JP5658446B2 - Water-saving water supply system - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a water-saving water supply system including a flow rate adjusting unit.

  In the conventional water supply system, since the water discharge flow rate is adjusted by the faucet handle, the user can arbitrarily adjust the flow rate, and therefore it is difficult to sufficiently save water. Moreover, what is provided with the flow volume measurement part which measures a discharged water flow volume as a water supply system, the flow volume adjustment part which adjusts a discharged water flow volume, and the control part which controls a flow volume adjustment part is known (for example, refer patent document 1). ). In this water supply system, the water discharge flow rate is set for each work application, and the control unit adjusts the flow rate adjustment unit based on the flow rate measured by the flow measurement unit, and the water discharge flow rate is set to the set flow rate for the selected work application. By controlling, it prevents unnecessary water discharge and saves water.

  However, in the water supply system as in Patent Document 1, the flow rate adjusting unit is adjusted so that the discharged water flow rate becomes the set flow rate. Therefore, even if the flow rate is arbitrarily changed by the handle of the faucet, the flow rate is changed at that time. Since the measurement unit transmits the changed flow rate to the control unit, and the control unit adjusts the flow rate adjustment unit so that the flow rate does not change, the discharged water flow rate returns to the set flow rate. For this reason, it is not possible to arbitrarily change the flow rate with the handle during work, and workability is not good.

JP-A-6-18053

  The present invention solves the above problem, and allows the flow rate to be changed by the operation of the faucet in the selected flow rate mode while setting the maximum water discharge flow rate for each flow rate mode according to the work application. An object of the present invention is to provide a water-saving water supply system that can prevent water discharge and save water.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is based on a flow rate measuring unit for measuring a water discharge flow rate from a faucet, a flow rate adjusting unit for adjusting the water discharge flow rate, and a flow rate measured by the flow rate measurement unit. A control unit that controls the flow rate adjustment unit, and a setting unit that sets a maximum water discharge flow rate discharged from the faucet for each flow rate mode according to a work application and stores it in the control unit. A flow rate mode selection unit that selects a flow rate mode according to a work application, and the control unit is transmitted from the flow rate measurement unit and the maximum water discharge flow rate of the flow rate mode selected by the flow rate mode selection unit. comparing the water discharge flow rate, wherein when the water discharge flow rate exceeds the maximum water discharge flow rate, said adjusting the maximum water discharge flow the flow rate adjusting unit so that the water discharge flow rate is within the range of the recorded ID A personal recognition unit for recognizing an individual who uses water by reading data or by inputting an ID number, and the setting means sets the maximum water discharge flow rate for each individual recognized by the personal recognition unit And stored in the control unit .

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the water-saving water supply system according to the first aspect, the flow rate measuring unit, the flow rate adjusting unit, and the flow rate mode selecting unit are provided for each of the plurality of faucets, and the setting unit is provided for each faucet. The maximum water discharge flow rate is set and stored in the control unit.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the water-saving water supply system according to the first or second aspect, the setting means sets the maximum water discharge flow rate according to a time zone of one day and stores the maximum water discharge rate in the control unit. Is.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the water-saving water supply system according to any one of the first to third aspects, the control unit or the setting unit is connected to a communication line, and from an external terminal connected to the communication line The maximum water discharge flow rate can be set.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is the water-saving water supply system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the flow rate mode selecting means is provided in the vicinity of the faucet.

A sixth aspect of the present invention is the water-saving water supply system according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the flow rate mode selecting means is a foot switch operated with a foot.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the water-saving water supply system according to the sixth aspect , the water discharge is turned on and off by the foot switch.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the faucet is operated in a state where the flow rate mode is selected according to the work application by the flow rate mode selection unit, the control unit sets the discharge water flow rate corresponding to the flow rate mode by the setting unit. Adjust within the range of the stored maximum water discharge flow rate. For this reason, the flow rate can be changed within the range of the maximum water discharge flow rate by the faucet operation. Therefore, excessive water discharge can be prevented and water saving can be performed. Moreover, since the maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each individual, water saving can be performed efficiently.

  According to the invention of claim 2, even if the required flow rate of water differs depending on the location of the faucet, the maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each faucet, so that water can be efficiently saved according to the location of the faucet. it can.

  According to the invention of claim 3, even if the required flow rate of water fluctuates depending on the time zone of the day, the maximum water discharge flow rate is set according to the time zone of the day. Can save water.

According to the invention of claim 4 , since the maximum water discharge flow rate can be set via the communication line, the maximum water discharge flow rate can be set and water saving can be managed even from a remote place.

According to the invention of claim 5 , since the flow rate mode selecting means is provided in the vicinity of the faucet, the flow rate mode can be selected while performing the water operation, and the workability is good.

According to the invention of claim 6 , since the flow mode selection means is a foot switch, the flow mode can be selected with the foot while performing the water operation by hand, and water can be saved without impairing workability. .

According to the invention of claim 7, since the water discharge can be turned on and off by the foot switch, the flow rate can be adjusted by the foot while performing the water operation by hand, and the water can be saved without impairing the workability. it can.

The block diagram of the water-saving type water supply system which concerns on embodiment of this invention. The block diagram of the water-saving type water supply system which concerns on the 1st modification of embodiment same as the above. The block diagram of the water-saving type water supply system which concerns on the 2nd modification of embodiment same as the above. The block diagram of the water-saving type water supply system which concerns on the 3rd modification of embodiment same as the above. (A) is a block diagram of the water-saving water supply system which concerns on the 4th modification of embodiment same as the above, (b) is a figure which shows the flow mode selection operation | movement with the foot switch in the water supply system, (c) is the water supply The figure which shows ON / OFF operation | movement with the foot switch in a system.

  A configuration of a water-saving water supply system (hereinafter referred to as a water supply system) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The water supply system 1 controls the flow rate adjustment unit 4 based on the flow rate measurement unit 3 that measures the water discharge flow rate from the faucet 2, the flow rate adjustment unit 4 that adjusts the water discharge flow rate, and the flow rate measured by the flow rate measurement unit 3. Control unit 5, a setting unit (setting means) 6 for setting the maximum water discharge flow rate discharged from the faucet 2 for each flow rate mode according to the work application, and the user sets the flow rate mode according to the work use. And a flow rate mode selection unit (flow rate mode selection means) 7 for selecting.

  The faucet 2 is attached to the sink 22 and discharges water by operating the handle 21. The flow rate measuring unit 3 is attached to the water supply pipe 23 to measure the discharged water flow rate, and transmits the measured data to the control unit 5. The flow rate adjustment unit 4 has an open / close adjustment valve, is attached to the water supply pipe 23, and adjusts the discharged water flow rate according to an instruction from the control unit 5. The maximum water discharge flow rate set in the setting unit 6 is set according to each operation so that a large flow rate is necessary for the water storage operation, but a large flow rate is not necessary for the cleaning operation. The setting unit 6 causes the control unit 5 to store the set maximum water discharge flow rate. The flow rate mode selection unit 7 is a hand switch that selects a flow rate mode according to the work application. The control unit 5 adjusts the flow rate adjusting unit 4 so that the discharged water flow rate falls within the range of the maximum discharged water flow rate in the flow rate mode selected by the flow rate mode selecting unit 7. The faucet 2 and the sink 22 are installed in the store kitchen, and the setting unit 6 is a remote controller and installed in the store office. However, the setting unit 6 may be installed in the same store kitchen as the sink 22. . This water supply system 1 may be used for hot water supply.

Next, the operation of the water supply system 1 will be described. The user sets the maximum water discharge flow rate for each flow rate mode in the setting unit 6. Table 1 shows an example of the set maximum water discharge flow rate. In this example, two types of cleaning and water storage are defined as work applications, the maximum water discharge flow rate G1 is set in the flow rate mode M1 of cleaning, and the maximum water discharge flow rate G2 is set in the flow rate mode M2 of water storage. When the user performs a water operation at the sink 22, the flow mode selection unit 7 selects a flow mode according to the operation, and the flow mode selection unit 7 transmits the selected flow mode to the control unit 5. The user opens the handle 21 of the faucet 2 and adjusts the amount of water discharged by opening and closing the handle 21 to perform water work. At this time, the flow rate measuring unit 3 measures the discharged water flow rate and transmits the measured data to the control unit 5. The control unit 5 compares the maximum water discharge flow rate in the flow rate mode selected by the flow rate mode selection unit 7 with the water discharge flow rate transmitted from the flow rate measurement unit 3, and when the water discharge flow rate exceeds the maximum water discharge flow rate, the flow rate adjustment unit The flow rate is adjusted by 4 so that the discharged water flow rate does not exceed the maximum discharged water flow rate.

  Since the water supply system 1 operates in this way, the water discharge flow rate is adjusted within the range of the maximum water discharge flow rate by the control unit 5, and the flow rate can be changed by the handle 21 of the faucet 2 within the range of the maximum water discharge flow rate. For this reason, excessive water discharge is prevented and water saving can be performed. Moreover, since the maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each work application, water can be saved without impairing workability.

  Moreover, since the flow rate mode selection unit 7 is a hand switch, the flow rate mode can be selected while performing the water operation, and the workability is good. Further, the flow rate data may be stored in the control unit 5 and various data relating to the flow rate such as the integrated flow rate may be calculated. In addition, a display unit may be provided to display flow rate data from the flow rate adjustment unit 4 and various data calculated by the control unit 5. By analyzing flow rate data and making various data visible, water-saving activities can be performed efficiently.

In this water supply system 1, the maximum water discharge flow rate may be set according to the time zone of one day and the flow rate mode. Table 2 shows an example of the maximum water discharge flow rate set in the setting unit 6. The maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each time zone of the day and for each flow rate mode. In this example, one day is divided into time zones of 0 to 9 o'clock, 9 to 12 o'clock, and 12 to 24 o'clock, and the maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each of the flow rate mode M1 of the cleaning operation and the flow rate mode M2 of the water storage operation. .

  For example, in a restaurant where the water supply system 1 is installed, the number of customers and menu contents differ depending on the time of the day, and the required flow rate of water may change. Thus, by making it possible to set the maximum water discharge flow rate for each flow rate mode according to the time zone of the day as described above, it is possible to efficiently save water without impairing workability.

(First modification)
A first modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this modification, the water supply system 1 controls the water discharge flow rate of the plurality of faucets 2a, 2b, and 2c. The water supply system 1 is attached to the three faucets 2a, 2b, and 2c, and the flow rate measuring units 3a, 3b, and 3c and the flow rate adjusting units 4a, 4b, and 4c are attached to the respective water supply pipes 23a, 23b, and 23c. . Further, the flow rate mode selectors 7a, 7b, 7c are attached to the respective sinks 22a, 22b, 22c. The faucets 2a, 2b and 2c are divided into a group 1 composed of the faucets 2a and 2b and a group 2 composed of the faucets 2c. In the figure, the inside of the one-dot chain line L is a component per faucet.

Table 3 shows an example of the maximum water discharge flow rate set in the setting unit 6. The maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each faucet and for each flow rate mode. The setting for each faucet may be performed for each unit or for each group of faucets. In the example shown in Table 3, the faucets 2a and 2b in group 1 have the maximum water discharge flow rate set to G11 in the flow rate mode M1 of the cleaning operation, and the maximum water discharge flow rate is set to G12 in the flow rate mode M2 of the water storage operation. In the faucet 2c of group 2, the maximum water discharge flow rate is set to G21 in the flow rate mode M1 of the cleaning operation, and the maximum water discharge flow rate is set to G22 in the flow rate mode M2 of the water storage operation.

  Even for the same work application, the required flow rate may differ depending on the kitchen area where the faucet is installed, but the maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each faucet in this way, so efficiency is not impaired. Can save water. The number of faucets is arbitrary, and the faucets need not be grouped.

(Second modification)
A second modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this modification, the maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each individual who uses water. The water supply system 1 includes an individual recognition unit 8 that recognizes an individual who uses water. The personal recognition unit 8 is, for example, a tag reader or a card reader, and recognizes the individual by reading ID data recorded on a tag or card owned by each individual. Further, the individual recognition unit 8 may have a numeric keypad, and each individual may recognize the individual by inputting an ID number. Table 4 shows an example of the maximum water discharge flow rate set in the setting unit 6. The maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each individual and the flow rate mode. In this example, the maximum water discharge flow rate is set for each of the three users P1, P2, and P3 in the flow rate mode M1 for the cleaning operation and the flow rate mode M2 for the water storage operation.

  Employees such as restaurants where the water supply system 1 is installed are mostly part-time employees and the working hours are short. Therefore, it is possible to educate only to the minimum necessary education and not to the water usage. In addition, these employees have low cost awareness and do not save water. Therefore, by setting the maximum water discharge flow rate according to the ability of each individual, it is possible to efficiently save water left to the discretion of the individual.

(Third Modification)
A third modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this modification, the control unit 5 is connected to the communication line 9, and the maximum water discharge flow rate can be set from an external terminal (not shown) connected to the communication line 9. The communication line 9 is, for example, the Internet. Since the maximum water discharge flow rate can be set via the communication line 9, the maximum water discharge flow rate can be set and water saving can be managed even from a remote place. For example, in a store that develops a chain, the maximum water discharge flow rate can be set at the headquarters in a lump, and water saving can be performed efficiently and systematically. At this time, by allowing the flow rate data to be viewed from an external terminal via the communication line 9, it is possible to more efficiently and systematically save water by comparing between stores. Further, the setting unit 6 may be connected to the communication line 9 instead of the control unit 5.

(Fourth modification)
A fourth modification of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this modification, the flow mode selection unit 7 is a foot switch operated with a foot. As shown in FIGS. 5 (a) and 5 (b), the flow rate mode selection unit 7 has a wedge-shaped shape, is installed on the floor, and has a plate portion 71 that can be rotated left and right on the upper surface. The flow rate mode can be selected by rotating 71 to the left or right. Since the flow mode can be selected with the foot while performing the water operation by hand, it is possible to save water without impairing workability. Alternatively, the flow rate mode selection unit 7 may be depressed, and the flow rate mode may be selected according to the number of depressions.

  Alternatively, the flow rate mode selection unit 7 may turn on (open) or off (close) the water discharge. As shown in FIG. 5 (c), when the flow rate mode selection unit 7 is stepped on, the plate portion 71 is lowered, and data on the stepping amount is transmitted from the flow rate mode selection unit 7 to the control unit 5. When the plate portion 71 is depressed, the control portion 5 turns on an on-off valve (not shown) provided in the water supply pipe 23 and turns off when the depression is released. When the plate portion 71 is depressed halfway, the on-off valve is turned on according to the amount of depression. This on-off valve may be shared with the flow rate adjusting unit 4.

  Since the flow rate can be adjusted with the foot while performing the water operation by hand, it is possible to save water without impairing workability. Further, since the water is not discharged unless the flow mode selection unit 7 is stepped on, the water discharge when the operator is not at the faucet 2 is prevented, and water can be saved.

  In addition, this invention is not restricted to the structure of the said embodiment, A various deformation | transformation is possible in the range which does not change the meaning of invention. For example, the first to fourth modifications may be implemented by combining arbitrary modifications. Further, when the number of times the discharged water flow rate exceeds the maximum discharged water flow rate reaches a predetermined number, or when the integrated flow rate reaches a predetermined amount, the control unit 5 may issue an alarm or display an alarm. Communication between the setting unit 6, the flow rate mode selection unit 7 and the like and the control unit 5 may be performed by wireless communication or power line carrier communication. Further, the setting unit 6 may select the flow rate mode.

1 Water-saving water supply system 2 Faucet 3 Flow rate measuring unit 4 Flow rate adjusting unit 5 Control unit 6 Setting unit (setting means)
7 Flow rate mode selector (flow rate mode selection means)
8 Personal Recognition Department 9 Communication line

Claims (7)

A flow rate measuring unit that measures the water discharge flow rate from the faucet, a flow rate adjusting unit that adjusts the discharged water flow rate, and a control unit that controls the flow rate adjusting unit based on the flow rate measured by the flow rate measuring unit. In the water-saving water supply system,
A setting means for setting the maximum water discharge flow rate discharged from the faucet for each flow rate mode according to the work application and storing it in the control unit;
A flow rate mode selection means for selecting a flow rate mode according to the work application,
The control unit compares the maximum water discharge flow rate in the flow rate mode selected by the flow rate mode selection unit with the water discharge flow rate transmitted from the flow rate measurement unit, and when the water discharge flow rate exceeds the maximum water discharge flow rate. Adjusting the flow rate adjusting unit so that the discharged water flow rate is within the range of the maximum discharged water flow rate ,
A personal recognition unit for recognizing an individual who uses water by reading recorded ID data or by inputting an ID number;
The setting means sets the maximum water discharge flow rate for each individual recognized by the personal recognition unit, and stores it in the control unit . The flow rate measurement unit, the flow rate adjustment unit and the flow rate mode selection means are provided for each of a plurality of faucets,
The water-saving water supply system according to claim 1, wherein the setting unit sets the maximum water discharge flow rate for each faucet and stores the maximum water discharge flow rate in the control unit.   The water-saving water supply system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the setting means sets the maximum water discharge flow rate according to a time zone of a day and stores the maximum discharge water flow in the control unit. Wherein the control unit or the setting unit is connected to the communication line, any of the external terminals connected to the communication line of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that to be able to set the maximum water discharge flow rate The water-saving water supply system according to one item. The water-saving water supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the flow rate mode selection means is provided in the vicinity of the faucet. The water-saving water supply system according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the flow rate mode selection means is a foot switch operated by a foot. The water-saving water supply system according to claim 6 , wherein water discharge is turned on and off by the foot switch.

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