capable of switching between the first state and the fourth state by controlling the first flow path switching valve 61a and the second flow path switching valve 61b in the bath water supply flow path cleaning process. . The fourth state is a state in which the discharge channel 18 connecting the second discharge port 113 and the detergent water tank 66 is opened, and the bath water supply channel 16b and the foam supply channel 17b are blocked.

In FIG. 13, the discharge flow path 18 is indicated by a thick line. FIG. 13 is a configuration diagram showing hot water supply system 100b of a modification of Embodiment 2, and shows discharge flow path 18. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 13, the discharge channel 18 is formed by connecting the second discharge port 113 and the bath water supply channel 16b, and connects the second discharge port 113 and the detergent water tank 66. is the road. In Embodiment 2, the discharge flow path 18 is configured by the first washing pipe 62, the third washing pipe 68, and the bathtub-side second bath pipe 52d. The control unit 81 switches to a state in which the a port and the c port of the first flow path switching valve 61a are in communication, and the b port and the c port of the second flow path switching valve 61b are in communication. It is possible to switch to a fourth state in which the open bath water supply channel 16b and the foam supply channel 17b are blocked.

According to the bathtub cleaning system of the modification of the second embodiment, the control unit 81 switches the first channel switching valve 61a and the second channel switching valve 61b, which are the channel switching means, in the bath water supply channel cleaning process. A first state in which the bath water supply channel 16b is opened and the foam supply channel 17b is blocked, and a first state in which the discharge channel 18 is opened and the bath water supply channel 16b and the foam supply channel 17b are blocked are controlled. It is switchable to and from the fourth state. As a result, not only the bath water supply channel 16b but also the discharge channel 18 can be effectively cleaned with foam.

Although the bathtub cleaning system of the present disclosure has been described above with reference to the embodiments, the bathtub cleaning system of the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the above-described embodiments, hot water supply systems 100 and 100b include a bathtub cleaning system, but the bathtub cleaning system may be provided separately from hot water supply systems 100 and 100b. That is, in the embodiment described above, the second hot water supply pipe 42 is connected to the bath water supply channel 16, and the water heated by the heating device 11 is supplied to the bath water supply channel 16. Alternatively, the bath water supply channel 16 may be connected to a water source such as a tap instead of the second hot water supply pipe 42 so that water from the water source is directly supplied to the bath water supply channel 16 . Further, in the above-described embodiment, the hot water supply device 1 and the bathtub cleaning devices 2, 2b are described as being separated, but they may be configured to share some or all of the components.

Reference Signs List 1 hot water supply device 2, 2b bathtub cleaning device 3 remote control device 3a display unit 3b operation unit 4 control device 10 hot water storage tank 11 heating device 12 heating circuit 13 water supply channel 14 hot water supply channel 15 Bath water circulation circuit 16, 16b Bath water supply channel 17, 17b Foam supply channel 18 Discharge channel 21 First heating pipe 22 Second heating pipe 23 Heating circulation pump 31 First water supply pipe 32 Second water supply pipe 41 First hot water supply pipe 42 Second hot water supply pipe 43 Mixing valve 44 Solenoid valve for hot water supply 51 First bath pipe 52 Second bath pipe 52a Heating part side second bath pipe 52b Bathtub Side second bath pipe 52c Heating part side second bath pipe 52d Bathtub side second bath pipe 53 Heating part 54 Bath water circulation pump 55 Water level sensor 61 Channel switching valve 61a First channel switching valve 61b Second flow switching valve 62 First washing pipe 63 Second washing pipe 64 Detergent tank 65 Solenoid valve for detergent 66 Detergent water tank 67 Foam generator 68 Third washing pipe 69 Fourth washing pipe , 71 detergent water circulation circuit, 72 detergent water circulation pump, 73 gas-liquid mixing device, 74 air supply passage, 75 solenoid valve for air supply, 81 control unit, 82 storage unit, 100, 100b hot water supply system, 110 bathtub adapter, 111 suction port , 112 outlet, 113 second outlet, 120 second bathtub adapter, 200 bathtub, 201 liquid surface, 202 foam upper surface, 210 automatic drain valve.

Claims (14)

a detergent water reservoir for storing detergent water generated by mixing detergent and water;
a bath water supply channel connecting an inlet provided in the bathtub and the detergent water reservoir;
a foam supply channel connecting an outlet provided in the bathtub and the detergent water reservoir;
bath water supply means provided in the bath water supply channel for supplying bath water in the bathtub to the detergent water reservoir;
a foam generating device that mixes gas with the detergent water stored in the detergent water reservoir to generate foam;
Channel switching means for switching between a first state in which the bath water supply channel is open and the foam supply channel is blocked and a second state in which the foam supply channel is open and the bath water supply channel is blocked When,
a detergent water generation process for generating the detergent water by controlling the bath water supply means to supply the bath water to the detergent water reservoir in a state in which the channel switching means is switched to the first state; a bathtub cleaning process of controlling the flow path switching means to supply the foam to the bathtub by controlling the foam generating device in the state switched to the second state; and controlling the flow path switching means to perform the a control unit for performing a bath water supply channel cleaning process of controlling the foam generating device in a state switched to the first state to supply the foam to the bath water supply channel;
Bathtub cleaning system with. a detergent supply means for supplying the detergent to the detergent water reservoir,
2. The bathtub cleaning system according to claim 1, wherein said controller controls said detergent supply means to supply said detergent to said detergent water reservoir in said detergent water generation process. a detergent reservoir for storing the detergent supplied to the detergent water reservoir by the detergent supply means;
detergent amount detection means for detecting the amount of the detergent stored in the detergent storage unit;
with
When the amount of detergent detected by the detergent amount detecting means is less than a set amount of detergent set in advance, the control unit indicates that the amount of detergent stored in the detergent storage unit is low. 3. The bathtub cleaning system according to claim 2, wherein the notification means is controlled so as to perform notification. A water level detection means for detecting the water level in the bathtub,
When the water level difference between the water level detected by the water level detection means at the start of the bathtub cleaning process and the maximum water level detected by the water level detection means during bathing is a first water level difference, the water level 3. The foam generator is controlled so that the amount of foam supplied to the bathtub in the bathtub cleaning process is greater than when the difference is a second water level difference smaller than the first water level difference, or 4. The bathtub washing system according to 3. When the water level difference is the first water level difference, the controller supplies more detergent and water to the detergent water reservoir in the detergent water generation process than when the water level difference is the second water level difference. 5. The bathtub washing system according to claim 4, wherein said detergent supply means and said bath water supply means are controlled so that the amount of said bath water increases. A water level detection means for detecting the water level in the bathtub,
4. The control unit starts the bath water supply channel cleaning process when the water level detecting means detects a drop in the water level in the bathtub after the bathtub cleaning process is performed. The bathtub cleaning system according to any one of Claims 1 to 3. The control unit can control opening and closing of an automatic drain plug provided in the bathtub, and when the automatic drain plug is opened after the bathtub cleaning process is performed, the bath water supply channel cleaning process is performed. 7. A bathtub cleaning system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, starting. The bathtub cleaning system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the control unit performs the detergent water generation process, and after performing the bathtub cleaning process, performs the bath water supply channel cleaning process. . The bathtub cleaning system according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising an operation terminal capable of setting whether or not to perform the bath water supply channel cleaning process. a bath water circulation circuit formed by connecting a second discharge port provided in the bathtub and the bath water supply channel, and connecting the second discharge port and the suction port;
The second outlet is provided at a position lower than the outlet,
10. The channel switching means is capable of switching between the first state, the second state, and the third state in which the bath water circulation circuit is open and the bath water supply channel is shut off. 1. The bathtub cleaning system according to claim 1. a discharge channel formed by connecting the second discharge port and the bath water supply channel and connecting the second discharge port and the detergent water reservoir,
The flow path switching means selects the first state, the second state, the third state, and the fourth state in which the discharge flow path is open and the bath water supply flow path and the foam supply flow path are shut off. is switchable and
11. The bathtub cleaning system according to claim 10, wherein the control unit can switch between the first state and the fourth state by controlling the channel switching means in the bath water supply channel cleaning process. Water supply means for supplying water from a water source to the bath water supply channel,
In the bath water supply channel cleaning process, the control unit supplies the foam to the bath water supply channel and then controls the water supply means to supply water from the water source to the bath water supply channel. 12. The bathtub cleaning system according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein a rinsing process is performed. a bathtub cleaning system according to claim 12;
a heating device for heating the water of the water source;
with
The control unit is a hot water supply system that supplies water heated by the heating device to the bath water supply channel in the rinsing process. a detergent water reservoir for storing detergent water generated by mixing detergent and water; a bath water supply channel connecting an inlet provided in a bathtub and the detergent water reservoir; a foam supply channel connecting the discharge port and the detergent water reservoir; bath water supply means provided in the bath water supply channel for supplying bath water in the bathtub to the detergent water reservoir; A foam generating device that mixes gas with the detergent water stored in the detergent water reservoir to generate foam, a first state in which the bath water supply channel is opened and the foam supply channel is blocked, and the foam A bathtub cleaning control method used in a bathtub cleaning system, comprising channel switching means for switching between a second state in which a supply channel is open and the bath water supply channel is blocked,
a first step of controlling the bath water supply means to supply the bath water to the detergent water reservoir in a state in which the channel switching means is switched to the first state to generate the detergent water;
a second step of supplying the foam to the bathtub by controlling the foam generating device in a state in which the channel switching means is switched to the second state;
a third step of controlling the foam generating device to supply the foam to the bath water supply channel in a state in which the channel switching means is controlled to switch to the first state;
A bathtub cleaning control method comprising:

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