JPH081150A - Water purifier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the attachment/detachment of a cartridge stably for a long period of time and to eliminate a waterproof specification by constituting a detection mechanism part which detects the attachment/detachment of the cartridge with a magnet attached to the cartridge and a magnetic flux detection element which is installed in water purifier main body. CONSTITUTION:A water purifier is equipped with a discharge detection part 3, a measuring part 4, a power source part 5, a magnetic flux detection element 6, and a cartridge 2 which is installed attachably/detachably. The magnetic flux detection element 6 detects the attachment/detachment of the cartridge 2 from the change in magnetic flux density associated with the attachment/ detachment of the cartridge which is installed on a magnet 7. Since the attachment/detachment of the cartridge 2 is detected without contacting the cartridge 2, a water purifier car be used stably for a long period of time. Since a detection mechanism does not require a waterproof specification, a small-sized, inexpensive water purifier can be obtained. Besides, a measuring part 4 integrates the used discharge based on the output from a discharge detection part 3 and also integrates the installation time of the cartridge 2.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water purifier for filtering tap water with a filter medium such as activated carbon or a hollow fiber membrane. The present invention relates to a water purifier having a function of issuing a warning prompting a user to replace a cartridge when the temperature reaches a certain level.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a water purifier, a filter material such as activated carbon and hollow fiber membranes for filtering tap water is used because the adsorbed capacity of activated carbon and the filtration ability of hollow fiber membranes decrease as the cumulative usage flow rate increases. The ability is decreasing. In addition, regardless of the cumulative flow rate used, the filter material deteriorates with the passage of time even if the filter material is left without using the water purifier.

Therefore, in order to grasp the life of the filter medium in the water purifier, the measuring unit integrates the used flow rate and time after mounting the cartridge, and the integrated used flow rate value or integrated time value reaches a preset value. Then, a warning display prompting replacement of the cartridge is displayed. When the cartridge is replaced with a new one, it is necessary to reset the data accumulated up to that point and to start the accumulation from the initial value again for the accumulated flow rate and the accumulated time.

For the above purpose, the water purifier is provided with a detection mechanism section for detecting the attachment / detachment of the cartridge, and when the attachment / detachment of the cartridge is performed, the data of the measuring section is reset. In addition, there is also a device having a function of issuing a warning when the cartridge is not mounted by mounting the detection mechanism section on the water purifier so as to prevent water flow in the state where the cartridge is not mounted.

As such a detection mechanism, a limit switch is provided in the body of the water purifier, and when the cartridge is mounted, the limit switch is closed by the weight of the cartridge and opened when the cartridge is removed. Has been realized.

[0006]

When a limit switch is used as the detection mechanism of the water purifier, the cartridge has a structure in which the switch is directly pressed to close the contact. Therefore, when used for a long time, water drops from the cartridge and moisture in the water purifier are used. As a result, an oxide film is formed on the contact portion, the ON / OFF of the switch due to the contact of the contact portion may be incomplete, and the attachment / detachment of the cartridge may not be accurately detected. Therefore, in order to stably use the water purifier using the limit switch for the detection mechanism for a long period of time, some limit switches have a waterproof specification.

However, if the limit switch is made waterproof, the water purifier becomes large and expensive. In view of the above inconvenience, the present invention has an object to obtain a small-sized and inexpensive water purifier that does not require waterproof specifications while the cartridge attachment / detachment is detected stably for a long period of time in a water purifier having a detection mechanism unit. And

[0008]

The water purifier of the present invention is a water purifier having a detection mechanism portion for detecting attachment / detachment of a cartridge, wherein the detection mechanism portion includes a magnet disposed on the surface of or inside the cartridge, and a water purifier. And a magnetic flux detecting element arranged in the main body. Further, the water purifier of the present invention detects the attachment / detachment of the cartridge to warn the user not to pass water when the cartridge is not attached, or detects the attachment / detachment of the cartridge to detect the attachment / detachment of the cartridge. The accumulated flow rate and / or accumulated time data of can be reset.

[0009]

In the water purifier of the present invention, the attachment / detachment of the cartridge is determined by detecting the magnetic flux of the magnet disposed on the surface of or inside the cartridge by the magnetic flux detecting element disposed in the main body of the water purifier. Since this detection mechanism can detect the attachment / detachment of the cartridge without contacting the cartridge, ON / OFF of the contact is stable for a long time even when used in a water purifier. Also,
Since it is not necessary to make the detection mechanism section waterproof, a small-sized and inexpensive water purifier can be obtained.

[0010]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be specifically described below based on examples. [Embodiment 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the water purifier of the present invention. The water purifier has a flow rate detection unit 3, a measurement unit 4, a power supply unit 5, and a magnetic flux detection element 6 in the main body 1, and the cartridge 2 is detachably attached.

The power supply is a part that supplies power to the constituent parts. In this embodiment, AC / DC is used as the power supply unit.
A converter is used, but it can be replaced with a power source such as a battery.

The flow rate detecting section is a section for detecting the flow rate of flowing water. Although the impeller type flow meter is used as the flow rate detection unit in the present embodiment, other instruments can be replaced as long as they have the same function.

The magnetic flux detecting element is a portion for detecting the attachment / detachment of the cartridge by the change of the magnetic flux density due to the attachment / detachment of the cartridge in which the magnet is arranged. Although the reed switch is adopted as the magnetic flux detecting element in the present embodiment, if a magnetic resistance detecting element, a hall element or the like having a magnetic flux detecting function is used,
It can be replaced with another detection element.

The measuring unit integrates the used flow rate based on the output from the flow rate detecting unit and integrates the time since the cartridge is mounted, and these integrated values reach the set value calculated from the cartridge life in advance and set. At that time, the display unit provided in the measuring unit is turned on. In addition, when the detection unit detects that the cartridge has been attached or detached, the measuring unit resets the accumulated used flow rate value and accumulated time value that have been accumulated up to that point, and starts accumulation from the initial value. The display is turned on to prevent people from passing water.

A magnet is disposed on the surface of the cartridge. Activated carbon and a hollow fiber membrane are built into the inside, and residual chlorine, chlorine odor, mold odor, etc. are removed by the activated carbon, and bacteria, turbidity components, etc. are removed by the hollow fiber membrane.

The operation of the water purifier is as follows. The tap water taken from the outside of the water purifier is first cleaned of iron rust, large sand, etc. with a pre-filter (not shown). After that, tap water is passed through the flow rate detection unit, and the integrated use flow rate is integrated by the measurement unit. The measuring unit also integrates the time since the cartridge was mounted.

Subsequently, water is passed through a cartridge having a magnet embedded on the surface. A hollow fiber membrane and activated carbon are arranged inside the cartridge to filter water for purification. The purified water thus obtained is discharged from the purified water outlet to the outside of the water purifier and used for drinking or the like.

The above-mentioned measuring unit is set in advance with the accumulated flow rate value and accumulated time value for which the cartridge has reached the end of its life.
When the cumulative used flow rate value and the cumulative time value reach the set values, the display unit lights up to inform that the cartridge has reached the end of its life.

Next, the operation relating to cartridge replacement will be described. When the cartridge is removed from the main body in order to replace the cartridge, the magnetic flux detecting element detects that the cartridge is not installed and outputs the result to the measuring unit. The measuring unit turns on the display unit to prevent water flow by the user.

When a new cartridge is attached to the main body after removing the cartridge, the magnetic flux detecting element detects the attachment of the cartridge and outputs the result to the measuring section. With the cartridge installed, the measuring unit resets the accumulated use flow rate value and accumulated time value accumulated up to that point, and starts accumulation from the initial value. In the present invention, instead of or together with the display indicating that the cartridge has not been mounted, there is no problem in that the magnetic flux valve or the like may be used to cut off water flow to the cartridge when the cartridge is not mounted.

[0021]

According to the water purifier of the present invention, the detection mechanism portion is constituted by the magnet disposed on the surface of or inside the cartridge and the magnetic flux detection element disposed in the body of the water purifier.
Since the attachment / detachment of the cartridge can be detected in a non-contact manner with the cartridge, the cartridge can be used stably for a long period of time, and since it is not necessary to make the detection mechanism part waterproof, a compact and inexpensive water purifier can be obtained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Main Body 2 Cartridge 3 Flow Rate Detection Section 4 Measurement Section 5 Power Supply Section 6 Magnetic Flux Detection Element 7 Magnet 8 Display Section

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A water purifier having a detection mechanism portion for detecting attachment / detachment of a cartridge, wherein the detection mechanism portion includes a magnet disposed on or inside the cartridge, and a magnetic flux detection element disposed in the water purifier body. A water purifier characterized by consisting of. 2. The water purifier according to claim 1, which has a function of issuing a warning when the cartridge is not mounted. 3. The water purifier according to claim 1, wherein the water purifier has a function of resetting data of a measuring unit that integrates a flow rate and / or a time after the cartridge is mounted when the cartridge is replaced.