JP5408545B2 - Operation device for water heater - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an operating device used as a remote controller for a hot water device such as a hot water supply device.

  For example, an operation device for a hot water supply device is usually provided with an operation switch, a menu switch, and an increase / decrease change switch. The operation switch is used to switch between an operation on mode that permits operation of a hot water supply device that is a remote target and an operation off mode that does not permit the operation. The menu switch is operated, for example, when changing the hot water supply temperature or adjusting the time of a clock provided in the operation device, and is used to select a data change menu and set the operation device to the data variable mode. . The increase / decrease change switch is used to actually increase / decrease the menu data selected by operating the menu switch in the data variable mode, and is operated, for example, when the hot water supply temperature is raised or lowered by 1 ° C.

  In this type of conventional operation device, for example, as described in Patent Documents 1 to 3, the various operation switches as described above are all configured as contact-type operation switches such as a push button method. It is common. However, when such a contact-type operation switch is used, the operation surface on which the operation switch is provided is uneven. In this case, dirt is easily generated and dirt is difficult to be removed. Therefore, the present inventors have conceived of promoting the flattening of the operation surface by using, for example, a capacitance-type non-contact type operation switch instead of the contact type operation switch. However, since the non-contact type operation switch does not use a physical operation button, it is necessary to display the position of the operation switch. Therefore, a light emitting unit capable of switching between light emission and non-light emission is provided corresponding to the non-contact type operation switch, and the light emitting unit emits light so that the position of the operation switch can be identified by the user. Newly inspired.

  However, when the configuration as described above is employed, if the light emitting unit is allowed to emit light at all times, power consumption is increased, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of energy saving. On the other hand, if the light emitting unit emits light at an inappropriate timing, the operability of the switch may be deteriorated.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-99433 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 05-103383 JP-A-10-112890

  The present invention has been conceived under the circumstances as described above, can promote the flattening of the operation surface on which the operation switch is provided, and is excellent in energy saving while improving operability. An object of the present invention is to provide an operating device for a hot water device that can be used.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention takes the following technical means.

  The operation device for a hot water device provided by the present invention has an operation surface provided with a plurality of operation switches, and is configured to be able to execute data communication processing with a hot water device to be remotely operated. It is an operating device, and as the plurality of operating switches, an operation switch for switching between an operation on mode that permits operation of the hot water device and an operation off mode that does not permit the operation and a data change menu are selected to change data An operation device for a hot water apparatus, comprising: a menu switch capable of setting a mode; and an increase / decrease change switch for increasing / decreasing / changing menu data selected by operating the menu switch, wherein the increase / decrease switch The change switch is configured as a non-contact operation switch, and is connected to the increase / decrease change switch on the operation surface. A light emitting part for an increase / decrease change switch capable of switching between light emission and non-light emission is provided at a place to perform, and the light emission part for the increase / decrease change switch is provided from the operation off mode in addition to the operation off mode. While the non-light-emitting state is maintained even when switched to the operation-on mode, the light-emitting state is set when the data variable mode is set by operating the menu switch in the operation mode, and thereafter When the data variable mode is canceled, the non-light emitting state is restored.

  According to such a configuration, at least the increase / decrease change switch is formed as a contactless operation switch having no physical switch button. Advantages such as improving the appearance of the apparatus, making it difficult to cause dirt, and facilitating removal of dirt can be obtained. In addition, the light emitting unit for the increase / decrease change switch is in a light emitting state substantially only during a period when it is highly necessary to operate the increase / decrease change switch, and in order to maintain a non-light emitting state during other periods, It is possible to easily detect whether the increase / decrease change switch should be operated by distinguishing light emission / non-light emission of the light emission part for the increase / decrease change switch, and good operability can be obtained. In addition, the period during which the light emitting unit of the increase / decrease change switch is in the light emitting state can be suppressed to the minimum necessary period, and energy saving can be appropriately achieved.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the light emission unit for the increase / decrease change switch displays a display for recognizing the position of the increase / decrease change switch by light emission, and the increase / decrease change switch includes a data increase switch and a data decrease switch. A display for identifying which one of the switches is used is configured.

  According to such a configuration, the user can accurately determine the position and type of the increase / decrease change switch by setting the light emitting unit for the increase / decrease change switch to the light emitting state. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a display indicating the position and type of the increase / decrease change switch on the operation surface, and the operation surface can be finished with a simple design.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in addition to the increase / decrease change switch, the menu switch is also configured as a contactless operation switch, and a portion of the operation surface corresponding to the menu switch includes: A light emitting section for a menu switch that can be switched between light emission and non-light emission is provided. The light emission section for the menu switch is switched from the operation off mode to the operation on mode in addition to the operation off mode. Even when the data variable mode is set, the non-light emission state is maintained, while the data variable mode is in the light emission state when the increase / decrease change switch is operated, and then the data variable mode When the is released, it is configured to return to the non-light emitting state.

  According to such a configuration, in addition to the increase / decrease change switch, the menu switch is also formed as a non-contact operation switch having no physical switch button, so that the flattening of the operation surface is further promoted. Thus, it is possible to further improve the appearance of the operating device and make it difficult to cause dirt. In addition, the period during which the menu switch light-emitting unit is in the light-emitting state is limited to the period from when the increase / decrease change switch is operated to when the data variable mode is canceled in the data variable mode. There is no light emission and energy saving can be achieved. In addition, the fact that the light emitting part of the menu switch is in the light emitting state means that the data variable mode has not been properly terminated yet, and thereafter prompts the user to properly terminate the data variable mode. Become. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an effect of preventing the data variable mode from being left without being ended after the data variable mode is set.

  In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a housing that houses therein a control circuit capable of executing data communication processing with a hot water device to be remotely operated is provided, and the surface of the wall portion of the housing is The non-contact type operation switch is configured by housing a capacitance sensor in the housing and disposing the switch on the back side of the wall portion. Is provided with a thin portion that transmits light traveling from a light source provided in the housing to the outside of the housing, and the thin portion is the light emitting portion.

  According to such a configuration, it is appropriately realized by a simple structure that the operation switch is of a non-contact type and that the light emitting unit corresponding to the non-contact type of operation switch is provided.

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings.

It is an external appearance perspective view which shows an example of the operating device which concerns on this invention. It is a disassembled perspective view of the operating device shown in FIG. It is III-III principal part sectional drawing of FIG. It is a top view which shows an example of the electrostatic capacitance sensor used in the operating device shown in FIG. It is a principal part enlarged view which shows the positional relationship of the electrostatic capacitance sensor shown in FIG. 4, and the light emission part provided in the operating device of FIG. It is a flowchart which shows an example of the operation processing procedure of the control circuit which the operating device shown in FIG. 1 comprises.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described with reference to the drawings.

  1 to 5 show an example of an operating device to which the present invention is applied. The operation device A for the hot water device of the present embodiment is for remote operation of a hot water supply device (not shown) having an automatic bath filling function, for example, and is attached to a wall surface of a kitchen or the like, and the main controller of the hot water supply device Are used in a state where they are wired to enable data communication.

  1 and 2, the operation device A includes a casing 1, a plurality of operation switches SW <b> 0 to SW <b> 3 as non-contact type electrostatic switches provided in the casing 1, and push buttons. The contact-type operation switch 8 used, a plurality of light emitting units 12A to 12C, a control board 2 for constructing a control circuit 2A, a data display unit 3, and a capacitance sensor 4 are provided. Note that the operation switches SW0 to SW3 do not have physical operation buttons, and reference numerals SW0 to SW3 in the drawing indicate regions that function as operation switches.

  The housing 1 has a flat, substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and the surface of the front wall portion 11 of the housing 1 is an operation surface 11a provided with a plurality of operation switches SW0 to SW3. The housing 1 has a synthetic resin housing body 10 having a front wall portion 11. In the present embodiment, the back plate portion 19 is attached to the back side of the housing main body portion 10, but the housing 1 is attached to a wall surface of a kitchen or the like without including the back plate portion 19. It can also be a structure.

  The control board 2 is mounted with various electric / electronic components for constructing a predetermined control circuit 2A, and is housed in the housing 1 and fixed using screws (not shown). The control circuit 2A, in addition to the function of performing data communication processing with the hot water supply device to be remotely operated, determines whether or not the operation switches SW0 to SW3 are operated via the capacitance sensor 4 as will be described later. Processing for determining, processing of data to be displayed on the display unit 3, data processing corresponding to the operation of the operation switches SW0 to SW3 and the operation switch 8, switching processing of light emission and non-light emission of the light emitting units 12A to 12C, etc. It is configured. The display unit 3 is for appropriately switching and displaying data such as a hot water supply temperature and time, and is configured using, for example, a fluorescent display tube, a liquid crystal panel, or an organic EL panel. The display unit 3 is mounted on the control board 2 and is disposed so as to face the window 18 provided on the front wall 11 of the housing 1, and the surface thereof is covered by the translucent cover body 17. It has been broken.

  The electrostatic capacitance sensor 4 is for constituting electrostatic operation switches SW0 to SW3, and is provided in contact with or close to the back surface side of the front wall portion 11 of the housing 1 as shown in FIG. It has been. As clearly shown in FIG. 4, the capacitance sensor 4 includes a light-transmitting and flexible synthetic resin insulating sheet 40, a plurality of electrode portions E <b> 0 to E <b> 4, and a plurality connected thereto. The lead wire portion 41 has a configuration in which a pattern is formed using copper or the like. An end portion 41 a of each lead wire portion 41 is connected to a terminal portion 29 (see FIG. 2) of the control board 2, and energization to the capacitance sensor 4 is performed via the terminal portion 29. The control circuit 2A determines whether or not a switch operation has been performed based on changes in capacitance in the vicinity of the electrode portions E0 to E3. Of the front side of the front wall portion 11, the front regions of the electrode portions E0 to E3 are contactless operation switches SW0 to SW3. The electrode portion E4 is for preventing malfunction, and the front area of the electrode portion E4 does not correspond to an electrostatic switch.

  The operation switches SW0 to SW3 are more specifically the operation switch SW0, the menu switch SW1, and the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3. These are operated for the same purpose as the operation switch, menu switch, and increase / decrease / change switch described in the section of the background art, and redundant description is omitted. Of the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3, the switch SW2 is used when the change target data is increased, and the switch SW3 is used when the change target data is decreased. Further, as will be described later, the menu switch SW1 in the present embodiment is not only operated when setting the data variable mode, but also when the data variable mode is ended.

  The plurality of light emitting units 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> C are configured by forming a plurality of locations on the front wall portion 11 of the housing 1 as partial thin portions. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a plurality of recesses 15 a are formed on the back surface side of the front wall portion 11, so that a plurality of locations on the front wall portion 11 have a thin portion with a thin thickness t <b> 1. The thin portion corresponds to the light emitting portions 12A to 12C. A plurality of light sources 7 such as LEDs are mounted on the control board 2, and light can be individually advanced from these light sources 7 toward the light emitting units 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> C. The light emitting units 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> C transmit the proceeding light to the front surface of the housing 1. For this reason, the light emitting units 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> C appear to shine (emits light) from the front of the housing 1. By turning on and off the light source 7, the light emitting units 12A to 12C are switched between a light emitting state and a non-light emitting state. An additional recess 15b having a depth smaller than that of the recess 15a is formed around the plurality of recesses 15a, and an intermediate thick portion 13 is formed. The thickness t2 of the intermediate thick portion 13 is intermediate between the thickness t3 of the non-thin portion 14 and the thickness t1 of the light emitting portions 12A to 12C (thin portions). According to such a configuration, the thickness of the front wall portion 11 is alleviated from abruptly changing at the position where the concave portion 15a is formed, and sink marks are generated on the surface of the front wall portion 11 when the housing 1 is resin-molded. Can be prevented.

  More specifically, the light emitting units 12A to 12C are a menu switch light emitting unit 12A and increase / decrease change switch light emitting units 12B and 12C. The light emission part 12A for menu switches is provided in the same arrangement | positioning as menu switch SW1 among the operation surfaces 11a, and has a circular ring shape by a front view. The light emitting portions 12B and 12C for the increase / decrease change switch are provided in the same arrangement as the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3 in the operation surface 11a, and both have a ring-shaped portion that is circular in front view. However, the light emitting unit 12B has a portion representing a “+” symbol inside the ring-shaped portion. The light emitting unit 12 </ b> C has a portion representing the symbol “−” inside the ring-shaped portion.

  As shown in FIG. 5, preferably, the light emitting units 12 </ b> A to 12 </ b> C and the electrode units E <b> 1 to E <b> 3 of the capacitance sensor 4 are provided so as not to overlap each other when viewed from the front. More specifically, the electrode portions E1 to E3 are formed in a ring shape that is located around the light emitting portion 12 in a front view. In the figure, as means for increasing the electrostatic switch sensitivity by increasing the total area of the electrode portions, the island electrode portion E1 connected to the inside of the electrode portions E1 to E3 via a narrow lead wire portion 42. “˜E3” is provided. Preferably, these island electrode portions E1 'to E3' are also formed in a shape that avoids overlap with the light emitting portions 12A to 12C. According to such a configuration, the light traveling from the light source 7 to the light emitting parts 12A to 12C is prevented from being blocked by the electrode parts E1 to E3, E1 ′ to E3 ′, and the light emission luminance of the light emitting parts 12A to 12C is low. It can be avoided.

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in the present embodiment, the light emitting unit corresponding to the operation switch SW0 is not provided, and characters “operation” are printed by printing, for example, at the position corresponding to the operation switch SW0. It is displayed. The reason is that if a light emitting unit corresponding to the operation switch SW0 is provided to indicate the position of the operation switch SW0, the light emitting unit is always in a light emitting state regardless of the on / off mode of operation. This is because there is a high necessity, or at least during the period when the operation on mode is set, it is highly necessary to keep the light emitting part in a light emitting state, which is not preferable from the viewpoint of energy saving. In addition, for example, “MENU” is printed and displayed at a position corresponding to the menu switch SW1. This is also based on the viewpoint of shortening the lighting display time of the light emitting unit 12A and saving energy. On the other hand, the print display indicating the type and function of the switch is not provided at the positions corresponding to the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3.

  The operation switch 8 is for, for example, executing an automatic bathing operation of a bath, and is a push button method as described above. Of course, this operation switch 8 can also be configured as an electrostatic switch similar to the other operation switches SW0 to SW3.

  Next, the operation of the operation device A will be described.

  The operation switches SW0 to SW3 provided on the operation surface 11a of the housing 1 are contactless electrostatic switches, and the region in which these switches are provided can be flat or have no unevenness. It is. Therefore, unlike the case where many uneven operation switches are densely provided, this operation device A can be finished with a simple appearance and a good design that gives a stylish impression. 11a becomes difficult to get dirty. Moreover, even if dirt is produced, it is easy to clean.

  In this operation device A, as means for providing the contactless operation switches SW0 to SW3, means for providing the capacitance sensor 4 in the casing 1 is adopted, and the light emitting units 12A to 12C are provided on the casing 1. It is formed by providing a concave portion 15a on the front wall portion 11 and reducing its thickness. Therefore, the configuration is reasonable, and the manufacturing cost can be significantly reduced as compared with a case where a touch panel including a set of contactless switches, display means, and the like is incorporated in the housing 1.

  The control circuit 2A is configured to perform a series of operation control shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, and the contents thereof will be described below.

  First, when the operation switch SW0 is not operated and is in the operation off mode, the display unit 3 is also off, and all of the light emitting units 12A to 12C are in the non-light emitting state (S1: NO, S18). Next, when the operation switch SW0 is operated and the operation on mode is set (S1: YES, S2), a predetermined initial screen is displayed on the display unit 3 (S3). On this initial screen, for example, the hot water supply temperature and the current time are displayed. In this state, when the menu switch SW1 is operated, the control circuit 2A sets the data variable mode, causes the display unit 3 to display the menu to be changed, and the light emitting unit 12B for the increase / decrease change switch. , 12C are caused to emit light (S4: YES, S5 to S7).

  The positions of the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3 are indicated on the operation surface 11a by the light emission of the light emission portions 12B and 12C for the increase / decrease change switch described above, and the increase / decrease change switch is indicated by the light emission display of “+” and “−”. The types of SW2 and SW3 are shown. Therefore, the user can change desired data by appropriately operating the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3 based on such light emission display. Further, since the light emitting units 12B and 12C are in a light emitting state for the first time when the menu switch SW1 is operated, the light emitting units 12B and 12C are suitable for shortening the light emitting time and saving energy. Furthermore, the time when the light emission state of the light emitting units 12 and 12C is started is just the time when the user should operate the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3. Accordingly, the user can easily sense that the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3 should be operated, and the operability is excellent.

  Next, when the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3 are operated by the user (S8: YES), the control circuit 2A causes the display unit 3 to display the changed data corresponding to the operation, and the changed data. Is stored (S9). At this time, the control circuit 2A causes the menu switch light-emitting portion 12A to emit light (S10). Thereafter, when the menu switch SW1 is operated again, the data variable mode ends, but the control circuit 2A sets all the light emitting units 12A to 12C to the non-light emitting state at this time (S13). If such control is performed, the light emission section 12A for the menu switch emits light only during the period in which the data variable mode is set, and the light emission time is short. Therefore, it is more preferable to save energy. Further, the fact that the menu switch light-emitting portion 12A is in the light-emitting state means that the data variable mode has not yet ended, and the light-emitting state of the light-emitting portion 12A makes the user aware of that fact. . Therefore, an effect of reducing the possibility that the user will leave the data variable mode without properly ending the data variable mode is also obtained. On the other hand, the increase / decrease change switches SW2 and SW3 do not need to be operated after the data variable mode is completed, and the light emission units 12B and 12C for the increase / decrease change switches are in a non-light-emitting state. Further, the light emitting units 12B and 12C do not unnecessarily maintain the light emitting state, and further energy saving can be achieved.

  The control circuit 2A also executes a process of changing the display unit 3 to the initial screen when the menu switch SW1 is operated again (S11: YES, S14). Accordingly, there is no need to separately perform an operation for returning the display unit 3 to the initial screen, and the operability is improved. In addition, when the predetermined time has passed without the above-described re-operation of the menu switch SW1, it is possible to automatically end the data variable mode and return the display unit 3 to the initial screen. . When the operation switch SW0 is not operated again thereafter and the operation on mode is continued (S15: NO), the operations of the above-described steps S4 to S14 are repeated. In contrast, when the operation switch SW0 is operated again, the operation off mode is set and the display unit 3 is turned off (S15: YES, S16, S17).

  The present invention is not limited to the contents of the embodiment described above. The specific configuration of each part of the operating device for the hot water device according to the present invention can be changed in various ways.

  The contactless operation switch in the present invention can be replaced with another method such as a resistance film method or a surface acoustic wave method, for example, instead of the capacitance method. Further, instead of the configuration in which the wall surface of the housing in which the control circuit is housed is used as the operation surface as in the above-described embodiment, for example, a separate panel is attached to the housing, and the surface of this panel is defined as the operation surface. It can also be set as the structure which carried out.

  In the present invention, it is a requirement that an operation switch, a menu switch, and an increase / decrease / change switch be provided as operation switches. However, not all of them need to be contactless operation switches. For example, the operation switch can be a push button type. Of course, other operation switches other than the operation switch, the menu switch, and the increase / decrease change switch may be a non-contact type.

  The light emitting section referred to in the present invention is not limited to a circular ring shape or a shape of symbols “+” and “−”. For example, it may be formed in another ring shape such as a rectangular ring shape, or a partially cut ring shape, or in other shapes or symbols or patterns (for example, Δ, ▽, etc.) different from the above symbols. You can also In addition, the light emitting unit is not limited to a configuration in which a thin wall portion is provided on the wall portion of the housing. For example, by providing a hole in a member forming the operation surface and disposing an LED light source therein, The LED light source can be seen from the front of the operation surface, and the LED light source itself can be configured as a light emitting unit.

  The operating device according to the present invention is for a hot water device, but the hot water device as used in the present invention means a device having a function of generating hot water, and is not limited to those for general hot water supply or bath hot water supply. It is a wide concept including various types of hot water supply devices for heating, melting snow, and the like and devices for generating hot water used in addition to hot water supply.

Claims (4)

An operation device having an operation surface provided with a plurality of operation switches and configured to execute data communication processing with a hot water device to be remotely operated,
As the plurality of operation switches,
An operation switch for switching between an operation on mode that permits operation of the hot water apparatus and an operation off mode that does not permit the operation;
A menu switch that allows you to select the data change menu and set the data variable mode,
Increase / decrease change switch for increasing / decreasing the data of the menu selected by operating this menu switch,
An operating device for a hot water device comprising:
At least the increase / decrease change switch is configured as a contactless operation switch, and light emission for an increase / decrease change switch that can switch between light emission and non-light emission in a portion corresponding to the increase / decrease change switch in the operation surface. Part is provided,
The light emission unit for the increase / decrease change switch maintains the non-light emission state when the operation off mode is switched to the operation on mode in addition to the operation off mode, while the menu switch in the operation mode. When the data variable mode is set by being operated, the light emitting state is set, and when the data variable mode is subsequently released, the non-light emitting state is restored. Operation device for hot water equipment.   The light emission unit for the increase / decrease change switch displays a display for recognizing the position of the increase / decrease change switch by light emission, and identifies whether the increase / decrease change switch is a data increase switch or a data decrease switch The operation device for a hot water device according to claim 1, wherein the operation device is configured to perform display for the purpose. In addition to the increase / decrease change switch, the menu switch is also configured as a non-contact operation switch, and a menu that can switch between light emission and non-light emission in a portion corresponding to the menu switch in the operation surface. A light emitting part for the switch is provided,
The light emission unit for the menu switch maintains a non-light emission state even when the data variable mode is set after the operation off mode is switched to the operation on mode in addition to the operation off mode. On the other hand, the light emission state is set when the increase / decrease change switch is operated in the data variable mode, and the light emission state is restored when the data variable mode is subsequently released. Or the operating device for hot water apparatuses of 2. A housing that houses therein a control circuit capable of performing data communication processing with a hot water device to be remotely operated, and the surface of the wall portion of the housing is the operation surface;
The contactless operation switch is configured by accommodating a capacitance sensor in the housing and arranging it on the back side of the wall portion,
The wall portion is provided with a thin portion that transmits light traveling from a light source provided in the housing to the outside of the housing, and the thin portion is the light emitting portion. The operating device for a hot water device according to any one of 1 to 3.

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