JPS62248929A - Electric foot warmer - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To appropriately control the temperature of the foot warmer and to detect the temperature therein most accurately by causing a control circuit to perform such a control as to further lower the temperature within the food warmer when it is constant, and providing a temperature sensor in the air flowpath within a heating unit. CONSTITUTION:When power is supplied to the heater 1 of the foot warmer, the temperature of the foot warmer rises, and the output of the heater 1 is gradually reduced to a low output value. The temperature within the foot warmer or the output conditon of the heater 1 is judged by such a control process as the temperature check of a control unit 11 having a control circuit 10 within an external controller 9 or a secondary side voltage check. For example, when the output of the heater is constant at an output value reduced from the rated output or the condition of the temperature within the foot warmer is constant, such a temperature control is performed as lowering it to a value which is lower than the originally set value. The position where a temperature sensor 5 is installed is located in an air flowpath 6 in which the termperature within the foot warmer can be sensed most sensibly and further temperature on the side of a suction port 61 and hence the temperature of the foot warmer can be monitared most correctly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application P The present invention relates to an electric kotatsu for heating a general household in winter.

Prior Art The temperature inside the electric kotatsu was controlled in the following manner. First, a heating element unit consisting of a heater, air blower, etc. is generally installed in the center of the back of the tower, but a temperature sensor is installed inside this heating element unit, and the temperature inside the kotatsu is measured based on this temperature. It was monitored by sensors and controlled the heater to maintain the desired temperature.

There is a correlation between this temperature sensor and the heater control device, which uses a thermostat to directly control the energization of the heater, or a semiconductor sensor that measures the temperature and inputs it to the heater using an electronic circuit such as a one-phase control method. It was used to control the

There are other methods such as controlling the air volume, but with the one-phase control method, if you set it to a certain temperature scale and look at the temperature change inside the kotatsu and the change in the heater output after turning on the switch,
All the systems had a temperature or output characteristic of 3P as shown by the dotted line in Figure 2.

In other words, when you input the switch, the heater and air blower operate, the temperature inside the kotatsu rises, and when it eventually reaches the desired set temperature, the control device controls the input to the heater and controls the temperature inside the kotatsu from then on. It worked to keep it constant.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the conventional technology as described above, the temperature of the electric kotatsu has a function to maintain the set temperature after turning on the switch and changing the temperature to the desired temperature. It was something like that.

Therefore, the temperature inside the kotatsu remained at the set temperature forever, regardless of whether or not someone was warming the kotatsu.

Therefore, it would be fine if there was always someone there to take the temperature, but in daily life there are many chances of the temperature being maintained at the set scale even without someone taking the temperature.

Especially when the temperature is set at a high temperature, it will be warm and comfortable when someone is there to take the heat, but maintaining a high temperature when there is no one to take the heat means high electricity bills and energy loss. In addition, high temperatures have adverse effects such as reducing safety and shortening the lifespan of each component.

Means to Solve the Problems In order to solve the problems seen in the conventional example, the kotatsu, which has a heat generating unit at the bottom using an air blower, is used when there is no one taking heat inside the kotatsu or when the kotatsu does not move at all due to sleeping inside the kotatsu. At certain times of the day, the temperature of the air flowing through this air path is constant at the set temperature, and the output of the heater, which is correlated with this temperature, is also constant, so that warmers can come in and out of the kotatsu. Pay attention to the fact that the temperature of the air flowing through this air path and the output of the heater change when the heater moves, etc., and the heater output is lower than the rated output. Depending on whether the temperature is constant, unstable output or temperature that is changing, the set temperature inside the kotatsu can be maintained or changed.1 For example, if there is no one taking the heat, the heater output is reduced to a constant output than the rated output. Alternatively, if the temperature inside the kotatsu is constant, the control circuit can control such things as further lowering the temperature inside the kotatsu, and then
This problem is solved by installing a temperature sensor, which is the basis for controlling the output to P-, in the air passage inside the heating element unit.

action With the above configuration, it is possible to detect whether there is a person taking heat.

The kotatsu temperature is further controlled, and its function is as follows.

When you turn on the power, the heater is energized, heating the inside of the kotatsu, and the temperature sensor monitors the temperature.

When the set temperature is reached, the output of the heater is controlled to maintain the set temperature constant.

Here, the air inside the kotatsu is drawn into the heat generating unit by the blower and then blown out using the inside as an air path, so the air inside the kotatsu is agitated and the temperature inside the kotatsu is evened out.

At this time, by installing a temperature sensor in the air path, especially in the suction air path, the temperature inside the kotatsu can be accurately and more sensitively detected.

In other words, whether the temperature inside the kotatsu detected by the temperature sensor installed in the air path is at a constant temperature, is rising, falling, or changing up and down, or is unstable. The system determines the state of the heater's output and controls whether the temperature inside the kotatsu is maintained at the set temperature, lowered below the set temperature, or raised to the set temperature.

As a result, when there is no one taking the heat, the temperature of the kotatsu will eventually become constant at the set temperature, and the output of the heater, which correlates to this, will also be lower than the rated output and become constant, so you can control it by lowering it below the set temperature. , the temperature inside the kotatsu is controlled to be lukewarm than the set temperature, and when the person taking the warmer enters and exits the kotatsu, or moves inside the kotatsu while taking warmth, the temperature inside the kotatsu drops or becomes unstable, which correlates to this. The output of the heater also becomes unstable, and these changes are sensed and controlled to maintain the set temperature.

Example An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

7 P 1 is a lamp-shaped heater made of a rod-shaped quartz tube, and is formed on the 20th side of the blower device consisting of a fan 6 and a motor 4. 5 is a temperature sensor, which is a signal source to catch the temperature inside the kotatsu and control the heater 1, and is a suction port 61 part in the heating element unit Z, which consists of the heater 1, the blower 2, the temperature sensor 5, etc. It is located in the wind path Otsu. Guard 63 on the bottom surface of 7 in the heating element unit
A suction port 61 is provided at the center of the guard 63, and an air outlet 62 is provided at the outer periphery of the guard 63. It is a tower with 8 legs at each corner, and a 9 heating element unit 7 is attached to the back of the tower in the center. (f) shows the flow of air in the heating element unit 7 portion by the blower 2. 81U futon, ←) shows the air flow inside the kotatsu while it is operating as a kotatsu.

Reference numeral 9 denotes a controller, which includes a control device 11 having a control circuit 10 for controlling the heater 1 to set the temperature inside the kotatsu using a signal from the temperature sensor 5.

The operation of the above configuration will be explained next.

The temperature inside the kotatsu using the temperature sensor 5 is controlled as follows. As shown in Figure 2, the kotatsu heater 1
When power is applied to the kotatsu, the temperature of the kotatsu rises and eventually reaches the setting
: Becomes the temperature. With stiffness.

The output of the heater is also gradually reduced to a lower output.

Furthermore, the external control controller 9 checks whether the temperature inside the kotatsu or the output state of the heater 1 is kept at a constant temperature, a constant output that is lower than the rated output, or is changing and is unstable. control circuit 1
It is determined by control processing such as checking the temperature of the control device 11 having a control device 11 or checking the secondary voltage of the lance.1 For example, if the output is lower than the rated output of the heater or the temperature inside the kotatsu is constant. The temperature is controlled to be lower than the initial temperature set for cancer.

The temperature sensor 5 is installed in the air passage 6 where it can most sensitively detect the temperature inside the kotatsu, and on the side of the suction port 61, so it can monitor the kotatsu temperature most accurately.

On the other hand, if the kotatsu is installed downwind from heater 1, the hot air will flow from heater 1, which will absorb heat from heater 1, making it impossible to accurately monitor the temperature of the kotatsu.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, the temperature of the kotatsu is controlled at a lower output than the rated output of the heater that supplies electricity to the kotatsu, or the kotatsu is controlled at a lower output than the rated output of the heater that supplies electricity to the kotatsu, as opposed to the conventional method of controlling the temperature to always maintain a constant temperature. The temperature of the kotatsu is further controlled by determining whether the internal temperature is in a constant output or constant temperature state.

The temperature inside the kotatsu is maintained at the set temperature, and the warmth during heating is the same as before, but there are no 9 people inside, and the temperature inside the kotatsu is already a constant output that is lower than the set temperature or the rated output of the heater. When held for a certain period of time,
Because it lowers the temperature of the kotatsu, it is necessary to use wasted electricity to maintain the high temperature when there are no 9 people in the room.
It saves energy.

Furthermore, it is safe because it automatically lowers the temperature of the kotatsu when no one is around, and it is a useful function when you forget to turn it off.

In addition, fluctuations in the temperature inside the kotatsu due to people coming in and out of the kotatsu and movement of people inside the kotatsu, in other words fluctuations in the output of the heater that are correlated to this, are also important in the suction air path where there is little influence from the heat of the heater. Since a temperature sensor is installed in the kotatsu, it is useful because it can detect the temperature inside the kotatsu most accurately.

In addition, two characteristics are monitored to determine whether there is a person taking warmth: the temperature inside the kotatsu, which is detected by a temperature sensor, and the output of the heater, which is phase-controlled by a control circuit and changes almost continuously. , it becomes more accurate to determine whether there is a person taking heat.

Furthermore, by keeping an eye on these two characteristics.

The presence/absence determination can be speeded up, and the determination can be made moment by moment without having to carefully determine one characteristic.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of essential parts of an electric kotatsu showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a characteristic diagram of temperature and output of electric kotatsu showing a conventional example and an embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 3 is a diagram of the main parts of an electric kotatsu showing an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of an electric kotatsu showing an entire embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a control device used in the electric kotatsu. 1... Heater, 2... Air blower. 5... Temperature sensor, 6... Suction air path. 7... Heat generating unit, 10... Control circuit.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A heating element unit (7) consisting of an air blower (2), a heater (1), and a temperature sensor (5) that captures the temperature inside the kotatsu, and controls the heater (1) in response to a signal from the temperature sensor (5). In an electric kotatsu consisting of a control circuit (10), the output of the heater (1) and the temperature inside the kotatsu are electrically monitored via a temperature sensor (5), and when the output of the heater (1) is lower than the rated output. If the output is constant or the kotatsu temperature remains saturated at the set temperature, or if the heater is unstable and changing (1
) or a control circuit (10
), and furthermore, a temperature sensor (5) for further controlling the temperature inside the kotatsu is provided in the suction air passage (6) of the heating element unit (7).