JPH0512633B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a water-filling time detection device for a water cooler.

[Prior Art] As is well known, a water cooler stores and cools injected water in a water storage tank equipped with a cooler in advance, and obtains low-temperature water from the tank as drinking water. There are various types of water coolers, but the direct connection type, which has a closed water storage tank and is directly connected to a water faucet and uses water pressure from the tap to inject water without the use of a pump, etc. It is always full and automatically refilled as it is used.

[Problems to be solved by the invention] In such water coolers, the sealed water storage tank cannot be modified from the outside, so if the cooler is not used for a long time, water will remain in the tank. , the concentration of chlorine in water for sterilization decreases.

In particular, when the power is turned off and left unattended for a long time, there is a risk that germs and the like will propagate as there will be no cooling effect.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems of the conventional example, and to provide a water cooler water filling time detection system that automatically cleans the inside of the water tank according to the amount of water used in the water storage tank, thereby keeping the inside of the tank clean at all times. The purpose is to obtain equipment.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention has the objective of discharging the water from the drain pipe of the tank when the specified water injection time for the cold water in the water storage tank is not obtained within a specified period of time. The gist of this invention is to operate and detect water injection time in conjunction with a water injection pedal and push button to automatically open a valve for a certain period of time.

[Function] According to the present invention, depending on the usage amount of the water cooler, if the usage amount is small and the residence time of cold water becomes long, the drain valve is automatically opened to prevent the residence.

[Embodiments of the Invention] Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, a water intake pipe 2 is connected to a water main tap 1.
and the tip of this water suction pipe 2 is opened at the upper part of the sealed water storage tank 3.

On the other hand, a water injection pipe 4 is raised from near the bottom of the water storage tank 3 and projects above the water storage tank 3, and a fountain nozzle 5 is provided at the tip.

This fountain nozzle 5 is provided protruding from a saucer 6 which also serves as the top plate of the machine body. A water injection valve 7 is provided in the middle of the water injection pipe 4, which has an actuator mechanism built therein and operates to flow a constant pressure water flow. 7
a is the operating shaft of the water injection valve 7, and 7b is the operating shaft 7.
It is a concentrically bulged flange integral with a, and is biased downward by a spring 7c.

8 is a lever, 9 is a mounting plate for the water injection valve 7, and a support point 9a for rotating the lever 9 in a seesaw shape.
have.

A pedal rod 10 connects the lever 8 and the pedal 11. 11a is rotatably attached to the pedal 11 at a hinge portion. Reference numeral 12 denotes a push button, which is urged upward by a spring 13 and is provided so as to protrude from the upper surface of the saucer 6. From this push button 12, push button rod 1
4 is suspended and has a bulged flange portion 14a so as to come into contact with the lever 8.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a shielding plate, which is erected on the lever 8.

16 is a light sensor, which includes a light emitting part 16a and a light receiving part 1.
6b, and is provided so as to sandwich the shielding plate 15, and normally blocks the optical path of the optical sensor 16.

17 is a drain pipe attached to the drain port 6a of the saucer 6, and 18 is a drain pipe connected to the bottom of the water storage tank 3, with a drain valve 19 in between.

As shown in FIG. 2, a cooler 20 formed by winding refrigerant pipes is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the water storage tank 3, and the cooler 20 includes a compressor 21, a condenser 22, a dryer 223, a capillary tube and are sequentially connected by refrigerant piping to form a refrigeration cycle. In the figure, 25 indicates a condenser blower.

Reference numeral 26 in FIG. 1 is a control device that uses an IC circuit and also has a timer function, and also receives signals from the optical sensor 6.

Next, the operation and usage will be explained.

First, to explain the normal operation, the main tap 1 is opened, and the water pressure is used to fill the water storage tank 3 with water, which is then cooled by the cooler 20.

In this state, if the user presses the push button 12 by hand or depresses the pedal 11 by foot, the water injection valve 7 is opened via the lever 8, and drinking water is discharged from the fountain nozzle 5.

Next, the operation for preventing retention in the water storage tank 3 will be described. When the power outlet is connected to the commercial power system (FIG. 4 START), the timer of the control device 26 operates, and the output from the control device 26 opens the drain valve 19 for a certain period of time (20 seconds), reducing the water pressure in the water storage tank 3. Since the water is supplied into the water storage tank 3 through the water suction pipe 2 directly connected to the water source,
The accumulated water in the water storage tank 3 is drained from the drain pipe 18.
Water is drained through and replaced.

Next, the opened drain valve 19 is closed and water is replenished into the water storage tank 3 in preparation for normal water injection.

Further, when the cooler is used and the pedal 11 or push button 12 is pressed, the water injection valve 7 is opened in conjunction with the lever 8 that opens and closes the water injection valve 7, and cold water is spouted from the fountain nozzle 5.

When the pedal 11 or the push button 12 is pressed, this lever 8 rotates in a seesaw shape about the support point 9a, and one side pushes up the operation shaft 7a of the water injection valve 7 to open the water injection valve 7, and the other side moves the lever 8 in a seesaw manner. The upright shielding plate 15 is lowered to open the optical path from the light emitting section 16a of the optical sensor 16 to the light receiving section 16b.

The control device 26 measures and integrates this optical path release time. (Step) If 12 hours have passed since the drain valve 19 was opened and the water was discarded by turning on the power, the control device 26 further calculates the accumulated time of the optical sensor 16 by 4 hours.
It is determined whether the time is greater than or equal to 10 minutes. (step o)
This number of 4 minutes is the time required to fill up the empty water storage tank 3 if the water injection valve 7 is kept open for that corresponding period.
The fact that it is less than 12 minutes means that there is water left in the water storage tank 3 from 12 hours ago. Therefore, in that case, proceed to Step 1, open the drain valve 7, and drain all the water in the water storage tank 3 and replace it.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, the water cooler water filling time detection device of the present invention can appropriately detect the amount of cold water used in the water storage tank using either the foot pedal or the push button, and can send a signal to the controller. By sending water to the tank, the water in the tank is automatically replaced when the amount of cold water used in the tank is small and the water stays for a long time, reducing the chlorine concentration in the tank. , which can prevent the bactericidal action from disappearing.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an embodiment of the water cooler usage detection method of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an enlarged portion of the optical sensor section, Fig. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the cooling system of the water cooler, and Fig. 4 is 1 is a flowchart showing a control system of the present invention. In the figure, 1 is the water main valve, 2 is the water supply pipe, 3 is the water storage tank, 4 is the water injection pipe, 5 is the fountain nozzle, 6 is the saucer, 7
is a drain valve, 8 is a lever, 9 is a mounting plate, 10 is a pedal rod, 11 is a pedal, 12 is a push button,
13 is a spring, 14 is a push button rod, 15
is a shielding plate, 16 is a light sensor, 16a is a light emitting part,
16b is a light receiving section, 17 is a drain pipe, 18 is a drain pipe, 19 is a drain valve, 20 is a cooler, 21 is a compressor, 22 is a condenser, 23 is a dryer, 24 is a capillary tube, 25 is a blower, 26 is a Control device.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A water cooler that is equipped with a means for detecting the water injection time from a water storage tank, and automatically opens the drain valve of the drain pipe of the tank for a certain period of time if the specified water injection time is not obtained within a predetermined period of time. In the above, the water injection time detection means is composed of an optical sensor having a light emitting part and a light receiving part, and a shielding plate that blocks the optical path of the optical sensor, and the shielding plate is linked to a fountain pedal and a push button, respectively. A water cooler water filling time detection device characterized by: