JP2635509B2 - Bathtub hot water control device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bath water control device for controlling the amount of water in a bath tub, and more particularly to a water flow control device based on remote detection of a water amount using a temperature rise caused by heating the water in the bath tub. Related to a control device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automatic bath, detection of the amount of water in a bathtub is indispensable when controlling the amount of water in the bathtub.
In order to detect the amount of water, a water level detection device, such as a pressure switch or a water level switch, for directly detecting the water level in the bathtub was required.

[0003]

By the way, a method of transferring hot water heated on the side of the appliance body provided with heating means and the like to the bathtub side by using a pump has been adopted for the automatic bath kettle. Some have a reheating function that returns the hot water in the bathtub to the appliance body side and reheats it. In such an automatic bath kettle, there is a case where the appliance main body on which the heating means is installed is separated from the bathtub, for example, the appliance main body is installed on the first floor side of a house, and the bathtub is installed on the second floor side. In such a case, the control signal line connecting the water level detecting device installed in the bathtub to the control device for controlling the instrument body and the installation position of the control device are complicated, which requires time and effort.

[0004] In addition, there is an automatic bath kettle in which the amount of water to be supplied to the bathtub is optimized by measuring the amount of water on the side of the appliance body for detecting the water level at the bathtub side. Such a bath can supply an appropriate amount of water to the volume of the bathtub. However, since the water level in the bathtub is calculated indirectly by the appliance body, naturally the amount of water reduced by bathing etc. Cannot be detected on the instrument body side.

[0005] In any of the baths, a water level detecting device must be installed, and wiring for that is necessary.

[0006] For this reason, in such a bath kettle, it is impossible to automatically add an appropriate amount of water, and there is no control function. There was a disadvantage that it had to be compensated by operation.

[0007] Therefore, the present invention provides a bathtub hot water amount control device which realizes automatic control of the hot water amount in the bathtub by remotely detecting the water amount in the bathtub from the temperature rise of the hot water in the bathtub by the heating means. The purpose is to:

[0008]

As shown in FIG. 1, a bathtub hot water amount control device according to the present invention is connected to a bathtub (20) for storing hot water (4c) and a circulation port provided in the bathtub. And the hot water is guided out of the bathtub, and the hot water is returned into the bathtub.
0), a heat exchanger for heating the hot water in the bath tub through the reheating circuit (heat exchanger 22 for reheating), a heating means for heating the heat exchanger (reburner burner 24), A pump (56) installed in the reheating circuit to pump the hot water in the bathtub into the bathtub through the reheating circuit and to stir the hot water in the bathtub; A water flow detecting means (water flow sensor 62) for detecting a flow of hot and cold water circulated by the operation of the pump; a water passage (11) to which clean water is supplied; A water injection valve (hot water / hot water switching valve 44, hot water / hot water switching valve 50) installed between the water supply side and the hot water recirculation circuit side; temperature detection means for detecting the hot water temperature in the bath (the temperature sensor 70), pouring Selectively setting the add-fired, if the pouring operation <br/>, the upper water passage and the by opening the add-fired circulation path perform pouring in the bath, the add-fired operation through the water injection valve In this case, the pump is operated to circulate the hot and cold water in the bathtub through the additional heating circulation path to the additional heating circulation path side, and control means (hot water supply control device, main device 72) for heating the circulating hot water by the heating means is used. ), Wherein the pump is driven prior to the start of each operation of pouring or reheating, and if the water flow detecting means does not detect a water flow, the flow shifts to the pouring operation. And pouring,
Wherein in the case where the water flow detecting means detects the water additionally fired kinematic
The hot water in the bath tub is circulated through the additional heating circulation path and pumped into the bath tub, and the hot water is pumped and the hot water in the bath tub is agitated. detecting a hot water temperature of the internal, the heating means required time to raise boiling until a temperature slightly higher than the set temperature hot water from the heating to the hot water detection temperature inside the tub through the heat exchanger by the operation The amount of heat applied to the heat exchanger by the heating means, and the amount of heat applied to the heat exchanger by the heating means through the heat exchanger, the reheating circuit, and the bathtub. The remaining water amount in the bathtub is calculated with reference to the thermal efficiency obtained by the heat amount added to the bath, and the remaining water amount is compared with the set water amount to calculate the insufficient water amount, and thereafter, the process proceeds to the pouring operation ,
By switching the water injection valve, the shortage of hot water is supplied to the bath from the water supply side, and the hot water in the bath is controlled to a set water flow.

[0009] In this bathtub hot and cold water amount control device,
Efficiency η is determined by setting the amount of water poured into the bathtub as Q₀And said
Driving a pump through the reheating circuit in the bathtub
The detected temperature of hot water detected after stirring the hot water is T1, a bathtub.
The set temperature of hot and cold water in the inside is T2,
When the heat exchanger is boiled,
The amount of heat to be added is represented by S, the set temperature from the detected temperature T1.
Time to reach degree₀Where η = Q₀× (T2−T1) / S × t₀  It is characterized by what was obtained from.

[0010]

The hot water in the bathtub can be circulated through the reheating circuit. That is, the hot and cold water in the bathtub is drawn out to the additional firing circuit, and is then sent to the bathtub side by pressure. As a result, the hot and cold water in the bathtub is stirred. Hot water in the bathtub is heated by the heat exchanger.

As a result of this heating, the temperature of the hot water in the bathtub becomes
If the temperature rises by the specific temperature ΔT, the specific temperature ΔT
The heating time required for the rise of t, the heating means, the heat exchanger, the amount of heat added to the hot and cold water circulating through the reheating circuit and the bathtub, that is, the amount of heat added to the heat exchanger from the heating means, If the amount of heat added to the hot and cold water is considered to be N ₀ in consideration of the thermal efficiency η calculated from the system loss, the amount of water Q in the bathtub is as follows: Q = N ₀ · t / ΔT (1) From this equation (1), the amount of water Q in the bathtub is calculated indirectly.

In this case, the amount of water Q in the bathtub can be calculated by measuring the rise temperature ΔT of the hot and cold water per unit time t.

[0013] The amount of water Q represents the current amount of water in the bathtub is compared with the set water amount Q ₀ of the water Q and tub, difference moisture deficiency Delta] Q, and this moisture deficiency Delta] Q is Delta] Q = Q ₀₋ Q (2) Then, the clean water of the shortage amount ΔQ is supplied to the bathtub from the clean water channel through the additional heating circuit.

[0014] A water injection valve is provided between the water supply channel and the reheating circuit, and when supplying clean water, the water injection valve is switched to the upper water channel, and the water is supplied to the bathtub through the reheating circuit. Supply clean water. In this case, the supply amount of the clean water is detected through the water amount detecting means. Therefore, it is detected that the shortage water amount ΔQ has been supplied to the bathtub through the additional heating circuit, and based on the detection result, the water injection valve is switched to shut off the upper water channel side.

As described above, in the bathtub hot water amount control device of the present invention, the hot water in the bathtub is stirred by being circulated through the additional heating circuit, and heated by the heating means, and the rising temperature of the hot water with respect to the heating time is detected. Then, the current amount of water in the bathtub is calculated based on the result. The difference between this amount of water and the set amount of water, that is, the amount of insufficient water, is calculated, and the amount of insufficient water is supplied from the upper water channel to the bathtub through the reheating circuit, whereby the set amount of water can be controlled as quickly as possible.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a bathtub hot water amount control device according to the present invention. Water 4a as tap water supplied from a water supply or the like passes through a hot water supply water flow switch 26 provided in the water supply channel 11, whereby the water flow is electrically detected, and Dw1 is obtained by the hot water supply water flow switch 26. Indicates the hot water flow detection signal. The water 4a is supplied to the heat exchanger 28
The heat exchanger 28 is heated by the hot water supply burner 30.

In the hot water supply burner 30, a combustion gas 32 is provided.
Cv1 is supplied via a base valve 34 and a hot water supply valve 36 whose opening and closing are controlled electrically, and Cv1 is an opening / closing control signal of the base valve 34, Cv2
Represents an open / close control signal for the hot water supply valve 36. Hot water supply burner 30
Is ignited by an electrically ignited igniter 38 as ignition means,
Represents the ignition signal. The presence / absence of ignition of the combustion gas 32 is detected by a flame detector 40 called a flame rod that electrically detects the presence / absence of a flame, and Df1 represents an ignition detection signal.

The hot water 4b, which is heated as passing through the heat exchanger 28, is supplied to the hot water supply temperature sensor 42 which is provided as a hot water supply temperature detecting means and which electrically detects the hot water supply temperature. And its temperature is detected. At1 represents the hot water supply temperature detection signal. The hot water 4b that has passed through the hot water supply temperature sensor 42 is guided to a hot water supply / hot water switch valve 44 that electrically switches the hot water supply / hot water supply direction, and is supplied to the hot water supply port 46a by a hot water supply / hot water switch signal Sh1. The supply and the pouring to the bathtub 20 b are switched. That is, the hot water / pour switching valve 44 is
It constitutes a water injection valve for supplying clean water to the reheating circuit side.

The flow rate of the hot water 4b guided to the pouring side b via the hot water / pour switching valve 44 is detected by a water flow rate sensor 47 for electrically detecting the flow rate, and Dm is a water flow rate detection signal. Express. The hot water 4b passing through the water flow sensor 47 passes through a hopper 48 as a shutoff means for shutting off the water supply side, and is led to a reheating / pour-in switching valve 50 for electrically switching a hot water supply direction, and reheating. -It is switched to the reheating or pouring side according to the pouring switch signal Sh2.

In this case, on the pouring side c, hot water 4b is supplied from a pipe 52 directly connected to the bathtub 20 through a pump 56 for electrically circulating water to the bathtub 20 in the direction shown by the arrow B. Supplied. Dr represents a pump drive signal for driving the pump 56.

On the additional heating side d, the additional heating / pouring switching valve 5 is provided.
0, the pouring is prohibited, and the water 4c as hot water in the bathtub 20 for reheating the bathtub 20 is reheated in the direction shown by the arrow A through the circulation port 54 in the bathtub 20. A pump 56 circulates the pressure by a pump 56 in a reheating circuit 60 as a circulation path including a reheating side passage of the pouring switch valve 50. In other words, the supplementary heating / pouring switching valve 50 constitutes a water injection valve for supplying clean water to the supplementary heating circulation path side, similarly to the hot water supply / pouring switching valve 44. Then, the bathtub 20 is
As a result of pumping the water 4c to the side, a water flow is generated in the bathtub 20, and as a result, agitation is performed.

The water 4c passing through the reheating circuit 60 is
Dw2 is detected by a water flow sensor 62 that electrically detects the presence or absence of a water flow, and Dw2 represents the detection signal.

The reheating circuit 22 includes a reheating heat exchanger 22.
Is installed, and the water 4 c in the bathtub 20 is heated through the additional heat exchanger 22 by the combustion of the additional combustion burner 24. In this case, the combustion gas 32 is supplied to the refire burner 24,
The gas is supplied via a reheating gas valve 64 whose opening and closing are electrically controlled, and the opening and closing of the reheating gas valve 64 is controlled by an opening and closing control signal Cv3. The combustion gas 32 supplied to the reburning burner 24 is ignited by an igniter 66 that is electrically ignited as ignition means, as in the case of the hot water supply burner 30, and Sf2 represents the ignition signal. The presence or absence of ignition of the gas 32 is detected by a flame detector 68 that electrically detects the presence or absence of a flame, and Df2 represents an ignition detection signal.

Then, the bathtub 20 heated by reheating is used.
The internal water 4c is detected by a temperature sensor 70 composed of a thermistor or the like for electrically detecting the water temperature on the side of the additional heating circulation pipe 60, and At2 represents the temperature detection signal.

The heating system for the water 4a, the system for supplying the hot water 4b to the bathtub 20, or the reheating circuit of the water 4c in the bathtub 20 are controlled by a hot water supply control device for heating, supplying or reheating shown in FIG. Controlled.

This hot water supply control device is composed of a main device 72 and a remote controller 74. The main device 72 is installed on the appliance body side where the heat exchangers 22, 28 and the like are installed. Numeral 74 is installed in the bathtub 20 in a bathroom or the like that can be arbitrarily adjusted by a bather.

The digital data of the hot water supply water flow detection signal Dw1, the hot water supply side ignition detection signal Df1, the hot water supply side water flow rate detection signal Dm, the additional heating water flow detection signal Dw2, and the additional heating ignition detection signal Df2 are supplied to the input circuit 721. After that, it is taken into the central processing unit (CPU) 722. Further, since the hot water supply temperature detection signal At1 and the additional heating temperature detection signal At2 are analog signals, the multiplexer 72 provided at the input unit is used.
The signals are alternately added to the analog-to-digital conversion circuit 723 by the self-division by 4 and are subjected to analog-to-digital conversion.

The CPU 722 performs arithmetic processing according to a heating, supply or reheating control program written in a write-only storage element (ROM) 725. In addition, the various types of data and data on the arithmetic processing are written to a storage element (RAM) 726 that can be freely written and read.

A command for heating, supply or reheating control is performed by operating a switch of a remote controller 74, and the command signal is applied to a remote control transmission / reception circuit 727 and taken into a CPU 722.

The hot water supply side ignition signal Sf1, the open / close control signal Cv1, the hot water supply side open / close control signal Cv2, the additional heating side open / close control signal Cv3, the additional heating side ignition signal Sf2, which are various control outputs as the calculation results of the CPU 722, the hot water supply The pouring switch signal Sh1, the additional heating / pouring switch signal Sh2, and the pump drive signal Dr are added to the control target from the output circuit 728, respectively.

In the bathtub hot water amount control device of the present invention,
The control of the amount of water at the time of reheating in the bathtub 20 will be described in the order of steps.

(A) The hot water supply / pour-in switching valve 44 is switched to the hot water supply side a, and the additional heating / pouring-in switching valve 50 is switched to the additional heating side d, and the additional heating mode is set with the additional heating circulation line 60 as a closed loop. I do.

(B) After setting the reheating mode, the pump 56 is driven to set the temperature of the water 4c in the bathtub 20 to a uniform temperature T. In that case, the water temperature T of the bathtub 20 is detected by the temperature sensor 70.

(C) The water temperature in the bathtub 20 is kept at a certain temperature T
After that, the main valve 34 and the reheating gas valve 64 are opened, and the ignition signal Sf2 is given to the igniter 66 to supply a current to generate heat, thereby igniting the reheating burner 24.

(D) While the water 4c is circulated by the pump 56, the temperature of the water 4c in the bathtub 20 is evenly increased by a temperature ΔT slightly higher than the appropriate temperature T by reheating combustion, and from the temperature T, The required time t to ΔT is measured and written in the RAM 726.

(E) Assuming that the reburning combustion capacity N by the combustion of the reburning burner 24 is measured in advance and stored in the ROM 725, the amount of water Q in the bathtub 20 becomes CP
In U722, Q = N · t / ΔT is calculated from equation (1). For example, when ΔT = 1 ° C., the water amount Q in the bathtub 20 is Q = N · t.

The calculation of the amount of water Q in the bathtub 20 is as follows.
The temperature rise ΔT may be detected for a certain time t, and the temperature rise ΔT may be stored in the RAM 726 and calculated from the equation (1).

(F) Since the set water amount Q ₀ is determined in advance from the volume of the bathtub 20, the set water amount is set in the remote controller 74, and the set water amount Q ₀ and the water amount in the bathtub 20 are set. From the detected water amount Q, the difference water amount ΔQ is calculated by the equation (2).

(G) Therefore, the hot water 4 having the difference ΔQ
b in order to supply b into the bathtub 20.
The hot water 4 b is supplied into the bathtub 20 by switching the pouring side b and the reheating / pouring switching valve 50 to the pouring side c.

(H) Next, the hot water / hot water switching valve 44 is switched to the hot water supply side a and the additional / hot water supply switching valve 50 is switched to the additional heating side d, and the hot water 4b is heated to the appropriate temperature T in the bathtub 20. To complete the pouring and reheating to the appropriate water volume and temperature.

When the heat retention and the hot water control are performed by using the steps (a) to (h), the pouring into the bathtub 20 and the reheating are automatically repeated at regular time intervals. Thereby, optimal control for keeping the water amount Q and the temperature T in the bathtub 20 constant can be performed.

The boiling time t due to the reheating combustion measured in the step (d) is affected by the thermal efficiency. Factors that reduce the thermal efficiency include the material of the bathtub, the reheating piping, the outside air temperature, and the equipment. There is an error in the inherent gas pressure set value. Therefore, the thermal efficiency η is calculated by the following equation using the following formula: η = Q ₀ × (T 2 −T 1) / S × t ₀ (3)
6, and the value is updated each time additional heating is performed. However, Q ₀ is set water (= Note hot water amount), T1 uniform temperature of the water supplied to the tub 20 at the pouring operation, T2 is boiling up uniform temperature (= boiling up set temperature), t ₀ is boiling The ascending time, S is the reheating input capacity, ie, the reheating heat exchanger 2
2 is the amount of heat applied.

In this case, the reheating input capacity S is set to R
The reheating combustion capacity N is stored in the OM 725, and is given by the product of the reheating input capacity S and the thermal efficiency η (N = S · η).

In the detection and control of the amount of water in the bathtub 20, if the water level hw is lower than the circulation port 54 in the bathtub 20, as shown in FIG. Since the water does not circulate in the circulation line 60, it can be determined from the water flow detection signal Dw2 of the water flow sensor 62. In this case, the mode does not shift to the reheating mode.

In this case, the hot water supply / pour switching valve 44 is switched to the pouring side b and the additional heating / pouring switching valve 50 is switched to the pouring side c, which corresponds to １ ／ of the set appropriate amount water level hw ₀ of the bathtub 20. After the water level is raised above the circulation port 54 by supplying the amount of water to be supplied, the operations of the steps (a) to (h) are performed, which corresponds to １ ／ of the set appropriate water level hw ₀ of the bathtub 20. If the water flow sensor 62 does not detect the water flow even when the water amount is supplied, the water supply unit further supplies （(= ×× １ ／) of the set appropriate water level hw ₀ . Still, when the water flow sensor 62 does not detect the water flow, １ ／ of the set appropriate water level hw ₀ (= １ ／ × 1)
/ 2 x 1/2). Such a supply operation is tried sequentially until the water flow sensor 62 detects a water flow.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, without installing a water amount detector or a signal line on the bathtub side,
The amount of water in the bathtub can be remotely calculated from the temperature rise of the water in the bathtub using the heating by the existing heating means, and the amount of water in the bathtub can be controlled to the set water amount as quickly as possible based on the calculation result. Also, even when the appliance body and the bathtub are separated from each other, the amount of hot water can be accurately controlled, and a comfortable bathing environment can be realized without the need for the bather to add necessary hot water.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of a bathtub water amount control device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a hot water supply control unit of the bathtub hot water amount control device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a relationship between a circulation port of a bathtub and a water level.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4c Water (hot water) 11 Upper water channel 20 Bathtub 22 Heat exchanger for additional heating 24 Additional heating burner (heating means) 44 Hot water supply / pouring switching valve (water injection valve) 47 Water flow sensor (flow rate detecting means) 50 Additional heating / injection Hot water switching valve (water injection valve) 54 Circulation port 56 Pump 60 Reheating circuit (Reheating circuit) 62 Water flow sensor 70 Temperature sensor (Temperature detecting means) 72 Main device (Control means)

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A reheating circuit comprising a bath for storing hot water, a pipe connected to a circulation port provided in the bath, for guiding the hot water out of the bath, and returning the hot water to the inside of the bath. A heat exchanger that heats the hot water in the bathtub through a reheating circuit, a heating unit that heats the heat exchanger, and the reheating circuit that is installed in the reheating circuit and heats the hot water in the bathtub. A pump for agitating the hot and cold water in the bath tub by pumping the hot tub and water in the bath tub, a water flow detecting means provided in the reheating circuit, and detecting a hot water flow circulated by the operation of the pump; And a water injection valve installed between the water supply channel and the reheating circuit to supply hot water on the water supply side to the reheating circuit side, and provided on the reheating circuit. Temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the hot water in the bathtub If, Note selectively setting the hot water and Tsui焚, if the pouring operation, performs pouring on said water channel and the said bath by opening the add-fired circulating passage through the water injection valve,
For add-fired operation, the hot water in the bathtub through the add-fired circulation path by operating the pump with circulating the add-fired circulating road, and a control means for heating the hot water to circulate with a said heating means A bathtub water amount control device, wherein the pump is driven prior to the start of each operation of pouring or reheating, and when the water flow detecting means does not detect a water flow, the flow shifts to the pouring operation to perform pouring. performed, wherein if the water flow detecting means detects the water flow is shifted to the add-fired operation, the hot water in the bathtub is circulated to the add-fired circulating path is pumped into the bath, this hot water pumping The hot water in the bath tub is heated through the heat exchanger by heating the hot water in the bath tub by operating the heating means by stirring the hot water in the bath tub and detecting the temperature of the hot water in the bath tub by the temperature detecting means. detection temperature of Until the slightly higher temperature than the set temperature et al.
The time required for boiling, the amount of heat applied to the heat exchanger by the heating means, and the amount of heat applied to the heat exchanger by the heating means, the heat exchanger, the additional heating circuit, and the bathtub The remaining water amount in the bathtub is calculated by referring to the thermal efficiency obtained by the amount of heat added to the hot water through the water, and the remaining water amount is compared with the set water amount to calculate the insufficient water amount, and then the pouring operation is performed. A bathtub hot water amount control device, wherein the bath water is supplied from the water supply side to the bathtub by switching the water injection valve, and the amount of hot water in the bathtub is controlled to a set water amount. 2. The thermal efficiency η is defined as a set amount of water poured into the bathtub Q _O , a temperature of the hot water detected after the pump is driven and the hot water in the bathtub is stirred through the additional heating circuit. T1, the set temperature of hot and cold water in the bathtub is T2, the amount of heat applied from the heating means to the heat exchanger when the heat exchanger is boiled up to the set temperature T2 is S, and the set temperature is calculated from the detected temperature T1. Is the time to reach
When the _{O, η = Q O × (} T2-T1) / S × tub faucet amount control apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that obtained from t _O.