JPH06222842A - Cool/hot mixture controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To acquire the hot water of a set temperature from the start of resupply of the hot water by avoiding the large fluctuation of hot water temperature in a mixing room. CONSTITUTION:When a signal is supplied to a control means 18 from a setting means 17 to close a flow rate control valve, a flow rate control valve control means 52 reduces the flow rate. At the same time, a mixing valve control means 50 continuously controls the temperature of the hot water mixed with the cool water until the flow rate is reduced. Furthermore, the least drive value of a mixing valve is kept until a water stop valve is closed. Thus, it is possible to prevent such a case that the inside temperature of a mixing room dropps extremely to the level close to the cool water temperature.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot and cold water mixing controller for adjusting the mixing ratio of hot water and water to obtain an optimum mixed hot water temperature.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, this kind of hot and cold water mixing device has been shown in FIG. (For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 1-3122
No. 79) In FIG. 5, 1 is a hot water passage, 2 is a water passage, and an automatic pressure regulating valve 3 is provided in association with each passage. The automatic pressure regulating valve 3 includes a hot water valve body 4, a hot water valve seat 5 for reducing the primary pressure PH1 of the hot water flow path 1, and a primary pressure P of the hot water flow path 2.
A water side valve body 6 and a water side valve seat 7 for decompressing C1, a valve shaft 8 connecting the hot water side valve body 4 and the water side valve body 6, a primary pressure PH1 and PC1 after decompression of the hot water and water And a piston 9 that operates with a pressure difference of. Then, even if the pressure of the hot water or water suddenly changes, the automatic pressure regulating valve 3 moves by the pressure, and
The secondary pressure PH2 and PC2 act so that they are always kept equal. Further, the valve shaft 8 is provided with a biasing means 10, the biasing means 10 being coupled to an end of the valve shaft 8, the bobbin 11
And a coil 12 wound around the bobbin 11 and insulated, and a permanent magnet 13 provided so as to sandwich the coil 12.
And the coil 12 has a control means 18 via the flexible portion 14.
It is connected to the.

When a current is passed from the control means 18 to the coil 12, the current crosses the magnetic field generated by the permanent magnet 13, so that a bias force is applied to the valve shaft 8 according to Fleming's law. Therefore, the automatic pressure adjustment point is displaced by the amount of the bias force, and for example, the secondary pressure PH2 of the hot water and the water is constantly regulated at the point of 2: 1 and, as a result, the hot water temperature rises. . In this way, the temperature of the mixed hot water is changed by changing the current to the coil 12. The control means 18 superimposes a minute alternating current signal when passing a current through the coil 12.
This is to reduce the hysteresis characteristic of the magnetic circuit of the bias means 10 and the sliding resistance at the start of driving. Reference numeral 19 denotes a mixing section of hot water and water. After mixing, the hot water is discharged via the flow rate control on-off valve 20, the temperature of which is detected by the mixed hot water temperature detecting means (for example, thermistor) 15 and the flow rate thereof is detected by the flow rate detecting means 16. The control means 18 biases the bias means 10 and the flow rate control on-off valve drive means 21 to adjust the temperature so as to match the value of the setting means 17.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned structure, when the flow control valve has an opening / closing function such as a pilot type solenoid valve, even if the flow control valve driving means sends a closing signal, the pilot is operated. It took time for the valve to close. Therefore, if the driving amount of the bias means is immediately lost when hot water is stopped, the distance between the water side valve body and the water side valve seat of the automatic pressure regulating valve increases, and a stop signal is sent to actually close the pilot valve. Until then, water will flow into the mixing section 19. Therefore, when the hot water is started next time, this water is discharged first, which is very uncomfortable when using a shower or the like.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and when the tapping operation is stopped, the drive amount of the mixing valve is maintained until the water is stopped after the signal of the flow rate control on-off valve drive means becomes a certain value or less. Do not change the hot water temperature in the mixing chamber significantly. The purpose is to improve the stability of the mixed hot water temperature at the start of the next hot water discharge.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a hot and cold water mixing control device of the present invention comprises a mixing valve for adjusting the flow rates of the hot water flow path and the water flow path, and mixing valve drive means for driving the mixing valve. A flow rate adjusting on-off valve, a flow rate adjusting on-off valve driving means for driving the flow rate adjusting on-off valve, a control means for controlling the drive amount of the mixing valve driving means and the flow rate adjusting on-off valve driving means, and a flow rate setting And a control means for maintaining the signal of the mixing valve drive means for a certain period of time when the drive amount of the flow rate control on-off valve becomes a certain value or less at the time of the hot water stop signal input from the setting means. The configuration has a control means.

[0007]

According to the present invention, the temperature of the mixing chamber is not greatly changed by maintaining the driving amount of the mixing valve for a certain period of time when the tapping is stopped, and the stability of the mixing hot water at the start of tapping next time is improved. It is a thing.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the hot and cold water mixing control device, and the same parts as those of FIG.

In FIG. 1, 22 is an urging means, and the automatic pressure regulating valve 3 and the urging means 22 form a mixing valve 23. A variable bias force 24 is applied to the mixing valve 2 in opposition to the force of the biasing means 22.
3 is a mixing valve drive means. Mixing valve drive means 2
4 has a first plunger 25 made of a magnetic material and a first coil 26 that is waterproof and insulated around the first plunger 25, and the first coil 26 is connected to the control means 18. . The mixed hot water temperature is detected by the mixed hot water temperature detecting means 15.

The flow rate is adjusted downstream of the mixing section 19 by a flow rate adjustment on-off valve 20. The flow control opening / closing valve 20 includes a valve body 27, a conical flow control valve body 28 for adjusting the flow rate in the valve body 27, and a valve seat 2 corresponding thereto.
9 is provided. In order to balance the flow control valve element 28 and the primary pressure of the fluid (pressure of the mixing section 19), the first grooved diaphragm 30 serving as a flexible pressure receiving element is attached to the flow control valve element 2
8 and the valve housing 27 are connected, and the groove 30
The depth a is set so that the effective pressure receiving area is always equal to the diameter of the valve seat 29 regardless of the lift amount of the flow control valve body 28. The first back pressure chamber 31, which is completely partitioned from the primary side by the first diaphragm 30, and the secondary side of the flow control valve body 28 communicate with each other through a communication hole 32.

A water shutoff valve 40 is provided in a second back pressure chamber 42 that communicates with the first back pressure chamber 31 through a communication hole 45. The water shutoff valve 40 is provided with a second diaphragm 41, and the second diaphragm 41 serves as the second diaphragm 41. The second diaphragm 41 serves as a water shutoff valve 40, which is partitioned while communicating slightly with the primary side and directly comes into contact with or separates from the first valve seat 43 due to the pressure difference with the back pressure chamber 42. ing. The first diaphragm 4 is attached to the second diaphragm 41.
There is provided a first spring 44 that urges the spring 3 in the direction of abutting against it. There is a pilot valve 46 that opens and closes the communication hole 45 in order to open and close the water shutoff valve 40.
6 is connected to the second plunger 37 via the shaft 38.

The flow control valve body 28 is urged by a spring 34 as an urging means in the direction of abutting the valve seat 29. Further, there is a second coil 35 and a pipe 36 whose one end face is hermetically sealed, and a second plunger 37 driven by the amount of electricity supplied to the second coil 35 slides in the pipe 36. The second plunger 37 is configured to interlock with the flow rate control valve body 28 via a shaft 38. The second coil 35, the pipe 36 and the second plunger 3
7 forms the flow rate control on-off valve driving means 21. In the above structure, the control means 18 regulates the flow rate by controlling the amount of electricity supplied to the second coil 35. To stop the tapping, the control means 18 cuts off the electricity supply to the second coil 35. As a result, the flow control valve element 28 biased by the spring 34 contacts the valve seat 29, and the fluid stops flowing. At the same time, the pilot valve 46 closes the communication hole 45.
As a result, the pressure difference between the primary side sandwiching the second diaphragm 40 and the second back pressure chamber 42 disappears, and the water shutoff valve 40 closes due to the difference in the pressure receiving area. When the second coil 35 is energized, the second plunger 37 is attracted or pushed out, and the pilot valve 46 opens the communication hole 45. Then, due to the pressure difference between the primary side sandwiching the second diaphragm 41 and the second back pressure chamber 42, the second diaphragm 41, that is, the water shutoff valve 40 is lifted against the first spring 44 and hot water is discharged. Is started. When the current to the second coil 35 is further increased, the flow control valve element 28 is lifted against the biasing force of the spring 34, and the fluid (mixed hot water) starts to flow. That is, the control unit 18 adjusts the flow rate control valve body 28 to an arbitrary lift amount by changing the amount of electricity supplied to the second coil 35 to control the flow rate.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the control means 18. Reference numeral 50 is a mixing valve control means for inputting signals from the mixing hot water temperature detecting means 15 and the setting means 17 to calculate the driving amount of the mixing valve 23, and 51 is a signal from the mixing valve control means 50 for mixing valve driving means (first coil). ) First drive amount setting means for setting the drive amount of 26,
52 receives the signal from the setting means 17 and receives the flow rate control on-off valve 20
Is a flow rate adjusting on-off valve control means, 53 is a second drive amount setting means for setting the drive amount of the flow rate adjusting on-off valve drive means 21 in response to a signal from the flow rate adjusting on-off valve control means 52, and 54 is a second 2 is a timer means for starting time measurement when the signal from the drive amount setting means 53 of No. 2 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value.

Next, the operation of the configuration of the present invention will be described. When adjusting the temperature, the control means 18 causes the first coil 26 to
When a current is applied to the first plunger 25 made of a magnetic material,
Applies a bias force to the valve shaft 8 according to Fleming's law. When the biasing force and the biasing force of the biasing means 22 are balanced, the automatic pressure regulating valve 3 balances. Therefore,
By changing the current flowing through the first coil 26, the balance point of the automatic pressure regulating valve 3 can be moved. For example, when the current is small, the force of the urging means 22 is stronger, so that the water-side valve body 6 opens larger than the water-side valve body 4, and the temperature of the mixed hot water becomes low. When the current is increased, the hot side valve body 4 opens by pushing the plunger 25 against the force of the biasing means 22, and as a result, the temperature of the mixed hot water becomes high. In this way, the control means 18 inputs the signal of the mixed hot water temperature detection means 15 and the signal of the setting means 17 so that the mixed hot water temperature becomes the set temperature, and the mixing valve control means 40 and the first drive amount setting The means 41 controls the mixing valve 23 by varying the current flowing through the first coil 26.

When normal hot water is discharged, the above method causes no particular problem, but when the hot water is stopped by the setting means 17, the flow rate control valve body is closed by closing the flow rate control on-off valve 20. 28 abuts the valve seat 29 and the fluid stops flowing. However, due to the pressure of the mixing section 19 and the like, the mixed hot water is slightly leaking from between the flow rate control valve body 28 and the valve seat 29. Here, there is no pressure difference between the second back pressure chamber 42 and the primary side where the pilot valve 46 closes the communication hole 45 and sandwiches the second diaphragm 40, and the water shutoff valve 40 closes due to the difference in pressure receiving area. Is. The fluid does not flow until the water shutoff valve 40 is closed. In this case, since the pressure in the second back pressure chamber 42 is not completely closed until the pressure difference disappears, the leakage from the flow rate control on-off valve 20 continues.

Therefore, when the mixing valve control means 50 stops energizing the first coil immediately after the drive current to the second coil is cut off, the mixing valve causes the urging means 22 to activate the water side valve element 6 and the water. The space between the side valve seats 7 is widened, and the mixing chamber 19 is lowered to almost the water temperature. When the next hot water is discharged in this state, the low temperature hot water remaining in the vicinity of the mixing section 19 will be discharged.

Therefore, the present invention takes the following means in order to prevent the above phenomenon. At the time of normal hot water discharge, the mixing valve control means 50 is driven so that the temperature detected by the mixed hot water temperature detection means 15 matches the preset temperature (or the temperature set by the setting means 17: hereinafter set temperature). First drive amount setting means 51 for setting the amount
The current flowing through the first coil 26 is adjusted via the. This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. 3 and the output characteristic diagram of FIG. In the temperature control of step 100 in FIG. 3, first, in step 102, the difference between the set temperature and the signal of the mixed hot water temperature detection means 15 is obtained and this is set as the deviation E.
The control amount f (E) is calculated in step 103 using this deviation E. Here, f (E) may be any well-known PID control or fuzzy control, and the type for each control is not particularly limited. When the stop processing is not performed, the mixing valve control means 50 uses this f (E) to output a signal to the first drive amount setting means 51 to set the current flowing through the first coil 26 and drive it. This temperature control is repeatedly performed at a constant sampling cycle.

When the control means 18 inputs a signal to stop hot water from the setting means 17 at the time of stop (time t in FIG. 4).
1), the flow rate adjusting on-off valve control means 52 lowers the current flowing through the second coil 35 via the second drive amount setting means 53 to close the flow rate adjusting on-off valve 20. At this time, the mixing valve control means 50 also inputs the stop signal of the setting means 17 and enters the temperature control at the time of stop. This will be described using a flowchart.
In FIG. 3, when the stop process is judged by the signal from the setting means 17 in the temperature control of step 100 (step 10
4) It is determined whether or not this stop processing is the first time. If it is the first time in step 105, the stop processing has not been started yet, and the drive amount f (E) in this state is stored (M) (step 106). Then, in step 107, the drive amount of the flow rate control on-off valve is input from the signal of the second drive amount setting means 53, and the drive amount of the flow rate control on-off valve (denoted as QI) is set to a value x which has been previously determined as a drive amount at which it is substantially closed. Check whether or not. When the driving amount is large, step 108
Is calculated and the control amount f (E) of step 109 is calculated, and the mixing valve control means 50 uses this control amount f (E) to output a signal to the first drive amount setting means 51 and the first coil The current flowing through 26 is set and driving is performed. At time t2, when the current QI to the second coil becomes x or less, the mixing valve control means 50 detects it through the timer means 54, keeps the driving amount of the mixing valve 23 constant, and does not perform temperature control. Then, at time t3, when QI becomes 0 at step 110, the timer means 54 starts time measurement at step 111. When the time becomes equal to or more than a predetermined value T as the time required for closing the shutoff valve 40 in step 112 (time t5), the timer means 54 outputs a signal to the mixing valve control means 50. Based on this signal, the mixing valve control means 50 sets the control amount f (E) of the mixing valve 23 to 0 and the driving amount of the first coil to 0. As a result, the temperature of the mixed hot water is controlled until the flow rate decreases, and the temperature until the water shutoff valve 40 is closed (from t3 to t4 in FIG. 4) is maintained at the minimum amount of drive of the mixed valve so that temperature control can be performed substantially. The mixing valve 23 can be stopped in the open position. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the temperature in the mixing section 19 from dropping extremely close to the water temperature as shown in FIG. The hot water temperature by the mixed hot water temperature detecting means 15 can be maintained near the set temperature as shown in FIG.

After the tapping is stopped, a signal for starting tapping again is input from the setting means 17 to the control means 18 (see FIG. 4).
At time t6, the mixing valve control means 50 determines the start of tapping in step 114 in the temperature control, and in step 115, when the amount of flow of the driving amount of the mixing valve drive means 24 at the beginning of tapping start is the previous stop processing is large. Set to the drive amount. Then, after the driving amount is transmitted to the mixing valve 3, the flow rate control on-off valve 20 is opened.

Since the temperature of the mixing portion extruded first is near the set temperature, there is no discomfort of the temperature immediately after tapping. Immediately after the tapping is started, the flow velocity of the mixing section 19 is slow and the response of the mixing hot water temperature detecting means 15 is slow. The drive amount of is fixed to the value before the stop processing. Then, after the time set in advance in step 101 has passed, normal temperature control may be performed. As a result, the mixed hot water temperature detecting means 15 becomes stable and then the temperature control is started, so that the hot water discharge temperature does not cause hunting and the safe hot water discharge can be started. Further, since the first coil 26 is not energized when stopped, heat generation of the coil can be suppressed and power can be saved.

If the above processing is not carried out, the temperature of the mixed hot water will be as shown by the broken line in FIG. First, when the driving amount of the flow rate control on-off valve becomes 0 at time t3 when the tapping is stopped, the driving amount of the mixing valve is immediately set to 0 as shown in FIG. 4 (c). Here, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), the shutoff valve 40 is not completely closed yet, so that there is a slight flow rate. If the drive amount of the mixing valve 23 is eliminated in this state, the opening on the water side is increased by the urging means 22, and almost all the water flows into the mixing section until time t4. Therefore, the temperature of the mixing section 19 becomes low as shown in FIG. Since the mixed hot water temperature detection unit 15 is located downstream of the mixing unit 19, it seems that the set temperature is apparently maintained as shown in FIG. However, when a signal for starting hot water discharge again is input from the setting means 17 to the control means 18 in this state, the flow rate control on-off valve 20 is opened, and the water temperature staying in the mixing section 19 becomes almost the same as shown in FIG. Close hot water is pushed out and discharged. Not only is the discharged mixed hot water temperature uncomfortable at a low temperature, but the mixed hot water temperature detecting means 15 detects this temperature and the mixing valve control means 50 calculates and outputs the drive amount of the first coil so as to reach the set temperature. To do. Therefore, since the driving amount is increased to raise the temperature, an overshoot actually occurs as shown in FIG.

[0022]

As described above, according to the hot and cold water mixing control apparatus of the present invention, the drive amount of the mixing valve is held at the position in the middle of the stopping operation until the water shutoff valve is closed when the hot water discharge is stopped. As compared with the case where the mixing valve drive amount is immediately set to 0, the temperature of the mixing portion does not drop to near the water temperature. Therefore, even when the hot water is started next time, low-temperature hot water does not come out, and hot water near the set temperature can be obtained from the beginning.

Therefore, even if it is used for a shower or the like in which the flow rate is stopped and hot water is frequently discharged, the user does not feel an uncomfortable temperature, and it is possible to safely supply the mixed hot water temperature, so that the apparatus can be used with peace of mind. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a hot and cold water mixing control apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram of the device.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a control block of the device.

FIG. 4 (a) is a diagram of mixed hot water temperature at the time of stopping and starting hot water in the device, and FIG. 4 (b) is a diagram of mixing room temperature at the time of stopping and starting hot water in the device. Diagram of mixing valve drive amount (d) Diagram of flow control on / off valve drive amount when hot water is stopped and started in the same device (e) Diagram of flow rate when hot water is stopped and started in the same device

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a conventional hot and cold water mixing control device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hot water flow path 2 Water flow path 17 Setting means 18 Control means 20 Flow rate control on-off valve 21 Flow rate control on-off valve drive means 24 Mixing valve drive means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A mixing valve for adjusting the flow rates of a hot water flow path and a water flow path, a mixing valve driving means for driving the mixing valve, a flow rate control on-off valve for controlling the flow rate, and a flow rate control on-off valve. It comprises a flow rate adjusting on-off valve driving means, a control means for respectively controlling the drive amounts of the mixing valve driving means and the flow rate adjusting on-off valve driving means, and a setting means for setting a flow rate, the control means comprising the setting means. A hot and cold water mixing control device having a mixing valve control means for holding the signal of the mixing valve driving means for a certain period of time when the drive amount of the flow rate control on-off valve becomes equal to or less than a certain value when the hot water supply stop signal is input.