JPH0587338A - Burning appliance - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent early termination of the lifetime of a dry battery and thereby to make it possible to use the battery longer even a little and to use an appliance in a sense of reliance by enabling definite stipulation of the lifetime of the battery in a tap-controlled gas water heaterusing the dry battery as a power source. CONSTITUTION:A battery checking means 9 which monitors a voltage between terminals of a dry battery 1 is provided, and when the voltage between the terminals lowers to a value set beforehand or below, burning is stopped by turning OFF a control signal for a holding winding 29a of a solenoid operated valve 29 conducting opening and closure of a gas passage. A timer means 10 for battery checking is provided and a battery checking operation is prohibited only for a prescribed time. When the lifetime of the battery terminates and the battery checking means 9 operates, a user of the appliance is informed of the termination of the lifetime of the battery. According to this constitution, it is possible to utilize the energy of the battery effectively and to ensure the safety of the appliance as a burning appliance.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to control of combustion appliances such as a gas instantaneous water heater.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a gas instantaneous water heater using a dry battery as a power source, the dry battery is consumed as the time elapses, and the terminal voltage of the dry battery decreases. When the voltage across the terminals of the dry cell falls below the required operating voltage of the solenoid valve that controls the opening and closing of the gas supply passage as control means or the igniter that ignites the burner, the solenoid valve closes the gas supply passage and the continuation of combustion is stopped. It Therefore, it has been decided to replace the battery after determining that the battery has reached the end of its life.

[0003]

However, before the end of the battery life, the voltage across the terminals of the dry battery drops considerably, and the igniter deviates from the discharge cycle in which the burner can be ignited with high probability. Then, if adverse conditions overlap, especially at low temperatures, there is a risk of ignition delay and explosion and ignition.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object thereof is to allow a dry battery to be used for as long as possible and to safely use a combustion instrument.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, means of a combustion instrument of the present invention comprises a dry battery for a power source, and a control means for operating the instrument by inputting a control signal of a predetermined value or more, A control circuit for controlling the control means by the voltage between the terminals of the dry battery and a control signal output from the control circuit to the control means by monitoring the voltage between the terminals of the dry battery and comparing the control signal with the predetermined value to determine whether or not the appliance can be operated. The battery check means for instructing is provided.

[0006]

With the above-mentioned means, in the combustion instrument of the present invention, the dry battery is exhausted and the drive power of the control means is not sufficiently supplied, and the control means cannot operate with high probability, so the operation of the instrument is uncertain and dangerous. In such a case, the battery check means detects that the inter-terminal voltage of the dry cell has become equal to or lower than a preset predetermined value, and inputs an instruction signal indicating that the operation cannot be started or the operation cannot be continued to the control circuit. Upon receiving this instruction signal, the control circuit does not output the control signal to the control means at the time of starting the operation, and stops the control signal output to each of the driving control means while the operation is continuing, and operates the appliance. Stop.
In this way, unsafe instrument operation due to uncertain drive of the control means can be avoided.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, 1 is a dry battery for power supply, 2 is a power switch as an input means for starting an instrument, 3 is a control circuit, and 9 is a terminal voltage of the dry battery 1. Battery check means 10 for operating the timer check means 10 for suspending the monitoring operation of the battery check means 9,
5 is an LED (light emitting element), 18 is an igniter for ignition as control means, 29 is a solenoid valve as control means for controlling opening and closing of the gas supply passage, 29a is a holding winding of the solenoid valve 29, and 29b is a solenoid valve 29. The adsorption winding of is shown. Control circuit 3
Is provided with a clock 4 for outputting a clock pulse, an AND circuit element 5, an igniter drive circuit 6, a drive circuit 7 for opening the solenoid valve 29, a drive circuit 8 for keeping the solenoid valve 29 open after the opening. In addition to these transistors 12, 14, 17, 20, 22, 25, 27 for switching the circuit and resistors 11, 13, 16, 19, 21, 21, 24, 27, the holding winding 29a and the suction winding 29b are respectively connected in parallel. The control device has the diodes 23, 28 and the like provided.

FIG. 2 shows the signal waveform of each part when the inter-terminal voltage V _cc (voltage across the internal resistance 1b) of the dry battery 1 is a predetermined value or more. The power switch 2 (indicated by Sw2) is shown.
Is turned on and the inter-terminal voltage V _cc is applied to the control circuit 3. The drive circuit 6 outputs an IG output 6a to turn on the transistor 17, and a voltage is applied to the igniter (IG) 18 to start discharging. On the other hand, from the drive circuit 8 to SV
The holding output 8a is output, the transistors 25 and 27 are turned on, and the holding winding 29a of the solenoid valve (SV) 29 is excited. However, since the suction force is weak, the solenoid valve 29 remains closed. Shortly after the power is turned on (about 0.1 second), the SV adsorption output 7a from the drive circuit 7 is short (0.3%).
About 2 seconds) and the transistors 21 and 22 are turned on,
A voltage is applied to the adsorption winding 29b of the solenoid valve 29 to excite it. The resistance value of the adsorption winding 29b is very small, about several Ω, and a large current of about several hundred mA flows through the adsorption winding 29b to generate a large attraction force, so that the solenoid valve 29 is opened.
Even after the SV adsorption output 7a is stopped, the solenoid valve 29 is kept open by the SV holding output 8a of the holding winding 29a. Then, as the combustion continues, the combustion detection signal of a thermocouple (not shown) continues to rise, and when the ignition detection level is reached, the IG output 6a is turned off.

[0010] inter-terminal voltage V _cc in the above operation, the electromagnetic valve 2
At the time of SV adsorption output of 9, a large current of about several hundred mA flows in the internal resistance 1b, and a voltage drop ΔV _a represented by the product of this current value and the resistance value of the internal resistance 1b occurs.

FIG. 4 shows the voltage V between the terminals of the dry battery 1._ccThe batte
Recheck means 9 monitors and determines the usage limit of dry cell 1
Predetermined value V_sThe setting method of is shown. Solenoid valve 29 supplies gas
Between the terminals at the initial driving t of about 0.3 seconds when the supply passage is opened
Voltage V_ccIs the starting voltage drop ΔV _a1To occur. Initial drive t
Stop the subsequent SV adsorption output 7a, only SV holding output 8a
The solenoid valve 29 at the time of output is stable and maintains a stable open state.
Periodically, the voltage between terminals V_ccSteady-state voltage drop ΔV_b1Is up
Voltage drop ΔV_a1Voltage drop ΔV for SV adsorption output 7a
= ΔV_a1-ΔV_b1Only decreases. The state of (a) in the figure is non-
Terminal voltage V when energized_ccHas the highest V_TAt the time, SV
Voltage between terminals V_{cc 1}Is a predetermined value V_s
taller than. The state of (b) of the figure shows the voltage V between terminals when not energized.
_cc2Is a predetermined value V_sHas fallen to. Each power in this state
Pressure drop ΔV_a2, ΔV_b2Is the current to both windings 29a, 29b
Is the voltage between terminals V_cc2Along with the decrease due to
Each voltage drop ΔV_a1, ΔV_b1It is decreasing more. That
The decrease of this current is caused by the exciting force of both windings 29a and 29b.
This solenoid valve 29 has a voltage V_cc3When
It is the limit for generating a high probability of adsorption force. At this time,
The holding power is still sufficient, and the voltage between terminals V_ccHolding power limit
The value is even smaller.

The terminal voltage V _cc3 which is the limit of this attraction force
The inter-terminal voltage V _cc2 during non-energization is obtained as a value with which the solenoid valve 29 can be driven with high probability. Further, in the igniter 18 as another control means of this device, the inter-terminal voltage V _cc as an input voltage which can be ignited with high probability by setting various conditions such as low temperature characteristics becomes a value lower than the inter-terminal voltage V _cc2. ing. The solenoid valve 29 and the igniter 18 are parts that are affected by the probability of driving by the inter-terminal voltage _Vcc in this device. Therefore, the terminal voltage V _cc2 is set as a predetermined value of the control circuit 3. As described above, the predetermined value can be detected when the control means is not energized, that is, in a short time immediately after the driving instruction, and in this device, the terminal voltage monitoring period t ₀ of the battery checking means 9 is short (immediately after the driving instruction). It is set to about 0.3 seconds). The consumption of the dry battery 1 during operation is slight when used once, and is included in the safety factor taken when the predetermined value is set. In addition, it prevents the consumption of valuable dry batteries due to the battery check during operation.

For safety, the battery may be checked during operation. At this time, for example, the terminal voltage V _cc4 is selected as the second predetermined value and the terminal voltage monitoring period t ₀ is selected.
A predetermined value different from is set. If the battery check is set to the terminal voltage monitoring period t ₀ , for example, the second
There is an advantage over the case where the predetermined value of is set as the only predetermined value and the battery check is performed in the stable period (after the initial driving t). That is, in this latter example, it is possible to avoid detection of the inter-terminal voltage V _{cc at} the initial driving time t ₀ , but it is not possible to detect the inter-terminal voltage V _cc before the start of operation. Then, the low inter-terminal voltage _Vcc is detected after the stable period is entered, and if the electromagnetic valve 29 performs an unstable operation (chattering due to insufficient adsorption force) at the initial driving time t, ignition delay or the like occurs. Because of this, there is a risk of explosion and ignition. Unstable and uncertain operation due to such a detection delay can be excluded in this embodiment. When the operation for stopping the operation is performed while the operation is continued with the second predetermined value, the so-called post ignition is performed as in the case of other operation stop, and the electromagnetic valve 29 is not closed properly due to the discharge of the igniter 18 for a certain time. Prevent explosion and combustion based on

Next, the operation of the battery checking means 9 and the timer means 10 will be described as a circuit operation. If the battery check means 9 detects the starting voltage drop ΔV _r without the timer means 10 operating, the battery check output 9a becomes "H", the transistor 12 is turned on, the transistors 24 and 27 are turned off, and the winding is held. The line 29a is no longer excited, the overlap period with the excitation period of the adsorption winding 29b disappears, the solenoid valve 29 is closed, and combustion is stopped. Thus, the combustion may stop even though the dry battery 1 has a sufficient capacity. In order to prevent this operation, the timer means 10 is provided, and the battery check output is turned off while the voltage is applied to the adsorption winding 29b having a small load impedance at the output 10a as the initial driving t. FIG. 3 shows the operation in the case where the inter-terminal voltage V _cc of the dry cell 1 is already lower than the predetermined value V _s when the power switch 2 is turned on, and the inter-terminal voltage monitoring period t _0.
When the decrease in the inter-terminal voltage _Vcc is detected by the battery check means 9, the control circuit 3 gives an operation stop instruction to stop all the outputs to the solenoid valve 29 and the igniter 18. Then, at this time, the battery check output 9a is continuously output and the output of the clock 4 is input to the AND circuit element 5, and the AND circuit element 5 outputs the LED output 5a to periodically turn on the transistor 14. -O
After FF, the LED 15 blinks to notify that the dry battery 1 needs to be replaced due to exhaustion.

The present invention utilizes the above control device to
It can be commonly used for heating equipment such as water heaters that use gas or oil as fuel, as well as for combustion equipment such as heaters and cooking equipment.

[0016]

As is apparent from the above description, in the burner of the present invention, in the claim 1, the control circuit receives the voltage between the dry cell terminals from which the control means can operate with high probability from the battery checking means, and Accurately detects the usage limit due to exhaustion, and can safely and safely use the device even when the dry battery is exhausted.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the driving instruction is input by the input means, the voltage between the dry battery terminals can be checked before the appliance is put into operation, and it can be determined whether or not the appliance can be operated without intervening unstable or uncertain operation of the appliance. You can expect safer driving.

Further, according to a third aspect of the present invention, with respect to all the control means in which the driving performance is uncertain due to the voltage between the dry battery terminals, the required input voltage of the control means which requires the highest dry battery terminal voltage is specified by distinguishing between the starting voltage drop and the steady voltage drop. You can use the burner more safely by setting the value, and you can use the dry battery for a long time.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a control circuit diagram showing an embodiment of a combustion instrument of the present invention.

[Fig. 2] Same time chart

FIG. 3 is a voltage drop characteristic diagram by the control means.

[Figure 4] Same time chart

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 dry battery 2 power switch 3 control circuit 9 battery checking means 10 timer means 18 igniter 29 solenoid valve

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A dry battery for a power source, a control means for operating a device by inputting a control signal of a predetermined value or more, a control circuit for controlling the control means by a terminal voltage of the dry battery, and a terminal voltage of the dry battery are monitored. Then, the combustion appliance is provided with a battery check means for comparing the control signal output by the control circuit to the control means with the predetermined value to instruct the control circuit whether the appliance can be operated. 2. The combustion instrument according to claim 1, further comprising input means for inputting an operation instruction of the appliance, and timer means for instructing a terminal voltage monitoring period of the battery checking means only for a predetermined period after the input instruction. .. 3. A control circuit for setting a predetermined value as an allowable inter-terminal voltage at which a dry battery can be used, based on a starting voltage drop value of an initial stage of driving of a plurality of control means and a steady voltage drop value of a stable period after the initial stage of driving. The combustion instrument according to claim 1, further comprising: