JPH03107682A - Faucet control device using distance sensor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To regularly and certainly operate a device without a possibility of improper operation by a foreign material by providing first to third opening and closing means for opening and closing a solenoid valve, depending on the distance detected by a distance sensor in a valve control means. CONSTITUTION:When a user goes in front of a sink 14 and reaches out his hand just before a distance sensor 21 (a position closer to the sensor 21 than a first distance), a first opening and closing means 1 operates to open a solenoid valve 13, so that water or hot water is released from a faucet 12. When the user again reaches out the hand just before the sensor 21, a second opening and closing means 2 operates to close the valve 13. The valve 13 is alternately opened and closed every time when the hand is consciously reached out just before the sensor 21, and the release and stop of water from the faucet 12 are repeated. When the user leaves the sink 14 during release of water, a third opening and closing means 3 operates to close the valve 13, so that the release of water is stopped. When a foreign material passes just before the sensor 21 in the absence of the user, the means 1 detects this to open the valve 13, but after the foreign material passed, the means 3 operates to close the valve 13.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention provides a control method for opening and closing a faucet installed in a sink or a washbasin, etc. and supplying water or hot water according to a distance detected by a distance sensor. Regarding equipment.

(Prior art) This type of faucet control device includes one that operates by detecting a hand held out into a sink or the like for washing, and one that detects a hand held out intentionally near a distance sensor. There is something that works.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the former case, it is not possible to determine whether the user really needs water or hot water, so water may be released even when it is not needed. Furthermore, in the case of the latter, if the user leaves the sink during washing, water may leak out.

Additionally, if a foreign object such as an animal or something blown by the wind passes in front of the distance sensor, water may leak out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to solve these problems and provide a faucet control device using a distance sensor that always operates reliably without fear of improper operation due to foreign objects.

(Means for Solving the Problems) For this purpose, a faucet control device using a distance sensor according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. A faucet 12 provided at the tip,
In a faucet control device using a distance sensor comprising a distance sensor 21 provided near the faucet and a valve control means for opening and closing the solenoid valve 13 according to the distance detected by the distance sensor, The valve control means changes the distance detected by the distance sensor 21 from a value larger than a relatively short predetermined first distance to a value smaller than the first distance when the electromagnetic valve 13 is closed. a first opening/closing means 1 that opens the solenoid valve 13 when the solenoid valve 13 changes;
When the distance detected by the distance sensor 21 changes from a value larger than the first distance to a value smaller than the first distance while the solenoid valve 13 is open, the solenoid valve 13
and a third opening/closing means 3 that closes the electromagnetic valve 13 if the distance detected by the distance sensor 21 is greater than a relatively long predetermined second distance. It is characterized by this.

The first opening/closing means 1 changes the distance detected by the distance sensor 21 from a value larger than the first distance and smaller than a relatively long third distance to a value smaller than the first distance. It is preferable that the solenoid valve 13 is opened only when this occurs.

(Operation) The user goes in front of the sink 14, etc., and is right in front of the distance sensor 21 (position closer to the distance sensor 21 than the first distance sensor).
If you put your hand out, the first opening/closing means 1 will operate and the solenoid valve 13 will open.
Since the faucet 12 is opened, water or hot water is discharged from the faucet 12.

If the user again puts his hand in front of the distance sensor 21, the second
Since the opening/closing means 2 operates to close the solenoid valve 13, water and the like are stopped. In this way, each time the user intentionally puts his or her hand in front of the distance sensor 21, the solenoid valve 13 is alternately opened and closed, and the water faucet 12 repeatedly stops discharging water.

If the user leaves the sink 14 or the like while water is being discharged, the third opening/closing means 3 is activated and closes the solenoid valve 13, so that the discharge of water or the like is stopped. If a foreign object passes in front of the distance sensor 21 when the user is not present, the first opening/closing means 1 detects this and opens the solenoid valve 13. However, after the foreign object passes, the third opening/closing means 3 operates to open the solenoid valve 13. Since the valve 13 is closed, water etc. will not be released.

Only when the distance detected by the distance sensor 21 changes from a value larger than the $1 distance and smaller than the relatively long third distance to a value smaller than the first distance, the first opening/closing means 1 If the solenoid valve 13 is opened, the normal operation is exactly the same as described above. However, if a foreign object passes directly in front of the distance sensor 21 from above or below or from the left or right, the first opening/closing means 1 will not operate and the electromagnetic valve 13 will not open, so water etc. will not be discharged.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the solenoid valve is opened and closed by the user's conscious effort, so there is no risk of water etc. being released when unnecessary. However, if the user leaves the sink during washing, the water will automatically stop discharging. Further, even if a foreign object passes in front of the distance sensor 21, water or the like will not be released. This can reduce wasteful consumption of water and hot water.

Only when the distance detected by the distance sensor 21 changes from a value larger than the first distance and smaller than a relatively long third distance to a value smaller than the first distance, the first opening/closing means 1 By opening the solenoid valve 13, the solenoid valve 13 is almost never opened due to the passage of foreign matter, and the wasteful consumption of water and hot water can be further reduced.

(Example) The present invention will be explained below using examples shown in FIGS. 2 to 4.

As shown in FIG. 2, a distance sensor 21 and a water faucet 12 are provided close to each other vertically on a wall 15 of a kitchen or the like, and a sink 14 is provided below the water faucet 12. In the faucet 12,
Hot water from a water heater 10 is supplied through a conduit 11 provided with a solenoid valve 13 .

Although an instantaneous water heater is used as the water heater 10 in this embodiment, a storage type water heater may also be used.

The electronic control device 20 that controls the operation of the solenoid valve 13 includes a central processing unit (CPU), a read-only memory (ROM),
Consists of writable memory (RAM), timer, etc.
A distance sensor 21 is connected to the CPU via an interface, and a solenoid valve 13 is also connected via an interface and a drive circuit. RO of electronic control unit 20
A control program and various constants for controlling the opening and closing of the electromagnetic valve 13 are stored in M, and various variables are stored in RAM. The CPU performs predetermined calculations based on the distance detected by the distance sensor 21, and calculates i! It outputs an output to the magnetic valve 13 to open and close it.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control program for opening and closing the solenoid valve 13, and the operation of this embodiment will be explained using this flowchart.

When the power switch of the faucet control device using this distance sensor is turned on, the CPU inputs and updates the distance d detected by the distance sensor 21 into the counter every moment, and starts the control operation shown in the flowchart of FIG. do.

First, in step 100, the CPU detects the distance sensor 21.
The distance ir&d detected by and input to the counter is greater than a relatively short predetermined first distance A (for example, 10 centimeters) and smaller than a relatively long predetermined second distance ff1B (for example, 1 meter). Compare and judge whether there is or not. If the user is absent, the control operation does not proceed beyond step 100, but if the user approaches within the second distance B as shown in FIG. 4(a), the distance sensor 21 detects the user. Therefore, the control operation proceeds to step 101, and the CP
U compares the detected distance d with the first distance WIA to determine whether d<A. In this state, d<A is not true, so
The CPU advances the control operation to step 102, and enters a waiting state in which steps 101 and 102 are repeated while the user approaches, and returns the control operation from step 102 to step 100 when the user leaves.

In this hot water waiting state, as shown in FIG. 4(b), the user in front of the sink 14
If you move your hand to a position closer to the distance sensor 21 than the first distance A, the distance sensor 21 will detect this and d<A, so the CPU advances the control operation from step 110 to step 112 and turns the solenoid valve 13 on. The hot water supplied from the water heater 10 is discharged from the faucet 12 when the water heater is opened, and the timing of the first time t1 is started.
Determine whether i>A. If you remove your hand from just in front of the distance sensor 21, d>A, so the control operation is in step 1.
The process proceeds to step 20, and while washing the dishes as shown in FIG. Step 121 is repeated to continue dispensing hot water from the faucet 12.

As shown in FIG. 4(d), when the user again puts his hand in front of the distance sensor 21, the CPU advances the control operation from step 120 to step 125, closes the solenoid valve 13,
The hot water from the faucet 12 is stopped and the control operation returns to step 100.

Note that in step 112, the short-term sensor 21
If the state continues, the CPU repeats steps 112 and 113, and the first time 1 is the predetermined time TI.
(for example, 5 seconds), control operation is performed in step 125.
Proceed to step 100, close the electromagnetic valve 13, stop hot water from flowing from the faucet 12, and return to step 100. Therefore, if a cloth or the like hangs down from above just in front of the distance sensor 21, hot water will be discharged from the faucet 12 for a while, but it will stop immediately and will not continue to flow.

As shown in FIG. 4(e), if the user leaves in front of the sink 14 while hot water is being dispensed from the faucet 12, the CPU ! 11 Control operation Proceed from step 121 to steps 122 and 123, start measuring the second time L2,
This second time t2 is compared with a predetermined time T2 (for example, one minute). While the user is away, the CPU repeats steps 123 and 124, and when the predetermined time T2 has elapsed, the control operation proceeds to step 125 to close the solenoid valve 13.
The flow of hot water from the faucet 12 is stopped and the process returns to step 100.

If the user returns to the sink 14 within the predetermined time 12,
The CPU performs control operations from step 124 to step 120.
and continue dispensing hot water from the faucet 12.

According to the above embodiment, the user stands in front of the sink 14,
Every time you consciously put your hand in front of the distance sensor 21, the solenoid valve 1
3 alternately opens and closes and repeatedly stops and releases hot water from the faucet 12, so hot water will not be discharged from the faucet 12 when unnecessary. Furthermore, if the user leaves in front of the sink 14 while hot water is being dispensed, the hot water supply will automatically stop after a predetermined time T2, so there is no waste; however, if the user returns in front of the sink 14 within the predetermined time, the hot water supply will continue. There is no inconvenience in operating it again.

Even if a foreign object passes in front of the distance sensor 21 when the user is not present, if the moving direction is up/down or left/right, step 1 is performed.
00 and proceeding to the hot water supply standby state in step 101, the faucet 12 will not waste hot water. If a foreign object approaches from the front side, the hot water is dispensed, or after the foreign object has passed, the hot water is stopped by the action of step 121. In addition, if a cloth or the like hangs down just in front of the distance sensor 21, hot water may be dispensed temporarily, but it is immediately stopped, so that a large amount of hot water is not wasted.

Note that each step 100, 101, 102, 112.1
20, 121, and 124, in order to prevent malfunctions due to noise, the comparison is repeated for a certain period of time (for example, 1 second), and abnormal values are excluded from the judgment.

Furthermore, in the above embodiment, if the user approaches closer than that, the hot water will be on standby for a relatively long predetermined distance i! (Step 10
B) of 0 and B) of relatively long predetermined distance (step) 21, which stops the hot water supply after a predetermined time if the user is further away, are the same, but these distances are different (1! (for example, the latter may be larger).

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a faucet control device using a distance sensor according to the present invention. 2 to 4 show an embodiment of a faucet control device using a distance sensor according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing a schematic structure, and FIG. 3 is an I! The flowchart of the I control program, FIG. 4, is a schematic side view showing each operating state. Explanation of symbols 1...first opening/closing means, 2...second opening/closing means, 3...
-Third opening/closing means, 11...pipe line, 12...water faucet, 1
3... Solenoid valve, 21... Distance sensor. Fig. 2 11... Pipeline 12... Water faucet 13... Solenoid valve 2 units... Electricity sensor

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A faucet installed at the tip of a pipe that supplies water or hot water via a solenoid valve, and a distance sensor installed near this faucet;
In a faucet control device using a distance sensor, the faucet control device includes a valve control means that opens and closes the solenoid valve according to a distance detected by the distance sensor, wherein the valve control means is in a state where the solenoid valve is closed. a first opening/closing means for opening the solenoid valve when the distance detected by the distance sensor changes from a value larger than a relatively short predetermined first distance to a value smaller than the first distance; , the solenoid valve is closed when the distance detected by the distance sensor changes from a value larger than the first distance to a value smaller than the first distance while the solenoid valve is open; and a third opening/closing means that closes the solenoid valve if the distance detected by the distance sensor is greater than a relatively long predetermined second distance. Faucet control device using sensors. (2) The first opening/closing means changes the distance detected by the distance sensor from a value larger than the first distance and smaller than a relatively long third distance to a value smaller than the first distance. 2. The faucet control device using a distance sensor according to claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic valve is opened only when the distance has changed.