JPH04309749A - Hot water supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To permit a hot water to be supplied under constantly stable control by adjusting the position of an antenna easily, even if a change takes place in electric wave transmission and reception conditions between a hot water supply device and a remote control due to a change in the location of the hot water supply device into another room. CONSTITUTION:A hot water supply device 2 is provided therein with a transmitter-receiver set adapted to exchange control signals between the hot water supply device and a remote place using an electric wave to control the hot water supply device, an antenna 3 is connected to the transmitter-receiver set and a remote control is provided to control the hot water supply device 1 with the electric wave from the remote place through the antenna 3 and the transmitter-receiver set. The antenna 3 is made movable toward and away from a housing of the hot water supply device and rotatable relative thereto, whereby the electric wave transmission and reception conditions therebetween can be easily adjusted, in case the remote control should fail to smoothly control the hot water supply device.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water heater that is remotely controlled using radio waves.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional water heater of this type, as shown in FIG.
The control signal from the remote control 31 is transmitted to the water heater 1 through the remote control cable 30.

[0003] Also, as a wireless remote control, the one shown in FIG.
There is a Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-77671 as shown in , and a configuration has already been devised in which a water heater 1 is remotely controlled by a wireless remote controller 7 using radio waves, and the status of the water heater is remotely monitored by a wireless remote controller. .

0004

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] However, in the configuration of the conventional remote control cable method described above, when installing a water heater, a hole 32a is made in the wall 32, and a remote control cable consisting of 8-core signal wires is passed through the hole 32a to heat water. It had to be connected to the respective terminals of the device 1 and the remote controller 31. Therefore, in addition to the necessity of penetrating the wall 32, there is a problem that there is a possibility that the remote control cable 30 may be connected incorrectly.

[0005] Furthermore, in the configuration of Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-77671 using the wireless remote control described above, there is almost no disclosure regarding the specific configuration of the antenna for efficiently transmitting and receiving radio waves. However, in order to put this type of wireless remote control hot water heater into practical use using radio waves, the antenna configuration is a very important issue.

In conventional configurations, the transmitting and receiving antennas are fixed to the water heater. When installing a water heater in a limited space, securing a location for the water heater becomes a priority, and the orientation and mounting position of the antenna fixed to the water heater do not take into account transmission and reception with the remote control. There was an issue.

[0007] In general, water heaters are installed outdoors or in a hangar indoors, and the remote controller is fixed to the wall of the room and transmission and reception is carried out between the two, but each installation position is different for each household. They vary depending on the floor plan and type of use. Therefore, it becomes necessary to adjust the transmission and reception status between the two for each household. Furthermore, once the water heater is installed, the positions of both remain unchanged, but if furniture or electrical appliances are moved during the propagation of radio waves, the transmission and reception status between the two will change significantly. Even in the same household, when changing rooms, it becomes necessary to adjust the transmission and reception status between the two after installing the water heater.

[0008]The present invention therefore solves the above-mentioned problems and ensures that transmission and reception between the water heater and the remote controller that controls it is always optimal no matter what home it is used in or whether the room is changed or the like. It is intended to bring about the state.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above object, the water heater of the present invention moves or rotates the antenna so that the reception strength of radio waves used for transmission and reception between the water heater and the remote control is maximized. It is freely attached to the housing of the water heater.

0010

[Operation] With the above configuration, the present invention adjusts the position and direction of the antenna so that the reception strength of the radio waves used for transmission and reception between the water heater and the remote control is maximized after the water heater is installed.
To enable smooth transmission and reception between a water heater and a remote control while avoiding radio wave obstructions.

[0011]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. 1 to 4, 1 is a water heater, 2 is a hot water transmitter/receiver that receives signals to control the water heater and transmits signals indicating the status of the water heater, and 3 is installed on the housing 1a of the water heater 1. An antenna, 4 an antenna driver for moving the antenna 3, 5 an antenna cable connecting the hot water transmitter/receiver 2 and the antenna 3, and 6 piping for supplying water, hot water, fuel, etc. Reference numeral 7 denotes a remote control (hereinafter referred to as remote control) that is used to check the status of the water heater 1 and operate it in a room remote from the water heater 1. Radio waves emitted from the antenna 3 and the remote control 6 are transmitted through the wall of an indoor hangar in which the water heater 1 is stored. Water heater 1
In collective buildings such as condominiums, they are installed in hangars near the ceiling, away from the floor. In the water heater 1 shown in FIG. 1a, the antenna 3 is movably provided on the housing 1a of the water heater 1. In the water heater 1 shown in FIG. 1b, the antenna 3 is rotatably provided on the housing 1a of the water heater 1. 8 is connected to the remote control 6 by wire 10 and connects to the water heater 1
You can measure the reception strength of the radio waves transmitted from the hot water heater receiver 2 and wired 1 with your own reception strength meter.
This is an adjustment remote controller that is connected to the terminal 0 and can adjust the direction and position of the antenna 3, and is a device that is connected to the connection terminal 9 only when making adjustments.

In the above embodiment, when the water heater is installed and the positions of the water heater 1 and the remote controller 7 are determined, the antenna 3
It is necessary to adjust the transmission and reception status between the two for each house by moving the two. To do this, the position of the antenna 3 is moved or rotated little by little using the adjustment remote control 8, and the reception output of the remote control 7 at that time is input to the adjustment remote control 8 and checked with a reception intensity meter. Measurement is performed using the adjustment remote controller 8, and the antenna 3 is stopped at the position where the value on the reception strength meter is maximum. As described above, the antenna 3 is installed at a position where the remote control 7 can receive radio waves from the water heater 1 most efficiently.

FIG. 2 is a control function block diagram of the water heater 1, remote controller 6, and adjustment remote controller 8 in the above embodiment. The water heater 1 has a water flow detector 11 , an igniter 12 , a fuel setting device 13 , an air flow setting device 14 , a fuel detector 15 , a water level setting device 16 , and a water heater power supply 17 to control transmission and reception and the water heater 1
It is controlled by a controller 18 for controlling the overall operation and realizes its functions.

The remote control 7 includes a remote control transmitter/receiver 19, a display 20, a setting device 21, an operation switch 22, a remote control power supply 23, a connection terminal 9 for sending a received output to an adjustment remote control, and the like.

The adjustment remote control 8 is the adjustment remote control transmitter/receiver 2
4, display 25, reception strength meter 26, antenna setting device 27
, an adjustable remote control power supply 28, and the like.

With the above configuration, when the contents set by the operation switch 22 and setting device 21 of the remote controller 7 are transmitted to the water heater 1 side as a radio wave signal, the hot water heater transmitter/receiver 2 receives the contents and controls the controller based on the contents. 18 operates the water heater 1. In addition, when the operating status of the water heater 1 is transmitted from the water heater transmitter/receiver 2 to the remote controller 7 as a radio signal,
The remote control transceiver 19 receives the signal and outputs it to the display 20.

When adjusting the antenna, the radio waves received by the remote control transmitter/receiver 19 from the water heater 1 are transferred from the connection terminal 9 to the wire 10.
The reception intensity is measured by the reception intensity meter 26 through the adjustment remote controller transmitter/receiver 24 on the adjustment remote controller 8 side connected to the controller 8, and the value is outputted to the display 25. The contents set by the antenna setting device 27 are transmitted to the connection terminal 9 on the water heater 1 side by wire through the adjustment remote control transmitter/receiver 24, and then
When received, the antenna driver 4 moves the antenna 3.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. In FIG. 3, the antenna 3 moves on the housing of the water heater 1. 29 is an antenna adjustment key provided on the remote control, 30 is a reception strength meter connected to the antenna cable 5, and 31 is an antenna driver 4 and reception strength meter 3.
This antenna adjuster is connected to 0 and stores the position of the antenna 3 and the value of the reception strength meter 30 at that position, and searches for the position where the reception strength is strongest.

[0019] When furniture or electrical appliances that are in the middle of the propagation of radio waves are moved due to changing rooms, the transmission and reception status between the two changes significantly. Even in the same household, when changing rooms on a large scale, it is necessary to adjust the transmission and reception status between the two parties again by moving the antenna 3. When the antenna adjustment key 29 is pressed, the position of the antenna 3 is adjusted. The antenna driver 4 moves the position of the antenna 3 little by little, and the reception strength of the radio waves from the remote control 7 at that time is checked with a reception strength meter. The antenna adjuster 31 stores the position of the antenna 3 and the value of the reception strength meter 30 at this time, and stops the antenna 3 at the position where the value of the reception strength meter becomes maximum. As a result of the above, the antenna 3 again transmits radio waves from the water heater 1 to the remote control 7.
It is placed in the position where it can receive the most efficient reception.

In FIG. 4, the antenna 3 rotates on the housing of the water heater 1. 29 is an antenna adjustment key provided on the remote control 7 of the water heater.

[0021] When the remote control 7 is carried around and used in a room, the transmission and reception status between the two always changes greatly. When carrying and using the remote control, press the antenna adjustment key 29. When the antenna adjustment key is pressed, the antenna 3 is constantly rotated in short cycles to change the transmission/reception status between the two, thereby allowing successful communication at a certain antenna position. When the remote control is stationary at a certain position, the antenna 3 is stopped by pressing the antenna adjustment key 29 again.

As described above, transmission and reception between the water heater 1 and the remote controller 7 can be performed even when the remote controller 7 is carried around and used.

However, in this embodiment, an antenna driver is provided to mechanically move or rotate the antenna, but it is also possible to move or rotate the antenna manually.

[0024]

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, in the water heater of the present invention, the installation positions of the water heater and the remote control can be fixed with respect to the installation position of the antenna, which was conventionally determined by the installation position of the water heater and could not be changed thereafter. The position of the antenna can be adjusted later so that transmission and reception between the two can be performed efficiently, so even if the transmission and reception status between the water heater and the remote control changes due to changing rooms, this can be easily adjusted to ensure stability at all times. remote control.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1: a is an external view of a water heater in an embodiment of the present invention; b is an external view of a water heater in another embodiment;

[Figure 2] Partial control block diagram of the device

[Figure 3] External view of another embodiment of the same device

[Fig. 4] External view of another embodiment of the same device

[Fig. 5]a is an external view of a conventional water heater; b is an external view of another conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Water heater 2 Hot water transmitter/receiver 3 Antenna 7 Remote control

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A water heater; a hot water transmitter/receiver connected to the water heater; and a hot water transmitter/receiver that controls the water heater by transmitting/receiving control signals to and from a remote location using radio waves; and a remote control for remotely controlling the water heater using radio waves through the antenna and the hot water transmitter/receiver, the antenna being movably or rotatably provided on a casing of the water heater.