JPH08131497A - Pump control method for air bubble bathtub - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide the pump control method for the air bubble bathtub which can securely detect clog abnormality and water level drop abnormality of the air bubble bathtub and stop a pump. CONSTITUTION: A pressure sensor 24 detects the pressure on the suction or discharge side of the pump 18 to repeatedly detect whether or not the detected pressure is held above previously set pressure for longer than a previously set time at short time intervals after the pump is actuated, and decides that the pump 18 reaches stationary pressure when the condition is met. It is decided that the water level is too low unless the condition is met even after the detecting operation is repeated up to a limit number of times or a limit time. The clog abnormality, on the other hand, is decided when the difference between the reference pressure and the detected pressure of the pressure sensor after the condition is met is larger than a preset value continuously for a certain time, and the pump is stopped.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method of controlling a pump in a bubble bath.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an external circulation pipeline is connected to a suction port and a jet outlet provided in a bath body, and a circulation pump is provided on the pipeline. A bubble bath, which is jetted into the bath body from the outlet as a jet flow containing bubbles (bubble flow), is widely used.

In this bubble bath, hair, towels and other foreign matter may be sucked into the suction port. In such a case, if the circulation pump (hereinafter simply referred to as "pump") is continuously operated. If the pump is in an idling state, a rattling noise is generated or the pump is damaged in some cases, which causes a problem. The same problem also occurs when the pump is operated when the bathtub is empty or the water level is insufficient.

For this reason, conventionally, the pump is stopped when a foreign substance or the like is sucked into the suction port. As a means for that, generally, the pressure on the suction side or the discharge side of the pump is detected with a pressure sensor at the same time as the pump is started, and when the detected pressure becomes abnormal pressure, the pump is stopped because of a clogging abnormality The method of making is used.

By the way, conventionally, a non-self-priming pump has been used as a pump in this type of bubble bath. A non-self-priming pump can exert its original water-supplying function when the pump is full of water.Therefore, when installing such a non-self-priming pump, fill the inside of the bathtub with water. There is a big restriction on the installation position, such as installing it lower than the bottom of the bathtub so that the inside of the pump will be automatically filled with water when it happens, and in addition, there is a problem that dimensional accuracy of the installation position is strictly required.

For these reasons, self-priming pumps have recently attracted attention as pumps for bubble baths. In the case of a self-priming pump, even if air is accumulated inside, it has the ability to discharge it by itself and fill the inside with water. Therefore, when using such a self-priming pump, There is an advantage that the positional restrictions when installing the pump are significantly reduced and the degree of freedom in installing and installing the pump is increased.

On the other hand, in the case of using such a self-priming pump, however, if the clogging abnormality detecting operation is performed by detecting the pressure at the same time as the pump is started as described above, the pump pressure does not become a steady pressure. There is a problem that the pump is stopped by mistakenly determining that the clogging is abnormal.

In the case of the self-priming pump, the time until the air is completely discharged (self-priming time) after the pump is started (self-priming time) is not in a steady operation state, and the air is completely discharged and the pump is filled with water. It becomes a steady operation state. The original water feeding action is not performed during this self-priming operation. Therefore, if the above clogging abnormality detection operation is performed during this self-priming operation, the pump will be stopped by mistakenly recognizing that a clogging abnormality has occurred during self-priming. . As a method of solving this, it is conceivable to execute the clogging abnormality detection operation when a certain time has elapsed after the pump is started.

However, the length of the external circulation conduit differs depending on the installation site of the bubble bath, and the amount of air to be discharged varies, so that the start of the clogging abnormality detection operation is uniform after the pump is started. It is actually difficult to delay a certain amount of time.

For example, when the pump is started and the clogging abnormality detection operation is started after a lapse of a certain time, if the pump is not in the steady operation state after the certain time, the clogging abnormality occurs. If not, the pump may be stopped as if a clogging abnormality has occurred, and if you set a sufficiently long time to start the clogging abnormality detection operation for safety, for example, When the time is set to 30 seconds, if the pump reaches the steady pressure before that, when suction occurs in the suction port before the abnormality detection operation starts after a certain time,
The pump cannot be stopped automatically.

[0011]

The invention of the present application has been made to solve such a problem. Thus, the invention of the present application is to connect an external circulation pipeline to the suction port and the jet outlet of the bath body and to provide a circulation pump on the pipeline, and to circulate the bath water externally by the circulation pump. A pump control method for stopping the circulation pump when an abnormality occurs in a bubble bath ejected as a jet of bubbles from a jet outlet, the pressure on the suction side or the discharge side of the circulation pump is detected by a pressure sensor, and the pump is started. After that, whether or not the pressure detected by the pressure sensor is a value close to the steady pressure of the pump and is kept above a preset pressure for a preset time or more is repeatedly detected at short time intervals, and when the condition is satisfied, the While it is determined that the circulation pump has reached a steady pressure, if the above conditions are not satisfied even after repeating the detection operation up to a preset limit number of times or limit time, it is determined that the water level is insufficient and the pump On the other hand, after the condition is satisfied, the set pressure or the pressure detected by the pressure sensor when the condition is satisfied is set as a reference pressure, and the reference pressure and the pressure detected by the pressure sensor thereafter. When the difference between the two is larger than a preset value continuously for a certain period of time, it is determined that the clogging is abnormal, and the pump is stopped (claim 1).

Another invention of the present application is characterized in that, when it is determined that the water level is insufficient and if the clogging abnormality is determined, the water level shortage and the clogging abnormality are displayed together with the pump stop on a predetermined display portion. (Claim 2).

Yet another invention of the present application is characterized in that the circulation pump is a self-priming pump.

[0014]

As described above, the present invention repeatedly detects whether or not the pump pressure reaches a steady pressure after the pump is started, at short time intervals. Therefore, according to the present invention, Whether or not the pump pressure reaches the steady pressure promptly,
That is, it is possible to know whether or not the pump has entered the steady operation state.

Since the clogging abnormality detection operation is not performed during this period, there is no possibility of erroneously determining the clogging abnormality and stopping the pump before the pump pressure reaches the steady pressure. In other words, when a self-priming pump is used as the circulation pump, the pump will not operate normally even if the pump pressure reaches a steady pressure depending on the conditions such as the height of the installation position and the length of the piping. Before starting operation, there is no risk of making an error such as stopping the pump after determining that the pump is clogged. As a result, restrictions on the installation conditions of the pump are greatly alleviated, and the flexibility of construction of the bubble bath is improved.

On the other hand, in the present invention, the clogging abnormality detection operation is started as soon as the pump pressure reaches the steady pressure. Therefore, if the suction port or the like is blocked after the steady pressure is reached, the clogging is promptly clogged. An abnormality is detected and the pump is stopped.

Therefore, according to the present invention, when there is a phenomenon in which a foreign substance is sucked into the suction port between the time when the pump reaches the steady pressure and the time when the steady pressure is actually detected as in the conventional case, this occurs. The problem that the pump continues to operate without being detected does not occur.

In the present invention, when the pump pressure detected by the pressure sensor has not reached the steady pressure even after the above steady pressure detection operation is repeatedly executed up to a predetermined limit number of times or limit time, If it is determined that the water level in the bathtub is insufficient, the pump is stopped in this case as well. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the pump from being damaged due to the continuous operation of the pump in a state where the water level in the bathtub is insufficient (including an empty state).

In the present invention, when the above clogging abnormality occurs or the water level shortage occurs, it is desirable to display the clogging abnormality and the water level shortage on a predetermined display part together with the pump stop. In this way, the bather can recognize that the pump stop is not caused by a failure but is caused by an abnormality.

Further, as is apparent from the above description, the present invention has a great effect when applied to the case where a self-priming pump is used as the circulation pump.

[0021]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a bubble bath main body, and a suction port 12 and a jet port 14 are provided on a side wall portion thereof.
An outlet pipe 15 and an outlet pipe 16 which form an external circulation pipe line of the bath water are connected to the inlet port 12 and the outlet port 14, respectively, and a pump 18 is connected to the outlet pipe 15 and the outlet pipe 16. Are connected. In this example, the pump 18
A self-priming pump is used as this.

In this bubble bath, the water in the bath body 10 is externally circulated by the pump 18 through the take-out pipe 15 and the delivery pipe 16 and, together with the air taken in through the air pipe 20, a jet flow containing bubbles from the jet port 14. It is ejected as a (bubble flow) into the bath body 10. Reference numeral 22 is an electromagnetic air valve for adjusting the amount of air sucked from the air pipe 20.

A pressure sensor 24 detects the pressure inside the delivery pipe 16 and is electrically connected to the controller 26. A remote controller operation unit 28 is also electrically connected to the controller 26. The remote control operating portion 28 includes a jet switch 30 for operating the bubble generating device, an indicator lamp 32 for displaying a suction abnormality from the suction opening 12, and a water level shortage in the bathtub. A display lamp 34 for displaying this is provided.

The controller 26 has a remote controller operating section 28.
The start / stop of the pump 18 is controlled based on the turning on / off of the jet switch 30 in the above, and the operation of the pump 18 is stopped based on the pressure detection in the delivery pipe 16 by the pressure sensor 24. The display lamps 32 and 34 in are turned on.

Specifically, after the pump pressure reaches a steady pressure, when the pressure in the delivery pipe 16 becomes abnormally high due to clogging at the suction port 12 or the jet port 14, the pump 18 is turned on. The display lamp 32 is turned on as well as being stopped. In addition, when the pressure in the delivery pipe 16 does not reach the steady pressure due to the lack of the bath water level in the bath body 10,
The pump 18 is stopped and the display lamp 34 is turned on.

FIG. 2 shows the control procedure in the controller 26. Hereinafter, this control procedure will be specifically described with reference to the flowchart of the drawing. In this example,
The steady pressure detection operation is executed immediately after the start of the operation of the pump 18 by turning on the jet switch 30. Specifically, first, it is detected whether or not the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 24 is kept at a pressure equal to or higher than a preset pressure for a preset time (1 second in this example), and when it is determined that this condition is not satisfied, The same detection operation is repeatedly executed within a preset limit time (10 seconds in this example) (steps S10, S12, S14, S16, S1).
8).

Instead of the limit time, the number of repetitions may be set as the limit number of times, and the detection operation may be repeatedly executed within the limit number of times.

When it is determined that the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 24 satisfies the above conditions in the course of repeating the steady pressure detection operation, it is determined that the pump pressure has reached the steady pressure. Then, the detection operation of the clogging abnormality is executed. That is, if the difference between the set steady pressure and the pressure detected by the pressure sensor 24 is larger than a preset difference, and the difference continues for a preset time (1 second in this example), a pressure abnormality, That is, assuming that a clogging abnormality has occurred, the pump is stopped and the indicator lamp 32 for notifying the clogging abnormality is turned on (steps S20, S2).
2, S24, S26).

On the other hand, if the pump pressure (detected pressure) does not reach the set steady pressure even after repeatedly executing the operation for detecting the steady pressure within the limit time (10 seconds), the water level in the bathtub Is considered to be insufficient in the first place, the pump is stopped, and the display lamp 34 for notifying the insufficient water level is turned on (steps S28 and S30).

As described above, the pump control method of this embodiment repeatedly detects whether or not the pump pressure reaches the steady pressure at short intervals immediately after the pump is started. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible. It is possible to know promptly whether the pump pressure has reached the steady pressure, that is, whether the pump has entered the steady operation state.

During this period, since the clogging abnormality is not detected,
There is no possibility that the pump 18 is erroneously determined to be a clogging abnormality and stopped before the pump pressure reaches the steady pressure. That is, when the self-priming pump 18 is used as the pump, even if the time until the pump 18 reaches the steady pressure varies depending on the conditions such as the height of the installation position and the length of the pipe, Do not make an error such as stopping the pump 18 by determining a clogging abnormality before starting operation.

On the other hand, in this example, the clogging abnormality detection operation is started immediately when the pump pressure reaches the steady pressure. Therefore, when the suction port 12 is blocked after the steady pressure is reached, the pump is immediately stopped. Is done.

In this example, the pump is stopped even when the water level in the bath body 10 is insufficient. Therefore, if the pump 18 continues to operate under the water level shortage, the pump 1
8 can be prevented from being damaged.

In this embodiment, when the clogging abnormality or the water level shortage occurs as described above, the clogging abnormality and the water level shortage are displayed together with the pump stop. Therefore, the bather can recognize that the pump stop is not caused by a failure but is caused by an abnormality.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, this is merely an example. For example, in the above embodiment, the pressure sensor 24 is arranged on the downstream side of the pump 18 in the external circulation line, that is, on the discharge side to detect the discharge side pressure. However, the suction side pressure is detected and the detection is performed. The present invention can be implemented in variously modified modes without departing from the spirit of the present invention, such as pump control based on pressure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a bubble bath device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing a procedure of pump control by the controller of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Bath Body 12 Suction Port 14 Jet Port 15 Extraction Pipe 16 Delivery Pipe 18 Pump 24 Pressure Sensor 26 Controller 32, 34 Indicator Lamp

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An external circulation pipe line is connected to a suction port and a jet port of a bath body, and a circulation pump is provided on the pipe line.
A pump control method of externally circulating bath water by the circulation pump, and stopping the circulation pump when an abnormality occurs in a bubble bath which jets as a jet flow containing bubbles from the jet outlet, and a suction side of the circulation pump or The pressure on the discharge side is detected by the pressure sensor, and after the pump is started, whether or not the pressure detected by the pressure sensor is a value close to the steady pressure of the pump and is kept for a preset time or more for a short time or not While repeatedly detecting at intervals, it is determined that the circulating pump has reached a steady pressure at the time when the condition is satisfied, while the condition is not satisfied even after repeating the detection operation up to a preset limit number of times or limit time. When the water level is judged to be insufficient, the pump is stopped, and after the above condition is satisfied, the set pressure or the pressure sensor when the condition is satisfied. When the difference between the reference pressure and the subsequent pressure detected by the pressure sensor is continuously larger than a preset value for a certain period of time, it is determined that the clogging is abnormal and the pump is stopped. A method of controlling a pump in a bubble bath. 2. The water level shortage and the clogging abnormality are displayed on a predetermined display part together with the pump stop when it is determined that the water level is insufficient or the clogging abnormality is determined. A pump control method for a bubble bath as described. 3. The pump control method for a bubble bath according to claim 1, wherein the circulation pump is a self-priming pump.