JPH0752666B2 - electric blanket - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to electric blankets.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electric blanket of this type has an electric heater 1 and a temperature detecting means 2 for detecting the temperature of the electric heater 1, as shown in FIG.
The blanket body 3 in which the electric heater 1 is arranged, the temperature setting means 4 for setting the temperature of the electric heater, and the temperature detected by the temperature detecting means 2 and the signal from the temperature setting means 4 control the energization of the electric heater 1. The control means 8 is not provided. In addition to the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 8, a skin temperature detecting means 9 for detecting the skin temperature of the human body and a skin temperature setting means 10 for setting a set value of the skin temperature are further provided in the above configuration. Some have been added (for example, JP-A-60-101895). According to the former configuration, when the user sets the temperature with the temperature setting unit 4, the control unit 8 controls the energization of the electric heater 1 so that the temperature is set to the set temperature. Also, in the latter,
When the skin temperature is set, the skin temperature detecting means 9 in contact with the human body detects the skin temperature, and the energization of the electric heater 1 is controlled so that the skin temperature reaches the set value.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, the above-mentioned method has the following problems. In other words, when you enter the bed, you sleep at a high temperature setting that is the same as when you preheated, or if you switch the settings of the electric heater and the skin temperature when you enter the bed, if you make the wrong settings it will be too hot or too cold and you will not be able to get a good night's sleep. I had a problem.

Therefore, the present invention solves such a conventional problem, and automatically sets the upper and lower limits of the temperature of the electric heater for keeping the inside of the bed at an appropriate temperature, and energizes so that the temperature of the electric heater is always within the range. The aim is to prevent too hot or too cold by controlling and get comfortable sleep.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve this object, the present invention provides a blanket body provided with an electric heater and a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the electric heater, and a temperature for setting the temperature of the electric heater. Setting means, a metabolic rate computing means for computing a metabolic rate during sleep of the user, temperature computing means for computing an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the temperature of the electric heater by a signal from the metabolic rate computing means, A control means for controlling energization to the electric heater is provided by signals from the temperature detection means, the temperature setting means, and the temperature calculation means.

Action In the above configuration, the electric blanket of the present invention automatically calculates the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the temperature of the electric heater for keeping the inside of the bed at an appropriate temperature from the calculated value of the metabolic amount of the user, and When the set temperature of the heater is within the range of the upper limit value and the lower limit value, the energization to the electric heater is controlled so as to reach the set temperature, and the set temperature of the electric heater is outside the range of the upper limit value and the lower limit value. Has the action of energizing to control the energization of the electric heater so that the temperature of the electric heater becomes a certain value defined within the range of the upper limit value and the lower limit value.

Embodiment An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electric blanket according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is an electric heater, 2 is a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the electric heater 1, and 3 is a blanket body in which the electric heater 1 and the temperature detecting means 2 are arranged. Reference numeral 4 is a temperature setting means for setting the temperature of the electric heater 1, 5 is a metabolic rate calculating means for calculating the metabolic rate of the user during sleep, and 6 is an upper limit of the temperature of the electric heater 1 based on a signal from the metabolic rate calculating means 5. Temperature calculation means for calculating the value and lower limit,
Reference numeral 7 denotes a timer 7a, a comparison unit 7b which is activated by the timer 7a and compares a signal from the temperature setting unit 2 with a signal from the temperature calculation unit 6, and an electric heater 1 by a signal from the temperature detection unit 2 and the comparison unit 7b. It is a control unit that includes a control unit 7c that controls the energization of the device.

In the above-mentioned configuration, when the metabolic rate computing means 5 computes the metabolic rate of the user, the temperature computing means 6 sets the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the temperature of the electric heater 1 from the relationship of FIG. In the comparison unit 7b of the control unit 7, after the power is turned on, the timer 7a outputs the set temperature set by the temperature setting unit to the control unit 7c as it is for a certain period of time. A signal from the computing means 6 is used to compare whether the set temperature of the electric heater 1 is within the range between the upper limit value and the lower limit value, and if the set temperature of the electric heater 1 is within the range between the upper limit value and the lower limit value, the setting The temperature is output to the control unit 7b, and if the set temperature of the electric heater 1 is outside the range of the upper limit value and the lower limit value, a value defined within the range of the upper limit value and the lower limit value is output to the control unit 7b. To do. In the controller 7c, the temperature detecting means 2
And the electric signal to the electric heater 1 is controlled by the difference between the signals from the comparison unit 7b.

With the above action, the upper and lower limits of the temperature of the electric heater for keeping the inside of the bed at an appropriate temperature are automatically calculated from the user's metabolic rate and the energization is controlled so that the temperature is always within that range. You can get a good night's sleep without problems such as sleeping on the floor at a high temperature setting that is the same as when preheating, or being too hot or too cold due to an incorrect setting.

Next, the third embodiment of the temperature calculating means in the second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
It will be described with reference to the drawings. 3 is different from the embodiment described above in that the temperature calculation means 6 uses the signals from the sleep stage determination section 6a for determining the sleep stage, the sleep stage determination section 6a and the metabolic rate calculation means 5 for the electric heater 1. The point is that it is composed of a first calculation unit 6b for calculating the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the temperature. During sleep, the metabolic rate is said to change depending on the sleep stage (eg, Sapiro et al. (1984)). Therefore, in the above configuration, when the sleep stage determination unit 6a determines the sleep stage, the first computing unit 6b corrects the metabolic rate as shown in FIG. 4 according to the sleep stage at that time, and The calorific value is set based on the relationship. Therefore, it is possible to perform detailed energization control according to the sleep stage.

The temperature calculating means in the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 is different from the above embodiment in that the temperature calculating means 6 uses the room temperature detecting section 6c for detecting the room temperature, the signal from the metabolic rate calculating means 5 and the signal from the room temperature detecting section 6c to detect the electric heater 1. The point is that it is composed of a second calculation unit 6d for calculating the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the temperature.

In the above configuration, when the room temperature is detected by the room temperature detector 6c, the upper limit value and the lower limit value of the temperature of the electric heater 1 are calculated according to the room temperature at that time according to the relationship shown in FIG. It Therefore, it is possible to perform fine energization control according to the room temperature.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the electric blanket of the present invention, the upper and lower limits of the calorific value of the electric heater for keeping the inside of the bed at an appropriate temperature are automatically calculated from the user's metabolic rate, and the range is always within the range. Since the energization is controlled so that the temperature is inside, you can enjoy comfortable sleep without problems such as sleeping at a high temperature setting as when preheating when entering the bed, or being too hot or cold due to incorrect settings. .

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electric blanket in one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the relationship between the temperature of an electric heater and the metabolic rate, and FIG. 3 is a temperature calculation in the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the means, FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the metabolic rate and the sleep stage, FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the temperature calculating means in the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is the temperature of the electric heater. FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 showing the relationship between the metabolic rate and room temperature are block diagrams of conventional electric blankets. 1 ... Electric heater, 2 ... Temperature detecting means, 3 ... Blanket body, 4 ... Temperature setting means, 5 ... Metabolism amount calculating means, 6 ...
... Temperature calculation means, 6a ... Sleep stage determination section, 6b ... First calculation section, 6c ... Room temperature detection section, 6d ... Second calculation section, 7 ...
... control means, 7a ... timer, 7b ... comparison section, 7c ... control section, 8 ... control means, 9 ... skin temperature detection means, 10 ...
Skin temperature setting means, 11 ... Control means.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A blanket body provided with an electric heater and a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature of the electric heater, a temperature setting means for setting the temperature of the electric heater, and a metabolic rate of the user during sleep. From the metabolic rate computing means, a temperature computing means for computing the upper and lower limit values of the temperature of the electric heater by a signal from the metabolic rate computing means, the temperature detecting means, the temperature setting means, and the temperature computing means. An electric blanket, comprising: a control unit that controls energization of the electric heater by a signal. 2. The control means comprises a timer, a comparing section which is operated by the timer and compares a signal from the temperature setting means with a signal from the temperature calculating means, and a signal from the temperature detecting means and the comparing section. The electric blanket according to claim 1, wherein the electric blanket includes a control unit that controls energization of the electric heater. 3. A temperature calculating means for calculating a sleep step, a sleep step determining section, and a first step for calculating an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the temperature of the electric heater based on signals from the sleep step determining section and the metabolic rate calculating section. The electric blanket according to claim 1, wherein the electric blanket is composed of 4. A temperature calculating means, a room temperature detecting section for detecting the temperature, and a second calculating section for calculating an upper limit value and a lower limit value of the temperature of the electric heater based on signals from the room temperature detecting section and the metabolic rate calculating means. The electric blanket according to claim 1, which comprises: