JPH0326214A - Fixed quantity hot water turn-on device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To always turn on exactly hot water of a fixed quantity by operating an actuation time of a motor for turning on hot water by a fixed quantity from an arrival time difference of hot water of two spots separated by a prescribed distance in a hot water turn-on pipe, and driving the motor by its time. CONSTITUTION:When a hot water turn-on switch 29 is operated, hot water in a container 12 is discharged into a hot water turn-on pipe 18 by a hot water turn-on pump 17, and when it flows in the pipe 18, when a float 26 being in a position lower than an A spot and higher than a C spot in the beginning passes through the A spot, a light beam photodetected by a light receiving element 23b from a light emitting element 23a is brought to light-shielding by the float 26, and a flow rate counter starts to count. When the float 26 reaches a B spot, a light beam from a light emitting element 24a is brought to light-shielding and comes not to be photodetected by a light receiving element 24b, and the flow rate counter stops the count operation. Subsequently, an operation time TA of the hot water turn-on pump 17 is calculated from its count value (t) and a constant M {it is a constant determined by Vc (fixed quantity hot water turn-on quantity)/VAB (content volume of the pipe 18 between the A spot and the B spot)}, and the hot water turn-on pump 17 is operated by its time TA.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Field of Application) The present invention relates to a metering device used in electric heating pots and the like.

(Prior Art) For example, when hot water is supplied to ground coffee beans to extract coffee liquid, it is necessary to keep the amount of hot water supplied constant in order to maintain a constant concentration of the coffee liquid.

For this reason, for example, some electric heat-retaining pots are equipped with a quantitative hot water dispensing device so that a fixed amount of hot water can be dispensed in one operation.

That is, conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, the hot water 2 contained in the container 1 is sucked in by the hot water pump 3, and the hot water is discharged through the hot water tap 4, and as shown in FIG. The timer circuit 6 is operated by the ON operation, and the timer circuit 6 operates the pump drive circuit 7 to operate the hot water bomb 3 for a certain period of time to dispense a fixed amount of hot water.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, as shown in FIG. 8(a), the hot water pump 3 has variations in the hot water supply characteristics, and therefore, there is a problem in that the amount of hot water dispensed per unit time varies depending on the hot water bomb used. be.

Furthermore, since the cavitation generated in the hot water tapping pump 3 changes depending on the temperature of the hot water, there is a problem that the hot water fdm decreases at high temperatures, as shown in FIG. 8(b).

Furthermore, if the water level of the hot water in the container 1 differs, the pressure at the outlet of the hot water will erode, so there is a problem that the amount of hot water dispensed varies depending on the water level, as shown in FIG. 8(C).

However, in the conventional device, the hot water dispenser pump 3 was simply operated for a certain period of time, so there was a problem in that the hot water could not be dispensed in an accurate amount due to variations in the amount of hot water dispensed due to the above-mentioned problems.

Further, in the conventional device, even if the pump becomes in an abnormal state such as a locked state during operation of the tapping bomb 3, it is not possible to detect this and stop the bomb operation, and as a result, there is a risk that the pump will burn out.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a quantitative hot water dispensing device that can always accurately dispense hot water to the capacity of the user, and can also stop the operation of the electric mechanism when an abnormality occurs in the electric mechanism.

[Structure of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention provides a hot water tap means for sucking hot water in a container by an electric mechanism and draining it through a hot water tap pipe, and a hot water tap means for sucking hot water in a container and draining it through a hot water tap pipe, and two points in the hot water tap pipe separated by a predetermined distance. a detection means for detecting the arrival of thirst;
A calculation means that calculates the operation time of the electric motor for dispensing a fixed amount of hot water from the arrival time difference of hot water at two points detected by the detection means, and an electric mechanism that drives the electric mechanism for the operation time calculated by the calculation means. A device comprising a drive means and a stop control means for stopping the operation of the electric mechanism when the detection means does not detect the arrival of hot water even after a certain period of time has elapsed since the electric mechanism driving means started driving the electric mechanism. It is.

(Function) In the present invention having such a configuration, when the electric mechanism operates, hot water in the container is discharged to the outside via the hot water discharge pipe. Then, the operating time of the electric mechanism is calculated from the difference in time and interval of hot water reaching two points in the hot water tap, and the electric mechanism is operated for that operating time.

In other words, if the electric mechanism's hot water supply capacity is vP and the fixed amount of hot water output is V, then the operation time TA of the electric mechanism is TA=Vc/Vp.
−(1). Here, if we transform the above equation (1) by assuming the internal volume between two points A1B in the tap water pipe as vAB, then T A m V ( / VABX VAB / V p
- (2).

Further, the time t for hot water to reach point B from point A by the operation of the electric mechanism is t = VAn/Vp - (3). Here, by substituting the above equation (2) into the above equation (3), it becomes TA-MXt (4). Here, M is a constant determined by M = V c / V AJ, so by counting the time difference t between the two points A and B when the hot water arrives, the fixed amount
The operating time TA of the electric mechanism for dispensing Vc is determined.

Further, even if the electric mechanism is driven by the electric mechanism driving means, if the detection means does not detect the arrival of hot water for a certain period of time or more, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the electric mechanism and the operation of the electric mechanism is stopped.

(Example) Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the structure of an electric heat-retaining pot, in which 11 is a housing, and 12 is a container housed within this housing 11. A heater 13 is provided on the lower outside of the container 12 to heat the water 14 in the container 12.

A hot water drain port 15 is provided at the bottom of the container 12, a hot water drain pipe 16 extends from the hot water drain port 15, and a suction port of a hot water tap bomb 17, which is an electric mechanism, is connected to the tip of the hot water drain pipe 16. ing.

One end of a hot water tap pipe 18 is connected to the discharge port of the hot water bomb 17. The tapping pipe 18 is made of a translucent material, and extends from the bottom of the container 12 to the container 12.
The other end is bent into an inverted U-shape at the upper part of the housing 11, and the tip thereof faces downward to form one hot water supply port.

A translucent window 20 is provided on the upper side of the container 12 to display the full water position to the outside.

A detection means 21 is provided at the upper part of the erected portion of the hot water pipe 18 for detecting the arrival position of hot water in the pipe, and a detection means 21 is provided at the lower part for detecting that the water 14 in the container 12 is low and requires water supply. A water supply sensor 22 is provided.

Specifically, the detection means 21 and the water supply sensor 22 are constructed as shown in FIG. That is, the detection means 21 has an optical sensor arranged between two points on the hot water tap 18 separated by a predetermined distance, and at the lower point A, a light emitting element 23a and a light receiving element 23b are installed as a first flow rate sensor on the hot water tap 18. A light emitting element 24a is placed as a second flow rate sensor at the higher point B.
and the light receiving element 24b are arranged facing each other with the tap water pipe 18 interposed therebetween.

Further, the water supply sensor 22 is connected to the C below the hot water pipe 18.
A light sensor is arranged between points, and a light emitting element 25a
and the light receiving element 25b are arranged to face each other with the tap water pipe 18 interposed therebetween.

A spherical float 26 is housed in a vertically movable manner between points B and C of the tap water pipe 18, and an upper stopper 27 is installed so that the vertical movement range of the float 26 is exactly between points B and C. and a lower stopper 28 are attached.

Further, in FIG. 1, 29 is a hot water tap switch, 30 is a control box housing a control circuit, and 31 is a connector for connecting a power cord.

FIG. 3 shows the main circuit structure, and 32 is a microcomputer that constitutes the main body of the control section.

One end of the light-emitting element 23a and the light-receiving element 23b are connected to the + power source, and the other ends are grounded through resistors 33 and 34, respectively. Further, the light emitting element 24a and the light receiving element 24b
One end is connected to a power supply, and the other end is connected to a resistor 35.
It is grounded via 36. Furthermore, the light emitting element 25
One ends of the light receiving element 25a and the light receiving element 25b are connected to a power source, and the other ends are grounded through resistors 37 and 38, respectively.

The connection point between the light receiving element 23b and the resistor 34 is connected to the input port IN of the microcomputer 32, and the connection point between the light receiving element 24b and the resistor 36 is connected to the input port IN2 of the microcomputer 32. The connection point between the light receiving element 25b and the resistor 38 is connected to the manual boat IN4 of the microcomputer 32, and the two hot water tap switches are connected to the input port IN3 of the microcomputer 32.

Output port OUT 1 of the microcomputer 32
A pump drive circuit 39 for controlling the drive unit 11 of the hot water pump 17 is connected to the output port OUT2, and an indicator lamp 40 such as a water boiling lamp, a boiling lamp, a water supply lamp, etc. is connected to the output port OUT2.
is connected.

The microcomputer 32 includes a flow counter 41,
Various flag memory 42 such as hot water SW flag, TA flag, etc.
, a timer 43 are provided.

The microcomputer 32 is programmed to perform the control shown in FIG. That is, when the water supply sensor 22 detects the water supply state, the hot water tap switch 29 is disabled.

Further, when the water supply sensor 22 does not detect the water supply state and the hot water supply switch flag is 10, if the two hot water switches are operated, the hot water supply switch flag is set to -1, and then the bomb drive circuit 39 is operated, and the timer 43 is turned on. And the output of the first flow rate sensor is L1
That is, it is checked whether the level has become low. This is to check whether the light receiving element 23b has temporarily stopped receiving light from the light emitting element 23a.

When the output of the first flow rate sensor becomes low level, the count operation of the flow rate counter 41 is started.

Then, it is checked whether the output of the second flow rate sensor has become L1, that is, low level. This is light receiving element 2
It is checked whether the light emitting element 4b no longer receives light from the light emitting element 24a.

When the output of the second flow rate sensor becomes low level, the counting operation of the flow rate counter 41 is stopped.

Furthermore, even if the timer 43 counts up a certain period of time without the output of the first flow rate sensor becoming a low level, or even if the output of the first flow rate sensor temporarily becomes a low level, the output of the second flow rate sensor remains low. When the timer 43 counts a certain period of time without reaching the water level, it is determined that an abnormality has occurred in the hot water pump 17, and the operation of the three pump drive circuits is stopped. It is designed to display an abnormality display such as blinking.

When the counting operation of the flow rate counter 41 is stopped,
Next, it is checked whether the TA flag is -1.

This checks whether the operating time of the hot water pump 17 has already been calculated. If the TA flag is 10, then T
The operation time TA of the hot water pump 17 is calculated by calculating the count value (1) of the A-M (constant)X flow rate counter. and set the TA flag to -1.

The calculated time TA is subtracted by the output of an internally provided clock circuit. When it reaches TA-0, the TA flag and hot water tap SW flag are each cleared to 0, and the operation of the pump drive circuit 39 is stopped.

In this embodiment with such a structure, when the two hot water tap switches are operated with sufficient hot water in the container 12, the pump drive circuit 39 is activated and the hot water tap pump 17 starts operating. However, the hot water coming out of the container 12 is the hot water coming out from the hot water bomb 17.
The hot water is discharged into the outlet pipe 18 by the following steps.

When hot water flows through the hot water tap pipe 18, the float 26, which was initially located lower than point A and higher than point C, is pushed up by the hot water. This causes the float 26 to pass through point A. Therefore, the light receiving element 2 from the light emitting element 23a
The light received by the float 3b is temporarily blocked by the float 26. In this way, the flow rate counter 41 starts counting operation. Then, the float 26 will eventually reach point B. As a result, the light emitting element 2
The light from 4a is blocked by the float 26 and is no longer received by the light receiving element 24b. In this way, the counting operation of the flow rate counter 41 stops at IF. be done.

In this way, the flow rate counter 41 counts the time it takes for the hot water in the tap water pipe 18 to reach the point B from point A.

Then, this count value t and a preset constant M
f: tLhaVc (fixed amount hot water ffi) / VAB
(a constant determined by the internal volume of the pipe 18 between point A and point B)}, the operating time TA of the outlet pump 17 is calculated, and the outlet pump 17 is operated for the time TA.

In this way, a certain amount of hot water is supplied from the hot water supply port 19.

In this way, the operating time of the hot water supply cylinder 17 is determined from the difference in the arrival time of hot water between the two points A and B, so for example, when the amount of hot water dispensed per unit time is large, the hot water supply pipe 18
Since the flow rate of hot water flowing therein is large, the count value of the flow rate counter 41 becomes small, and the operating time of the hot water pump 17 becomes short to T1, as shown in A2 in FIG. Further, when the amount of hot water dispensed per unit time is small, the flow rate of hot water forming inside the hot water tap pipe 18 is small, so the count value t of the flow rate counter 41 becomes large and the operation time of the hot water tap pump 17 is
As shown by ◎ in the figure, the length becomes T.

Also, when the amount of hot water dispensed per hour is about Ilt, the count value t of the flow rate counter 41 is not so large and the operating time of the hot water pump 17 is T2, as shown in ■ in Fig. 4.
That is, T,<72<T.

In other words, since the operation time of the hot water pump 17 is calculated from the difference in the arrival time of hot water between the two points A and B, even if there are variations in the characteristics of the hot water pump 17, the temperature of the hot water in the container will be Even if the temperature or water changes, it is not affected by these changes and can always provide a constant amount of hot water.

Further, when an abnormal condition such as the hot water pump 17 being locked occurs, hot water is not discharged from the hot water pump 17 into the hot water pipe 18. Therefore, even if the timer 43 counts a certain period of time after the pump drive circuit 39 operates, the float 26 does not pass the point A.

Therefore, at this time, the operation of the three pump drive circuits is stopped, the operation of the hot water pump 17 is stopped, and the indicator lamp 40 indicates the occurrence of an abnormality.

In this way, when an abnormality occurs in the hot water tap pump 17, the operation of the hot water tap bomb 17 can be stopped, so there is no risk that the hot water tap pump 17 will burn out. Furthermore, since the display lamp 40 notifies the user of the occurrence of an abnormality, the user can immediately take action against the occurrence of the abnormality.

Next, other embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same parts as in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals and detailed explanations will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6, a communication pipe 44 is provided for the container 12, in addition to the tapping pipe 18, to communicate the upper side and the bottom of the container 12. A water supply sensor 22 is provided at a corresponding position nearby.

Even with such a configuration, the water supply sensor 22 can detect whether or not the water 14 in the container 12 is in the water supply state.

In each of the above embodiments, the detection means is described in which light from a light emitting element is blocked by a float, but the invention is not necessarily limited to this, and the prism effect can be used when there is hot water in the pipe and when there is no hot water. Arrival of hot water may be detected using the deviation of the optical axis due to

[Effects of the Invention] As detailed above, according to the present invention, by determining the operating time of the electric mechanism that performs the hot water tapping operation based on the difference in the arrival time of hot water between two points of the hot water tap pipe, it is possible to always accurately dispense a certain amount of hot water. To provide a quantitative hot water dispensing device that can dispense hot water at any time, and can stop the operation of the electric mechanism when an abnormality occurs in the electric mechanism, thereby protecting the electric mechanism.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 5 show an embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 1 being a configuration diagram of an electric heat-retaining pot, and Figure 2 being a configuration of a detection unit that detects the arrival of hot water and a detection unit that detects the state of water supply. Fig. 3 is a block diagram of the main circuit, Fig. 4 is a graph showing the relationship between the amount of hot water dispensed per unit time and the operation time of the hot water pump, and Fig. 5 shows hot water dispensing control by a microcomputer. Flowchart, FIG. 6 is a schematic block diagram showing another embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 7 to 9 show a conventional example, FIG. 7 is a schematic block diagram, and FIG. 8 is a main circuit block. 9 are graphs showing hot water output characteristics depending on various factors. 12... Container, 17... Hot water pump (electric mechanism), 18... Hot water pipe, 21... Detection means, 2
3a, 24a... Light emitting element, 23b, 24b... Light receiving element, 26... Float, 29... Hot water tap switch, 32...
・Microcomputer, 39...Pump drive circuit, 41...Flow rate counter, 43...Timer Fig. 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] a hot water supply means for sucking hot water in the container into the hot water supply pipe and discharging the hot water through the hot water supply pipe; a detection means for detecting the arrival of hot water at two points separated by a predetermined distance within the hot water supply pipe; a calculation means for calculating the operation time of the electric mechanism for dispensing a fixed amount of hot water from the arrival time difference of hot water at two points; an electric mechanism driving means for driving the electric mechanism for the operation time calculated by the calculation means; It is characterized by providing a stop control means for stopping the operation of the electric mechanism when the detection means does not detect the arrival of hot water even after a certain period of time has elapsed since the mechanism driving means started driving the electric mechanism. A quantitative hot water dispenser.