JPH08197041A - Water purifier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To obtain a water purifier having a function for informing the life of a water purifying cartridge to a user, with a compact size and at a low cost. CONSTITUTION: This device is provided with the water purifying cartridge for purifying water flowing in a water flowing path 2, a movable orifice 6 formed in the water flowing path 2, moving within the water flowing path 2 with a water pressure of the flowing water in the water flowing path 2 and being provided with a magnet 7 in the lower part, a magnetic flux detecting element 9 attached on the outside of the water flowing path in the vicinity of the movable orifice 6 and for detecting the magnetic flux generated by the magnet 7, outputting a magnetic flux detection signal Sm and a timer 10 integrating a generating time of a magnetic flux detecting signal Sm. A magnitude comparator 11 by which a LED(light emitting diode) 12 is lighted, when the water stream detection time integrated by the timer 10 is compared with the setting time showing the life of the water purifying cartridge and the water stream detection time is over the setting time is installed to the device.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water purifier having a function of detecting the life of a water purification cartridge and notifying the user of the life of the water purification cartridge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventional water purifiers are known to remove chlorinated odors, red rust, germs, etc. from tap water by passing the tap water through an activated carbon or hollow fiber membrane contained in a water purification cartridge. ing. The water purification cartridge has a fixed amount of water that can be purified, and if it purifies more than a certain amount of water, the water purification effect will cease and the life will end.

However, since the life of the water purification cartridge varies depending on the environment in which each water purifier is used, the quality of tap water to be purified, and the like, it is difficult to predict in advance the time when the life will be reached. Therefore, in the conventional water purifier, a method is widely used in which a detecting means for detecting the cumulative amount of purified water is incorporated therein and the life of the water purifying cartridge is set when the detected amount of the detecting means reaches a predetermined amount of water. Has been. The detection means is, for example, an impeller-type integrated flow meter, which is incorporated in a water passage inside the water purifier and detects the integrated flow rate of water by integrating the number of rotations of the impeller. In this method, when the water purifier of the water purifier has reached the end of its life, that is, when the integrated flowmeter detects a predetermined amount of water or more, the notification means (for example, a lamp) informs the user of the life of the water purifier. Let me know.

[0004]

By the way, in the conventional water purifier described above, an integrated flow meter is incorporated in the water purifier and the accumulated water amount is detected by accumulating the number of rotations of the impeller of the integrated flow meter. It was However, since the integrating flowmeter is composed of an impeller or the like, it has a considerably large shape. For this reason, the water purifier in which the integrated flowmeter is incorporated is large in size and expensive, and there is a drawback that the water purifier becomes an obstacle especially in a narrow kitchen. In addition, it is very difficult to incorporate an integrated flow meter into the inside of a direct connection type water purifier that is directly attached to a water faucet, which requires miniaturization. Therefore, since the direct connection type water purifier cannot be provided with the function of informing the user of the life of the water purification cartridge, the user cannot know the life of the water purification cartridge of the water purifier. . The present invention has been made under such a background, and an object thereof is to provide a water purifier having a function of informing a user of the life of a water purification cartridge while being small in size and low in cost.

[0005]

A water purifier according to the present invention comprises a water purification cartridge for purifying water flowing in a water channel, and a water purification cartridge provided in the water channel and moved in the water channel by the water pressure of the water flowing in the water channel. Moving means, a detecting means for detecting the invasion of the moving means into its own detection area and generating a detection signal, and the generation time of the detection signal from the start of use of the water purification cartridge to the present time. And a comparing means for comparing the time accumulated by the integrating means with the life of the water purification cartridge and, if the time is longer than the life, notifying that effect. Is characterized by.

[0006]

According to the above construction, the moving means moves in the water channel by water pressure when water flows in the water channel. The detection means is
A detection signal is generated by detecting that the moving means has entered the detection area. The integrating means integrates the generation time of the detection signal from the start of use of the water purification cartridge to the present. The comparing means is the time accumulated by the accumulating means,
When the time is longer than the life of the water purification cartridge, the fact is notified.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention. In this figure,
The casing 1 houses each component of the water purifier.
The water passage 2 is an inverted L-shaped pipe, one end of which is a tap water inlet 3 opening to the upper side surface of the casing 1 and the other end of which is purified water containing activated carbon, hollow fiber membranes, or the like (not shown). Connected to the cartridge. A spring stopper 4 is formed in the water passage 2 near the inverted L-shaped portion.

The constant flow valve 5 is mounted in the water passage 2 near the tap water intake 3, and when the tap water flows into the water passage 2, the orifice diameter becomes small under a predetermined water pressure, so that the water pressure is reduced. This is a valve for keeping the flow rate constant regardless of. The movable orifice 6 has a substantially hollow cylindrical shape, and a magnet 7 that generates a magnetic flux is attached to the lower portion of the movable orifice 6. The spring 8 has one end attached to the spring stopper 4 and the other end attached to one end of the movable orifice 6. In this way, the movable orifice 6 has the other end attached to the tap water inlet 3 in the water passage 2, and is movable by the expansion and contraction of the spring 8. The movable orifice 6 is located at a position where the spring 8 has a natural length when the tap water does not flow into the water passage 2, and when the tap water is flowing in, the flow force of the tap water and the spring 8 are kept. The repulsive force is in a balanced position.

The magnetic flux detecting element 9 is, for example, a reed switch, is attached to the outside of the water passage 2 below the movable orifice 6, and indicates that the magnetic flux generated by the magnet 7 indicates that the magnet 7 is displaced by a predetermined amount or more. The magnetic flux detection signal Sm is output by detecting from the change in density. However, the magnetic flux detection element 9 outputs the magnetic flux detection signal Sm only in the water passage 2
When tap water flows into the movable orifice 6, the movable orifice 6 is at a position where the water flow force of the tap water and the repulsive force of the spring 8 are balanced. That is, the magnetic flux detecting element 9 cannot detect the magnetic flux generated by the magnet 7 when the movable orifice 6 is not displaced by a predetermined amount or more, and can detect the magnetic flux when the movable orifice 6 is displaced by a predetermined amount or more.

When the magnetic flux detection signal Sm is supplied by the magnetic flux detection element 9, the timer 10 integrates the time when the magnetic flux detection signal Sm is supplied, and shows the water flow detection time Td which is the integration result. The signal Std is output. To integrate the water flow detection time Td is to integrate the amount of tap water flowing in the water passage 2 because the flow rate of the tap water flowing in the water passage 2 is constant due to the action of the constant flow valve 5. Is the same.

The magnitude comparator 11 compares the preset time TR with the water flow detection time Td obtained from the water flow detection time signal Std supplied by the timer 10. Then, the magnitude comparator 11 outputs the LED (light emitting diode) drive signal SL when the water flow detection time Td exceeds the set time TR. Here, the set time TR refers to the time during which the water purification cartridge can maintain the water purification effect, that is, the life. Then, the LED 12 outputs the LED drive signal SL
Lights up when is supplied. The power supply 13 is, for example, a battery, and supplies power to the magnetic flux detecting element 9, the timer 10, the magnitude comparator 11, the LED 12, and the like.

In the above structure, when the user opens the tap of the tap water (not shown), tap water flows from the tap water inlet 3 into the water passage 2 through the constant flow valve 5 in the direction A. And
The flow rate of tap water flowing through the water passage 2 is kept constant by the action of the constant flow valve 5. In the movable orifice 6, the spring 8 contracts and moves in the A direction by the water flow force of the tap water flowing in the water passage 2. At this time, the movable orifice 6
The density of the magnetic flux generated by the magnet 7 changes around the area according to the amount of movement.

The movable orifice 6 stops at a position where the water flow force of the tap water and the repulsive force of the spring 8 are in balance. The magnetic flux detection element 9 detects a change in the density of the magnetic flux generated by the magnet 7 attached to the movable orifice 6, and supplies the magnetic flux detection signal Sm to the timer 10.
The timer 10 starts integration when the magnetic flux detection signal Sm is supplied, and starts integration of the time during which the magnetic flux detection signal Sm is supplied, and the water flow detection time T that is the integration result.
The water flow detection time signal Std indicating d is output.

When the water flow detection time signal Std is supplied, the magnitude comparator 11 receives the water flow detection time signal S.
The water flow detection time Td of td is compared with the preset time TR, and when the water flow detection time Td exceeds the set time TR, the LED drive signal SL is supplied to the LED 12. The LED 12 lights up when the LED drive signal SL is supplied. Thereby, the user knows the life of the water purification cartridge by seeing that the LED 12 is lit. If the water flow detection time Td does not exceed the preset time TR, the magnitude comparator 11 does not supply the LED drive signal SL to the LED 12, so the LED 12 remains off.

When the user closes the tap of the water supply after a lapse of a predetermined time, tap water does not flow into the water passage 2 so that the water flow force in the water passage 2 disappears. As a result, the movable orifice 6 causes the tap water intake port 3 to move by the repulsive force of the spring 8.
Direction, and stops at the position where the spring 8 has reached its natural length. That is, the movable orifice 6 returns to the position before tap water inflow. At this time, the magnetic flux detecting element 9 cannot detect the change in the density of the magnetic flux generated by the magnet 7, that is, the magnetic flux, and thus stops outputting the magnetic flux detecting signal Sm. When the supply of the magnetic flux detection signal Sm is stopped, the timer 10 holds the water flow detection time Td by adding the time now integrated and the time previously integrated.

As described above, according to the water purifier according to the embodiment of the present invention, the cumulative amount of water in the water purifier is obtained from the change in the density of the magnetic flux generated by the magnet 7 provided in the water passage 2. Therefore, it is possible to obtain a water purifier having a function of notifying the user of the life of the water purification cartridge, although it is a small-sized and low-cost water purifier. Further, since the shape of the water purifier can be made small, the direct connection type water purifier directly attached to the faucet can be provided with a function of notifying the user of the life of the water purification cartridge.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the drawings, the specific structure is not limited to this embodiment, and the design change and the like without departing from the scope of the invention. Even this is included in this invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, an example in which a battery is used as the power source 13, a reed switch is used as the magnetic flux detecting element 9, and a mechanical type whose orifice diameter is changed by water pressure is used as the constant flow valve 5 is shown. There is no problem with substituting these as long as they have the function of. For example, a DC (direct current) adapter may be used instead of the battery, a hall element may be used instead of the reed switch, and an electrically controlled constant flow valve may be used instead of the mechanical constant flow valve 5.

Further, the CPU performs processing such as integration of the water flow detection time Td performed by the timer 10 and the magnitude comparator 11 and comparison of the water flow detection time Td with the set time TR.
It is also possible to change to software processing using the (central processing unit). Also, an example has been shown in which the user is notified by turning on the LED 12 that the life of the water purification cartridge has reached the end. However, instead of the LED 12, a buzzer, a liquid crystal display, or the like may be used to notify the user. Good. Further, although the movable orifice 6 is attached to the tap water intake port 3 in the illustrated example, it may be attached to the tap water intake port 3 in the opposite direction. Furthermore, an example has been shown in which the movable orifice 6 and the magnetic flux detecting element 9 are used to detect that tap water is flowing in the water passage 2. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the movable orifice 6 is replaced by water pressure. Instead of the moving body and the magnetic flux detecting element 9, a detector that detects that the moving body has moved may be used. For example, the moving body may be one that reflects light, and the detector may be an optical one.

[0019]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a water purifier that is small in size and low in cost and can inform the user of the life of the water purification cartridge. As a result, the water purifier does not get in the way even in a small kitchen.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a water purifier according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Casing 2 Water Channel 3 Tap Water Intake 4 Spring Stopper 5 Constant Flow Valve 6 Movable Orifice 7 Magnet 8 Spring 9 Magnetic Flux Detector 10 Timer 11 Magnitude Comparator 12 LED (Light Emitting Diode) 13 Power Supply

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A water purification cartridge for purifying water flowing in a water channel, a moving means provided in the water channel and moving in the water channel by a water pressure of the water flowing in the water channel, and the moving means itself. Detection means for detecting the invasion of the detection area to generate a detection signal, from the start of use of the water purification cartridge to the present,
An integrating means for integrating the generation time of the detection signal, the time integrated by the integrating means, and the life of the water purification cartridge are compared, and when the time is longer than the life, the fact is notified. A water purifier comprising: a comparison means.