JP4882485B2 - Electric water heater - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an electric water heater that learns the usage status of a user and automatically controls the temperature of liquid (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 what is suppressing is known (for example, refer to patent documents 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 2003-284644 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, during the heating of the liquid when shifting from the non-use time zone to the use time zone, in order to avoid the power breaker operation, the energization to the heating means is always performed by the fixed on / off duty control. It is carried out. However, it may not be necessary to avoid the operation of the power breaker depending on the usage status of the electrical appliances in each household. In such a case, the heating time becomes longer due to the fixed on / off duty energization control, which is not convenient. It was.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electric water heater that is efficient and easy to use while avoiding a power breaker operation and shortening a water heater time as much as possible. .

In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, the electric water heater of the present invention has at least two types of heat retention control temperatures, ie, a first predetermined temperature and a second predetermined temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature. A heat retention control temperature for selecting one of the heat retention control temperatures based on the user's usage pattern, and controlling the energization of the heating means based on the selected heat retention control temperature, and the heat retention control portion for maintaining the heat at the second predetermined temperature. Liquid addition detection means for detecting whether or not liquid has been added during the control, and when the heat insulation control unit shifts the heat insulation control temperature from the second predetermined temperature to the first predetermined temperature based on the usage pattern of the user When the addition of liquid is detected by the liquid addition detecting means, the power saving automatic control means for controlling the heating of the liquid until boiling, the voltage fluctuation detecting means for detecting the power supply voltage fluctuation during heating by the heating means, and the continuous continuous energization of the heating means of A continuous energization time determining means for determining a continuous energization time; and an avoidance control means for controlling an energization rate to the heating means, and based on detection information from the voltage fluctuation detection means, by the continuous energization time determining means and the avoidance control means. The heating control of the heating means can be varied so that the time for boiling the water can be shortened while avoiding the power breaker operation .

  As a result, the heating control of the heating means can be varied based on the detection information of the power supply voltage fluctuation by the voltage fluctuation detecting means, and the on / off duty energization is not performed continuously, or the energization is always performed without the continuous energization, and the on / off duty is always energized. Or an optimum combination of continuous energization and on / off duty energization, and while avoiding the power breaker operation, the water heater time can be shortened as much as possible, providing an efficient and easy-to-use electric water heater be able to.

  The electric water heater of the present invention can reduce the time of water heating as much as possible while avoiding the power breaker operation, and can provide an efficient and easy-to-use electric water heater.

The first invention has at least two heat retention control temperatures, ie, a first predetermined temperature and a second predetermined temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature, and the temperature control temperature is controlled based on a user's usage pattern. One of them is selected, and a heat retention control unit that controls energization of the heating means based on the selected heat retention control temperature, and whether or not there has been addition of liquid during the heat retention control by the heat retention control unit at the second predetermined temperature. Based on the user's usage pattern and the liquid addition detection means to detect, the liquid addition detection means detects the addition of liquid when the heat retention control unit shifts the heat retention control temperature from the second predetermined temperature to the first predetermined temperature. Then, a power-saving automatic control means for controlling the heating of the liquid until boiling, a voltage fluctuation detecting means for detecting a power supply voltage fluctuation during heating by the heating means, and a continuous energization time determination for determining the continuous energization time of continuous full energization of the heating means Means and And a avoidance control means for controlling the duty ratio to the heating means, heating control of the heating means and the avoidance control means and the continuous energization time determining means based on detection information from the voltage variation detecting means while avoiding the power breaker operation This is an electric water heater that can be varied so that the time for water heating can be shortened . As a result, the heating control of the heating means can be varied based on the detection information of the power supply voltage fluctuation by the voltage fluctuation detecting means, and the on / off duty energization is not performed continuously, or the energization is always performed without the continuous energization, and the on / off duty is always energized Or an optimum combination of continuous energization and on / off duty energization, and while avoiding the power breaker operation, the water heater time can be shortened as much as possible, providing an efficient and easy-to-use electric water heater be able to.

  In the second invention, in particular, in the first invention, when the heat retaining control unit shifts the heat retaining control temperature from the second predetermined temperature to the first predetermined temperature, the addition of the liquid must be detected by the liquid additional detecting means. For example, by providing additional non-detection heating means for heating to a third predetermined temperature higher than the first predetermined temperature, the heat retention stabilization time at the first predetermined temperature can be shortened, and the user can connect with other devices. This eliminates the need to be aware of the operation of the power breaker when used in combination, and improves usability.

  In particular, the third aspect of the present invention controls the energization rate by having the avoidance control heating display means for displaying that the energization rate is controlled by the avoidance control means in the first or second invention. The user can be notified that heating is in progress. Therefore, if the user is not a device with a high electric energy, it is not necessary to avoid the combined use and the usability can be improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment)
The figure shows an electric water heater in an embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, an apparatus body 1 of an electric water heater includes a container 2 that contains a liquid (hot water) to be heated, a temperature detection means 3 that is attached to the container 2 and detects the temperature of the liquid in the container 2, It has the discharge means 4 which discharges | emits a liquid with a pump, and the heating means 5 which consists of two heaters, 925W and 75W.

  The use detecting means 6 detects the actual use of the liquid in the container 2 based on inputs from the heating means 5 and the discharge means 4. The storage means 7 inputs the output from the use detection means 6 at a predetermined cycle (in this embodiment, 20 minutes) and accumulates it sequentially in a plurality of storage areas, and learns the actual usage of the user. The use time zone and the non-use time zone are stored.

The heat retention control unit 8 has at least two types of heat retention control temperatures, ie, a first predetermined temperature and a second predetermined temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature, and a user's usage pattern (input from the storage means 7). ) To select one of the plurality of heat retention control temperatures, and to control the energization of the heating means 5 based on the selected heat retention control temperature. In the present embodiment, the first predetermined temperature is 98 ° C., which is a temperature set by the user, and the second predetermined temperature is 60 ° C. Further, based on the relationship between the input from the temperature detection means 3 and the selected heat retention temperature, the 75W heater of the heating means 5 is turned on and off to control the temperature, and based on the input from the temperature detection means 3 during the heat retention mode, When the water in the container 2 becomes 5 ° C. lower than the selected heat retention temperature, the mode shifts to the boiling mode and the 925 W heater of the heating means 5 is turned on.

  The liquid addition detection means 9 detects whether or not the liquid has been added during the temperature control at the second predetermined temperature. Specifically, addition of a liquid that does not fall below 60 ° C. while the heat retention control unit 8 controls the liquid in the container 2 at 60 ° C. (in this embodiment, the time during which the hot water temperature decreases by 5 ° C. is less than 10 seconds) Detect whether or not there was.

  Based on the usage pattern of the user, the power saving automatic control means 10 causes the liquid addition detection means 9 to change the liquid when the heat insulation control unit 8 shifts the heat insulation control temperature from the second predetermined temperature to the first predetermined temperature. Is detected, the liquid is heated up to boiling. Specifically, when the heat retention control unit 8 shifts from 60 ° C. to 98 ° C., if liquid is added during the heat retention control at 60 ° C. by the input from the liquid addition detecting means 9, it is left to us. It shifts to the boiling mode, and the liquid in the container 2 is heated to boiling by the 925 W heater of the heating means 5. The boiling setting input means 11 turns on the 925 W heater of the heating means 5 by its operation.

  The addition non-detection heating means 12 is the first if the liquid addition detection means 9 does not detect the addition of liquid when the heat retention control unit 8 shifts the heat retention control temperature from the second predetermined temperature to the first predetermined temperature. Heating to a third predetermined temperature higher than the predetermined temperature of 1. That is, when the heat retention control unit 8 shifts from 60 ° C. to 98 ° C., if the addition of the liquid is not detected during the heat retention control at 60 ° C. by the input from the liquid addition detection means 9, the heating means 5 The 925W heater is used to automatically heat the liquid in the container 2 to a third predetermined temperature (in this embodiment, the user sets a temperature of 98 ° C. + 1 ° C. of 99 ° C. regardless of the amount of liquid). This is in addition to the function of the control means 10.

  The voltage fluctuation detecting means 13 is always detecting the power supply voltage fluctuation during heating by the heating means 5. The avoidance control unit 14 determines the energization rate (in this embodiment, 15 seconds on and 15 seconds off) to the 925 W heater of the heating unit 5 by input from the power saving automatic control unit 10 or the additional non-detection heating unit 12. It is something to control. The continuous energization time determination means 21 determines and controls the continuous energization time of continuous full energization performed before the on / off duty energization by the input from the voltage fluctuation detection means 13.

  As a result, the heating control of the heating means 5 can be automatically changed (update setting) based on the detection information of the power supply voltage fluctuation by the voltage fluctuation detecting means 13, and the on-off duty energization is not performed continuously or continuously energized. It can be energized with an on / off duty from start to finish, or an optimum combination of continuous energization and on / off duty energization, avoiding the power breaker operation and reducing the water heating time as much as possible. An easy-to-use electric water heater can be provided.

  The avoidance control heating display device 20 displays that heating for controlling the energization rate is performed by the avoidance control means 14, and can notify the user that heating for controlling the energization rate is in progress. As a result, it is not necessary to avoid the combined use with other devices unless the device has a high electric energy, and the usability can be improved.

  The operation of the electric water heater configured as described above will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a flowchart for explaining the control contents of the use detection unit 6, the heat retention control unit 8, the liquid addition detection unit 9, and the power saving automatic control unit 10.

  As shown in FIG. 2, when the electric water heater is turned on, the mode is switched (STEP 1), the heat retaining mode (STEP 2), the boiling mode (STEP 4), or the automatic boiling mode (STEP 3). The use detection means 6 detects the actual use of the liquid in the container 2, and uses the discharge status as a unit time for 20 minutes, which indicates whether the discharge means 4 is discharged and whether the boiling setting input means 11 is boiling. (STEP9, STEP11) Writing into the corresponding area of the storage means 7 (STEP10, STEP12). However, the usage status writing method is as follows: from unit 1 to area 72 with unit time of 20 minutes, unit time zone including discharge time and boiling operation time, and unit time zones before and after that, as usage time, and other unit time Assume that bands are stored separately as non-use time.

  Then, until 24 hours have passed after the reset is released (STEP 13), the heat retaining control unit 8 keeps 98 ° C. heat (STEP 25), that is, adjusts the temperature of the liquid in the container 2 with the 98 ° C. heat retaining temperature, and automatically boiles 98 ° C. Based on the temperature (STEP 26), the heat-retaining mode (STEP 27) is maintained or shifted to the boiling mode (STEP 28). If 24 hours have passed since the reset was released (STEP 13), the thermal insulation control unit 8 reads out the accumulated use result of the corresponding area up to the previous day from the storage means 7 (STEP 14), and according to the actual use of the corresponding time zone (STEP 15). If it is a non-use time zone, 60 ° C. heat retention (STEP 16), and if it is a use time zone and the previous time zone is not 60 ° C. heat insulation (STEP 21), 98 ° C. heat insulation control (STEP 25) is performed.

  By the way, while the heat retention control unit 8 is maintaining the temperature at 60 ° C. (STEP 16), the liquid addition detecting means 9 detects whether or not the liquid is added to the container 2 (STEP 17), and the addition of the liquid is detected. If the temperature falls below the 60 ° C. automatic boiling temperature (STEP 18), 5 ° C. lower than the 60 ° C. holding temperature (STEP 18), a signal is output to the heat holding control unit 8 so as to shift to the boiling mode (STEP 20). (STEP 18) A 60 ° C. warm water retention additional flag is set (STEP 19), and a signal is output to the power saving automatic control means 10.

  When the heat-saving control unit 10 detects that the actual usage in the corresponding time zone is in use (STEP 15) and the previous time zone is 60 ° C. warming (STEP 21), the power saving automatic control means 10 adds liquid. Based on the input from the detection means 9, when it is detected that water has been added during the 60 ° C. heat retention (STEP 22), a signal is output to the liquid addition detection means 9 so as to clear the 60 ° C. warm water addition flag (STEP 23) Then, when shifting to the automatic boiling mode (STEP 24), the operation of the heat retention control unit 8 is stopped until the boiling is detected. If no addition of water is detected during the heat retention at 60 ° C. (STEP 22), the heat retention at 98 ° C. A signal is output to the heat retention control unit 8 so as to shift to (STEP 27).

  Then, in the automatic boiling mode (STEP 3), the power saving automatic control means 10 turns on the 925 W heater of the heating means 5 to heat the liquid in the container 2 until it boils, and when boiling is detected (STEP 5), the heat retention mode is entered. A signal is output to the heat retention control unit 8 so as to shift (STEP 6) to start the operation. Further, when the heat retention control unit 8 shifts to the boiling mode (STEP 4), the 925 W heater of the heating means 5 is turned on to heat the water in the container 2 until it boils, and when boiling is detected (STEP 7), the heat retaining mode 8 is entered. Transition (STEP 8).

  Furthermore, the energization control to the heating means 5 in STEP24 and STEP27 will be described in more detail based on FIG. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the relationship among the power saving automatic control means 10, the additional undetected heating means 12, and the avoidance control means 14.

When the heat retention control unit 8 shifts from the non-use time zone to the use time zone, that is, from 60 ° C. heat retention to 98 ° C. heat insulation temperature control, the power saving automatic control means 10 receives a signal input from the liquid addition detection means 9. When the addition of water that does not fall below 60 ° C. is detected during 60 ° C. heat retention, the 925 W heater of the heating means 5 is turned on in the automatic boiling mode, and the water in the container 2 is heated until it boils. Sometimes, the power-saving automatic control means 10 continuously energizes the power breaker for a predetermined period of time so that the power breaker does not operate based on the detection result of the voltage fluctuation detection means 13 (depending on the detection result such as other devices being unused) Is continuously energized without being interrupted by the avoidance control means 14, and after a predetermined time has passed, the avoidance control means 14 is intermittently energized (STE) based on the detection result of the voltage fluctuation detection means 13. 60, STEP 61, STEP 62) The relay is turned OFF for 15 seconds (STEP 63) or 15 seconds ON (STEP 64). In the mode branch (STEP 65), if the automatic boiling mode (STEP 66), it is heated until boiling is detected (STEP 68). In the temperature control mode (STEP 67), the water temperature is heated to 99 ° C. (STEP 69), and when the heating is completed, a signal is output to the heat retention control unit 8 so as to shift to the heat retention mode.

  In this embodiment, heating is performed up to 99 ° C. regardless of the amount of water. However, by detecting the amount of water, the heating end temperature is changed depending on the water amount detection result, such as 99 ° C. or 98 ° C., depending on the amount of water. You may let them.

  The energization ratio is 15 seconds on and 15 seconds off, but depending on the usage status of the combined electrical equipment, relay contact life, breaker electrical characteristics, etc., 10 seconds on, 10 seconds off, 30 seconds on, 15 seconds off It is also possible to set an arbitrary energization ratio. Further, the energization ratio can be constantly changed according to the power supply voltage detection result.

  In the present embodiment, the first predetermined temperature is 98 ° C., but there may be another temperature such as 85 ° C., and the second predetermined temperature at this time may be 60 ° C. or lower. This temperature varies depending on the configuration. In addition, the first predetermined temperature is single at 98 ° C., but the second predetermined temperature is also 60 ° C. as well as 98 ° C., 85 ° C., 70 ° C., but 85 ° C., 70 ° C., 60 ° C., 55 ° C. A plurality of units such as ° C. can be provided and can be selected by the user. If there are a plurality of first predetermined temperatures, the temperature control end temperature may be set according to each set temperature.

  In addition, since the learning memory contents are accumulated for two weeks, even in the unit time zone that has been divided from the usage time in the past, it is changed to the non-use time if it is not used for two weeks.

  Also, depending on the availability of the storage area of the microcomputer, in this embodiment, the number of areas is set to 72 in units of 20 minutes, but the actual number of usage for 24 hours is stored by setting the number of areas to 144 in units of 10 minutes. Any number may be used.

  Further, in this embodiment, if it is detected that water is added so as not to fall below 60 ° C. during the heat retention at 60 ° C., the hot water in the container 2 is changed when the temperature control is controlled from 60 ° C. to 98 ° C. However, if it is detected that water has been added, it is possible to heat to boiling immediately, and when shifting from 60 ° C. to 98 ° C. temperature control, only heating is performed and boiling may not be performed.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the case where a backup battery such as a rechargeable battery is used is not particularly described. However, the use detection means 6 continuously detects the actual use of hot water in the container 2 even during the backup. If the learning storage contents can be stored by the storage means 7, the actual use can be continuously stored even during the backup.

In addition, in this embodiment, the time for the hot water temperature to drop by 5 ° C. is set to be less than 10 seconds as the threshold value for detecting the addition of water, but this threshold value varies depending on the material and size of the container. Therefore, in this case, a threshold value suitable for the container may be set.

  Further, in this embodiment, there is one threshold value for water addition detection regardless of the amount of water, but a plurality of threshold values may be provided depending on the amount of water if there is room in the capacity of the microcomputer.

  With the above configuration, energy-saving automatic operation can be realized by performing heat insulation control according to the life pattern based on the actual usage of the user or the usage pattern desired by the user. When the hot water in the container 2 is heated from the non-use time zone to the use time zone, the operation of the power breaker is automatically avoided and the water boiling time can be shortened as much as possible to improve usability. be able to.

  As described above, the electric water heater according to the present invention can provide an electric water heater that can reduce the water heater time as much as possible while avoiding the power breaker operation, and can provide an efficient and easy-to-use electric water heater. It can also be applied to many household appliances including hot water heaters that require energy-saving power such as standby power consumption.

The block diagram which shows the structure of the electric water heater in embodiment of this invention Flow chart for explaining the control contents of the usage detection means, the heat retention control section, and the power saving automatic control means in the electric water heater The flowchart explaining the control content of the heat retention control part and avoidance control means in the electric water heater

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Temperature detection means 4 Discharge means 5 Heating means 6 Use detection means 7 Storage means 8 Thermal insulation control part 9 Liquid addition detection means 10 Power saving automatic control means 11 Boiling setting input means 12 Additional undetected heating means 13 Voltage fluctuation detection means 14 Avoidance Control means 20 Avoidance control heating display device 21 Continuous energization time determination means

Claims (3)

There are at least two heat retention control temperatures, a first predetermined temperature and a second predetermined temperature lower than the first predetermined temperature, and one of the heat retention control temperatures is selected based on the usage pattern of the user And a heat retention control unit that controls energization of the heating unit based on the selected heat retention control temperature, and a liquid addition detection unit that detects whether or not liquid has been added during the heat retention control at the second predetermined temperature. When the heat addition control unit detects the addition of the liquid when the heat holding control unit shifts the heat holding control temperature from the second predetermined temperature to the first predetermined temperature based on the usage pattern of the user, the liquid is heated to boiling. To the power saving automatic control means for controlling, the voltage fluctuation detecting means for detecting the power supply voltage fluctuation during heating by the heating means, the continuous energization time determining means for determining the continuous energization time of continuous full energization of the heating means, and the heating means of And a avoidance control means for controlling the conductivity, the heating control of the heating means and the avoidance control means and the continuous energization time determining means based on detection information from the voltage variation detecting means shorter kettle time while avoiding the power breaker operation An electric water heater that can be changed as possible. A third predetermined temperature higher than the first predetermined temperature if the liquid addition detecting means does not detect the addition of liquid when the heat retention control unit shifts the heat retention control temperature from the second predetermined temperature to the first predetermined temperature. The electric water heater according to claim 1, further comprising additional undetected heating means for heating up to. The electric water heater according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an avoidance control heating in-display means for displaying that heating is in progress to control the energization rate by the avoidance control means.