JP3547068B2 - Ion water generator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an ion water generator that generates ion water by electrolyzing water, and more particularly to an ion water generator that switches the polarity of a DC voltage applied to an electrode to perform electrode cleaning.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Applying a DC voltage to the electrode while supplying tap water to the electrolytic cell in which the electrode is installed, and ionizing the water in the electrolytic cell to electrolyze the water in the electrolytic cell to continuously generate acidic water or alkaline water and discharge water. In the vessel, if the electrolysis is continued, calcium ions and the like in the water accumulate on the electrodes, and the properties of the generated ionic water deteriorate. Therefore, in this case, the positive electrode and the negative electrode of the electrode are exchanged for a certain period of time, and a DC voltage is applied to remove deposits (called electrode cleaning).
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In this case, the conventional ion water generator cannot accept a request for water discharge of the ion water during the electrode cleaning, so that there is an inconvenience that the ion water cannot be used during that time. An object of the present invention is to make it possible to use ion water at any time even during electrode cleaning.
[0004]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The deterioration of the electrode performance due to the adhesion of the deposit is gradual, and accordingly, the characteristic deterioration of the ionic water generated by electrolysis by the electrode is also gradual. Therefore, the present invention determines that it is possible to use a certain amount of ion water even when the cleaning time has come. Is what you do. However, the amount of ionized water to be discharged after the electrode cleaning is interrupted is limited to prevent the discharge of ionized water whose characteristics have been excessively reduced. Further, when the allowable amount of ionized water is discharged, the electrode cleaning is automatically restarted.
[0005]
That is, the present invention according to claim 1 applies a DC voltage to the electrode while supplying tap water to the electrolytic cell provided with the electrode, and electrolyzes the water in the electrolytic cell to continuously convert ionic water. In the ionic water generator that generates and discharges water, and performs electrode cleaning by switching the polarity of the DC voltage applied to the electrode,
Means for setting the allowable amount of ionized water spouting to be performed by stopping the electrode cleaning; means for measuring the amount of ionized water spouting; and stopping the electrode cleaning if there is a request for ionized water spouting during electrode cleaning. A control means for performing water discharge and stopping the discharge of the ion water when the amount of water discharged during the electrode cleaning suspension reaches the allowable amount and restarting the electrode cleaning is provided .
[0006]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the ionized water generator, a means for issuing a warning at the same time as the stoppage of the discharge of the ionized water is provided, and it is notified that the stoppage of the discharge of the ionized water is due to the water discharge amount reaching an allowable amount. Shall be. As the alarm means, a buzzer, a lamp, a display, or the like can be used.
[0007]
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention in an ion water generator configured to extract alkaline water by using a saline solution as an electrolysis assistant will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 2 is a front view showing the external appearance of an ion water generator, in which a water supply port 2 for taking in tap water from a water tap (not shown) is provided at an upper part of a main body 1, and one of generated alkaline water and acidic water is provided at a lower part. And a drain port 4 for discharging the other as waste water. On the front surface of the main body 1, a water discharge start switch 5 for starting water discharge of ion water, a water discharge end switch 6 for stopping water discharge, a display unit 7 for displaying various information, and the like are arranged.
[0008]
FIG. 3 shows the internal configuration of the ion water generator. In FIG. 3, tap water entered from the water inlet 2 enters the electrolytic cell 9 via a water valve (solenoid valve) 8 as shown by an arrow A. At the same time, the saline solution stored in the saline solution tank 10 is sent to the electrolytic cell 9 by the saline solution pump 11 as shown by the arrow B, and merges with the tap water at the inlet. Electrodes 12 and 13 are provided in the electrolytic cell 9, and the tap water into which the saline solution is injected is electrolyzed by a DC voltage applied to the electrodes 12 and 13 from the power source 14 via the polarity switching circuit 15. Alkaline water is generated near the negative electrode 12, and acidic water is generated near the positive electrode 13. The three-way valve 16 switches between flowing the ionic water in the vicinity of the negative electrode 12 to the water outlet 3 as shown by an arrow C and flowing to the water outlet 4 as shown by an arrow D. Side has been switched. Ion water near the positive electrode 13 flows to the drain 4 as it is.
[0009]
FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of the ion water generator. In a standby state, a control unit 17 including a microcomputer receives signals from a water discharge start switch 5 and a water discharge end switch 6 to supply a water valve 8, a saline pump. The on / off control of the power supply 11 and the power supply 14 is performed. Further, the control unit 17 has a built-in timer, and performs electrode cleaning for a fixed time, for example, 5 minutes when the total time of ion water generation reaches a certain time, for example, 1 hour. This electrode cleaning means switching the polarity switching circuit 15 to invert the polarity of the voltage applied to the electrodes 12 and 13, and switching the three-way valve 16 to the drain port 4 side to supply the electrolytic tank 9 via the water valve 8. Is performed, and all the ionized water generated is discharged from the drain 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the polarity switching circuit 15 is a circuit that combines two relays to exchange a positive electrode and a negative electrode. It is not necessary to operate the saline solution pump 11 at the time of electrode cleaning.
[0010]
The control unit 17 is provided with a storage unit 18 composed of a semiconductor memory for storing control data when the electrode cleaning is stopped as described later. In addition, a required amount of electrode cleaning, which is 5 minutes as a cleaning time in this case, is set and input to a RAM (not shown) of the control unit 17 in this case. In this case, 3 minutes is set and input as the water discharge time.
[0011]
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control program of the control unit 17 relating to electrode cleaning. In FIG. 4, when an electrode cleaning start signal is generated during the operation standby, the electrode cleaning is started, and at the same time, a cleaning timer for measuring an electrode cleaning amount (in this case, cleaning time) is started (step S1). Next, it is checked whether or not the measured value of the cleaning timer has exceeded the required cleaning time of 5 minutes (step S2). If the measured value has exceeded the required value, all the timers are reset, the stored value of the storage unit 18 is cleared, and a standby state is set (step S11). ). If it does not exceed 5 minutes, it is checked whether there is an input from the water discharge start switch 5 (step S3), and if there is no input, the process returns to step S2.
[0012]
If there is a water discharge start input in step S3, the measured value of the cleaning timer up to that time is stored in the storage unit 18, the electrode cleaning is stopped, water discharge of ion water is started, and the water discharge amount of ion water is simultaneously measured. (Step S4). Next, it is checked whether or not the measured value of the water discharge timer has exceeded the allowable water discharge time of 3 minutes (step S5). If not, it is checked whether there is an input from the water discharge end switch 6 (step S6). If there is no input, the process returns to step S5. If there is an input, after the ion water spouting is finished (step S7), the electrode cleaning is restarted, and at the same time, a re-cleaning timer for measuring the cleaning time after restarting the cleaning is started. (Step S8).
[0013]
Next, it is checked whether or not the measured value of the re-cleaning timer has exceeded the remaining value obtained by subtracting the measured value of the cleaning timer stored in the storage unit 18 from 5 minutes (step S9). The value stored in the storage unit 18 is cleared and the process returns to the standby state (step S11). On the other hand, if the measured value of the water discharge timer exceeds 3 minutes in step S5, the discharge of the ionized water is terminated, an alarm is displayed on the display unit 7 (step S10), the process proceeds to step S8, and the electrode cleaning is restarted. .
[0014]
In the above embodiment, the electrode cleaning amount and the ionized water discharge amount are measured by time, but may be measured by integrating the flow rates of raw water (tap water) or ionized water with a flow meter. Although the electrode cleaning during the operation standby is automatically started by the timer control, the cleaning start switch may be manually operated based on the lighting of the lamp by the timer control or the user's judgment.
[0015]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, since the ionic water can be spouted even during the electrode washing, the usability of the ionic water generator is improved, and the washing is automatically restarted after the end of the spouting, so that insufficient washing is avoided, and the washing is interrupted. By restricting the amount of discharged ionic water, the excessive use of ionic water having degraded characteristics can be prevented.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a control block diagram of an ion water generator showing an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a front view showing an appearance of an ion water generator according to the embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram of the ion water generator of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a control program of a control unit in FIG. 1;
[Explanation of symbols]
2 water supply port 3 ion water discharge port 5 water discharge start switch 6 water discharge end switch 7 display unit 9 electrolytic cell 12 electrode 13 electrode 14 power supply 15 polarity switching circuit

Claims (2)

A DC voltage is applied to the electrode while supplying tap water to the electrolytic cell in which the electrode is installed, and the water in the electrolytic cell is electrolyzed to continuously generate ionic water to discharge water and to be applied to the electrode. In the ionized water generator that performs electrode cleaning by switching the polarity of the DC voltage to be applied,
Means for setting the allowable amount of ionized water spouting to be performed by stopping the electrode cleaning; means for measuring the amount of ionized water spouting; and stopping the electrode cleaning if there is a request for ionized water spouting during electrode cleaning. Control means for performing water discharge and stopping the water discharge of the ion water and restarting the electrode cleaning when the water discharge amount of the ion water during the suspension of the electrode cleaning reaches the permissible amount . . Ion water generator of claim 1, wherein providing the means for emitting simultaneously warning and water discharge stop of water.

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