JP7172119B2 - water heater - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a water heater.

The sebum dirt component generated from the human body by bathing dissolves into the bath water. In addition, the eluted sebum soiling component adheres to and deposits on the walls and bottom of the bathtub. The deposited sebum stain components are generally washed by hand with a detergent after bathing, but since this imposes a heavy burden on the skin, measures for automatic or semi-automatic cleaning are desired.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-200001 proposes a configuration for automatically or semi-automatically cleaning a bathtub, in which nozzles are provided on the wall surface or bottom surface of the bathtub, and detergent water is sprayed from the nozzles.

Japanese Patent No. 3821014

The cleaning device of Patent Literature 1 requires a separate pipe from the hot water supply device to be routed to the bathtub, and may be difficult to install. Another problem is that it is difficult to supply a sufficient amount of foam to the bathtub.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a water heater capable of efficiently supplying foam to a bathtub with a relatively simple structure.

A water heater according to the present invention comprises a discharge port for discharging fluid into a bathtub, a gas-liquid mixing device arranged upstream of the discharge port for mixing gas and liquid, and supplying liquid to the gas-liquid mixing device. Equipped with a liquid supply device, an air supply device for supplying gas to the gas-liquid mixing device, and a liquid flow rate adjusting means capable of adjusting the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device, the detergent water is supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device. The flow rate of the detergent water can be adjusted by the liquid flow rate adjusting means so that the foam generated by the gas-liquid mixing device is discharged from the discharge port when the liquid is mixed, and the liquid flow rate adjusting means controls the flow rate of the detergent water. , the volumetric flow rate of the gas flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device is adjusted to be 3 times or more and 20 times or less than the volumetric flow rate of the detergent water flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device .

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to supply foam efficiently to a bathtub with a comparatively simple structure.

1 is a diagram showing a water heater according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 4 is a flow chart showing processing executed by the controller of the hot water supply apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a hot water supply apparatus according to Embodiment 2; 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a gas-liquid mixing device included in the hot water supply apparatus according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 9 is a flow chart showing processing executed by a control device for a hot water supply apparatus according to Embodiment 2; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a hot water supply apparatus according to Embodiment 3;

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. Elements that are common or correspond to each figure are denoted by the same reference numerals, and overlapping descriptions are simplified or omitted. The present disclosure may include any combination of combinable configurations among the configurations described in the following embodiments.

Embodiment 1.
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a water heater according to Embodiment 1. FIG. Water heater 1A of Embodiment 1 has a function of supplying hot water to bathtub 10 and a function of supplying foam for washing bathtub 10 to bathtub 10 . As used herein, foam means foam that forms a cream-like mass when a large number of air bubbles gather. That is, foam means foam. In the following description, water mixed with detergents or surfactants will be referred to as "detergent water". In the following description, hot water stored in the bathtub 10 may be called "bath water".

As shown in FIG. 1, the water heater 1A includes a heating means 2 for heating water, a tank unit 3, and a remote control device 4. As shown in FIG. The hot water supply apparatus 1</b>A of the present embodiment corresponds to a hot water storage type hot water supply apparatus having a hot water storage tank 5 inside the tank unit 3 . The present invention can also be applied to hot water heaters other than storage hot water heaters (for example, instantaneous hot water heaters).

A control device 6 corresponding to control means for controlling the operation of the water heater 1A is provided in the tank unit 3. As shown in FIG. The controller 6 may, for example, comprise a microcomputer with a processor and memory. Two-way communication is possible between the control device 6 and the remote control device 4 by wired communication or wireless communication. Control device 6 and remote control device 4 may be able to communicate via a network. The remote control device 4 is an example of a user interface. In this embodiment, the remote control device 4 may be installed in the bathroom. Alternatively, for example, a mobile information terminal such as a smart phone may be configured to have a function as a user interface of hot water supply apparatus 1A.

The remote control device 4 includes a display section 4a and an operation section 4b. The display unit 4a may be, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display. The display unit 4a can display, for example, information about the state of the water heater 1A, information about settings of the water heater 1A, and the like. The display unit 4a corresponds to notification means for notifying the user of information. The operation unit 4b may include buttons, dials, keys, etc. for operation by the user. The display unit 4a may be a touch screen that also functions as an operation unit. The remote control device 4 may further include a speaker, a microphone, and the like. The remote control device 4 in the present embodiment may be provided with notification means other than the display unit 4a, such as a voice guidance device.

The hot water storage tank 5 stores hot water. Due to the difference in water density due to temperature, a temperature stratification can be formed in the hot water storage tank 5 with a high temperature on the upper side and a low temperature on the lower side. A water supply pipe 7 is connected to the lower portion of the hot water storage tank 5 . Water supplied from a water source such as tap water flows into the hot water storage tank 5 through the water supply pipe 7 .

The heating means 2 may be provided with a heat pump device. A first passage 8 connects the lower part of the hot water storage tank 5 and the water inlet of the heating means 2 . A second passage 9 connects the hot water outlet of the heating means 2 and the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 5 . During the boiling operation in which the water in the hot water storage tank 5 is heated by the heating means 2, the operation is as follows. Water in the lower part of the hot water storage tank 5 is sent to the heating means 2 through the first passage 8 . The hot water heated by the heating means 2 passes through the second passage 9 and flows into the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 5 .

Hot water supply device 1A can supply hot water to bathtub 10 . A bathtub adapter 13 is installed on the inner wall of the bathtub 10. - 特許庁The bathtub adapter 13 has an outlet 14 and an inlet 15 . A discharge port 14 is capable of discharging fluid into the bathtub 10 . Inhalation port 15 is capable of inhaling fluid in bathtub 10 . The inlet 15 is positioned lower than the outlet 14 .

A water pump 11 and a reheating heat exchanger 12 for heating bath water are arranged in the tank unit 3 . The third passage 16 connects the bath water outlet of the reheating heat exchanger 12 and the discharge port 14 . The fourth passage 17 connects the inlet 15 and the bath water inlet of the reheating heat exchanger 12 . A water pump 11 is arranged in the middle of the fourth passage 17 .

When the water pump 11 is operated, bath water circulates as follows. Bath water in the bathtub 10 is drawn into the fourth passage 17 from the suction port 15 and sent to the reheating heat exchanger 12. - 特許庁The bath water that has passed through the reheating heat exchanger 12 is discharged into the bathtub 10 through the discharge port 14 through the third passage 16 . The water pump 11, the reheating heat exchanger 12, the third passage 16, and the fourth passage 17 form a bath water circulation flow path.

The reheating heat exchanger 12 in the present embodiment corresponds to bath water heating means for heating the bath water sucked from the suction port 15 . The water heater 1</b>A can carry out a reheating operation in which the bath water heated by the reheating heat exchanger 12 is returned into the bathtub 10 . The reheating heat exchanger 12 may heat the bath water by exchanging heat between high-temperature water supplied from the hot water storage tank 5 through a circulation channel (not shown) and the bath water. It may be equipped with a combustion type heating device or an electric heater that heats by burning fuel.

A mixing valve 18 is arranged in the tank unit 3 . Mixing valve 18 has a hot water side inlet, a cold side inlet, and an outlet. A hot water side inlet of the mixing valve 18 is connected to the upper portion of the hot water storage tank 5 via a hot water supply pipe 19 . The water side inlet of the mixing valve 18 leads to a water supply pipe 20 that supplies cold water from a water source. An outlet of the mixing valve 18 is connected to a midpoint of the fourth passage 17 via a hot water supply pipe 38 .

During the hot water filling operation for filling the bathtub 10 with hot water, the operation is as follows. High temperature water supplied from the hot water storage tank 5 through the hot water supply pipe 19 and low temperature water supplied from the water supply pipe 20 are mixed at the mixing valve 18 to adjust the temperature. The hot water temperature-controlled by the mixing valve 18 flows into the bathtub 10 through the hot water supply pipe 38, the third passage 16, and the fourth passage 17. Hot water flows into the bathtub 10 from both the discharge port 14 and the suction port 15 of the bathtub adapter 13 during the hot water filling operation.

The water heater 1A further includes a gas-liquid mixing device 21, an air pump 22, and an air supply valve 23. As shown in FIG. The gas-liquid mixing device 21 is arranged upstream of the outlet 14 . In the illustrated example, the gas-liquid mixing device 21 is connected in the middle of the third passage 16 and arranged outside the tank unit 3 and near the bathtub 10 . The air pump 22 and the air supply valve 23 are arranged inside the tank unit 3 . The air pump 22 is connected to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 through the gas passage 24 . The air supply valve 23 is an electromagnetic valve arranged in the middle of the gas passage 24 and capable of opening and closing the gas passage 24 . When the air supply valve 23 is opened and the air pump 22 is operated, air is supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 through the gas passage 24 . The air pump 22 in this embodiment corresponds to an air supply device that supplies gas to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 .

When the water pump 11 is operated, the liquid in the bathtub 10 passes through the third passage 16 , so the liquid in the bathtub 10 is supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 . The water pump 11 in this embodiment corresponds to a liquid supply device that supplies liquid to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 . The gas-liquid mixing device 21 has a function of mixing the gas supplied by the air pump 22 and the liquid supplied by the water pump 11 .

For example, bath water can be prevented from flowing into the gas passage 24 by closing the air supply valve 23 during the hot water filling operation. For example, during the hot water filling operation, by closing the air supply valve 23 and stopping the air pump 22, only liquid hot water containing no gas flows into the bathtub 10 without mixing gas with the gas-liquid mixer 21. You can let it run.

In the present embodiment, when washing the bathtub 10, an operation can be performed in which the foam generated by the gas-liquid mixing device 21 is discharged into the bathtub 10 from the outlet 14. FIG. This operation is hereinafter referred to as "foam supply operation". During the foam supply operation in this embodiment, the operation is as follows. Detergent water is generated in the bathtub 10 by adding detergent to the bath water in the bathtub 10.例文帳に追加Water pump 11 and air pump 22 are operated. When the water pump 11 is operated, detergent water in the bathtub 10 is supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 . The air-liquid mixer 21 mixes the detergent water with the air supplied by the air pump 22 to generate foam. This foam is discharged into the bathtub 10 from the discharge port 14 .

In hot water supply apparatus 1A of the present embodiment, foam supply operation is performed by operating water pump 11 and air pump 22 in a state where the water level in bathtub 10 is between discharge port 14 and suction port 15. . FIG. 1 shows a state where the liquid level 90 in the bathtub 10 is lower than the discharge port 14 and higher than the suction port 15 . The state shown in FIG. 1 corresponds to "a state in which the water level in the bathtub 10 is between the discharge port 14 and the suction port 15". If the foam supply operation is continued as described above, the foam discharged from the discharge port 14 accumulates above the liquid surface 90 . The foam accumulated on the liquid surface 90 is pushed by the foam subsequently discharged from the discharge port 14 and rises further upward. In this way, the space above the liquid surface 90 in the bathtub 10 is filled with foam. As a result, the foam adheres to the entire circumference of the inner wall of the bathtub 10 , so that the washing effect can be exerted on the entire circumference of the inner wall of the bathtub 10 .

A foam upper surface 91 in FIG. 1 shows an example of the upper surface of foam collected in a space above the liquid surface 90 in the bathtub 10 . The foam top surface 91 in this example is located near the top edge of the inner wall of the tub 10 . As in this example, the control device 6 may continue the foam supply operation so that the foam fills up to a position near the upper end of the inner wall of the bathtub 10 . By doing so, the cleaning effect of the foam can be exerted even to a position near the upper end of the inner wall of the bathtub 10 .

The controller 6 may continue the foam supply operation from the position of the foam upper surface 91 shown in FIG. That is, the control device 6 may continue the foam supply operation until the bathtub 10 overflows with foam. By doing so, the cleaning effect of the foam can be exerted even on the edge of the upper end of the bathtub 10 .

The foam diameter of the foam discharged from the discharge port 14 may be in the range of 1 μm to 5000 μm, for example. In addition, a bubble diameter shall mean the value which calculated the arithmetic mean of the diameter of each bubble. That is, the bubble diameter shall mean the number average diameter. The bubble diameter can be measured, for example, by a laser diffraction/scattering method or an image analysis method. The foam discharged from the discharge port 14 may contain air bubbles with a diameter of 50 μm or less. Foam containing such fine air bubbles provides particularly excellent cleaning performance. The foam discharged from the discharge port 14 may contain air bubbles with a diameter of 500 μm or more. By releasing the foam containing air bubbles with such a relatively large diameter, it is possible to fill the bathtub 10 with the foam more quickly.

The gas-liquid mixing device 21 may include, for example, fixed vanes arranged in the flow path. In this case, it is as follows. The fixed vane forms a swirling water flow that swirls around the axis of the flow path. The air introduced into the gas-liquid mixing device 21 is mixed with the detergent water while being sheared and crushed by the swirling water flow. By shearing and crushing the air, the detergent water and the air can be efficiently mixed, and the generated foam becomes finer, so that the foam having high detergency can be supplied to the bathtub 10.例文帳に追加

Alternatively, the gas-liquid mixing device 21 may have a structure in which a mesh plate is provided in the flow path in a direction perpendicular to the water flow so that passing air is finely divided and mixed with the detergent water.

The water heater 1A further includes a flow control valve 25 arranged inside the tank unit 3 . The flow control valve 25 is arranged in the middle of the third passage 16 between the reheating heat exchanger 12 and the gas-liquid mixing device 21 . The flow rate control valve 25 can adjust the flow rate of the liquid passing through the third passage 16, that is, the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 21, by changing the degree of opening. When the opening degree of the flow control valve 25 is decreased, the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 is decreased. The flow rate adjustment valve 25 corresponds to liquid flow rate adjustment means capable of adjusting the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device 21 .

The control device 6 has a pump speed adjusting function for adjusting the operating speed of the water pump 11 . The operating speed of the water pump 11 may be the rotational speed of the water pump 11 . When the control device 6 increases the operating speed of the water pump 11, the flow rate of the liquid supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 increases, and when the operating speed of the water pump 11 decreases, the liquid supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 increases. Flow rate drops. The pump speed adjusting function of the control device 6 corresponds to pump speed adjusting means for adjusting the operating speed of the water pump 11 . Further, the pump speed adjusting function by the control device 6 corresponds to liquid flow rate adjusting means capable of adjusting the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device 21 .

The hot water supply apparatus 1A of the present embodiment includes both the pump speed adjustment function by the control device 6 and the flow rate adjustment valve 25 as liquid flow rate adjustment means. Only one of the flow control valve 25 and the flow control valve 25 may be provided as the liquid flow control means.

When foam is generated by the gas-liquid mixer 21, the mixing ratio of the gas, that is, the air, and the detergent water in the gas-liquid mixer 21 is extremely important. This mixing ratio is hereinafter referred to as "gas-liquid mixing ratio". If the mixing ratio of the detergent water is too high compared to the appropriate gas-liquid mixing ratio, the liquid will be in a state of a gas-liquid two-phase flow in which air bubbles are scattered, and there is a possibility that foam will not be generated. Also, if the mixing ratio of the detergent water is too high compared to the appropriate gas-liquid mixing ratio, the amount of water contained in the foam increases, making the foam heavy and making it difficult to build up the foam upward in the bathtub 10. Become.

During the foam generation operation, the control device 6 can adjust the flow rate of detergent water by adjusting at least one of the operating speed of the water pump 11 and the opening degree of the flow control valve 25 . This makes it possible to reliably adjust the gas-liquid mixture ratio to an appropriate value. As a result, foam can be efficiently generated by the gas-liquid mixing device 21 , the foam generation speed can be improved, and a large amount of foam can be quickly discharged from the discharge port 14 . Further, in the present embodiment, it is possible to generate foam using the piping used for the hot water filling operation and the reheating operation of the bathtub 10, which is advantageous in simplifying the device configuration.

When foam is generated by the gas-liquid mixing device 21, the volumetric flow rate of the air that flows into the gas-liquid mixing device 21 is at least twice the volumetric flow rate of the detergent water that flows into the gas-liquid mixing device 21. It is preferably 20 times or less, more preferably 3 times or more and 10 times or less. By setting the ratio within the above range, the gas-liquid mixing ratio becomes a more appropriate value, and it is possible to more efficiently generate fine and favorable foam having a relatively small bubble diameter. By adjusting the flow rate of the detergent water as described above, the control device 6 can adjust the ratio between the volumetric flow rate of the gas and the volumetric flow rate of the detergent water within the above range. It should be noted that the "volumetric flow rate of gas" is the volumetric flow rate of gas when converted to atmospheric pressure.

For example, the control device 6 may adjust the gas-liquid mixture ratio by operating the air pump 22 under certain operating conditions and adjusting the operating speed of the water pump 11 to adjust the flow rate of the detergent water. . Alternatively, the control device 6 maintains the operating speed of the water pump 11 at a constant operating speed and adjusts the opening degree of the flow control valve 25 to adjust the air flow rate, thereby adjusting the gas-liquid mixture ratio. good too.

It is preferable that the volumetric flow rate of the detergent water flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device 21 is 2 L/min or more and 10 L/min or less during the foam generating operation. Assuming a household-sized bathtub 10, the volumetric flow rate of the detergent water flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device 21 should be set within the above range so that the foam generation speed is set to an appropriate speed that is neither too much nor too little. becomes possible. Further, the control device 6 may control the flow rate of the detergent water during the foam generation operation to be lower than the flow rate of the bath water during the reheating operation. By doing so, it is possible to more reliably prevent the mixing ratio of the detergent water from becoming higher than the appropriate gas-liquid mixing ratio during the foam generation operation.

Water heater 1</b>A further includes a water level sensor 26 arranged inside tank unit 3 . The water level sensor 26 is arranged in the middle of the fourth passage 17 on the upstream side of the water pump 11 . The water level sensor 26 corresponds to water level detection means for detecting the water level in the bathtub 10 . The pressure inside the fourth passage 17 changes according to the water level inside the bathtub 10 . The water level sensor 26 can detect the water level inside the bathtub 10 by detecting the pressure inside the fourth passage 17 .

An automatic drain plug 27 that can be automatically opened and closed is installed at the bottom of the bathtub 10 in this embodiment. Liquid such as bath water can be stored in the bathtub 10 when the automatic drain plug 27 is closed. When the automatic drain plug 27 is opened, the liquid in the bathtub 10 is drained through the automatic drain plug 27 to the outside of the bathtub 10, for example, a sewage pipe (not shown). By opening the automatic drain plug 27, all the liquid in the bathtub 10 can be drained to the outside. The automatic drain plug 27 is opened and closed by being driven by an actuator (not shown). The control device 6 can control the opening/closing operation of the automatic drain plug 27 . The controller 6 may directly control the operation of the automatic drain valve 27, or by the controller 6 sending commands to a control unit (not shown) of the automatic drain valve 27 located in or near the bathroom. The controller 6 may indirectly control the operation of the automatic drain plug 27 .

The remote control device 4 may be capable of receiving a user's operation for operating the automatic drain plug 27 . In this case, the user can input to the remote controller 4 a command to open the automatic drain plug 27 and a command to close the automatic drain plug 27 . The user can remotely control the automatic drain plug 27 by operating the remote control device 4 .

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a process executed by control device 6 of hot water supply apparatus 1A according to the first embodiment. The remote control device 4 has a cleaning button as part of the operation section 4b. The cleaning button is operated by the user to cause hot water supply apparatus 1A to start cleaning bathtub 10 . In the present embodiment, when washing bathtub 10 , the user puts detergent into bath water remaining in bathtub 10 . Thereby, the bath water in the bathtub 10 turns into detergent water. After that, when the user presses the cleaning button, hot water supply apparatus 1A starts an operation for cleaning bathtub 10 .

At step S1 in FIG. 2, the controller 6 determines whether the wash button has been pressed. If the cleaning button has not been pressed, the process of step S1 is repeated, and if the cleaning button has been pressed, the process proceeds to step S2.

At step S2, the control device 6 opens the automatic drain plug 27. FIG. Thereby, the water level in the bathtub 10 begins to fall. In the following description, the water level in bathtub 10 detected by water level sensor 26 is referred to as "bathtub water level". Proceeding from step S2 to step S3, the control device 6 determines whether or not the water level in the bathtub has become equal to or lower than the position of the outlet 14. FIG. If the water level in the bathtub has not reached the level of the discharge port 14 or below, the process of step S3 is repeated.

In step S4, the control device 6 activates the water pump 11 and the air pump 22. Subsequently, the controller 6 opens the air supply valve 23 in step S5. By the processing up to this point, the foam generation operation is started, and foam starts to be discharged from the discharge port 14 . In the foam generation operation, the gas-liquid mixture ratio is adjusted as described above.

Subsequently, the control device 6 closes the automatic drain plug 27 as step S6. Thus, in the present embodiment, the control device 6 closes the automatic drain plug 27 and performs the foam supply operation in a state where the bathtub water level is between the discharge port 14 and the suction port 15 . When the bathtub water level becomes lower than the position of the suction port 15, the detergent water cannot be drawn into the fourth passage 17, so the foam generation operation cannot be continued. On the other hand, in the present embodiment, the bathtub water level can be maintained at a position between the discharge port 14 and the suction port 15 by closing the automatic drain plug 27 by the process of step S6. Therefore, it is possible to reliably continue the foam generating operation for the required time.

Proceeding from step S6 to step S7, the controller 6 determines whether the bathtub 10 is filled with foam. If the bathtub 10 is not yet filled with foam, the process of step S7 is repeated, and if the bathtub 10 is filled with foam, the process proceeds to step S8.

Whether or not the bathtub 10 is filled with foam can be determined, for example, as follows. The total amount of foam delivered into bathtub 10 can be considered proportional to the duration of the foam generating operation. Therefore, the control device 6 can determine that the bathtub 10 is filled with foam when the duration of the foam generating operation reaches a predetermined threshold value.

Also, during the foam generation operation, part of the detergent water below the liquid level 90 moves to the space above the liquid level 90 as water contained in the foam, so that the bath water level rises. gradually decrease. The total amount of foam delivered into the bathtub 10 can be considered proportional to the amount of drop in the bathtub water level during the foam generating operation. Therefore, the control device 6 detects the amount of decrease in the water level of the bathtub during the foam generating operation with the water level sensor 26, and when the amount of decrease reaches a predetermined threshold value, it is determined that the bathtub 10 is filled with foam. can judge.

When the bathtub 10 is filled with foam, it is no longer necessary to supply foam. Therefore, the controller 6 stops the water pump 11 and the air pump 22 in step S8, and closes the air supply valve 23 in the following step S9. This ends the foam generation operation.

Proceeding from step S9 to step S10, the control device 6 determines whether a predetermined time has passed since the foam generation operation was completed. If the predetermined time has not yet passed, the process of step S10 is repeated, and if the predetermined time has passed, the process proceeds to step S11. In order to sufficiently remove dirt from the inner wall of the bathtub 10, it is desirable to keep the foam attached for a certain amount of time. The "predetermined time" in step S10 corresponds to the time required to sufficiently remove dirt from the inner wall of bathtub 10. FIG.

At step S11, the control device 6 opens the automatic drain plug 27. FIG. As a result, the detergent water remaining in the bathtub 10 begins to be discharged, and the water level in the bathtub decreases. Proceeding from step S11 to step S12, the control device 6 determines from the signal of the water level sensor 26 whether or not the water in the bathtub 10 has been completed. If the drainage in the bathtub 10 has not been completed, the process of step S12 is repeated, and if the drainage in the bathtub 10 has been completed, the process proceeds to step S13. In step S13, the control device 6 uses at least one of the notification means of the display section 4a of the remote control device 4 and the voice guidance device to notify the user that the washing has been completed. With the above, the processing of the flowchart in FIG. 2 ends.

The user who has learned that washing has been completed by the process of step S13 goes to the bathroom and rinses the inside of the bathtub 10 using a shower or the like. When the rinsing is completed, the cleaning work is completed.

In the example of FIG. 2, the foam generation operation is continued until the bathtub 10 is filled with foam. At this point the foam generation operation may be stopped. Alternatively, the user may set the target position by himself/herself by operating the remote control device 4 .

Control device 6 included in hot water supply apparatus 1A may be configured as follows. Each function of the control device 6 may be implemented by a processing circuit. The processing circuitry of controller 6 may comprise at least one processor and at least one memory. At least one processor may implement each function of the control device 6 by reading and executing a program stored in at least one memory. The processing circuitry of controller 6 may comprise at least one piece of dedicated hardware. A part of each function of the control device 6 may be realized by dedicated hardware, and another part may be realized by software or firmware. Processing circuitry may implement the functions of controller 6 in hardware, software, firmware, or a combination thereof. The configuration is not limited to a configuration in which the operation is controlled by a single control device 6, and a configuration in which a plurality of control devices cooperate to control the operation may be employed.

Embodiment 2.
Next, the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. omitted. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing hot water supply apparatus 1B according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 3, water heater 1B of Embodiment 2 differs from water heater 1A of Embodiment 1 in that it includes a detergent supply unit that automatically supplies detergent. According to Embodiment 2, the user does not have to put the detergent into the bathtub 10 when washing the bathtub 10, so that the usability can be further improved.

The detergent supply section in this embodiment includes a detergent tank 28 that stores detergent and a detergent passage 29 . The detergent tank 28 is connected to the gas-liquid mixer 21 via a detergent passage 29 . In the illustrated example, the detergent tank 28 is arranged near the bathtub 10 . Detergent tank 28 is arranged in an internal space formed by the upper surface of bathtub 10 and the inner wall of bathtub 10 . In this case, a replenishing port for the user to replenish the detergent tank 28 with detergent and a lid for closing the replenishing port may be provided on the upper surface of the bathtub 10 or on the side of the bathtub 10 .

FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing gas-liquid mixing device 30 provided in hot water supply apparatus 1B according to Embodiment 2. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 4, the gas-liquid mixing device 30 according to Embodiment 2 has a venturi mechanism that throttles the flow of the fluid to increase the flow velocity, thereby generating a pressure lower than that at the low speed portion. The gas-liquid mixing device 30 includes an inlet portion 30a, a fixed blade 30b, a reduced diameter portion 30c, a gas introduction portion 30d, an enlarged diameter portion 30e, and a minimum inner diameter portion 30g. Water advances from the left side to the right side in FIG. 4 as indicated by an arrow in FIG. The inner diameter of the inlet portion 30a is, at least in part, constant along the direction of travel P. A fixed wing 30b is installed inside the inlet portion 30a. The fixed wing 30b applies a swirling force to the water flow passing through the inlet portion 30a to generate a swirling water flow SF that swirls around the axis 30f of the flow path. The reduced diameter portion 30c is coaxially formed downstream of the inlet portion 30a. The inner diameter of the reduced-diameter portion 30c is continuously reduced along the traveling direction P. As shown in FIG. The inner space of the reduced diameter portion 30c has a conical shape. The diameter-reduced portion 30c reduces the radius of the swirling water flow SF generated by the fixed blades 30b and speeds up the swirling water flow SF.

The gas introduction portion 30d has a passage for introducing gas from the outside in the radial direction to the minimum inner diameter portion 30g at the downstream end portion of the reduced diameter portion 30c. A gas passage 24 from the air pump 22 is connected to the gas introduction portion 30d. The diameter-enlarged portion 30e is coaxially formed downstream of the diameter-reduced portion 30c. The inner diameter of the enlarged diameter portion 30e is continuously enlarged along the traveling direction P. As shown in FIG. The inner space of the enlarged diameter portion 30e has a conical shape.

The detergent passage 29 extends inside the gas-liquid mixing device 30 . The detergent passageway 29 has an outlet 29a formed within the inlet section 30a at or near the central portion of the fixed wing 30b. Outlet 29a may be connected to fixed wing 30b. A detergent supply valve 31 capable of opening and closing the detergent flow path is installed in the detergent passage 29 outside the gas-liquid mixing device 30 . The controller 6 opens the detergent supply valve 31 when supplying the detergent to the gas-liquid mixing device 30 . Otherwise, controller 6 closes detergent supply valve 31 . Thereby, the fluid in the gas-liquid mixing device 30 can be prevented from flowing back to the detergent passage 29 .

Negative pressure is generated in the central portion of the swirling water flow SF. The detergent supplied from the detergent tank 28 to the gas-liquid mixing device 30 through the detergent passage 29 is discharged from the outlet 29a to the central portion of the swirling water flow SF. In the present embodiment, by using the negative pressure generated in the central portion of the swirling water flow SF, it becomes possible to supply the detergent from the detergent tank 28 to the gas-liquid mixing device 30 without requiring a pump. . Therefore, it is advantageous for miniaturization and cost reduction of products. However, it goes without saying that a pump for sending the detergent may be provided.

During the foam generating operation, the detergent is discharged from the outlet 29a, so that the swirling water flow SF on the downstream side of the fixed wing 30b becomes detergent water. Air introduced from the gas introduction part 30d is sheared by the swirling water flow SF of the detergent water to generate foam. In particular, this embodiment is advantageous in producing fine foam with a small bubble diameter.

In the present embodiment, by introducing the air from the gas introduction portion 30d into the minimum inner diameter portion 30g, it becomes possible to mix the air with the swirling water flow SF of detergent water with higher efficiency. Therefore, foam can be generated with higher efficiency.

Instead of the illustrated configuration, the outlet 29a of the detergent passage 29 may be formed in the minimum inner diameter portion 30g, like the gas introduction portion 30d. In this case, since the negative pressure of the minimum inner diameter portion 30g is large, the opening area of the outlet 29a is made smaller than the channel cross-sectional area of the gas introduction portion 30d in order to prevent the amount of detergent from becoming excessive. It is desirable to provide a regulating valve for regulating the amount of supply.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a process executed by control device 6 of hot water supply apparatus 1B according to the second embodiment. The difference between the flowchart shown in FIG. 5 and the flowchart shown in FIG. 2 is that step S14 is inserted between steps S5 and S6, and step S15 is inserted between steps S9 and S10. is inserted, the description will focus on the differences, and the description of the same items will be omitted. As described above, in the present embodiment, the user does not need to put detergent into bathtub 10 before washing bathtub 10 .

By the processing up to step S5, the water pump 11 and the air pump 22 are activated and the air supply valve 23 is opened. After that, the controller 6 opens the detergent supply valve 31 as step S14. As a result, the detergent is automatically supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 30, and the foam generating operation is started.

When ending the foam generating operation, the controller 6 closes the air supply valve 23 in step S9, and then closes the detergent supply valve 31 in step S15.

The detergent supply unit in the present embodiment is designed to flow the detergent into the gas-liquid mixing device 30, but as a modification, the detergent is supplied to the bath water on the upstream side of the gas-liquid mixing device 30. You may comprise a supply part.

Further, in the present embodiment, foam is generated using the bath water supplied from the bathtub 10 to the gas-liquid mixing device 30. The hot water and water may be used to generate the foam. When foam is generated using hot water supplied from the tank unit 3 to the gas-liquid mixing device 30 , foam can be generated even when there is no water in the bathtub 10 .

When the washing button is pressed, the control device 6 determines whether or not there is water in the bathtub 10 based on the signal from the water level sensor 26. If there is no water in the bathtub 10, gas and liquid It may be controlled to generate foam by supplying hot water to the mixing device 30 .

Embodiment 3.
Next, the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 6. The description will focus on the differences from the above-described first and second embodiments, and the description of the same or corresponding parts will be simplified or omitted. do. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing hot water supply apparatus 1C according to Embodiment 3. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 6, water heater 1C of Embodiment 3 has second discharge port 32 for discharging fluid into bathtub 10 and channel switching valve 33, as compared with water heater 1B of Embodiment 2. , and a second bathtub adapter 34 are further provided.

The second bathtub adapter 34 is installed on the inner wall of the bathtub 10 at a position higher than the bathtub adapter 13 . The discharge port 14 capable of discharging foam is formed in the second bathtub adapter 34 instead of the bathtub adapter 13. - 特許庁A second outlet 32 is formed in the bathtub adapter 13 . The second outlet 32 is positioned lower than the outlet 14 .

The channel switching valve 33 in this embodiment corresponds to a three-way valve having an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet. A downstream end of the third passage 16 is connected to an inlet of the flow path switching valve 33 . The fifth passage 35 connects between the first outlet of the flow path switching valve 33 and the discharge port 14 . The gas-liquid mixing device 30 is connected in the middle of the fifth passage 35 . The sixth passage 36 connects between the second outlet of the flow path switching valve 33 and the second discharge port 32 .

The flow path switching valve 33 has a first state in which the third passage 16 communicates with the fifth passage 35 and blocks the sixth passage 36, and a first state in which the third passage 16 communicates with the sixth passage 36 and closes the fifth passage 35. The flow path can be switched to a second state of blocking. As a result, the channel switching valve 33 can switch between supplying the fluid that has flowed in from the third passage 16 to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 or to the second discharge port 32 .

When cleaning the bathtub 10, the control device 6 switches the channel switching valve 33 to the first state. As a result, the detergent water can be supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device 21 and foam can be discharged into the bathtub 10 from the discharge port 14 .

For example, when performing an operation in which hot water containing no detergent flows into the bathtub 10, such as a hot water filling operation or a reheating operation, the control device 6 switches the flow path switching valve 33 to the second state. As a result, during the hot water filling operation or the reheating operation, hot water can flow into the bathtub 10 from the second discharge port 32 located at a relatively low position.

During foam generation operation, it is necessary that the liquid level 93 in the bathtub 10 is below the height of the discharge port 14 . In this embodiment, the discharge port 14 is positioned higher than in the first and second embodiments. Therefore, even when the water level in the bathtub 10 is relatively high, for example, like the liquid level 93 in FIG. 6, the foam generation operation can be performed. Therefore, the foam generation operation can be started earlier than in the first and second embodiments.

In this embodiment, the bathtub 10 may be provided with a normal manual drain plug 37 instead of the automatic drain plug 27 . According to this embodiment, the foam generation operation can be performed from a state where the water level in bathtub 10 is relatively high. Therefore, even if the foam generation operation is performed while the water level in the bathtub 10 is lowered by opening the drain plug 37 of the bathtub 10, the water level in the bathtub 10 will drop to the position of the suction port 15. Since it takes a long time to fill the bathtub 10 with foam, it is possible to secure sufficient time. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to perform the foam generation operation while the drainage from the bathtub 10 is stopped, so the automatic drain plug 27 is not necessarily required.

When the bathtub 10 is provided with a manual drain plug 37, when starting to wash the bathtub 10, the user manually opens the drain plug 37 and then presses the wash button. When the wash button is pressed, if the water level in the bathtub 10 before starting the foam supply operation is higher than the discharge port 14, the control device 6 determines that the water level in the bathtub 10 is higher than the discharge port 14. Start the foam supply operation after lowering to below the position. On the other hand, if the water level in the bathtub 10 before starting the foam supplying operation is equal to or lower than the position of the outlet 14, the control device 6 may start the foam supplying operation immediately after the washing button is pressed. good. According to the present embodiment, it is not necessary to perform the foam generation operation while the drainage from the bathtub 10 is stopped, and the washing of the bathtub 10 can be finished while the bathtub 10 is being drained. Therefore, the time required for cleaning the bathtub 10 can be shortened.

The control device 6 may close the detergent supply valve 31 and supply hot water from the tank unit 3 to the discharge port 14 via the fifth passage 35 after the bathtub 10 is completely drained. By doing so, hot water containing no detergent is discharged into the bathtub 10 as rinsing water from the discharge port 14 located at a high position, so that the bathtub 10 can be automatically rinsed after washing. .

1A, 1B, 1C hot water supply device 2 heating means 3 tank unit 4 remote control device 4a display unit 4b operation unit 5 hot water storage tank 6 control device 7 water supply pipe 8 first passage 9 second passage 10 Bathtub 11 Water pump 12 Reheating heat exchanger 13 Bathtub adapter 14 Discharge port 15 Suction port 16 Third passage 17 Fourth passage 18 Mixing valve 19 Hot water supply pipe 20 Water supply pipe 21 Air Liquid mixing device 22 Air pump 23 Air supply valve 24 Gas passage 25 Flow control valve 26 Water level sensor 27 Automatic drain valve 28 Detergent tank 29 Detergent passage 29a Exit 30 Gas-liquid mixing device 30a Inlet Part 30b Fixed wing 30c Reduced diameter part 30d Gas introduction part 30e Expanded diameter part 30f Axis line 30g Minimum inner diameter part 31 Detergent supply valve 32 Second discharge port 33 Channel switching valve 34 Second bathtub Adapter 35 Fifth Passage 36 Sixth Passage 37 Drain Stopper 38 Hot Water Supply Pipe 90 Liquid Level 91 Foam Upper Surface 93 Liquid Level

Claims (13)

a discharge port for discharging fluid into the bathtub;
a gas-liquid mixing device arranged upstream of the outlet for mixing gas and liquid;
a liquid supply device that supplies liquid to the gas-liquid mixing device;
an air supply device that supplies gas to the gas-liquid mixing device;
A liquid flow rate adjusting means capable of adjusting the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device,
When the detergent water is supplied to the gas-liquid mixing device, the flow rate of the detergent water can be adjusted by the liquid flow rate adjusting means so that foam generated by the gas-liquid mixing device is discharged from the outlet. wherein the liquid flow rate adjusting means adjusts the flow rate of the detergent water so that the volumetric flow rate of the gas flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device is at least three times the volumetric flow rate of the detergent water flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device; A water heater that adjusts to be 20 times or less . The liquid flow rate adjusting means is either a flow rate adjusting valve that adjusts the flow rate of the liquid flowing into the gas-liquid mixing device, or a pump speed adjusting means that adjusts the operating speed of a pump that sends the liquid to the gas-liquid mixing device. The water heater according to claim 1, comprising one or both of them. 3. A volumetric flow rate of said detergent water flowing into said gas-liquid mixing device is 2 L/min or more and 10 L/min or less when said foam is being generated by said gas-liquid mixing device. The water heater described in . 4. The water heater according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , further comprising a detergent supply unit that automatically supplies detergent. The gas-liquid mixing device includes a fixed blade that swirls the liquid that has flowed in to form a swirling flow,
5. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the detergent supply part has an outlet for discharging the detergent to the central portion of the swirling flow. The gas-liquid mixing device includes a fixed blade that swirls the liquid that has flowed in to form a swirling flow,
5. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 4 , wherein the detergent supply unit has an outlet for discharging the detergent to a location where negative pressure is generated by the swirling flow. an inlet for sucking fluid in the bathtub;
bath water heating means for heating bath water sucked from the suction port;
a reheating operation can be performed to return the bath water heated by the bath water heating means to the bathtub;
7. The flow rate of the detergent water when the foam is being generated by the gas - liquid mixing device is lower than the flow rate of the bath water during the reheating operation. The water heater described in . a suction port located lower than the discharge port for sucking fluid in the bathtub;
The liquid supply device includes a pump that sends the liquid sucked from the suction port to the gas-liquid mixing device,
2. The foam can be discharged from the discharge port by operating the pump and the air supply device while the water level in the bathtub is between the discharge port and the suction port. The water heater according to any one of claims 7 to 7. a control means for controlling a foam supply operation for discharging the foam from the discharge port;
A water level detection means for detecting the water level in the bathtub,
The control means can control the operation of an automatic drain plug provided at the bottom of the bathtub,
9. The hot water supply according to claim 8 , wherein the control means opens the automatic drain plug before starting the foam supply operation, and starts the foam supply operation when the water level in the bathtub drops below the position of the discharge port. Device. 10. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the foam supplying operation is performed by closing the automatic drain plug when the water level in the bathtub is between the discharge port and the suction port. a control means for controlling a foam supply operation for discharging the foam from the discharge port;
A water level detection means for detecting the water level in the bathtub,
If the water level in the bathtub is at a position higher than the discharge port before starting the foam supply operation, the control means controls the water level in the bathtub after the water level in the bathtub drops below the position of the discharge port. 9. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the foam supply operation is started. a second outlet positioned lower than the outlet for discharging fluid into the bathtub;
12. The hot water supply apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a channel switching valve for switching between supply of the fluid to the gas-liquid mixing device and supply of the fluid to the second outlet. 13. The hot water supply system according to any one of claims 8 to 12 , wherein the foam can be discharged from the outlet while the water level in the bathtub is lowered by opening the drain plug of the bathtub. Device.

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