JPH04272724A - Operating device for electric hot-water heater or the like - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To offer the operating device of an electric hot-water heater, etc., being convenient and having good operability, which can vary the hot water pouring quantity by only executing an operation for pushing a push-button type operating part. CONSTITUTION:In the electric hot-water heater having a pump whose feed water quantity is variable, a variable resistor 20 for varying the feed water quantity of this pump, and a driving circuit part for driving a rotation of the pump by a signal of the variable resistor 20, it is constituted by providing a push-button type operating part 14 for interlocking and turning the variable resistor 20 through its rack 19 and a pinion 22, etc., by depressing it.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an operating device for an electric water heater or the like equipped with a variable water supply pump for general household use.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional operating device for an electric water heater or the like of this type has a configuration as shown in FIG. In the figure, 1 is a container for storing water, and the bottom of the container 1 is equipped with a heater 2 forming a heating device. 3 is a centrifugal discharge type pump, which is driven by being electromagnetically coupled to a DC motor 4 controlled by an applied voltage, and has one end connected to the container 1.
It communicates with an outflow port 5 provided at the bottom of the pump, and the other end communicates with a discharge port 7 via a rising pipe 6 and opens outward.

The discharge amount of this pump 3 per unit time changes depending on the rotational speed of the DC motor 4. container 1
The upper part of the substantially cylindrical main body 8 surrounding the pump 3 has a rotary variable resistor 9 for adjusting the amount of water supplied by the pump 3, and an operating knob 10 is inserted into the rotating shaft of the variable resistor 9. . At the bottom of the container 1, there is a control circuit section 11 that includes a drive circuit for the pump 3, and changes the resistance of the variable resistor 9 to change the voltage applied to the DC motor 4 to change the rotation speed and also to control the rotation speed of the DC motor 4. The power supply is controlled. Note 12
1 is a lid of the container 1, and 13 is a temperature sensing portion that is thermally attached to the bottom center of the container 1 and is connected to the control circuit portion 11.

[0004] The operation of the above configuration will be explained. The lid 12 is opened, water is poured into the container 1, and the heater 2 is energized. When the water boils, the control circuit unit 11 detects it via the temperature detection unit 13 and cuts off the power supply to the heater 2. From then on, the control circuit unit 11 controls the power supply to the heater 2 while the temperature detection unit 13 detects the water temperature. to maintain the water temperature in container 1 at 95 degrees. When hot water is desired, when the operating knob 10 of the variable resistor 9 is turned, a voltage corresponding to the rotation angle is applied to the DC motor 4 by the control circuit section 11, and the discharge amount of the pump 3 can be adjusted.
A desired amount of hot water is discharged from the discharge port 7.

[0005] That is, the amount of hot water dispensed is adjusted using the operation knob 10.
The DC motor 4 is rotated to change the electric resistance of the variable resistor 9, and the control circuit 11 detects this.
The rotation speed of the pump 3 is changed and adjusted through the pump.

[0006]

However, in the configuration of the conventional operating device as described above, there is a problem in that the operating knob 10 must be further rotated while being pinched, which makes the fingers and wrists tired.

The present invention solves these problems and aims to provide a simple and easy-to-operate operating device for electric water heaters and the like that can vary the amount of hot water dispensed by simply pressing a push-button operating section. This is the first objective.

[0008] A second object of the present invention is to provide an operating device for an electric water heater or the like that is simpler and easier to operate, in which the discharge amount can be determined visually or by feeling the distance traveled by a finger.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, the problem-solving means of the present invention includes a pump capable of variable water supply, a drive circuit section for this pump, and a variable water supply volume for the pump. The variable resistor is configured to include a variable resistor and a push-button operating section that operates the variable resistor by pressing it.

[0010] In addition, in order to achieve the second object, a pump having a variable water supply amount, a drive circuit portion of the pump, an elastic body formed in a spiral substantially conical shape, and a pump biased by the elastic body are provided. The device includes a push-button operating section and a plurality of switches that are pressed by the elastic body when the push-button operating section is moved against the urging direction.

[0011]

[Operation] According to the problem-solving means of the present invention described above, the variable resistor rotates according to the amount of push movement by simply pressing the push button type operation part, and the resistance value is varied according to the rotation. do. For this reason, the number of revolutions of the pump can be varied to vary the amount of hot water dispensed.

[0012] Furthermore, since the structure includes an elastic body formed in a spiral, substantially conical shape, and a plurality of switches pressed by this elastic body, the mounting positions of the plurality of switches can be adjusted.
The timing at which the switch turns on when pressed by an elastic body can be set arbitrarily, and the amount of hot water dispensed by the pump can be varied based on this turn-on timing. Therefore, the amount of hot water discharged can be changed depending on the degree to which the push-button operating section is pressed.

[0013]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be explained based on the drawings. The characteristic configuration of this embodiment is that the configuration of the operation knob for dispensing hot water is different from that described in the conventional example.

First, a first embodiment will be explained. Note that the same components as those in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 14 denotes a generally cylindrical push-button operation section having an extended flange 15 that abuts the main body 8 at one end, and the other end protrudes from the upper surface of the main body 8.
A biasing spring 17 whose one end is supported by a support fitting 16 is connected outwardly (
upward). Inside the push-button operation section 14, there is a transmission section 18 that extends in the pushing direction of the push-button operation section 14 and passes through the support fitting 16, with one end connected to the other end of the push-button operation section 14. A rack 19 is provided at the other end. 20 is a variable resistor that rotates around a shaft 21 to change its resistance;
A gear 22 is attached to 1 and meshes with the rack 19.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained. When hot water is desired, when the push-button operation section 14 is pressed, the biasing spring 17 is pushed and compressed, and the push-button operation section 1 is pressed.
4 moves down. The rack 19 moves downward in conjunction with the
The gear 22 meshed with the rack 19 is rotated. gear 2
2 rotates the variable resistor 20 via the shaft 21 to change its resistance value. By arbitrarily pressing the push-button operating section 14, the rotation speed of the DC motor 4 can be changed via the variable resistor 20, and as a result, the discharge amount of the pump 3 can be changed.

Therefore, according to the configuration of the first embodiment, hot water can be discharged from the discharge port 7 simply by pressing the push-button operating section 14, and the amount of hot water to be discharged can be adjusted by changing the degree of pressing. can be adjusted arbitrarily.

Next, a second embodiment will be explained. Incidentally, as described above, the same parts as those in the conventional example are designated by the same reference numerals, and the explanation thereof will be omitted.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, 23 has a main body 8 at one end.
This is a generally cylindrical push-button operating section with an extended flange 24 that comes into contact with the main body 8, and the other end thereof protrudes from the upper surface of the main body 8, and a guide shaft 25 extends inward from the center of the main body 8. It is set up. Inside the main body 8, there is a printed circuit board 26 having a through hole 27 approximately in the center, and the wiring of the printed circuit board 26 is connected to the control circuit section 11. In addition, the guide shaft 25
is guided through this through hole 27. Push-button operation unit 2
3 has a biasing spring 28 formed of an elastic metal plate that biases the flange 24 upward, and a small circular part 29 in the center and a ring part 30 on the outer periphery, with a substantially uniform width between them. It is cut into a spiral portion 31 and further formed into a conical shape.

The biasing spring 28 has its small circular portion 29 in contact with the flange 24 of the push button operating portion 23, and the ring portion 30
is in contact with the printed circuit board 26 and is compressed. Furthermore, there are four switches 32 fixed on the printed circuit board 26 with solder or the like, so that when the biasing spring 28 is compressed, the biasing spring 28 is turned on sequentially from the outer circumference toward the inner circumference. ing.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained. When hot water is desired, the push button operation section 23 is pressed. The push button type operating section 23 moves downward while being guided by the guide shaft 25 through the through hole 27. When the small circular portion 29 is moved downward by being pushed by the flange 24, the biasing spring 28 moves its spiral portion 31 downward at a substantially uniform ratio between the small circular portion 29 and the ring portion 30. And the ring part 30 of the spiral part 31
The switches 32 are turned on in order of proximity to . Conversely, when the push-button operating section 23 is released, the switches 32 closest to the small circular section 29 are turned off in order.

Therefore, the number of switches 32 that are turned on differs depending on the position at which the push-button operation section 23 is pressed. The signal from the switch 32 is transmitted to the control circuit section 11, and depending on the number of switches 32 that are turned on, the control circuit section 11 changes the rotation speed of the DC motor 4 based on the signal, and as a result changes the discharge amount of the pump 3. It becomes possible to do so.

Therefore, according to the configuration of the second embodiment, hot water can be discharged from the outlet 7 simply by pressing the push button type operation part 23, and furthermore, the depth at which the push button type operation part 23 is pressed can be adjusted. By adjusting the amount, the amount of hot water to be discharged can be adjusted in stages.

In the second embodiment, the number of switches 32 is four, but any number may be used as long as they are located at any arbitrary position below the spiral portion 31.

Further, in the second embodiment, the positions of the switches 32 are arranged almost uniformly along the spiral portion 31, but they may be moved as appropriate depending on the timing at which the switches 32 are turned on.

Furthermore, in the first and second embodiments, a centrifugal discharge type pump 3 driven by a DC motor 4 was used;
An electromagnetically driven pump driven by alternating current by the control circuit section 11 may also be used.

[0027]

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the description of the embodiments above, according to the present invention, there is provided a pump capable of varying the amount of water delivered, a drive circuit section for this pump, and a variable resistor that changes the amount of water delivered by the pump. By being configured with a push-button operation section that interlocks the variable resistor when pressed, the amount of hot water dispensed can be varied simply by pressing the push-button operation section, and the amount of hot water dispensed can be controlled with a simple operation. It is something that can be done.

[0028] The present invention also includes a pump with variable water supply amount, a drive circuit section of the pump, an elastic body formed in a spiral, substantially conical shape, and a plurality of pumps that are pressed by the elastic body when a push-button operating section is pressed. With this configuration, the timing to turn on can be set arbitrarily by changing the mounting position of multiple switches, and the amount of hot water discharged can be adjusted by visually checking the push-button operation unit or by feeling the push distance of the finger. It is possible to provide operating devices such as electric water heaters that are easy to understand, easy to operate, and safe.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of an operating device such as an electric water heater showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Partial cross-sectional view of an operating device such as an electric water heater according to the second embodiment.

[Fig. 3] A plan view of the biasing spring of the operating device of the second embodiment.

[Figure 4] Overall cross-sectional view of a conventional electric water heater

[Explanation of symbols]

3 Pump 11 Control circuit section (drive circuit section) 14 Push button operation unit 20 Variable resistor

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A pump capable of variable water supply, a drive circuit for the pump, a variable resistor that changes the water supply of the pump, and a push-button operating section that, when pressed, interlocks the variable resistor. operating devices such as electric water heaters. [Claim 2] A pump with a variable amount of water supply, a drive circuit section of the pump, an elastic body formed in a spiral substantially conical shape, a push-button operation section biased by the elastic body, and the like. An operating device for an electric water heater or the like, comprising a plurality of switches that are pressed by the elastic body when the push-button operating section is moved against the biasing direction.