JP2827538B2 - Shower 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 shower control device for controlling a hot water supply flow rate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional shower control device is, for example, a mixing faucet. In this method, hot water supplied from a heat source and water are mixed by an appropriate amount using a manual valve to supply a desired flow of hot water to a user.

[0003] The set flow rate is constant unless the user changes the flow rate and unless the water pressure supplied to the faucet changes.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned conventional shower control device has the following disadvantages.
That is, at the time of the first setting, even if the hot water supply condition is comfortable for the user, the so-called habituation phenomenon is exhibited with the lapse of time, and the user becomes uncomfortable at last and the amount of hot water needs to be changed. However, the conventional shower control device has a problem that these changes require human labor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and has as its object to provide a shower control device capable of always using a comfortable shower.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a hot water supply means for supplying hot water, a switching valve means for switching a flow path of the hot water from the hot water supply means, and changing a flow rate of the hot water. Fluctuation means, sound source means for generating a music signal, musical sound element detection means for extracting an element signal of the music signal, level detection means for detecting the level of the element signal, and differentiating means for detecting the amount of change in the element signal. A comparing means for comparing output signals of the level detecting means and the differentiating means and outputting to the fluctuation means, and a speaker driven by a music signal.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the user can take a shower while listening to music and change the flow rate of hot water in accordance with the element signal of the music signal. Moreover, since the differentiating means is used, the change of the hot water supply flow rate does not occur or does not occur due to the difference of the source signal level of the sound source means, and the change of the music and the change of the flow rate coincide.

[0008]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes hot water supply means for producing hot water. In this example, the hot water supply device 2 and the hot / water mixer tap 3 are used, but the hot water supply device 2 may be used alone.
Reference numeral 4 denotes a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the hot water supplied from the hot water supply means 1 in order to determine whether or not the temperature is appropriate for a shower. Reference numeral 5 denotes a fluctuation means for changing the amount of hot water supplied from the hot water supply means 1 (for example, a proportional solenoid valve). 6,
Reference numerals 7, 8, and 9 denote switching valve means (for example, an electromagnetic valve or an electric valve) for switching a hot water outlet. Reference numeral 10 denotes a drain port, which opens the switching valve means 6 when the temperature has not reached an appropriate temperature, and drains water. 1
Reference numeral 1 denotes a hand shower, and reference numerals 12 and 13 denote fixed showers, which tap the switching valve means 7, 8, 9 to open the hot water. A control means 14 inputs and determines the temperature of the hot water from the temperature detecting means 4 according to a user's operation instruction, and drives the switching means 6, 7, 8, and 9 to drain hot water, or to discharge or stop hot water.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the control means 14. 1
Reference numeral 5 denotes sound source means (for example, a CD) for outputting a music signal, and reference numeral 16 denotes a musical sound element detecting means (for example, a filter) for extracting a music element signal. 17 is a differentiating means for detecting a change in the extracted element signal, and 18 is a level detecting means for detecting the amplitude level of the element signal. Reference numeral 19 denotes a comparison unit which compares the level detection value with the differential signal and outputs a drive pulse to the fluctuation unit 5. A speaker 20 is driven by a music signal.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. When the user performs the tapping operation of the fluctuation shower, the switching valve means 6 is opened, and the hot water temperature sent from the hot water supply means 1 is detected while flowing to the drain port. The control section 14 receives a signal from the hot water temperature detecting means 4 and determines whether or not the temperature is suitable for the shower. If the temperature is suitable, the control section 14 closes the switching valve means 6 and switches the selected shower switching valve means 7, 8,. 9 to output a signal for driving any one of them in the opening direction. For example, if the content of the operation is a hand shower, the switching valve means 9 opens.

Next, the sound source means 15 starts operating, and the music flows through the speaker 20. At the same time, elemental signals such as rhythm signals are extracted from the music signal output from the sound source means 15 by the musical sound element extracting means 16. The element signal is input to the level detecting means 18 to estimate the amplitude level of the music signal recorded in the sound source by the element signal, and at the same time, the element signal is also input to the differentiating means 17 to detect a change in the element signal. . Then, the comparing means 19 sets a judgment level of the differential signal to be compared based on the detected signal level, compares the differentiated signal with a change signal obtained by differentiation, and generates and outputs a drive signal of the fluctuation means 5.

According to the configuration of this embodiment, the output signal level of the sound source means 15 becomes smaller or larger depending on the source (usually, the recording level of the music signal differs not only between CDs and tapes but also between CDs). However, the level of the output signal is detected, a determination level is set according to the signal amplitude, and a change signal of the element signal is obtained.
To compare. Therefore, even if the output level of the music signal fluctuates, a change signal corresponding to the element signal such as the rhythm can be detected without being influenced by the signal level recorded in the sound source. As a result, the conventional hot water supply has the effect of eliminating the inconveniences of acclimatization and sensation of comfort due to constant hot water supply, and has the effect of eliminating monotonousness and always enabling comfortable hot water supply.

[0014]

As described above, according to the shower control device of the present invention, it is possible to always generate a fluctuation signal synchronized with a tone signal element without being influenced by a signal level of a tone recorded in a sound source. In addition, since the amount of hot water supply can be fluctuated, comfortable hot water supply without monotony can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a shower control device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the apparatus.

[Description of Signs] 1 Hot water supply means 5 Fluctuation means 6, 7, 8, 9 Switching valve means 15 Sound source means 16 Musical sound element extraction means 17 Differentiation means 18 Level detection means 19 Comparison means 20 Speaker

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A47K 3/22 A61H 9/00 G05B 24/02 G05D 7/06

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. Hot water supply means for supplying hot water for use in a shower or the like, a switching valve means for switching hot water supplied from the hot water supply means to various shower nozzles, and a flow rate of hot water supplied from the hot water supply means. Fluctuation means for changing, sound source means for generating a music signal, tone element detection means for extracting an element signal such as rhythm from the music signal, and level detection for detecting the amplitude of the signal extracted by the tone element detection means Means, a differentiating means for detecting an amount of change in a signal extracted by the musical sound element detecting means, and a comparing means for comparing output signals of the level detecting means and the differentiating means to detect a change signal and outputting to the fluctuation means And a speaker driven by a music signal from the sound source means.