JP6684445B2 - Water discharge device - Google Patents

Description

  Aspects of the invention generally relate to water spouters.

  There is a water spouting device that automatically controls spouting water by detecting an object such as a user's hand with a sensor and driving an opening / closing valve (for example, Patent Document 1). Such a water discharge device is applied to, for example, a faucet device, a urinal, or a urinal.

  The water discharge device includes, for example, a transmitter that transmits an optical signal such as infrared light, a receiver that receives a reflection signal of an optical signal reflected by an object and outputs a reception signal, and detection of the object from the reception signal. A receiving circuit for generating a detection signal representing the result. Then, the water discharger detects the presence of the object and starts water discharge when the detection signal exceeds a predetermined threshold value.

  In such a water discharge device, when a light emitting element such as an infrared LED (Light Emitting Diode) emits light as an optical signal, a relatively large current may flow and the power supply voltage may fluctuate. . The fluctuation of the power supply voltage also affects the receiving circuit and becomes a factor of fluctuation of the detection signal. Therefore, the fluctuation of the power supply voltage causes a malfunction. For example, there is a possibility that the sensor may react and water may be unintentionally ejected even though there is no object.

  For example, it is possible to suppress the fluctuation of the power supply voltage at the time of light projection by providing a power supply circuit dedicated to the transmission unit separately from the reception circuit or the like, or by improving the supply capability of the power supply circuit. However, such a change in the power supply circuit configuration causes an increase in the size and cost of the water discharger due to an increase in the number of parts and a complicated circuit configuration. Therefore, in the water discharge device, it is desired that the malfunction due to the fluctuation of the power supply voltage can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

JP, 2005-59386, A

  The present invention has been made based on the recognition of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a water spouting device that suppresses malfunction due to fluctuations in power supply voltage with a simple configuration.

  A first invention has a water discharge part having a water discharge outlet for discharging water, a water supply passage for guiding water from a water supply source to the water discharge outlet, an opening / closing valve for opening and closing the water supply passage, and a light projecting element, A transmitting section for transmitting an optical signal using a light projecting element, a light receiving element for receiving a reflected signal of the optical signal, and a receiving section for outputting a received signal corresponding to an amount of the reflected signal received; A receiving circuit that generates a detection signal representing the detection result of the object from the signal, and a state in which at least one of the transmission of the optical signal and the output of the reception signal is stopped, a current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal is predetermined. An adjustment amount acquisition operation of acquiring an adjustment amount of the detection signal based on the detection signal output from the reception circuit by the pseudo detection and performing transmission and reception of the optical signal. The signal is output to detect the detection signal. An on-off valve control for obtaining and correcting the detection signal based on the adjustment amount, detecting the presence or absence of the object based on the corrected detection signal, and controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve according to the detection result. It is a water spouting device provided with the control part which performs operation.

  According to this water discharge device, the adjustment amount of the detection signal is acquired in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, and the detection signal is corrected based on this adjustment amount. As a result, it is possible to suppress malfunction due to fluctuations in the power supply voltage. Further, in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, pseudo detection is performed in which a current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal is passed through a predetermined path while at least one of the transmission of the optical signal and the output of the reception signal is stopped. This makes it possible to properly measure the amount of change in the detection signal due to the change in the power supply voltage, without being affected by the reflected signal. Furthermore, it is not necessary to separately provide a power supply circuit dedicated to the transmission unit or improve the supply capability of the power supply circuit, and malfunctions can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

  2nd invention is further provided with the load circuit for making the electric current corresponding to the transmission of the said optical signal in 1st invention, Comprising: The said control part WHEREIN: The electric current which flows into the said light projecting element in the said adjustment amount acquisition operation. Is stopped to stop the transmission of the optical signal, and a current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal is passed through the load circuit to perform the pseudo detection.

  According to this water discharger, the amount of fluctuation of the detection signal due to the fluctuation of the power supply voltage is accurately measured by causing the current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal to flow through the load circuit while the transmission of the optical signal is stopped. be able to. Further, it is sufficient to cut off the current flowing through the light projecting element and flow the current through the load circuit, and the rest of the operation can be performed in the same way as when detecting the target object, and the adjustment amount can be adjusted without complicating the processing. Can be obtained.

  In a third aspect based on the first aspect, the control section applies a current to the light projecting element in a state where the output of the reception signal is stopped in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, thereby performing the pseudo detection. It is a water discharge device characterized by performing.

  According to this water discharge device, the amount of fluctuation of the detection signal due to the fluctuation of the power supply voltage can be accurately measured by causing the current to flow through the light projecting element while the output of the reception signal is stopped. Further, it is only necessary to stop the output of the reception signal, and the remaining operation can be the same as that at the time of detecting the target object, and the adjustment amount can be acquired without causing the process to be complicated.

  A fourth aspect of the invention is the water discharge device according to the third aspect of the invention, wherein the control unit stops the output of the reception signal by stopping the output of the light receiving element.

  According to this water discharge device, it is possible to stop the output of the reception signal with a simple configuration, and it is possible to suppress malfunctions with a simpler configuration.

  In a fifth aspect based on the third aspect, the receiving section further includes a conversion circuit that converts the photocurrent generated in the light receiving element into a voltage and outputs the converted voltage as the reception signal. The control unit is a water discharge device characterized in that the output of the reception signal is stopped by stopping the output of the conversion circuit.

  According to this water discharge device, it is possible to stop the output of the reception signal with a simple configuration, and it is possible to suppress malfunctions with a simpler configuration.

  A sixth aspect of the invention is the power supply circuit according to any one of the first to fifth aspects of the invention, which supplies power to each of the on-off valve, the transmitter, the receiver, the receiver circuit, and the controller. The water discharge device is characterized by further comprising.

  According to this water spouting device, electric power can be supplied to each of the on-off valve, the transmitting unit, the receiving unit, the receiving circuit, and the control unit from one power supply circuit, and the structure of the water spouting device can be simplified. .

  According to the aspects of the present invention, there is provided a water discharger in which malfunction due to fluctuations in power supply voltage is suppressed with a simple configuration.

It is explanatory drawing showing the water faucet apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram showing the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a timing chart showing an example of operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a timing chart showing an example of operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. 6 is a reference timing chart showing an example of an operation when a power supply voltage fluctuates. It is a timing chart showing an example of operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a flow chart showing an example of operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a flow chart showing an example of operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a flow chart showing an example of operation of the faucet device concerning a 1st embodiment. It is a block diagram showing the modification of the water faucet apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a block diagram showing the modification of the water faucet apparatus concerning 1st Embodiment. It is a perspective view showing the toilet device concerning a 2nd embodiment. It is explanatory drawing showing the toilet device concerning 3rd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be appropriately omitted.
(First embodiment)
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a faucet device according to a first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, the faucet device 10 (water discharge device) detects an object (human body, object, etc.) to automatically stop water discharge, and is a washbasin 11 installed on a washstand. To stop water discharge.

  The washbasin 11 is provided on the upper surface of the washbasin counter 12. On the washbasin counter 12, a faucet 13 (water discharge part) that constitutes a spout for discharging water to the bowl surface 11a of the washbasin 11 is provided. The faucet 13 has a water discharge port 13 a for discharging water, and is provided so that the water discharged from the water discharge port 13 a is discharged into the bowl surface 11 a of the washbasin 11.

  The water discharged from the faucet 13 from the water discharge port 13a is supplied by the water supply passage 14. The water supply passage 14 guides water supplied from a water supply source such as a water pipe to the water discharge port 13a. A drain 15 is connected to the washbasin 11. The drainage channel 15 discharges the water spouted from the spout 13a into the bowl surface 11a of the washbasin 11.

  The faucet device 10 includes an electromagnetic valve 16 (open / close valve), a sensor unit 18, and a control unit 20. The sensor unit 18 is separated from the control unit 20. The sensor unit 18 is housed inside the faucet 13, for example. The solenoid valve 16 and the control unit 20 are housed, for example, below the washbasin. The solenoid valve 16 and the control unit 20 are housed, for example, in a cabinet (not shown) provided below the wash counter 12.

  The sensor unit 18 and the control unit 20 are connected by a connection cable 17. The control unit 20 supplies a power supply voltage to the sensor unit 18 via the connection cable 17, and controls the sensor unit 18 via the connection cable 17, for example.

  The solenoid valve 16 is provided in the water supply passage 14 and opens and closes the water supply passage 14. When the solenoid valve 16 is opened, the water supplied from the water supply passage 14 is discharged from the water outlet 13a, and when the solenoid valve 16 is closed, the water supplied from the water supply passage 14 is not discharged from the water outlet 13a. It becomes water.

  The solenoid valve 16 is connected to the control unit 20, and the control unit 20 drives the solenoid valve 16 to control the opening / closing operation. The solenoid valve 16 is electrically controlled according to a control signal from the control unit 20 to open / close the water supply passage 14. In this way, the solenoid valve 16 functions as a water supply valve that opens and closes the water supply passage 14 for water discharged from the water discharge port 13a.

  The solenoid valve 16 is a self-holding solenoid valve (latching solenoid valve), which is a so-called latching solenoid valve, and operates from a closed state to an open state by energizing the solenoid coil in one direction (opening operation). After that, even if the solenoid coil is de-energized, the open state is maintained, and the solenoid coil is energized in the other direction to move from the open state to the closed state (close operation), and then the solenoid coil is de-energized. Even if it remains closed. The opening / closing of the water supply passage 14 is not limited to the electromagnetic valve 16, and may be performed by another opening / closing valve mechanism capable of opening / closing the water supply passage 14 under the control of the control unit 20.

  The sensor unit 18 detects an object (a hand or the like) approaching the spout 13a. The water discharge destination of the water discharge port 13a becomes the detection area of the sensor unit 18. The sensor unit 18 detects the position and movement of the object by transmitting the optical signal and receiving the reflection signal reflected from the object such as the human body that receives the transmitted optical signal.

  The sensor unit 18 is, for example, an optical sensor that uses an optical signal of infrared light. The optical signal transmitted from the sensor unit 18 may be, for example, visible light. Hereinafter, the optical signal will be described as infrared light. The “infrared light” is, for example, light having a wavelength of 0.7 μm or more and 1000 μm or less.

  The sensor unit 18 is provided inside the faucet 13 near the water outlet 13a, and is arranged so as to transmit an optical signal toward the user side (left side in FIG. 1) of the washbasin. As a result, the sensor unit 18 can detect that a human body is approaching the water outlet 13a, that a hand is extended toward the water outlet 13a from a human body that is close to the water outlet 13a, and the like.

  The sensor unit 18 inputs a detection signal indicating the detection result of the target object to the control unit 20 via the connection cable 17. The control unit 20 detects the presence or absence of the target object based on the detection signal input from the sensor unit 18. The control unit 20 detects, for example, the position and movement of the target object based on the detection signal. Then, the control unit 20 controls the opening / closing operation of the solenoid valve 16 based on the detection result. The control unit 20 also outputs a control signal to the sensor unit 18 to control the sensing operation of the sensor unit 18.

  As described above, the water faucet device 10 of the present embodiment includes the solenoid valve 16, the sensor unit 18, and the control unit 20, and the control unit 20 controls based on the detection signal of the sensor unit 18, The opening / closing operation of the solenoid valve 16 is controlled. As a result, water is discharged according to the detection result of the object approaching the water outlet 13a (movement of the user of the washbasin, etc.). The controller 20 discharges water according to the detection of the target object, and stops the discharge of water according to the non-detection of the target object. That is, in the water faucet device 10, water is automatically discharged while the user is holding his or her hand near the water discharge port 13a.

  Further, the control unit 20 controls the sensor unit 18 so that the sensor unit 18 does not always operate, but operates at a timing at which sensing is required. Thereby, the power consumption of the sensor unit 18 can be reduced. The control unit 20 reduces the frequency of the sensing operation of the sensor unit 18 to such an extent that the user does not feel inconvenient. As a result, the power consumption of the entire faucet device 10 can be reduced.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As illustrated in FIG. 2, the sensor unit 18 includes a transmission unit 30, a reception unit 31, and a reception circuit 32. The reception circuit 32 includes, for example, an amplification circuit 33, an inverting circuit 34, and an integration circuit 35.

  The control unit 20 controls the operation of each unit of the sensor unit 18 and detects an object approaching the water discharge port 13a. The control unit 20 is also connected to the solenoid valve drive unit 22. The control unit 20 controls the opening / closing operation of the solenoid valve 16 by driving the solenoid valve driving unit 22 according to the detection result of the sensor unit 18. The solenoid valve drive unit 22 is provided separately from the solenoid valve 16 and the control unit 20, for example. The solenoid valve drive unit 22 may be incorporated in the solenoid valve 16 or the control unit 20, for example. The solenoid valve drive unit 22 is provided as necessary and can be omitted.

  The faucet device 10 further includes a power supply circuit 24. The power supply circuit 24 is electrically connected to the solenoid valve 16, the sensor unit 18, the control unit 20, and the solenoid valve drive unit 22. The power supply circuit 24 supplies electric power to each of the solenoid valve 16, the sensor unit 18, the control unit 20, and the solenoid valve driving unit 22. For example, the power supply circuit 24 is electrically connected to a power supply source (not shown), converts the power supplied from the power supply source into power corresponding to each unit, and supplies the converted power to each unit. The power supply source is, for example, a commercial power source of 100 V AC (effective value). The power supply circuit 24 converts, for example, AC power supplied from a commercial power supply into DC power and supplies DC power to each unit. Each part such as the electromagnetic valve 16, the sensor unit 18, the control unit 20, the electromagnetic valve drive unit 22 and the like operates according to the power supply from the power supply circuit 24.

  The transmitter 30 includes a light projecting element 40, a resistor 41, and a FET (Field Effect Transistor) 42. The light projecting element 40 projects infrared light which is an output signal of the sensor unit 18. A light emitting element such as an LED is used for the light projecting element 40.

  The resistor 41 and the FET 42 are circuits for causing a predetermined current to flow through the light projecting element 40. The resistor 41 and the FET 42 cause a predetermined current to flow through the light projecting element 40 in accordance with the timing signal (LEDOUT) output from the control unit 20, thereby causing the light projecting element 40 to perform pulse light projecting. The transmitter 30 transmits, for example, a pulsed optical signal that is repeatedly turned on / off in a predetermined cycle. As a result, it is possible to reduce the power consumption of the transmitter 30 as compared with the case where the optical signal is constantly transmitted.

  The receiving unit 31 receives the reflected signal of the optical signal reflected by the object and outputs the received signal corresponding to the reflected signal. The receiver 31 includes a light receiving element 44 and a conversion circuit 45. The light receiving element 44 receives the infrared light reflected from the object and generates a photocurrent proportional to the received light amount. For the light receiving element 44, for example, a phototransistor or a photodiode is used.

  The conversion circuit 45 includes a resistor 46 and an OP amplifier 47. The conversion circuit 45 converts the photocurrent generated in the light receiving element 44 into a voltage, and outputs the converted voltage as a reception signal. As described above, the transmitter 30 transmits a pulsed optical signal. In this case, the receiving unit 31 outputs a pulse signal (rectangular wave) corresponding to the cycle of the optical signal as a received signal.

  The output terminal of the OP amplifier 47 is connected to the capacitor 48. The receiver 31 is connected to the amplifier circuit 33 via the capacitor 48. As a result, the receiver 31 inputs the AC component of the received signal to the amplifier circuit 33 via the capacitor 48. The receiver 31 inputs, for example, the AC component of the pulse signal to the amplifier circuit 33. The capacitor 48, in other words, forms a differentiating circuit. The capacitor 48 inputs the time derivative of the received signal to the amplifier circuit 33, for example.

  The amplifier circuit 33 includes resistors 50 and 51 and an OP amplifier 52. The amplifier circuit 33 amplifies the received signal input from the receiving unit 31 and inputs the amplified signal to the inverting circuit 34. The inverting circuit 34 has resistors 53 and 54 and an OP amplifier 55. The inverting circuit 34 has a signal amplitude equal to that of the input signal, and outputs a signal whose polarity is inverted.

  The output of the amplification circuit 33 is input to the integration circuit 35 via the switching element 56. In other words, the amplifier circuit 33 is provided between the receiving unit 31 and the integrating circuit 35, amplifies the received signal, and outputs it to the integrating circuit 35.

  The output of the inverting circuit 34 is input to the integrating circuit 35 via the switching element 57. Each switching element 56, 57 is connected to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 individually controls ON / OFF of each of the switching elements 56 and 57 by the timing signals S2 and S3. The switching elements 56 and 57 are analog switches, for example.

  The integrating circuit 35 integrates the received signal and generates the integrated signal. In this example, the integrating circuit 35 integrates the amplified received signal amplified by the amplifier circuit 33 and the inverted received signal obtained by inverting the polarity of the amplified received signal by the inverting circuit 34. To generate.

  The integrating circuit 35 includes an OP amplifier 60, a resistor 61, a capacitor 62, and a switching element 63. The output terminal of the OP amplifier 60 is connected to the control unit 20. The output (integrated signal) of the integration circuit 35 is input to the control unit 20 (AD1). That is, in this example, the receiving circuit 32 generates the integrated signal of the integrating circuit 35 as a detection signal indicating the detection result of the object, and inputs the detection signal to the control unit 20.

  The switching element 63 is connected to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 inputs the timing signal S1 to the switching element 63 to control ON / OFF of the switching element 63. The control unit 20 turns on the switching element 63 to discharge the electric charge accumulated in the capacitor 62. That is, the control unit 20 resets the integration circuit 35 by turning on the switching element 63.

  The control unit 20 controls each timing signal S1, S2, S3 to synchronize the timing of light projection and the timing of integration. Thereby, for example, effective integration of received signals can be performed.

  The faucet device 10 further includes a load circuit 70 and a switching unit 72. The load circuit 70 and the switching unit 72 are provided in the transmission unit 30, for example. One end of the load circuit 70 is connected between the resistor 41 and the FET 42. In other words, the load circuit 70 is connected in parallel with the light projecting element 40 and the resistor 41. The load circuit 70 is, for example, a resistance element.

  The switching unit 72 includes switching elements 73 and 74 and a NOT gate 75. The switching element 73 is provided between the load circuit 70 and the power supply circuit 24. The switching element 74 is provided between the light projecting element 40 and the power supply circuit 24. The load circuit 70 is connected to the power supply circuit 24 via the switching element 73. A power supply voltage that is substantially the same as the power supply voltage applied to the light projecting element 40 is applied to the load circuit 70, for example.

  Further, the switching element 73 is connected to the control unit 20. The switching element 74 is connected to the control unit 20 via the NOT gate 75. The control unit 20 controls on / off of each of the switching elements 73 and 74 by the timing signal S4. When the switching element 73 is turned on, the switching element 74 is turned off. Then, when the switching element 73 is set to the off state, the switching element 74 is turned on.

  By turning on the switching element 73, the current can be supplied to the load circuit 70. Then, by turning on the switching element 74, it becomes possible to supply a current to the light projecting element 40. In this way, the switching unit 72 enables the current to be supplied to the light projecting element 40 and blocks the current flowing through the load circuit 70, and shuts off the current flowing through the light projecting element 40 so that the load circuit 70 is supplied with the current. Switch between a state in which current can be supplied and a state in which current can be supplied.

  The load circuit 70 is used to pass a current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal. That is, in the load circuit 70, a current that is substantially the same as the current that flows in the light projecting element 40 when transmitting an optical signal flows. As a result, in the faucet device 10, by sending a current through the load circuit 70, it is possible to simulate the transmission of the optical signal without actually transmitting the optical signal.

  In the transmitter 30, by turning on the FET 42 with the switching element 73 off and the switching element 74 on, a current flows through the light projecting element 40, and an optical signal is transmitted. Then, by turning on the FET 42 with the switching element 73 turned on and the switching element 74 turned off, a current flows through the load circuit 70, and transmission of an optical signal is simulated.

  For example, the resistance value of the load circuit 70 is set according to the forward voltage drop of the light projecting element 40 and the resistance value of the resistor 41. As a result, a current substantially the same as the current flowing through the light projecting element 40 can be made to flow through the load circuit 70. The “current that is substantially the same as the current flowing through the light projecting element 40” is more specifically 90% or more and 110% or less of the current flowing through the light projecting element 40. More preferably, the current is 95% or more and 105% or less of the current flowing through the light projecting element 40.

FIG. 3 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 3 shows an ideal operation of the faucet device 10 when the user brings his or her hand close to the water outlet 13a (the detection area of the sensor unit 18). In other words, FIG. 3 shows an ideal operation when the sensor unit 18 is detecting an object. It should be noted that the ideal operation means that even when a current is passed through the light projecting element 40 to transmit an optical signal, the power supply voltage does not fluctuate and the output power of the power supply circuit 24 is kept substantially constant. This is the operation when the player is leaning. The rated output of the power supply circuit 24 is, for example, about 3V to 5V.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the operation of the faucet device 10, first, before performing pulse light projection, the switching element 63 is turned on by the signal S1 for a predetermined time from the timing of T0, and the capacitor 62 is discharged. That is, the integrating circuit 35 is reset. The output voltage (output of the OP amplifier 60) of the integrating circuit 35 in this state becomes the reference value (zero position of the reflected signal).

  In detecting the object, the timing signal S4 is set to OFF. As a result, the current can be supplied to the light projecting element 40, and the current flowing through the load circuit 70 is cut off.

  At the timing of T1, the LEDOUT signal is turned on and the FET 42 is turned on, and the light projecting element 40 projects light. At the same time, the signal S2 is turned on and the switching element 56 is turned on, and the output of the amplification circuit 33, which is a signal proportional to the reflected light, is integrated by the integration circuit 35 in synchronization with the light projection of the light projection element 40. .

  The LEDOUT signal turns off at the timing of T2. At the same time, the signal S2 turns off, the signal S3 turns on, and the switching element 57 turns on. Here, the reception signal in the state where the light projecting element 40 is not projecting light is inverted in polarity by the inverting circuit 34 and integrated by the integrating circuit 35. At the timing of T3, the signal S3 is turned off and the signal S2 is turned on, and the operations at the timings of T1 to T3 are repeated.

  The time intervals T1 to T2 and T2 to T3 are the same. Thus, the same operation is repeated twice until the timing of T5 in FIG. The control unit 20 repeats the operation of pulse light projection (operation of timings T1 to T3) a predetermined number of times. The number of times of pulse light projection is, for example, about 10 to 100 times. The number of times of pulse projection is not limited to this, and may be any number.

  This operation is generally called synchronous integration, and noise can be removed by pulse projection. In addition to the operation of integrating the received signal in synchronization with the light projection, the polarity of the received signal is reversed and integrated (that is, inverted integration) at the timing when light is not projected, whereby the noise removal effect is enhanced. By repeating this pulsed light projection and its integration operation a plurality of times, the integrated amount by the reflected object increases and the integrated amount by the noise decreases conversely. As described above, if the pulse light projection and the integration synchronized with the pulse light projection are performed a plurality of times, the S / N can be improved as the number of times of repetition increases. Further, by reducing the output of the transmission unit 30, for example, the transmission unit 30 and the reception unit 31 can be downsized.

  By integrating the output of the amplifier circuit 33 in synchronization with the light projection of the light projecting element 40, the integration circuit 35 informs the control unit 20 of an integrated signal of the amount of reflected light received that is proportional to the number of times of light projection as a detection signal (AD1). Output. In the case of the circuit of FIG. 2, the reflected light from the detection target, that is, the signal synchronized with the light projection pulse is integrated on the side where the output of the integrating circuit 35 rises.

  Note that this is the case with the configuration of FIG. 2, and the output of the integrating circuit 35 decreases depending on, for example, the mounting polarity of the light receiving element 44, the configuration of the amplifier circuit 33 (inverted type or non-inverted type), and the number of amplification stages. It may be integrated to the side. The output of the integrating circuit 35 may be integrated in a rising direction or may be integrated in a falling direction.

  Further, by integrating the output of the amplifier circuit 33 and the output of the inverting circuit 34 at the same time and the same number of times, it is possible to suppress, for example, a component that is not synchronized with light projection, that is, random noise in the operating environment of the sensor unit 18. . By repeating the light projection and the integration operation in this way, the reflected signal amount (the output of the integration circuit 35) becomes large, the noise component becomes small, and the S / N ratio of the sensor unit 18 can be improved.

  The control unit 20 sets a predetermined threshold for the detection signal input from the integrating circuit 35. When the detection signal exceeds the threshold value, the control unit 20 detects that there is an object and discharges water. In this example, the output of the integrating circuit 35 is integrated on the rising side. Therefore, in this example, the threshold value is larger than the reference value when the integrating circuit 35 is reset. The control unit 20 detects that there is no object when the detection signal is less than the threshold value, and detects that there is an object when the detection signal is greater than or equal to the threshold value. On the contrary, when the output of the integration circuit 35 is integrated on the falling side, when the detection signal is larger than the threshold value, it is detected that there is no object, and when the detection signal is less than or equal to the threshold value, It detects that there is an object.

  The integrated signal and the threshold value are set so that the detection signal exceeds the threshold value when the light projecting element 40 performs pulse light projection a predetermined number of times. As described above, in the ideal operation of the faucet device 10, when the object is present, the object is detected by the integrated value of the received signal exceeding the threshold value.

FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the faucet device according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 4 shows an ideal operation of the water faucet device 10 when there is no object in the detection area of the sensor unit 18. In other words, FIG. 4 shows an ideal operation when the receiving section 31 does not receive the reflected wave.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when there is no object in the detection area of the sensor unit 18, the output of the reception unit 31 is in the minimum output state (Low state) even when pulse light projection is performed. Retained. Therefore, the output of the integrating circuit 35 is maintained at the reference value without increasing or decreasing.

  As described above, in the ideal operation of the faucet device 10, when there is no object, the detection signal is substantially constant in the state of the reference value even when the light projecting element 40 performs the pulse light projecting a predetermined number of times. And does not exceed the threshold. As a result, it is detected that there is no object. The water stop state is continued during the water stop, and the water discharge from the water discharge port 13a is stopped during the water discharge.

FIG. 5 is a reference timing chart showing an example of the operation when the power supply voltage fluctuates.
As shown in FIG. 5, the power supply voltage supplied from the power supply circuit 24 may vary according to the supply of current to the light projecting element 40. Such fluctuations in the power supply voltage occur, for example, when the current flowing through the light projecting element 40 is relatively large with respect to the supply capability of the power supply circuit 24.

  The power supply circuit 24 supplies power to the transmission unit 30 and also supplies power to the amplification circuit 33, the inverting circuit 34, and the integration circuit 35 of the reception circuit 32. Therefore, the fluctuation of the power supply voltage also affects the operation of each unit of the receiving circuit 32. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, although the reception signal is not output from the reception unit 31, a signal is output from the amplification circuit 33 along with the fluctuation of the power supply voltage, and the detection signal (integrated signal) changes. Resulting in. The fluctuation amount ΔV of the detection signal due to the fluctuation of the power supply voltage causes a malfunction of the faucet device 10.

  For example, if the variation amount ΔV is added to the actual measurement value that accompanies the detection of the object, the sensing distance will vary. For example, the sensing distance becomes wider, and water discharge may be started just by the user standing in front of the washbasin 11, which may result in unintentional water discharge. Further, if the threshold value is exceeded due to the variation amount ΔV, water is discharged regardless of the presence or absence of the target object.

  Therefore, the control unit 20 executes an opening / closing valve control operation for controlling the opening / closing of the solenoid valve 16 and an adjustment amount acquisition operation for acquiring an adjustment amount for correcting the fluctuation of the detection signal due to the fluctuation of the power supply voltage. To do. The control unit 20 executes the adjustment amount acquisition operation at the start of the operation when the power is supplied from the power supply circuit 24, for example. Then, the control unit 20 executes the opening / closing valve control operation after executing the adjustment amount acquisition operation. In the on-off valve control operation, the control unit 20 transmits the optical signal and outputs the received signal to acquire the detection signal, corrects the detection signal based on the adjustment amount, and based on the corrected detection signal. The presence or absence of the object is detected, and the opening / closing of the solenoid valve 16 is controlled according to the detection result. As a result, it is possible to suppress malfunction due to fluctuations in the power supply voltage. Note that the adjustment amount acquisition operation may be periodically updated, for example, by periodically executing the adjustment amount acquisition operation.

FIG. 6 is a timing chart showing an example of the operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the adjustment amount acquisition operation by the control unit 20.
As shown in FIG. 6, in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, the control unit 20 sets the timing signal S4 to ON at the timing of T0. As a result, the control unit 20 interrupts the current flowing through the light projecting element 40 and enables the current to be supplied to the load circuit 70. Hereinafter, the control unit 20 operates the FET 42 and the switching elements 56 and 57 in the same procedure as when detecting the object. That is, the control unit 20 interrupts the current flowing through the light projecting element 40 to stop the transmission of the optical signal, and causes the current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal to flow through the load circuit 70, so that the detection of the target is simulated. To do. The control unit 20 acquires the variation amount ΔV of the detection signal output from the integration circuit 35 by this pseudo detection as the adjustment amount of the detection signal. The control unit 20 stores the acquired adjustment amount in an internal memory, for example. The adjustment amount may be stored in an external memory or the like connected to the control unit 20.

  In this way, the adjustment amount is acquired while the transmission of the optical signal is stopped. As a result, it is possible to suppress the fluctuation of the detection signal due to the reception of the reflected signal, and to appropriately measure only the fluctuation amount ΔV of the detection signal due to the fluctuation of the power supply voltage.

7 to 9 are flowcharts showing an example of the operation of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, when the control unit 20 of the water faucet device 10 starts operation by turning on the power, for example, first, the adjustment amount acquisition operation is executed by the adjustment amount acquisition subroutine (step of FIG. 7). S101).

  As shown in FIG. 8, in the adjustment amount acquisition subroutine, the control unit 20 sets the timing signal S4 to ON, interrupts the current flowing through the light projecting element 40, and enables the supply of the current to the load circuit 70. (Step S201 in FIG. 8). After that, pseudo detection is performed as described with reference to FIG. 6, and the integrated value of the integrated signal is measured (steps S202 and S203 in FIG. 8). In the measurement of the integrated value, first, the integrated value (reference value) of the integrated signal when the integration circuit 35 is reset is acquired. Then, the integrated value of the integrated signal after a predetermined time has elapsed is acquired. The predetermined time is a time corresponding to the number of times of pulse light projection when the object is detected.

  After acquiring the integrated value, the control unit 20 calculates the adjustment amount (step S204 in FIG. 8). The control unit 20 calculates the variation amount ΔV based on the difference between the reference value and the integrated value after the lapse of a predetermined time (integral value-reference value), and acquires the variation amount ΔV as the adjustment amount.

  After acquiring the adjustment amount, the control unit 20 sets the timing signal S4 to OFF, enables the current to be supplied to the light projecting element 40, and shuts off the current flowing through the load circuit 70 (step S205 in FIG. 8). . After that, the control unit 20 ends the adjustment amount acquisition subroutine and returns to the main processing.

  After ending the adjustment amount acquisition subroutine, the control unit 20 subsequently starts the opening / closing valve control operation. When the opening / closing valve control operation is started, the control unit 20 waits for a predetermined time, for example (step S102 in FIG. 7). The predetermined time is, for example, 0.5 seconds. The waiting time is not limited to this and may be any time. After waiting for a predetermined time, the control unit 20 subsequently executes a sensor operation subroutine (step S103 in FIG. 7).

  As shown in FIG. 9, when the sensor operation subroutine is started, the control unit 20 performs pulse light projection of the light projecting element 40 as described with reference to FIGS. ON / OFF of each switching element 56, 57 is controlled in synchronization with light (step S301 in FIG. 9).

  The control unit 20 measures the integrated value of the integrated signal input from the integration circuit 35 after performing the pulse light projection a predetermined number of times (step S302 in FIG. 9).

  After measuring the integrated value, the control unit 20 calculates the difference between the reference value, the integrated value, and the adjustment amount (integral value-reference value-adjustment amount) as sensor data, and thus the detection signal based on the adjustment amount. It is corrected (step S303 in FIG. 9).

  The control unit 20 determines whether the calculated sensor data is equal to or more than the threshold value (step S304 in FIG. 9). When the sensor data is equal to or more than the threshold value, the control unit 20 determines that the sensor data is detected (step S305 in FIG. 9). That is, it is detected that there is an object. Then, the control unit 20 determines that the sensor data is not sensed when the sensor data is less than the threshold value (step S306 in FIG. 9). That is, it is detected that there is no object. In this way, the control unit 20 detects the presence or absence of the target object based on the detection signal corrected by the adjustment amount. After determining the sensing / non-sensing, the control unit 20 ends the sensor operation subroutine and returns to the main processing.

  After ending the sensor operation subroutine, the control unit 20 determines whether or not an object is sensed in the current detection operation (step S104 in FIG. 7).

  When it is determined that the water is sensed, the control unit 20 determines whether or not the water is still stopped (step S105 in FIG. 7).

  When it is determined that the water is still stopped, the control unit 20 drives the electromagnetic valve driving unit 22 to open the electromagnetic valve 16 to start water discharge, and then returns to the process of step S102 (step S106 of FIG. 7). On the other hand, when the control unit 20 determines in step S105 that the water is discharged, the control unit 20 directly returns to the process of step S102.

  When the control unit 20 determines that the water is not sensed in step S104, the control unit 20 determines whether the water is discharged (step S107 in FIG. 7).

  When it is determined that the water is being discharged, the control unit 20 drives the electromagnetic valve driving unit 22 to close the electromagnetic valve 16 to end the water discharge, and then returns to the process of step S102 (step S108 of FIG. 7). On the other hand, when the control unit 20 determines in step S107 that the water is still, the control unit 20 directly returns to the process of step S102.

  The control unit 20 repeats the above processing. As a result, in the faucet device 10, when the user brings his or her hand close to the spout 13a, water spouting is automatically started from the spout 13a, and the user moves his or her hand away from the spout 13a. The water discharge from 13a is completed.

  As described above, according to the water faucet device 10 according to the present embodiment, the adjustment amount of the detection signal is acquired in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, and the detection signal is corrected based on this adjustment amount. As a result, it is possible to suppress malfunction due to fluctuations in the power supply voltage. In addition, in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, pseudo detection is performed in which the current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal is passed to the load circuit 70 while the transmission of the optical signal is stopped. As a result, it is possible to properly measure the variation amount ΔV of the detection signal due to the variation of the power supply voltage without being affected by the reflected signal. Furthermore, it is not necessary to separately provide a power supply circuit dedicated to the transmission unit or improve the supply capability of the power supply circuit 24, and malfunctions can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

  Further, in the water faucet device 10, the amount of fluctuation in the detection signal due to fluctuations in the power supply voltage is accurately measured by causing the current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal to flow through the load circuit 70 while the transmission of the optical signal is stopped. Can be measured. Further, it suffices to cut off the current flowing through the light projecting element 40 and flow the current through the load circuit 70, and the remaining operation can be the same as that at the time of detecting the object, without causing the processing to be complicated. The adjustment amount can be acquired.

  Further, in the faucet device 10, electric power can be supplied to each of the solenoid valve 16, the transmission unit 30, the reception unit 31, the reception circuit 32, and the control unit 20 from one power supply circuit 24, and the configuration is simplified. can do.

  In the above embodiment, the load circuit 70 is provided in the transmission unit 30, but the position where the load circuit 70 is provided may be any position. For example, by providing a FET different from the FET 42 and connecting the load circuit 70 to this FET, a current is supplied to the light projecting element 40 or a current is supplied to the load circuit 70 only by switching on / off of each FET. May be supplied or switched. In this case, for example, the switching unit 72 can be omitted.

  In the above embodiment, the receiving circuit 32 has the amplifying circuit 33, the inverting circuit 34, and the integrating circuit 35, and outputs the integrated signal of the integrating circuit 35 as a detection signal. The configuration of the reception circuit 32 is not limited to this, and may be any configuration capable of generating a detection signal representing the detection result of the target object from the reception signal. The detection signal is not limited to the integration signal and may be any signal that can represent the detection result of the object.

  The faucet device 10 may be, for example, a self-power generation type faucet device having a power generation unit that generates electric power using a flow of water supplied to the faucet 13 and a power storage unit that stores the generated electric power. . In this case, the power supply circuit 24 supplies the electric power stored in the power storage unit to the solenoid valve 16, the sensor unit 18, and the like. In such a self-power generation type faucet device, the adjustment amount acquisition operation and the opening / closing valve control operation are executed as described above. Thereby, for example, the supply capacity of the power supply circuit 24 can be suppressed and the capacity of the power storage unit can be suppressed. In the self-powered faucet device, malfunction can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram showing a modified example of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 10, in this example, the receiving unit 31 is provided with the switching element 80. Further, in this example, the load circuit 70 and the switching unit 72 of the transmission unit 30 are omitted.

  The switching element 80 is provided between the light receiving element 44 and the OP amplifier 47 of the conversion circuit 45. Further, the switching element 80 is connected to the control unit 20. The controller 20 controls ON / OFF of the switching element 80 by the timing signal S5.

  By turning on the switching element 80, the light receiving element 44 is connected to the inverting input terminal of the OP amplifier 47. On the other hand, when the switching element 80 is turned off, the connection between the light receiving element 44 and the OP amplifier 47 is cut off. Therefore, when the switching element 80 is turned off, the output of the light receiving element 44 is stopped. In other words, the output of the light receiving element 44 is cut off. Therefore, when the switching element 80 is turned off, the output of the received signal from the receiver 31 to the amplifier circuit 33 is stopped.

  In the adjustment amount acquisition operation, the control unit 20 turns off the switching element 80 and stops the output of the light receiving element 44, thereby stopping the output of the reception signal. Then, the control unit 20 carries out pseudo detection by passing a current through the light projecting element 40 in a state where the output of the reception signal is stopped.

  As described above, even when the output of the reception signal is stopped, it is possible to appropriately measure the variation amount of the detection signal due to the variation of the power supply voltage without being affected by the reflection signal, as in the above embodiment. it can. Further, it is only necessary to stop the output of the reception signal, and the remaining operation can be the same as that at the time of detecting the target object, and the adjustment amount can be acquired without causing the process to be complicated. Further, the variation amount ΔV of the detection signal due to the variation of the power supply voltage can be more accurately measured as compared with the case where the current is actually passed through the light projecting element 40 to simulate the current flowing through the load circuit 70. You can

  Further, by stopping the output of the light receiving element 44, the output of the reception signal can be stopped with a simple structure, and the malfunction can be suppressed with a simpler structure.

  In this example, a switching element 80 is provided between the light receiving element 44 and the OP amplifier 47, and the switching element 80 is turned off to stop the output of the light receiving element 44. The method of stopping the output of the light receiving element 44 is not limited to this, and any method capable of stopping the output of the light receiving element 44 may be used.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram showing a modified example of the water faucet device according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 11, in this example, the conversion circuit 45 of the reception unit 31 is provided with the switching element 82. The switching element 82 is connected in parallel with the resistor 46 of the conversion circuit 45. Further, the switching element 82 is connected to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 controls on / off of the switching element 82 by the timing signal S6.

  When the switching element 82 is turned off, the output terminal of the OP amplifier 47 and the inverting input terminal are connected by the resistor 46. On the other hand, when the switching element 82 is turned on, the output terminal and the inverting input terminal of the OP amplifier 47 are substantially short-circuited by the switching element 82.

When the output voltage of the OP amplifier 47 is V _OUT , the current input to the inverting input terminal of the OP amplifier 47 is I _IN , and the resistor 46 is the feedback resistor R, the output voltage VOUT can be obtained by the following formula. .
V _OUT = -I _IN × R
Therefore, when the switching element 82 is turned on and the output terminal and the inverting input terminal of the OP amplifier 47 are substantially short-circuited by the switching element 82, the output voltage V _OUT of the OP amplifier 47 becomes substantially 0V. Become. That is, when the switching element 82 is turned on, the output of the conversion circuit 45 is stopped.

  In the adjustment amount acquisition operation, the control unit 20 turns on the switching element 82 and stops the output of the conversion circuit 45, thereby stopping the output of the reception signal. Then, the control unit 20 carries out pseudo detection by passing a current through the light projecting element 40 in a state where the output of the reception signal is stopped.

  As described above, even when the output of the conversion circuit 45 is stopped, the output of the reception signal can be stopped with a simple configuration, and the malfunction can be suppressed with a simpler configuration, as in the example shown in FIG. be able to.

  In this example, the output of the conversion circuit 45 is stopped by the switching element 82 connected in parallel with the resistor 46. The method of stopping the output of the conversion circuit 45 is not limited to this, and any method capable of stopping the output of the conversion circuit 45 may be used. For example, a switching element may be provided between the output terminal of the OP amplifier 47 and the capacitor 48, and the output of the conversion circuit 45 may be stopped by turning off this switching element. Alternatively, the output of the conversion circuit 45 may be stopped by stopping the power supply to the OP amplifier 47.

  As described above, in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, the transmission of the optical signal may be stopped or the output of the reception signal may be stopped. Alternatively, both the transmission of the optical signal and the output of the reception signal may be stopped by combining the example shown in FIG. 2 and the examples shown in FIGS. 10 and 11. That is, in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, the current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal may be passed through the predetermined path while at least one of the transmission of the optical signal and the output of the reception signal is stopped. The load circuit 70 or the light projecting element 40 itself may be the path through which the current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal flows. The path for passing the current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal may be any path capable of appropriately measuring the fluctuation amount of the detection signal due to the fluctuation of the power supply voltage without being affected by the reflected signal.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a toilet device according to the second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 12, the toilet device 100 (water discharge device) includes a toilet bowl 102, a water supply passage 14, an electromagnetic valve 16 (open / close valve), a sensor unit 18, and a control unit 20. It should be noted that parts substantially the same in function and configuration as the faucet device 10 described in regard to the first embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

  The toilet bowl 102 has a concave bowl portion and a spout (not shown) for discharging washing water to the bowl portion. The toilet bowl 102 flushes the wash water supplied through the water supply passage 14 into the bowl portion from the spout, thereby washing away the dirt and the like excreted in the bowl portion. That is, in this example, the toilet bowl 102 functions as a water discharge part. In other words, the toilet bowl 102 is a Western style toilet bowl.

  The sensor unit 18 includes a transmitting unit 30, a receiving unit 31, and a receiving circuit 32, as in the first embodiment (all are not shown). The sensor unit 18 detects an object such as the hand of the user and inputs the detection result to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 automatically cleans the toilet bowl 102, for example, by opening the electromagnetic valve 16 for a predetermined time in response to the detection of the object by the sensor unit 18. The control unit 20 may wash the toilet bowl 102, for example, when the detection result of the sensor unit 18 is switched from the state in which the object is detected to the state in which the object is not detected. That is, the controller 20 may clean the toilet bowl 102 in response to the user's movement away from the toilet bowl 102.

  In the toilet device 100 configured in this manner, the adjustment amount of the detection signal is acquired in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, and the detection signal is corrected based on this adjustment amount, as in the first embodiment. As a result, it is possible to suppress malfunction due to fluctuations in the power supply voltage. Further, in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, pseudo detection is performed in which a current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal is passed through a predetermined path while at least one of the transmission of the optical signal and the output of the reception signal is stopped. As a result, it is possible to properly measure the variation amount ΔV of the detection signal due to the variation of the power supply voltage without being affected by the reflected signal. Furthermore, it is not necessary to separately provide a power supply circuit dedicated to the transmission unit or improve the supply capability of the power supply circuit 24, and malfunctions can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

(Third Embodiment)
FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing the toilet device according to the third embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 13, the toilet device 200 (water discharge device) includes the urinal 202, the water supply passage 14, the electromagnetic valve 16 (open / close valve), the sensor unit 18, and the control unit 20.

  The urinal 202 has a concave bowl portion and a spout (not shown) for discharging washing water into the bowl portion. The urinal 202 flushes the surface of the bowl portion by discharging the cleaning water supplied through the water supply passage 14 into the bowl portion from the spout. That is, in this example, the urinal 202 functions as a water discharge part.

  The sensor unit 18 includes a transmitting unit 30, a receiving unit 31, and a receiving circuit 32, as in the first embodiment (all are not shown). The sensor unit 18 detects an object such as the body of the user and inputs the detection result to the control unit 20. The control unit 20 cleans the urinal 202, for example, when the detection result of the sensor unit 18 is switched from the state in which the object is detected to the state in which the target object is not detected.

  In the toilet device 200 configured in this way, as in the first embodiment, the adjustment amount of the detection signal is acquired in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, and the detection signal is corrected based on this adjustment amount. As a result, it is possible to suppress malfunction due to fluctuations in the power supply voltage. In the adjustment amount acquisition operation, pseudo detection is performed in which a current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal is passed through a predetermined path while at least one of the transmission of the optical signal and the output of the reception signal is stopped. As a result, it is possible to properly measure the variation amount ΔV of the detection signal due to the variation of the power supply voltage without being affected by the reflected signal. Furthermore, it is not necessary to separately provide a power supply circuit dedicated to the transmission unit or improve the supply capability of the power supply circuit 24, and malfunctions can be suppressed with a simple configuration.

  As described above, the water spouting device may be a faucet device, a toilet device using a urinal, or a toilet device using a urinal. The water spouting device is not limited to these, and may be any water spouting device that detects a target object and controls spouting water.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. A person skilled in the art may make appropriate design changes to the above-described embodiments, and the scope of the present invention is also included as long as the characteristics of the present invention are provided. For example, the shape, size, material, arrangement, etc. of each element included in the faucet device 10, the toilet devices 100, 200, etc. are not limited to the exemplified ones but can be appropriately changed.
Further, each element included in each of the above-described embodiments can be combined as long as technically possible, and a combination of these is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it includes the features of the present invention.

  10 faucet device, 11 washbasin, 12 washbasin counter, 13 faucet (water discharge part), 13a water discharge port, 14 water supply channel, 15 drainage channel, 16 solenoid valve (open / close valve), 17 connection cable, 18 sensor part, 20 Control part, 22 solenoid valve drive part, 24 power supply circuit, 30 transmitting part, 31 receiving part, 32 receiving circuit, 33 amplifying circuit, 34 inverting circuit, 35 integrating circuit, 40 light emitting element, 41 resistance, 42 FET, 44 light receiving Element, 45 conversion circuit, 46 resistance, 47 OP amplifier, 48 capacitor, 50, 51 resistance, 52 OP amplifier, 53, 54 resistance, 55 OP amplifier, 56, 57 switching element, 60 OP amplifier, 61 resistance, 62 capacitor, 63 switching element, 70 load circuit, 72 switching unit, 73, 74 switching Element, 75 NOT gate, 80, 82 switching element, 100, 200 toilet device, 102 urinal, 202 urinal

Claims (6)

A water discharge part having a water discharge port for discharging water,
A water supply channel for guiding water from a water supply source to the spout,
An on-off valve for opening and closing the water supply passage,
A transmitter having a light projecting element and transmitting an optical signal using the light projecting element;
A receiving unit that has a light receiving element that receives a reflected signal of the optical signal, and outputs a received signal corresponding to the amount of received light of the reflected signal;
A receiving circuit that generates a detection signal representing the detection result of the object from the reception signal,
In a state where at least one of the transmission of the optical signal and the output of the reception signal is stopped, a pseudo detection in which a current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal is caused to flow in a predetermined path is performed, and the pseudo detection detects the output from the reception circuit. An adjustment amount acquisition operation of acquiring an adjustment amount of the detection signal based on the detected signal
The detection signal is acquired by transmitting the optical signal and outputting the reception signal, the detection signal is corrected based on the adjustment amount, and the presence or absence of the object is detected based on the corrected detection signal. And an on-off valve control operation for controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valve according to the detection result,
A control unit that executes
A water discharge device comprising: Further comprising a load circuit for flowing a current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal,
The control unit, in the adjustment amount acquisition operation, interrupts the current flowing through the light projecting element to stop the transmission of the optical signal, and causes a current corresponding to the transmission of the optical signal to flow through the load circuit, The water discharger according to claim 1, wherein the pseudo detection is performed.   2. The control unit performs the pseudo detection by causing a current to flow through the light projecting element in a state where the output of the reception signal is stopped in the adjustment amount acquisition operation. Water discharge device.   The water discharger according to claim 3, wherein the control unit stops the output of the reception signal by stopping the output of the light receiving element. The receiving unit further includes a conversion circuit that converts a photocurrent generated in the light receiving element into a voltage and outputs the converted voltage as the reception signal.
The water discharger according to claim 3, wherein the control unit stops the output of the reception signal by stopping the output of the conversion circuit.   The power supply circuit which supplies electric power to each of the said on-off valve, the said transmission part, the said receiving part, the said receiving circuit, and the said control part was further provided, The any one of the Claims 1-5 characterized by the above-mentioned. Water discharge device.

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