JPH09303865A - Hot water heater - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To save water even without drawing a water amount at a tap by a user by providing flow rate limiting means for controlling a maximum value of a controlled flow rate of a flow rate adjuster to a predetermined flow rate value lower than the maxium value, and switching valid or invalid of the flow rate limiting means. SOLUTION: There are provided on a hot water heater flow rate limiting means for limiting a controlled flow rate value to a predetermined value or lower and switching means operated with a signal from an instrument operation part for switching valid and invalid of the flow rate limiting means. The switching means in a control board 12 is switched from an invalid side upon ordinary use to a valid side where water saving has priority with the aid of a switch provided on an operation remote controller 14 whereby the controlled flow rate value directly inputted in the flow rate control means is inputted into the flow rate control means through the flow rate limiting means. Accordingly, a hot water amount in use is limited with the operation of the instrument operation part, and hence water is simply saved.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a water heater having a water saving function among water heaters.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, many water heaters which have a built-in flow rate adjusting device are used for washing clothes in the kitchen or for filling hot water in a bathtub or the like. What is a flow rate controller?
A device that adjusts the amount of water entering the water heater so that it is within the control flow rate value calculated by the temperature of the water entering the water heater, the set temperature for the hot water used by the user, and the water heating capacity of the water heater itself. is there. In other words, since it is impossible for the user to obtain the hot water temperature and the water amount which are more than the ability of the water heater, it is possible to obtain the hot water of the set temperature by narrowing the water amount.

[0003]

However, the above-mentioned conventional method is an effective means for automatically reducing the amount of water when the user's request exceeds the capacity of the water heater. If the user's request is less than or equal to the capacity of the water heater, the amount of water is output until the capacity of the water heater becomes maximum. Therefore, if the user wants to reduce the amount of water, there is a problem that the amount of water must be reduced by the faucet of the faucet, and the water cannot be saved successfully.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and by forcibly suppressing the capacity of a water heater, the user can save water without squeezing the amount of water at the faucet. Moreover, it is an object of the present invention to provide a water heater in which a user can easily cancel water saving by using a remote controller or other operating device.

[0005]

According to the present invention, a flow rate control device is provided in a hot water supply circuit, and the control of the flow rate control device is controlled by a feed water temperature, a set temperature and a hot water supply capability so as not to exceed the hot water supply capability. In a water heater having a flow rate control means for controlling the flow rate, a flow rate limiting means for limiting the maximum control flow rate of the flow rate adjusting device to a predetermined flow rate value lower than the maximum value is provided, and the flow rate limiting means is provided in an appliance operating section. It is characterized in that a switching means capable of switching between valid and invalid is provided.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The outline of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3. A control flow rate value obtained from a water supply temperature, a set temperature and a hot water supply capacity is input to a switching means, and a water-saving signal is enabled (ON) -disabled. The output destination of the signal is switched by (OFF). When the water saving signal is invalid, the control flow rate value is directly output to the flow rate control means, and functions as a water heater conventionally used to control the flow rate control device. On the other hand, when the water-saving signal is valid, the control flow rate value is output to the flow rate control means via the flow rate limiting means, so that the water heater does not exhibit its maximum capacity and functions as a low capacity water heater. , The flow rate will be forcibly suppressed,
It becomes possible to save water.

The appliance operating section in the present invention means an operating remote controller connected to the body of the water heater or an operating plate arranged in the body of the water heater for changing the setting by the user. The switching means can be provided at the above-mentioned two places or any one of them, but it is preferable to provide the switching means on the operation remote controller considering the convenience of the user.

The flow rate control means of the present invention controls the opening degree of a flow rate control device using a flow rate control valve or the like, and is usually executed by a control board (microcomputer) incorporated in the main body of the water heater. It

[0009]

EXAMPLE An example of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
An operation remote controller 14 is connected to the water heater main body 1,
When the faucet (not shown) of the faucet is opened, water is supplied to the water heater main body 1. The amount of water to be supplied is detected by the water amount sensor 2, and when it is determined that the required amount of water is present, the blower fan 4 rotates and pre-purge (discharging residual gas and the like out of the equipment), and then the gas source valve 10 and the gas solenoid valve 11 and gas proportional valve 9
When the gas flows in, the igniter 8 discharges at high pressure and ignites the gas. When ignition is detected by the frame rod 5, hot water supply operation is then performed at the temperature set by the operation remote controller 14.

In the conventional water heater, the hot water temperature detected by the hot water supply thermistor 3, the hot water temperature set by the operation remote controller 14, and the hot water supply capacity of the water heater itself are used to calculate the maximum flow rate at which hot water can be discharged, and control is performed based on that. As the flow rate value, the flow rate control means in the control board 12 activates the water flow rate control valve 13 which is a flow rate control device, and the water flow rate sensor 2 monitors the water supply rate to supply the hot water to the target flow rate value.

In the present invention, in order to switch the effective / ineffective of the flow rate limiting means by the flow rate limiting means for limiting the control flow rate value to a predetermined value or less in the conventional water heater and the signal from the appliance operating portion. By providing the switching means of No. 1, the amount of water that can be used is limited and water is saved. The "water-saving" switch provided on the operation remote controller shown in FIG. 2 switches the switching means in the control board 12 from the ineffective side during normal use to the effective side with priority on water-saving, thereby enabling the flow-rate limiting means and directly controlling the flow rate. The control flow rate value input to the means is input to the flow rate control means via the flow rate limiting means, and the water amount is limited to a value lower than the predetermined flow rate value in the flow rate limiting means. Needless to say, these operations are actually performed within the control board 12 and do not require a special control device.

In a normal hot water supply, if a predetermined flow rate value of 8 liters / minute is set in a water heater having a water volume of 13 liters / minute, the amount of hot water is controlled to 8 liters / minute or less. Those who have used hot water for 5 minutes per wash can save about 25 liters of water per wash. The water-saving function can be easily operated by the "water-saving" switch of the operation remote controller 14. Therefore, if the user wants to use hot water in a relaxed manner, it can be used as usual by canceling this function. By allowing the user to freely set the predetermined flow rate value in the embodiment using the operation remote controller 14, the water heater of the present invention can further save water with ease of use.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the amount of hot water to be used can be limited by the operation of the appliance operating portion, so that it is possible to easily save water. In addition, this function can be easily turned on and off using the remote control that is the instrument operation unit.
Since FF is possible, it is possible to save water systematically without impairing the usability of conventional hot water. Further, since the amount of hot water discharged is limited, the required gas consumption amount is reduced, and as a result, the gas bill can be saved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a water heater showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the operation remote controller showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a principle diagram illustrating an outline of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1. Main body of water heater 2. Water volume sensor 3. Water supply thermistor 4. Blower fan 5. Frame rod 6. Heat exchanger 7. 7. Hot water supply thermistor Igniter 9. Gas proportional valve 10. Gas source valve 11. Gas solenoid valve 12. Control board 13. Water flow control valve 14. Operation remote control

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A hot water supply circuit is provided with a flow rate controller, and the temperature of the hot water supply is controlled so as not to exceed the hot water supply capacity.
In a water heater having a flow rate control means for performing a control flow rate value calculated by a set temperature and hot water supply capacity, a flow rate limiting means for limiting the maximum control flow rate of the flow rate control device to a predetermined flow rate value lower than the maximum value. A water heater provided with the switching means capable of switching the flow control means between effective and ineffective. 2. The water heater according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined flow rate value can be changed by an appliance operating unit.