JPH04327759A - Timer reservation operating method in automatic bath device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep a state in which a comfortable taking bath is always attained at a time point of the notice for bath by a method wherein the informing of suitable taking bath time is carried out to a user while the device is simple and less-expensive. CONSTITUTION:As a time reaches an automatic operation starting time, which is before a specified period of time to a reserved set time, a hot water feeding and/or an additional boiling operation is performed until a set water level and a set hot water temperature are attained. At this time, it is detected whether or not the time elapses the set time. When the time elapses the set time, a boiling-up is immediately informed and in turn if the time does not elapse the set time, it is detected whether or not the time elapses a check time which is before a predetermined time to the set time. If it is detected that the time elapses the check time, the checking operation is not carried out, but it is waited until the time reaches the set time and then a boiling-up state is informed. As the time reaches the checking time, the checking operation is carried out and then the boiling-up state is informed at the set time.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] The present invention is capable of filling a bathtub by pouring hot water heated by a hot water supply heat exchanger into the bathtub, and, if necessary, circulating the bathtub water through a circulation and reheating pipe. The present invention relates to a timer reservation operation method for an automatic bathing device in which the operation of the bathing device configured to perform refilling while being controlled by a microcomputer control unit.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art An example of the above-mentioned automatic bath system is shown in FIG. This automatic bath has a hot water supply heat exchanger 2 inside the appliance body 1.
and a burner 3 thereof, a reheating heat exchanger 4, and a burner 5 thereof, and a pipe line having a hot water pouring solenoid valve 6 branched from a hot water outlet pipe of the hot water supply heat exchanger 2, and a recharging heat exchanger 4. It is connected to the circulation duct containing the pipe. Further, in the circulation pipe, a water level sensor 8, a pump 9 for promoting the circulation of the bathtub water, and a thermistor 10 for detecting the temperature of the bathtub water are provided.
etc. are provided. In FIG. 3, numeral 11 indicates a hot water tap that supplies hot water to a bathtub or the like, but it is actually installed in a kitchen, washroom, etc.

Although not shown, this type of automatic bath is automatically controlled by a microcomputer control section, and when the operation switch is turned on, the hot water pouring solenoid valve 6 is opened and the hot water supply vane 3 is combusted to reach the set hot water level. Hot water is poured into the bathtub 7 at a hot or slightly lower temperature, during which time the water level in the bathtub is detected by a water level sensor 8, and when the water level in the bathtub reaches the set water level, the solenoid valve 6 for pouring hot water is closed and the combustion of the burner 3 is stopped. Then, while driving the pump 9, the thermistor 10 detects the hot water temperature in the bathtub, and if the detected hot water temperature does not reach the set water temperature, the reheating burner 5 is combusted to perform reheating operation, and the detected hot water is heated. When the temperature reaches a set temperature, combustion of the pump 9 and the burner 5 is stopped to complete the hot water filling operation. Note that FIG. 3 shows an example of an automatic bath device to which the present invention is applied, and the present invention is not limited to the bath device shown in FIG. 3.

[0004] Increasingly, the above-mentioned automatic bath apparatuses have a function that allows the user to set a desired time for bathing using a remote control or the like, and then automatically fill the bath at the set time. Those with this function are more likely to complete the hot water filling operation before the set time so that you can take a bath at the set time, rather than those that start the operation after the set time. many.

In order to make this operation possible, the temperature of the outside air, the temperature of the remaining hot water, its amount, etc. are detected, and the microcomputer controller performs complex arithmetic processing in consideration of these conditions. also calculates the previous operation start time,
Some devices have been devised to automatically operate when the operation start time arrives, but this poses a problem in that it requires complex arithmetic processing and various detection devices, resulting in high costs.

[0006] As a method for easily realizing the above-mentioned method without requiring complicated arithmetic processing, automatic operation is started a certain period of time before the set time, the water is boiled before the set time, and the water is heated at the set time. A system has already been put in place that notifies the user of the boiling point.This method can be implemented using only a timer, and is generally popular because it can satisfy the function at low cost.

However, with this method, the time to fill the water to the set water level and the time to boil the remaining water vary greatly depending on the size (volume) of the bathtub and the difference between the temperature of the remaining water and the set temperature. Therefore, the automatic operation start time for the set time must be set at a time with sufficient margin, for example, one hour before the set time.
For example, if it takes 20 minutes to fill the hot water, there will be a 40 minute waiting time until the set time, and when the set time is reached, the water temperature will be much lower than the user's desired set water temperature. There is.

[0008] In order to improve the problem of automatic operation using a timer as described above, an automatic hot water heating operation is started a predetermined period of time from the set time, and then a warming operation is started a predetermined time before the set time. It has been proposed to do so (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-53696).

[0009]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Generally, in bath equipment equipped with a hot water filling function, the refilling capacity is considerably lower than the hot water supply capacity. Considering the current state of the art and the prior art disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-53696 (hereinafter referred to simply as the prior art), it is possible to calculate the amount of time required to start filling a bathtub with hot water from an empty state and the remaining hot water from the previous day. There will be a large difference in the required operation time when a bathtub must be boiled from a certain state using only additional water, so if a predetermined constant time is determined based on the assumption that the bathtub will be filled from empty. If the remaining hot water must be boiled only by additional heating, it will not be heated until the set time (desired time for bathing) has elapsed. On the other hand, if the constant is set with the maximum amount of remaining hot water taken into account, a large time difference will occur between the time the water is boiled and the start time of keeping warm, which is a predetermined time before the set time. Then, a lot of heat would be wasted. In any case, considering the reality of use as described above, if the above-mentioned conventional technology is used to notify the boiling water when the scheduled time for bathing is reached, the boiling water may be raised even though the equipment is still performing some operations. This could lead to a strange situation where uplink notifications are made.

[0010] The present invention improves the problems of the prior art as described above, and not only can the user be notified of an appropriate bathing time, but also can always take a comfortable bath at the time the notification is made. The purpose is to provide a timer reservation operation method that can maintain the state.

[0011]

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention sets a boiling time on a remote control or the like and makes a reservation for boiling at that time. The automatic operation start time before the set time and the check time a predetermined time before the set time are memorized, and when the automatic operation start time is reached, the water is poured until the set water level is reached and/or the hot water is topped up until the set water temperature is reached. and then detect whether or not the set time has elapsed at that point,
When it detects that the set time has elapsed, it immediately alerts you to the boiling point, and if the set time has not passed, it detects whether or not the check time has elapsed, and when it detects that the check time has elapsed, it performs a check operation. If the check time has not passed, wait for the check time to arrive and check the set water level and water temperature, then check the required water level. , the water temperature is adjusted, and when the set time is reached, a notification is given that the water is boiling.

0012

[Operation] Since the present invention performs control as described above, when the bathtub is empty, when the automatic operation start time is reached, which is a certain period of time before the set time, automatic hot water filling operation and refilling operation are carried out as necessary. Next, when the check time arrives, the water level and water temperature are checked, and necessary adjustments are made to the water level, water temperature, etc., and then, at the set time, a notification is given that the water has boiled.

[0013] Furthermore, if there is hot water remaining in the bathtub, but the water level is lower than the set water level, when the automatic operation start time is reached, which is a certain period of time before the set time, the hot water is filled up to the set water level and additional water is added. The boiling operation is performed, and then, when the check time is reached, the water level and water temperature are checked, and the necessary adjustments are made to the water level and water temperature, and then, at the set time, a notification that the water has boiled is notified.

[0014] Furthermore, if there is hot water remaining in the bathtub up to the set water level, when the automatic operation start time reaches a certain time before the set time, replenishment operation is performed, and the replenishment operation time is equal to the check time. If the elapsed time has elapsed, no check operation is performed, and when the set time comes, the boiling point is notified.

Furthermore, if there is hot water remaining in the bathtub up to the set water level, and the bathtub is particularly large or the temperature of the remaining hot water is low, replenishment operation is performed in the same manner as described above; When the time has passed not only the check time but also the set time, boiling is notified at the end of the reheating operation regardless of the set time.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the operation.

As shown in FIG. 1, when the desired time for bathing is set and the reservation switch is turned on, the microcomputer control section displays a time that is a certain time before the set time, for example, one hour, and a predetermined time, for example, 10 minutes before the set time. minutes ago, and automatically operates when a certain amount of time has elapsed before the set time. In other words, when the bathtub is empty as shown in A in Figure 2, the water is filled to the set water level and reheating is performed as necessary. However, if the water level is lower than the set water level, hot water is filled up to the set water level and additional heating operation is performed. In cases A and B in Figure 2, the operation ends before the check time, and when the check time is reached, the check operation is performed, and as a result, if the water level or hot water temperature has not reached the set value, it reaches the set value. The boiling water is heated or filled until the set time is reached, and a notification is sent when the water is boiling. If there is hot water remaining in the bathtub up to the set water level, as shown in C in Figure 2, refill operation will be performed when the water level reaches a certain time before the set time, and when the refill operation time passes the check time, a check operation will be performed. To notify the boiling state by waiting for the set time without performing the above. D in Figure 2
If there is hot water remaining at or above the set water level in the bathtub, and the bathtub is large or the temperature of the remaining hot water is low, the refilling time may exceed the set time. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, boiling is notified at the time when the reheating operation is completed.

[0019]

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to notify the user of the appropriate bathing time using a simple and inexpensive method using a timer, and to always notify the user of the appropriate bathing time at the time when the notification is made. It has the effect of maintaining a comfortable bathing condition.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing an embodiment of a timer reservation operation method according to the present invention.

[Fig. 2] An explanatory diagram of timer reservation operation when the conditions on the bathtub side are different. A is when the bathtub is empty, B is when there is hot water remaining in the bathtub but the water level is lower than the set water level, and C is when the bathtub is empty. If there is hot water remaining up to the set water level in the bathtub, D is a case where there is hot water remaining at or above the set water level in the bathtub, and the bathtub is large or the water temperature is low.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of an instrument.

[Explanation of symbols]

2...Hot water heat exchanger, 3...Hot water burner, 4...Additional heat exchanger, 5...Additional burner, 6...Solenoid valve for pouring hot water, 7...Bathtub, 8
...Water level sensor, 9...Pump, 10...Thermistor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] [Claim 1] A hot water supply heat exchanger and its burner, and an additional heat exchanger and its burner are provided in the appliance body,
Hot water heated by a hot water supply heat exchanger is poured into the bathtub to fill the bathtub, and if necessary, the bathtub water is circulated through the circulation reheating pipe and reheated by the reheating heat exchanger. In an automatic bath system configured in such a manner that the operation of the bath system is controlled by a microcomputer control section, when a desired boiling time is set on the remote control and a reservation is made for boiling at that time, the microcomputer control section is configured to display the set time. The automatic operation start time a certain time earlier and the check time a predetermined time before the set time are memorized, and when the automatic operation start time is reached, the water is poured until the set water level is reached and/or the water is poured until the set water temperature is reached. It performs additional boiling and then detects whether or not the set time has elapsed at that point, and when it detects that the set time has elapsed, it immediately alerts that the boiling has occurred, and when the set time has not passed, a check time is set. Detect whether or not the period has elapsed,
If it detects that the check time has passed, it will wait for the set time to reach the boiling point without performing a check operation, and will notify you that the water has boiled. A timer reservation operation method for an automatic bath device, characterized in that after checking the water temperature, necessary adjustments are made to the water level, water temperature, etc., and when a set time is reached, a notification is made that the water has heated up.