JP3258353B2 - Household water purifier with life meter - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a household water purifier having a built-in filtration module containing an adsorbent such as activated carbon and the like.
The present invention relates to a household water purifier provided with a life meter for notifying a module replacement time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, household water purifiers having a built-in filtration module comprising a filtration membrane such as a hollow fiber membrane and a particulate adsorbent such as activated carbon as basic components have been demanded by consumers to improve the quality of drinking water. The demand is rapidly expanding as a result.

[0003] In these household water purifiers, water supplied from a water tap first passes through an activated carbon layer, where chlorine-based ions and organic substances that make water smell and taste worse, or trihalomethane that is harmful to the human body. Etc. are removed by being decomposed or adsorbed. Next, the water passes through a filtration membrane such as a hollow fiber membrane, where the permeation of iron rust, suspended matter, bacteria, and the like not adsorbed by the activated carbon layer is prevented, and sanitary purified water is obtained.

[0004] However, when the integrated flow rate of the water to be treated exceeds the adsorption capacity of the adsorbent in the module, not only the adsorbent's adsorbing ability is not exhibited, but also harmful substances are re-eluted into the purified water. In addition, if clogging or the like occurs in the filtration membrane, the filtration flow rate decreases, so that it is necessary to replace the filtration module.

[0005] Conventionally, as a water purifier equipped with a life meter for indicating the replacement time of such a filtration module, a device that simply measures the use time and displays the life based on the measured time (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-36085). ), Which displays the total flow rate with a turbine type flow meter and a gear type mechanical integrator (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 61-155091). The one in which the power supply battery is consumed by the light emission and the replacement lamp is indirectly displayed at the time when the display lamp stops emitting light, and the one having an impeller and an integration display circuit for displaying the integration number of the number of rotations (actually open flat 3) -2842) and the like.

However, in the case of drinking water from a domestic water purifier, the number of times per day is large, but the water intake time is relatively short, and the flow velocity at the time of water intake varies greatly. However, the measurement of the flow rate was inaccurate, and the indication of the replacement time was not accurate.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a home water purifier that plays an important role in protecting the human body from contaminated drinking water and maintaining health. An object of the present invention is to provide a household water purifier equipped with a life meter that accurately grasps the amount of supplied water and accurately indicates the replacement time of a module.

[0008]

That is, according to the present invention, a positive displacement flowmeter is disposed on a flow path from an inlet of treated water to a filtration module of a domestic water purifier, and a rotation of a rotor of the positive displacement flowmeter is provided. The sensor comprises a sensor for detecting the output of the rotor and outputting a signal, a counter for measuring the integrated rotation speed of the rotor based on the signal, and a display circuit for operating the display unit when the integrated rotation speed reaches a set value. meter is disposed Rutotomo
In addition, the filtration module is operated for 1 liter at a water pressure of 1 kg / cm ^2.
Has a filtration membrane having a transmittance of at least Torr / m ² / min
Is a life meter with household water purifiers, characterized in that that.

[0009]

In the water purifier of the present invention, a positive displacement flowmeter is provided at the inlet of the water to be treated, so that the total flow rate of the water to be treated flowing into the water purifier can be accurately grasped. That is, not only the water discharged as purified water from the water purifier, but also the total inflow including the water which has been purified by the activated carbon but has been discharged for pressure relief or the like can be accurately grasped. Then, the number of rotations of the rotor of the positive displacement type flowmeter was detected by a sensor and integrated, and the integrated number of rotations became a predetermined value in consideration of the adsorption capacity of the particulate adsorbent in the module. At this time, the display unit is operated to display the replacement time of the filtration module.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A home water purifier according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a household water purifier of the present invention. Water to be treated is supplied into the water purifier from a water inlet 1 connected to a faucet or the like of a water supply. The water to be treated firstly passes through the positive displacement flowmeter 2, is then guided to the filtration module 3, undergoes purification treatment, and is discharged from the discharge port 4 as purified water.

The positive displacement type flow meter referred to in the present invention refers to a flow meter in which a rotor such as a gear rotates in proportion to the flow volume of a water flow and measures the flow rate from the number of rotations. An oval gear type, a roots type, an impulse disk type, and the like can be given. Among them, an oval gear type is preferable as a type that can accurately measure the amount of water. Therefore, a so-called impeller flowmeter of a type that measures using the rotation of the rotating blade in proportion to the flow velocity is excluded. FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the water purifier of FIG. 1 cut along the line AA ｀, in which an oval gear type flow meter is illustrated.

The material constituting the positive displacement flow meter including the rotor is preferably a plastic material from the viewpoint of water resistance and light weight, and particularly preferably polyimide.

The sensor for detecting the rotation speed of the rotor of the positive displacement type flow meter and generating a signal includes, for example, a transmitting element 5 embedded in a rotating portion of the flow meter and a receiving element provided on an outer case of the detector. 6 which emits a signal by interaction with the C.I. This signal causes the counter to count the accumulated number of revolutions.

It is convenient and compact to use an electronic counter as the counter. The replacement time of the filtration module mounted on the water purifier is displayed on the display unit 7 in accordance with a signal from a display circuit issued when the integrated rotation speed (integrated flow rate) of the counter becomes equal to or greater than a set value.

The set value serving as a reference for module replacement is usually set in advance in consideration of the general water quality of tap water and the adsorption capacity of the particulate adsorbent in the module. But,
In consideration of the use area of the water purifier, it may be configured such that the user can change the replacement reference set value at the start of use of the water purifier.

[0017] Life of the water purifier (time to replace the module)
The display unit that displays can have any configuration, for example, displaying the remaining usable time of the module on the outer surface of the water purifier, and displaying that the usable time becomes negative after the replacement time has elapsed. For example, a mode in which a red caution mark is displayed when the replacement time has passed, or a display that prompts the user by voice at the start of water flow after the replacement time has passed can be exemplified.

Further, when the filtration module is replaced according to this display, the replacement time of the newly replaced filtration module can be displayed again by returning the integrated rotation speed of the water flow of the counter to 0. .

As the filtration module used in the water purifier of the present invention, conventionally known various structures can be used as long as they contain at least one of granular adsorbents such as activated carbon, silver-impregnated activated carbon and serpentine. . In addition to the particulate adsorbent, those having a microfiltration membrane such as a flat membrane or a hollow fiber membrane and a filter such as a polyolefin sintered filter for removing organic substances are preferable. The microfiltration membrane is preferably one that can block the passage of bacteria and the like, and
A filtration membrane having a permeability of 1 liter / m ² min or more at a water pressure of Kg / cm ² is suitable . Examples of the material for the microfiltration membrane include various materials such as cellulose, polyolefin, polysulfone, polyvinyl alcohol, and PMMA. Particularly preferred among such microfiltration membranes are hydrophilic polyolefin-based porous hollow fiber membranes.

[0020]

According to the water purifier of the present invention, the total inflow of the water to be treated into the water purifier can be accurately grasped.
The life meter display allows you to know exactly when to replace the water purifier module.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an example of a water purifier of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line AA ′ of the water purifier of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Inlet for treated water 2: Volumetric flow meter 3: Filtration module 4: Discharge port 5: Transmission element 6: Receiving element 7: Display

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) The inventor, Manabu Yano 2-3-1, Kyobashi, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Inside Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-61-114130 (JP, A) 3-26390 (JP, U) JP2-1295 (JP, U) JP2, 25094 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) C02F 1/28 C02F 1/44

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A sensor for disposing a positive displacement flowmeter on a flow path from an inlet of treated water to a filtration module of a domestic water purifier, and detecting a rotation of a rotor of the positive displacement flowmeter to generate a signal; a counter for measuring a cumulative rotational speed of the rotor by the signal, the cumulative number of revolutions is the life meter disposed composed of a display circuit for operating the display unit when it is set value Rutotomoni, the filtrate Module is 1kg / cm
Has a transmittance of 1 liter / m ² / min or more at a water pressure of ²
Household water purifier with a life meter, characterized by having a filtration membrane .