JP3238967B2 - Water treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus capable of adding an additive such as calcium to water, and more particularly to a water treatment apparatus capable of detecting the remaining amount of an additive.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art This type of apparatus is disclosed in, for example,
As shown in Japanese Patent No. 2295, a container containing an additive is connected to a water passage, and water is introduced into the container to gradually add the additive therein. And

[0003] By the way, it is necessary to replenish the additive in the container when the remaining amount becomes small. However, if the container is arranged at a position where it can be visually observed from the outside, it becomes easy for sunlight to shine and algae to propagate. Therefore, it is necessary to dispose it in a position where sunlight does not enter, that is, a position where it is difficult to see.
As a result, there is a problem that the remaining amount of the additive cannot be easily confirmed.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to reliably detect that the remaining amount of an additive is low even when a container containing the additive is placed at a position where it is difficult to see. It is an issue.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to a method in which water is passed through a water passage into a container containing an additive, and the additive is added to the water. Optical detecting means for transmitting and receiving light passing through the inside of the container a predetermined number of times at predetermined time intervals; water flow state detecting means for detecting the flow state of water in the water passage; After detecting the water flow stop state, the optical detection means determines the remaining state of the additive in the container based on the output when counting the number of times exceeding a predetermined value, and And a notifying means that operates based on the output of the discriminating means.

[0006]

[0007]

According to the present invention, it is determined whether or not the remaining amount of the additive in the container is a predetermined amount based on whether or not the light transmitted and received by the optical detecting means is blocked by the additive. This determination is made based on the output when the light passing through the inside of the container is transmitted and received a predetermined number of times at a predetermined interval through the light transmitting portion of the container and the number of times exceeding the set value is counted, so that the determination result has reliability. be able to. In addition, by performing this determination after stopping the flow of water, the influence of the additive diffused into the container by the water flowing into the container on the optical detection means can be reduced. Then, by notifying whether or not the remaining amount of the additive in the container is a predetermined amount, it is possible to accurately notify the replenishment time of the additive by notifying.

[0008]

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS As shown in FIG. 1, a container (2) for containing an additive is connected in the middle of a water passage pipe (1), and is located below the center of the container (2) and optically connected to the container. Target detection means (3). A cap (4) is detachably provided at a lower portion of the container (2), and the additive can be replenished to the container (2) by removing the cap (4). The cap (4) is formed with two connecting pipes (5) and (5 ').
The container (2) is connected to the hole formed in the pipe (1) through an O-type packing to connect the container (2) to the pipe (1).
It is detachable with respect to.

The optical detecting means (3) has an infrared light emitting diode (7) and a phototransistor (8) for receiving the light on one substrate (6) having the container (2) arranged in the cutout portion. It is composed. The infrared light emitting diode (7) and the phototransistor (8) are opposed to each other so as to transmit and receive infrared rays through the inside of the container (2) therebetween. The container (2) is partially or entirely made of a transparent or transmissive member in order to enhance the transmittance of the above-mentioned infrared rays.

The water passage pipe (1) is provided with a water flow detecting means (9) comprising a flow meter for detecting the flow state of water in the pipe or a pressure switch.

Next, the circuit configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 2. The infrared light emitting diode (7) and the phototransistor (8) are connected to a main circuit (10) mainly composed of a microcomputer or the like. The water flow detecting means (9) is also connected to the main circuit (10). The main circuit (10) is connected to a notifying means (11) having a light emitting diode, a buzzer, and the like for notifying that the additive needs to be replenished.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG. Here, it is assumed that granular calcium glycerophosphate (white) is contained as an additive in the container (2) as shown by a dotted line. Then, for example, by opening the tap, the pipe (1)
When a flow of water indicated by an arrow is generated therein, the water flows into the container (2) via the connection pipe (5), and the above-mentioned additive dissolves in the water, and the pipe (1) flows through the connection pipe (5 '). ). The flow of water in the pipe (1) is detected by the water flow detecting means (9).

When the flow of water in the pipe (1) stops due to, for example, closing of the faucet, the state is detected by the water flow detecting means (9). In step (S1), when the detection means (9) detects the stoppage of water flow in step (S1), the main circuit (10) restarts the timer function in the next step (S2) and starts the timer function. The remaining amount state of the additive is determined by S4). In this step (S3), the operation of lighting the light emitting diode (7) for a predetermined time (for example, 500 μs) is performed a predetermined number of times (for example, 5 times) at predetermined time intervals (for example, 100 ms), and the output of the phototransistor (8) is performed by the lighting. The remaining amount of the additive is detected by performing a process of counting the number of times that the number exceeds the predetermined value.
In this processing, if the remaining amount of the additive is large, the light to the phototransistor (8) is blocked, so that the count number becomes a small value, and if the remaining amount is small, the value becomes a large value. In the following step (S4), based on the count value, if the count value is, for example, 3 or more, it is determined that supplementation of the additive is necessary. At this stage, if it is determined that replenishment is necessary, the process proceeds to step (S9), where the LED for replenishment notification is turned on or a buzzer sounds for a predetermined time to notify that replenishment is necessary.

However, immediately after use, even when the remaining amount of the additive is small, the additive is in a state of floating in the water and shields the light, so that it is often determined that replenishment is not necessary. Therefore, when it is not necessary, the time from when the flow of water is stopped to when the additive in the container (2) precipitates and stabilizes and the supernatant portion becomes almost transparent is experimentally determined, and the step ( In S5), it is determined whether or not the predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) has elapsed. When the time has elapsed, the remaining amount determination similar to the above steps (S3) and (S4) is performed again in steps (S6) and (S7). Do. By this determination, the effect of the additive floating in the water is eliminated, and the determination can be made more accurately by determining whether the amount of the additive is equal to or less than a predetermined remaining amount. If it is determined in step (S7) that the replenishment is necessary, the process proceeds to step (S9), and a notification that the replenishment is necessary is performed. If it is not determined that replenishment is necessary, the process proceeds to step (S8), and a notification cancel process is performed.

[0016]

According to the present invention, the container is arranged at a position where it is difficult to see by using optical detecting means for transmitting and receiving light passing through the inside of the container through the light transmitting portion of the container containing the additive. Even in this case, the remaining amount of the additive can be reliably and hygienically detected. Further, after the flow of water through the water passage is stopped, it is determined whether or not the remaining amount of the additive in the container is a predetermined amount based on the output of the optical detecting means, so that the additive diffused by the water flowing into the container. The influence of the object on the optical detection means can be reduced, and the remaining amount can be determined more accurately. Then, by notifying whether or not the remaining amount of the additive in the container is a predetermined amount by the notifying means, it is possible to surely inform the user of the replenishment time of the additive.
In particular, the optical detection means determines the remaining state of the additive by an output when a predetermined number of times are transmitted and received at predetermined time intervals and the number of times exceeding a set value is counted, so that the detection result has reliability, Even if the container is provided at a position in the apparatus main body that cannot be seen from the outside, there is no waste in removing the container or replenishing additives due to erroneous detection.

[0017]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram of the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Water passage pipe 2 Container 3 Optical detection means 9 Water flow detection means

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Junnosuke Ijiri 3-201 Minamiyoshikata, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture Tottori Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Seiichiro Kobayashi 3-201 Minamiyoshikata, Tottori City, Tottori Prefecture Address: Sanyo Tottori Electric Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Toru Matsui 3-201, Minamiyoshikata, Tottori City, Tottori Pref. (72) Inventor: Kazuhiko Miyawaki 3-201, Minamiyoshikata, Tottori City, Tottori Tori Tori Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-58-187884 (JP, A) JP-A-4-110190 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) C02F 1/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A method in which water passing through a water passage flows into a container storing an additive, and the additive is added to the water, wherein light passing through the inside of the container is transmitted through a light-transmitting portion of the container. and optical detection means you receive send a predetermined number of times at predetermined time intervals, and the water circulation state detecting means for detecting a flow state of water in the water passage, the flow stop state of the water in the water passage by the detection means after There has been detected, said optical detection means
A determination unit configured to determine a remaining state of the additive in the container based on an output when the number of times exceeding a predetermined value is counted; and a notification unit that operates based on an output of the determination unit. And water treatment equipment.