JP2501471B2 - Bathtub water level control system - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a water level control system for detecting the water pressure in a pipe installed between a water heater and a bathtub to control the water level in the bathtub.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in fully automatic water heaters and bath heaters, a pressure sensor is installed in the pipe connected between the water heater and the bathtub to detect the water level in the bathtub from the water pressure in the pipe, and supply water according to the detected water level. A method of determining the necessity and controlling the water level in the bathtub to a predetermined value is adopted.

When there is no water in the bathtub, water is supplied from the pipe on the opposite side of the pipe where the pressure sensor is installed to raise the detected pressure. Water can be supplied with high accuracy up to the set water level.

Therefore, in such a water level control system, since a pressure sensor is installed in the pipe to indirectly detect the water level in the bathtub, it is not necessary to install a means for detecting the water level in the bathtub, and the bathtub can be used widely. There are advantages such as being able to.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

By the way, conventionally, a bubble generator is installed in the bathtub, but when bubbles are generated in the bathtub, the bubbles may intrude into the pipe from the bathtub. In particular, in a water heater provided with a reheating control device that operates a pump to perform reheating, when reheating is performed while the bubble generation device is operating, the bubbles in the bathtub are guided into the pipe.

However, when the air enters the pipe, the water pressure in the pipe decreases due to the invading air, and the pressure sensor detects a drop in water level or an abnormal water level. In particular, in the warming / additional water control state in which control is performed to keep the set temperature and the set temperature for a certain period of time after the first full-automatic operation is completed, if air enters the piping, the pressure sensor will set the set water level. There is no inconvenience if a higher pressure is detected, but if a pressure lower than the set water level is detected, water will be supplied even if the water level in the bathtub is maintained at the required level, and the water level will actually be reached. If the water level is decreasing, it is judged that the water level has dropped extremely, and more water will be supplied than necessary.
There was a risk that water level control would become unstable, such as overflowing hot water from the bathtub.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a water level control system for a bathtub in which air in the pipe is removed by auxiliary hot water to stabilize the water level control.

[Means for solving the problem]

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the bathtub water level control system of the present invention supplies hot water into the bathtub while monitoring the water level in the bathtub and sets the water level in the bathtub to a set water level. A water level control system for a bathtub for controlling, which is connected between a water heater for supplying hot water required for the bathtub and the bathtub, and pipes for supplying the hot water to the bathtub side, and the hot water in the pipes is operated. Water level detection means for detecting the water level in the bath by the pressure to perform the water level detection by the water level detection means prior to hot water supply, when the detected water level is lower than the set water level, the water level detection means is connected. After supplying water in an amount sufficient to eliminate the air in the pipe through the pipe, the water level is detected by the water level detection means, and if the detected water level is below the set water level, the detected water level becomes the set water level. Well Characterized by comprising a control means for performing hot water supply to the tub.

[Action]

The water level control means sets a set water level for the bathtub, and when the pressure detection means detects a pressure that is equal to or lower than the set water level, supplies a predetermined amount of hot water from the water supply source as auxiliary water supply through the pipe. That is, the air in the pipe is removed by this auxiliary water supply. And if the pressure is detected again,
The detected pressure indicates an appropriate water level, the water level represented by the detected pressure is compared with the set water level, and water is supplied into the bath according to the magnitude relationship.

In this way, 2
Proper pressure detection, that is, water level detection is performed by the pressure detection in stages, and thus the reliability of water level control is increased,
Inconveniences such as hot water overflowing from the bathtub are prevented.

When the detected pressure does not fall below the set water level at the first pressure detection, auxiliary water supply is not performed, so there is no waste of water supply, and even when auxiliary water supply is performed, it is necessary to remove air from the pipe. By supplying a sufficient amount of auxiliary water, it is possible to prevent inconveniences such as overflowing hot water from the bathtub.

Therefore, in such a water level control system, the bubble generator is used in the bathtub, and even if the generated bubbles enter the pipe by reheating, etc., the water level is accurately detected in the bathtub by the appropriate pressure detection. It is possible and stable water supply control is performed.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a water level control system for a bath according to the present invention.

A water heater 4 is installed as a supply source for supplying desired hot water to the bathtub 2, and between the bathtub 2 and the water heater 4,
Two pipes 6 and 8 are provided as water supply pipes for supplying hot water from the hot water supply device 4 to the bathtub 2 or returning hot water to the hot water supply device 4 side. These pipes 6 and 8 are the bathtub 2
Is connected to the wall surface or bottom surface side of. By the way, h _E represents a reference water level as a water level at the opening of the pipe 8 in the bathtub 2, and h _F represents a set water level as a required water level for use.

The hot water supply device 4 is provided with a water heater 40 as a first heating means for water supplied from the clean water pipe 10 such as a water supply. A two-way valve 42 is installed on the hot water supply pipe 41 of the water heater 40. This two-way valve 42 is used to add hot water from the water heater 40 side of the appliance to the hot water supply circuit 43 side when fully automatic operation is performed. It is a valve for pouring into.

Hot water W _{H that} has passed through the two-way valve 42 is temporarily stored in the hopper 44. Hopper 44 is a tank which is installed as a separating means for separating the hot water W _H of tap water and tub 2 side. A first three-way valve 45A is installed on the bottom side of the hopper 44, and a pipe 8 is connected to the output side of the three-way valve 45A together with a pipe 46 leading to the pipe 6. Hot water or hot water W _H
A pump 47 for circulating the
A second three-way valve 45B is installed between the pipe 46 and the pipe 8 passing through. The three-way valve 45B is a switching valve that switches a water supply path for supplying hot water W _H to the bathtub 2 from the pipe 6 side or the pipe 8 side. Also, this three-way valve 45B
A pipe 6 is connected to the pipe 6, and the pipe 6 is provided with a reheating heat exchanger 48 as a second heating means to be operated at the time of reheating. Therefore, the reheating circuit 43 is configured by a circulation path including the pump 47, the reheating heat exchanger 48, and the pipes 6 and 8.

A branch pipe 12 is connected to the pipe 8, and a pressure sensor 14 as a water level detecting means for detecting the water level is connected to the pipe 8 representing the water level of the bathtub 2 through a pressure acting according to the water level of the bathtub 2. . Detection signal m ₁ of this pressure sensor 14
Is added as a control input to the hot water supply control unit 16 as the water level control means.

In the hot water supply control unit 16, for example, as shown in FIG. 2, a control device including a microcomputer is installed. The hot water supply control unit 16 is provided with a central processing unit (CPU) 160 as an arithmetic means for performing necessary hot water supply control.
The CPU 160 is connected to a read-only memory (ROM) 161 as a storage unit for storing a control program and fixed data, and an occasional write / read memory (RAM) 162 for storing data in the process of calculation and various kinds of captured data. There is. Therefore, in the hot water supply control unit 16, the detection signal m ₁ of the pressure sensor 14 and various detection signals m _{2 to mn} from the other sensors 50.
Is filtered by a filter (FIL) 163 to remove unnecessary components such as noise, and then selectively added to an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 165 through a multiplexer (MPX) 164. The MPX164 and ADC165 are integrally configured as AD conversion means. And. The detection signals m _{1 to} m _n digitized through the ADC 165 are fetched by the CPU 160, subjected to predetermined arithmetic processing according to the control program written in the ROM 161, and then stored in the RAM 162. Further, control input signals V _{C1 to} V _Cn are added to the CPU 160 from a control input means such as a drive switch through an input / output circuit (I / O) 166, and each control input signal V _{C1
C1 to} V _Cn are also taken into consideration as control data for arithmetic control. Therefore, the two-way valve 42 and the three-way valve 45 are calculated by the CPU 160.
Various control output signals V _{O1 to} V _On for controlling A, 45B, the reheating heat exchanger 48, etc. are obtained and transmitted to various control means through the input / output circuit 166.

In the above configuration, the piping system shown in FIG. 1 and the piping system in the bathtub 2 are as shown in FIG.

When the water level h is detected, the three-way valve 45A is closed on the hopper side, as shown in FIG.
The piping 6 side of the three-way valve 45B is closed so that the water pressure on the bathtub 2 side acting on the piping 8 side does not leak. Also, the third
As shown in (B) of the figure, the parts of the three-way valves 45A and 45B other than the pipe 8 side may be closed, and only the pipe 8 side may be opened.

At this time, when air does not enter the pipe 8, the pressure distribution in the bath 2, the pipe 8 and the branch pipe 12 becomes pressures P _{1 to} P ₈ as shown in FIG. In these pressure distributions, pressure P ₃ and pressure P ₆ , pressure P ₄ and pressure P ₇ ,
Pressure P ₅ and pressure P ₈ cancel each other out, so pressure sensor
Only the pressure P ₁ of the portion of the hot water W _H located above 14 acts, and the water level h can be known by detecting this pressure P _l .

However, as shown in FIG. 1, when the bubble generator 18 or the like is used in the bathtub 2 and the automatic hot water supply is operated, the bubbles generated in the bubble generator 18 enter the inside of the pipe 8 and, for example, As shown in FIG. 5 (A), when air enters the portion X ₁ of the pipe 8, the pressure P ₇ without air is reduced to the pressure P ₇ ′ due to the air in this portion X _1. , Pressure P ₄ cannot be offset. Therefore, the pressure P _S1 acting on the pressure sensor 14 is P _S1 = P ₁ − (P ₄ −P ₇ ′) <P ₁ (1), and the detected water level becomes lower than the actual water level.

Further, for example, as shown in FIG.
When air enters the portion of X _2, for the air of the X ₂ moiety, it is subtracted from the pressure P ₄ that does not have air pressure P ₄ ', a pressure
You can't offset P ₇ . At this time, pressure sensor 14
The pressure P _S2 acting on is P _S2 = P ₁ + (P ₇ −P ₄ ′)> P ₁ (2), and the pressure P _S2 acting on the pressure sensor 14 is the pressure P representing the actual water level. Higher than ₁ . At this time, the detected water level becomes higher than the actual water level.

By the way, when hot water is supplied by the fully automatic operation from the state in which there is no water in the bathtub 2, the boiling can be performed in a state in which there is no air in the pipe 8, so that no malfunction occurs. However, when the bubble generating device 18 is operated for additional heating, the bubbles may enter the pipe 8 side. That is, the reheating is performed by switching the three-way valve 45A to the pipe 8 side and the three-way valve 45B to the pipe 6 side, and operating the pump 47 and the reheating heat exchanger 48. The hot and cold water W _H in the bathtub 2 is supplied to the three-way valve 45 through the pipe 8.
Additional heating heat exchanger through A, piping 46, pump 47 and three-way valve 45B
It is guided to 48, heated and returned to the bathtub 2 through the pipe 5.

When air enters the pipe 8 by such additional heating, the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 14 is due to the invading air,
Since a pressure different from the actual water level in the bathtub 2 is detected, the hot water supply control unit 16 takes in the water level represented by the incorrect pressure and compares the detected water level with the set water level to perform water supply control. After hot water supply, the bubble generator 18
It is necessary to control the water level as a measure to prevent malfunctions when using such as.

Next, FIG. 6 shows a water level control program in the hot water supply control unit 16.

In this water level control program, in step S ₁ ,
The water level in the bathtub 2 is detected by detecting the pressure of the pressure sensor 14. Next, in step S ₂ , the detected water level h _S represented by the detected pressure and the set water level h _F are compared, and if the detected water level h _S is higher than the set water level h _F (h _S > h _F ), The hot water supply control ends.

Further, in step S _2, the detection level h _S is lower than the set water level _{h F (h S <h F} ) and proceeds to step S _3, if it is determined, step S ₃ in a three-way valve 45A pipe 8 side Open to open and supply auxiliary water from the pipe 8 side. The amount of this auxiliary water supply is such that the air in the pipe 8 can be removed.

After such auxiliary feedwater, in step S _4, again, perform the water level detected by closing the three-way valve 45A.

In step S _5, and compares the level h _S detected by the pressure sensor 14 and the set water level h _F, in the case (h _S = h _F) of the detection level h _S is equal to the set water level h _F The hot water supply control ends. In step S ₅ , the detected water level h _S is set to the set water level h _F
When it is determined that it is lower (h _S <h _F ), the process proceeds to step S ₆ . In step S ₆ , the three-way valve 45A is switched to the pipe 46, the three-way valve 45B is switched to the pipe 8 side, and the hopper 44 to the pipe 46,
Hot water _WH is supplied from the side of the pipe 6 through the pump 47, the three-way valve 45B, and the additional heat exchanger 48, and the water level in the bathtub 2 is the set water level.
perform the hot water supply to reach the h _F to end the water level control.

In step S ₂ , if the abnormal water level is detected because air has entered the pipe 8, the reference water level h _E
In addition to the judgment conditions, when the detected water level h _S exceeds the reference water level h _E , go to step S ₃
The hot water may be supplied after the water level is detected again.

By the way, for hot water supply, when the water heater 40 is operated, for example, the three-way valve 45A is switched to the pipe 46 side, the three-way valve 45B is switched to the pipe 6 side, and the pump 47 is operated, the hot water W supplied to the hopper 44 is supplied. _H is supplied to the bathtub 2 through the three-way valve 45A, the pump 47, the three-way valve 45B and the pipe 6, and the hot water W _{H of the} bathtub 2 is controlled to a preset optimum set water level h _F.

〔The invention's effect〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the air that has entered the pipe can be removed by the auxiliary water supply, and the accuracy of the water level detection for detecting the water level in the bathtub by the pressure in the pipe can be increased, which is unnecessary. It is possible to prevent hot water supply and stabilize the water level control in the bathtub.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a piping system diagram showing an embodiment of a water level control system for a bath according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block showing a concrete configuration example of a hot water supply control unit in the water level control system for a bath shown in FIG. Fig. 3, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a pressure detection system in the water level control system shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a diagram showing pressure distribution in the water level control system shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is Fig. 1 The figure which shows the pressure distribution when the air invades in the water level control system shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 6 is a flowchart which shows the water level control program of the water level control system shown in FIG. 2 ... Bathtub 6,8 ... Piping 14 ... Pressure sensor (water level detection means) 16 ... Hot water supply control unit (control means) 40 ... Hot water heater

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (72) Inventor Akira Matsumura 201 Nishidawarashibara, Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture ▲ Taka ▼ Wood Industry Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-61-96359 (JP, A) Sho 63-168749 (JP, U)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A bathtub water level control system for supplying hot water into the bathtub while monitoring the water level in the bathtub and controlling the water level in the bathtub to a set water level. A pipe connected between the water heater and the bathtub to supply the hot water to the bathtub side, water level detection means for detecting the water level in the bathtub by the pressure acting through the hot water in the pipe, and prior to the hot water supply The water level is detected by the water level detection means, and when the detected water level is lower than the set water level, water is supplied through the pipe to which the water level detection means is connected so that the air in the pipe can be removed. After that, when the water level is detected by the water level detecting means and the detected water level is equal to or lower than the set water level, a control means for supplying hot water to the bathtub until the detected water level reaches the set water level is provided. You Bathtub water level control system.