JPH0520635B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot water mixing device that adjusts the mixing ratio of hot water and water to obtain an appropriate temperature.

Conventional Structure and Problems There has been a conventional hot water mixing device of this type as shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, inside the valve frame 4 having a hot water inlet 1, a water inlet 2, and a mixed hot water outlet 3, there is a hot water side valve body 5.
and a water side valve body 6 are integrally provided to adjust the mixing ratio of hot water and water. The hot water side valve body 5 and the water side valve body 6 are attached to a wax thermostat 9 whose one end is regulated by a retaining ring 7 and biased by a spring 8. In the wax thermometer 9, a piston 10 expands and contracts according to the temperature of the mixed hot water to change the positions of the hot water side valve body 5 and the water side valve body 6. The mixing water temperature is set using the temperature setting knob 11, but the relationship between the mixing water temperature and the initial position is adjusted in advance during the assembly stage, and the mixing water temperature level is selected by turning the temperature setting knob 11 by hand. be able to. During normal operation, the hot water and water that have passed through the hot water side valve body 5 and the water side valve body 6 are mixed,
Hot water is supplied from the mixed hot water outlet through the temperature sensing part of the wax thermometer 9 to the hot water target at the mixed hot water temperature set by the temperature setting knob 11. When the mixing ratio of hot water and water becomes different from the previous value due to fluctuations in water pressure, oil pressure, or the amount of hot water being supplied, the Wax Thermo 9 detects the change as a fluctuation in the mixed water temperature and corrects the mixing ratio of hot water. A mixed hot water approximately equal to the set value is supplied. When it is desired to change the mixed water temperature, it is possible to change the mixed water temperature level by turning the temperature setting knob 11 and changing the set value as described above.

The conventional hot water mixing device is configured as described above, and it is necessary to manually operate the temperature setting knob 11 for the mixed water temperature, which limits the installation location of the hot water mixing device. The problem was that it became hard over time and did not have a good feel of operation. In addition to the above-mentioned hot water mixing devices, there were also types in which a valve was driven by a motor, but these motor-driven hot water mixing devices detected the temperature of the mixed water with a temperature sensor such as a thermistor, and Since the valve is driven by a motor to a position where the mixed water temperature set by the setting device can be obtained, the above-mentioned problems can be solved. However, if the mixed water temperature deviates from the set value due to water pressure fluctuations, hot water pressure fluctuations, or rapid fluctuations in the amount of mixed hot water, the mixed water temperature detected by the temperature sensor is compared with the set temperature of the temperature setting device and calculated. It takes time to process and drive the motor, and there is a time delay due to the inertia of the motor.
Compared to the above-mentioned wax thermo system, which detects fluctuations in the mixed water temperature and directly drives the valve body, transient temperature fluctuations are large, and the mixed water temperature has the problem of becoming too hot or too cold. .

Purpose of the Invention The present invention solves these conventional problems, and is capable of remote control and has good operability.
The purpose is to provide a hot water mixing device with excellent safety and responsiveness.

Structure of the Invention In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a mixing valve body that adjusts the mixing ratio of hot water and water, and a mixing water flow path that drives the mixing valve body using displacement that changes according to temperature. a temperature sensing element provided with the mixing valve element, a motor for driving the mixing valve element and the temperature sensing element, a position detection means for detecting the position of the mixing valve element, a mixing water temperature setting device for setting the temperature of the mixing water, Based on the temperature signal arbitrarily set with the hot water temperature setting device, the position detection means moves the position to the position corresponding to the set temperature according to the relationship between this temperature signal and the valve position that is stored internally. The hot water mixing device consists of a controller that performs control using a motor while checking the temperature, and enables remote control by sending a signal from the mixing hot water temperature setting device to the electric drive means, and also controls hot water pressure and water pressure fluctuations. In addition, when the temperature of the mixed water changes suddenly due to sudden changes in flow rate, etc., the temperature sensing element directly adjusts the position of the mixing valve body, and is designed to improve safety, responsiveness, and reduce power consumption. be.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Examples of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 shows a system diagram of a hot water supply device using the hot water mixing device according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The water supplied from the boiler 13 is heated and heated in the boiler 13, and is supplied as hot water to the mixing valve 15 via the hot water supply pipe 14. The mixing valve 15 has a water supply pipe 16 in addition to the hot water pipe 14.
The hot water is mixed here, and the mixed hot water is supplied to the faucet 18 or the faucet 19 through the mixing hot water pipe 17. Mixing hot water temperature setting devices 20 and 21 are provided near the faucets 18 and 19, and the mixing valve 1 is set via a controller 22 according to a setting signal here.
5 is driven and controlled.

In addition, the mixing water temperature setting device 20 and the mixing water temperature setting device 21
A priority/subordination relationship is predetermined between them, and in this case, the mixing hot water temperature setting device 21 has priority and the mixing hot water temperature setting device 20 has priority. The mixing valve 15 is constructed as shown in FIG. Hot water pipe 14
When hot water is supplied from the water supply pipe 16, the distance between the hot water side valve seat 23 and the water side valve seat 24 is changed to the hot water side valve body 25,
A mixing valve body 27 having a water side valve body 26 adjusts the mixing ratio by changing it inversely proportionally. The mixing valve body 27 is a cylindrical valve body through which hot water and water flow inward from the periphery. Also, the mixing valve body 27 is connected to the spring 2
8, it is biased toward the right side in the figure, and is brought into contact with a wax thermometer 30, which is a temperature sensing element provided in the mixed molten metal flow path 29, via an outer cylinder 31. This wax thermometer 30 has a piston 32 depending on the temperature.
expands and contracts, and drives the mixing valve body 27 via the outer cylinder 31 fixed at the outer periphery. Also, wax thermos 3
0 has a spiral fin 33 in the temperature sensing part,
The fins 33 are provided with a large number of pores 34 to swirl the flow and a portion of the flow flows through the pores, thereby promoting heat transfer and mixing. The piston 32 of the Wax Thermo 30 has a female thread 35 provided on the outer periphery.
The inside of the shaft 36 is in contact with a floating male screw 37 that moves forward and backward by the rotation of a shaft 36 fitted at a knurled portion, and the shaft 36 is driven by an external motor 38 via a deceleration mechanism 39. . As a result, the wax thermometer 30 and the mixing valve body 27 are driven by the motor 38, and their positions are confirmed and adjusted by a potentiometer 40 provided on the motor 38, which performs position detection. In this case motor 3
8. A potentiometer 40 constitutes an electrical drive means. A solenoid or the like may be considered as the electric drive means, but a motor operates more slowly and is less likely to cause water hammer. Note that 41 is a biasing spring that biases the hot water side valve seat 23, and even if the mixing valve body 27 comes into contact with the hot water side valve seat 23, it escapes when the wax thermometer 30 still tries to expand, and various parts will be damaged. This is prevented.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described. Assume that a desired temperature is specified using the mixing temperature setting device 20 and the faucet 18 is opened. The setting signal of the mixing temperature setting device 20 is sent to the controller 22, and the motor 38 moves the wax thermometer 30 and the mixing valve body 27 while checking the position with the potentiometer 40 to a pre-stored position.
move. Through this operation, a mixed water temperature approximately close to the setting value in the mixed water temperature setting device 20 can be obtained.
The wax thermometer 30 further expands and contracts by sensing the temperature difference from the set value due to the difference in pressure between hot water and water, and the temperature of hot water and water, and adjusts the mixing valve body 27 to the mixing ratio of hot water and water according to the set value. . As described above, the user only needs to set the desired temperature, and can automatically supply hot water at the appropriate temperature without having to worry about the relationship between the valve opening and temperature or checking the temperature himself. Further, after the wax thermometer 30 and the mixing valve body 27 are moved to a position corresponding to the set temperature, the power supply to the motor 38 can be cut off, thereby reducing power consumption. Since the mixing valve body 27 is composed of a cylindrical valve body in which both hot water and water flow in from the surroundings, it can be driven with a constant force regardless of the high or low water pressure or hot water pressure, resulting in variations in characteristics. It has a difficult structure. Here, if the mixed hot water temperature setting device 21 and the faucet 19 are operated and hot water supply starts, since it has priority over the mixing hot water temperature setting device 20, the setting value of the mixing hot water temperature setting device 21 will be set. The mixing ratio is adjusted accordingly.
Further, when one of the faucets 18 and 19 is opened or closed, the amount of mixed hot water from the mixing valve 15 changes suddenly. Along with this, the mixing ratio of the amount of hot water and the amount of water changes, and the temperature of the mixed water begins to rise or fall. Similarly, when the hot water pressure and water pressure change due to fluctuations in the source pressure, the mixed hot water temperature also starts to change. In these cases,
Changes in the mixed water temperature are immediately detected by the wax thermometer 30, and as the wax thermometer 30 expands and contracts, the piston 32 expands and contracts, thereby returning the mixed water temperature to the original set value. In this case, the temperature change immediately appears as a movement of the mixing valve body 27 driven by the wax thermometer 30 and the mixing ratio is corrected, so the response is fast and the level of rise and fall of the mixed water is small. Further, since the wax thermometer 30 can obtain a larger driving force than other temperature sensing elements such as bimetal, it can operate stably even if the sliding resistance of the mixing valve body 27 increases. In the unlikely event that the controller 22 or motor 38 breaks down, the wax thermometer 3
Since the mixed water temperature is adjusted at 0, hot water is not supplied. Further, while checking the valve position with the potentiometer 40, the mixing valve body 27 and the wax thermometer 30 are driven by the motor 38 to a position corresponding to the temperature set by the mixing water temperature setting device 20, and the motor 38 is Since it is stopped, even if a power outage or control system failure occurs during use,
Unlike the type that is driven by a solenoid or temperature sensor and the hot water side is fully opened when electricity is stopped, hot water is not supplied and the set temperature can be maintained. In addition, since the mixing valve is provided with a potentiometer 40 and the signal is compared with the signal from the mixing water temperature setting device 20 for control, when the mixing valve is locked due to a foreign object, the potentiometer 40 An abnormality is detected from the fact that the motor 38 continues to rotate even if the valve position is directly read or the set temperature is changed, and the danger of high water temperature being supplied is prevented in advance.

Effects of the Invention The present invention drives the mixing valve element and the temperature sensing element with a motor, and also includes a position detection means for detecting the position of the mixing valve element and a mixing water temperature setting device for setting the temperature of the mixing water. Since the mixing valve element and the temperature sensing element are controlled to be moved by the motor and the position detection means based on the temperature signal arbitrarily set by the hot water temperature setting device, the following effects are achieved.

(1) Drive the mixing valve body and temperature sensing element by the motor to the position corresponding to the temperature set by the mixing water temperature setting device while checking the valve position with the position detection means,
Since the motor is stopped, even if there is a power outage or a failure in the control system during use,
Unlike the type that is driven by a solenoid or temperature sensor and the hot water side is fully opened when the electricity is turned off, hot water is not supplied and the set temperature can be maintained. In addition, the power supply can be cut off once the fitting valve body and temperature sensing element are moved to the position corresponding to the set temperature, reducing power consumption and driving the temperature sensing element by heating it. The motor and position detection means allow the temperature to be changed at a constant and convenient speed without being affected by the ambient temperature.

(2) Furthermore, by simply setting the temperature with the mixing water temperature setting device, the position can be detected to the position corresponding to the set temperature according to the relationship between this temperature signal and the valve position stored in advance in the controller. Since the mixing valve element and the temperature sensing element are controlled by the motor while confirming their position, the user only needs to set the desired temperature, and the relationship between the valve opening degree and temperature can be You can automatically supply hot water at the appropriate temperature without having to worry about it or check it yourself.

(3) Since the mixing valve is equipped with a position detection means and is controlled by comparing this signal with the signal from the mixing water temperature setting device, when the mixing valve is locked due to a foreign object, the position detection means will directly detect the valve. An abnormality can be detected from the fact that the motor continues to rotate even if the position is read or the set temperature is changed, and the danger of hot water being supplied can be prevented in advance.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a conventional hot water mixing device, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a hot water mixing device according to an embodiment of the present invention used in a hot water supply device, and FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the same embodiment. 20, 21...Mixing water temperature setting device, 22...Controller, 23...Hot water side valve seat (valve seat), 24...Water side valve seat (valve seat), 27...Mixing valve body, 29... ...Mixed hot water flow path, 30...Wax thermometer (temperature sensing element), 38
... Motor, 40 ... Potentiometer.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A mixing valve body that adjusts the mixing ratio of hot water and water, a temperature sensing element provided in a mixing water flow path that drives the mixing valve body using displacement that changes depending on temperature, and the mixing valve body. A motor for driving the temperature sensing element, a position detection means for detecting the position of the mixing valve body, a mixing water temperature setting device for setting the mixing water temperature, and a temperature set arbitrarily by the mixing water temperature setting device. Based on the temperature signal,
According to the pre-stored relationship between this temperature signal and the valve position, the mixing valve element and the temperature sensing element are moved by the motor to a position corresponding to the set temperature while the position is confirmed by the position detection means. A hot water mixing device consisting of a controller that controls movement.