JPH03225154A - Taking bath sensing and additional heating operation method in automatic bath device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a person from touching a hot water of higher temperature and enable the person to take a bath even if the person does not know an automatic additional heating is in operation by a method wherein a water level in a bath tub is always monitored by a pressure sensor during an automatic temperature keeping operation and as an increased water level in the bath tub is detected, the additional heating operation is automatically stopped. CONSTITUTION:An automatic bath heating device has a function in which a water level in a bath tub 9 is always monitored by a pressure sensor 11 and as the water level in the bath tub is lowered, hot water is automatically fed so as to return it to a set water level. As a person enters the bath tub, the water level is lifted up. As the pressure sensor 11 detects the lifting up of the water level, it is judged that a certain person enters the bath tub and then the additional heating operation is automatically stopped. Accordingly, even if the person taking the bath does not know of the fact that the automatic operating is being carried out, hot water does not flow into the bath tub accidentally and thus a safe and comfortable taking bath can be assured.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention is equipped with a microcomputer control unit, fills the bathtub to the water level and temperature set on the remote controller, and automatically fills the bathtub at the water level and temperature set on the remote control. The present invention relates to a bath detection reheating operation method in an automatic bath device that can maintain the set water temperature.

[Conventional technology]

The automatic bath system as described above is constructed as shown in FIG. 3, for example.

In Fig. 3, 1 is a heat exchanger for hot water supply, 2 is a heat exchanger for reheating, and the outlet pipe of the heat exchanger 1 for hot water supply is connected to the circulation pipe of the heat exchanger 2 for reheating through a branch pipe 3. Connect and branch pipe 3
A solenoid valve 4 (with built-in vacuum breaker and check valve) and a temperature sensor 7 are installed in the reheating heat exchanger 2.
A pump 8 is disposed in the circulation pipe.

This type of automatic bath device is automatically operated by the microcomputer control section 5. For example, when the water level and water temperature of the bathtub are set on the remote controller 6 and the automatic operation switch is turned on, the solenoid valve 4 is opened and the burner lO of the hot water supply heat exchanger 1 is combusted to set the water level and water temperature using the hot water supply heat exchanger 1. Hot water heated to a temperature slightly lower than the hot water temperature is poured into the bathtub 9 via the circulation reheating pipe to fill the bathtub, and a pressure gauge indicates when the water level in the bathtub has reached the set water level. When the water level sensor 11 detects this, the hot water filling operation is stopped, and the pump 8 is then driven to perform a reheating operation by combustion of the burner 12 of the reheating heat exchanger 2, so that the water temperature in the bathtub reaches the set temperature. The reheating operation is configured to be stopped when the reheating operation is reached.

If the remote control 6 is operated to set the bath to an automatic heat-keeping state, the temperature of the water in the bathtub is detected every fixed period of time, for example, every 30 minutes, and a reheating operation is performed to bring the water temperature to the set temperature. Further, the conventional automatic bath device is equipped with a reheating switch on the remote control 6, and when the reheating switch is turned on as necessary, reheating operation is performed for an arbitrary desired time.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

Since the conventional automatic bath device is configured as described above, if the bath is set to the automatic heat retention state, the desired water level and water temperature can be maintained at all times. However, when a bather is in the bathtub 9, the automatic reheating function works and the burner 12
When combustion occurs, hot water at a high temperature (for example, about 50° C.) flows into the bathtub 9 as shown by arrow A, which is not only uncomfortable but also dangerous if it comes in contact with the bather.

The present invention improves the above-mentioned problems, and provides a bath detection reheating operation method in an automatic bath device, which allows users to take a bath without touching high-temperature water even if they take a bath without knowing that the automatic reheating operation is in progress. We aim to provide the following.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention constantly monitors the water level in the bathtub using a pressure sensor during automatic warming, and automatically stops the reheating operation when it detects that the water level in the bathtub has risen. Features.

[Effect]

Automatic bath equipment constantly monitors the water level in the bathtub using a pressure sensor, and when the water level in the bathtub falls, it has the function of automatically pouring hot water to return it to the set water level.

The present invention focuses on the fact that the water level rises when a person enters the bathtub, and uses a pressure sensor that was conventionally only used up to the set water level to also raise the water level, and when a rise in the water level is detected, the bather Since the reheating operation is automatically stopped as soon as the reheating operation is detected, there is no risk of high temperature water suddenly flowing into the bathtub 9, even if the bather does not know that it is in automatic operation. You can take a relaxing and comfortable bath.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the present invention.

Next, the flow shown in FIG. 1 will be explained with reference to FIG.

When you operate the remote control 6 to automatically keep warm (flow a),
Periodically (in this example, 30
(every minute), the pump 8 operates to circulate the hot water in the bathtub 9 (flow b), and the temperature sensor 13 detects the bathtub water temperature (flow ○).

Based on the detected temperature, it is determined in flow d whether the temperature is such that reheating should be initiated.

When the temperature has fallen to the point where reheating is required, flow e checks to see if the bather is in the bathtub, and if it is determined that the person is not in the bathtub, flow f
Start reheating operation.

The determination of whether or not there is a person in the bathtub in the above flow e will be described next with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a chart in which time is plotted on the horizontal axis and the output of the water level sensor 11 is plotted on the vertical axis, where tl is the time when the bather enters the bathtub, and t2 is the time when the bather leaves the bathtub.

However, this chart shows time 1. The drawing shows a shortened period between and time t2.

H indicates the specified water level mentioned earlier.

When a bather enters the bathtub at time t1, the water level in the bathtub rises rapidly. For example, if a 40 kg person enters a bathtub for 1.5 people, the water level will rise by approximately 71, so 71
If the temperature rises above this level, it is assumed that there is a person taking a bath.

For the same reason, when the bather leaves the bathtub at time t2,
Since the water level drops by 7QI+, if the water level drops by 7QI or more in a short period of time, it is determined that the bather has left the bathtub.

When the reheating operation (flow f) is started after confirming that no one is taking a bath at flow 〇, the air supply fan 14 is operated to supply combustion air to the burner 12, and the fuel gas is reheated and the proportional valve is activated. The fuel is supplied to the burner 12 under automatic control at 15, and combustion is performed in the burner 12. At this point, the pump 8 continues to operate with the operation indicated at flow b, and the hot water in the bathtub 9 is circulated through the water pipes of the reheating heat exchanger 2, and the high temperature hot water is indicated by the arrow As the water flows into the bathtub 9, the temperature of the water in the bathtub gradually rises.

In flow g, when it is determined that the bather has entered the bathtub as explained with reference to FIG. 2, reheating is stopped (flow h).

This stops the flow of hot water in the direction of arrow A, allowing the bather to bathe safely and comfortably.

If a bather wants to raise the temperature of the water while in the bathtub, operate the remote control 6 and press the manual reheat button (
flow i). Then, reheating is performed in flow j.

In this state, the bather expects hot water to flow in the direction of arrow A, so there is no risk of feeling discomfort or getting burned.

When manual reheating is being performed as described above, if it is detected in flow that the bather has come out of the bathtub, the process proceeds to flow j.

When reheating is performed in Flow J and it is detected that the water temperature has reached the set temperature (Flow Q), the reheating is stopped (Flow M), pump 8 is stopped (Flow N), and the water temperature is automatically kept warm. Return to (flow a).

〔Effect of the invention〕

As described above, according to the present invention, the reheating operation is automatically stopped when the presence of a bather is detected, so that a bather can enter the bathtub without knowing that the automatic reheating operation is in progress. Even if you enter the room, it is safe because there is no risk of discomfort or burns due to unexpected inflow of hot water.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
The figure is an explanatory diagram of detected values by the pressure sensor, and FIG. 3 is a water system diagram showing an example of the configuration of the device. 1... Heat exchanger for hot water supply, 2... Heat exchanger for reheating, 3
... Branch pipe line, 4... Solenoid valve, 5... Microcomputer control section. 6... Remote control, 7... Temperature sensor, 8... Pump, 9... Bathtub, 10... Hot water supply burner, 11.
...Water level sensor, 12.Burner for reheating, 13..Temperature sensor, 14..Air supply fan, 15..Proportional valve for reheating.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic bath device that fills the bathtub with hot water from the appliance body via a circulation reheating pipe, detects the water level in the bathtub with a pressure sensor, and automatically stops filling the bathtub at a set water level. In this automatic bath system, the water level in the bathtub is constantly monitored by the pressure sensor during automatic warming, and when a rise in the water level in the bathtub is detected, the reheating operation is automatically stopped. How to operate a fire.