JP4258431B2 - Electric water heater - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electric water heater that learns the use situation of a user and automatically performs temperature control of hot water based on the learned result.

  Conventionally, this kind of electric water heater learns the actual usage of the user, and based on the learning data, the hot water temperature maintenance operation desired by the user is stopped during the use time, and the hot water heating operation is stopped during the non-use time Or it is suppressing (for example, refer patent document 1).

According to this electric water heater, since the heating operation to the hot water is automatically stopped or suppressed during the non-use time period, the energy-saving automatic operation can be performed without trouble and with high accuracy.
JP 2003-210328 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, the hot water temperature maintaining operation can be performed only based on the past actual usage of the user, and thus cannot be completely controlled according to the hot water temperature maintaining operation desired by the user. Even when it is intended to stop or suppress the heating operation to hot water, the heating operation is performed to maintain a high temperature, which may be different from the one desired by the user.

  This invention solves the said conventional subject, and it aims at providing the electric water heater which can heighten an energy-saving effect further by eliminating the difference with the hot water temperature maintenance operation | movement which a user desires.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, an electric water heater of the present invention includes a container for storing a liquid, a heating means for heating the liquid in the container, a use detection means for detecting a use state, and the use detection means. A use state storage means for storing a predetermined number of days for each predetermined unit time, and a plurality of arbitrary use states stored for each predetermined unit time as existing data independently of the use state storage means A use state storage unit; and a selection unit that selects a use state from the use state storage unit and the existing use state storage unit, and controls the operation of the heating unit based on the use state selected by the selection unit. It is a thing.

  Thereby, the difference from the hot water temperature maintaining operation desired by the user is eliminated, and the energy saving effect can be further enhanced by performing the energy saving automatic operation according to the user's request.

  The electric water heater of the present invention eliminates the difference from the hot water temperature maintenance operation desired by the user, can control the hot water temperature intended by the user, and can perform more efficient energy-saving automatic operation.

A first aspect of the present invention is a container containing a liquid, and heating means for heating the liquid in the container, a use detection means for detecting a use state, the predetermined number of days the output of said use sensing means for each predetermined unit time the use state storage means for during storage, and the existing use state storage means for storing a plurality of optional use state as existing data for each predetermined unit time independently of the use state storage means, the use state storage means and selecting means for selecting a use state from the existing use state storage means and, by an electric water heater for controlling the operation of said heating means based on the use state selected by said selection means, the user's actual use The user can arbitrarily select the use data that has been learned, or the existing data, and automatically control the heating operation based on the selected data. It is possible to rolling, it is possible to further increase the energy-saving effect.

In addition, the existing use state storage means stores a plurality of arbitrary use states as existing data, so that there are a plurality of options desired by the user, so that more accurate energy saving desired by the user can be achieved. Automatic operation is possible and functionality is improved.

In the second invention, in particular, in the first invention, the existing data in the use state stored by the existing use state storage means can be arbitrarily edited, so that not only the existing learning data but also By selecting learning data obtained by editing existing data so as to automatically control the heating operation desired by the user, an energy-saving automatic operation close to the user's desire can be performed, and usability and functionality are improved.

In the third invention, in particular, in any one of the first and second inventions, the existing data in the use state stored by the existing use state storage means is different from the use state stored as the existing data. Since new data can be added, any desired data can be newly created, so that the user's desired energy-saving automatic operation can be performed and a power saving effect can be exhibited.

In the fourth aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to third aspects of the invention, the data stored by the use state storage means can be arbitrarily edited. If you edit the learning data that learned the actual usage of the user, you can create the learning data desired by the user more easily by saving the effort to create compared to creating any new data, Functionality can be improved and a power saving effect can be exhibited.

In a fifth aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fourth aspects of the invention, the selection unit selects a use state stored in at least one of the use state storage unit and the existing use state storage unit. Thus, since there are a plurality of options desired by the user, it is possible to easily select desired learning data, and it is possible to improve usability, functionality, and power saving effect.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, this invention is not limited by this embodiment.

(Embodiment)
1 to 3 show an electric water heater according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a main body 1 has a container 2 having an upper surface opening for containing a liquid, and the upper surface opening of the container 2 is covered with a lid 3. Further, the container 2 has a heating means 4 for heating the liquid in the container 2, a temperature sensor 5 for detecting the liquid temperature in the container 2, and electric motor for guiding hot water in the container 2 from the discharge port 29 to the outside. A pump 7 and a motor 6 as a driving source thereof are provided. A commercial power supply means 19 for inputting commercial power is disposed on the side of the main body 1, and an operation unit 8 that can be easily operated by the user is disposed above the lid 3. The heating means 4 has a large output for boiling the liquid in the container 2, for example, a main heater of 1000 W and a relatively small output for keeping the liquid in the container 2, for example, an auxiliary heater of 75 W, for example. It is configured.

Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the operation unit 8 boils hot water in a warm state again with a hot water switch 9 for pouring hot water, a hot water unlocking switch 10 for permitting operation of the hot water operation, and so on. Re-boiling switch 11 for raising, heat retention temperature setting selection switch 12 for setting the heat retention temperature, use state selection switch 14 for selecting the use state as the operation pattern, and existing for selecting the existing use state as the operation pattern The use state selection switch 15, the selection switch 13 for selecting an operation pattern to be actually operated based on the selection results of the use state selection switch 14 and the existing use state selection switch 15, and the display element 17 (in the figure, the state of 98 ° C. heat insulation stability) Display).

  Returning to FIG. 1, the use detection means 20 for detecting the use state corresponds to the hot water switch 9, and receives a signal from the hot water switch 9 and outputs a signal to the use state storage means 24. The time measuring means 21 outputs a signal to the use state storage means 24. The use state selection unit 22 corresponds to the use state selection switch 14 and selects the use state storage unit 24 that serves as control data for the operation pattern 27. The existing use state selection unit 23 corresponds to the existing use state selection switch 15 and selects the existing use state storage unit 25 which is the control data of the operation pattern 27. The use state storage unit 24 stores the output of the use detection unit 20 for a predetermined number of days every predetermined unit time. If there is an input from the use state selection switch 14, the use state data is selected as an operation pattern. The In addition, the existing use state storage unit 25 always stores an arbitrary use state as existing data from the initial state every predetermined unit time independently of the use state storage unit 24. The existing use state selection switch 15 If there is an input from, use state data is selected as the operation pattern.

  The selection means 26 corresponds to the selection switch 13 and selects the actual usage from the use state storage means 24 and the existing use state storage means 25, and is selected by the use state selection means 22 and the existing use state selection means 23. The operation pattern 27 to be controlled is selected based on the operation pattern. The operation pattern 27 is determined by determining a time zone that is not used from the use state storage unit 24 or the existing use state storage unit 25 selected by the selection unit 26, or from the use state storage unit 24 and the existing use state storage unit 25. Determined from the contents. Based on the operation pattern 27, the control unit 28 transmits a signal to the heating unit 4 based on the temperature data input from the temperature sensor 5, performs boiling, stops the heating unit 4 when boiling is detected, and terminates the boiling. Thereafter, control is performed so as to maintain the heat insulation temperature. That is, the operation of the heating unit 4 is controlled based on the actual usage selected by the selection unit 26.

  Next, the usage state of the electric water heater in this Embodiment is demonstrated.

  When commercial power is supplied via the commercial power supply means 19, the clock means 21 operates, and the output from the usage detection means 20 is stored in the usage status storage means 24 for a predetermined number of days for each predetermined unit time. I will remember it. The output of the use detecting means 20 is generated depending on whether or not an actual discharge operation in which the user releases the hot water lock with the hot water lock release switch 10 and inputs the hot water switch 9 is performed. Then, the accumulated time of the predetermined unit time is also stored. For this reason, it can be stored in the usage state storage means 24 while corresponding to the relative time zone of 24 hours a day and its use and non-use, regardless of whether or not the usage state storage means 24 is selected by the selection means 26. The above operation is performed.

  If the use state storage unit 24 is selected by the selection unit 26, the control unit 28 performs cumulative addition for each time zone when a predetermined number of days have elapsed, ”And identify a time period less than the predetermined date as a“ non-use time period ”.

  Similarly, if the existing use state storage unit 25 is selected by the selection unit 26, the control unit 28 performs cumulative addition for each time zone based on the use state of the existing data, and the time period in which the number of use days is equal to or greater than a predetermined day. Is identified as a “usage time zone”, and a time zone less than a predetermined day is identified as a “non-use time zone”.

  Further, if both the use state storage unit 24 and the existing use state storage unit 25 are selected by the selection unit 26, the control unit 28 performs cumulative addition for each time zone obtained by adding both data, and similarly identifies them. .

After this identification, the control means 28 also uses the heat retention temperature desired by the user (here, 98 ° C.) for the “use time zone” and the “non-use time zone” for the heat retention temperature desired by the user. The heating means 4 is automatically controlled in a one-day cycle so that the temperature becomes low (here, 60 ° C.).

  Next, an automatic control method of the heating means 4 of the electric water heater will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

  In the following description, the predetermined unit time is 1.5 hours, and the determination days of the “use time zone” and “non-use time zone” are one day.

  As shown in FIG. 3 (a), when the hot water frequency every 1.5 hours is as shown in the figure, if the hot water discharge operation is performed even once in 1.5 hours to the use state storage means 24, "1 “If there is no hot water operation even once,“ 0 ”is written in 16 different areas per day. As the time of 1.5 hours elapses, the write target data area sequentially shifts from 1 to 16, so that address 1 is 0 to 1.5 hours, 2 is 1.5 hours to 3 hours, and 3 is 3 It means a relative time zone in 24 hours a day in the form of time to 4.5 hours. 3B shows the existing data, FIG. 3C shows the data determined from the usage data and the existing data, and FIG. 3D shows the determined operation pattern.

  After selecting the use state by the use state selection unit 22 and the existing use state selection unit 23, if the selection unit 26 selects to perform control based on the stored data, the cumulative addition for each time zone is performed, and the result is “ If it is 1 or more, it is divided into “use time zone”, and if it is less than “1”, it is divided into “nonuse time zone” for 24 hours. Further, both the use data and the existing data can be arbitrarily selected by the selection means 26. After the selection by the selection means 26, the heating means 4 is automatically controlled so that the “use time zone” is kept at 98 ° C. and the “non-use time zone” is kept at 60 ° C. When the heat retention at 60 ° C. ends and the temperature shifts to 98 ° C. heat retention, the operation of increasing the temperature to the absolute temperature of 98 ° C. by the main heater is performed. During 60 ° C. heat retention, the temperature is kept at a temperature lower than 98 ° C., thus saving energy.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the user arbitrarily selects one or both of the usage data that has been learned about the actual usage of the user or the existing data that is set as the default. Based on the selected data, the “use time zone” suppresses the hot water temperature maintenance operation desired by the user, and the “non-use time zone” suppresses the heating operation to hot water. Energy-saving automatic operation is possible.

  In the present embodiment, the number of existing data is not specified, but depending on the memory capacity, for example, a single pattern, a family pattern of two people, a large family pattern, a family pattern with / without children, and the like A pattern can also be stored as default data. If the number of data is large, the user's selection range is widened, and the usability is improved.

  In addition, if the user can arbitrarily edit existing data or usage data that has been learned from actual usage, or if a new user-defined arbitrary pattern can be set, the user-friendliness is further improved. .

  In the present embodiment, learning is performed by recognizing the relative time of the 24-hour timer, so that it is an inexpensive configuration that does not need to hold the clock function and the calendar function.

  In addition, since the warming operation is performed even during the “non-use time zone”, it is possible to prevent the proliferation of hot water germs and the like even during automatic operation, and in addition, the user can obtain the desired hot water during the time zone when it is determined not to be used. When required, the desired boiling water can be obtained in a relatively short time by performing the re-boiling operation.

  In this embodiment, the learning by the 24-hour timer has been described. However, if the clock function and the calendar function are provided and the actual usage and the absolute time are stored together, the user has to bother to set and edit. For example, you can switch the heat retention temperature setting for `` non-use time '' between daytime and nighttime, or separate learning for weekdays and weekends and holidays to allow automatic driving for different patterns for weekdays and holidays. The energy-saving effect by automatic driving can be further increased.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the heat retention temperature in the “use time zone” has been described as 98 ° C., but if the heat retention temperature setting selection switch 12 is switched to 98 ° C., 90 ° C., 85 ° C., and 80 ° C., User convenience is further improved.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the determination days of “use time zone” and “non-use time zone” have been described as fixed days. However, for example, a judgment day changeover switch is provided in the operation unit 8 to allow the user to freely If the degree of energy saving during automatic operation can be switched, the user-friendliness is further improved.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the use detecting means 20 has been described as a hot water operation. However, even if the use detecting means 20 is an operation of the hot water lock release switch 10, the reboiling switch 11 has been used for boiling water. Even if it is during the period of time, or during the time when the water heater operation is performed by water supply, and even when it is assumed that the combination of the above four types of operations is performed, the same effect as this embodiment can be obtained. It is done.

  In the present embodiment, the operation in the case where the commercial power is not supplied is not particularly described. However, when the commercial power is off while the backup power is held, the operation of the timing means 21 is continued with the backup power. If there is, it is possible to realize an energy-saving automatic operation that is not affected by turning on and off the commercial power supply.

  As described above, the electric water heater according to the present invention eliminates the difference from the hot water temperature maintenance operation desired by the user, can control the hot water temperature intended by the user, and can perform more efficient energy-saving automatic operation. It can also be applied to many household appliances including built-in type water heaters, etc. that require energy-saving power such as standby power consumption.

Configuration diagram of an electric water heater in an embodiment of the present invention The block diagram which shows the operation part of the electric water heater (A) The figure which shows the usage data in the electric water heater (b) The figure which shows the existing data (c) The figure which shows the data determined from usage data and the existing data (d) The figure which shows the determined operation pattern

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 2 Container 4 Heating means 20 Usage detection means 21 Timekeeping means 24 Usage state storage means 25 Existing usage state storage means 26 Selection means 27 Operation pattern 28 Control means

Claims (5)

A container for accommodating the liquid, a heating means for heating the liquid in the container, a use detection means for detecting a use state, said use is stored for a predetermined number of days for each predetermined unit time the output of the detection means used state memory means and said the use state storage means and existing use condition storage means for storing a plurality of optional use state for each predetermined unit time independently as existing data, the existing use condition storage and the use state storage means and selecting means for selecting a use state from the means, electric kettle for controlling the operation of said heating means based on the use state selected by said selection means. 2. The electric water heater according to claim 1, wherein the existing data of the use state stored by the existing use state storage means can be arbitrarily edited. The electric water heater according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the existing data of the use state stored by the existing use state storage means can add new data different from the use state stored as the existing data. . The electric water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the data stored by the use state storage means can be arbitrarily edited. Selection means uses state storage means with the existing use state storage means and the electrical water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 4 so as to select the use state stored on at least one.

Images