JPH0710245B2 - Purification type electric hot water storage container - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a purification-type electric hot water storage container, and more particularly to a purification-type electric hot water storage container that allows purification by passing or contacting a content liquid with a purification material.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Electric hot water storage containers have been widely provided and used as electric pots for home use.

[0003] This product keeps the content liquid in a heat-retaining state, or keeps it in a heat-retaining state after boiling water and stores hot water, so that the content liquid at a temperature necessary for extracting coffee or tea can be supplied at any time.

The content liquid is heated for the purpose of boiling or keeping it warm, and in particular, when heated for boiling water, the content liquid is brought into a boiling state to cause an offensive odor, or calcination or its compound, trihalomethane. Foreign matter is released.

[0005]

However, the foreign matter is not sufficiently diffused only by the heat retention or the heating for boiling water.

Therefore, it has been considered to enhance the effect of removing chlorine by continuing the boiling state for a predetermined period of time or repeating the boiling state appropriately.

However, even in this case, it is difficult for the diffused scaly component to escape to the outside of the body, to stop inside the body and adhere to the inside of the body, and the attached scaly may be returned to the content liquid again. Therefore, descaling is still insufficient.

Therefore, paying attention to the fact that the content liquid is actively convected by boiling or is poured out by a pump, the content liquid is positively purified by passing through the purification material or coming into contact with the purification material. It is possible to do so.

However, the purifying material has a long life and loses its effect when it is used continuously, and there is also a dislike of reversely contaminating the content liquid with foreign substances trapped in the purifying material. Therefore, it is not enough to aim for positive purification with a purification material.

In view of the above points, the present invention uses a purifying material and displays the life based on the discrimination of the life of the purifying material, so that the purifying electric hot water storage container does not have the above problems. The challenge is to provide.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a content liquid which passes or comes into contact with the content liquid of the container at a position where the content liquid can repeatedly pass or contact. The present invention is characterized in that a purifying material for purifying is provided, and means for determining the life of the purifying material and display means for displaying the life of the purifying material based on the discrimination are provided.

The purifying material can be provided on the circulation path of the content liquid, and in this case, the life determining means preferably determines the life based on the number of circulations of the content liquid or the cumulative time of circulation.

The purifying material may be provided on the convection path of the content liquid, and in this case, it is preferable that the life determining means determines the life based on the number of times the content liquid is boiled or the cumulative boiling time.

[0014]

According to the above-mentioned structure of the present invention, the content liquid is forcibly purified by passing through the purifying material provided in a part of the container or by coming into contact with the purifying material. Purified water can be used.

The purifying material reaches the end of its life depending on the frequency of passage or contact of the content liquid. The life of the purifying material is discriminated by the life discriminating means and the life of the purifying material is discriminated by the display means which operates according to this discrimination. Since the message is displayed, it is possible to prevent the purifying material that has reached the end of its life from being used continuously.

If a purifying material is provided on the circulation path of the content liquid,
Since the content liquid can be forcibly passed through or contacted with the purifying material, the content liquid can be positively purified. In this case, if the life discriminating means discriminates the life of the purifying material on the basis of the number of circulation of the content liquid or the cumulative time of circulation, the life of the purifying material should be properly discriminated so as to match the actual frequency of use. You can

Further, when the purifying material is provided on the convection path of the content liquid, the content liquid is purified by a convection when the content liquid is boiled without a special structure such as a circulation path or a circulation means of the content liquid. It can be passed through or brought into contact with the material so that the content liquid is forcibly cleaned. In this case, if the life discriminating means discriminates the life of the purifying material based on the number of times of boiling of the content liquid or the cumulative time of boiling, it is possible to purify the purifying material mainly by boiling of the content liquid. Then, it is possible to determine the life of the purifying material that actually matches the frequency of use.

[0018]

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

The first embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 shows the case of an electric pot capable of boiling water and pouring the content liquid by a non-pressurized type electric pump. Figure 1
As shown in FIG. 2, the inner container 2 in which the heater 61 is applied to the lower surface of the bottom is housed in the outer case 3 to form the body 1. The inner container 2 receives an upper end flange by a shoulder member 4 made of synthetic resin which is forcedly fitted to the upper end of the outer case 3.

A bottom ring 5 made of synthetic resin is applied to the lower end of the outer case 3, and the bottom ring 5 and the bottom of the inner container 2 are connected by a connecting fitting (not shown) to form the outer case 3 and the inner container 2. And the bottom ring 5 are integrated with each other. A bottom lid 10 is attached to the opening of the bottom ring 5 by fitting a plurality of claws and fixing it with a screw at one place. The bottom lid 10 is rotated at its outer peripheral portion by a plurality of claws 8 provided on the bottom lid 10. The seat body 9 is rotatably fitted, and when the body body 1 is placed, the body body 3 slides and rotates on the rotary seat body 9.

A pouring path 11 for pouring out the content liquid is connected to the bottom of the inner container 2. This spouting path 11 is a space between the inner container 2 and the outer case 3 and rises up into a beak-shaped projection 12 provided at the front part of the shoulder member 4, and is bent in an inverted U shape at this part. The discharge port 19 opens downward.
A pouring pump 13 for feeding the content liquid flowing into the pouring path 11 to the discharge port 19 is provided in a portion of the pouring path 11 below the inner container 2, and is driven by a motor 14.

A liquid injection guide 16 is attached to a lower cover 15 fitted to the lower side of the beak-like protrusion 12 and attached to the front of the outer case 3.
Is provided and the content liquid discharged from the discharge port 19 is once opened to the atmosphere, and then received by the liquid injection guide 16 to be guided and injected. The liquid injection guide 16 has a double pipe structure, and the liquid to be discharged is easily opened to the atmosphere, and at the time of liquid injection, the outside air is sucked in to form a fine foam in the liquid injection together with the foam breaking net 20 to be extremely quiet. Moreover, it is possible to inject liquid without bounce.

The liquid injection guide 16 is removably attached to the lower cover 15 by a screwing portion 18 to an opening provided therein. Further, the rising portion of the pouring path 11 is provided with a liquid amount detection unit 21 for detecting the amount of liquid by utilizing the same liquid level as the inner container 2 by a capacitance method or a photo sensor method.

A heat shield plate 24 is screwed under the bottom of the inner container 2 by using a metal fitting 23, and a restraining spring 28 is sandwiched between the heat shield plate 24 and the back side of the heater 61, whereby a heater is provided. 61 is pressed against the bottom surface of the bottom of the inner container 2. The motor 14 is attached to a part of the heat shield plate 24.

A temperature sensor 33 for sensing the temperature of the content liquid is provided in the central through hole of the heater 61, and a holding plate 35 screwed to the heat shield plate 24 holds the temperature sensor 33 via the heat shield wall. are doing.

The bottom ring 5 is provided with a circuit housing box 41. The circuit housing box 41 includes a lid portion 42 integrally formed with the bottom ring 4, and a container portion 44 attached to the lid portion 42 from below. A seal packing 47 is sandwiched at a joint between the container portion 44 and the lid portion 42 to form the circuit housing box 42 as a hermetic container. This makes the circuit board 48 housed in the circuit housing box 41 waterproof enough.

A body lid 62 is provided on the upper end of the body 1. The body lid 62 has a hinge pin 6 attached to the shoulder member 4 at the rear portion thereof.
It is pivotally attached by means of 3. This pivotal attachment is performed on a bearing member 64 that is detachably fitted to the shoulder member 4, and the body lid 62 can be attached and detached by attaching and detaching the bearing member 64. This makes it easy to clean the inside of the container 1 and to supply and discharge the content liquid.

The bearing member 64 is inserted into the recess 65 of the shoulder member 4 from above, and the resin spring piece 164 is elastically engaged with the locking portion 66 in the recess 65 to prevent accidental disengagement. In order to surely lock the bearing member 64 in the mounted state and to release it, the hook member elastically engages with a part of the bearing member 64 inserted into the recess 65.
The lock member 67 is slid in the lock releasing direction against the spring 221 to release the lock.

The body lid 62 is connected to the bearing member 64 by the spring 6
8 is urged in the opening direction, and the closed state is the vessel lid 62.
The lock member 69 provided at the front end portion of is locked by being engaged with the locking portion 72 provided at a part of the shoulder member 4 by the bias of the spring 71.

The lock member 69 is guided forward and backward by a projection 83 formed on the upper surface of the back plate 82 of the body lid 62.

On the slope 75 of the lock member 72, the container lid 6 is attached.
A protrusion 78 at the tip of a lock release lever 77 pivotally attached at the rear by a shaft 76 is in contact with the bearing 201 in the second bearing. The lock release lever 77 is the lock member 69.
When the spring 71 is advanced to the engagement position, it is pushed upward by the slope 75 through the protrusion 78, and the operation portion 79 at the tip end is moved from the upper surface opening 81 of the body lid 62 to the body lid. It is exposed so as to be flush with the surface of 62.

When the operating portion 79 is pushed down in this state, the lock release lever 77 is rotated counterclockwise and the projection 78
The sloping surface 75 of the lock member 69 is pushed by the lock member 69 against the spring 68, and the lock member 69 is retracted to disengage from the locking portion 72. Therefore, the lock of the body lid 62 in the closed state is released. At the time when this lock release is completed, there is a play in the unlocking direction between the lock release lever 77 and the body lid 62, and the body lid 62 is released from the pressing operation of the lock release lever 77. It is slightly rotated in the opening direction by the spring 68 regardless of whether it is performed or not.

As a result, the lock member 69 is slightly displaced upward from the position of the locking portion 72, so that the lock member 69 is again moved to the locking portion 72 by the natural operation of releasing the lock and releasing the hand from the operating portion 79. The body lid 62 is automatically opened to the fully opened state by the spring 68 without any engagement.

The lock release lever 77 has a safety member 111.
Is working. The safety member 111 is supported by the body lid 62 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the lock release lever 77. Then, when the slide portion is operated by the operation portion 112, the locking portion 113 is advanced and retracted below the tip portion of the lock release lever 77, and the lock release lever 77 is prevented from moving while entering below the tip portion. Prevents easy unlocking.

A spring piece 84, which is pressed against the outer peripheral portion of the bearing member 64, is attached to the rear portion of the body lid 62 by a screw 85. This spring piece 84 is in sliding contact with the outer periphery of the bearing member 64 when the container lid 62 is opened and closed, so that the container lid 62 is closed by the spring 6.
8 exerts braking on the opening operation when opened. Therefore, the automatic opening operation of the container lid 62 at the time of releasing the lock is performed slowly.

The inner container 2 is provided on the lower surface of the back plate 82 of the body lid 62.
An inner lid 85 made of metal for closing the rear part is applied, and is screwed at a position not shown. A seal packing 86 facing the rim of the inner container 2 is sandwiched between the outer periphery of the inner lid 85 and the back plate 82, and when the container lid 62 is closed, the inner lid 85 is the seal packing 86 portion. The inner container 2 is closed by coming into contact with the rim of the inner container 2.

A steam passage 87 is provided between the inner lid 85 and the back plate 82 for allowing steam generated in the inner container 2 to escape to the outside. The steam passage 87 has an opening 88 to the inner container 2 side in the inner lid 85, and an opening 89 to the outside on the upper surface of the rear side of the vessel lid 62. A valve chamber 91 fitted to the back plate 82 from below is provided in the opening 88, and a water stop valve 92 at the time of tipping is provided in the valve chamber 91 which is closed when the body 1 falls.

Control circuit 1 mounted on the circuit board 48
00 is the one using the microcomputer 101. The pouring operation key 102 provided on the operation panel 201 provided on the upper surface of the beak-shaped protrusion 12 is provided so as to press the pressure sensor 103, and the pressure sensor 103 measures the difference in pressing force during the pouring operation. By converting the signal into an electric signal and inputting it to the microcomputer 101 (FIG. 3), the drive voltage of the pouring pump 13 is switched to increase / decrease the pouring flow rate.

A circulation path 301 for returning the content liquid into the inner container 2 from the upper end of the bent U-shaped bent portion of the pouring path 11.
Are branched and connected via a switching valve 302. The circulation path 301 is composed of a body side circulation path 301a opening from the inside of the body 1 to the inner circumferential surface of the shoulder portion, and a lid side circulation path 301b provided in the body lid 62.

The lid side circulation path 301b is connected to the mouth packing 303 of the opening of the body side circulation path 301a and the one end 304 so as to face each other under pressure when the vessel lid 62 is closed. The other end 305 projects from the lower surface of the inner lid 85 and faces the inner container 2.

The switching valve 302 discharges the content liquid sent out by the pouring pump 13 through the pouring passage 11 from the discharge port 19
It is switched whether to lead to the side of or the side of the circulation path 301.

As a result, the content liquid can flow out from the pouring passage 11 to the discharge port 19 and can be poured out in accordance with the switching operation of the switching valve 302, and also from the pouring passage 11 to the circulation path 3
01 can be made to flow in and it can be returned in the inner container 2.

The flow of the content liquid flowing from the pouring path 11 to the circulation path 301 and returned to the inner container 2 can be circulated for a predetermined time by repeating this. In order to repeatedly purify this circulating content liquid, a purifying unit 306 is provided on the other end 305 side of the lid side circulation passage 301b.

As shown in FIG. 2, the purifying section 306 comprises a case 307 which is forcibly fitted into the opening 310 of the inner lid 85, and a purifying agent cartridge 309 which is detachably attached to the case 307 by means of the screw portion 308. The cleaning agent cartridge 309 contains a cleaning agent capable of removing odors and foreign substances such as activated carbon 311 and ceramic adsorbent.

The switching valve 302 can be connected to an operation lever or the like located outside the body 1 so that it can be manually operated from the outside. It is convenient to automatically switch the solution so that it is guided to the discharge port 19 side and otherwise switch so that the content liquid flows to the circulation path 301 side.

In this case, the pouring pump 13 has the switching valve 302.
Is circulated to the side of the circulation path 301, and is circulated at an appropriate time during non-pouring, for example, while boiling the content liquid or while continuing boiling for removing scaly, or at a certain time during heat retention or at a predetermined time. Purification can be performed by.

Further, when the content liquid is at the lower limit water level, the purification operation by circulating the content liquid as described above is unnecessary. Therefore, when such a water level is detected by the liquid amount detecting section 21, It is preferable to control so that the circulation purification process of the content liquid is not performed.

The operation panel 201 is as shown in FIG. 3, and in addition to the pouring operation key 102, the reboiling / scalping removal setting key 104, the timer setting key 105, the liquid volume display portion 107, the boiling / scaling removal, Insulation display units 108-1
10. Display units 111 to 113 for setting the timer time are provided. Further, when the content liquid is in the boiling state or before and after it, or when the liquid level of the content liquid is below the lower limit of the pouring, pouring when controlling so as to prevent the pouring or the circulation purification process. A standby display unit 106 for the circulation purification process is also provided. Further, the switching valve 302 is also connected to the microcomputer 101 so that the control as described above is received together with the motor 14 for pouring the content liquid under the operation of the circulation purification setting key 501.

Further, the operation panel 201 is also provided with a purification material replacement display portion 321 for displaying the life of the activated carbon 311 which is the purification material and for prompting the replacement thereof.

For this display, the micro-computer 101 receives the signal that the switching valve 302 is switched to the side for circulating the content liquid and the ON signal of the motor 14 for circulating the content liquid at the same time. It is determined that the purifying material has reached the end of its life when the cumulative time reaches a predetermined time.

A backup power source 502 is connected to the microcomputer 101 so that such cumulative processing can be achieved even when the power source is turned off.

Assuming that there is no great difference in the circulation time of the content liquid in consideration of purification of the content liquid, there is no problem even if the life of the purification material is judged only by the number of times the content liquid is switched to circulate. Absent.

The reboil / descaling removal key 104 and the pouring lock / release key 106 are designed so that the setting mode is changed to a rotary type each time they are operated.

FIG. 4 shows a control circuit. In the microcomputer 101, as shown in the figure, the electric and electronic parts related to the various inputs and outputs are A / D converters 301a and 302a, a switch circuit 303a, a drive circuit 304a, and a display circuit. Thirty
It is properly connected via 5a.

FIG. 5 shows a flow chart when the life of the purifying material is displayed based on the circulation accumulated time of the content liquid. In this process, when the purification material reaches the end of its life and the purification material replacement display portion 321 is turned on, the motor 14 is forcibly turned off to prevent the harmful effect of excessive use of the purification material. At this point, the counter is reset to prepare for counting the life of the new purification material to be replaced.

It is assumed that the power of the electric pot is temporarily turned off when the purifying material is replaced, and a process for determining that the purifying material has been replaced when the power is turned off when the purifying material replacement is displayed. Even if the power is turned off, the backup power supply will continue to count the cumulative total, so a forced reset is performed.

However, when the replacement of the purifying material can be automatically determined, it is preferable to reset the counter based on this.

In the above embodiment, the circulation passage 301 is branched from the upper portion of the spout passage 11, but it may be branched from any portion, or may be provided independently of the spout passage 11 in some cases. it can. In this case, if necessary, a pump for circulation purification treatment can be provided separately from the pump for pouring.

Further, the pump is not limited to an electric pump, and a manual pump may be adopted. Further, even if the circulation path 301 is provided so that the container lid 62 can be opened and closed, it is not restricted by the structure of the above embodiment.

For example, the circulation path 3 is provided around the pivot portion of the vessel lid 62.
01 may pass and the portion around this pivotal portion may be made to be a flexible portion or a telescopic portion so that it can respond to the opening / closing operation of the vessel lid 62.

If the body lid 62 is detachable as in this embodiment, a part of the circulation path 301 can be connected / disconnected with the attachment / detachment.

In the second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 6, the circulation passage 301 is connected to the upper part of the inner container 2 and the purifying section 306 is provided in the middle thereof, so that the circulation passage becomes complicated. Can be prevented. The other structure is the same as that of the first embodiment.

When the content liquid is circulated as in the first and second embodiments, the content liquid to be circulated does not need to pass through the purifying material, but is simply contacted in an appropriate state such as a spray state. It is also possible to purify the liquid.

FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment shows the case of a manual electric pot in which the content liquid can be poured out by pressing the bellows pump 401.

In this embodiment, a plate-shaped purifying section 306 is provided in the convection path 402 due to boiling of the content liquid. As a result, the content liquid is convected by boiling or the like and passes through the purifying unit 306 or comes into contact with the purifying unit 306 to be purified, so that the purified content liquid can be used in the same manner as in the above-described embodiment. it can.

As shown in the figure, the purifying section 306 is provided in the outlet 1
1 attached to the opening 11a to the bottom of the inner container 2
6a is detachably fitted and mounted.
As a result, the content liquid is pressurized by the pressurized air from the bellows pump 401 and passes through the purifying unit 304 when it is poured out through the pouring path 11, so that it can be more surely purified.

Reference numeral 403 in the drawing denotes a bellows pump 40.
1, a pressing plate for pressing 1 and 404, a bellows pump 40
This is a switching valve that switches and closes the air supply passage 405 from the bellows pump 401 into the inner container 2 and the vapor vent passage 87 in conjunction with the pressing operation of 1.

FIG. 8 shows a flow chart of the control for determining the life of the purifying unit 306 and displaying the life based on this in the present embodiment. In this control, the content liquid is actively convected by boiling to cause the purifying unit 306 to flow. The life of the purifying unit 306 is determined based on the number of times of boiling, paying attention to the fact that the liquid passes through or contacts and is positively purified.

In the case where there is a mode in which boiling is continued for a predetermined time to remove descaling, there is a time difference in boiling as well.
The life of 6 may be determined. Further, since the purification is performed also by pouring out the content liquid, it is possible to add the number of times of pouring out the content liquid and the accumulation of the amount of pouring out to the factors for determining the life of the purifying unit 306.

FIG. 9 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is a manual electric pot similar to the third embodiment, in which an annular purifying portion 306 is detachably mounted on an upward step portion 4011 formed on each bottom portion of the inner container 2,
It is located in the convection path 402 of the content liquid.

This embodiment is different from the third embodiment in that the liquid content cannot be purified when it is poured out.

[0072]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, the content liquid is forcedly purified by passing through the purifying material provided in a part of the vessel or in contact with the purifying material. It is possible to use a highly clean content liquid with no odor.

Further, the life of the purifying material is discriminated, and the life of the purifying material is displayed in accordance with this discrimination to prevent the purifying material that has reached the end of its life from being used continuously. It is possible to solve problems such as poor purification of the content liquid and reverse contamination due to being used as it is.

When the purifying material is provided on the circulation path of the content liquid,
Since the content liquid is forcibly passed through or brought into contact with the purifying material to positively purify the content liquid, the degree of purification of the content liquid can be remarkably improved. Moreover, in this case, the life of the purification material can be properly determined based on the number of circulations of the content liquid or the total circulation time of the content liquid so that the life of the purification material matches the actual usage frequency. It is possible to surely prevent use after the end of its life.

Further, when the purifying material is provided on the convection path of the content liquid, the content liquid is purified by the convection when the content liquid is boiled without a special structure such as a circulation path or a circulation means of the content liquid. Since the content liquid is forcibly purified by being passed through or in contact with the material, it is possible to surely purify the content liquid with a simple structure. Moreover, in this case, the life of the purifying material is determined based on the number of times the content liquid is boiled or the cumulative boiling time, and the purifying material is purified mainly by boiling the content liquid. It can be properly determined to suit the frequency of use.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an electric pot showing a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a purification unit of the electric pot of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of an operation panel of the electric pot of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control circuit of the electric pot of FIG.

5 is a flowchart showing the content of life display processing of the purifying unit of the electric pot of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of an electric pot showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an electric pot showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

8 is a flowchart showing the contents of a life display process of the purifying unit of the electric pot shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of an electric pot showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Body 11 Outlet Path 13 Outlet Pump 14 Motor 100 Control Circuit 101 Microcomputer 301 Circulation Path 302 Changeover Valve 306 Purification Section 311 Activated Carbon 321 Purification Material Exchange Display Section 401 Bellows Pump 501 Circulation Purification Setting Key

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A means for determining a life of the purifying material, wherein a purifying material for purifying the passing or contacting content liquid is provided at a position where the content liquid can repeatedly pass or come into contact with the container. A purifying electric hot water storage container, comprising: a display unit that displays the life of the purifying material based on the determination. 2. The purifying-type electricity according to claim 1, wherein the purifying material is provided on a circulation path of the content liquid, and the life determining means determines the life based on the number of circulation of the content liquid or the cumulative time of circulation. Hot water storage container. 3. The purification type electricity according to claim 1, wherein the purifying material is provided on a convection path of the content liquid, and the life determining means determines the life based on the number of times of boiling of the content liquid or the cumulative boiling time. Hot water storage container.