JP3467763B2 - Automatic bath water heater - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot water storage type automatic bath water heater.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a hot-water storage type can body such as a so-called semi-hot storage type is provided, and water from the tap water is appropriately mixed with hot water from the hot-water storage type can body to adjust to a bath set temperature. An automatic bath water heater is provided to automatically supply hot water. Also,
As a configuration of the automatic bath hot water supply in the conventional automatic bath hot water supply device, the hot water storage can body is kept at a constant high temperature, for example, 70 ° C. for the hot water temperature inside the hot water storage can body. The hot water of the bath is supplied to the bath automatic hot water supply passage, while the flow rate of water mixed in the bath automatic hot water supply passage is adjusted by the mixed water flow rate controller to adjust the bath automatic hot water supply temperature to a predetermined bath set temperature. It is like this. When the hot water in the bathtub drops, the hot water in the bathtub is taken out, and heat is reheated by exchanging heat with the hot water in the hot water tank body in the middle of the circulation path for returning to the bathtub. Is common. However, in the above-mentioned automatic bath water heater, even if the amount of water mixed by the water flow controller is maximized at the start of the bath automatic water heating operation, the temperature of the mixed water is high in the summer, etc. In some cases, the bath automatic hot water supply temperature remains above the bath set temperature, and it becomes impossible to adjust the bath automatic hot water supply temperature to the bath set temperature. Therefore, the present applicant first opens the mixed water flow rate controller fully and then compares the bath automatic hot water supply temperature with the bath set temperature, and when the bath automatic hot water supply temperature exceeds the bath set temperature, The invention has been proposed in which the set temperature is lowered by a constant temperature and the mixed water flow rate control by the mixed water flow rate controller is started when the bath automatic hot water supply temperature becomes equal to or lower than the bath set temperature.

[0003]

However, in the automatic bath hot water supply apparatus configured as described above, the preset temperature of the hot water storage can is lowered, for example, from 70 ° C. to 20 ° C. so that the automatic bath hot water supply temperature becomes equal to or lower than the bath preset temperature. If the temperature is set to 50 ° C., there is a problem that it takes a long time to reheat the hot water in the bath to the set temperature of the bath. That is, when the hot water in the bathtub is heated by exchanging heat between the hot water in the bathtub and the hot water in the hot water storage can body during reheating, if the set temperature of the hot water storage can body is 50 ° C., 70 In some cases, the time required for reheating will be several times longer than when the temperature is ℃.

Therefore, the present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and even if the temperature of the water mixed with the hot water from the hot-water storage can flowing in the bath automatic hot water supply passage becomes high, the hot water at the predetermined bath set temperature is obtained. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic bath hot water supply apparatus that can automatically heat a bathtub to a bathtub and can heat the bath to a set temperature as quickly as possible in reheating after completion of automatic bath hot water supply.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, an automatic bath hot water supply apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 is a hot water storage can body, a water inlet to the hot water storage can body from the tap water, and the hot water storage can body. Bath automatic hot water supply passage for automatically supplying hot water to the bathtub, a bypass passage branched from the middle of the water inlet passage and connected to the bath automatic hot water supply passage, and a bath automatic hot water supply passage provided in the middle of the bypass passage An automatic bath hot water supply apparatus comprising at least a mixed water flow rate controller for adjusting a mixed water flow rate to a bath and a controller for controlling the mixed water flow rate controller, wherein the mixed water flow rate controller at the start of the automatic bath hot water supply operation After fully opening, compare the bath automatic hot water supply temperature with the bath set temperature, and if the bath automatic hot water supply temperature exceeds the bath set temperature, lower the set temperature of the hot water storage can to a certain temperature, and after the bath automatic hot water supply operation is completed. Is the reduced savings It is characterized by returning the installation temperature of the can body to the original set temperature. Further, in order to achieve the above object, the automatic bath hot water supply apparatus according to the invention of claim 2 restores the lowered preset temperature of the hot water storage can body to the original preset temperature after a lapse of a certain time after the completion of the automatic bath hot water supply operation. It has a feature. Further, in order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the bath automatic hot water supply apparatus according to the invention of claim 3 is:
The feature is that the lowered set temperature of the hot water storage can is raised to a temperature lower than the original set temperature, and is returned to the original set temperature after a lapse of a certain time.

According to the feature of the invention of claim 1, when the bath automatic hot water supply operation is started, the hot water supply to the bathtub is started and the controller first fully opens the mixed water flow rate controller. As a result, the maximum amount of water is mixed with the warm water from the hot water storage can. Then, the controller compares the bath automatic hot water supply temperature during hot water supply with the bath set temperature, and if the bath automatic hot water supply temperature is equal to or lower than the bath set temperature,
The controller starts the mixed water flow rate adjustment by the mixed water flow rate controller without changing the can set temperature, that is, the hot water set temperature. On the other hand, when the bath automatic hot water supply temperature exceeds the bath preset temperature in the comparison between the bath automatic hot water supply temperature and the bath preset temperature, the controller sets the can set temperature of the hot water storage can to a certain temperature from the current set temperature. The temperature is changed to a lower set temperature, and the bath automatic hot water supply temperature and the bath set temperature are compared. Then, until the bath automatic hot water supply temperature becomes equal to or lower than the bath set temperature, the can body set temperature is reduced by a constant temperature and the temperature comparison is repeated. When the bath automatic hot water supply temperature falls below the bath preset temperature, the mixed water flow rate adjustment by the mixed water flow rate controller is started. In this case, after the automatic bath hot water supply operation is finished, the lowered set temperature of the hot water storage can body is returned to the original set temperature before being lowered. Here, the constant temperature when lowering the set temperature of the can body, that is, the amount of reduction can be set to, for example, 20 ° C., but a temperature in the range of several ° C. to 30 ° C. can be appropriately determined.

According to the feature of the invention of claim 2 above,
After the completion of the automatic bath hot water supply operation, the set temperature of the lowered hot water storage can body is returned to the original set temperature before being lowered after a lapse of a certain time. For example, when the warming operation is performed for several hours after the automatic bath hot water supplying operation is completed, the temperature is returned to the original set temperature after the warming operation is completed.

Further, according to the feature of the invention of claim 3, after the automatic bath hot water supply operation is completed, the lowered set temperature of the hot water storage can body is raised to a temperature lower than the original set temperature, and when the fixed time elapses, the original temperature is restored. Try to return to the set temperature. Here, for example, when the set temperature of the hot water storage can is lowered by 20 ° C., the raised range is set to 10 ° C. so as to be lower than the original set temperature. be able to.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic bath hot water supply apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of control at the time of automatic bath hot water supply operation by the controller in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of control at the time of the automatic bath hot water supply operation by the controller in the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control at the time of the automatic bath hot water supply operation by the controller in the third embodiment.

In FIG. 1, the hot water storage canister 10 is constructed as a so-called semi-hot water storage canister having a relatively small hot water storage tank 11. A burner 12 such as an oil burner is installed, and the water in the hot water storage tank 11 is heated by the combustion in the combustion chamber 13. The hot water storage temperature in the hot water storage tank 11 is detected by the can body temperature sensor 14. A hot water supply passage 21 and a hot water supply passage 22 are connected to the hot water storage tank 11 of the hot water storage canister 10. Water from the tap water is introduced into the hot water storage tank 11 through the water inlet 21. The hot water supply passage 22 has a general hot water supply passage 22 in the middle thereof.
a and a bath automatic hot water supply passage 22b. A bypass passage 23 is branched and connected to the bath automatic hot water supply passage 22b from the middle of the water inlet passage 21, and a mixed water flow rate controller 30 is provided in the middle of the bypass passage 23.

Between the bath 40 and the hot-water storage can 10, there is provided a circulation passage for heating the bath. That is, a circulation return path 51 to the hot water storage canister 10 is provided from the circulation metal fitting 41 forming the reheating circulation port of the bathtub 40, and a circulation forward path 52 to the bathtub 40 from the hot water storage canister 10 is provided. . The circulation return passage 51 and the circulation forward passage 52 are connected by a bypass passage 53 in the middle thereof, and the bypass passage 53 and the circulation return passage 51 are connected via a three-way switching valve 54. In the circulation return passage 51, a bath water level sensor 55 is provided on the bathtub 40 side from the connection point of the bypass passage 53,
A circulation pump 56, a bath temperature sensor 57, and a bath water flow switch 58 are provided. In addition, a water injection temperature sensor 59 is provided on the circulation outward passage 52 on the bathtub 40 side with respect to the branch point of the bypass passage 53. By driving the circulation pump 56, the bath water returns to the hot water storage canister 10 through the circulation return passage 51, is heated, and is introduced into the bathtub 40 through the circulation forward passage 52.

The bath automatic hot water supply passage 22b is connected to a bypass passage 53 of a circulation passage for heating the bath by heating it through an opening / closing valve 24, a flow rate sensor 25, and two backflow prevention valves 26 on the way. When the on-off valve 24 is opened, the warm water from the bath automatic hot water supply passage 22b flows into the bypass passage 53 and is introduced into the bathtub 40 through the circulation outward passage 52 to the set water level by one-sided conveyance. Further, by connecting the three-way switching valve 54 to the bypass 53 side, the circulation return path 51 is also utilized, and the water is introduced to the set water level in the bathtub 40 in both transports.

Reference numeral 60 denotes a controller, which has a built-in self-information and information from sensors of various parts of the apparatus such as the can body temperature sensor 14, the flow rate sensor 25, the bath temperature sensor 57, and the water injection temperature sensor 59 in response to a command from a remote controller not shown. The burner 12 and the on-off valve 2 based on the control software
4. Output a predetermined operation control command to the mixed water flow rate controller 30, the three-way switching valve 54, and the like.

An example of control by the controller 60 during the automatic bath hot water supply operation in the first embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Now, when the bath automatic hot water supply operation switch is turned on (Yes in step S1) while the main operation switch of the device is on, the bath automatic hot water supply operation is started (yes in step S2), and first the controller 60 Is the mixed water flow rate controller 30 of the bypass 23
To open the open / close valve 24 of the bath automatic hot water supply passage 22b. And this
When hot water flows into the bath automatic hot water supply passage 22b and the mixed water flow rate controller 30 is fully opened (Yes in step S3),
The controller 60 judges whether or not the bath automatic hot water supply temperature TQ obtained from the pouring temperature sensor 59 exceeds the preset bath set temperature TF (step S4), and in the case of No, that is, the bath automatic hot water supply temperature TQ is Bath set temperature T
When it is F or less, the controller 60 starts the normal mixed water flow rate control by the mixed water flow rate controller 30 (step S5). That is, the controller 60 is the mixed water flow rate controller 30.
Squeeze the bath from the fully open state to take the bath automatic hot water temperature T
Set Q to the bath set temperature TF, etc. On the other hand, if the result of step S4 is YES, that is, if the bath automatic hot water supply temperature TQ exceeds the bath set temperature TF, the controller 60 lowers the can body set temperature TK from the current temperature by a constant temperature TO (step S6). As a result, the hot water temperature in the hot water storage tank 11 is adjusted to the newly set can temperature. Then, after changing the can setting temperature TK to a new can setting temperature, the process automatically returns to step S4 at a constant timing, and the bath automatic hot water supply temperature TQ and the bath setting temperature TF are set.
Compare with. Bath automatic hot water supply temperature TQ is the bath set temperature T
Steps S4 and S6 are repeated until it becomes F or less. In the comparison between the automatic bath hot water supply temperature TQ and the preset bath temperature TF in step S4, the automatic bath hot water supply temperature actually exceeds the preset bath temperature for a certain period of time in order to prevent a transient misjudgment at the beginning of the automatic bath hot water supply operation. It is possible to determine that the bath automatic hot water supply temperature exceeds the bath set temperature only when the bath automatic hot water supply temperature exceeds the bath set temperature continuously while the constant flow rate is flowing. Good. Further, in the step S4, the case where the bath automatic hot water supply temperature TQ exceeds the bath set temperature TF may be, for example, the case where the detection accuracy exceeds 0.5 ° C., depending on the temperature detection accuracy. In the above, the set temperature TK of the can is initially set to 70 ° C.
However, it is not limited to this. Further, the constant temperature TO for lowering the set temperature TK of the can is set to 20 ° C. However, it is not limited to this. The amount of reduction may be changed gradually. Further, in the above, when the automatic bath hot water supply operation is finished (No in step S2), the set temperature of the can body is lowered by the constant temperature TO and becomes TK-TO (Yes in step S7), the set body temperature of the can is set. Is returned to the original set temperature of the can (step S8). That is, if the set temperature of the can body, which was initially 70 ° C., is lowered by 20 ° C. and is 50 ° C. at the end of the automatic bath hot water supply operation, the temperature is returned to 70 ° C. again.

On the other hand, when the set temperature of the can body is not lowered by a constant temperature (NO in step S7), the temperature is maintained as it is (step S9). If the set temperature of the can is lowered at the end of the automatic bath hot water supply operation, it can be heated to the set temperature of the bath as soon as possible when it is reheated due to the decrease in the hot water temperature of the bathtub. it can.

Next, an example of control during the bath automatic hot water supply operation in the second embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the bath automatic hot water supply operation is started (Yes in step S2), the bath automatic hot water supply temperature TQ is compared with the bath set temperature TF, and when the bath automatic hot water supply temperature exceeds the bath set temperature (Yes in step S4). The process is the same as that of the first embodiment up to the step of lowering the set temperature of the can body by the constant temperature To (step S6).

After completion of the automatic bath hot water supply operation (step S2
No), if the temperature is kept constant for a certain period of time and the set temperature of the can is lowered by the constant temperature TO (Yes in step S7).
After the warming operation is completed (Yes in step S8), the set temperature is returned to the original value (step S10). In an automatic bath hot water supply system equipped with a hot water storage can, the temperature of the hot water storage can is changed frequently even if the set temperature of the hot water storage can is changed frequently. If you change the set temperature of the can body every time you reheat it, the hot water supply temperature of the shower will become unstable. Therefore, the set temperature of the can is not changed during the warming operation, and by returning to the original set temperature after the warming operation is completed, hot water at the set temperature can be stably supplied during the warming operation, and the warming operation can be performed. When reheating after the end, it can be fired as soon as possible.

Next, an example of control during the bath automatic hot water supply operation in the third embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. When the bath automatic hot water supply operation is started (YES in step S2), the bath automatic hot water supply temperature TQ is compared with the bath set temperature TF, and when the bath automatic hot water supply temperature exceeds the bath set temperature (YES in step S4). ), The same as in the first and second embodiments up to the step of lowering the can set temperature by a constant temperature (step S6).

After the automatic bath hot water supply operation is completed (NO in step S2), if the can set temperature TK is lowered by the constant temperature TO (YES in step S7), the can set temperature is raised by the fixed temperature TP (step S8). ). At this time, the constant temperature TP can be properly set so that the set temperature of the can is lower than the original set temperature by using about half of the raising width TO in step S6 as a guide. After the warming operation is completed (Yes in step S10), the can set temperature is returned to the original set temperature (step S11).

For example, the original can set temperature is 70 ° C., the constant temperature TO in step S6 is 20 ° C., step S8.
If the constant temperature TP at 10 ° C. is 10 ° C., the can body temperature is lowered by 20 ° C. to 50 ° C. in step S6,
After the automatic bath hot water supply operation is completed (No in step S2), the temperature is raised by 10 ° C to 60 ° C in step S8. The temperature is maintained at 60 ° C. during the warming operation, and after the warming operation is completed (Yes in step S10), the original set temperature is returned to 70 ° C. (step S11). Here, the can set temperature and the constant temperatures TO and TP are determined as described above,
It is not limited to this.

According to the control structure shown in FIG. 4, when the temperature of the water to be mixed is high, the automatic bath hot water supply is performed so that the set temperature TK of the can is lowered to reach the predetermined bath set temperature TF. After that, the lowered set temperature of the can body is raised to a temperature lower than the original set temperature, and is returned to the original set temperature after the heat retention operation is completed. Therefore, hot water at the set temperature can be supplied when replenishing water due to the decrease in the water level of the bathtub during the warming operation after the completion of the automatic bath hot water supply, and at the time of reheating, the hot water can be heated to the bath set temperature as quickly as possible. .

[0022]

The automatic bath water heater according to the present invention having the above-described structure has the following effects. That is, according to the invention of claim 1, even if the mixed water flow rate controller is fully opened with the start of the bath automatic hot water supply operation, the bath automatic hot water supply temperature exceeds the bath set temperature. If the temperature is lowered to a certain temperature, the set temperature of the lowered hot water storage can is returned to the original set temperature after the automatic bath hot water supply operation is completed, so the set temperature of the can remains lowered. By being reheated,
There is no need to take a long time to heat the bath to the set temperature, and it is possible to reheat the bath as quickly as possible.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the preset temperature of the hot water storage canister is lowered by a constant temperature, it is returned to the original preset temperature after a lapse of a fixed time after the completion of the automatic bath hot water supply operation. Therefore, there is an effect that the hot water at the set temperature can be stably supplied when the water is replenished due to the decrease in the bathtub water level after the automatic bath hot water supply. In addition, after a certain period of time, there is an effect that reheating can be performed as quickly as possible.

According to the third aspect of the invention, when the set temperature of the hot water storage can is lowered by a certain temperature, after the automatic bath hot water supply operation is finished, the temperature is raised to a temperature lower than the original set temperature, and if a certain time elapses. Since it was returned to the original set temperature, it is possible to stably supply hot water at the set temperature when replenishing water due to the decrease in bathtub water level after automatic bath hot water supply, and the can body set temperature is not too low, The effect of being able to reheat the bath to the set temperature is achieved as quickly as possible.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic bath hot water supply apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of control at the time of automatic bath hot water supply operation by the controller in the first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of control during a bath automatic hot water supply operation by a controller according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of control during a bath automatic hot water supply operation by a controller in the third embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

10 Hot water storage cans 11 Hot water storage tank 14 Can body temperature sensor 21 Inlet 22 Hot water supply passage 22b Bath automatic hot water supply passage 23 Bypass 24 on-off valve 25 Flow sensor 30 Mixed water flow controller 40 bathtub 41 Circulation fitting 51 Circulation return path 52 circulation way 53 Bypass Road 54 Three-way switching valve 55 Bath water level sensor 56 Circulation pump 57 Bath temperature sensor 59 Water injection temperature sensor 60 controller

─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of front page (56) References JP-A-5-34007 (JP, A) JP-B 2-60947 (JP, B2) (58) Fields investigated (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) F24H 1/00

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A hot-water storage canister, a water entrance to the hot-water storage can from the water supply, an automatic bath hot water supply path for automatically supplying hot water of the hot water storage can to a bathtub, and a branch in the middle of the water entrance path. A bypass passage connected to the bath automatic hot water supply passage, a mixed water flow rate controller provided in the middle of the bypass passage for adjusting the mixed water flow rate to the bath automatic hot water supply passage, and controlling the mixed water flow rate regulator An automatic bath hot water supply device having at least a controller for controlling the automatic bath hot water supply temperature after fully opening the mixed water flow rate controller at the start of the automatic bath hot water supply operation. If the temperature exceeds the bath set temperature, the set temperature of the hot water storage can body is lowered by a certain temperature, and after the automatic bath hot water supply operation is finished, the lowered set temperature of the hot water storage can body is returned to the original set temperature. A bath automatic water heater. 2. The automatic bath hot water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the set temperature of the lowered hot water storage can is returned to the original set temperature after a lapse of a certain time after the completion of the automatic bath hot water supply operation. 3. After the automatic bath hot water supply operation is completed, the set temperature of the lowered hot water storage can body is raised to a temperature lower than the original set temperature, and is returned to the original set temperature after a lapse of a certain time. Bath automatic hot water supply device according to 1.