JPH08254359A - Automatic bath heater device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To facilitate a hot water feeding, an additional heating and a control of an amount of water in a bath tub by providing a hot water feeding means, an additional heating means, a pipe passage changing-over means and a water level control means so that a water level in the bath tub can be controlled to be a set water level. CONSTITUTION: A hot water feeding means is operated such that water flowed from a water feeding source is heated by a first heat exchanger 28 and then the hot water is fed into a bath tub 20 through a first pipe passage 52. An additional heating means forms a circulating pipe passage 60 comprised of a first pipe passage 52 and heats hot water 4c in a bath tub 20 while the hot water in the bath tub 20 is being forcedly fed with a pump 56 through a heat exchanger 22 by passing through the circulating pipe passage 60. In addition, the pipe passage changing-over means communicates the first heat exchanger 28 with either the first pipe passage 52 or the second pipe passage 60 during feeding of hot water and supplies hot water from the water feeding source to the bath tub. During an additional boiling-up operation, the bath tub 20 and the second heat exchanger 22 are connected by the first pipe passage 52 and the second pipe passage 60, hot water in the bath tub is passed through the first and second pipe passages 52, 60, the hot water is circulated between the heat exchanger 22 and the bath tub 20 so as to heat the hot water in the bath tub 20. Then, a control of the water amount is performed in reference to a detected water amount.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to automatic pouring into a bathtub,
The present invention relates to an automatic bath kettle device for reheating and controlling the amount of water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an automatic bath, detection of the amount of water in a bathtub is indispensable when controlling the amount of water in the bathtub.
In order to detect the amount of water, a water level detection device such as a pressure switch or a water level switch that directly detects the water level in the bathtub was required.

[0003]

By the way, a method of transferring hot water heated on the side of the appliance body provided with heating means and the like to the bathtub side by using a pump has been adopted for the automatic bath kettle. Some have a reheating function that returns the hot water in the bathtub to the appliance body side and reheats it. In such an automatic bath kettle, the main body of the equipment in which the heating means is installed and the bathtub are installed apart from each other, and, for example, the main body of the equipment on the first floor of the house,
A bathtub may be installed on the second floor. In such a case, the control signal line connecting the water level detection device installed in the bathtub to the control device for controlling the appliance main body, the installation position of the control device, and the like are complicated, which requires time and effort.

In addition, in order to detect the water level on the bathtub side, there is an automatic bathtub in which the amount of water to be supplied to the bathtub is optimized by measuring the amount of water on the instrument body side. With such a bath kettle, an appropriate amount of water can be supplied to the volume of the bathtub, but the water level in the bathtub is indirectly calculated on the instrument body side, so of course, the amount of water reduced by bathing, etc. Cannot be detected on the instrument body side.

In any bathtub, a water level detecting device must be installed, and wiring for that is required.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an automatic bathtub device which simplifies the pouring, reheating, and control of the amount of water in the bathtub.

[0007]

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an automatic bathtub device of the present invention comprises hot water supply means, reheating means, conduit switching means, and water level control means. In the automatic bath heater device, the hot water supply means includes a first heat exchanger (28), a first pipe line (52), and a pump (56), and supplies water from a water supply source to the first heat exchanger. It is heated by an exchanger and is poured into the bathtub (20) while being pressure-fed through the first conduit, and the reheating means includes a second heat exchanger (22) and a second conduit (reheating circulation pipe). A hot water in the bathtub while pumping the hot water in the bathtub through the circulation pipe by the pump with the heat exchanger through the circulation pipe. , Pipe line switching means (additional heating / pouring switching valve 5
0) is provided with a switching valve at the connecting portion between the first pipe line and the second pipe line, and at the time of pouring, the first heat exchanger side and the first pipe line or the second pipe line.
Of the water, and at the time of reheating, the bathtub and the second heat exchanger are connected by the first pipe and the second pipe, and the water level control means (main device 72 of the hot water supply control device) Is equipped with a temperature detecting means (temperature sensor 70) for detecting the temperature of the hot water on the side of the first pipeline and a computing means for computing the water level from the temperature information and the time information. The bath and the second by the switching means
The first heat pipe and the second heat pipe are connected to each other by a first pipe line and a second pipe line,
After circulating hot water in the bathtub with the pump through the first and second pipelines, the temperature of the hot water is detected on the side of the first pipeline, and the hot water is heated by the second heat exchanger from the time when the temperature is detected. ,
The water level is calculated by the calculation means using the heating time and the increased hot water temperature as calculation information, and the pipe switching means is operated to pour hot water until the calculated water level shifts to the set water level, and the water level in the bathtub becomes the set water level. It is characterized by controlling.

[0008] In the automatic bath apparatus configured as above, the hot water supply means heats the water from the water supply source with the first heat exchanger, and pours the water into the bathtub while feeding the water through the first pipe. The supplementary heating means forms a circulation pipe including the first pipe, and heats the water in the bathtub while pumping hot water in the bathtub through the circulation pipe by the heat exchanger using the pump. In addition, when pouring, the pipeline switching means connects the first heat exchanger with the first heat exchanger.
The second pipe or the second pipe is connected to supply hot water from the water supply source side to the bathtub, and at the time of reheating, the first pipe and the second pipe pass between the bathtub and the second heat exchanger. And the hot water in the bathtub is heated by circulating the hot water in the bathtub between the heat exchanger and the bathtub through the first and second pipes.

The water amount control is performed based on the water amount detection. That is, the water (4c) in the bathtub (20) is pumped by the pump (56) through the circulation path (additional circulation pipeline 60) and passed through the heat exchanger (22) to heat the hot water in the bathtub. To do. Assuming that the time required for the water temperature in the bathtub to rise by a constant temperature ΔT in response to the heating is t, and the heating capacity of the heat exchanger is No, the amount of water Q in the bathtub is: Q = No · t / ΔT (1) As a result, the amount of water Q in the bathtub can be calculated.

[0010] Therefore, in a bath kettle that heats the actual bathtub by circulating the water 4c in the bathtub through the heat exchanger,
The amount Q of water in the bathtub is required to raise the heat generation amount of the additional heating burner that heats the heat exchanger 22, that is, the combustion capacity N (= No), that is, the amount of heat of the hot water in the bathtub and the specific temperature ΔT. From time t, the water quantity Q (= N · t
/ ΔT).

The amount of heat added to the hot water through the heat exchanger 22 is given by the product of the calorific value of the burner and the thermal efficiency. In this case, the thermal efficiency is obtained by multiplying the product of the fixed amount of water in the bathtub and the temperature rise obtained by heating this amount of water with the heat exchanger by the time required to reach the temperature rise and the calorific value of the burner. This value is obtained, for example, at the time of additional firing.

Therefore, this thermal efficiency can be calculated based on the detected value obtained for each additional heating, and the value can be updated. That is, by using the thermal efficiency obtained for each additional heating at the next additional heating, it is possible to always calculate the amount of water in the bathtub with the latest data, and when this amount of water does not reach the set amount of water, supply water. Hot water is supplied to the bathtub from a water source, and the amount of water in the bathtub is controlled to a set amount of water.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the embodiments shown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the automatic bath kettle apparatus of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the water 4a consisting of tap water supplied from a water supply or the like is supplied to the bathtub 20 from the hot water supply means. By passing through the water flow switch 26, the water flow is electrically detected, and Dw1 represents a pouring water flow detection signal obtained by the water flow switch 26. Water 4a is
First heat exchanger 28 and hot water supply burner 30 as heating means
Heated by.

A combustion gas 32 is supplied to the hot water supply burner 30.
It is supplied through a main valve 34 and a hot water supply valve 36 whose opening / closing is electrically controlled, Cv1 represents an open / close control signal of the main valve 34, and Cv2 represents an open / close control signal of the hot water supply valve 36. The gas 32 supplied to the hot water supply burner 30 is ignited by an igniter 38 which is electrically ignited as an ignition means, and Sf1 represents its ignition signal. The presence / absence of ignition of the gas 32 is detected by a flame detector 40 called a flame rod which electrically detects the presence / absence of a flame, and Df1 represents an ignition detection signal.

The hot water 4b obtained by passing through the heat exchanger 28 passes through the hot water supply temperature detector 42 which is provided as a temperature detecting means and which is composed of a thermistor for electrically detecting the hot water supply temperature. , Its temperature is detected. At1
Represents the hot water supply temperature detection signal. The hot water 4b that has passed through the hot water supply temperature detector 42 is guided to the hot water supply / pouring changeover valve 44 that electrically switches the hot water supply / pouring direction, and is directed to the hot water supply port 46 side by the hot water / pouring changeover signal Sh1. The supply and the pouring to the bath 20 side are switched.

The hot water 4b led to the pouring side b through the hot water / pouring changeover valve 44 is detected by a water flow sensor 47 for electrically detecting the flow rate, and Dm is the water flow rate detection signal. Represent. The hot water 4b that has passed through the water flow sensor 47 passes through a hopper 48 that cuts off from the water supply side, and is guided to a reheating / pouring switching valve 50 that electrically switches the hot water supply direction as pipe line switching means. -It is switched to the reheating side or the pouring side according to the pouring switch signal Sh2.

In this case, on the pouring side c, in the direction shown by arrow B, the hot water 4b from the pipe line 52 directly connected to the bath 20 is passed through the pump 56 that electrically circulates the water to the bath 20. Supplied. Dr represents a pump drive signal for driving the pump 56.

On the reheating side d, the reheating / pouring changeover valve 5
0, the pouring is prohibited, and the water 4c in the bathtub 20 for reheating the bathtub 20 is switched through the circulation port 54 in the bathtub 20 in the direction indicated by the arrow A in the direction indicated by the arrow A. It is circulated through a pump 56 by a reheating circuit 60 as a circulation path including a reheating path of the valve 50.

The water 4c passing through the reheating line 60 is
It is detected by a water flow sensor 62 that electrically detects the presence or absence of a water flow, and Dw2 represents the detection signal.

A second heating means is provided in the additional heating circulation line 60.
Reheater 22 and reburner 2
4 is installed, and the water 4c in the bathtub 20 is heated by additional heating. In this case, the combustion gas 32 is supplied to the reburning burner 24 via a reburning gas valve 64 whose opening and closing are controlled electrically, and the opening and closing of the reburning gas valve 64 is controlled by an on / off control signal Cv3. The combustion gas 32 supplied to the additional heating burner 24 is ignited by an igniter 66 that is electrically ignited as an ignition means, as in the case of the hot water supply burner 30, and Sf2 represents the ignition signal. Combustion gas 3
The presence or absence of ignition of No. 2 is detected by the flame detector 68 that electrically detects the presence or absence of flame, and Df2 represents an ignition detection signal.

Then, the bathtub 20 heated by additional heating
The water 4c therein is detected by a temperature sensor 70 such as a thermistor as a temperature detecting means for electrically detecting the water temperature on the side of the reheating circulation conduit 60, and At2 represents the temperature detection signal.

The heating system for heating the water 4a, the system for supplying the hot water 4b to the bathtub 20, or the system for reheating the water 4c in the bathtub 20 is controlled by a hot water supply control device shown in FIG. Controlled.

This hot water supply controller comprises a main unit 72 and a remote controller 74. The main unit 72 is installed on the equipment main body side where the heat exchangers 22 and 28 are installed, and the remote controller. 74 is installed in the bathroom etc. which a bather can arbitrarily adjust from the bathtub 20. Hot water supply water flow detection signal D
The digital data of w1, the hot water supply side ignition detection signal Df1, the hot water supply side water flow rate detection signal Dm, the reheating water flow detection signal Dw2, and the reheating heating side ignition detection signal Df2 are sent to the central processing unit (CPU) via the input circuit 721. ) 722. Also,
Since the hot water supply temperature detection signal At1 and the additional heating temperature detection signal At2 are analog signals, they are alternately added to the analog / digital conversion circuit 723 by time division by the multiplexer 724 provided at the input unit, and are subjected to analog / digital conversion. After that, it is taken into the CPU 722.

The CPU 722 performs arithmetic processing according to the heating, supply or reheating control program written in the write-only storage element (ROM) 725. In addition, the various data and the data for arithmetic processing that have been taken in are written in a storage element (RAM) 726 that can be freely written and read.

A command for heating, supply or reheating control is performed by operating a switch of the remote controller 74, and the command signal is applied to the remote control transmitting / receiving circuit 727 and the CPU 72
Taken in 2.

The hot water supply side ignition signal Sf1, the open / close control signal Cv1, the hot water supply side open / close control signal Cv2, and the additional heating side open / close control signal C, which are various control outputs as the calculation result of the CPU 722, are provided.
The output circuit 728 applies the v3, the additional-side ignition signal Sf2, the hot water supply / pouring switching signal Sh1, the additional heating / pouring switching signal Sh2, and the pump drive signal Dr to the controlled objects.

In such a bath kettle, the detection of the amount of water in the bathtub 20 will be described in the order of steps by taking an example of additional heating.

(A) The hot water supply / pouring changeover valve 44 is changed over to the hot water supply side a and the additional heating / pouring changeover valve 50 is changed over to the additional heating side d, and the additional heating mode is set by setting the additional heating circulation line 60 as a closed loop. To do.

(B) After setting the reheating mode, the pump 56 is driven to set the temperature of the water 4c in the bathtub 20 to a uniform temperature T. In that case, the water temperature T of the bathtub 20 is detected by the temperature sensor 70.

(C) After the temperature of the water in the bath 20 is kept at a constant temperature T, the main valve 34 and the reheating gas valve 64 are opened, and
An ignition signal Sf2 is applied to the igniter 66 to cause a current to flow to generate heat, and the additional burner 24 is ignited.

(D) While the water 4c is circulated by the pump 56, the temperature of the water 4c in the bathtub 20 is uniformly boiled by a temperature ΔT slightly higher than the temperature To by the additional heating, and the temperature To is changed to ΔT. The required time t is measured and written in the RAM 726.

(E) If the reburning combustion capacity N by the combustion of the reburning burner 24 is measured in advance and stored in the ROM 725, the amount of water Q in the bathtub 20 becomes CP
In U722, Q = N · t / ΔT is calculated from the equation (1). For example, when ΔT = 1 ° C., the water amount Q in the bathtub 20 is Q = N · t.

The calculation of the water amount Q in the bath 20 is
The rising temperature ΔT may be detected for a certain time t, and the rising temperature ΔT may be stored in the RAM 726 and calculated from the equation (1).

(F) Since the set amount of water Qo is determined beforehand from the volume of the bathtub 20, the set amount of water is set in the remote controller 74, and the set amount of water Qo and the detected amount of water in the bathtub 20 are set. The difference water amount ΔQ is calculated from Q and ΔQ = Qo−Q (2).

(G) Then, the warm water 4 of this difference water amount ΔQ
In order to supply b into the bathtub 20, the hot water supply / pouring changeover valve 44
Is switched to the pouring side b and the reheating / pouring switching valve 50 is switched to the pouring side c to supply the hot water 4b into the bath 20.

In this case, the hot water supply burner 30 may be ignited to heat the water 4a to obtain and supply the hot water 4b, or the hot water supply burner 30 may be supplied without heating and without heating.

(H) After pouring or pouring a proper amount of water, the hot water / pouring changeover valve 44 is changed over to the hot water supply side a and the additional heating / pouring changeover valve 50 is changed over to the additional heating side d to supply hot water into the bathtub 20. 4b is boiled to the proper temperature T, and pouring and reheating to the proper amount and temperature of the proper temperature is completed.

When the heat retention and the hot water control are performed, the pouring and reheating of the water in the bathtub 20 are automatically repeated at regular time intervals, whereby the water amount Q in the bathtub 20 is increased.
Also, optimum control for keeping the temperature T constant can be performed.

Further, the boiling time by the additional heating combustion is affected by the thermal efficiency, and factors that lower the thermal efficiency include the material of the bath, the additional heating pipe, the outside temperature, and the error of the gas pressure set value peculiar to the appliance. There is. Therefore, the thermal efficiency η is calculated by the following equation: η = Qo × (T2−T1) / S × to (3) by the CPU 722 at each additional heating time, and the RAM 72 is calculated.
It is stored in 6, and the value is updated every time it is fired. Here, Qo is the set amount of water (= the amount of pouring water), T1 is the uniform temperature of the water supplied to the bath 20 during the pouring operation, T2 is the uniform boiling temperature (= set boiling temperature), and to is the boiling time. , S is an additional input capability. That is, Qo x (T
2-T1) is the amount of heat added to hot water, and S × to is the amount of heat generated on the burner side.

Thus, the amount of heat added to the hot water is obtained by the product of the calorific value of the burner and the thermal efficiency, and the thermal efficiency was obtained by heating the constant amount of water in the bathtub and this amount of water with a heat exchanger. Refer to the value obtained by dividing the product of the rising temperature by the product of the time required to reach the rising temperature and the calorific value of the burner, so the heat loss due to the heat exchanger, circulation path, bathtub, etc. Even if the circulation path becomes long, the accurate value can be always referred to and the accurate water amount can be detected. In addition, the thermal efficiency is calculated and updated for each reheating, and the value is referenced at the time of the next reheating, so the water volume can always be calculated with the latest data, and errors due to uncertain factors such as the outside temperature can be eliminated. Accurate water volume detection can be realized.

In this case, the additional heat input capacity S, which is the amount of heat generated on the side of the additional heat burner, is stored in advance in the ROM 725, and the additional combustion capacity N, which is the amount of heat added to the circulating hot and cold water, is the additional heat input. Product of capacity S and thermal efficiency η (N =
S · η).

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. a. The amount of water in the bathtub can be remotely detected without using an electric signal line or the like.For example, by detecting the amount of water in the bathtub of an automatic bath kettle in which the appliance main body and the bathtub are set apart. , Water volume control can be performed. b. Since the amount of water is calculated by measuring the time required to raise the temperature by a certain temperature based on the temperature of hot water, the calculation error due to the heat dissipation loss can be suppressed compared to the case where the time is used as a reference, and the amount of water can be accurately measured. Can be calculated to control the amount of water.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic bath kettle apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a hot water supply control device of the automatic bath heater device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 4c Water (hot water) 20 Bathtub 22 Heat exchanger for reheating (second heat exchanger) 28 First heat exchanger 50 Reheating / pouring changeover valve 52 First conduit 56 Pump 60 Reheating circulation pipe Channel (second pipeline) 70 Temperature sensor 72 Main device of hot water supply control device (water level control means)

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[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] January 4, 1996

[Procedure Amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Name of item to be corrected] Brief description of the drawing

[Correction method] Change

[Correction content]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of an automatic bath kettle apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an embodiment of a hot water supply control device of the automatic bath kettle device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. An automatic bathtub device comprising hot water supply means, reheating means, conduit switching means, and water level control means, wherein the hot water supply means comprises a first heat exchanger and a first pipe. A channel and a pump for heating the water from the water source in the first heat exchanger,
The hot water is poured into the bath while being pressure-fed through the pipe, and the reheating means includes a second heat exchanger and a second pipe, and forms a circulation pipe including the first pipe. Then, the hot and cold water in the bathtub is heated while the hot and cold water in the bathtub is pumped by the heat exchanger through the circulation pipe, and the pipe line switching means is a connecting portion between the first pipe line and the second pipe line. Is provided with a switching valve to connect the first heat exchanger side to the first pipe line or the second pipe line when pouring, and to add a first line between the bath and the second heat exchanger at the time of additional heating. The water level control means is connected to the first pipeline and the second pipeline, and the water level control means includes a temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature of the hot water on the first pipeline side, and a calculating means for calculating the water level from the temperature information and the time information. As in the case of additional heating, the pipe switching means connects the bathtub and the second heat exchanger with the first pipe and the second pipe, and the hot water in the bath is pumped. After circulating the water in the first and second pipelines, the temperature of the hot water is detected on the side of the first pipeline, and the hot water is heated by the second heat exchanger from the time when the temperature is detected. The water level is calculated by using the calculated hot water temperature as calculation information, and the pipe switching means is operated to pour hot water until the calculated water level shifts to the set water level, and the water level in the bathtub is controlled to the set water level. An automatic bath pot device.