JP7645530B2 - Notification device and drainage device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a notification device that indicates an abnormal state of a drainage device that opens and closes a drainage outlet formed in a tank body or a water supply device that supplies water to the tank body, and a drainage device equipped with a notification device.

Conventionally, with regard to a water supply device and a drainage device, a structure is known in which the water supply device and the drainage device are operated by an operation panel (remote control), as in Patent Document 1.

As for drainage devices, as in Patent Document 2, a structure is known in which a plug cover that covers a drain formed on the bottom surface of the tank body and the drain is opened and closed by raising and lowering the plug cover. The drainage device described in Patent Document 2 is equipped with a manual operation unit that raises and lowers the plug cover by directly pressing a manual switch (button unit) located on the edge of the tank body, and an electric operation unit that operates a drive unit by operating an operation panel (electric button unit) located in the kitchen or bathroom, and raises and lowers the plug cover, allowing the user to select either operation to open or close the drain.

In the drainage device described in Patent Document 2, the electric operation unit transmits power to the manual operation unit through a drive unit operated based on an electrical signal from the operation panel, and the plug lid is raised and lowered by pressing down a manual switch. Therefore, if an abnormality occurs during operation of the electric operation unit and operation stops with the electric operation unit interfering with the manual operation unit, the drainage device becomes unable to be operated either manually or electrically.

Therefore, the drainage device described in Patent Document 2 is equipped with a switching means (release mechanism) that blocks the transmission of operation from the electric operation unit to the manual operation unit, allowing operation only by the manual operation unit, so that even if an abnormality occurs in the electric operation unit, the drain outlet can be opened and closed by the manual operation unit.

JP 2005-172292 A JP 2018-145653 A

When the drainage device described above is operated by opening and closing the drain using an operation panel located away from the bathroom, such as on the kitchen wall, even if an abnormality occurs in the drainage device and it stops working, the user will not be able to know that the device is in an abnormal state. In this case, the abnormal state will continue until the water supply device or drainage device detects the abnormal state, resulting in a waste of water, electricity, etc.

The switching means is designed to cut off the transmission of motion from the electric operation unit to the manual operation unit by removing the manual switch and rotating the operating shaft connected to the back of the manual switch. However, the operating shaft can only be seen by removing the manual switch, which is exposed in the bathroom. Many users did not know how to operate the switching means or did not realize that the drainage device had a switching means.

In addition, when an abnormality occurs in the water supply device, an error code is known to be displayed on the operation panel, but it is not possible to know the nature of the abnormal condition or how to resolve it from the error code alone.

In view of the above problems, the present invention aims to provide a notification device that can grasp abnormal conditions in a drainage system or water supply system and can easily check the details of the abnormal condition and how to solve it, and to provide a drainage system equipped with the notification device.

In order to solve the above problem, the present invention provides a drainage device that detects a plurality of abnormal states of a drainage device that opens and closes a drain outlet formed in a tank body, and a notification means that includes a display unit that displays a display corresponding to the abnormal state when a signal indicating the abnormal state is input ,
The drainage device includes a manual operation unit and an electric operation unit, and is capable of manual operation in which the drainage outlet is opened and closed by displacement based on a pushing operation, and electric operation in which the drainage outlet is opened and closed by transmitting power to the manual operation unit based on an electrical signal,
a switching means for cutting off the transmission of power from the electric operation unit to the manual operation unit and switching to a state in which only the manual operation unit can be operated,
The detection means detects an open/closed state of the drain outlet based on a position of the manual operation unit,
The display unit is a notification device that notifies the user of the abnormal condition detected by the detection unit and is capable of displaying an operation procedure of the switching unit as one method for solving the abnormal condition .

In the present invention according to claim 2 , the display unit is
2. The notification device according to claim 1 , wherein the notification device is a display of an operation panel that is attached inside or outside the bathroom.

In the present invention according to claim 3 , the display unit is
3. The notification device according to claim 1, further comprising an error code corresponding to the abnormal state.

The present invention as set forth in claim 4 is the notification device as set forth in claim 3 , characterized in that the error code includes information regarding the content or solution of the abnormal condition, and is displayed as an error code that can be read by a communication terminal.

The present invention as set forth in claim 5 is the notification device as set forth in claim 3 or 4 , characterized in that the error code is a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code.

The present invention as described in claim 6 is the notification device as described in claim 3, characterized in that the error code is displayed as an error code that allows information regarding the content of the abnormal condition or how to solve it to be confirmed in an instruction manual for the drainage device or a dedicated website for the drainage device.

The present invention as set forth in claim 7 is a drainage device for opening and closing a drain outlet formed in a tank body,
The drain outlet is opened and closed by a manual operation unit and an electric operation unit, and the drain outlet is opened and closed by a manual operation unit and an electric operation unit.
a switching means for cutting off the transmission of power from the electric operation unit to the manual operation unit and switching to a state in which only the manual operation unit can be operated,
a detection means for detecting an abnormal state of the device based on a position of the manual operation unit ;
a notification means including a display unit that displays the abnormal state when a signal indicating the abnormal state is input ;
The drainage device is characterized in that the display unit notifies an abnormal state detected by the detection means and is capable of displaying an operating procedure of the switching means as one method of resolving the abnormal state .

According to the present invention, it is possible to grasp abnormal conditions of the drainage device or water supply device by the notification means.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a bathroom and facilities, etc. FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing an outline of a bathroom. FIG. FIG. This is a cross section taken along line A-A' in Figure 4. 5A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line B-B' of FIG. 4, and FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the switching means has been operated from the state shown in FIG. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the drainage device with the switching means activated. FIG. 4 is a front view showing the operation panel in a state in which an error code is displayed.

The notification device and drainage device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Note that the invention described below is intended to facilitate understanding of the embodiments, and should not be construed as limiting the invention.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, this embodiment is composed of a bathroom UB in which a tank body B is placed, an operation panel 2 attached inside and outside the bathroom UB, a water supply device 4 that supplies water to the tank body B, and a drainage device 5 that opens and closes a drain outlet 1 to drain hot and cold water in the tank body B.

The bathroom UB is equipped with a bathtub B, a washing area, and a shower, and an operation panel 2 with a display unit 22 is attached to the side wall. In addition, a control unit 3 is attached to the ceiling of the bathroom UB.

The tank body B is a bathtub with a drain outlet 1 formed at the bottom, and a plug cover 54 for opening and closing the drain outlet 1 is arranged so that it can be raised and lowered. In addition, the main body 51 of the drainage device 5 is attached to the edge of the tank body B.

3, the operation panel 2 is an operation device having a button section 21 for operating the water supply device 4 and the drainage device 5, and is also a notification device having a display section 22 as a notification means. In this embodiment, the operation panel 2 is attached to a side wall of the bathroom UB and a side wall of a room (not shown) adjacent to the dressing room.
The button section 21 is a button for issuing instructions regarding hot water supply operation and the like, and when pressed, issues instructions regarding reheating operation or water filling operation.
The display unit 22 is a display for the operation panel 2, and during normal operation, displays the hot water temperature and hot water supply status. Furthermore, when a signal indicating an abnormal state of the water supply device 4 or the drainage device 5 is input to the operation panel 2 via a wired signal transmission path, a control means (not shown) generates a display signal and supplies it to the display unit 22, which then displays an error code 9, thereby notifying the user of the abnormal state of the water supply device 4 or the drainage device 5. The signal transmission path may be a non-wired path, for example, a wireless transmission path.

The control unit 3 has a power supply board and a communication board, and communicates with the water supply device 4 to transmit instructions to the drainage device 5. In this embodiment, the control unit 3 is attached to the outside of the bathroom UB.

The water supply device 4 is a water heater that performs a water supply operation to heat water supplied by a water supply pipe connected to the water supply system and supply it to a hot water supply pipe, and is connected to the tank body B by a bath supply pipe and a bath return pipe (not shown). Based on a signal from the operation panel 2, the water supply device 4 can perform a reheating operation to heat the hot water in the tank body B while circulating it, a water filling operation to supply a set amount of hot water to the tank body B, and a cleaning operation to clean the inside of the tank body B by spraying cleaning water from a nozzle (not shown). The water supply device 4 also has a detection means (not shown) inside, which can detect an abnormal state of itself and output the abnormal state to the operation panel 2. The detection means can detect not only one type of abnormal state, but multiple abnormal states.

4 and 5, the drainage device 5 is equipped with a manual operation unit 6 and an electric operation unit 7, and is capable of manual operation, which raises and lowers the plug lid 54 based on a pushing operation to open and close the drain outlet 1, and electric operation, which raises and lowers the plug lid 54 based on an electrical signal to open and close the drain outlet 1. The power generated by the manual operation unit 6 and the electric operation unit 7 is transmitted by a release wire 53 to raise and lower the plug lid 54, and the raised and lowered state of the plug lid 54 is maintained by a lock mechanism 52 connected to the end of the release wire 53.
The drainage device 5 also has a detection means 8 for detecting an abnormal state of itself.

The main body 51 is a casing whose upper end is attached to the edge of the tank body B, and is disposed on the back side of the tank body B, except for the portion exposed on the surface of the tank body B. The main body 51 contains a locking mechanism 52, a manual operation unit 6, and an electric operation unit 7, and a release wire 53 is connected to its end.

The lock mechanism 52 has an upper end connected to the manual operation unit 6 and a lower end connected to a release wire 53. Each time power is transmitted from the manual operation unit 6, the lock mechanism 52 raises and lowers the stopper lid 54 via the release wire 53, and maintains the raised and lowered state of the stopper lid 54 by switching between meshing and disengagement between the rotating gear and fixed gear housed inside.

The release wire 53 is a power transmission member consisting of a resin outer tube and a metal inner wire. When the drainage device 5 is manually or electrically operated, the inner wire slides inside the outer tube to transmit power from the manual operation unit 6 or the electrically operated operation unit 7, thereby raising and lowering the plug lid 54.

The plug lid 54 is connected to the main body 51 of the drainage device 5 located on the back side of the tank body B via a release wire 53, and opens and closes the drain outlet 1 by rising and lowering based on power from the manual operation unit 6 or the electric operation unit 7.

The manual operation unit 6 has a switch unit 61 and an operating shaft 62, and is a mechanism that generates power for manually opening and closing the drain outlet 1.
The switch portion 61 is disk-shaped and exposed from the upper end of the main body portion 51 into the bathroom UB. The switch portion 61 is capable of being displaced in the vertical direction relative to the main body portion 51, and has an operating shaft 62 fitted to its rear surface.
The operating shaft 62 is rod-shaped and extends in the vertical direction, and its lower end is connected to the lock mechanism 52. The operating shaft 62 also has a convex contact portion 621 protruding outward for contact with the pushing portion 74 of the electric operating unit 7, and a signal generating unit 81 is attached to its end.

The electric operating unit 7 has a drive unit 71, a drive board 72, a drive shaft 73, and a pushing unit 74, and is a mechanism that generates power for electrically opening and closing the drain outlet 1.
The drive unit 71 is a stepping motor whose operation is controlled by a drive board 72, which rotates a drive shaft 73 based on an electric signal and transmits the power of the electric operation unit 7 to the manual operation unit 6 by pushing down the operation shaft 62 via a pushing part 74. In this embodiment, the drive unit 71 is rotatable in both directions.
The drive board 72 is disposed adjacent to the drive unit 71 and controls the drive unit 71 .
The drive shaft 73 is a shaft that rotates by the operation of the drive unit 71, and has a gear attached to its end.
The pushing portion 74 is a cylindrical member arranged on the outer periphery of the operating shaft 62, and has a rack formed on its outer surface that engages with the drive shaft 73, and at its upper end, a stepped abutment portion 741 that abuts against the upper surface of the abutment portion 621 formed on the operating shaft 62, and a slit 742 are formed.

The detection means 8 is composed of a signal generating section 81 and a signal receiving section 82 .
The signal generating unit 81 is a magnet attached to the end of the operating shaft 62, and the signal receiving unit 82 is a magnetic sensor that detects the magnetism emitted from the signal generating unit 81. The signal receiving units 82 are fixed to the main body 51, and are provided at two locations, one above the other and one below the other, along the axial direction of the operating shaft 62.
The signal generating unit 81 is positioned so as to face the lower signal receiving unit 82 when the cap 54 is in the raised state, and is positioned so as to face the upper signal receiving unit 82 when the cap 54 is in the lowered state. This makes it possible to detect the state of the cap 54 depending on whether the upper or lower signal receiving unit 82 detects magnetism.

When the electric operation unit 7 stops midway due to a power outage or the like, the pushing unit 74 remains in contact with the operating shaft 62, making it impossible to operate the drainage device 5 either manually or electrically. Therefore, the drainage device 5 is equipped with a switching means that cuts off the power transmission from the electric operation unit 7 to the manual operation unit 6, and switches to a state where only operation by the manual operation unit 6 is possible.

As shown in Figures 4 and 6(a), when the switching means is not activated, the abutting portion 621 abuts against the abutted portion 741, and power from the electric operation unit 7 can be transmitted to the manual operation unit 6. When the switch unit 61 is removed and the operation shaft 62 is rotated, the abutting portion 621 formed on the operation shaft 62 moves directly below the slit 742 formed in the pushing portion 74. As a result, the abutting portion 621 passes through the slit 742, and the electric operation unit 7 no longer interferes with the manual operation unit 6. As shown in Figure 7, therefore, it is possible to displace the manual operation unit 6 regardless of the position of the pushing portion 74.

The operation of the drainage device 5 is explained below.

When the plug lid 54 of the drainage device 5 is in the lowered state, the drain outlet 1 is blocked by the plug lid 54, and hot water can be stored in the tank body B. When the switch unit 61 is pressed, the manual operation unit 6 is activated, the switch unit 61 and the operating shaft 62 are lowered, and the pressing operation is transmitted by the release wire 53 to raise the plug lid 54. At this time, the fixed gear and the rotating gear inside the locking mechanism 52 mesh, and the plug lid 54 is maintained in the raised state, allowing hot water in the tank body B to be discharged from the drain outlet 1.

When the manual operation unit 6 is operated again while the plug 54 is raised, the gears in the locking mechanism 52 are disengaged, and the plug 54 descends due to a spring (not shown) attached to the locking mechanism 52 and its own weight, blocking the drain outlet 1 again.

On the other hand, when an operation is input to the operation panel 2, the electric operation unit 7 is operated. When the electric operation unit 7 is operated, the position of the plug lid 54 is detected by the detection means 8, and when the state of the plug lid 54 differs from the instruction to the operation panel 2, the drive unit 71 is operated to rotate the drive shaft 73. At this time, the operation shaft 62 is pushed down by the pushing unit 74, so that the operation of the electric operation unit 7 is transmitted to the manual operation unit 6, which raises and lowers the plug lid 54. After the pushing unit 74 has lowered to a predetermined position, the drive unit 71 rotates in the reverse direction to raise the pushing unit 74 and return it to the position before the operation. In this manner, it is possible to perform an operation using the manual operation unit 6 after performing an operation using the electric operation unit 7.
Furthermore, when the position of the plug lid 54 detected by the detection means 8 matches the operation instructed by the operation panel 2, the electric operation unit 7 does not operate. For example, when a hot water supply operation is instructed to the water supply device 4, if the detection means 8 detects that the plug lid 54 is in the raised state, the electric operation unit 7 operates to lower the plug lid 54, but if the detection means 8 detects that the plug lid 54 is in the lowered state, the electric operation unit 7 does not operate, and the water supply device 4 starts supplying hot water.

If an abnormality occurs in the drainage device 5 during the above operation, the detection means 8 detects the abnormal state of the drainage device 5. The detection means 8 is capable of detecting multiple abnormal states as follows.

If the drainage device 5 stops while the plug lid 54 is in the middle of rising or falling, the signal generating unit 81 is disposed between the two signal receiving units 82. At this time, the detection means 8 can detect an abnormal state by being unable to detect the magnetism emitted from the signal generating unit 81 from either of the signal receiving units 82.

If the plug lid 54 cannot be raised or lowered due to damage to the gear of the electric operation unit 7, etc., the detection means 8 can detect an abnormal condition because the signal receiving unit 82 does not detect the movement of the signal generating unit 81 even though the control unit 3 has sent an instruction to the electric operation unit 7 to raise or lower the plug lid 54, and only one of the signal receiving units 82 detects magnetism.

When the detection means 8 detects an abnormal condition in the water supply device 4 or the drainage device 5, it outputs a signal indicating the detected abnormal condition to the operation panel 2, which serves as a notification device.
When the above signal is input, the operation panel 2 notifies the user of the abnormal state by displaying an error code 9 corresponding to the abnormal state on the display unit 22.

8 shows the operation panel 2 in a state where the error code 9 is displayed. The error code 9 is made up of a first error code 91 and a second error code 92.
The first error code 91 is a two-dimensional code consisting of a QR code (registered trademark), and is an error code that can be read by a communication terminal such as a smartphone. When the first error code 91 is read by the communication terminal, a dedicated website that describes information about the water supply device 4 or the drainage device 5 that is in an abnormal state is displayed on the communication terminal. The second error code 92 is composed of alphanumeric characters that correspond to the abnormal state that has occurred in the water supply device 4 or the drainage device 5.

The user can check the content indicated by the second error code 92 by, for example, entering the second error code 92 on the dedicated website accessed by the first error code 91, and thereby display on the communication terminal the content of the abnormal condition that has occurred in the water supply device 4 or the drainage device 5 and the solution (for example, in the case of the drainage device 5, the operating procedure of the switching means and the method of replacing the components). Alternatively, the user can check the content indicated by the second error code 92 in the instruction manual to confirm the content of the abnormal condition that has occurred in the water supply device 4 or the drainage device 5 and the solution.

The notification device or drainage device of this embodiment is equipped with a display unit 22 as a notification means for notifying the user of an abnormal state when a signal indicating the abnormal state is input, so that the user can check that the drainage device 5 is in an abnormal state even from outside the bathroom.

In addition, an error code 9 corresponding to an abnormal condition is displayed on the display unit 22, making it easy to check the details of the abnormal condition or how to resolve it.

In addition, the user can read the first error code 91 using a communication terminal and have the communication terminal display the details of the abnormal condition and how to solve it, so that even if the user has lost the instruction manual, the user can easily learn the details of the abnormal condition of the water supply device 4 or the drainage device 5 and how to solve it.

Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the structure of the above embodiment. For example, the above error code 9 can be read by a communication terminal to provide information on the content of the abnormal state or the solution, and the content of the abnormal state or the solution is displayed on the communication terminal by checking the content indicated by the second error code 92 on a dedicated website accessed by the communication terminal. However, the first error code 91 may have information on the content of the abnormal state of the water supply device 4 or the drainage device 5 and the solution, and information on the content of the abnormal state currently occurring in the communication terminal and the solution may be read by the communication terminal.

Also, a dedicated application can be installed on the communication terminal, and the error code can be read using the application to check the details of the abnormal condition and how to resolve it.

The dedicated website may also be designed so that the details of the abnormal condition cannot be confirmed unless a specific authentication code is entered. This can ensure that only qualified repair technicians can carry out repairs. Also, there is no limitation on the contents indicated by error code 9, such as being able to order parts by reading first error code 91.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the first error code 91 is not limited to a QR code, but may be another two-dimensional code. It may also be a one-dimensional code such as a barcode.

The detection means is not limited to the structure described in the above embodiment, and may be, for example, a sensor that detects heat generated by an overload on the drive unit 71, or a water level sensor that detects the water level inside the tank, and the structure is not limited to this. The abnormal conditions that can be detected by the detection means are not limited to those in the above embodiment. For example, it may be possible to detect a loss of synchronization of the drive unit 71 or damage caused by an overload.

In addition, in the above embodiment, the notification means was the display unit 22 formed on the operation panel 2, but the display unit may be formed on the top surface of the switch unit 61 of the drainage device 5, for example. In addition, the display unit may be formed on the plug lid 54 or the edge of the tank body B, and there is no limitation on the position of the display unit.

Furthermore, the notification means is not limited to displaying an error code. For example, an abnormal state may be notified by sound, such as voice or an alarm sound, or an error code and sound may be used in combination.
Alternatively, a signal indicating an abnormal state may be transmitted via a wired or wireless transmission path to a speaker installed inside or outside the bathroom. In this case, the speaker functions as a notification device equipped with a notification means for notifying the user of an abnormal state by sound, such as voice or an alarm, based on the input signal.

1 Drain outlet 2 Operation panel 21 Button section 22 Display section (notification means)
3 Control unit 4 Water supply device 5 Drain device 51 Main body 52 Lock mechanism 53 Release wire 54 Plug lid 6 Manual operation unit 61 Switch unit 62 Operation shaft 621 Contact unit 7 Electric operation unit 71 Drive unit 72 Drive board 73 Drive shaft 74 Pushing unit 741 Contacted unit 742 Slit 8 Detection means 81 Signal generating unit 82 Signal receiving unit 9 Error code 91 First error code 92 Second error code B Tank body UB Bathroom

Claims (7)

The drainage device includes a detection means capable of detecting a plurality of abnormal states of the drainage device that opens and closes a drain outlet formed in the tank body, and a notification means including a display unit that displays a message corresponding to the abnormal state when a signal indicating the abnormal state is input ,
The drainage device includes a manual operation unit and an electric operation unit, and is capable of manual operation in which the drainage outlet is opened and closed by displacement based on a pushing operation, and electric operation in which the drainage outlet is opened and closed by transmitting power to the manual operation unit based on an electrical signal,
a switching means for cutting off the transmission of power from the electric operation unit to the manual operation unit and switching to a state in which only the manual operation unit can be operated,
The detection means detects an open/closed state of the drain outlet based on a position of the manual operation unit,
The display unit notifies the user of the abnormal condition detected by the detection unit, and is capable of displaying an operation procedure of the switching unit as one method of resolving the abnormal condition . The display unit is
2. The notification device according to claim 1 , which is a display of an operation panel that is attached inside or outside the bathroom. The display unit is
3. The notification device according to claim 1, wherein an error code corresponding to the abnormal state is displayed. 4. The notification device according to claim 3 , wherein the error code includes information about the content of the abnormal state or a method for solving the abnormal state, and is displayed as an error code that can be read by a communication terminal. 5. The notification device according to claim 3 , wherein the error code is a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code. The notification device according to claim 3 , characterized in that the error code is displayed as an error code that allows information on the content or solution of the abnormal condition to be confirmed in an instruction manual for the drainage device or a dedicated website for the drainage device. A drainage device that opens and closes a drainage port formed in a tank body,
The drain outlet is opened and closed by a manual operation unit and an electric operation unit, and the drain outlet is opened and closed by a manual operation unit and an electric operation unit.
a switching means for cutting off the transmission of power from the electric operation unit to the manual operation unit and switching to a state in which only the manual operation unit can be operated,
a detection means for detecting an abnormal state of the device based on a position of the manual operation unit ;
a notification means including a display unit that displays the abnormal state when a signal indicating the abnormal state is input ;
The drainage device , characterized in that the display unit is capable of notifying an abnormal state detected by the detection means and displaying an operating procedure of the switching means as one method of resolving the abnormal state .

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