JP3803448B2 - Electrolyzed water generator - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an electrolyzed water generator that generates electrolyzed water by electrolysis and performs a sterilizing action and the like.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, electrolyzed water generators have been used that generate hypochlorous acid, hypochlorite ions, chlorine ions, etc. by electrolysis from aqueous solutions of sodium chloride and inorganic acids to produce electrolyzed water having a bactericidal effect. .
[0003]
Conventionally, this type of electrolyzed water generator is generally configured as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.
[0004]
As shown in the figure, the main body 101 includes a stock solution tank 102 for storing a sterilization stock solution, an electrolysis tank 105 having a pump 103 for feeding the sterilization stock solution and an electrode plate 104, and a tap water supply unit 106 is connected to a water pipe, They are driven by a pump switch 107, an electrolytic cell switch 108, and a water supply device switch 109, respectively.
[0005]
The control unit 110 includes a microcomputer 111 that controls energization of the pump 103, the electrolytic cell 105, and the like, a power supply circuit 112 that supplies power to the microcomputer 111, an infrared sensor 113 that detects a finger, and a memory that stores the number of operations. It has the apparatus 114, the electricity supply display part 115 which displays a driving | running state, the abnormality display part 116 which notifies abnormality, and the electric current detection means 117 which detects the electric current which flows into the electrolytic cell 105. FIG.
[0006]
In the above configuration, when a finger is first taken out of the main body 101, the finger is detected by the infrared sensor 113, and the detection signal is input to the microcomputer 111. The pump switch 107, the electrolytic cell switch 108, the water supply device switch 109, The energization display unit 115 is driven. Next, the sterilization stock solution in the stock solution tank 102 is sent to the electrolytic bath 105 by the pump 103, and the electrolytic solution electrolyzed by the electrode plate 104 is mixed with the tap water sent from the water supply device 106 at the point A on the downstream side. It is diluted and becomes sterilized washing water, which is discharged from the washing water outlet 119 to wash the fingers.
[0007]
In addition, when the electrolytic cell 105 is deteriorated, the current value flowing through the electrode plate 104 is decreased and an appropriate electrolytic solution is not generated. Therefore, the current detection unit 117 is provided in the electrolytic cell 105 and the abnormality display unit 116 is displayed when the current value is decreased. Is turned on to prompt processing such as replacement of the electrolytic cell 105.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
In such a conventional electrolyzed water generator, when the water supply device and the pump are stopped at the same time, highly concentrated electrolyzed water remains in the path from the discharge port of the electrolytic cell to the wash water outlet, and the inner surface of the pipe is eroded and damaged. There is a problem that becomes easy, and there is a demand for a stopping method that does not leave electrolytic water in the discharge port of the electrolytic cell and the piping of the cleaning water outlet.
[0009]
In addition, even if the pump that sends the sterilization stock solution to the electrolytic cell fails, there is a problem that the current value in the electrolytic cell decreases and the indicator lamp lights up, and the electrolytic cell is mistakenly replaced according to the indication instructions, It is required that the pump malfunction can be correctly identified.
[0010]
The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to extend the life by not leaving a high concentration electrolyte in the path at the end of operation, and from the change in the current value of the electrolytic cell, It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrolyzed water generator that can correctly determine not only deterioration but also pump failure.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the electrolyzed water generator of the present invention includes an electrolyzer having an electrode plate, a pump for feeding a sterilization stock solution to the electrolyzer, a microcomputer for controlling the operation of the electrolyzer, and the pump, Current detection means for detecting the current flowing in the electrode plate of the electrolytic cell, the microcomputer measures the current value of the current detection means and the change width thereof in the same cycle as the output cycle of the pump, The configuration is such that a malfunction can be detected.
[0013]
According to the present invention, it is possible to extend the life by not leaving a high concentration electrolyte in the path at the end of operation, and to correctly determine not only the deterioration of the electrode plate but also the pump failure. A water generator is obtained.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention includes an electrolytic cell having an electrode plate, a pump for feeding a sterilization stock solution to the electrolytic cell, a microcomputer for controlling the operation of the electrolytic cell and the pump, and a current for detecting a current flowing through the electrode plate of the electrolytic cell. Having a detection means, wherein the microcomputer measures the current value of the current detection means and the change width thereof in the same cycle as the output cycle of the pump, and can detect a malfunction of the pump. When the motor is not driven, the phenomenon that the current flowing through the electrode plate does not fluctuate up and down is detected, and the malfunction of the pump can be determined.
[0016]
【Example】
Hereinafter, reference examples of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0017]
As shown in the figure, the main body 1 is provided with a stock solution tank 2 in which a sterilization stock solution such as sodium chloride is stored, and a pump 4 for supplying the sterilization stock solution of this stock solution tank 2 to the electrolytic cell 3. 5 is built-in. The pipe 9 connected to the outlet side of the electrolytic cell 3 is provided with a branch joint A and connected to a water supply device 6 to which tap water is supplied.
[0018]
In the control unit 11, the electrolysis tank switch 12, the pump switch 13 and the water supply device switch 14 are energized and controlled by the microcomputer 10, and the electrode plate 5, the pump 4 and the tap water supply device 6 inside the electrolysis tank 3 are operated and controlled. . The microcomputer 10 and the like are supplied with power by a power supply circuit 15, and the microcomputer 10 outputs a pulse voltage of 0.1 seconds for each frequency of 1 Hz to the pump switch 13 as shown in FIG.
[0019]
The operation unit 16 includes a power switch 17 for turning on / off the commercial power supply, a 15-second operation switch 18 for outputting sterilized water for 15 seconds, and a 5-minute operation switch 19 for outputting sterilized water for 5 minutes, and corresponds to each switch. Display means 20, 21, and 22 are provided.
[0020]
In the above configuration, for example, when the 15-second operation switch 18 is pressed, the microcomputer 10 energizes the pump switch 13, the water supply switch 14, the electrolytic cell switch 12 and the display means 21 for 15 seconds as a timer operation. The pump 4 is driven by the pump switch 13 to send the stock solution from the stock solution tank 2 to the electrolytic cell 3, electrolyze it with the electrode plate 5, and contains high concentrations of hypochlorous acid, hypochlorite ions, chlorine ions, etc. An electrolytic solution having a concentration is generated and flows into the pipe 9. At this time, tap water is mixed from the branch joint A provided in the middle of the pipe 9, and electrolyzed water adjusted to an appropriate concentration is supplied from the washing water outlet 23 for 15 seconds.
[0021]
Since the output to the pump switch 13 of the microcomputer 10 is a pulse output of 100 ms for each frequency of 1 Hz, the pump 4 first repeats the operation of operating for 0.1 seconds and stopping for 0.9 seconds. At the end of the operation, the microcomputer 10 outputs a stop signal in units of one second, and the pump 4 is operated and stopped for 0.1 second, but the water supply device 6 flows only the tap water for the remaining 0.9 second. Therefore, the electrolytic solution can be terminated without remaining downstream of the branch junction A of the pipe 9. Therefore, even if it is left for a long time after the operation is completed, the inner surface of the pipe 9 is not deteriorated, and the life can be extended. In addition, when the 5-minute operation switch 19 is pressed, the timer operation is performed for 5 minutes and stopped at the same timing.
[0022]
In this reference example, the timer operation is ended at 15 seconds or 5 minutes. However, the same operation and effect can be obtained by setting the operation stop timing at 1 Hz intervals even when the operation is ended by manual OFF.
[0023]
Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. In addition, the thing of the same structure as a reference example attaches | subjects the same number, and abbreviate | omits detailed description.
[0024]
As shown in the figure, current detection means 24 for detecting the current flowing in the electrolytic cell 3 is provided and connected to the input side of the microcomputer 10. The microcomputer 10 calculates the change of the current value detected by the current detection means 24 (difference between the maximum value and the minimum value) every 1 Hz which is the operation cycle of the pump 4, and constantly observes whether the value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. is doing.
[0025]
In the above configuration, the current flowing through the electrode plate 5 in the electrolytic cell 3 during operation is a sterilizing stock solution that is easily electrolyzed into the electrolytic cell 3 every time the pump output operates at 1 Hz when the pump 4 is operating normally. Therefore, the current value of the electrolytic cell 3 increases from 1 min to Imax and slowly decreases to Imin as shown in FIG. Further, since the current value decreases when the electrode plate 5 inside the electrolytic cell 3 is deteriorated, the microcomputer 10 determines that the electrode plate 5 is deteriorated if the current value from the current detection means 24 is less than the threshold value I0. to decide. However, if the sterilization stock solution is not normally sent out due to the disconnection or lock of the coil in the pump 4, the current increase / decrease between 1 Hz disappears as shown in FIG. 5 (b), and the microcomputer 10 cannot detect this current change. Therefore, it is determined that the pump 4 is not operating, and the operation is stopped by turning on the LED 25.
[0026]
In this way, by detecting the change in the current flowing through the electrolytic cell 3 between 1 Hz, when the change width is small, it is detected during operation that the pump is malfunctioning, and an abnormality is displayed, and the use is immediately performed. Can be interrupted.
[0027]
【The invention's effect】
As is clear from the above embodiments, according to the present invention, the high-concentration electrolyzed water output from the electrolytic cell is retained by making the stop timing of the pulse output to the pump earlier than the stop timing of the water supply device at the end of operation. Thus, it is possible to provide an electrolyzed water generator capable of preventing the phenomenon of corroding the inside of the pipe.
[0028]
In addition, the current of the electrode plate is detected at the same cycle as the output cycle of the pump, and when the amount of change is small, it can be determined that the pump is defective. And a sterilizing water generator having an effect of correctly determining a pump failure.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 (a) Front sectional view of electrolyzed water generator of reference examples and embodiments of the present invention (b) Side sectional view (c) Flow chart of the liquid [FIG. 2] Operation time chart of the main part [ [Fig. 3] Circuit diagram [Fig. 4] External view of the operation unit [Fig. 5] (A) Characteristic diagram of electrolytic cell current with respect to pump output during normal operation of the embodiment (B) Characteristic diagram at the time of failure of the pump 6 is a cross-sectional view of a conventional electrolyzed water generator. FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of the electrolyzed water generator.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Electrolyzer 4 Pump 5 Electrode plate 6 Water supply apparatus 10 Microcomputer 24 Current detection means

Claims (1)

  An electrolytic cell having an electrode plate, a pump for feeding a sterilization stock solution to the electrolytic cell, a microcomputer for controlling the operation of the electrolytic cell and the pump, and a current detection means for detecting a current flowing through the electrode plate of the electrolytic cell. The microcomputer measures the current value of the current detecting means and the change width thereof in the same cycle as the output cycle of the pump, and is capable of detecting a malfunction of the pump.

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