WO2023199584A1 - Water purification device - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a water purification device whereby an increase in manufacturing cost due to substrate count can be suppressed, despite the device being provided with a communication unit and a management unit.　Provided is a water purification device that discharges water passed through a consumable cartridge, wherein a communication unit for performing wireless communication with an RF tag provided to the consumable cartridge, and a management unit for managing the consumable cartridge on the basis of information obtained by said communication are mounted on a single substrate. The present invention is also characterized in that, inter alia, the communication unit is disposed in the vicinity of an edge part of the substrate, or the communication unit is disposed in a corner part of the substrate, and a display unit for displaying management information relating to the consumable cartridge generated by the management unit is disposed on the substrate.

Description

water purification device

The present invention relates to a water purification device.

Water is one of the most important substances for people to live, and it is no exaggeration to say that the quality of water they consume in their daily diet affects their health.

Therefore, it is extremely important to regularly consume water that contains as few impurities as possible that make it unfit for drinking (hereinafter simply referred to as impurities), that is, purified water, in order to lead a healthy daily life.

Therefore, water purification devices that introduce water supplied from a tap or the like into the device, purify it, and then discharge the water have been widely used in various situations such as ordinary homes and restaurants.

Of these water purification devices, water purifiers that specialize in water purification functions can make water suitable for daily drinking by removing as many impurities as possible.

In addition, among water purification devices, equipment that also has a water electrolysis function and can generate electrolyzed water, that is, an electrolyzed water generator, in addition to removing impurities, also contains ingredients ( Water with even better functionality can be produced by adding electrolysis auxiliary ingredients) to purified water.

By the way, in water purification devices equipped with water purification and electrolysis functions such as water purifiers and electrolyzed water generators, there are filtration materials such as filters and activated carbon required for water purification, and so-called consumable materials such as auxiliary components for electrolysis. It is common for the member to be in the form of a cartridge, and this consumable cartridge is replaceable at the user level.

Therefore, the user will be required to replace the consumable cartridge as appropriate, for example, based on notifications from the water purification device, etc., depending on the degree of deterioration of the various filter media and the degree of depletion of the electrolytic auxiliary component.

Of course, in order to fully utilize the original functions of the water purifier when replacing a new consumable cartridge, it is recommended to use a consumable cartridge recommended by the manufacturer of the water purifier (hereinafter also referred to as a genuine cartridge). preferable.

However, in reality, similar consumable cartridges (hereinafter also referred to as non-genuine cartridges) are supplied to the market by third parties, calling them compatible products, and some of them do not have the desired effects of consumable cartridges, such as water purification effects. There are also questionable and inferior products.

Therefore, conventionally, a communication part that communicates with the RF tag is placed in the water purification device body, while an RF tag that stores unique information (ID information) that can identify it as a genuine cartridge is attached to the genuine cartridge. A water purification device is known in which an RFID system is constructed by providing a water purifier (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

According to this type of water purification device, an attempt is made to obtain ID information from the attached consumable cartridge through the RFID system, and if the ID information is successfully obtained, it is determined to be a genuine cartridge and normal operation is performed. However, if the cartridge cannot be obtained, it is assumed that a non-genuine cartridge is installed, and a warning can be issued to the user via a display unit or the like to call attention to it.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2017-051891

However, in the conventional water purification device described above, the board on which the communication section is mounted is separate from the board on which the management section for managing consumable cartridges is mounted, and two boards are used. This led to an increase in manufacturing costs.

The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and provides a water purification device that is equipped with a communication section and a management section, but can suppress an increase in manufacturing costs due to the number of boards.

In order to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, a water purification device according to the present invention (1) in a water purification device that discharges water that has passed through a consumable cartridge, performs wireless communication with an RF tag that the consumable cartridge has. A communication unit that performs the communication and a management unit that manages the consumable cartridge based on information obtained through the communication are mounted on one substrate.

Furthermore, the water purification device according to the present invention also has the following features.
(2) The communication section is arranged near the edge of the board.
(3) The communication section is arranged at a corner of the board.
(4) A display unit that displays management information regarding the consumable cartridge generated by the management unit is disposed on the substrate.
(5) The board is disposed approximately vertically within the casing of the water purification device, and the display section is disposed in an area above the center of the vertical length of the board; The communication department must be placed within the lower half area.
(6) A plurality of consumable cartridges are configured to be attachable, and a plurality of communication units are provided on the substrate in correspondence with each of the RF tags of the plurality of consumable cartridges.
(7) The board is arranged approximately vertically within the casing of the water purification device, and the number of the plurality of attachable consumable cartridges is two, and the areas at both ends of the board when the left-right length of the board is divided into four. The communication unit is arranged one by one in the cartridge to correspond to each of the RF tags included in the two consumable cartridges.
(8) The communication unit is disposed in a lower half area than the center of the vertical length of the board, and the power supply unit that supplies power to the management unit and/or the communication unit that is generated by the management unit A display section for displaying management information regarding the consumable cartridge is arranged in the upper half area.
(9) One of the communication units is disposed in a lower half region than the center of the vertical length of the substrate, and the other communication unit is disposed in an upper half region.
(10) The plurality of attachable consumable cartridges are three or more, the board is arranged substantially vertically within the casing of the water purification device, and the position of the communication section in the left-right direction is such that the board has a length in the left-right direction. One by one is placed in the area at both ends when the area is divided into four equal parts, and the remaining communication parts are positioned between the communication parts so that all the communication parts are approximately equally spaced, and each of the communication parts is The positions in the vertical direction are staggered near the upper and lower edges across an imaginary line extending in the left-right direction that bisects the board in the vertical direction, and each of the RF tags of the consumable cartridge has That we have responded.
(11) The consumable cartridges are arranged alternately on the front side and the back side of the substrate.

Further, in the electrolyzed water generator according to the present invention, (12) the water purification device according to (1) above further includes an electrolytic cell for electrolyzing water, and on the substrate, a An electrolytic power conversion unit that converts electric power into a state suitable for supply, and a display unit that displays management information regarding the consumable cartridge generated by the management unit are arranged.

Further, in the electrolyzed water generator according to the present invention, (13) the electrolytic power converter is arranged near one corner of the substrate, and the communication part is arranged diagonally to the corner where the electrolytic power converter is arranged. Another feature is that it is placed near a certain corner.

In another aspect of the electrolyzed water generator according to the present invention, (14) the water purification device according to (1) above further includes an electrolytic cell for electrolyzing water, and the substrate is A display unit for displaying management information regarding the consumable cartridge generated by the management unit is arranged to serve as a display unit arrangement board, while a second board different from the display unit arrangement board is used to display management information regarding the consumable cartridge generated by the management unit. An electrolytic power converter is disposed to convert electric power into a state suitable for supplying power, and furthermore, the second substrate and the display unit arrangement substrate are disposed in an overlapping manner.

Furthermore, the electrolyzed water generator according to this other aspect also has the following features.
(15) The communication section on the display section placement board is arranged at a position that does not overlap with the second board.
(16) The communication section on the display section placement board is arranged at a diagonal corner of the electrolytic power conversion section.
(17) A transformer for voltage conversion of power to be supplied to the electrolytic power converter is disposed in one half of the space within the housing, and a transformer is disposed on the other half of the space within the housing on the display unit placement board. The communication section is located in an area where
(18) A transformer for converting the voltage of the electric power supplied to the electrolytic power converter is disposed near the bottom of one half of the space within the housing.
(19) A control system power conversion transformer that supplies power to the display unit placement board is disposed in one half of the space within the housing.
(20) The control system power conversion transformer is disposed in a region on the second board that is disposed in one half of the space within the housing.
(21) The cable connection between the display unit arrangement board and the second board and/or the cable connection between the second board and the electrolytic cell is performed in one half of the space within the housing. what is being said.
(22) A water flow system arrangement space in which piping that leads the supplied water to the spout, the electrolytic cell, and the consumable cartridge are accommodated, and an electrical system arrangement in which the display unit arrangement board and the second board are arranged. The water flow system arrangement space includes a cartridge accommodation space in which the attached consumable cartridge is accommodated, and a remaining space in which other parts are accommodated, and the communication unit includes a space in the housing. provided on the display unit arrangement board in correspondence with the RF tag of the consumable cartridge housed in the cartridge housing space, the electrical system arrangement space and the water flow system arrangement space being partitioned by a board cover, and the water flow system arrangement The cartridge accommodating space and the remaining space of the space are divided by a rear cover, and the substrate cover and the rear cover are interposed between the communication section and the RF tag.

According to the water purifier according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a water purifier and an electrolyzed water generator that are equipped with a communication section and a management section, but can suppress increases in manufacturing costs due to the number of boards.

It is a block diagram showing the composition of the water purifier concerning a 1st embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of piping and circuit boards around the cartridge. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a cartridge and a control board. It is a block diagram showing the composition of the water purifier concerning a 2nd embodiment. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of piping and circuit boards around the cartridge. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between a cartridge and a control board. It is an explanatory view showing a control board of a water purifier concerning a 3rd embodiment. It is an explanatory view showing a control board of a water purifier concerning a 4th embodiment. It is an explanatory view showing the composition of the water purifier concerning a 5th embodiment. It is a block diagram showing the composition of the electrolyzed water generator concerning a 6th embodiment. It is an explanatory view showing the appearance of an electrolyzed water generator. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the cartridge. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of an electrolyzed water generator. FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the internal configuration of an electrolyzed water generator. It is a sectional view of an electrolyzed water generator. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the main electrical configuration of an electrolyzed water generator. This is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the electrolyzed water generator. It is an explanatory view showing various compositions of a cartridge. It is an explanatory view showing various compositions of a cartridge.

The present invention provides a water purification device that discharges water through a cartridge containing consumables such as filter media and electrolytic aids, and a communication unit that performs wireless communication with an RF tag included in the consumable cartridge. The present invention provides a water purification device that is capable of suppressing an increase in manufacturing costs due to the number of boards, even though it is equipped with a management section that manages consumable cartridges based on information obtained from the above.

A water purification device is a device that has the function of purifying supplied water and discharging it, and also has other functions, such as a function to electrolyze water or a function to dissolve specified components in water. You can leave it there. In other words, water purification devices include water purifiers that specialize in water purification functions (although they may also have other functions), and electrolyzed water generators that subject purified water to electrolysis and discharge water (however, water purifiers that do not perform electrolysis) ) is included in the water purification device.

The consumables cartridge is a cartridge that contains consumables for the water purifier. Consumables mean at least the filtration material necessary for water purification, but it also includes consumables necessary to realize the incidental functions of the water purification device, such as electrolytic accelerators, pH adjusters, and A cylinder used to increase the concentration of a predetermined gas dissolved in water, such as hydrogen water, is also included in the concept of a consumable cartridge.

Additionally, although consumables are necessary for the use of water purification equipment, their functionality may weaken or become impaired over time, or in some cases, their functionality may increase to the point where they are no longer suitable for use. It can also be understood that the initial state changes to a state unsuitable for use with the passage of time and the degree of use of the water purifier.

Hereinafter, a water purification device according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[First embodiment]
The water purifier according to the first embodiment is a water purifier A1 specialized in water purification function, and FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing its configuration.

As shown in FIG. 1, the internal configuration of the water purifier A1 includes a water flow system structure 11 that processes supplied water while passing through it, and a water flow system structure 11 that performs electrical control and management necessary for water flow and treatment in the water flow system structure 11. It is roughly divided into an electrical system structure section 12, which is housed in a substantially box-shaped casing 13.

The water flow system structure 11 is configured by connecting a water flow pipe 16 from a water supply port 14 to a water discharge pipe connection port 15, and a hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and a flow rate sensor 18 are interposed in the middle of the water flow pipe 16. has been done.

The water supply port 14 is a receiving port for water (raw water) that is a raw material for producing purified water, and is supplied with tap water, for example. In this embodiment, raw water is supplied from the water pipe 20 through the faucet 21, and the faucet 21 is provided with a branch faucet 22, to which one of the water supply hoses 23 is connected. , the other end of the water supply hose 33 is connected to the water supply port 14. The raw water supplied through the water supply port 14 is supplied to the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 through the raw water supply pipe 24.

The hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is a consumable cartridge for generating filtered water by filtering raw water using a hollow fiber membrane disposed inside as a consumable filtration material, and is supplied through the raw water supply pipe 24. Raw water is introduced through the inlet 17a, filtered through a hollow fiber membrane to become filtered water, and then discharged through the outlet 17b.

The hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is a consumable cartridge that can be replaced by the user of the water purifier A1, and genuine or non-genuine replaceable hollow fiber membrane cartridges are commercially available.

Further, in FIG. 1, the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 disposed in the water flow system structure 11 is a genuine cartridge, and is equipped with an RF tag 17c. The RF tag 17c stores unique information (ID information) that can identify it as a genuine cartridge, and performs wireless communication with the communication section described later to confirm that the installed cartridge is genuine. The operation is performed depending on whether the product is genuine or non-genuine. Note that this operation is similar to that of the sixth embodiment, which will be described later, and therefore will not be described here.

The filtered water flowing out from the outlet 17b is supplied to the flow rate sensor 18 via the filtered water supply pipe 25. The flow rate sensor 18 is configured to be able to measure the amount of water flowing. For example, a propeller is provided in the center of the flow rate sensor 18, and the amount of water flowing is measured based on the rotational speed of the propeller. The flow rate sensor 18 is electrically connected to the electrical system structure section 12 and outputs an electric signal (flow rate signal) according to the flow rate of filtrate water. The electrical system structure section 12 determines the flow rate of the filtered water based on this electrical signal, particularly the amount of water that has flowed through the consumable cartridge provided in the water flow system structure section 11 (in the first embodiment, the hollow fiber membrane The amount of water flowing through the cartridge 17) is calculated.

The filtered water that has passed through the flow rate sensor 18 further reaches the water discharge pipe connection port 15 via the filtered water supply pipe 25. A water discharge pipe 26 is connected to the water discharge pipe connection port 15 and discharges filtered water as purified water.

The electrical system structure section 12 is a section that performs necessary electrical control and management for water flow and treatment in the water flow system structure section 11, and is operated by power supplied from a commercial power source or the like via a power cable.

The electrical system structure section 12 includes a control section 30 that performs overall control of the water purifier A1. For example, the control unit 30 calculates the water flow rate of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 based on the flow rate signal output from the flow rate sensor 18, manages the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 based on the water flow rate, and controls the user. Various information about the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 (such as information on cumulative water flow rate and information on replacement timing) is displayed on the screen. That is, the board on which the control section 30 is mounted includes a management section that manages cartridges, a display section that displays various information, and the like.

Furthermore, the electrical system structure section 12 is equipped with a communication section 31. This communication section 31 is a part that constructs an RFID system together with the RF tag 17c provided in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, and the ID stored in the RF tag 17c provided in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is transmitted via wireless communication. Information is read and various information is written to the RF tag 17c. Although the communication unit 31 is shown in a position apart from the control unit 30 in FIG. 1, in this embodiment, the communication unit 31 is mounted on the same board as the control unit 30, as will be explained below. has been implemented.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of piping and substrates centering on the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 among the components housed in the casing 13 of the water purifier A1. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is vertically disposed downward from a piping casing 35 in which the raw water supply pipe 24 and the filtrated water supply pipe 25 are housed. A board casing 36 is provided close to the side of the board.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2(b), a board (control board 37) on which the previously described control unit 30, communication unit 31, etc. are mounted is disposed inside the board casing 36.

Here, to further explain the positional relationship between the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and the control board 37, the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 has an RF tag 17c disposed on its side, as shown by hatching in FIG. has been done.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the control board 37 includes a communication section 31 that performs wireless communication with the RF tag 17c included in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, and a communication section 31 that performs wireless communication with the RF tag 17c that the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 has. A management section 38 as a part of the control section 30 that manages the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and a display section 39 for displaying and notifying the user of predetermined information are both mounted on the control board 37. Implemented.

Moreover, FIG. 3(c) omits illustration of the piping casing 35 and substrate casing 36 shown in FIGS. 2(a) and 2(b), and shows the positional relationship between the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and the control board 37. As shown in FIG. 3(c), the communication unit 31 mounted on the control board 37 together with the management unit 38 is disposed at a position opposite to the RF tag 17c, and the communication unit 31 and It is configured to be able to communicate with the RF tag 17c.

Therefore, it is possible to communicate with the RF tag 17c installed in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 (hereinafter also referred to as RF communication) without the need to separately provide a dedicated board for the communication section. cost can be reduced.

Furthermore, the communication section 31 on the control board 37 is located near the edge of the control board 37, and in particular, in this embodiment, it is located at a corner of the control board 37 (near the lower left corner in FIG. 3(c)). ing.

Therefore, even if a part that generates noise that interferes with RF communication (hereinafter simply referred to as a noise source) exists on the same control board 37, the RF Communication can take place.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 3(b) and 3(c), the communication unit 31 receives management information regarding the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 generated by the management unit 38, such as the replacement timing and water flow rate of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17. etc. are arranged on the control board 37 together with a display section 39 that displays the information to the user.

Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate board on which the communication section 31 is mounted, and an increase in manufacturing costs due to the number of boards can be suppressed as much as possible.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2(b), the control board 37 is arranged approximately vertically within the casing 13 of the water purifier A1, and as shown in FIG. 3(b) and FIG. 3(c), The display section 39 is arranged in the center of the vertical length of the control board 37, that is, in the upper half region than the virtual line H indicated by the dashed line in the figure, while the communication section 31 is arranged in the lower half region. It is located in

Therefore, even if a liquid crystal display or the like is adopted as the display section 39 and may become a noise source, the communication section 31 can be placed at a position separated from the display section 39, and the influence of noise on RF communication can be reduced. can be reduced as much as possible. Although the display section 39 is mounted on the control board 37 in the first embodiment, the display section 39 is not limited to this, and may be mounted at a position that is easily visible to the user within a range that does not contradict the purpose. It is also possible to mount it on a separate board placed on the board. The same applies to each embodiment described later.

[Second embodiment]
The water purifier according to the second embodiment is also a water purifier A2 specialized in water purification function like the water purifier A1 shown in the first embodiment, but the number of consumable cartridges has been increased to two, The difference is that the number of corresponding communication units is also increased to two. In addition, in the following description, the same code|symbol may be attached|subjected to the structure similar to the structure demonstrated previously, and description may be abbreviate|omitted.

That is, in the water purifier A2, compared to the water purifier A1 described above with reference to FIG. 1, as shown in FIG. An activated carbon cartridge 41 is provided, and activated carbon-treated water treated with the activated carbon cartridge 41 is discharged as purified water.

The activated carbon cartridge 41, like the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, is a consumable cartridge for treating filtered water with activated carbon disposed inside as a consumable filtration material to generate activated carbon-treated water. The filtered water supplied through the water supply pipe 25 is introduced from the inlet 41a, and after being adsorbed by activated carbon for impurities and impurities to become activated carbon-treated water, is led out from the outlet 41b.

The activated carbon cartridge 41, together with the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, is a consumable cartridge that can be replaced by the user of the water purifier A2, and genuine or non-genuine replaceable activated carbon cartridges are commercially available.

Furthermore, in FIG. 4, the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and activated carbon cartridge 41 disposed in the water flow system structure 11 are both genuine cartridges, and are equipped with an RF tag 17c and an RF tag 41c. The RF tag 17c and the RF tag 41c store unique information (ID information) that can be used to identify genuine cartridges, and perform wireless communication with a communication section (described later) to confirm whether the cartridge is installed or not. The operation is performed depending on whether the cartridge is genuine or non-genuine. Note that this operation is similar to that of the sixth embodiment, which will be described later, and therefore will not be described here.

The activated carbon treated water flowing out from the outlet 41b reaches the discharge pipe connection port 15 via the activated carbon treated water supply pipe 27. A water discharge pipe 26 is connected to the water discharge pipe connection port 15, and discharges activated carbon-treated water as purified water.

Furthermore, the electrical system structure section 12 is different from the first embodiment in that it includes a first communication section 31a and a second communication section 31b.

An RFID system is constructed between the first communication section 31a and the RF tag 17c of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, and between the second communication section 31b and the RF tag 41c of the activated carbon cartridge 41, and various information can be written. reading and writing are performed.

Further, the control unit 30 calculates the amount of water flowing through the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and the activated carbon cartridge 41 based on the flow rate signal output from the flow rate sensor 18, manages each cartridge based on the amount of water flowing, and controls the user. A display section 39 is mounted on the cartridge to display various information about each cartridge (such as information on cumulative water flow rate and information on replacement timing).

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of piping and circuit boards around each cartridge among the components housed in the casing 13 of the water purifier A2. As shown in FIG. 5(a), the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and the activated carbon cartridge 41 are inserted downward from the piping casing 35 in which the raw water supply pipe 24, the filtered water supply pipe 25, and the activated carbon-treated water supply pipe 27 are accommodated. As shown in FIG. 5(b), a control board 37 is disposed in a board casing 36 which is vertically disposed on the side of each cartridge.

Here, to further explain the positional relationship between each cartridge and the control board 37, the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and the activated carbon cartridge 41 have an RF tag 17c and an RF tag 17c on their sides, as shown by hatching in FIG. An RF tag 41c is provided.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6(b), the control board 37 includes a first communication section 31a that performs wireless communication with the RF tag 17c included in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, and an RF tag included in the activated carbon cartridge 41. 41c, and the management section 38, which manages the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and the activated carbon cartridge 41, and the user, based on the information obtained through these RF communications. A display section 39 for displaying and notifying information is mounted on the control board 37.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the first communication section 31a is disposed at a position opposite to the RF tag 17c, and the second communication section 31b is disposed at a position opposite to the RF tag 41c. It is configured to be able to communicate with the tag 17c and the RF tag 41c.

Therefore, two cartridges can be managed with one board, and RF communication can be performed without the need to separately provide multiple boards dedicated to the communication section. The increase in costs can be suppressed. Further, the same applies to the case where there are three or more cartridges, and it is possible to manage a plurality of cartridges with one board, thereby suppressing an increase in costs.

In addition, the number of cartridges used in the second embodiment is two, but in this case, as shown in FIGS. 6(b) and 6(c), the length of the control board 37 in the left and right direction is In the area at both ends when One communication unit 31 (first communication unit 31a, second communication unit 31b) is arranged in the right end region from V3 to the right edge, and two consumables, the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and the activated carbon cartridge 41, are arranged. Each of the RF tags included in the cartridge corresponds to the RF tag 17c and the RF tag 41c.

Therefore, by ensuring as much distance as possible between the first communication unit 31a and the second communication unit 31b on the control board 37, the RF communication performed between the first communication unit 31a and the RF tag 17c and the Interference between the RF communication performed between the 2 communication unit 31b and the RF tag 41c can be prevented.

If such interference can be prevented, the transmission and reception of each RFID system can be prevented from being adversely affected as much as possible, and the activated carbon cartridge 41 can be installed at the installation position of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, and the activated carbon cartridge The state in which the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is attached to the attachment position 41, that is, the cartridge can be prevented from being installed in the opposite direction.

Particularly regarding the latter, if the arrangement is such that the RF tag of the cartridge to communicate with the second communication section 31b may exist within the communicable area of the first communication section 31a, the RF tag of the cartridge may be placed in the reverse position. Since the RF tag 17c of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 returns a predetermined signal in response to the preamble signal from the communication unit 31a, an error in the mounting position cannot be detected (it is mistakenly recognized as being mounted in the correct position). ), but with the above configuration, it is possible to prevent mutual interference between transmission and reception in each RFID system, and it is possible to check whether the RF tag placed at the corresponding position of each communication unit 31 is appropriate or not, that is, if the RF tag is incorrect. It is possible to make a sound judgment as to whether or not to install a consumable cartridge of a different type, or whether to install a genuine cartridge.

In addition, in the second embodiment, communication is carried out in the center of the vertical length of the control board 37, that is, in the lower half region than the virtual line H shown by the dashed line in FIGS. 6(b) and 6(c). 31 (first communication unit 31a and second communication unit 31b), a power supply unit 42 that supplies power to the management unit 38, and a display unit that displays management information regarding each cartridge generated by the management unit 38. 39 is placed in the upper half area.

Therefore, the communication section 31 can be placed in a position separated from noise sources such as the liquid crystal display of the display section 39, switching elements and transformers of the power supply section 42, and the influence of noise on RF communication can be reduced as much as possible. can do.

Note that the arrangement position of the RF tags with respect to the communication units 31 does not necessarily have to be directly facing them, and any arrangement configuration may be used as long as an appropriate RF tag is arranged within the communicable area of each communication unit 31.

For example, in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6(c), the projected position of each RF tag on the control board 37 is as shown in the hatched area where the entire communication section 31 (first communication section 31a and The position is not included in the arrangement position of the second communication unit 31b).

On the other hand, when looking at the positional relationship between each cartridge and the control board 37 from above, as shown in FIG. An RF tag 41c is placed within the communicable area 43b of the communication unit 31b. In the following explanation, an RF tag will be described as belonging to the communicable area even though the entire projection area on the board of the RF tag is not included in the placement area of the communication unit corresponding to the RF tag. The arrangement position (excluding the position that overlaps with the communicable area of another communication unit) is also referred to as the offset position.

With such a configuration, it is possible to increase the distance between the first communication unit 31a and the second communication unit 31b to be arranged on the control board 37 as much as possible, and to maintain stable RF Communication can take place. That is, it is also possible to perform stable RF communication by daringly arranging the RF tags at offset positions in order to increase the distance between the plurality of communication units as much as possible. However, if there is room in the circuit board design, it is of course possible to configure some or all of the RF tags to be placed directly opposite each communication section.

[Third embodiment]
The water purifier according to the third embodiment is also a water purifier A3 specialized in water purification function like the water purifier A1 and the water purifier A2 described so far, and in particular, like the water purifier A2, the number of consumable cartridges is 2. However, the placement positions of the two corresponding communication units on the board are different.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing the control board 37 of the water purifier A3. Similar to the control board 37 of the water purifier A2 previously explained with reference to FIG. The first communication unit 31a is provided with a second communication unit 31b corresponding to the RF tag 41c of the activated carbon cartridge 41, and the first communication unit 31a is disposed in a region lower than the imaginary line H. The other second communication section 31b is arranged within the upper half region.

With such a configuration, in the substantially rectangular control board 37, the distance between the first communication section 31a and the second communication section 31b can be increased, and the possibility of interference can be minimized. can be suppressed.

Further, in the third embodiment, the control unit 30 is arranged approximately at the center of the control board 37 when viewed from the front, that is, approximately at the center of the area occupied by the control unit 30, near the intersection of the virtual line V2 and the virtual line H. The influence of noise on RF communication is reduced as much as possible by locating the communication section away from the noise source.

Therefore, according to the water purifier A3 according to the third embodiment, more stable RF communication is realized.

[Fourth embodiment]
The water purifier according to the fourth embodiment is also a water purifier A4 specialized in water purification function like the water purifiers A1 to A3 described so far, and in particular, like the water purifier A3, there are two communication parts (first They are common in that the communication unit 31a and second communication unit 31b) are arranged near the diagonal corner on the board, but a consumable cartridge corresponding to one communication unit is arranged on one side of the board, The configuration is different in that the consumable cartridge corresponding to the communication section on the other side is arranged on the other side of the substrate.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the control board 37 of the water purifier A4, and FIG. 8(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the positional relationship between each cartridge and the control board 37, viewed from above.

As shown in FIG. 8(a), the control board 37 of the water purifier A4 has approximately the same configuration as the control board 37 of the water purifier A3 shown in FIG. While the second communication unit 31b is mounted on the back side of the page, the second communication unit 31b is mounted on the front side of the page.

Moreover, the positional relationship between each communication unit and each consumable cartridge is as shown in FIG. On the other hand, the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is similarly arranged in the communicable area 43a on one surface side (the side disposed opposite to the other surface), and the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is arranged on the other surface of the control board 37, which is the surface on the lower side of the page. For the second communication unit 31b, the activated carbon cartridge 41 is also placed in the communicable area 43b on the other side (the side facing the other side), and each consumable cartridge is connected to the second communication unit 31b with the control board 37 as a boundary. are arranged alternately on one side and the other side.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent mutual interference between transmission and reception in each RFID system. It is possible to make a sound judgment as to whether or not to install a cartridge.

[Fifth embodiment]
The water purifier according to the fifth embodiment is also a water purifier A5 that specializes in water purification functions like the water purifiers A1 to A4 described above, and is particularly common in that it includes a plurality of communication parts like the water purifier A3. However, while the water purifier A3 had two communication parts, the water purifier A5 has more communication parts, specifically three communication parts as an example. It's different.

That is, in the water purifier A5, compared to the water purifier A2 described above with reference to FIG. 4, as shown in FIG. A fired coral cartridge 43 is provided at the downstream end of the system, and the fired coral treated water treated by the fired coral cartridge 43 is discharged as purified water.

The fired coral cartridge 43 is a cartridge for generating fired coral-treated water by treating activated carbon-treated water with fired coral, which is a consumable component added therein, and contains the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and activated carbon. Like the cartridge 41, it is a consumable cartridge. The filtered water supplied through the activated carbon-treated water supply pipe 27 is introduced from the inlet 43a, becomes calcined coral-treated water by the natural calcium component eluted from the calcined coral, and is then led out from the outlet 43b.

Also, the fired coral cartridge 43, together with the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and the activated carbon cartridge 41, is a consumable cartridge that can be replaced by the user of the water purifier A5, and genuine or non-genuine replaceable fired coral cartridges are commercially available.

In addition, in FIG. 9(a), the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, activated carbon cartridge 41, and fired coral cartridge 43 disposed in the water flow system structure 11 are all genuine cartridges, and the RF tag 17c, RF tag 41c, and RF It is equipped with a tag 43c. The RF tag 17c, RF tag 41c, and RF tag 43c store unique information (ID information) that can be used to identify genuine cartridges, and perform wireless communication with the communication section described later. Therefore, the operation is performed depending on whether the installed cartridge is genuine or non-genuine. Note that this operation is similar to that of the sixth embodiment, which will be described later, and therefore will not be described here.

The activated carbon treated water flowing out from the outlet 43b reaches the discharge pipe connection port 15 via the fired coral treated water supply pipe 28. A water discharge pipe 26 is connected to the water discharge pipe connection port 15, and the fired coral treated water is discharged as purified water.

Furthermore, the electrical system structure section 12 is different from the second embodiment in that it includes a third communication section 31c in addition to the first communication section 31a and the second communication section 31b.

The first communication unit 31a is connected to the RF tag 17c of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, the second communication unit 31b is connected to the RF tag 41c of the activated carbon cartridge 41, and the third communication unit 31c is connected to the RF tag of the fired coral cartridge 43. An RFID system is constructed with 43c, and various information is written and read.

The control unit 30 also calculates the amount of water flowing through the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, activated carbon cartridge 41, and fired coral cartridge 43 based on the flow rate signal output from the flow rate sensor 18, and manages each cartridge based on the amount of water flowing. A display unit 39 is mounted to display various information about each cartridge (such as cumulative water flow rate information and replacement timing information) to the user.

FIG. 9(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the control board 37 of the water purifier A5. The control board 37 of the water purifier A5 is arranged substantially vertically within the casing of the water purifier, and three first communication parts 31a to third communication parts 31c are arranged on the board.

Also, to explain the arrangement of the first communication unit 31a to third communication unit 31c, the position of each communication unit in the left-right direction is within the area at both ends when the left-right length of the control board 37 is divided into four, that is, Of the horizontal length divided by virtual lines V1, V2, and V3, one communication unit is provided in the left end region from the left side edge to the virtual line V1, and one in the right end area from the virtual line V3 to the right side edge. 31 (first communication unit 31a, third communication unit 31c), and all the remaining communication units are arranged between the first communication unit 31a and the third communication unit 31c, and in the fifth embodiment, the second communication unit The portions 31b are arranged at approximately equal intervals.

In addition, the vertical (vertical) position of each communication section is staggered near the upper and lower edges across the imaginary line H shown by a dashed-dotted line, and is made to correspond to the RF tag possessed by each cartridge. There is.

Therefore, by ensuring the distance between three or more communication units on the control board 37 as much as possible, it is possible to prevent the RF communications performed between each communication unit and the RF tag from interfering with each other. As a modification of the fifth embodiment, the consumable cartridges may be arranged alternately on one side and the other side with the control board 37 as a boundary, as in the fourth embodiment described above. Needless to say.

[Sixth embodiment]
The water purification device according to the sixth embodiment is a continuous electrolyzed water generator that continuously performs electrolytic treatment on raw water that flows in from water supply etc. and discharges the obtained electrolyzed water such as alkaline water. It is A6. The electrolyzed water generator A6 has a hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 in the water flow system structure 11, and electrolytically processes the filtered water (purified water) through the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 to generate electrolyzed water. This is one embodiment of the water purification device according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 10, the electrolyzed water generator A6 according to the sixth embodiment receives raw water supplied from a water pipe 20 through a water faucet 21 and a branch faucet 22 from a water supply port 14, and passes it through a water pipe 16. At the same time, the water is subjected to water purification treatment and electrolytic treatment, and electrolyzed water is discharged from the water discharge pipe 26.

Inside the casing 13 of the electrolyzed water generator A6, there is a hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, a flow rate sensor 18 for measuring the flow rate of the filtered water (purified water) filtered by the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, and a sensor for adding salt to the filtered water. A flow path switching unit that switches between the salt addition cylinder 44a for adding salt, the calcium addition cylinder 44b for adding calcium to filtered water, and the direction of the water that has passed through the flow rate sensor 18, the salt addition cylinder 44a and the calcium addition cylinder 44b. 45, an electrolytic cell 46 that has a plurality of plate-shaped electrode parts 46a, 46b, and 46c and performs electrolysis of water that has passed through the salt addition tube 44a or the calcium addition tube 44b, and an electrolyzed water stream that flows the electrolyzed water for use. It includes a passage 47a and a discharge passage 47b for discharging unused water. The electrolyzed water that has reached the electrolyzed water flow path 47a is discharged as a form of purified water via the water discharge pipe 26 connected to the water discharge pipe connection port 15.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the electrolyzed water generator A6. FIG. 11(a) shows the front surface of the electrolyzed water generator A6 viewed diagonally from the upper right, and FIG. 11(b) The back side of the electrolyzed water generator A6 is shown viewed diagonally from above and to the right. Note that in FIG. 11(b), the cartridge cover 48 shown in FIG. 11(a) is removed to show the installed state of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17.

As shown in FIG. 11(a), on the front side of the electrolyzed water generator A6, there is information on the electrolyzed water to be discharged, the operating status of each part of the device, and especially information on the cumulative amount of water flowing to the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 and the timing of replacement. etc., and an operation section 47 that has a plurality of switches for instructing the electrolyzed water generator A6 to start and stop, generate various types of electrolyzed water, etc., and accepts operation inputs from the user. There is.

Further, as a member constituting the casing 13 of the electrolyzed water generator A6, a removable cartridge cover 48 is provided from the right side surface to the right back surface. This cartridge cover 48 is a cover for the cartridge housing space S1 shown in FIG. 11(b), and the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is housed in the cartridge housing space S1, allowing it to be mounted.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the appearance of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17. As shown in FIG. 12, an RF tag 17c is disposed at a predetermined position on the body of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, and is used for RF communication with the communication section 31 on the board built in the electrolyzed water generator A6. It is possible.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the electrolyzed water generator A6. FIG. 13(a) is a diagram showing the back side of the electrolyzed water generator A6 viewed diagonally from the upper left, and FIG. 13(b) is an explanatory diagram showing the configuration of the electrolyzed water generator A6. It is an exploded perspective view showing main members other than water flow system structure part 11 among the members which constitute water generator A6. As shown in FIG. 13, the electrolyzed water generator A6 includes, from the front side to the back side, an operation panel 50, a front panel 51, a display board 52, an electrolytic board 53, a board cover 54, and a rear cover. 55 and a cartridge cover 48.

Further, a bottom case 57 is provided at the bottom of the electrolyzed water generator A6, and an electrolytic transformer 58, which is a transformer for voltage conversion of electric power to be supplied to an electrolytic power converter section to be described later, is arranged on the bottom case 57. It is set up.

FIG. 14 shows the internal configuration of the electrolyzed water generator A6 seen from the back side with the cartridge cover 48, rear cover 55, and board cover 54 removed, especially the arrangement of the display unit placement board 52 and the electrolytic board 53, and the mounting FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the arrangement of circuit components and the like.

As shown in FIG. 14, a display section arrangement board 52 and an electrolytic board 53 are disposed on the inner surface of the front panel 51 so as to partially overlap in the front-rear direction (front-back direction).

The front panel 51 is a panel that constitutes the front surface of the casing 13, that is, the front surface of the electrolyzed water generator A6, and as shown in FIG. An exposure hole 39a is formed to expose it so that it can be seen by a person.

The display part arrangement board 52 is a substantially rectangular board with a partial cutout, and is a board equipped with a control part 30 for mainly controlling the entire electrolyzed water generator A6. In addition to having a communication unit 31 that performs wireless communication with the RF tag 17c included in the membrane cartridge 17, and a management unit 38 that manages the RF tag 17c based on information obtained through communication, this management unit A display section 39 is mounted to display management information regarding the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 that has been generated. This display section 39 is mounted on the surface facing the front panel 51 of the front and back sides of the display section arrangement board 52, so that the management information can be viewed by the user through the aforementioned exposure hole 39a. . Note that the spiral pattern formed on the communication section 31 is an antenna pattern for performing RF communication.

Although the electrolytic substrate 53 is cut out near the upper left corner of the electrolytic substrate 53 in FIG. 14, or is formed to protrude upward near the upper right corner, the electrolytic substrate 53 is an approximately rectangular substrate, and does not require electric power or electricity for electrolysis. This is a board for generating electric power required for the operation of the control unit 30 from a commercial power source or the like.

An electrolytic power converter 60 and a control system power converter transformer 61 are mounted on the electrolytic board 53.

The electrolytic power converter 60 is a part that performs rectification, voltage transformation, current adjustment, etc. on electric power obtained from a commercial power source, etc., and converts it into a state suitable for supply to the electrolytic cell 46 described above. In the sixth embodiment, voltage transformation is performed using a switching method, and although it is highly efficient and small, it is also a source of high frequency noise.

The control system power conversion transformer 61 is a transformer that converts (transforms) the power supplied to the display unit arrangement board 52 on which various control system circuits are mounted. The control system power conversion transformer 61 is also one of the noise sources present in the electrolyzed water generator A6.

Further, a plurality of cables 62 are connected to the electrolytic board 53. These cables are cables for receiving power from a commercial power supply, or cables for supplying power to the electrolytic tank 46, display unit arrangement board 52, and electrolytic transformer 58, but the connecting end of these cables 62 on the electrolytic board 53 side is On the electrolytic board 53, there is a virtual line V4 indicated by a dashed line in FIG. The connection is made at the left half space (intra-casing space S2L on the left side when viewed from the front of the electrolyzed water generator A6) divided by a virtual plane).

In addition, in the inner-casing space S2 of the electrolyzed water generator A6, an electrolytic transformer 58 is disposed on the bottom case 57 and on the inner-casing space S2L side. This electrolytic transformer 58 is a transformer for converting the voltage of the electric power supplied to the electrolytic power converter 60, and like the control system power converting transformer 61, etc., it is one of the noise sources present in the electrolyzed water generator A6. be.

According to the electrolyzed water generator A6 having such a configuration, the following features are provided. That is, in the electrolyzed water generator A6, which is an embodiment of the water purification device, which includes the display unit placement board 52 on which the communication unit 31 and the management unit 38 are mounted, and the electrolytic tank 46, the display unit placement board 52 has the display unit 39, an electrolytic power conversion section 60 is arranged on an electrolytic substrate 53 as a separate second substrate, and furthermore, as shown in FIG. Therefore, the electrolyzed water generator A6 itself can be made compact.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 14, the communication unit 31 mounted on the display unit placement board 52 is placed at a position that does not overlap with the electrolysis board 53 when viewed from the front to the back of the electrolyzed water generator A6, thereby eliminating noise sources. It is possible to prevent a large number of electrolytic substrates 53 from interfering with RF communication as much as possible.

Furthermore, the communication section 31 on the display section arrangement board 52 is arranged at a diagonal corner of the electrolytic power conversion section 60 in the projected shape when viewed from the front to back side of both the superimposed boards. The influence of switching noise originating from the electrolytic power converter 60 can be reduced.

Furthermore, although the switching elements of the electrolytic power converter 60 that adopt the switching method generate relatively a lot of heat, the RF communication control IC (not shown) arranged in the communication unit 31 It will be placed in a remote location. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the RF communication control IC from malfunctioning due to temperature changes, and to perform more stable RF communication.

Further, while the electrolytic transformer 58 is arranged in one half of the inner-casing space S2 (the inner-casing space S2L), the electrolytic transformer 58 is placed on the other half of the inner-casing space S2 (the inner-casing space S2R) on the display unit arrangement board 52. A communication section 31 is arranged in the area where the communication section 31 is arranged.

Therefore, the influence of noise originating from the electrolytic transformer 58 on RF communication can be suppressed as much as possible, and malfunctions of the RF communication control IC caused by heat generation of the electrolytic transformer 58 can be prevented, allowing more stable RF communication. can be set.

Further, the electrolytic transformer 58 is arranged near the bottom of one half of the inner-casing space S2 (the inner-casing space S2L), on the bottom case 57 in this embodiment. Therefore, the center of gravity of the electrolyzed water generator A6 can be lowered as much as possible to make it less likely to fall over, and the stability of the product overturning can be improved.

Furthermore, the control system power conversion transformer 61 is arranged in one half of the inner-casing space S2 (the inner-casing space S2L). Therefore, the influence of noise originating from the control system power conversion transformer 61 on RF communication can be suppressed as much as possible, and malfunction of the RF communication control IC due to heat generation of the control system power conversion transformer 61 can be prevented. Therefore, more stable RF communication can be performed.

Furthermore, the control system power conversion transformer 61 is mounted on the electrolytic board 53 in a region located in one half of the inner-casing space (the inner-casing space S2L). Therefore, the wiring connecting the electrolytic board 53 and the control system power conversion transformer 61 can be shortened, noise generated from the wiring connecting the two can be suppressed, and the product itself can be made more compact.

In addition, the connection between the display unit arrangement board 52 and the electrolytic board 53 and the connection between the electrolytic board 53 and the electrolytic tank 46 by the cable 62 are made in one half of the internal housing space S2 (internal housing space S2L). It is being done. Therefore, the influence of noise originating from the cable 62 on RF communication can be suppressed as much as possible.

Further, as a feature of the electrolyzed water generator A6 according to the sixth embodiment, the RF communication performed between the communication unit 31 and the RF tag 17c disposed on the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is performed through a plurality of covers. One point is that it is done in a state.

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the mounting position of the communication section 31 of the electrolyzed water generator A6 taken along a plane including the front-back direction and the left-right direction.

In the electrolyzed water generator A6, the space inside the casing S2 was explained as being divided into two spaces on the left and right, the space inside the casing S2L and the space inside the casing S2R. If divided based on the functions of the members and the like, the space inside the housing S2 can be roughly divided into a water system arrangement space S3a and an electrical system arrangement space S3b.

The water system arrangement space S3a and the electrical system arrangement space S3b are spaces partitioned by a board cover 54, as shown in FIG. Mainly water flow system members such as the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 are arranged, while electrical system members such as the display unit arrangement board 52 and the electrolytic board 53 are mainly arranged in the electrical system arrangement space S3b. Note that the members disposed in each of these spaces are not strictly distinguished, and there are some electrically driven members such as electromagnetic valves that are disposed in the water flow system arrangement space S3a.

In addition, the water flow system arrangement space S3a is further divided into a cartridge storage space S1 and a remaining space S4.

The cartridge housing space S1 and the remaining space S4 are spaces partitioned by the rear cover 55. The cartridge housing space S1 is a space in which the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is accommodated and attached, and the remaining space S4 is a space for storing and attaching the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17. This is a space in which water-based components are accommodated.

In the electrolyzed water generator A6 having such a configuration, the communication section 31 further transmits the RF information contained in the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 accommodated in the cartridge accommodation space S1, as shown in the enlarged view of FIG. 15(b). It is provided on the display part arrangement board 52 in correspondence with the tag 17c, and the electrical system arrangement space S3b and the water supply system arrangement space S3a are partitioned by the board cover 54, and the cartridge accommodation space S1 and the remaining space S4 of the water supply system arrangement space S3a are separated. is partitioned by a rear cover 55, and a circuit board cover 54 and a rear cover 55 are interposed between the communication unit 31 and the RF tag 17c.

Therefore, even if water leaks from the electrolytic cell 46, water pipe 16, hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, etc., the communication section 31 is unlikely to be exposed to water, and failures can be prevented as much as possible.

Next, the electrical configuration of the electrolyzed water generator A6 will be further explained. FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing the main components of the electrical configuration of the electrolyzed water generator A6.

The electrolyzed water generator A6 includes an electrolytic transformer 58, an electrolytic board 53, an electrolytic tank 46, and a display unit arrangement board 52, and the electrolytic board 53 includes an electrolytic power converter 60, a control system power conversion transformer 61, and a display unit. The arrangement board 52 is provided with a communication section 31 and a display section 39.

The electrolytic transformer 58 is a transformer for stepping down the AC voltage input from the commercial power supply 65 to about 30 to 40 V AC, for example. The electric power stepped down by the electrolytic transformer 58 is supplied to the electrolytic power converter 60 .

The electrolytic power converter 60 is a part that performs full-wave rectification and further converts power into a state suitable for supply to the electrolytic cell 46 by switching. The electrolytic power converter 60 is connected to the electrolytic cells 46 and supplies power to each of them.

The electrolytic cell 46 has a plurality of plate-shaped electrode parts 46a, 46b, and 46c, and is a part where water that has passed through the salt addition tube 44a or the calcium addition tube 44b is electrolyzed. The water that has undergone electrolysis in the electrolytic cell 46 is discharged through the water discharge pipe 26 as purified electrolyzed water. Further, the electrolytic cell 46 is electrically connected to the display unit arranging board 52, so that a signal regarding the value of the current flowing during electrolysis can be transmitted to the display unit arranging board 52.

The control system power conversion transformer 61 is a transformer for stepping down the AC voltage input from the commercial power supply 65 to approximately 12 V AC, for example. Further, the electrolysis board 53 performs full-wave rectification and smoothing of the power transformed by the control system power conversion transformer 61, and supplies power for driving the ICs, electromagnetic valves, etc. on the display unit arrangement board 52.

The communication unit 31 and display unit 39 mounted on the display unit arrangement board 52 are as described above, and therefore their description will be omitted. Note that the electrolytic transformer 58 and the control system power conversion transformer 61 are not limited to the transformer shown in FIG. 14, but also include a switching transformer directly mounted on a board used in a switching power supply.

Next, the operation realized by the control section 30 included in the display section arrangement board 52 of the electrolyzed water generator A6 will be described. FIG. 17 is a flowchart showing the operation flow of the electrolyzed water generator A6. The control unit 30 is equipped with a CPU, ROM, RAM, etc., and the following management process for the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is realized by the CPU executing a predetermined program while referring to the ROM and RAM. Note that this cartridge management process is executed as a part of the overall control process of the electrolyzed water generator A6 performed by the control unit 30, but a description thereof will be omitted here.

In the cartridge management process, the control unit 30 first performs an impregnation determination process for the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 installed in the cartridge storage space S1 (step S11). Specifically, RF communication is performed with the RF tag 17c of the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, and processing is performed to read information unique to the genuine product from the RF tag 17c.

Next, the control unit 30 determines whether the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is genuine or not, that is, whether information unique to the genuine product has been read through RF communication (step S12). If the information specific to the genuine product cannot be read here (step S12: No), the control unit 30 moves the process to step S13.

In step S13, the control unit 30 causes the display unit 39 to display a message urging the user to use a genuine cartridge, for example, “Please use a genuine cartridge”, and the process branches to the routine before branching. Return to etc. Further, at this time, the control unit 30 may control the electrolyzed water generator A6 to a state where generation of electrolyzed water (purified water) is possible, but it may also control the electrolyzed water generator A6 to a state where generation is impossible.

On the other hand, if information specific to the genuine product is read in step S12 (step S12: Yes), that is, if it is confirmed that the installed hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 is a genuine product, the process is Move to S14.

In step S14, the control unit 30 reads various historical information, such as the cumulative amount of water flow and the cumulative water flow time, from the RF tag 17c.

Next, the control unit 30 performs a process of comparing the various read history information with a predetermined value stored in advance in the RAM or ROM, that is, a threshold value that is a guideline for cartridge replacement (step S15).

Next, the control unit 30 determines whether or not the values of the various history information exceed predetermined values as a result of the comparison (step S16). If it is determined that the predetermined value has been exceeded (step S16: Yes), the control unit 30 moves the process to step S17.

In step S17, the control unit 30 causes the display unit 39 to display a message prompting the user to replace the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17, for example, “Please replace the cartridge.” Return to routine etc. Further, at this time, the control unit 30 may control the electrolyzed water generator A6 to a state where generation of electrolyzed water (purified water) is possible, but it may also control the electrolyzed water generator A6 to a state where generation is impossible.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S16 that the predetermined value is not exceeded (step S16: No), the control unit 30 moves the process to step S18.

In step S18, the control unit 30 counts the water flow time and water flow amount based on the flow rate signal transmitted from the flow rate sensor 18 as the user performs water flow and electrolysis in the electrolyzed water generator A6.

Next, when the user stops the water flow or electrolysis of the electrolyzed water generator A6, the control unit 30 performs RF communication with the RF tag 17c to determine the cumulative water flow amount stored in the RF tag 17c. Various historical information such as cumulative water flow time and the like are written and updated (step S19). After completing this step S19, the control unit 30 returns the process to the routine before branching.

According to the electrolyzed water generator A6 having such a configuration, by determining the authenticity of the genuine product, it is possible to detect a non-genuine cartridge that is supplied to the market as a compatible product by a third party. It is possible to warn or prevent users from using non-genuine cartridges that have questionable effects such as water purification effects or that may be of inferior quality.

Note that for these processes, so-called IoT technology may be adopted as appropriate. For example, the electrolyzed water generator A6 may be configured to be connectable to the Internet so that the user can order a predetermined cartridge via a touch panel employed in the display section 39.

Also, it may be configured to allow cooperation (communication) with a smartphone. For example, you can use an application installed on your smartphone to check the current amount of usage and usage time, or to check changes in usage status. It is also possible to prompt the user to purchase a new cartridge or to order a new cartridge via the smartphone before the cartridge reaches a predetermined value that is a guideline for replacement.

Furthermore, the information written by the electrolyzed water generator A6 to the RF tag 17c can include further information in addition to the history information described above. For example, cumulative electrolysis time and product error information, or if a water conductivity sensor or pH sensor is provided, measurement results such as conductivity and pH can also be stored.

Additionally, the electrolyzed water generator A6 can be equipped with a means for specifying the installation location, such as a GPS (Global Positioning System). For example, based on location information obtained from GPS, processing can be performed in accordance with the water properties and pH characteristics of the area.

Furthermore, if various types of information were to be stored in the RF tags of consumable cartridges, for example, water purification equipment and cartridge sellers could read out the stored data when collecting used cartridges for recycling, Even if the product is installed in the user's home, it is possible to obtain information such as the user's usage status, which can be used for future product development and for improving defects in current products.

[Seventh embodiment]
The seventh embodiment relates to a cartridge attached to the water purification apparatus according to the first to sixth embodiments, and particularly relates to a protection structure for an RF tag. FIG. 18 is an explanatory diagram showing various configurations of an ionized water cartridge, which is one embodiment of a consumable cartridge.

The ionized water cartridge 71 shown in FIG. 18(a) is a general cylindrical cartridge, and an inlet 71a and an outlet 71b are provided on the bottom surface. Furthermore, an RF tag 71c is disposed in the body of the ionized water cartridge 71, and the RF tag 71c is disposed within a recess 71d formed in the body, and the RF tag 71c is disposed in a recess 71d formed in the body. The position is radially lower than the curved surface.

The ionized water cartridge 72 shown in FIG. 18(b) has a different configuration from the ionized water cartridge 71 in that an inlet 72a is formed on the bottom and an outlet 72b is formed on the top. They have the same configuration in that they are disposed within 72d.

According to these ionized water cartridges 71 and 72, as shown in FIG. 18(c), even when the body is placed in contact with a flat surface such as a table, the RF tag 71c , 72c does not come into contact with a flat surface, and the RF tag can be prevented from being damaged.

In particular, RF tags have a built-in IC and must be handled with care, while cartridges are often cylindrical and easily roll. Although it is assumed that the tag may be damaged, by adopting such a configuration, the built-in IC can be appropriately protected.

Moreover, such a recessed portion may be provided not only on the body but also on the top surface. That is, as shown in FIG. 18(d), an inflow port 73a and an outflow port 73b are provided on one surface (here, the bottom surface), and a recessed portion 73d is formed on the other surface (here, the top surface). It is also possible to arrange. According to the configuration of this ionized water cartridge 73, compared to the ionized water cartridge 71 and the ionized water cartridge 72, the RF tag 73c is provided on a surface different from the surface on which it rolls, so the RF tag is less likely to be damaged. This can be further avoided.

Note that the above-mentioned ionized water cartridges 71, 72, and 73 are merely examples, and it goes without saying that the present invention can be applied to the above-mentioned consumable cartridges in general.

[Eighth embodiment]
The eighth embodiment, like the seventh embodiment, relates to a protection structure for an RF tag. FIG. 19 shows a protection structure for an RF tag in an ionized water cartridge, which is an embodiment of a consumable cartridge, in a composite cartridge configured to use a combination of two upper and lower divided cartridges, for example, a hollow fiber membrane divided cartridge and an activated carbon divided cartridge. It is an explanatory diagram showing various compositions of.

FIG. 19(a) shows a composite cartridge 80 configured to use a hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 81 and an activated carbon dividing cartridge 82 in combination, and an inlet 80a is provided on the bottom surface of the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 81 side, and an activated carbon dividing cartridge An outflow port 80b is formed on the top surface on the 82 side. Further, a watertight joint structure is provided between the top surface of the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 81 and the bottom surface of the activated carbon dividing cartridge 82, so that the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 81 and the activated carbon dividing cartridge 82 can be separated. It has a combinable configuration.

Further, at the joint portion between the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 81 and the activated carbon dividing cartridge 82, a circumferential portion protrudes outward in the radial direction compared to the body circumferential surface of the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 81 and the activated carbon dividing cartridge 82. A joint flange portion 80e is formed.

Further, an RF tag 81c is disposed in a recess 81d in the body of the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 81, and the position of the recess 81d on the body surface in the axial direction is closer to the joint flange 80e than the bottom surface. It is located at

According to the composite cartridge 80 having such a configuration, since the joint flange portion 80e has high strength, the composite cartridge 80 is susceptible to deformation and bulge due to water pressure during water flow. Stable RF communication can be performed without any interference.

FIG. 19(b) shows a composite cartridge 83 which has substantially the same configuration as the composite cartridge 80 and uses a hollow fiber membrane segmented cartridge 84 and an activated carbon segmented cartridge 85 in combination. The cartridge 84 has an outlet 83b and a joint flange 83e, and an RF tag 84c is disposed on the body of the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 84, but a marker 81f is attached instead of the recess 81d.

According to such a configuration, when the RF tag 84c is attached by attaching it, a worker when manufacturing the cartridge can easily recognize the attaching position, and it is possible to improve work efficiency. can.

FIG. 19(c) shows a composite cartridge 86 which has substantially the same configuration as the composite cartridge 80, and which uses a hollow fiber membrane segmented cartridge 87 and an activated carbon segmented cartridge 88 in combination. The cartridge 87 is equipped with an outlet 86b and a joint flange 86e, and an RF tag 87c is disposed on the body of the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 87. As shown in the lower part of FIG. Instead, a part of the circumferential curved surface of the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 87 is made into a flat surface 87g, and an RF tag 87c is disposed on the same flat surface 87g.

In addition, an inlet side flange 86f that protrudes radially outward relative to the circumferential surface of the body is formed at the peripheral edge position on the bottom side of the curved surface of the body of the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 87, and the activated carbon is divided. An outflow port side flange 86g is formed at a peripheral edge position on the top surface side of the curved surface of the body of the cartridge 88 and protrudes radially outward relative to the circumferential surface of the body.

According to such a configuration, when the RF tag 87c is attached by attaching it, a worker when manufacturing the cartridge can easily recognize the attaching position, thereby improving work efficiency. can. Furthermore, since the RF tag 87c can be attached to a flat surface, the load on the RF tag 87c due to bending can be reduced compared to the case where the RF tag 87c is attached to a curved surface. Furthermore, since the bodies of the hollow fiber membrane segmented cartridge 81 and the activated carbon segmented cartridge 82 are relatively concave due to the inlet side flange 86f and the outlet side flange 86g, the composite cartridge 86 can be laid down on a flat surface such as a table. Even if the RF tag 87c is placed on a flat surface, the RF tag 87c does not come into contact with a flat surface, and damage to the RF tag 87c can be suppressed as much as possible.

FIG. 19(d) shows a composite cartridge 89 that has substantially the same configuration as the composite cartridge 86 and uses a hollow fiber membrane segmented cartridge 90 and an activated carbon segmented cartridge 91 in combination. The cartridge 90 is equipped with an outlet 89b and a joint flange 89e, and an RF tag 90c is disposed on a flat surface 90g on the body of the hollow fiber membrane dividing cartridge 90. Furthermore, a part of the curved surface around the activated carbon divided cartridge 91 is made into a flat surface 91g, and an RF tag 91c is arranged on the same flat surface 91g.

According to such a configuration, since RF tags are provided on both divided cartridges, each divided cartridge has different consumable materials, and even if each divided cartridge is replaced individually, they must be managed separately. It can be performed. In this case, each RF tag should be placed in a position where the radio waves of RF communication do not interfere with each other. In addition, each of the composite cartridges according to the eighth embodiment had an inlet port formed on one end face of the composite cartridge and an outlet port formed on the other end face of the composite cartridge. ), it is of course possible to provide both an inlet and an outlet on one end face or the other end face.

As described above, according to the water purification device according to the present embodiment, the water purification device that discharges water that has passed through the consumable cartridge includes a communication unit that performs wireless communication with an RF tag that the consumable cartridge has. , the management section that manages the consumable cartridges based on the information obtained through the communication is mounted on one board, so even though it is equipped with the communication section and the management section, the increase in manufacturing costs due to the number of boards is avoided. It is possible to provide a water purifier and an electrolyzed water generator that can be suppressed.

Finally, the description of each embodiment described above is an example of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. Therefore, it goes without saying that various changes can be made to the embodiments other than those described above, depending on the design, etc., as long as they do not depart from the technical idea of the present invention.

For example, in the electrolyzed water generator A6 described in the sixth embodiment, the display unit placement board 52 and the electrolytic board 53 are separate boards, but they may be configured as one board.

That is, in an electrolyzed water generator that is an embodiment of a water purification device that includes a substrate on which a communication section 31 and a management section 38 are mounted, and an electrolytic cell 46, on the substrate there is provided information for supplying water to the electrolytic cell 46. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which an electrolytic power conversion section 60 that converts power into a state suitable for the above, and a display section 39 that displays management information regarding the hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17 generated by the management section 38 are arranged. .

In this case, the electrolytic power converter 60 is placed near one corner of the substrate, and the communication unit 31 is placed near a corner diagonal to the corner where the electrolytic power converter 60 is placed. The influence of switching noise originating from the power converter 60 can be reduced.

Furthermore, the water purification device is not limited to one that functions as a water purifier or an electrolyzed water generator as explained in each of the above embodiments, but rather introduces supplied water into the device and purifies it. Those equipped with a configuration for discharging water are included in the water purification apparatus according to the present invention. However, this does not prevent the present applicant from limiting the aspect of the water purification device when obtaining rights for the present application.

Furthermore, the number of communication units and consumable cartridges that can be installed in water purification devices such as water purifiers and electrolyzed water generators is not particularly limited, and may be one, two, three, or in some cases four or more. Of course, it is also possible to include more communication units and consumable cartridges.

Note that the water purification device according to the present invention can contribute to Goal 6 (safe water and toilets around the world) of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) advocated by the United Nations.

17 Hollow fiber membrane cartridge 17c RF tag 18 Flow rate sensor 31 Communication part 37 Control board 38 Management part 39 Display part 41 Activated carbon cartridge 42 Power supply part 43 Calcined coral cartridge 46 Electrolytic cell 47 Operation part 52 Display part arrangement board 53 Electrolytic board 54 Substrate cover 55 Rear cover 57 Bottom case 58 Electrolytic transformer 60 Electrolytic power converter 61 Transformer for control system power converter 62 Cable A1 to A5 Water purifier A6 Electrolyzed water generator S1 Cartridge housing space S2 Space inside the housing S2L Space inside the housing S2R Space inside the housing S3a Communication Water system arrangement space S3b Electrical system arrangement space S4 Remaining space

Claims (22)

1. In a water purification device that discharges water that passes through a consumable cartridge,
   A communication unit that performs wireless communication with an RF tag included in the consumable cartridge and a management unit that manages the consumable cartridge based on information obtained through the communication are mounted on one substrate. Characteristic water purification device.
2. The water purification device according to claim 1, wherein the communication section is arranged near an edge of the substrate.
3. The water purifier according to claim 2, wherein the communication section is arranged at a corner of the substrate.
4. The water purification device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a display unit that displays management information regarding the consumable cartridge generated by the management unit is arranged on the substrate.
5. The board is arranged approximately vertically within the casing of the water purification device, and the display section is arranged in an area above the center of the vertical length of the board, while the communication section is The water purification device according to claim 4, wherein the water purification device is arranged in a lower half region.
6. 2. The communication device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of consumable cartridges are configured to be attachable, and a plurality of communication units are provided on the substrate in correspondence with each of the RF tags included in the plurality of consumable cartridges. water purification equipment.
7. The board is arranged substantially vertically within the casing of the water purification device,
   The number of the plurality of attachable consumable cartridges is two,
   The communication unit is arranged one by one in a region at both ends when the length of the board in the left and right direction is divided into four, and is made to correspond to each of the RF tags possessed by the two consumable cartridges. The water purification device according to claim 6.
8. The communication unit is arranged in a region lower than the center of the vertical length of the board, and the power supply unit supplies power to the management unit and/or the consumable material generated by the management unit. 8. The water purification device according to claim 7, wherein a display section for displaying management information regarding the cartridge is arranged in an upper half region.
9. Claim characterized in that one of the communication units is arranged in a region in a lower half than the center of the vertical length of the substrate, and the other communication unit is arranged in a region in an upper half. 7. The water purification device according to 7.
10. The plurality of attachable consumable cartridges are three or more,
    The board is arranged substantially vertically within the casing of the water purification device,
    The positions of the communication parts in the left-right direction are such that when the board is divided into four equal parts in the left-right direction, one each is placed in the regions at both ends, and the remaining communication parts are placed between the communication parts so that all the communication parts are approximately equal to each other. At the same time as equally spaced positions,
    The vertical position of each of the communication parts is a staggered position near the upper and lower edges across an imaginary line extending in the left-right direction that bisects the board in the vertical direction,
    7. The water purification device according to claim 6, wherein the RF tags are associated with each of the RF tags included in the consumable cartridge.
11. The water purification device according to claim 7 or 10, wherein the consumable cartridges are arranged alternately on the front side and the back side with the substrate in between.
12. The water purification device according to claim 1,
    Furthermore, it is equipped with an electrolytic cell that electrolyzes water.
    Arranged on the substrate are an electrolytic power converter that converts electric power into a state suitable for supply to the electrolytic cell, and a display unit that displays management information regarding the consumable cartridge generated by the management unit. An electrolyzed water generator characterized by:
13. 12. The electrolytic power converter is disposed near one corner of the substrate, and the communication section is disposed near a corner diagonal to the corner where the electrolytic power converter is disposed. Electrolyzed water generator described in.
14. The water purification device according to claim 1,
    Furthermore, it is equipped with an electrolytic cell that electrolyzes water.
    The board has a display part arranged thereon to display management information regarding the consumable cartridge generated by the management part, and serves as a display part arrangement board;
    An electrolytic power converter for converting electric power into a state suitable for supplying to the electrolytic cell is arranged on a second substrate different from the display section substrate, and further, the second substrate and the display section substrate are connected to each other. An electrolyzed water generator characterized by being arranged in layers.
15. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 14, wherein the communication unit on the display unit placement board is arranged at a position that does not overlap with the second board.
16. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 15, wherein the communication section on the display section arrangement board is arranged at a diagonal corner of the electrolytic power conversion section.
17. A transformer for voltage conversion of the electric power to be supplied to the electrolytic power converter is disposed in one half of the space within the housing, while a transformer for converting voltage of the power supplied to the electrolytic power converter is arranged in a region on the display unit placement board that is disposed on the other half of the space within the housing. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 16, further comprising the communication section.
18. 18. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 17, wherein the transformer for converting the voltage of the electric power supplied to the electrolytic power converter is disposed near the bottom of one half of the space within the housing.
19. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 18, wherein a control system power conversion transformer that supplies power to the display unit placement board is arranged in one half of the space within the housing.
20. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 19, wherein the control system power conversion transformer is arranged in a region on the second board that is arranged in one half of the space inside the housing.
21. The connection between the display unit arrangement board and the second board and/or the cable connection between the second board and the electrolytic cell is performed in one half of the space within the housing. The electrolyzed water generator according to claim 20.
22. A water flow system arrangement space in which the supplied water is guided to the water spout, the electrolytic cell, and the consumable cartridge are accommodated, and an electrical system arrangement space in which the display part arrangement board and the second board are arranged. Prepared inside the housing,
    The water flow system arrangement space includes a cartridge storage space in which the attached consumable cartridge is stored, and a remaining space in which other parts are stored,
    The communication unit is provided on the display unit arrangement board in correspondence with the RF tag of the consumable cartridge housed in the cartridge accommodation space, and the electrical system arrangement space and the water flow system arrangement space are partitioned by a board cover. , wherein the cartridge accommodating space and the remaining space in the water flow system arrangement space are partitioned by a rear cover, and the substrate cover and the rear cover are interposed between the communication section and the RF tag. The electrolyzed water generator according to any one of items 14 to 21.

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