JPH04240349A - Fluid supplying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent fluid from being continued to be discharged from a fluid pipe even after an infrared ray sensor detects either a living thing or an object other than a user. CONSTITUTION:When an infrared ray sensor 22 detects either a living thing or an object other than a user and a state of opening of an electromagnetic-type water stopping valve 6 is continued for a specified period of time, a water stopping valve 6 is forcedly closed in response to an output from a timer circuit 23 in a water stopping valve control circuit 7.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a fluid supply device such as a water supply device for discharging hot water or hot water.

0002

[Prior Art] Conventionally, in fluid supply devices, especially instantaneous water heaters, for example, an infrared sensor is attached to an arbitrary part of the water heater body or a hot water outlet pipe, and this infrared sensor detects the user's hand, etc. Then, the electromagnetic water stop valve installed in the hot water supply pipe is opened, and after the water flow switch detects that water has flowed into the hot water supply pipe, the heat source is activated to heat the water flowing inside the hot water supply pipe. A device (prior art) in which hot water is discharged from a hot water tap is known.

0003

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the prior art, if a living thing such as a cockroach or a mouse crosses an infrared sensor, or if the infrared sensor is pointed at an object such as a wall, the infrared The sensor could sense the creature or object and cause the electromagnetic water shutoff valve to open. As described above, there has been a problem in that the instantaneous water heater is erroneously activated and water or hot water continues to be discharged from the hot water outlet pipe of the instantaneous water heater.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a fluid supply device that prevents fluid from continuing to be discharged from a fluid piping even if the detection means detects an organism or object other than the user.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention has a fluid pipe for discharging fluid, an on-off valve interposed in the fluid pipe, and a detection means for detecting an object to be detected. control means for controlling the on-off valve when a detection object is detected; the control means is technical means for closing the on-off valve when the on-off valve remains open for a certain period of time; It was adopted.

[0006]

[Operation] In the present invention, even if the detecting means detects an object to be detected such as a living thing or an object other than the user, the on-off valve opens and fluid is discharged from the fluid piping. If the detection continues for a certain period of time, the control means forcibly closes the on-off valve even if the detection means does not detect the object to be detected, so fluid does not continue to be discharged from the fluid piping.

[0007]

According to the present invention, even if the detection means detects an organism or object other than the user, it is possible to prohibit the fluid from continuing to be discharged from the fluid piping after a certain period of time has elapsed.

[0008]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The fluid supply device of the present invention will be explained based on an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an instantaneous water heater employing the present invention.

The instantaneous water heater 1 is a fluid supply device of the present invention, and includes a hot water supply pipe 2 for discharging hot water or water, a gas pipe 4 for supplying fuel gas to a gas burner 3, and a combustion capacity of the gas burner 3. A combustion control circuit 5 for controlling the combustion control circuit 5 and a water stop valve control circuit 7 for controlling the electromagnetic water stop valve 6 are provided.

The hot water supply pipe 2 is a fluid pipe according to the present invention, and is composed of a water supply pipe 8, a heat absorption pipe 9, and a hot water outlet pipe 10. The water supply pipe 8 is provided with a water stop valve 6, a water governor valve 11, and a water amount adjustment valve 12. The water stop valve 6 is an on-off valve of the present invention, which opens when energized and closes when energization is stopped. The water governor valve 11 keeps the amount of water constant. The water amount adjustment valve 12 changes the amount of water by controlling the degree of opening of the water supply pipe 8 by rotating a temperature control button (not shown).

The heat absorption pipe 9 is arranged above the gas burner 3, and heats the water by exchanging heat between the water flowing therein and the combustion heat generated by the gas burner 3. The hot water pipe 10 is formed of a flexible pipe and discharges hot water or water from a discharge port. A shower head 13 is fitted around the outer periphery of the outlet of the hot water tap 10. This shower head 13 switches the discharge flow discharged from the discharge port of the hot water outlet pipe 10 between a shower-like discharge flow and a straight-like discharge flow by switching a changeover switch (not visible in FIG. 1).

The gas pipe 4 includes an electromagnetic safety valve 14 , a hydraulic valve 15 , a gas governor valve 16 , and a gas amount adjustment valve 1 .
7 is provided. The safety valve 14 opens when energized and closes when energization is stopped. The water pressure responsive valve 15 is formed integrally with the water governor valve 11, and opens in conjunction with the detection of water flow to send a signal to the combustion control circuit 5. The gas governor valve 16 keeps the gas pressure on the secondary side constant. The gas amount adjustment valve 17 is connected to a temperature control button, and changes the gas amount by controlling the degree of opening of the gas pipe 4 by rotating the temperature control button.

The combustion control circuit 5 includes the aforementioned temperature control button, sparker 18, flame rod 19, and thermocouple 20. The temperature control button has a variable resistor 21 whose electrical resistance value is varied according to the rotation angle of the temperature control button, and the water flow control valve 12 and the gas flow control valve 17 are controlled according to the output of the variable resistor 21. Control the degree of opening. Sparker 18 is
It ignites the mixture of fuel gas and combustion air flowing out from the gas burner 3. The flame rod 19 is for detecting the presence or absence of combustion flame of the gas burner 3. The thermocouple 20 detects whether abnormal combustion such as extinction or oxygen deficiency is occurring.

Note that the combustion control circuit 5 includes a hydraulically responsive valve 15.
When the sparker 1 detects water flow and opens the gas pipe 4,
The safety valve 14 is energized for a predetermined period of time to forcefully maintain the safety valve 14 open. Thereafter, the combustion control circuit 5 controls the combustion capacity of the gas burner 3 by controlling the energization of the safety valve 14 and the gas amount adjustment valve 17 according to the outputs of the flame rod 19 and the thermocouple 20.

The water stop valve control circuit 7 is a control means of the present invention, and controls the energization of the water stop valve 6 in accordance with the output of the infrared sensor 22, which is a reflective photoelectric switch provided on the outer periphery of the shower head 13. do. Further, this water stop valve control circuit 7 has a built-in timer circuit 23.

The infrared sensor 22 is a detection means of the present invention, and includes a light emitting element 24 such as a photodiode that emits infrared rays, and a phototransistor or the like that detects infrared rays reflected by an object to be detected such as a user's hand. It is composed of a light receiving element 25. Note that the water stop valve control circuit 7 operates the water stop valve 6 when the light receiving element 25 of the infrared sensor 22 detects infrared rays.
The water stop valve 6 is energized to open the valve, and when the light receiving element 25 detects infrared rays again, the water stop valve 6 is de-energized and closed.

The timer circuit 23 starts operating when the light receiving element 25 of the infrared sensor 22 detects infrared rays, and after starting the operation, the timer circuit 23 starts operating for a certain period of time (a time that does not make the user's usability worse, for example, 15 to 25 minutes). After a period of 20 minutes (preferably 20 minutes) has elapsed, the water stop valve 6 is forcibly turned off.

FIGS. 2 to 4 are flowcharts showing an example of the operation of the combustion control circuit 5 and the water stop valve control circuit 7. First, as shown in FIG. 2, it is determined whether the light receiving element 25 of the infrared sensor 22 is detecting infrared light (
Step S1). When infrared rays are not detected (N), control in step S1 is performed.

In step S1, when infrared rays are detected (Y), the timer circuit 23 is started (step S2).
), the water stop valve 6 is energized (hereinafter referred to as on) (step S3). Then, it is determined whether the water pressure responsive valve 15 is open (step S4). When the water pressure responsive valve 15 is not opened (N), control in step S4 is performed.

In step S4, when the water pressure responsive valve 15 is open (Y), the sparker 18 is turned on (step S5) and the safety valve 14 is turned on (step S6). Then, it is determined whether ignition is detected by the flame rod 19 (step S7). No ignition detected (
N), it is determined whether a predetermined time has elapsed (step S8). When the predetermined time has not elapsed (N), control is performed in step S7, and it is determined that the predetermined time has elapsed (Y).
), the power supply to the safety valve 14 is stopped (hereinafter referred to as OFF) (step S9).

Then, as shown in FIG. 3, the sparker 18
is turned off (step S10), and it is determined whether the light receiving element 25 of the infrared sensor 22 is detecting infrared rays (step S11). When infrared rays are not detected (N), control is performed in step S11, and infrared rays are detected (Y).
), the water stop valve 6 is turned off (step S12) and the process returns.

In step S7 shown in FIG. 2, when ignition is detected (Y), the sparker 18 is turned off (step S13) as shown in FIG. 4, and it is determined whether a certain period of time has elapsed. A judgment is made (step S14). When a certain period of time has elapsed (Y), the water stop valve 6 is turned off (step S
15), Return.

In step S14, if a certain period of time has not elapsed (N), the light receiving element 25 of the infrared sensor 22
to determine whether infrared rays are detected (step S
16). When infrared rays are detected (Y), step S1
5.

In step S16, when infrared rays are not detected (N), it is determined whether abnormal combustion is detected by the thermocouple 20 (step S17). When abnormal combustion is detected (Y), the safety valve 14 is turned off (step S).
18) When abnormal combustion is not detected (N), control in step S14 is performed.

The operation of the instantaneous water heater 1 used in this embodiment will be explained based on FIG. For example, if a living thing such as a cockroach or a mouse crosses in front of the infrared sensor 22, or if the shower head 13 to which the infrared sensor 22 is attached is directed toward an object such as a wall, the light emitting element 24 of the infrared sensor 22
The infrared rays emitted from the sensor are reflected by objects to be detected, such as living things and objects, and are received by the light receiving element 25.

Therefore, the water stop valve control circuit 7 starts the timer circuit 23 and turns on the water stop valve 6 to open it. When the water stop valve 6 opens, a water flow is generated in the hot water supply pipe 2, so the water pressure response valve 15 is opened and the combustion control circuit 5 is opened.
The gas burner 3 is ignited, and hot water is discharged from the shower head 13 of the hot water outlet pipe 10.

When a certain period of time has elapsed since the infrared sensor 22 detected the object, the water stop valve 6 is forced to close by the output of the timer circuit 23 even if the infrared sensor 22 has not detected the object again. is turned off. Therefore, since the water stop valve 6 is closed, the water flow in the hot water supply pipe 2 is eliminated, and hot water can be prevented from continuously flowing out from the hot water supply pipe 10. Further, when the water flow in the hot water supply piping 2 disappears, the hydraulic valve 15 closes, and the gas pipe 4 is also shut off. Therefore, the gas burner 3 is extinguished in conjunction with the water stop valve 6.

As described above, in this instantaneous water heater 1, when the water stop valve 6 is continuously open for a certain period of time, the water stop valve 6 is forcibly closed and the gas burner 3 is turned off. If inside, combustion of the gas burner 3 is also stopped. Therefore, the infrared sensor 22 detects an object other than the user, such as a living thing such as a cockroach or a mouse, or an object such as a wall, and the water stop valve 6 is opened by the operation of the water stop valve control circuit 7. The hot water or water supply can be stopped after a certain period of time. Furthermore, when the gas burner 3 is burning, the combustion of the gas burner 3 can also be stopped in conjunction with the water stop valve 6, so that the safety and economic efficiency of the instantaneous water heater 1 can be significantly improved.

(Modification) In this embodiment, the gas burner 3 is used as the heat source, but a burner that burns liquid fuel may be used as the heat source, or a PTC heater or an electric heater made of a metal resistor may be used. good.

Note that in this embodiment, the infrared sensor 2
2 may directly open the safety valve 14 when the object to be detected is detected, and then close the safety valve 14 directly after a certain period of time has elapsed. In this case, it becomes a gas supply device that supplies fuel gas to the gas burner 3.

In this embodiment, when the infrared sensor 22 detects an object, the timer circuit 23 of the water stop valve control circuit 7 is started, but when the water flow in the water supply pipe 8 is detected, the gas pipe 4 is opened. The timer circuit 23 may be started when a switch provided on the water pressure responsive valve 15 is opened or closed.

In addition to this embodiment, the detection means may include a non-contact type sensor such as a transmission type photoelectric switch, a proximity switch, or an ultrasonic sensor, or a contact type sensor such as a micro switch, a limit switch, a touch switch, or a push button switch. You may also use a type sensor. Furthermore, an optical fiber type photoelectric switch that is a combination of a photoelectric switch and an optical fiber may be used.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an instantaneous water heater.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a combustion control circuit and a water stop valve control circuit.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a combustion control circuit and a water stop valve control circuit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of a combustion control circuit and a water stop valve control circuit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Instantaneous water heater (fluid supply device) 2 Hot water supply pipe (fluid pipe) 3 Gas burner 6 Water stop valve (open/close valve) 7 Water stop valve control circuit (control means) 22 Infrared sensor (detection means) 23 Timer circuit

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A fluid pipe that discharges a fluid, an on-off valve interposed in the fluid pipe, and a detection means for detecting an object to be detected, and when the detection means detects the object to be detected, a control means for controlling the on-off valve, and the control means closes the on-off valve when the on-off valve remains open for a certain period of time.