JPH0760242A - Water purifier with function for displaying time for exchange of filter - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To grasp accurately the time for exchange of a filter by arranging a pressure detecting mechanism between a mechanism for making a flow rate const. and a nearest filter on the raw water side from this mechanism and actuating a time integrating mechanism when a pressure loss caused by passing of a purified water with at least a definite amt. CONSTITUTION:A raw water flows into the main body 1 of a water purification tool from the lower part and it is purified by means of a cartridge-type filter 2 constituted of hollow fibers, active carbon, etc.,and after the amt. of the purified water is controlled to an approximately const. by means of a flow rate controlling mechanism 3, it is discharged out of an outlet of the purified water. When the flow rate of the discharged purified water is approximately const., the pressure loss generated by means of the flow rate controlling mechanism 3 is measured by means of a pressure detecting mechanism 4. This pressure loss value is set as a threshold limit value where a time integration mechanism 5 starts time conversion and when an integrated flow rate converted from the integrated value of the time integration mechanism 5 reaches a preset value, a signal demanding filter exchange is output and the time for the filter exchange is displayed on a displaying mechanism 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a novel water purifier that displays the filtration life of a cartridge type filter by detecting an integrated flow rate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in a domestic water purifier with a built-in cartridge type filter, the judgment of the filter life is left to the user, and as a manufacturer, it is used assuming standard use in a general household. According to the filtration membrane capacity used for a filter of a model, it is general to use the elapsed time after a certain period of use start as a guide for the filter replacement time.

However, judging the replacement time of the cartridge type filter based on the lapse of a fixed time does not indicate the exact replacement time because the difference in the amount of water purifier used by individual users is large. What could be accurately displayed according to the actual amount used was desired.

[0004]

As a solution to this problem, an impeller type flow meter is attached to the water passage of the water purifier to measure the integrated flow rate and to detect the filter replacement time.
However, in the impeller type flow meter, it is difficult to reduce the size of the detection unit, and it is difficult to attach it to a domestic water purifier.

In addition, a constant flow valve is provided on the raw water side of the water purifier, and a pressure switch is arranged on the upstream side thereof, and the pressure switch detects the time when the water pressure on the upstream side of the constant flow valve is above a certain value. When this time reaches a preset value, an attempt to prompt filter replacement is also made.
No. 28, etc.

[0006] In this method, since the constant flow valve is provided on the raw water side of the water purifier filter, the constant flow function may be impaired by the influence of iron rust, sand, etc. in the raw water. The current situation is that it is not possible to display a precise filter replacement time.

It is an object of the present invention to solve the above problems and provide a water purifier having a cartridge replacement function that can accurately know the replacement time of a cartridge type filter and has a small detection unit. It is a thing.

[0008]

Means for Solving the Problems The gist of the present invention is to provide a mechanism (A) for keeping a constant flow rate, a mechanism (B) for detecting a pressure, and a mechanism (B) for detecting the pressure in a water passage of a water purifier. Is a time integration mechanism (C) that operates when a pressure loss due to purified water flow above a certain level is detected, and the filter is replaced when the integrated flow rate converted from the integrated value of the time integration mechanism (C) reaches a preset value. Has a numerical comparison mechanism (D) that outputs a signal for prompting the user and a mechanism (E) that displays the filter replacement time by the output signal from the numerical comparison mechanism (D), and the mechanism (A) that keeps the flow rate constant. A mechanism (B), which is disposed in a filter other than the raw water side water passage of the filter closest to the raw water side, further detects a pressure on the raw water side from the mechanism (A) that keeps the flow rate constant and the mechanism that keeps the flow rate constant. Filter intersections characterized by being placed between filters Time is in the display function with a water purifier.

[0009]

In the water purifier with the filter replacement timing display function of the present invention, the mechanism for detecting the pressure is disposed between the mechanism for keeping the flow rate constant and the filter, so that the mechanism for keeping the flow rate during the purified water flow is constant. The pressure loss generated by the pressure detection mechanism is detected by the pressure detection mechanism, and when the pressure loss due to the passage of a certain amount of purified water is detected, the time integration mechanism is activated, and the integration value converted from the integration value of the time integration mechanism is calculated. When the flow rate reaches a preset value, the filter replacement timing is displayed by outputting a signal from a numerical comparison mechanism that outputs a signal prompting filter replacement.

Even when the pressure detecting mechanism does not detect the purified water pressure above a certain level, the time integrating mechanism has a function of storing and holding the integrated value up to that point.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the water purifier of the present invention, and is an internal block diagram of the water purifier with a filter replacement timing display function.

1 is a water purifier main body, 2 is a cartridge type filter, 3 is a mechanism for making a flow rate constant, 4 is a mechanism for detecting pressure, 5 is a substrate on which a time integration mechanism 51 and a numerical comparison mechanism 52 are integrated, and 6 is Reference numeral 7 is a power source for displaying a filter replacement time.

FIG. 2 shows the time integration mechanism 5 of the water purifier of the present invention.
1 is an example of an electronic circuit block diagram of a substrate on which 1 and a numerical comparison mechanism 52 are integrated (a part relating to a clock for synchronizing circuits is omitted).

The operation of the water purifier with the filter replacement time display function of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, the raw water is shown in Figure 1.
It flows into the water purifier body 1 from below, and it is purified by 2 cartridge type filters made of hollow fiber, activated carbon, etc.
The amount of purified water due to fluctuations in water pressure is made almost constant by the mechanism for making the flow rate of 3 constant, and the purified water is discharged from the purified water outlet on the upper left side of FIG.

Here, the flow rate of purified water discharged from the water purifier is kept substantially constant except when the raw water pressure is particularly low (except in the case of less than 0.5 kgf / cm ² in this embodiment). .

When the flow rate of the purified water to be discharged is substantially constant, it is possible to measure the pressure loss generated by the mechanism for detecting the pressure of 4 and the mechanism for keeping the flow rate of 3 constant.

Therefore, by increasing the raw water pressure from 0 kgf / cm ² and making the flow rate of 3 constant, the pressure loss of the mechanism of making the flow rate of 3 constant at the time when the purified water flow rate becomes substantially constant is previously set. Measure this pressure loss value to 5
The time integration mechanism is used as a threshold value for starting time integration.

When the pressure loss caused by the mechanism for keeping the flow rate 5 at the time of the purified water flow constant is detected by the mechanism for detecting the pressure of 4, and the pressure loss due to the purified water flow above a certain level is detected, , 51 to activate the time integration mechanism.

When the integrated flow rate converted from the integrated value of the time integration mechanism of 51 reaches a preset value, a signal urging filter replacement is output from the numerical comparison mechanism of 52.

Further, the output from the numerical value comparison mechanism 52 is displayed by the mechanism 6 for displaying the filter replacement time, so that the water purifier user is informed of the life of the cartridge type filter 2.

In FIG. 1, a mechanism for keeping the flow rate of 3 constant is a small constant flow valve whose orifice diameter is determined by the balance of spring compression pressure and purified water pressure, and a mechanism for detecting the pressure of 4 is made of silicon. The small semiconductor pressure sensor that detects the displacement of the diaphragm with the strain gauge stretched over the diaphragm, the time integration mechanism of 51 is a CMOS operational amplifier, CM
The OS analog comparator and the CMOS binary counter, the numerical value comparison mechanism 52 uses a CMOS magnitude comparator, and the mechanism 6 which displays the filter replacement time uses a display LED. However, similar functions are provided as necessary. Composing with other members that have
All in all.

[0022]

In the water purifier with the filter replacement timing display function of the present invention, the pressure detecting mechanism is arranged between the mechanism for keeping the flow rate constant and the filter on the raw water side closest to the mechanism for keeping the flow rate constant. As a result, the pressure loss generated by the mechanism that keeps the flow rate constant when the purified water flows is detected by the mechanism that detects the pressure, and the time is integrated when the pressure loss due to the purified water flow above a certain level is detected. When the mechanism is activated and the integrated flow rate converted from the integrated value of the time integration mechanism reaches a preset value, a signal is output from the numerical comparison mechanism that outputs a signal prompting filter replacement, thereby changing the filter replacement time. It is possible to display, and it is possible to display the exact filter replacement time according to the usage amount without impairing the constant flow rate function due to the effects of iron rust and sand in the raw water.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an example of an internal block diagram of a water purifier with a filter replacement time display function of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an example of an electronic circuit block diagram of a substrate on which a time integration mechanism 51 and a numerical comparison mechanism 52 of the water purifier of the present invention are integrated.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Water purifier main body 2 Cartridge type filter 3 Mechanism for constant flow rate 4 Mechanism for detecting pressure 5 Substrate on which time integration mechanism 51 and numerical comparison mechanism 52 are integrated 6 Mechanism for displaying filter replacement time 7 Power supply 51 Time integration mechanism 511 Differential amplifier with CMOS operational amplifier 512 CMOS analog comparator 513 CMOS binary counter 52 Numerical comparison mechanism 521 CMOS magnitude comparator 522 DI for setting the cartridge type filter life
P switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A pressure loss due to the passage of purified water having a constant flow rate (A), a pressure detecting mechanism (B) and a pressure detecting mechanism (B) in a water passage of a water purifier. The time integration mechanism (C) that operates when the value is detected, and a numerical comparison mechanism that outputs a signal to prompt filter replacement when the integrated flow rate converted from the integrated value of the time integration mechanism (C) reaches a preset value ( D) and a mechanism (E) for displaying a filter replacement time by an output signal from the numerical comparison mechanism (D),
The mechanism (A) that keeps the flow rate constant is arranged in a filter other than the raw water side water passage of the filter that is closest to the raw water side, and the mechanism (B) that detects pressure further includes the mechanism (A) that keeps the flow rate constant and the flow rate. A water purifier with a filter replacement time display function, which is arranged between the filters on the side of the raw water closest to the mechanism that keeps the constant.