JP3622474B2 - Operation control method for bath equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a bath apparatus operation control method. For example, the present invention relates to an operation control method for a one-can / two-water bath apparatus having a reheating function and a bubble generating function.
[0002]
[Prior art]
A return pipe is connected between the circulation fitting of the bathtub and the inlet side of the heat exchanger, a forward pipe is connected between the circulation fitting of the bathtub and the outlet side of the heat exchanger, and a three-way valve is connected from the return pipe. There is a one-can / two-water bath apparatus in which a bypass channel branched through a pipe is joined to an outgoing pipeline.
[0003]
In such a bath apparatus, during a reheating operation or an anti-freezing operation, the circulation pump is operated in such a manner that the three-way valve is operated so that the upstream side and the heat exchanger side of the return line communicate with each other. And circulate hot water in the heat exchanger. When the circulation judgment is performed or when hot water is dropped, the circulation pump is operated with the three-way valve operated to connect the upstream side and bypass side of the return line, and hot water is circulated through the bypass line. Let
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In the bath apparatus configured as described above, the three-way valve is switched from the heat exchanger side to the bypass path side while the circulation pump is operated, or the three-way valve is switched from the bypass path side to the heat exchanger side while the circulation pump is operated. Sometimes switch. For example, when the chasing operation is finished, the circulation determination may be performed by circulating the bypass path in order to monitor the bath water level, air purge and agitation of hot water in the bathtub. In that case, in the conventional bath apparatus, the three-way valve was switched from the heat exchanger side to the bypass path side while operating the circulation pump.
[0005]
However, in the middle of switching the outlet side of the three-way valve from the heat exchanger side to the bypass path side (or in the middle of switching the outlet side of the three-way valve from the bypass path side to the heat exchanger side), the outlet side of the three-way valve is blocked ( Since the three-way valve is in the closed state, there is a problem in that the internal pressure of the piping in the instrument (that is, the portion upstream of the three-way valve in the return line) increases due to the pump pressure. And when the internal pressure rise of such an in-appliance piping was repeated, there existed a possibility that the bath apparatus might be damaged.
[0006]
The present invention has been made in view of the drawbacks of the above conventional example, and its purpose is to prevent an increase in the internal pressure of the piping in the appliance during switching of the circulation path, and to improve the durability of the bath apparatus. It is in.
[0007]
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The operation control method for a bath apparatus according to claim 1 divides a bypass path through a three-way valve from a return pipe piped between a circulation fitting of a bathtub and a heat exchanger, The bypass line is joined to the forward pipe lined between the exchanger and the upstream side of the return line three-way valve and the heat exchanger side communicate with each other, and the return line three-way valve. In the bath apparatus provided with a circulation pump in the return line or the forward line, the three-way valve is opened on the heat exchanger side so that the three-way valve can be switched to a state where the upstream side and the bypass line side communicate with each other. When switching between the operation state of operating the circulation pump and the operation state of opening the three-way valve on the bypass path side and operating the circulation pump, the three-way valve is driven to switch between the heat exchanger side and the bypass path side. In the middle of switching Te is characterized thereby temporarily stopping the circulation pump.
[0008]
In the operation control method for a bath apparatus according to claim 1, since the circulation pump is stopped in the middle of switching the three-way valve between the heat exchanger side and the bypass path side, the three-way valve is Even in the closed state, the internal pressure of the in-appliance piping does not increase due to the pump pressure. Therefore, damage to the in-appliance piping due to repeated increases in the internal pressure of the in-appliance piping can be prevented, and the durability of the bath apparatus can be improved. Therefore, in a closed state where at least the three-way valve is not open on either the heat exchanger side or the bypass side, it is necessary to stop the circulation pump.
[0009]
In addition, the resumption timing of the circulation pump is monitored by a timer so that the circulation pump is operated again after a longer time than the standby time required until the circulation pump is restarted after the circulation pump is stopped. By doing so, it is possible to prevent an excessive load from being applied to the circulation pump.
[0010]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an operation control method for a bath apparatus in which a bypass path is branched via a three-way valve from a return pipe that is piped between a circulation fitting for a bathtub and a heat exchanger. The bypass line is joined to the forward pipe lined between the exchanger and the upstream side of the return line three-way valve and the heat exchanger side communicate with each other, and the return line three-way valve. The three-way valve can be switched to a state in which the upstream side and the bypass path side communicate with each other, and a bubble generating bypass path that can be opened and closed is provided between the return pipe and the forward pipe, and the return pipe or In the bath apparatus provided with a circulation pump in the forward pipeline, the operation state in which the three-way valve is opened on the heat exchanger side and the circulation pump is operated, and the operation state in which the three-way valve is opened on the bypass line side and the circulation pump is operated. When switching the operation of In the middle switching for switching to drive the valve between the heat exchanger side and the bypass road, it is characterized in that to open the bypass passage for the bubble generation.
[0011]
In the operation control method for a bath apparatus according to claim 3, since the bypass passage for generating bubbles is opened in the middle of switching the three-way valve between the heat exchanger side and the bypass passage side, Even if the three-way valve is closed while the pump continues to operate, hot water flows through the bubble generation bypass passage, thereby releasing the internal pressure of the in-appliance piping. Therefore, damage to the in-appliance piping due to repeated increases in the internal pressure of the in-appliance piping can be prevented, and the durability of the bath apparatus can be improved.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of a hot water supply apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. A hot water supply side heat exchanger 3 and a bath side heat exchanger 4 are disposed in the can body 2, and an oil burner 6 and a blower fan 7 are provided below the heat exchangers 3 and 4. A heat exhaust port 5 is opened on the upper surface of the.
[0013]
In the oil burner 6, when the electromagnetic valve 9 provided in the oil supply path 8 is opened and the electromagnetic pump 10 is operated, oil (petroleum) circulates in the oil supply path 8 and is discharged from the nozzle 11 in a mist form. The mist-like oil discharged from the nozzle 11 is mixed with air and burned. The oil burner 6 has an ignition device 12 for igniting oil discharged from the nozzle 11 and a combustion detection sensor (frame rod) 13 for monitoring combustion. The blower fan 7 forcibly supplies air to the oil burner 6 and is controlled so as to burn oil at an optimum air-fuel ratio.
[0014]
A hot water supply passage 14 and a hot water supply passage 15 are connected to the hot water supply side heat exchanger 3 to constitute a hot water supply water heater. Water (city water) introduced from the water supply path 14 through the filter 17 is heated while passing through the hot water supply side heat exchanger 3 during combustion of the oil burner 6, and sent out from the hot water supply side heat exchanger 3 to the hot water supply path 15. It is. The hot water supply side bypass passage 16 connects between the water supply passage 14 and the hot water supply passage 15 so as to bypass the hot water supply side heat exchanger 3, and the hot water heated by the hot water supply side heat exchanger 3 and the hot water supply side bypass passage are connected. The water flowing through 16 is mixed and supplied to the hot water / mixing channel 25. The flow rate of water flowing through the hot water supply side bypass passage 16 and the flow rate of hot water discharged from the hot water mixing passage 25 are controlled by a water proportional valve 19 and a water amount servo valve 20, respectively. Further, the outputs (measurement signals) of the water volume sensor 18, the incoming water temperature sensor 21, the can body hot water temperature sensor 22, and the mixing temperature sensor 23 are input to a controller (not shown), and the controller supplies hot water from the hot water supply side heat exchanger 3. The thermal power of the oil burner 6 and the water proportional valve 19 are controlled so that the temperature of the hot water discharged from the can body discharged into the passage 15 and the temperature of the hot water mixed into the hot water mixing passage 25 are equal to the set values. The hot water adjusted to the set temperature is discharged from the hot water tap 24 through the hot water / mixing passage 25.
[0015]
The bath-side heat exchanger 4 constitutes a part of the bath apparatus. That is, the bath apparatus was connected to the bath-side heat exchanger 4 heated by the oil burner 6, the bath-side water intake pipe 33 connected to the inlet side of the bath-side heat exchanger 4, and the circulation fitting 48 of the bathtub 47. A return pipe consisting of a return pipe 32, a forward side pipe consisting of a bath side hot water pipe 34 connected to the outlet side of the bath side heat exchanger 4 and a forward pipe 35 connected to a circulation fitting 48 of the bathtub 47, and a bath A bypass path that branches from the connection point of the side inlet pipe 33 and the return pipe 32 via the three-way valve 42 and bypasses the bath side heat exchanger 4 and joins the connection point of the bath side outlet pipe 34 and the outgoing pipe 35. 36, and further includes a bubble generating bypass passage 37 having a two-way valve 44, further bypassing the bath-side heat exchanger 4 and the bypass passage 36 and communicating with the return pipe 32 and the forward pipe 35. Here, the bypass path 36 is mainly used when determining circulation or dropping hot water, and the bubble generating bypass path 37 is mainly used for bubble bath operation.
[0016]
The return pipe 32 is provided with a water level sensor 38, a circulation pump 39, a bath-side water flow switch 40, and a hot water temperature sensor 41 such as a thermistor. An air pipe 45 is connected to the circulation fitting 48 of the bathtub 47, and the air pipe 45 communicates with the forward pipe 35.
[0017]
The return pipe 32, the bath-side water inlet pipe 33, the bath-side heat exchanger 4, the bath-side hot water outlet pipe 34, and the forward pipe 35 constitute a reheating circuit, and the branch pipe 26 branched from the hot-water mixing path 25 is , A vacuum breaker 27, a dropping water electromagnetic valve 28, a water amount sensor 29, a check valve 30 and a connecting pipe 31 are connected to the forward pipe 35 of the reheating circuit.
[0018]
The structure of the three-way valve 42 is shown in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. The three-way valve 42 has a cylindrical valve body 51 rotatably accommodated in a casing 49 that communicates with the return pipe 32, the bypass path 36, and the bath-side water intake pipe 33. A water passage 52 bent in a substantially L shape is opened. The water passage 52 opened on the lower surface of the valve main body 51 is always in communication with the return pipe 32, and the water passage 52 opened on the side surface of the valve main body 51 is on the side of the bath-side water intake pipe 33 as the valve main body 51 rotates. (Hereinafter referred to as the can body side) and the bypass path 36 side (hereinafter referred to as the bypass side).
[0019]
The valve body 51 is attached to a rotating shaft 50 of a stepping motor (pulse step motor) 43, and the rotation angle is controlled by designating the number of steps of the stepping motor 43. For example, the valve body 51 is within a range of 0 ° to 315 °. It can be rotated at any angle. Therefore, it can be used not only in the fully opened state on the can body side and in the fully opened state on the bypass side, but also in any half-open state. Further, the three-way valve 42 has a limiter (not shown) that electrically detects a state in which the rotation angle of the valve body 51 is 0 ° and 90 °, and is fully opened on the can body side. A limiter (hereinafter referred to as a reference limiter) disposed at the 0 ° position is sometimes turned on. The rotation angle of the valve body 51 is controlled by the number of steps of the stepping motor 43 with reference to the ON position (0 ° position) of the reference limiter.
[0020]
(Operation during reheating operation)
Next, the operation at the time of the chasing operation of the bath apparatus will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Moreover, Fig.4 (a)-(f) has shown the change of the state of a three-way valve. When a reheating switch provided in a bathroom remote controller (not shown) or the like is turned on, the valve body 51 of the three-way valve 42 is initially set to the 0 ° position and then driven to a predetermined half-open state. That is, when an operation signal for the chasing operation is output from the controller (S1), the flag F for three-way valve control is set to OFF (= initial setting mode) (S2). Next, a step number larger than the number of steps required to return the valve body 51 to the 0 ° position is input to the stepping motor 43, and the three-way valve 42 rotates beyond the 0 ° position as shown in FIG. (S3).
[0021]
At this time, the abnormality timer is started at the same time (S4), and the initial setting operation is being performed (flag F = OFF) (S5). (S6).
[0022]
If the reference limiter does not turn on even if the abnormal timer counts up after the lapse of the specified time (S7), it is determined that the three-way valve 42 does not return to the 0 ° position due to the failure of the three-way valve 42, and the controller etc. An error display notifying the abnormality of the valve 42 is output (S8).
[0023]
When the reference limiter is turned on within a specified time until the abnormality timer counts up, the stepping motor 43 is forcibly stopped, and the three-way valve 42 is stopped at the position of the reference limiter as shown in FIG. 4B. (S9). When the three-way valve 42 is stopped, the flag F is switched to ON (= half-open mode), and the reference position is set so that the stop position (reference limiter position) of the three-way valve 42 is 0 ° (S10).
[0024]
When the three-way valve 42 is set to the position of the reference limiter in this way, the rotation angle of the three-way valve 42 is controlled by the number of steps of the stepping motor 43 with respect to the 0 ° position, and the three-way valve 42 has a predetermined angle (this The angle can be set in several steps) and is controlled to be in a half-open state. That is, the three-way valve 42 is immediately driven toward the bypass side (S11). When the three-way valve 42 is driven to the bypass side, the abnormality timer is reset and started (S4). At this time, the flag is F = ON (S5), and it is monitored whether the three-way valve 42 rotates to the bypass side and the reference limiter is turned off (S12).
[0025]
At this time, if the reference limiter does not turn off even after the specified time elapses and the abnormality timer counts up (S13), it is determined that the three-way valve 42 is stuck at the 0 ° position due to a failure, and the controller, etc. An error display notifying the abnormality of the three-way valve 42 is output (S14).
[0026]
When the reference limiter is turned off within the specified time until the abnormality timer counts up, the stepping motor 43 rotates by the designated number of steps, and the three-way valve 42 is set to a predetermined value as shown in FIG. Drive to the half-open state and stop (S15, S16). Then, the circulation pump 39 is operated (S17). When hot water exceeding the minimum operating flow rate is detected, the oil burner is ignited, and the hot water in the bathtub 47 is returned to the return pipe 32, the bath side water inlet pipe 33, as shown in FIG. The hot water heated by the bath-side heat exchanger 4 is returned to the bathtub 47 by being circulated through the bath-side heat exchanger 4, the bath-side outlet pipe 34 and the forward pipe 35. At this time, the two-way valve 44 of the bubble generating bypass passage 37 is in a fully closed state, and the dropping water electromagnetic valve 28 is in a fully closed state.
[0027]
In this way, by setting the three-way valve 42 in a half-open state in the direction of the bath-side heat exchanger 4 during the reheating operation, the flow rate of the hot water flowing through the reheating circuit can be reduced, so that hot water is It is possible to prevent the bather from being unpleasantly ejected.
[0028]
(Post-processing after chasing)
Thereafter, when the reheating switch is turned off and the reheating operation is stopped, the three-way valve is fully opened on the bypass side in accordance with the flowchart of FIG. 6 in order to monitor the bath water level, air purge and agitation of hot water in the bathtub. The circulation determination is executed by switching as described above. That is, when the chasing operation is completed, the oil burner 6 is extinguished. At that time, the circulation pump 39 is also stopped (S21), and then the three-way valve 42 is driven to the bypass side (S22). When the three-way valve 42 is driven to the bypass side and the three-way valve 42 reaches the position of a limiter (hereinafter referred to as an intermediate limiter) at a 90 ° position as shown in FIG. 4D, the intermediate limiter is turned on (S23). The delay timer starts (S24). When the delay timer counts up after a lapse of a certain time (S25), the circulation pump 39 starts again (S26).
[0029]
Here, the time from the start of the delay timer to the count-up is required for the valve body 1 of the three-way valve 42 to rotate from the 90 ° position in FIG. 4 (d) to a slightly opened state on the bypass side. The time is set longer than the time. Further, the delay timer takes into consideration the waiting time required before restarting the circulation pump. Therefore, during a period in which the three-way valve 42 is in the closed state in which neither the can body side nor the bypass side is open, the circulation pump 39 is stopped, and pressure from the circulation pump 39 is applied to the return pipe 32 to damage the return pipe 32. It is possible to prevent the durability from being lowered.
[0030]
In order to stop the circulation pump 39 while the three-way valve 42 is in the closed state, the three-way valve 42 is slightly on the bypass side as shown in FIG. The number of steps of the stepping motor 43 for rotating to the open position is obtained, converted into a timer time, and the circulation pump 39 is stopped until the timer time elapses after the three-way valve 42 is driven. May be. However, in this case, the timer time is not constant depending on the position of the three-way valve 42 at the end of the chasing operation, and the processing becomes complicated. On the other hand, if the delay timer is started on the basis of the time when the intermediate limiter is turned on, the time until the delay timer counts up becomes constant regardless of the position of the three-way valve 42 at the end of the chasing operation. can do. Furthermore, by monitoring the time until the circulation pump is restarted using a delay timer, the circulation pump can be operated after a sufficient time has passed to eliminate the back electromotive force generated from the circulation pump. .
[0031]
When a three-way valve without an intermediate limiter is used, the delay timer may be started by detecting the position of 90 ° from the number of steps of the stepping motor 43.
[0032]
After the operation of the circulation pump is resumed in this way, as shown in FIG. 4 (f), when the three-way valve 42 reaches the target position (for example, the fully open position on the bypass side) and stops (S27, S28), as shown in FIG. Circulation determination is performed in a simple circulation path, and air purge and agitation of hot water in the bathtub are performed. After the circulation pump is stopped, the three-way valve 42 is closed as shown in FIG. 4D, for example, and the water level sensor 38 detects the water level in the bathtub.
[0033]
(Operation during anti-freezing operation)
Next, the case of anti-freezing operation will be described. In winter and cold regions, anti-freezing operation is performed at night to prevent the heat exchanger and piping from freezing. This is to prevent freezing by operating the circulation pump 39 without burning the oil burner 6 and circulating hot water in the bathtub in the bath-side heat exchanger 4. This freeze-preventing operation is automatically repeated throughout the night at regular intervals determined by the outside air temperature.
[0034]
When the anti-freezing operation switch is pressed, the anti-freezing operation is executed in the order shown in the flowchart of FIG. 3 as in the reheating operation except that the oil burner 6 is not combusted. At this time, when the three-way valve 42 is fully opened on the can body side, the flow rate increases and the air sucked from the air pipe 45 blows out from the circulation fitting 48, and when hot water containing this air is sucked from the circulation fitting 48, it is replenished. Since air is caught in the firing circuit, the three-way valve 42 is half-opened on the can body side to perform the freeze prevention operation. However, when the anti-freezing operation is automatically repeated after the first anti-freezing operation is completed, the three-way valve 42 remains fixed in a half-open state on the can body side without following the flow chart of FIG. Freezing prevention operation is repeated. That is, even when the first anti-freezing operation is finished or when the subsequent anti-freezing operation is finished, the three-way valve 42 is not driven so as to be in the fully open direction on the can body side and is in a half-open state on the can body side. Maintained. In addition, when the freeze prevention operation is repeated, the three-way valve 42 is not driven for an abnormality check and is maintained in a half-open state.
[0035]
Since the three-way valve 42 is not driven and is fixed at a certain opening while the anti-freezing operation is automatically repeated, the three-way valve 42 can be prevented from being repeatedly driven. The failure occurrence rate of the valve 42 can be reduced.
[0036]
When performing the foam bath operation, the two-way valve 44 is opened and the circulation pump is operated, and the jet water flow containing bubbles is discharged from the circulation fitting 48. At that time, the three-way valve is closed or bypassed. Opening on the side or opening on the can side allows various modes of bubble bath operation. Moreover, since the three-way valve 42 is driven by the stepping motor 43, the three-way valve 42 can be set to an arbitrary opening degree.
[0037]
(Second Embodiment)
In the above embodiment, the internal pressure of the return pipe 32 is prevented from rising by stopping the circulation pump 39 while the three-way valve 42 is closed. However, the internal pressure is increased by opening the two-way valve 44 of the bubble generation bypass passage 37. You may make it escape.
[0038]
FIG. 8 shows an operation when the three-way valve 42 is switched from the can side to the bypass side by this method. According to this, at the start of driving of the three-way valve 42, the two-way valve 44 is slightly opened without stopping the circulation pump 39 (S31), and the pump pressure is released to the bubble generating bypass passage 37 side, and in this state the three-way valve When the delay timer counts up, the two-way valve 44 is closed (S32), and the bath device is controlled to stop the three-way valve 42 at the target position (S27, S28).
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a hot water supply apparatus including a bath apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 2A and 2B are schematic cross-sectional views showing the structure of a three-way valve.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining an operation during a chasing operation.
4A to 4F are cross-sectional views showing changes in the state of a three-way valve.
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a reheating operation state by the bath device same as above.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an operation when the three-way valve is switched from the can side to the bypass side.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an operation state of the circulation determination by the bath device same as above.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing an operation when switching the three-way valve from the can body side to the bypass side in another embodiment of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
4 Bath side heat exchanger 32 Return pipe 33 Bath side inlet pipe 34 Bath side outlet pipe 35 Outlet pipe 36 Bypass pipe 37 Bubble bypass passage 39 Circulation pump 42 Three-way valve 44 Two-way valve

Claims (3)

The bypass line is branched from the return line piped between the circulation fitting of the bathtub and the heat exchanger via a three-way valve, and the above-mentioned pipe is connected to the forward pipe lined between the circulation fitting of the bathtub and the heat exchanger. The bypass path is merged, and the upstream side and the heat exchanger side of the return line are in communication with the upstream side and the upstream side of the return line and the bypass path are in communication with the three-way valve. In a bath apparatus that allows a valve to be switched and a circulation pump is provided in the return line or the forward line,
When switching the operation state between the operation state in which the three-way valve is opened on the heat exchanger side and the circulation pump is operated and the operation state in which the three-way valve is opened on the bypass line side and the circulation pump is operated, the three-way valve is driven. An operation control method for a bath apparatus, wherein the circulation pump is temporarily stopped during switching between the heat exchanger side and the bypass path side. A timer is used to monitor the timing of restarting the circulation pump so that the circulation pump is operated again after a longer time than the waiting time required until the circulation pump is restarted after the circulation pump is stopped. The operation control method of the bath apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The bypass line is branched from the return line piped between the circulation fitting of the bathtub and the heat exchanger via a three-way valve, and the above-mentioned pipe is connected to the forward pipe lined between the circulation fitting of the bathtub and the heat exchanger. The bypass path is merged, and the three-way valve is in the state where the upstream side and the heat exchanger side are in communication with the three-way valve in the return line, and the state in which the upstream side and the bypass line side are in communication with the three-way valve in the return line. In the bath apparatus that allows the valve to be switched, and further provides a bubble generation bypass path that can be opened and closed between the return line and the forward line, and a circulation pump is provided in the return line or the forward line,
When switching the operation state between the operation state in which the three-way valve is opened on the heat exchanger side and the circulation pump is operated and the operation state in which the three-way valve is opened on the bypass line side and the circulation pump is operated, the three-way valve is driven. In the middle of switching between the heat exchanger side and the bypass path side, the bubble generating bypass path is opened.

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