JPH08323352A - Ionized water generator - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To clean off a deposit on the electrode of a pH sensor each time a specified amt. of water is generated and to maintain the performance of the sensor by operating a switching valve when a specified amt. of water is generated to supply acidic water to a feed water passage and cleaning the electrode of the sensor. CONSTITUTION: When an alkaline ionized water, for example, is supplied from a water feed passage 12, the pH of the alkaline ionized water is set by a pH setting circuit 30, and city water, etc., are supplied to a water passage 11. A power source circuit 22 is controlled by a control circuit 24 through a current regulator circuit 38, and a DC voltage is impressed on electrode plates 18 and 19. Simultaneously, a motor 21 is actuated through a water passage switch 37 to operate a switching valve 20, alkaline ionized water is generated from an electrolytic cell 17, and water is supplied from the passage 12. Meanwhile, the flow rate detected by a flow sensor 8 is integrated by the control circuit 24, and, when the integrated water amt. reaches a specified value, cleaning is previously announced. Subsequently, a switch relay 23 is operated to invert the polarity to be impressed on both electrode plates 18 and 19, and a cleaning mode is conducted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an ion water generator for continuously supplying tap water or the like to an electrolytic cell to electrolyze it to generate alkaline ionized water or acidic water used for health purposes.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the case where tap water or the like is electrolyzed in an electrolytic cell to produce alkaline ionized water or acidic water, water is electrolyzed as disclosed in, for example, JP-A-5-64785. The electrodes are cleaned by inverting the polarity of the DC voltage applied to the electrodes 1a, 1b of the electrolytic cell 1 for generating alkaline ionized water and acidic water.

In the above case, the pH sensor 12 detects the pH value of alkaline ionized water or the like to generate alkaline ionized water or the like having a preset pH value.

[0004]

On the other hand, when the pH sensor using a glass electrode, for example, is used, calcium (C
There is a problem in that a substance containing a) as a main component is attached and the responsiveness and detection accuracy are reduced.

Therefore, according to the present invention, the substance adhering to the electrode of the pH sensor is washed every time a predetermined amount of water or a predetermined time is generated,
The purpose is to maintain the performance of the pH sensor.

[0006]

According to the present invention, tap water or the like is continuously supplied into an electrolytic cell arranged in a generator body, and a DC voltage is applied to electrodes in the electrolytic cell to generate water. In the one that decomposes to generate alkaline ionized water and acidic water, the generated water is supplied and drained from the water supply passage and drainage passage through the switching valve, and at least the pH of the generated water is supplied to the water supply passage.
A pH sensor for detecting a value is provided, and when the amount of generated water reaches a preset specified amount, a control means is provided for switching the switching valve to supply acidic water to the water supply passage and cleaning the electrode of the pH sensor. Is.

Further, according to the present invention, tap water or the like is continuously supplied to an electrolytic cell arranged in the generator main body, and at the same time, a DC voltage is applied to electrodes in the electrolytic cell to electrolyze the water to generate alkali ions. A control valve for generating water and acidic water, and for cleaning the electrode by inverting the polarity of the DC voltage applied to the electrode when the amount of the generated water reaches a preset specified amount. A switching valve for switching to supply and drain water from the water supply passage or drainage passage via the water supply passage, and at least the pH value of the generated water passing through the water supply passage is detected p
H sensor is provided, and the control means switches the switching valve after cleaning the electrode to supply acidic water generated from the electrolytic cell to the water supply passage, and the acidic water is used to clean the electrode of the pH sensor. is there.

Further, according to the present invention, after the acidic water is supplied to the water supply passage to wash the electrode of the pH sensor, application of the DC voltage to the electrode is stopped and tap water or the like is supplied to the water supply passage to supply water to the inside of the water supply passage. It is made by washing.

[0009]

[Function] By continuously supplying tap water or the like to the electrolytic cell and simultaneously applying a predetermined DC voltage to the electrodes in the electrolytic cell, alkaline ionized water and acidic water are generated in the electrolytic cell. Water is supplied and drained to the water supply passage and the drainage passage through the switching valve.

Further, when the amount of generated water reaches a preset specified amount, the switching valve is switched by the control means to supply the acidic water generated by the electrolytic cell to the water supply passage, and the acidic water generates p.
The performance of the pH sensor can be maintained by removing and cleaning the substance containing calcium as a main component attached to the surface of the electrode of the H sensor.

Furthermore, according to the present invention, when the generated water amount reaches a preset specified amount and the polarity of the DC voltage applied to the electrode is reversed to clean the electrode, the switching valve is switched after the cleaning operation is completed. The acidic water generated in the electrolytic cell is supplied to the water supply passage to clean the pH sensor, so that the electrode cleaning and pH sensor cleaning can be performed efficiently, and the generation operation is interrupted. The frequency of doing can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, after cleaning the pH sensor, the application of the DC voltage to the electrodes is stopped to supply tap water or the like to the water supply passage, and the inside of the water supply passage including the pH sensor is cleaned to obtain a cleaning effect. It can be improved.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described first with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2. Reference numeral 1 is a generator main body installed and used in a domestic sink or the like, and an operation panel 3 is provided in a central portion of a front surface of an outer case 2. The water supply pipe 4, which is arranged and has a bendable pipe, is rotatably mounted on the upper portion.

Further, in the outer case 2, a temperature sensor 5 for detecting the feed water temperature, a calcium cartridge 6 for adding a health agent, a water purification cartridge 7 containing a filter medium such as activated carbon, a flow rate sensor 8, an electrolytic cell 9, a motor. A water passage 11 and the like in which valves 10 are sequentially connected are arranged, and a water supply passage 1 is connected from the motor valve 10 to the water supply pipe 4.
2 and the drainage passage 13 are branched and connected, and the water supply passage 12 is provided.
A pH sensor 14 is connected to.

On the other hand, the inside of the electrolytic cell 9 is divided into at least a pair of electrolytic chambers 16 and 17 via a diaphragm 15, and electrode plates 18 and 19 are respectively arranged in these electrolytic chambers.

In the motor valve 10, a switching valve 20 as shown in FIG. 3 is rotationally controlled by a motor 21, and a power supply circuit 22 via a switching relay 23, for example, the electrode plate 1 described above.
When the anode side of the DC voltage is applied to 8, and the cathode side is also applied to the electrode plate 19, the acidic water generated from the electrolysis chamber 16 is drained from the drain passage 13, and the alkaline ionized water generated from the electrolysis chamber 17 is supplied. The alkaline mode for supplying water from the passage 12 and the acidic water generated from the electrolysis chamber 16 are used for supplying water 1
2, the alkaline ionized water generated from the electrolysis chamber 17 is drained from the drainage passage 13 in an acidic mode, or the application of DC power to the electrode plates 18 and 19 is stopped to filter the water by the water purification cartridge 7 and then the electrolysis chamber 16 , 17 is used to switch the setting to a purified water mode or the like in which all the purified water that has passed through the water supply passage 12 is supplied.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the control means according to the present invention, in which the operation panel 3 is connected to the input port of the control circuit 24 constituted by a microcomputer or the like.
The acid switch 25, the water purification switch 26, the alkali switch 27, and the number 28 indicating the pH value are arranged side by side, and the numbers of 3, 5, 5.5, 8.5, 9, and 9.5 are arranged, for example. .. and the like, each of which is provided with a plurality of setting lamps 29, ...
The H setting circuit 30, the pH sensor circuit 31 that inputs the detection output of the pH sensor 14 to the control circuit 24, the water temperature detection circuit 32 that inputs the detection output of the temperature sensor 5 to the control circuit 24, and the flow rate sensor 8 Flow rate sensor circuit 33 for inputting the output of the above into the control circuit 24, and the current detection unit 34 for the applied current applied from the power supply circuit 22 to the electrode plates 18 and 19.
Electrolytic current circuit 3 which is detected by and is input to the control circuit 24
5 is mainly connected, and the output port is arranged on the operation panel 3 and is detected by the pH sensor 14.
The display 36 for displaying the H value by a numeral and the motor 2
1, a water channel switching circuit 37 for controlling the power source 1, a current adjusting circuit 38 for controlling the output of the power supply circuit 22, and the switching relay 2
3 is mainly connected to a polarity switching circuit 39 for controlling No. 3.

In the above embodiment, for example, the acid switch 2
When 5 is pressed once, the acid lamp 40 arranged within the pressing range of this switch is turned on, and at the same time, the setting lamp 29 located below 5.5 of the numeral 28 is turned on and the pH value is 5.5.
Acidic water mode of the
When is pressed, the setting lamp 29 located below the numeral 3 of number 28
When is turned on and is set to acidic water having a pH value of 3, and the water purification switch 26 is pressed, the water purification lamp 41 is also turned on, and at the same time, the setting lamps 29 ... Are turned off and the water purification mode is set, and the alkali switch 27 is pressed once. Similarly, when the alkali lamp 42 is also turned on, the setting lamp 29 located below 8.5 of the numeral 28 is turned on to set alkaline ionized water having a pH value of 8.5, and when the alkali switch 27 is pressed again, the same result is obtained. Setting lamp 2 located below
9 lights up and is set to alkaline ionized water with a pH value of 9,
Every time you press the alkaline switch 27
Alkaline switch 2 when the setting lamp 29 below
When 7 is pressed, the setting lamp 29 below 8.5 lights up and the setting is switched sequentially.

On the other hand, the pH sensor 14 shown in FIG. 4, for example, includes a storage case 44 having a bypass passage 43 connected to the water supply passage 12, and a sensor detachably stored in the storage case. It is mainly composed of a main body 45.

Further, the tip end portion 46 of the sensor body 45 is located in the generated water passing through the bypass passage 43, and the glass electrode 47 is placed at the tip end so that the glass electrode 47 is located substantially in the center of the tip end portion 46. An intermediate cylinder 49, which connects the electrodes and accommodates the potassium chloride solution 48 therein, is arranged substantially in the center of the sensor body 45, and the sensor body 4 is provided.
Around the above-mentioned middle cylinder 49 in 5, the sodium chloride solution 50
Is stored.

Further, the inside of the middle cylinder 49 and the sensor main body 45.
Inside, a pair of electrodes 51 and 52 are housed so as to be located in the solution housed therein, and the periphery of the glass electrode 47 of the above-mentioned tip portion 46 is closed by a lid 53, and innumerable in appropriate places of this lid. The liquid junction material 54 made of ceramic or the like having a small number of pores is provided so as to penetrate therethrough, and the generated water passing through the bypass passage 43 by penetrating the sodium chloride solution 50 into the liquid junction material is electrically connected to the electrode 52. Electrically connected to the electrodes 51, 5
The pH value of the produced water is measured by the electromotive force generated between the two.

Thus, for example, in the alkaline mode in which alkaline ionized water is supplied from the water supply passage 12, a desired pH value of the alkaline ionized water is set and input by the pH setting circuit 30 to continuously supply tap water or the like to the water passage 11. When the flow sensor 8 detects water flow of a predetermined minimum amount of water or more, the control circuit 24 calculates a voltage value suitable for generating the pH value, and the current adjustment circuit The power supply circuit 22 is controlled via 38, and a DC voltage is applied to the electrode plates 18 and 19 from this power supply circuit.

In addition to the application to the electrode plates 18 and 19,
By operating the motor 21 via the water channel switching circuit 37 and switching the switching valve 20 so that the alkaline ionized water generated from the electrolytic chamber 17 is supplied to the water supply passage 12, alkaline ionized water is generated from the electrolytic chamber 17. The acidic water produced by the electrolytic chamber 16 is drained to the outside through the drainage passage 13.

At this time, the pH value of the alkaline ionized water passing through the water supply passage 12 is detected by the pH sensor 14, and the detected pH value is numerically displayed by the display 36.
The voltage value or the like applied to the electrode plates 18 and 19 from the power supply circuit 22 is adjusted so that the detected pH value becomes the set value.

On the other hand, the control circuit 24 stores the flow rate detected by the flow rate sensor 8 while accumulating the flow rate, and the cumulative amount of water is set to a predetermined value (for example, 100 liters) preset in step S1 shown in the flowchart of FIG. In comparison with this, if it reaches the specified value, the process proceeds to S2, and the cleaning lamp 55 arranged above the alkali switch 27 of the operation panel 3 is turned on to give a cleaning notice.

Therefore, in S3, it is detected from the output of the flow rate sensor 8 whether or not the water flow to the water passage 11 is stopped. If the water flow is stopped, the process proceeds to S4, where the washing lamp 55 is blinked or a buzzer is notified, Proceeding to S5, the switching relay 23 is switched to invert the polarity applied to the electrode plates 18 and 19 (the cathode side is applied to the electrode plate 18 and the anode side is applied to the electrode plate 19) to perform the cleaning mode of S6.

Next, in S7, the cumulative amount of water after the start of the cleaning mode is measured, and when the cumulative amount of water reaches a specified value (for example, 4 liters), the process proceeds to S8 and the switching relay 23 is switched to the electrode plates 18 and 19. At the same time as restoring the polarity to be applied, the motor 21 is operated to switch the switching valve 20 so that the strongly acidic water generated from the electrolysis chamber 16 is supplied to the water supply passage 12.
Then, a pH sensor cleaning mode is started in which water is supplied to remove the substance containing calcium (Ca) as a main component adhering to the surface of the glass electrode 47 of the pH sensor 14 and cleaning.

By supplying the strongly acidic water generated from the electrolysis chamber 16 to the water supply passage 12, it is possible to remove the organic substances and the like adhering to the passage wall of the water supply passage at the same time.

Further, when the pH sensor cleaning mode is started in S8, the accumulated water amount after the start is measured in S9, and when the accumulated water amount reaches a specified value (for example, 3 liters), S1
After proceeding to 0 to stop the output of the DC voltage supplied from the power supply circuit 22, the process proceeds to S11 to supply purified water obtained by filtering tap water or the like with the purified water cartridge 7 to the water supply passage 12 and the like, and to the water supply passage 12 and the bypass passage 43. To wash.

In step S12, the cumulative amount of water after the voltage application to the electrode plates 18 and 19 is stopped is measured. When the cumulative amount of water reaches a specified value (for example, 1 liter), the process proceeds to step S13 and the cleaning lamp 55 is turned on. After turning off the light and stopping the buzzer, the process proceeds to S14 to return to the alkali mode set before the cleaning operation is started.

In the above embodiment, the pH sensor cleaning mode is performed after the electrode plates 18 and 19 are cleaned.
For example, a specified value of the cumulative amount of water for cleaning the pH sensor (for example, 2
(00 liters) is set, and the pH sensor cleaning mode may be independently performed when the specified value of is reached.
Electrode plates 18 and 1 when the specified value for sensor cleaning approaches
After the cleaning mode of 9, the pH sensor cleaning mode may be continuously performed as in the above embodiment.

[0032]

According to the structure of the present invention, when the amount of generated water reaches the preset specified value, acidic water is supplied to the water supply passage to p.
By configuring the electrodes of the H sensor to be washed, the performance of the pH sensor can be maintained by a relatively simple operation.

Further, according to the present invention, the polarity of the DC voltage applied to the electrode in the electrolytic cell is reversed to clean the electrode, and then the pH sensor is cleaned, whereby the pH sensor is generated. The number of times the washing mode is interrupted by interrupting the generation of water is reduced,
It is possible to prevent deterioration of operability due to cleaning of the pH sensor.

Further, according to the present invention, the cleaning effect can be improved by stopping the voltage application to the electrode after cleaning the pH sensor to supply tap water or the like, and further cleaning the electrode portion with the tap water or the like. It can be done.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the same.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of control means of the same.

FIG. 4 is a side elevational cross-sectional view of a partially broken pH sensor.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an example of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Generator main body 9 Electrolyzer 10 Switching valve 14 pH sensor 24 Control circuit

Front page continuation (72) Kenichiro Komatsu 3 201 Minamiyoshikata, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toru Matsui 3 201 Minamiyoshikata, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takeshi Yamaoka 3-201 Minamiyoshikata, Tottori-shi, Tottori Santo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Masafumi Kakimoto 3-201 Minamiyoshikata, Tottori-shi, Tottori Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. Alkaline ionized water is obtained by continuously supplying tap water or the like to an electrolytic cell arranged in a generator body and applying a DC voltage to electrodes in the electrolytic cell to electrolyze the water. In the case of generating acidic water, the generated water is supplied and drained from a water supply passage or a drainage passage through a switching valve, and at least a pH sensor for detecting the pH value of the generated water is provided in the water supply passage, and the generated water amount. When a predetermined amount is reached, the control valve is switched to supply acidic water to the water supply passage to wash the electrode of the pH sensor. 2. Alkaline ionized water is obtained by continuously supplying tap water or the like to an electrolytic cell arranged in the generator main body, and at the same time applying a DC voltage to electrodes in the electrolytic cell to electrolyze the water. A control valve for generating acidic water and for cleaning the electrode by inverting the polarity of the DC voltage applied to the electrode when the amount of the generated water reaches a preset specified amount. A switching valve for switching to supply and drain water from the water supply passage or the drainage passage through the water supply passage, and a pH sensor for detecting the pH value of the generated water passing at least the water supply passage are provided, and after the control means cleans the electrode, An ion water producing device characterized in that the switching valve is switched to supply acidic water generated from an electrolytic cell to the water supply passage, and the electrodes of the pH sensor are washed with the acidic water. 3. After the acidic water is supplied to the water supply passage to wash the electrodes of the pH sensor, the application of the DC voltage to the electrodes is stopped to supply tap water or the like to the water supply passage so that the inside of the water supply passage is closed. The ionized water generator according to claim 1 or 2, which is characterized by being washed.