JP6225535B2 - Bathtub cleaning system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a bathtub cleaning system for automatically cleaning a bathtub by ejecting hot water or water supplied from a water heater (heat source machine) with a cleaning nozzle.

  As a bathtub cleaning system, a cleaning pipe connected to a cleaning nozzle provided in the bathtub is connected to a water heater (heat source device), and the cleaning liquid, hot water or water is supplied from the cleaning nozzle using hot water or water supplied from the water heater. Is known to perform a bathtub washing operation by spraying the water. Hereinafter, the hot water or water supplied from the water heater (heat source machine) to the bathtub cleaning system is collectively referred to as “cleaning water”.

  As such a bath cleaning system, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-207753 (Patent Document 1) has a cleaning pipe connected between a connecting pipe drawn from a hot water outlet pipe of a water heater and a cleaning nozzle. A configuration in which an open / close valve that is an on / off valve that opens a flow path of a cleaning pipe is provided in the pipe is disclosed.

  In the automatic bath cleaning system described in Patent Document 1, when hot water is used on the hot water supply side by opening other plugs such as currants, the flow rate of the cleaning pipe decreases due to a decrease in water pressure. For this reason, control is described in which the use of hot water supply and the bathtub cleaning operation are simultaneously continued by increasing the opening of a water amount control valve provided in the cleaning pipe according to the flow rate of the cleaning pipe.

  Further, Patent Document 1 describes that when the flow rate of the cleaning pipe cannot be obtained even when the opening degree of the water amount control valve is maximized, the bathtub cleaning operation is interrupted by closing the opening / closing valve of the cleaning pipe. ing.

  In Japanese Patent No. 4761154 (Patent Document 2), as in Patent Document 1, in a bathtub cleaning apparatus configured to supply cleaning water to a cleaning nozzle by a cleaning pipe branched from a water heater output, ) Describes a technique for controlling bathtub washing operation without the need for information from the side.

  Specifically, in the bathtub cleaning device described in Patent Document 2, the opening and closing of other stoppers is determined based on the fluctuation state of the flow rate sensor of the cleaning pipe, and the determination result is reflected to reflect the bathtub cleaning. Controlling the counting of time is described.

JP 2009-207753 A Japanese Patent No. 4761154

  As described in Patent Document 1, when the bathtub cleaning operation is temporarily interrupted in response to a decrease in the supply flow rate from the water heater (heat source device) to the cleaning pipe by using other plugs, the bathtub is started from the standby state after the interruption. Control is needed to resume the cleaning operation. Patent Document 1 describes that the bathtub cleaning operation is restarted in accordance with the measured flow rate in the water heater.

  However, when a bathtub cleaning device is newly attached by bathroom renovation or the like, information is communicated between the bathtub cleaning system side and the heat source machine (water heater) side as described in Patent Document 2. There may be system configurations that cannot. In such a case, the technique described in Patent Document 1 cannot be applied to control interruption and resumption of the bathtub cleaning operation.

  On the other hand, in Patent Document 2, it is determined whether the other plug is open or closed based on the fluctuation state of the flow rate sensor of the cleaning pipe while the pouring electromagnetic valve that opens and closes the flow path of the cleaning pipe is maintained in the open state. . That is, Patent Document 2 assumes that the flow rate of the cleaning pipe is also restored by the water amount servo valve when the water pressure once lowered is restored by the end of the use of the other plug while the flow path of the washing pipe is maintained. Yes.

  For this reason, in the configuration in which a device having a hysteresis characteristic between the pressure and the flow rate such as a water governor valve is connected to the cleaning pipe, it is difficult to appropriately execute the bath cleaning operation after the use of the other plugs is completed. That is, Patent Document 2 does not describe anything about the interruption of the bathtub cleaning operation with the closing of the flow path of the cleaning pipe and the restart of the bathtub cleaning operation from the interruption as in Patent Document 1.

  This invention was made in order to solve such a problem, and the objective of this invention is in the bathtub washing system which cannot mutually communicate information with the hot water supply (heat source machine) which supplies washing water. It is to appropriately control interruption and resumption of the bath cleaning operation when the supply pressure of the cleaning water from the water heater is lowered.

  A bathtub cleaning system according to the present invention includes a cleaning nozzle provided in a bathtub, a cleaning pipe disposed between a tapping pipe and a cleaning nozzle of a heat source machine, and an on-off valve for opening and closing a flow path of the cleaning pipe. And a flow rate sensor for detecting the flow rate of the cleaning pipe, and a control device for controlling the operation of the on-off valve. The control device includes retry means and selection means. When the flow rate in the open state of the on-off valve during the bathtub cleaning operation is smaller than the first reference value, the retry means temporarily closes the on-off valve to interrupt the bathtub cleaning operation and opens the on-off valve after the closing. Execute retry operation to release again. According to the flow rate when the on-off valve is opened by the retry operation, the selection means restarts the bathtub washing operation by maintaining the open state of the on-off valve and continues the interruption of the bathtub washing operation by closing the on-off valve again And select one of them.

  In the above bath cleaning system, when the pressure and flow rate of the cleaning water supplied to the cleaning pipe decreases due to the use of hot water on the heat source unit (hot water heater) side, the retry is performed after the on-off valve is closed for a certain period of time and then opened again. The action can be executed automatically. Then, based on the flow rate of the cleaning water after the opening / closing valve is opened by the retry operation, the bathtub cleaning operation can be resumed when the flow rate of the cleaning water is recovered. Therefore, the bathtub washing operation can be interrupted when the flow rate of the washing water is reduced and the bathtub washing operation can be automatically restarted after the flow rate is restored without receiving information on the use of hot water supply on the heat source device side. That is, it is possible to appropriately control interruption and resumption of the bath cleaning operation when the supply pressure of the cleaning water from the heat source machine is reduced. In particular, since the on-off valve is opened after it has been once closed by a retry operation, the bathtub cleaning operation is resumed even in a configuration in which a device (such as a water governor valve) having a hysteresis characteristic between pressure and flow rate is interposed in the cleaning pipe. The flow rate of the subsequent washing water can be ensured.

  Preferably, the control device sets the number of retry operations to a predetermined number when the flow rate when the on-off valve is opened by the retry operation does not reach the second reference value higher than the first reference value. Means are further included for retrying the retry operation until it is reached.

  In this way, when the flow rate drops due to the pressure drop due to the use of hot water supply (use of other plugs) on the heat source machine (hot water supply) side, the tub washing operation is performed after the end of use of other plugs by repeating the retry operation. An opportunity to resume automatically can be secured. Furthermore, by setting the second reference value higher than the first reference value, it is possible to prevent the bathtub cleaning operation from being resumed even though the flow rate of the cleaning water has not changed since the start of the retry operation. it can. Therefore, it is possible to prevent frequent determination of whether or not the retry operation is necessary, so that the retry operation can be stabilized.

  More preferably, the control device determines whether or not the flow rate is substantially zero when the closing of the on-off valve is selected according to the flow rate in a state where the on-off valve is opened by the retry operation; Means for re-execution of the retry operation until the number of retry operations reaches the first predetermined number of times when the value is substantially zero, and until the number of retry operations reaches the second predetermined number of times when the flow rate is not zero Means for re-executing the retry operation. The second predetermined number of times is greater than the first predetermined number of times.

  In this way, depending on whether or not the flow rate of the cleaning water during the retry operation is substantially zero, the flow rate drop due to the pressure drop due to the use of hot water supply (using other plugs) on the heat source machine (hot water supply) side, and the opening and closing It is possible to discriminate between failure of devices such as valves. In the case of using other plugs, it is possible to increase the number of retry operations and secure an opportunity to restart the bathtub cleaning operation.

  More preferably, the control device further includes means for detecting a failure of the on-off valve or the flow sensor when the retry operation is executed for the first predetermined number of times while the flow rate is substantially zero.

  If it does in this way, device failures, such as an on-off valve, can be detected separately from use of other stoppers. Moreover, it is possible to detect an equipment failure such as an on-off valve at an early stage with a smaller number of retry operations.

  Alternatively, more preferably, when the retry operation at which the flow rate is not zero is executed for the second predetermined number of times, the control device indicates that the bathtub cleaning operation has not been completed due to the use of another plug from the hot water pipe. Means for informing the user are further included.

  If it does in this way, since it can alert | report to a user that the bathtub washing | cleaning driving | operation was not completed by the use of the other plug for a long time, a user's convenience can be improved by the effect of urging the instruction | indication of bathtub washing | cleaning driving | operation etc. .

  Alternatively, preferably, the control device determines whether or not the flow rate is substantially zero when the closing of the on-off valve is selected according to the flow rate in a state where the on-off valve is opened by the retry operation, and the flow rate Is approximately zero, means for setting the valve closing time from the first closing of the on-off valve in the retry operation to the reopening to the first time, and in the retry operation when the flow rate is not zero And a means for setting the valve closing time to a second time longer than the first time.

  In this way, depending on whether or not the flow rate of the cleaning water during the retry operation is substantially zero, the flow rate drop due to the pressure drop due to the use of hot water supply (using other plugs) on the heat source machine (hot water supply) side, and the opening and closing It is possible to discriminate between failure of devices such as valves. In addition, when an equipment failure such as an on-off valve occurs, the retry operation cycle is shortened so that the device failure can be detected at an early stage.However, when using other plugs, the retry operation cycle becomes longer, so the bath washing operation is automatically performed. It is possible to secure an opportunity to resume.

  According to the present invention, in a bathtub cleaning system in which information cannot be mutually communicated with a hot water supply (heat source unit) that supplies cleaning water, the bathtub cleaning operation is interrupted and resumed when the supply pressure of the cleaning water from the hot water supply decreases. Can be controlled appropriately.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of a bath system to which a bathtub cleaning system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. It is a block diagram of the washing | cleaning unit shown in FIG. It is an external view which shows an example of the washing | cleaning remote control shown in FIG. It is a conceptual diagram which shows the water pressure-flow rate characteristic of the water governor valve 14 shown by FIG. It is a flowchart explaining control of the pouring electromagnetic valve in the bathtub cleaning system according to the embodiment of the present invention. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a control processing procedure for a retry operation according to the second embodiment. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a control processing procedure for a retry operation according to the third embodiment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following, the same or corresponding parts in the drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will not be repeated in principle.

[Embodiment 1]
(Bath system configuration)
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a bath system to which a bathtub cleaning system according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In addition, FIG. 1 has shown the structure of the bath system when wash | cleaning a bathtub with a bathtub washing system.

  Referring to FIG. 1, the bath system includes a bathroom 2 provided inside a building 1 and a water heater 3 serving as a heat source unit. A bathtub 40 and a cleaning unit 10 are installed inside the bathroom 2. A water heater 3 is installed outside the bathroom 2 or outside the building 1. A power supply device 4 for supplying power to loads such as the cleaning unit 10 and the water heater 3 is further installed outside the bathroom 2. The power supply device 4 converts AC power supplied from a commercial power supply into power suitable for driving the load, and supplies the power to each load via the power supply line 5.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration in which power is supplied from the power supply device 4 to the load such as the cleaning unit 10 and the water heater 3 is illustrated. However, as a modification, the power supply device 4 supplies power only to the cleaning unit 10. The water heater 3 is configured so that a commercial power supply is directly input to the water heater 3 without receiving power supply from the power supply device 4, and a power supply device (not shown) built in the water heater 3 It can be set as the structure which supplies the electric power suitable for the drive of load.

  The water heater 3 is a heat source machine having a hot water supply function, a hot water filling function, and a reheating function. The water heater 3 according to the present embodiment is configured as a single can / two water type. That is, although not shown, the hot water heater 3 is configured such that a hot water heat exchanger and a bath heat exchanger are arranged in one can and heat exchange heated by a combustion burner that is a common heat source. Yes. The water heater 3 may be configured not to have a hot water filling function and a chasing function.

  The hot water heater 3 includes a water supply pipe 70 and a hot water discharge pipe 72 connected to the hot water supply heat exchanger, and a forward pipe 74 and a return pipe 76 connected between the bath heat exchanger and the circulation adapter 42 in the bathtub 40. . The water supply pipe 70 and the hot water discharge pipe 72 constitute a hot water supply pipe, and the forward pipe 74 and the return pipe 76 constitute a circulation pipe for realizing a reheating function.

  The water heater 3 receives tap water or the like from the water supply pipe 70 and causes the hot water heated to a predetermined temperature by heat exchange heating with the combustion heat of the combustion burner in the hot water supply heat exchanger to be discharged from the hot water discharge pipe 72. A hot water tap (not shown) such as a currant 73 and a shower head for hot water use is connected to the terminal of the hot water discharge pipe 72. Further, the water heater 3 can reheat the bath water returned from the bathtub 40 to the water heater 3 through the circulation line to a predetermined temperature by heat exchange heating with the combustion heat of the combustion burner in the bath heat exchanger. It is like that.

  The water heater 3 is provided with a control unit (not shown) for controlling the operation of the water heater 3, and the control unit controls hot water supply operation, hot water filling operation, reheating operation, and the like. A remote controller for remotely operating the water heater 3 is connected to the control unit via a communication line 6. In FIG. 1, a kitchen remote controller 7 and a bathroom remote controller 9 are shown as an example. The kitchen remote control 7 and bathroom remote control 9 are provided with operation switches, hot water filling switches, reheating switches, touch panels, and the like. On the touch panel, an operation screen for inputting and setting a hot water supply set temperature, a hot water set temperature, and the like is displayed by performing a touch operation on the screen.

  In the bathtub 40, a circulation adapter 42 is installed in the vicinity of the lowermost end of the side wall, and an automatic opening / closing drive control type drain plug 44 and a cleaning nozzle 60 are installed on the bottom wall. An opening / closing drive mechanism 46 and a detergent tank 50 are installed on the flange wall on the upper surface side of the bathtub 40. The circulation adapter 42 is connected to the return pipe 74 and the return pipe 76 of the circulation line, respectively. Bath water in the bathtub 40 is sucked into the return pipe 76 via the circulation adapter 42, while the return pipe 76 is connected to the bathtub 40. Bathtub water is discharged inside.

  The drain plug 44 performs an opening / closing operation in response to transmission of the opening / closing driving force from the opening / closing driving mechanism 46. The opening / closing drive mechanism 46 is provided with a sensor for detecting whether the drain plug 44 is in an open state or a closed state, and the opening / closing drive mechanism 46 has a drain plug 44 based on an output signal of the sensor and a predetermined instruction by the user. Controls the opening and closing operation. When the drain plug 44 is opened by the opening / closing drive mechanism 46, hot water in the bathtub 40 is discharged to the bottom of the bathroom 2 and subsequently drained from a drain port (not shown) of the bathroom 2.

(Configuration of bathtub cleaning system)
The bathtub cleaning system performs a bathtub cleaning operation for automatically cleaning the bathtub 40 by ejecting cleaning water and / or detergent liquid into the bathtub 40 by the cleaning unit 10. In addition, you may comprise so that bathroom members, such as the wall surface and floor surface which comprise the bathroom 2, can also be wash | cleaned by installing a washing nozzle further in the wall surface or upper part of the bathroom 2. FIG.

  The bathtub cleaning system includes a cleaning nozzle 60 installed on the bottom wall of the bathtub 40, a cleaning pipe 78 for supplying cleaning water to the cleaning nozzle 60, a detergent supply pipe 54 for mixing a detergent liquid into the cleaning water, and a detergent. A detergent tank 50 for storing the stock solution, a cleaning unit 10 provided between the water heater 3 and the bathtub 40, and a cleaning remote controller 8 for remotely operating the cleaning unit 10 are provided.

  The bathtub cleaning system according to the present embodiment is configured such that information cannot be mutually communicated with the water heater 3. That is, since the cleaning remote controller 8 is not connected to the communication line 6 on the hot water heater 3 side, the cleaning unit 10 is controlled without requiring information from the heat source machine (hot water heater) side. Thereby, even when the bathtub cleaning system is retrofitted by bathroom reform or the like, or even when the water heater 3 is replaced due to a failure or the like, the bathtub cleaning system according to the present embodiment cooperates with the water heater 3 side. Can operate without adjusting.

  The cleaning nozzle 60 is installed to penetrate the bottom wall of the bathtub 40 and is configured to eject cleaning water with a predetermined range from the front end opening (upper surface opening) toward the inner wall of the bathtub 40 and the outside of the bathtub 40. Yes. Although only one cleaning nozzle 60 is shown in FIG. 1, two or more cleaning nozzles 60 can be installed in a predetermined arrangement depending on the size of the bathtub 40, the bathroom member to be cleaned, and the like.

  One end of the cleaning pipe 78 is connected to the cleaning nozzle 60, and the other end is connected to a connection pipe 75 that is branched out from the hot water discharge pipe 72 of the water heater 3. The detergent supply pipe 54 extends from the lower part of the detergent tank 50 and is connected in the middle of the washing pipe 78. The detergent tank 50 is installed on the flange wall on the upper surface side of the bathtub 40. A detergent replenishing port exposed on the flange wall is provided at the top of the detergent tank 50.

  The cleaning unit 10 is installed on the outer periphery of the bathtub 40 and the like, receives supply of hot water from the water heater 3, and jets detergent liquid and cleaning water into the bathtub 40 to automatically clean the bathtub 40. In FIG. 1, a path through which the detergent solution and the washing water flow is indicated by a thick line. Hereinafter, the cleaning unit 10 will be further described with reference to FIG.

[Configuration of cleaning unit]
FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the cleaning unit 10 shown in FIG.

  With reference to FIG. 2, the cleaning pipe 78 includes, in order from the upstream side connected to the connection pipe 75, the water fitting 12, the water governor valve 14, the thermistor 16, the flow sensor 18, the pouring electromagnetic valve 20, and the check valve 22. , 24, a check valve 26, an air release valve 28, a check valve 30, a detergent electromagnetic valve 32, and a detergent mixing part 34 are interposed.

  By connecting the connecting pipe 75 to the water fitting 12, the cleaning pipe 78 and the connecting pipe 75 are connected. Wash water supplied from the water heater 3 flows into the wash pipe 78 through the hot water pipe 72. The water governor valve 14 operates to absorb the pressure fluctuation of the washing water and adjust the flow rate to be constant.

  The thermistor 16 detects the temperature of the cleaning water (hot water or water) flowing through the cleaning pipe 78 and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 36. The flow sensor 18 detects the flow rate of cleaning water flowing through the cleaning pipe 78 (hereinafter also referred to as “cleaning flow rate”) and outputs a detection signal to the control unit 36.

  The pouring solenoid valve 20 is operated by a control command from the control unit 36 to open and close the flow path of the cleaning pipe 78. Specifically, by opening the hot water solenoid valve 20 in response to the opening command from the control unit 36, hot water or water supplied from the hot water discharge pipe 72 of the water heater 3 is connected via the connection pipe 75. It is introduced into the cleaning pipe 78 as cleaning water. The cleaning water introduced into the cleaning pipe 78 is adjusted to a constant flow rate by the water governor valve 14, flows through the cleaning pipe 78, and is ejected from the cleaning nozzle 60 into the bathtub 40. If there is a failure in which the pouring solenoid valve 20 does not open, the pouring solenoid valve 20 does not open even if the control unit 36 outputs an opening command to the pouring solenoid valve 20.

  On the other hand, the hot water supply solenoid valve 20 is closed in response to a closing command from the control unit 36, whereby the supply of hot water to the cleaning pipe 78 is shut off. If there is a failure in which the pouring solenoid valve 20 does not close, even if the control unit 36 outputs a close command to the pouring solenoid valve 20, the pouring solenoid valve 20 is not closed. The pouring solenoid valve 20 is used as a representative example of an “open / close valve” that can open and close the flow path of the cleaning pipe 78. That is, any type of on-off valve can be used in place of the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 as long as the valve is configured to be able to be switched between full open and fully closed.

  The check valves 22 and 24 allow passage of hot water in the direction from the connection pipe 75 to the cleaning pipe 78, and disable passage of hot water in the direction from the cleaning pipe 78 to the connection pipe 75.

  The backflow prevention valve 26 is a safety device for cutting off the miscellaneous water and clean water in the bath. The backflow prevention valve 26 normally closes the overflow port due to the pressure difference between the supply water source pressure (primary pressure) and the supply destination pressure (secondary pressure). Further, the backflow prevention valve 26 is opened when negative pressure is generated on the water supply source side due to water cut or the like, and discharges miscellaneous water from the overflow port to the outside of the cleaning unit 10. The overflow port is connected to the drainage part of the cleaning unit 10 through a pipe (not shown).

  The atmosphere release valve 28 communicates with the atmosphere in the cleaning pipe 78 in a state where the cleaning water does not flow through the cleaning pipe 78, and blocks communication with the atmosphere while the cleaning water flows in the cleaning pipe 78. The check valve 30 is provided on the upstream side of the detergent mixing portion 34. The check valve 30 prevents the detergent liquid from flowing back to the upstream side.

  The detergent mixing part 34 is constituted by a venturi tube. The downstream end of the detergent supply pipe 54 is connected to the detergent mixing portion 34 in communication. The upstream end of the detergent supply pipe 54 is connected to the detergent tank 50, while the detergent solenoid valve 32 is interposed in the middle of the detergent supply pipe 54. The detergent electromagnetic valve 32 is operated by a control command from the control unit 36 to open and close the flow path of the detergent supply pipe 54. Specifically, when the detergent electromagnetic valve 32 is opened in response to an opening command from the control unit 36, a predetermined amount of the detergent stock solution supplied from the detergent tank 50 is supplied to the cleaning nozzle 60 in the detergent mixing unit 34. A detergent solution is produced by mixing with hot water passing toward the surface by a negative pressure suction action. Then, this detergent liquid is ejected from the cleaning nozzle 60 into the bathtub 40. Thereby, detergent washing in bathtub 40 is performed.

  On the other hand, the detergent electromagnetic valve 32 is closed in response to the closing command from the control unit 36, whereby the supply of the detergent stock solution to the detergent mixing unit 34 is shut off. That is, it is possible to adjust the amount of detergent supplied for one cleaning by the length of the valve opening time for opening the detergent electromagnetic valve 32. A detergent switch 50 is provided inside the detergent tank 50 for detecting the liquid level of the detergent stock solution, and is configured to detect that the liquid level has dropped to a predetermined liquid level and output it to the control unit 36. Has been.

  The cleaning unit 10 further includes a control unit 36 including a microcomputer, a memory, a timer, and the like (not shown). The operation of the bath cleaning operation is controlled by causing the microcomputer to execute the control program for the cleaning unit 10 stored in the memory by the control unit 36. Note that the control unit 36 can be disposed outside the cleaning unit 10, for example, outside the bathroom 2 in the same manner as the power supply device 4. In this case, a communication line for bidirectional communication is provided between the control unit 36 and the cleaning unit 10.

  A cleaning remote controller 8 for remotely operating the cleaning unit 10 is connected to the control unit 36. The control unit 36 transmits / receives various signals to / from the cleaning remote controller 8. When the user inputs the execution of the bathtub cleaning operation using the cleaning remote controller 8, the control unit 36 executes the bathtub cleaning process. Note that a kitchen remote controller 7 and a bathroom remote controller 9 are connected to the control unit of the water heater 3 via a communication line 6, and an input operation for hot water filling or chasing operation can be performed by these remote controllers.

FIG. 3 is an external view showing an example of the cleaning remote controller 8.
Referring to FIG. 3, cleaning remote controller 8 includes switches 80, 82, 84, 86 for performing an input operation of the bathtub cleaning operation, a display unit 88, and an audio output unit 90.

  The operation switch 80 is a switch for selecting operation / stop of the cleaning unit 10. By setting the operation switch 80 to “ON”, the operation of a later-described cleaning switch 82 can be accepted, and by setting the operation switch 80 “OFF”, the operation of a later-described cleaning switch 82 is operated. Will not be accepted.

  The washing switch 82 is a switch for selecting execution / stop of the bathtub washing operation. When the washing switch 82 is turned “ON” with the operation switch 80 turned on, the bathtub washing operation is executed. When the washing switch 82 is turned “OFF”, the bathtub washing operation is stopped.

  The hot water supply setting switch 84 is a switch for setting various conditions related to the bathtub cleaning operation in the operation mode (hot water supply temperature, operation time, etc.) of the bathtub cleaning operation. The time display switch 86 is a switch for displaying and setting the current time.

The display unit 88 displays the operation state (operation / stop) of the bathtub cleaning system. The display content can be switched arbitrarily by the user, or can be switched automatically at regular intervals. The display unit 88 further displays an error code indicating the content of the error when an error occurs in the bathtub cleaning system. Note that at least a part of the display unit 88 and the switches 80, 82, 84, and 86 may be configured by a touch panel that is an input / output device configured integrally. On this touch panel, an operation screen for performing input settings for bath washing operation is displayed by touching the screen.

  The sound output unit 90 generates sound for notifying the operation status of the bathtub cleaning system such as execution / stop of the bathtub cleaning operation. The audio output unit 90 further includes a buzzer for listening to a notification sound when an error occurs in the bathtub cleaning system. Note that the audio output unit 90 may be configured only with a buzzer.

[Tub washing operation]
Next, the operation of the bathtub cleaning operation by the bathtub cleaning system will be described.

  The bathtub cleaning operation is performed by a combination of rinsing cleaning and detergent cleaning. As an example, the preliminary rinse cleaning step, the detergent cleaning step, and the finish rinse cleaning step are performed in this order. It is assumed that a bathtub lid (not shown) is placed on the upper portion of the bathtub 40.

  When the cleaning switch 82 is turned on while the operation switch 80 is ON in the cleaning remote controller 8, the bathtub cleaning operation is started. First, the drain plug 44 is opened by opening the opening / closing drive mechanism 46. Even if there is residual water in the bathtub 40 by waiting for the set time while the drain plug 44 is in the open state, it waits until the residual water is drained and the bathtub 40 becomes empty.

  Next, a preliminary rinse cleaning process is started. In the preliminary rinsing and cleaning process, the hot water solenoid valve 20 of the cleaning unit 10 is opened, hot water that is heat-exchanged and heated to a predetermined temperature is poured into the cleaning pipe 78 from the hot water heater 3 side, and the cleaning nozzle 60 is directed into the bathtub 40. Erupt. As a result, dirt such as hair and scale adhering to the inner wall surface of the bathtub 40 is preliminarily washed away.

  When the above-described rinse cleaning is performed for a predetermined time, the preliminary rinse cleaning process is terminated and the process proceeds to the next standby process. In the standby step, the injection from the washing nozzle 60 is stopped by closing the hot water solenoid valve 20, and the hot water adheres to the inner wall surface of the bathtub 40 until the predetermined time elapses. Thereby, moisture permeates dirt such as scale attached to the inner wall surface of the bathtub 40, and the dirt can be lifted to be easily washed away in the next detergent cleaning step. When the predetermined time has elapsed, the standby process is terminated and the process proceeds to the next detergent cleaning process.

  When the detergent cleaning process is started, the hot water solenoid valve 20 of the cleaning unit 10 is opened and the detergent solenoid valve 32 is opened. The detergent stock solution in the detergent tank 50 is injected into the detergent mixing part 34 via the detergent supply pipe 54 to generate a detergent solution. This detergent liquid is ejected from the cleaning nozzle 60 into the bathtub 40. As a result, dirt such as scale adhering to the inner wall surface of the bathtub 40 is washed. Note that the time and number of times the detergent cleaning is performed can be changed by a user input setting for the cleaning remote controller 8.

When the detergent cleaning is performed for a predetermined time or a predetermined number of times, the detergent cleaning process is terminated and the process proceeds to the next standby process. This standby process is similar to the standby process before the detergent cleaning process described above, in which the pouring solenoid valve 20 is closed to stop the ejection from the cleaning nozzle 60, and the detergent liquid is attached to the inner wall surface of the bathtub 40. It is left until a predetermined time has passed. This is because the detergent liquid penetrates into dirt such as scales attached to the inner wall surface of the bathtub 40. When the predetermined time has elapsed, the standby process is terminated and the process proceeds to the next finish rinse cleaning process.

  When the finish rinsing cleaning process is started, the hot water solenoid valve 20 is opened as in the preliminary rinsing cleaning process, and hot water heat-exchanged and heated to a predetermined temperature is poured into the cleaning pipe 78 from the hot water heater 3 side. The washing nozzle 60 is ejected into the bathtub 40. Thereby, dirt such as scales floating on the inner wall surface of the bathtub 40 by the detergent liquid is washed away together with the detergent liquid. The bathtub cleaning operation is completed at the end of the finish rinse cleaning process.

(Problems when the cleaning flow rate drops)
Referring to FIG. 1 again, in the bathtub cleaning system according to the present embodiment, when hot water from hot water heater 3 is used by opening the currant 73 or the like on the hot water heater 3 side, the hot water pipe 72 to the cleaning pipe 78 is used. The pressure and flow rate of the wash water that is branched and supplied to the water flow are reduced. Hereinafter, the use of hot water / water from the hot water discharge pipe 72 by means other than the bathtub cleaning system by opening the currant 73 or the like is also collectively referred to as “use of other plugs”.

  When the pressure and flow rate of the cleaning water are reduced according to the use of other stoppers, sufficient cleaning water cannot be ensured, making it difficult to execute the bath cleaning operation. When the use of the other plug is completed, the supply water pressure to the cleaning pipe 78 is restored. However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 2 in which the flow rate of the cleaning pipe 78 is adjusted to be constant by the water governor valve 14, the hysteresis characteristic of the water governor valve 14 becomes a problem.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a water pressure-flow rate characteristic of the water governor valve 14 shown in FIG.
Referring to FIG. 4, the flow rate of water governor valve 14 changes according to characteristic line 101 when the pressure of the washing water increases. In particular, in a region where the pressure of the washing water is larger than P1, the flow rate is maintained at a constant value Q1 even if the pressure fluctuates. Therefore, the arrangement of the water governor valve 14 can stabilize the flow rate at a lower cost than the flow rate adjustment by the opening degree control of the servo valve.

  On the other hand, the flow rate of the water governor valve 14 changes according to the characteristic line 102 after the pressure of the wash water once increased is lowered. That is, the water governor valve 14 has a hysteresis characteristic according to the characteristic lines 101 and 102.

  In the water governor valve 14, a case is considered in which the pressure of the cleaning water is reduced to P0 by using another plug after the pressure of the cleaning water is increased to P2 and the flow rate Q1 is secured. In this case, the flow rate is reduced to Q3 according to the characteristic line 102 in accordance with the pressure drop. Thereafter, even if the pressure of the washing water returns to P2 again due to the end of the use of other plugs, the flow rate of the water governor valve 14 returns only to Q2 because it follows the characteristic line 102.

  With such a hysteresis characteristic, the water governor valve 14 cannot sufficiently secure a cleaning flow rate even if the pressure is restored by the end of the use of the other plug after the pressure of the wash water is reduced due to the use of the other plug. There is a possibility that the operation cannot be executed normally. That is, in order to return the cleaning flow rate to Q1 in accordance with the characteristic line 101, the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 is once closed, and the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 is opened again in a state where the use of the other stopper is finished and the pressure is restored. It is necessary.

  However, as described above, in a configuration in which information cannot be mutually communicated between the bathtub cleaning system and the water heater 3, the bathtub cleaning system cannot obtain information that the use of other plugs has ended from the water heater 3 side. Therefore, it becomes a problem how to control the interruption and resumption of the bath cleaning operation when the cleaning flow rate is reduced due to the use of other plugs without requiring information from the water heater 3 side.

(Retry operation when cleaning flow rate drops)
In the bathtub cleaning system according to the present embodiment, when a decrease in the cleaning flow rate due to the use of another plug is detected, the operation of pouring solenoid valve 20 is controlled so as to execute a retry operation described below.

  FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating control of the pouring electromagnetic valve in the bathtub cleaning system according to the embodiment of the present invention. A series of control processing shown in FIG. 5 is started at the time of the start of each process which comprises the bathtub washing | cleaning driving | operation by the control part 36, for example.

  Referring to FIG. 5, control unit 36 initializes count value M of the number of retry operations and operation time To in step S100. That is, it is initialized to M = 0 and To = 0 by step S100. Subsequently, in step S200, the controller 36 determines whether or not the operation mode of the bathtub cleaning system is the injection mode. The injection mode is an operation mode in which the pouring solenoid valve 20 needs to be opened. For example, step S200 is determined as YES during execution of the preliminary rinse cleaning process, the detergent cleaning process, or the finish rinse cleaning process, and otherwise, step S200 is determined as NO.

  When it is not the injection mode (NO determination in S200), it is not necessary to open the pouring solenoid valve 20, so the following processing is skipped and the control processing started this time is ended. As will be described later, when the injection mode is applied (YES in S200), the control process shown in FIG. 5 is executed until the operation of the process ends normally (S650) or abnormally ends (S560). .

  When applying the injection mode (when YES is determined in S200), control unit 36 proceeds to step S300 to open molten metal solenoid valve 20. Furthermore, when the pouring solenoid valve 20 is opened, the control unit 36 compares the cleaning flow rate with the reference value Qt in step S400 based on the output value of the flow rate sensor 18. The reference value Qt corresponds to the “first reference value”.

  When the cleaning flow rate is equal to or greater than the reference value Qt (when YES is determined in S400), the control unit 36 determines that a sufficient cleaning flow rate is ensured for the bathtub cleaning operation. Therefore, the control unit 36 counts up the operation time To in step S600. Further, the control unit 36 advances the process to step S610, and compares the operation time To counted up in step S600 with the determination time Tth. For example, the determination time Tth can be set in advance for each process corresponding to the flow time of the washing water necessary for normally completing each process belonging to the injection mode.

  When the operation time To is shorter than the determination time Tth (NO determination in S610), the control unit 36 returns the process to step S300. For this reason, while the cleaning flow rate ≧ Qt, the processes of steps S300, S400 (YES determination) and S600 are repeatedly executed until the operation time To reaches the determination time Tth.

  Then, when the operation time To reaches the determination time Tth, step S610 is determined as YES, so the control unit 36 proceeds to step S650 and normally ends the operation of the relevant process of the bathtub cleaning operation. Thereby, the pouring solenoid valve 20 is closed. Furthermore, in step S650, the control unit 36 can notify the user of the information by a visual or audible message when the entire bathtub cleaning operation is normally completed. For example, the message can be notified to the user using the display unit 88 and / or the audio output unit 90 of the cleaning remote controller 8.

  Control part 36 performs retry operation by Step S500, when the washing flow rate in the state where pouring solenoid valve 20 was opened is smaller than standard value Qt (at the time of NO judgment of S400). The retry operation in step S500 is performed in addition to the case where the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 is opened while the other plug is used, so that the cleaning flow rate <Qt when the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 is opened. When the cleaning flow rate ≧ Qt continues for a certain period due to the opening of 20, the use of other plugs is started and the cleaning flow rate decreases (when the cleaning flow rate <Qt).

  Step S500 for the retry operation includes the following steps S510 to S550. The control unit 36 counts up the number of retry operations M in step S510, and determines whether the number of retry operations M counted up has reached (Mmax + 1) in step S520.

  When the count value M of the number of retry operations reaches (Mmax + 1), that is, when the number of executions of the retry operations so far reaches the upper limit number Mmax, step S520 is determined as YES. On the other hand, step S520 is determined as NO until the number of executions of the retry operation so far reaches the upper limit number Mmax.

  When the number of executions of the retry operation has not reached the upper limit number Mmax (when NO is determined in S520), the control unit 36 closes the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 in step S530. Further, in step S540, the control unit 36 counts up a retry waiting time Tr that is an elapsed time after the molten metal electromagnetic valve 20 is closed in step S530. In step S550, the control unit 36 compares the retry waiting time Tr counted up in step S540 with the valve closing time T1.

  Until the retry waiting time Tr reaches the valve closing time T1 (when NO is determined in S550), the control unit 36 repeatedly executes the retry waiting time Tr in step S540.

  When the retry waiting time Tr reaches the valve closing time T1 (at the time of YES determination in S550), the control unit 36 returns the process to step S300 and opens the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 again. As a result, a “retry operation” is performed in which the hot water solenoid valve 20 is temporarily closed in response to a decrease in the cleaning flow rate (<Qt), and the hot water solenoid valve 20 is opened again after the lapse of T1.

  When the hot water solenoid valve 20 is opened again by the retry operation, the control unit 36 compares the cleaning flow rate with the reference value based on the output value of the flow rate sensor 18 in step S400. In step S400, after the hot water solenoid valve 20 is opened by the retry operation (when M ≧ 1), the cleaning flow rate is set higher than the reference value Qt before the retry operation (when M = 0). Compared with the reference value Qt #. Reference value Qt # corresponds to "second reference value". In this way, it is possible to prevent frequent switching of the necessity of the retry operation even though the cleaning flow rate has not changed greatly. Thereby, the retry operation can be stabilized.

  When the cleaning flow rate in the retry operation is recovered, step S400 is determined as YES, and the process proceeds to step S600. Therefore, the bathtub cleaning operation can be resumed when the use of the other plug is completed and the cleaning flow rate is restored during the retry waiting time. During the retry operation, the process of step S600 is not executed, so that the operation time To is not counted up. Therefore, the bath cleaning operation at the cleaning flow rate ≧ Qt (Qt #) is executed until the operation time To in the state where the cleaning flow rate is secured reaches the determination time Tth. That is, in the middle of the bathtub cleaning operation, when a retry operation is performed due to a decrease in the cleaning flow rate and the cleaning flow rate is restored, the bath time is increased until the integration of the operation time To before and after the retry operation reaches the determination time Tth. It is understood that a cleaning operation is performed.

  When the cleaning flow rate does not return even after the hot water solenoid valve 20 is opened by the retry operation (NO in S400), the control unit 36 performs the retry operation until the number of executions of the retry operation reaches the upper limit number Mmax. S500 and S300 are repeatedly executed.

  If the number of executions of the retry operation reaches the upper limit number Mmax without returning the cleaning flow rate, the determination in step S520 is YES, and the process proceeds to step S560.

  Control unit 36 abnormally ends the operation of the bathtub cleaning operation in step S560. This is an end mode indicating that the normal bathtub cleaning operation in which the cleaning flow rate is secured at the reference value or more could not be completed. In step S560, the control unit 36 can notify the user of information that the bathtub cleaning operation has not been normally completed by using the display unit 88 and / or the audio output unit 90 of the cleaning remote controller 8. It is.

  Thus, according to the bathtub cleaning system according to the present embodiment, when the cleaning flow rate for the bathtub cleaning operation decreases due to a decrease in the supply pressure from the water heater 3 due to the use of other plugs, the hot water solenoid valve 20 is set. It is possible to automatically execute a retry operation that closes for a certain time and then opens again. And based on the washing | cleaning flow volume after opening of the hot water solenoid valve 20 by retry operation, when the washing | cleaning flow volume has recovered | restored by completion | finish of use of another stopper, it is possible to restart a bathtub washing | cleaning driving | operation.

  Therefore, without receiving information on the use of other plugs from the water heater 3, the bath cleaning operation is temporarily stopped when the cleaning flow rate decreases due to the use of other plugs, and the bathtub cleaning operation is automatically restarted after the use of other plugs is completed. Can do. That is, in a bathtub cleaning system in which information cannot be mutually communicated with a water heater (heat source device), it is possible to appropriately control interruption and resumption of the bathtub cleaning operation when the supply pressure from the water heater decreases.

  In particular, when the cleaning flow rate is decreased due to a decrease in the pressure of the cleaning water, the molten water solenoid valve 20 is once closed by a retry operation and then opened, so that the configuration in which the water governor valve 14 is interposed in the cleaning pipe 78 is also supported. can do.

[Embodiment 2]
In the second embodiment, a modified example of the control process in step S500 for the retry operation shown in FIG. 5 will be described. In addition, in Embodiment 2, it is the same as that of Embodiment 1 except the retry operation | movement including the structure of a bathtub cleaning system. Hereinafter, detailed description will not be repeated for portions common to the first embodiment.

  In the retry operation according to the second embodiment, step S500a shown in FIG. 6 is executed in place of step S500 in the flowchart shown in FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 6, when NO is determined in step S <b> 400, that is, when the cleaning flow rate is smaller than the reference value (Qt or Qt #) when the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 is opened, the control unit 36 performs step In S505, it is determined whether or not the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero. Specifically, in step S505, the cleaning flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor 18 is compared with the determination value Qε. The determination value Qε is a predetermined value near zero for determining whether or not the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero. That is, in the second embodiment, it is further determined whether or not the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero in the retry operation.

  When the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero, it is estimated that a “closed failure” in which the hot water solenoid valve 20 cannot be opened due to a failure or a failure in the flow sensor 18 has occurred. On the other hand, when the cleaning flow rate is not zero and does not reach the reference value (Qt or Qt #), it is estimated that the cleaning flow rate is decreased due to a decrease in supply pressure from the water heater 3 due to the use of other plugs. The

  Therefore, in the retry operation according to the second embodiment, the number of occurrences of these phenomena is managed separately. Therefore, the retry operation count value M in the first embodiment is divided into a retry operation count value M1 in which the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero and a retry operation total count value M2. Therefore, in step S100 of FIG. 5, each of count values M1 and M2 is initialized (M1 = M2 = 0).

  When the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero (YES in S505), the control unit 36 counts up both the retry operations M1 and M2 in step S512 and counts up in step S522. It is determined whether or not the value M1 has reached (M1max + 1).

  When the number of executions of the retry operation in which the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero reaches the upper limit number M1max, step S522 is determined as YES. On the other hand, step S522 is determined as NO until the number of executions of the retry operation in which the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero reaches the upper limit number M1max.

  When the state in which the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero continues even if the retry operation is executed M1max times (at the time of YES determination in S522), the control unit 36 proceeds to the process in step S570 and detects a device failure. To do. Specifically, a closed failure where the pouring solenoid valve 20 does not change from a closed state to an open state, or a failure in the flow sensor 18 is detected. Further, in step S575, the control unit 36 notifies the user of information that a device failure such as the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 has occurred using the display unit 88 and / or the audio output unit 90 of the cleaning remote controller 8. To do. And control part 36 advances processing to Step S560 (Drawing 5), and ends operation of bathtub washing operation abnormally.

  On the other hand, when the cleaning flow rate is not zero (NO in S505), the control unit 36 proceeds to step S514 to count up only the count value M2, while the count value M1 = 0. To clear. Further, in step S524, the control unit 36 determines whether or not the count value M2 counted up has reached (M2max + 1).

  The count value M2 is counted up every time a retry operation in which the cleaning flow rate is not zero is executed. Therefore, when the number of executions of the retry operation in which the cleaning flow rate is not zero reaches the upper limit number M2max, step S524 is determined as YES. On the other hand, step S524 is determined as NO until the upper limit number M2max is reached.

  When the cleaning flow rate is not zero, but the state where the reference value (Qt, Qt #) is not reached continues in the retry operation of the upper limit number M2max times (at the time of YES determination in S524), the control unit 36 The process proceeds to step S580, and the use of the other plug for a long time on the water heater 3 side is detected. Further, in step S585, the control unit 36 displays information indicating that the processing is terminated while the bathtub cleaning operation is not completed because the other plug is being used, and the display unit 88 and / or the audio output unit 90 of the cleaning remote controller 8. The user is notified by using. In this case, it is preferable to issue a message prompting the user to instruct the bathtub cleaning operation again after the use of the other plugs.

  Furthermore, the control part 36 advances a process to step S560 (FIG. 5), and abnormally processes this bathtub cleaning operation.

  On the other hand, in steps S522 and S524, when the number of executions of the retry operation in which the cleaning flow rate is substantially zero has not reached M1max (when NO is determined in S522), or the number of executions of the retry operation in which the cleaning flow rate is not zero. When M2max has not been reached (NO in S524), the control unit 36 executes the processes in steps S530 to S550 similar to those in FIG. Thus, the retry operation for closing the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 and reopening the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 after the valve closing time T1 has elapsed in accordance with the decrease in the cleaning flow rate described in the first embodiment is the upper limit number M1max. , M2max is repeatedly executed.

  In the retry operation according to the second embodiment, it is preferable that the upper limit number M1max for detecting the failure of the equipment failure is smaller than the upper limit number M2max for detecting that another plug is being used. This is because when a device such as the hot water solenoid valve 20 fails, the same phenomenon recurs regardless of the use status of the other plugs, so that the failure detection is confirmed early.

  Thus, according to the bathtub cleaning system to which the retry operation according to the second embodiment is applied, the decrease in the cleaning flow rate during the bath cleaning operation is caused by the pressure and flow rate decrease due to the use of other plugs, It can be determined that the failure is caused by equipment failure such as the valve 20. Furthermore, when the cleaning flow rate at which an equipment failure is estimated is substantially zero, the failure of the pouring solenoid valve 20 or the like can be detected promptly by setting the upper limit number of retry operations small.

  On the other hand, when the cleaning flow rate is reduced due to the use of other plugs, setting the upper limit number of retry operations to a large number makes it easy to secure an opportunity for bath cleaning operation after the use of the other plugs.

[Embodiment 3]
In the third embodiment, a further modification of the retry operation will be described. Also in the third embodiment, the configuration of the bathtub cleaning system and the other operations than the retry operation are the same as those in the first embodiment. The detailed description of the common parts with the first embodiment will not be repeated.

  In the retry operation according to the third embodiment, step S500b shown in FIG. 7 is executed instead of step S500 in the flowchart shown in FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 7, control unit 36 determines that the determination is NO in step S400, that is, if the cleaning flow rate is smaller than the reference value (Qt or Qt #) with pouring electromagnetic valve 20 opened. Step S505 similar to 6 is executed. Thus, it is determined whether or not the decreased cleaning flow rate is substantially zero based on the comparison between the cleaning flow rate detected by the flow sensor 18 and the determination value Qε.

  When the decreased cleaning flow rate is substantially zero (YES in S505), the control unit 36 sets the valve closing time T1 in the retry operation to the predetermined time Ta in step S516. On the other hand, when the reduced cleaning flow rate is not zero (NO in S505), the control unit 36 sets the valve closing time T1 in the retry operation to the predetermined time Tb in step S518. Here, Tb is set longer than Ta. As a result, when the reduced cleaning flow rate is substantially zero, that is, when a failure of the equipment such as the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 is estimated, the valve closing time of the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 in the retry operation is set short. . Thereby, the execution cycle of the retry operation is shortened.

  On the other hand, when the cleaning flow rate is not zero and a decrease in the cleaning flow rate due to the use of other plugs is estimated, the closing time T1 of the hot water solenoid valve 20 in the retry operation is set long, and the execution cycle of the retry operation is Set long.

  When the valve closing time T1 in the retry operation is set in step S516 or S518, the control unit 36 counts up the number of retry operations in step S510. Alternatively, the number of retry operations may be counted up separately when the reduced cleaning flow rate is substantially zero and when it is not zero, as in the second embodiment. In this case, instead of step S510, step S512 (when YES is determined in S505) or step S514 (when NO is determined in S505) in FIG. 6 may be executed.

  Further, in step S520, the control unit 36 determines whether the number of retry operations has reached the upper limit. If the number of retry operations has reached the upper limit (when YES is determined in S520), the process proceeds to step S560 in FIG. 5 and the bathtub cleaning operation is abnormally terminated. As in the second embodiment, when the number of retry operations is counted separately for M1 and M2, step S522 shown in FIG. 6 (during YES determination in S505) or step S524 is used instead of step S520. (When NO is determined in S505) may be executed. When the number of retry operations executed has reached the upper limit number M1max or M2max, the process proceeds to step S570 or S580 shown in FIG. 6 and the bath cleaning operation is terminated abnormally.

  On the other hand, when the number of retry operations has not reached the upper limit (when NO is determined in step S520, S522, or S524), the control unit 36 performs the processing in steps S530 to S550 similar to FIG. Accordingly, the retry operation for closing the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 and opening the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 again after the valve closing time T1 has elapsed in accordance with the decrease in the cleaning flow rate described in the first embodiment is performed by the upper limit number of times ( Mmax, M1max or M2max) is repeatedly executed. At this time, the valve closing time T1 of the pouring electromagnetic valve 20 in the retry operation is set to be short when the decreased cleaning flow rate is substantially zero.

  Thus, according to the bathtub cleaning system to which the retry operation according to the third embodiment is applied, as in the second embodiment, the decrease in the cleaning flow rate for the bathtub cleaning operation is caused by the pressure and flow rate during the use of other plugs. It can be discriminated between those caused by a decrease and those caused by equipment failure such as the molten metal solenoid valve 20. And when the washing | cleaning flow volume by which an equipment failure is estimated is substantially zero, failure of the pouring solenoid valve 20 grade | etc., Can be detected rapidly by setting the period of retry operation short. On the other hand, when the cleaning flow rate is reduced due to the use of the other plugs, it is easy to secure an opportunity for the bath cleaning operation after the use of the other plugs is set by setting the retry operation cycle longer.

  In the bathtub cleaning system according to the present embodiment, the retry operation corresponding to the decrease in the pressure and flow rate of the cleaning water can be controlled without requiring information from the hot water heater 3 side serving as a heat source device. For this reason, even when a bathtub cleaning unit is attached in combination with a heat source machine (hot water heater 3), which is difficult to link by mutual communication of information, the bathtub cleaning operation can be appropriately performed. The versatility can be improved. That is, the bathtub cleaning system according to the present embodiment is suitable for lowering the pressure and flow rate of cleaning water even when it is installed in combination with a heat source device (hot water heater 3) of a different manufacturer due to renovation work or failure replacement. The bathtub cleaning operation can be executed in response to the above.

  In addition, the bathtub cleaning system according to the present embodiment is suitable for a configuration in which the water governor valve 14 is interposed in the cleaning pipe 78 because the hot water solenoid valve 20 is once closed by a retry operation and then opened. The application of the present invention is not limited to such a configuration. That is, the retry operation according to the first to third embodiments is applied to the bathtub cleaning system having a configuration in which the water governor valve 14 is not provided or a configuration in which a flow rate adjusting element other than the water governor valve 14 is interposed. The bathtub cleaning operation can be executed by appropriately responding to a decrease in the pressure and flow rate of the cleaning water.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

  1 building, 2 bathroom, 3 water heater, 4 power supply, 5 power line, 6 communication line, 7 kitchen remote control, 8 washing remote control, 9 bathroom remote control, 10 washing unit, 12 water fitting, 14 water governor valve, 16 thermistor, 18 Flow sensor, 20 Pouring solenoid valve, 22, 24, 30 Check valve, 26 Backflow prevention valve, 28 Air release valve, 32 Detergent solenoid valve, 34 Detergent mixing part, 36 Control part, 40 Bathtub, 42 Circulation adapter, 44 Drain plug, 46 Open / close drive mechanism, 50 Detergent tank, 52 Float switch, 54 Detergent supply pipe, 60 Washing nozzle, 70 Water supply pipe, 72 Hot water pipe, 73 Karan, 74 Outward pipe, 75 Connection pipe, 76 Return pipe, 78 Cleaning pipe, 80 operation switch, 82 cleaning switch, 84 Hot water supply setting switch, 86 Time display switch, 88 Display unit, 90 Voice output unit, 101, 102 characteristic line (water governor valve), M, M1, M2 count value (retry operation), Mmax, M1max, M2max upper limit count, Q1, Q2, Q3 flow rate, Qt, Qt # reference value ( Washing flow rate drop detection), Qε judgment value (washing flow rate is almost zero), T1 valve closing time (retry operation), Ta, Tb predetermined time, To operation time (retry operation), Tr retry waiting time, Tth judgment time (tub cleaning) End of operation).

Claims (5)

A cleaning nozzle provided in the bathtub;
A cleaning pipe disposed between the hot water outlet pipe of the heat source machine and the cleaning nozzle;
An on-off valve for opening and closing the flow path of the cleaning pipe;
A flow sensor for detecting the flow rate of the cleaning pipe;
A control device for controlling the operation of the on-off valve,
The controller is
When the flow rate in the open state of the on-off valve during the bathtub cleaning operation is smaller than the first reference value, the open / close valve in the open state is temporarily closed to interrupt the bathtub cleaning operation and the open / close valve after the closing Means for executing a retry operation for re-opening
According to the flow rate in a state where the on-off valve is opened by the retry operation, the bathtub washing operation is resumed by maintaining the open state of the on-off valve, and the bathtub washing operation by closing the on-off valve again. A means for selecting one of continuation of interruption ;
When the flow rate in the state where the on-off valve is opened by the retry operation does not reach the second reference value higher than the first reference value, the number of retry operations reaches a predetermined number of times. And a means for re-executing the retry operation . The controller is
Means for determining whether or not the flow rate is substantially zero when closing of the on-off valve is selected according to the flow rate in a state where the on-off valve is opened by the retry operation;
Means for re-executing the retry operation until the number of retry operations reaches a first predetermined number of times when the flow rate is substantially zero;
Means for re-executing the retry operation until the number of retry operations reaches a second predetermined number of times when the flow rate is not zero;
Said second predetermined number, the first more than the predetermined number of times, tub cleaning system of claim 1, wherein. The controller is
The bathtub cleaning according to claim 2 , further comprising means for detecting a failure of the on-off valve or the flow sensor when the retry operation is performed for the first predetermined number of times while the flow rate is substantially zero. system. The controller is
In order to notify the user that the bathtub washing operation has not been completed due to the use of another tap from the hot water pipe when the retry operation is performed for the second predetermined number of times when the flow rate is not zero. The bathtub cleaning system according to claim 2 , further comprising: The controller is
Means for determining whether or not the flow rate is substantially zero when closing of the on-off valve is selected according to the flow rate in a state where the on-off valve is opened by the retry operation;
Means for setting the valve closing time from the first closing of the on-off valve to the opening again in the retry operation when the flow rate is substantially zero;
When the flow rate is not zero, the said valve closing time in the retry operation, the first time and means for setting a long second time than, tub cleaning system of claim 1, wherein.

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