JP4474705B2 - Liquid supply device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a liquid supply apparatus that can sterilize a liquid in a tank and supply it to a user in a safe state without depending on the temperature, content, etc. of the liquid to be sterilized. .
[0002]
[Prior art]
A conventional technique will be described. In the conventional liquid supply device, when the liquid of the liquid supply device is cold water, sterilization of Escherichia coli etc. in the liquid is performed using a chemical such as hypochlorite. In some cases, sterilization of Escherichia coli in the liquid was performed by boiling.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the above conventional means cause the following problems.
[0004]
It is necessary to change the sterilization means such as using a medicine or using a heating means depending on the conditions of the liquid temperature, contents, etc., and the cost and space of an apparatus for realizing different sterilization means are required.
[0005]
In addition, it was necessary to consider the safety of drugs to the human body. Moreover, it is necessary to always prepare a medicine when sterilizing, and problems such as cost and maintenance have occurred in order to permanently sterilize.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to solve the above problems, in the present invention, sterilization in a liquid of a liquid supply apparatus is performed by a strong electric field generated by a high voltage pulse signal. According to this means, the sterilized one is not altered, so it is safe for the human body. In addition, since easy electricity is used, no special maintenance is required, so that the liquid in the liquid supply device can be permanently sterilized. Furthermore, since this means performs the sterilization of the liquid by the electric field, the sterilization ability is determined by the amount of electricity applied regardless of the state of the liquid, and the operation is easy.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention described in each claim that achieves the object of the present invention will be described together with its effects and actions, and further embodiments will be described in detail by adding examples.
[0008]
The invention described in claim 1 is a high voltage pulse sterilizing means for sterilizing bacteria in water by a high voltage pulse, a liquid tank for storing a liquid to be sterilized, and a pump for feeding the liquid to the high voltage pulse sterilizing means. And a water outlet provided after the high voltage pulse, and the water outlet is provided in the liquid supply device without draining outside the apparatus when the liquid of the high voltage pulse sterilizing means is discharged after use. Water is discharged to a used tank . According to such a configuration, bacteria such as E. coli contained in the liquid of the liquid supply device can be easily sterilized by an electric field generated by a high voltage applied to the sterilization tank, and an appropriate temperature is set in the tank at the time of discharge. different without providing the temperature and becomes liquid to the user, when always used Ru can provide liquid to the user at a suitable temperature.
[0009]
The sterilization mechanism is the one in which a voltage difference occurs between both ends of bacteria such as E. coli due to the electric field generated in the sterilization tank. For example, the paper Masayuki Sato, “Microbial sterilizers and their peripheral technologies”, Foods And container, Vol. 35, no. 6, P308 to P314.
[0010]
Further, in the above configuration, since the liquid is discharged while sterilizing immediately before the liquid supply device is taken out of the liquid supply device, it is possible to always supply the liquid in a safe state even when bacteria are propagated in the liquid supply device.
[0011]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, only the necessary amount of liquid is put into the high-voltage pulse sterilizing means every time it is used, and water is discharged after sterilization is completed. Liquid can be supplied to the user.
[0012]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, sterilization is performed only when the liquid in the tank of the high-voltage pulse sterilization means is full, and according to such a configuration, the dielectric of liquid and air is applied when a high voltage is applied to the electrode. Due to the difference in rate, it is possible to prevent a state in which an electric discharge occurs in the electrode and an electric field is not generated in the liquid, and bacteria such as E. coli are not sterilized.
[0013]
Further, the invention described in claim 4 discharges the liquid in the tank of the high-voltage pulse sterilization means every time when the use is completed, and according to such a configuration, the tank is discharged by discharging the liquid in the sterilization tank every time it is used. It is possible to prevent the bacteria from propagating inside and the liquid before sterilization and the liquid after sterilization are mixed.
[0015]
【Example】
An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[0016]
First, the configuration of the embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0017]
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a hot water tank for storing a warm liquid to be supplied to a user, and the warm liquid in the hot water tank 1 is sent to the first mixing plug 3 by the first pump 2 to be sent. Reference numeral 4 denotes a cold water tank for storing a cold liquid to be supplied to the user, and the cold liquid in the cold water tank 4 is sent to the second mixing plug 6 by the second pump 5 to be sent. Both the first pump 2 and the second pump 5 are liquid supply means. The first mixing plug 3 sends the liquid supplied from the first pump 2 and the second pump 5 to the water amount sensor 7.
[0018]
The used pump switching means 8 selects either the first pump control means 9 or the second pump control means 10. When the first pump control means 9 is selected by the use pump switching means 8, the first pump 2 is operated to send the liquid in the hot water tank 1 to the first mixing plug 3. Similarly, when the second pump control means 10 is selected by the use pump switching means 8, the second pump 5 is operated to send the liquid in the cold water tank 4 to the first mixing plug 3.
[0019]
The water amount sensor 7 measures the amount of water flowing from the first mixing plug 3 to the second mixing plug 6, and converts it into a water amount by the water amount measuring means 11.
[0020]
In order to discharge the liquid in the sterilization tank by the high-voltage pulse sterilization means, the second mixing plug 6 controls the inlet valve control of the gas by the tank water discharge means 12 for sending gas such as air and the liquid by the water amount sensor 7. The selection is made according to the inlet control signal of the means 13 and the high voltage pulse sterilization means 14 is sent.
[0021]
The third mixing plug 15 discharges the liquid sterilized by the high-voltage pulse sterilization means 14 with the gas discharged from the tank water discharge means 12 to discharge the liquid in the tank of the high-voltage pulse sterilization means 14. The discharge tank for storing the water and the water outlet from which the user receives the liquid of the liquid supply device are selected according to the water outlet control signal of the water outlet valve control means 14, and the liquid is fed in the selected direction.
[0022]
The sterilization procedure storage means 17 starts the sterilization of the liquid when the hot water tank 1 and the cold water tank 4 desired by the user are selected by the sterilization start switch 18, and the sterilization procedure storage means 17 stores the high voltage pulse sterilization means 14. The tank water discharge control means 19, the water inlet valve control means 13, the water outlet valve control means 16 and the pump use control means 20 are operated according to the stored procedure so that the liquid in the tank is discharged every time use is completed. To go.
[0023]
According to the said structure, by discharging the liquid in a sterilization tank for every use, it can prevent that a microbe propagates in a tank or a liquid mixes.
[0024]
In addition, liquid other than the liquid sterilized by the high-voltage pulse sterilization means 14 is sent to the discharge tank 21 by the third mixing plug 15, so that the temperature changes in the tank and becomes a temperature different from the desired temperature. The liquid can be provided to the user at the desired appropriate temperature when always in use, without providing the user with.
[0025]
The used pump control means 20 selects the hot tank 1 and the cold water tank 4 at the temperature desired by the user. In the case of the hot tank 1, the first pump control means 9 is selected, and in the case of the cold water tank 4, the second pump control means 20 is selected. The pump control means 10 is controlled by the use pump switching means 8 so that the water quantity passing through the water quantity sensor 7 from the water quantity measurement means 11 becomes the use water quantity storage means 22 storing one use quantity of water. Output a signal.
[0026]
Next, the high voltage pulse sterilizing means 9 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.
[0027]
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 23 denotes a high voltage generating means for generating a high voltage used when sterilizing bacteria contained in the liquid.
[0028]
The pulse time storage unit 24 stores the time interval of the high voltage pulse and outputs the pulse interval to the high voltage pulse generation unit 25. The high voltage pulse generation means 25 outputs a pulse signal to the changeover switch 26 so that high voltage pulses are generated at the pulse intervals stored in the pulse time storage means 24. The changeover switch 26 turns on / off the high voltage generated by the high voltage generator 23 according to the pulse signal from the high voltage pulse generator 25.
[0029]
The sterilization tank 27 receives a high voltage pulse from the changeover switch 26 and generates an electric field inside the tank to sterilize bacteria such as Escherichia coli.
[0030]
Reference numeral 28 denotes a sterilization device control means. When instructed by the sterilization procedure storage means 17 to perform sterilization, the high voltage generation means 23 and the high voltage pulse generation means 25 are operated by outputting control signals.
[0031]
Reference numeral 29 denotes a full water sensor, which determines whether or not the sterilization tank is full, and outputs a full water control signal to the sterilization procedure storage means 17 if it is full.
[0032]
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the sterilization tank in detail.
[0033]
30 is a first electrode, 31 is a second electrode, 30 is applied with a positive voltage, and 31 is applied with a negative voltage. In the sterilization tank 27, an electric field corresponding to the distance between the first and second electrodes 30, 31 to which the high voltage pulse is applied is generated.
[0034]
Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
[0035]
First, the operation of the high voltage pulse sterilizing means will be described with reference to FIG.
[0036]
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the voltage V applied to the sterilization tank, the electrode distance d, the electric field E, the size dk of the bacteria, and the voltage Vk applied to the bacteria. As shown in FIG. 3, V = E · d (V) between the voltage V, the electrode distance d, and the electric field E.
The following relational expression holds. When the size of the bacterium is dk, the voltage Vk applied to both ends of the bacterium is Vk = E · dk = (dk / d) · V (V)
It becomes. It has been found that if the voltage Vk applied to both ends of the bacterium exceeds about 0.7 V, the cells of the bacterium are destroyed and the bacterium is killed. This is described in, for example, a paper by Masayuki Sato, “Microbial sterilizers and related technologies in the future”, Food and Containers, VOL. 35, NO. 6, P308 to P314. When an electric field is generated by an impulse-like voltage having a pulse width of several tens of μsec, the pulse width is shorter than the mobility of ions of water and other substances in the treated water. It is known that electrolysis is difficult to occur.
[0037]
Further, in this method, since it is determined by the distance between the electrodes and the voltage applied between the electrodes, the bacteria contained in the liquid can be sterilized regardless of the state of the temperature, content, etc. of the liquid.
[0038]
Next, the used pump control means 20 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0039]
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the amount of liquid Vs to be sterilized and the sterilization time ts required to sterilize the entire amount of the liquid. However, the amount Vs of liquid to be sterilized on the horizontal axis and the sterilization time ts on the vertical axis.
[0040]
FIG. 4 shows that the greater the amount Vs of the liquid to be sterilized, the greater the number of bacteria to be sterilized, so that the time ts required for sterilization becomes longer and the required electrical energy also increases. Therefore, from the viewpoint of shortening the sterilization time as much as possible and providing the liquid as soon as possible to the user without consuming unnecessary energy, the sterilization is performed with the sterilization time ts corresponding to the amount Vs of liquid to be sterilized in FIG. Is the most appropriate.
[0041]
When the use pump control means 20 receives a command to operate from the sterilization procedure storage means 17, the water amount Vs measured by the water amount sensor 7 becomes the use water amount V liter per time stored in the use water amount storage means 22. Until the first pump 2 and the second pump 5 are operated. Then, from FIG. 4, the sterilization time ts necessary to sterilize the set amount of water V liter is determined, and sterilization by the high voltage pulse sterilization means 14 is performed for that time.
[0042]
Next, the sterilization procedure stored in the sterilization procedure storage unit 17 will be described with reference to FIG.
[0043]
FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the procedure stored in the sterilization procedure storage unit 17.
[0044]
When the user receives a liquid supply request from the liquid supply device through the sterilization start switch 18, the sterilization procedure storage means 17 first closes the third mixing plug 15 and changes the direction of the second mixing plug 6 from D. Change to F (step 50).
[0045]
The first pump 2 or the second pump 5 is operated to flow the liquid into the sterilization tank of the high voltage pulse sterilization means 14 (step 51). When a high voltage is applied to the electrode of the sterilization tank 27, the apparatus is on standby until the tank is full so that air discharge of the electrode does not occur due to the difference in dielectric constant between liquid and air (step 52).
[0046]
When the sterilization tank 27 is full, sterilization is started, the third mixing plug 15 is opened from G to H, and the liquid is supplied to the user until the amount of water used is reached (steps 53 and 54).
[0047]
When the amount of supplied liquid reaches the amount of water used, the direction of the third mixing plug 15 is changed from E to F, the direction of the second mixing plug 6 is changed from G to I, and the in-bath water discharging means 12 is operated. The water in the tank is discharged (step 55, step 56, step 57).
[0048]
In this embodiment, a high voltage pulse sterilizing means for sterilizing bacteria in water with a high voltage pulse, a liquid tank for storing liquid, a pump for feeding liquid to the high voltage pulse sterilizing means, and a high voltage pulse are provided after the high voltage pulse. It has a water outlet. According to such a configuration, bacteria such as Escherichia coli contained in the liquid of the liquid supply device can be sterilized by an electric field generated by a high voltage applied to the sterilization tank.
[0049]
In addition, the liquid is discharged while sterilizing immediately before the liquid supply device is taken out of the liquid supply device, and the liquid can be supplied in a safe state at all times even when bacteria are propagated in the liquid supply device.
[0050]
Further, in this embodiment, only the necessary amount of liquid is put into the high-voltage pulse sterilization means every time it is used, and water is discharged after the sterilization is completed. According to this configuration, the shortest time for sterilization is obtained. Only the sterilized liquid is provided to the user so that the sterilized liquid can be supplied to the user in the shortest time.
[0051]
Further, in this embodiment, the sterilization is performed only when the liquid in the tank of the high voltage pulse means is full, and according to such a configuration, the dielectric of liquid and air is applied when a high voltage is applied to the electrode. Due to the difference in rate, it is possible to prevent a state in which an electric discharge occurs in the electrode and an electric field is not generated in the liquid, and bacteria such as E. coli are not sterilized.
[0052]
Further, in this embodiment, the liquid in the tank of the high-voltage pulse sterilization means is discharged every time when the use is finished, and according to such a structure, the liquid in the sterilization tank is discharged every time it is used. In this case, it is possible to prevent the bacteria from propagating and the mixture of the sterilized liquid and the unsterilized liquid from being mixed.
[0053]
Further, in this embodiment, a valve is provided at the water outlet, and when the liquid of the high-voltage pulse sterilizing means is discharged after the use is completed, the water is discharged into the used tank in the liquid supply device without flowing out of the device. According to such a configuration, the liquid is supplied to the user at a desired appropriate temperature when always used without providing the user with a liquid having a temperature different from the desired temperature in the tank at the time of discharge. can do.
[0054]
【The invention's effect】
The invention according to claim 1 is a high voltage pulse sterilizing means for sterilizing bacteria in water by a high voltage pulse, a liquid tank for storing liquid, a supply means such as a pump for feeding the liquid to the high voltage pulse sterilizing means, A water outlet provided after the voltage pulse is provided , and the water outlet is not used for discharging the liquid of the high voltage pulse sterilization means after the end of use, and is not supplied to the used tank in the liquid supply device. The water has come out. According to such a configuration, bacteria such as Escherichia coli contained in the liquid of the liquid supply device can be sterilized by an electric field generated by a high voltage applied to the sterilization tank, which is different from a desired temperature in the tank at the time of discharge. without providing it became temperature liquid to the user, when always used Ru can be provided to the user of the liquid at a desired suitable temperature.
[0055]
The sterilization mechanism is due to a voltage difference generated between both ends of bacteria such as Escherichia coli due to an electric field generated in the sterilization tank. This is described in a paper by Masayuki Sato, “Future Microorganism Sterilizers and Related Technologies”, Food and Containers, Vol. 35, no. 6, P308 to P314 are also described in detail.
[0056]
Further, in the above configuration, since the liquid is discharged while sterilizing immediately before the liquid supply device is taken out of the liquid supply device, it is possible to always supply the liquid in a safe state even when bacteria are propagated in the liquid supply device.
[0057]
According to the second aspect of the present invention, only the necessary amount of liquid is put into the high voltage pulse sterilization means every time it is used, and water is discharged after the sterilization is completed. Since the sterilized liquid is sterilized for a necessary time and provided to the user, the sterilized liquid can be supplied to the user in a short time.
[0058]
The invention described in claim 3 is configured to perform sterilization only when the liquid in the tank of the sterilization pulse means is full, and according to such a configuration, the dielectric of liquid and air is applied when a high voltage is applied to the electrode. Due to the difference in rate, it is possible to prevent a state in which an electric discharge occurs in the electrode and an electric field is not generated in the liquid, and bacteria such as E. coli are not sterilized.
[0059]
Further, the invention according to claim 4 is configured to discharge the liquid in the tank of the high-voltage pulse sterilization means at every use end, and according to such a configuration, the liquid in the sterilization tank is discharged every use. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the bacteria from growing in the tank or the mixture of the already sterilized liquid and the unsterilized liquid.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a liquid supply apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the high voltage pulse generating means. FIG. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of liquid Vs to be sterilized and the sterilization time ts. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the sterilization procedure storage means.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hot water tank 2 1st pump 3 1st mixer tap 4 Cold water tank 5 2nd pump 6 2nd mixer tap 7 Water quantity sensor 8 Used pump switching means 9 1st pump control means 10 2nd pump control means 11 Water volume measuring means 12 Tank water draining means 13 Water inlet valve control means 14 High-voltage pulse sterilizing means 15 Third mixing plug 16 Water outlet valve control means 17 Sterilization procedure storage means 18 Sterilization start switch 19 Tank water discharge control means 20 Used pump control means 21 Drain tank 22 Used water amount storage means 23 High voltage generation means 24 Pulse time storage means 25 High voltage pulse generation means 26 Changeover switch 27 Sterilization tank 28 Sterilization device control means 29 Full sensor 30 First electrode 31 Second electrode

Claims (4)

High voltage pulse sterilization means for sterilizing bacteria in the liquid by high voltage pulse, liquid tank for storing liquid to be sterilized such as hot water or cold water, and liquid in the liquid tank for the high voltage pulse sterilization Supply means such as a pump that feeds into the means, and a water outlet provided after the high voltage pulse, and the water outlet discharges the liquid outside the device when the liquid of the high voltage pulse sterilization means is discharged after use is completed. Without draining into the used tank in the liquid supply device , and depending on the temperature, content, etc. of the liquid, and sterilizing the liquid in the tank in a safe state and supplying it to the user Liquid supply device.   2. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high-voltage pulse sterilizing unit sterilizes only a necessary amount of liquid in the high-voltage pulse sterilization unit every time it is used, and discharges water after the sterilization is completed.   3. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high voltage pulse sterilizing means performs sterilization only when the liquid in the tank of the high voltage pulse sterilizing means is full.   4. The liquid supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the high-voltage pulse sterilizing unit discharges the liquid in the tank of the high-voltage pulse sterilizing unit every time use is finished.

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