JPH0697115B2 - Bath warmer - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a bath device, and more particularly to a bath device of a type in which the temperature of hot water in a bathtub is kept constant so that it can be always maintained at an appropriate temperature when taking a bath. The warming operation is automatically stopped at the time of bathing so that the unnecessary warming operation is not performed.

[Prior Art and Problems Thereof] In recent bath equipment, a water heater and a bath reheating device built in one casing are widely used. In this type of bath device, the bath heater is used in the bathtub. In addition, a so-called automatic water filling device is provided which is capable of supplying hot water having a predetermined temperature up to a certain water level. In addition, recently, in addition to this function, a heat retaining function is added, and when the hot water in the bathtub is cooled, the reheating device is operated for a predetermined time to maintain the hot water temperature in the bathtub at a constant temperature. .

With this heat insulation device, the inconvenience that the bath temperature in the bathtub drops extremely when the outside temperature is low such as in winter and the bathing time interval becomes long is eliminated, and the bath temperature is always kept at an appropriate temperature. You can bathe in hot water.

In order to maintain this temperature, it is necessary to detect the temperature of the hot water in the bathtub. Therefore, conventionally, a temperature detection device is arranged in the circulation circuit between the bathtub and the bath kettle that constitutes the reheating device, and this circulation circuit is The bath water temperature is detected as the operating state at regular time intervals. When the hot water temperature in the bathtub is equal to or lower than the set temperature, the heating means in the reheating device is simultaneously operated to maintain the hot water temperature in the bathtub at a constant temperature.

By the way, when there is a bather in the bathroom, it is necessary to reheat the bath and set the hot water temperature in the bathtub according to the bather's preference. Absent. Conversely, continuing this operation causes unnecessary power consumption and the like.

The present invention has been made in view of the above point, "the heating means of the reheating device and the bath are connected by a circulation circuit provided with a circulation pump and a hot water temperature detection device, and the circulation pump is separated by a predetermined time interval. The hot water temperature detecting device detects the hot water temperature in the bathtub, and when the hot water temperature in the bathtub is equal to or lower than a set temperature, the heating means is operated to keep the hot water temperature in the bathtub at a constant temperature. In the bath heat retaining device including H), it is an object to stop the operation of the heat retaining device when there is a bather in the bathroom in order to prevent wasteful power consumption and the like. .

[Technical Means] The technical means of the present invention taken to solve the above problems will be described with reference to the conceptual diagram of FIG. 5. The technical means of the present invention is that “a bather is in a bathtub (B)”. Alternatively, the output of the bather detection means (N) that detects the presence in the bathroom and outputs a constant output in the bather detection state is input to the switch device (S), and the switch device (S) is the bather. Detection means (N)
When there is an output from the heating circuit, the electric circuit to the heat retention control circuit (H) is made non-conductive, and when there is a signal corresponding to the fact that the bather has left the room, the electric circuit to the heat retention control circuit (H) is made conductive. It was a switch device that caused it. "

[Operation] The above technical means of the present invention operates as follows.

As shown in the block diagram of FIG. 5 (a), the heat retention control circuit (H) is turned on and off by the switch device (S) which is opened and closed by the output of the bather detection means (N). There is.

As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 11B, when the bather is not in the bathtub or the bathroom, the step (91) is repeated, and the heat retention control circuit (H) already turned on in the step (90). Is maintained in this ON state. As a result, every time the hot water temperature in the bath tub cools, the heating means of the reheating device is operated to keep the hot water temperature constant.

Now, when a bather enters the bathtub or the bathroom, the bather detection means (N) detects this, the output is input to the switch device (S), and the control content is changed from step (91) to step (91). 92) and the electric circuit to the heat retention control circuit (H) is cut off. Then, until a signal indicating that the bather has left the bathroom can be confirmed in step (93), the electric circuit to the heat retaining circuit (H) is maintained in a disconnected state. Therefore, the heat retention operation is not performed during this period.

Next, when the bather leaves the bathroom and generates a corresponding signal, the control contents change from step (93) to step (9).
0) and the heat retention control circuit (H) is returned to the ON state. That is, the switch device (S) conducts an electric circuit to the heat retention control circuit (H), and the heat retention device is in a state controlled by the heat retention control circuit (H).

Therefore, when there is a bather in the bathroom, the operation of the heat retention device is stopped, and when this state ends, the heat retention operation is automatically restarted.

[Effects] The present invention having the above-described configuration has the following unique effects.

When the bather is in the bathroom, the operation of the heat retention device is stopped, so that the inconvenience of the unnecessary heat retention operation during this period is prevented, and unnecessary power consumption is prevented.

Also, when the outside air temperature is low, such as during winter, if the circulation circuit of the reheating device is forcedly circulated while the heating means is stopped, the temperature of the bath water will change due to the heat exchange action (air cooling action) of the heat exchanger outside the room. However, according to the present invention, the warming operation is stopped during bathing, so that such inconvenience during bathing can be prevented.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

The apparatus of this embodiment is provided with an automatic hot water filling device and a heat retention device in a so-called bathtub with a water heater having a hot water supply function and a function of circulatingly heating the bathtub (B), and a heat retention control circuit (H) of this heat retention device. ) Operation is controlled by a water level detection bath sensor. As shown in FIG. 1, the hot water supply circuit (21) on the outlet side of the heat exchanger (2) for hot water supply is connected to the kitchen
In addition to allowing hot water supply piping in the washroom and bathroom, it is also possible to automatically fill hot water using the hot water supply function. The main operation panel (C ₁ ) installed in the kitchen and the auxiliary operation panel (C ₂ ) installed in the bathroom The hot water supply temperature can be controlled by.
A water level sensor (P) is incorporated in a part of the automatic water filling device, and the water level sensor (P) also functions as a component of the bather detector.

As the temperature control circuit (5), the first on the main operation panel (C ₁ ) side
The temperature control circuit (5a) and the second temperature control circuit (5b) on the side of the sub-operation panel (C ₂ ) are equipped, and each control circuit has a heat exchanger (2) as shown in FIG. From a temperature sensor (20) such as a thermistor that detects the temperature at the outlet side of the water, a hot water temperature setting device, and a comparison calculation circuit that performs a comparison calculation of the output of the temperature sensor (20) and the output from the hot water temperature setting device. The output from the comparison operation circuit is input to the drive circuit (51) of the gas proportional valve (50) that controls the amount of gas supplied to the burner that heats the heat exchanger (2).

The first temperature control circuit (5a) compares the output from the temperature sensor (20) with the output of the hot water temperature setting device (52) on the main operation panel (C ₁ ) side, and the other second temperature control circuit (5b). Temperature sensor (20)
Is compared with the output of the hot water temperature setting device (53) on the sub operation panel (C ₂ ) side, and these outputs are input to the drive circuit (51) via the changeover switch (54). There is.

Next, as shown in FIG. 1, the automatic hot water filling device includes a hot water supply circuit (21) branched from the hot water supply circuit (21) on the outlet side of the heat exchanger (2) for hot water supply and circulates the circulation heating circuit. A circulation heating circuit (3) that is in communication with (3) and has a water filling valve (23) and a vacuum breaking valve (24), which are electromagnetic valves, inserted into this water filling circuit (22) and is in communication with the bath (B). ) Is connected to a water level sensor (P), and the output of this water level sensor (P) is
As shown in FIG. 2, it is input to the comparison operation circuit (4). The water level sensor (P) is a type of sensor that constantly outputs a detection output. The output from the water level setting device (41) is constantly input as the other input to the comparison operation circuit (4). The output from the water level setting device (41) and the output from the water level sensor (P) Is compared by the comparison calculation circuit (4), and when the output from the water level sensor (P) matches the set value by the water level setting device (41), the comparison calculation circuit (4) outputs a constant output signal. To do. The output from the comparison operation circuit (4) is input to the switch device (43) which is always on, and the switch device (43) is inserted in series with the water filling valve (23).
The switch device (43) and the water filling valve (23) are made conductive by turning on the water filling switch (25).

The water filling switch (25) functions not only as an automatic switch for automatic water filling but also as an automatic switch that activates a heat retention device described later.

The output of the water level sensor (P) is also input to the water level change calculation circuit (1), and the combination of the water level sensor (P) and the water level change calculation circuit (1) functions as a bather detection means. Is. The water level change calculation circuit (1) has a change larger than the water level change in the bathtub (B) when the bath is filled and smaller than the water level change when the bather enters the bathtub (B). A specific value of the degree is input as the water level change reference value, and the output of the reference value output means (11) for outputting the water level change reference value is the water level change calculation circuit (1) together with the output of the water level sensor (P). The output from the water level change calculation circuit (1) is applied to the base of a switching transistor (10) connected in series with a relay (R ₁ ) whose output contact is the changeover switch (54). Has been done. The changeover switch (54), which is the output part of the relay (R ₁ ), is normally connected to the circuit on the first temperature control circuit (5a) side, and the output from the water level change calculation circuit (1) is When applied to the base of the switching transistor (10), the output contact is switched to the second temperature control circuit (5b) side due to conduction of the relay (R ₁ ).

In this embodiment, the water level change calculation circuit (1) is
As shown in FIG. 3, the comparison calculation circuit (12) to which the output from the water level sensor (P) and the output from the reference value output means (11) are input, and the output from this comparison calculation circuit (12). A switching transistor (13) applied to the base, a timer (14) connected in series with this switching transistor (13), a self-holding circuit (16) to which one output switch of this timer is input, and the other A reference voltage application circuit (15) having an output switch inserted, and a voltage applied to the reference voltage application circuit (15) is applied to the base of the switching transistor (10).

Next, the heat retaining device is connected to the circulation pump (3
3), solenoid valve (3) inserted in the gas circuit to the burner (30)
4) and a heat retention control circuit (H) for controlling them, and this heat retention control circuit (H) is a switch device (S).
Is connected in series with the output contact (R ₁₁ ) of the relay (R ₁ ).

The heat retention control circuit (H) includes a circulation pump (33) for reheating and a burner (30) for detecting the hot water temperature (32).
In addition to operating the circulating pump (33), the circulating pump (33) is intermittently operated at fixed time intervals in order to perform the hot water temperature detecting operation. Therefore, the heat keeping control circuit (H) includes a relay (R ₁₎ of the output contact (R ₁₁₎ connected in series to the relay (R _3), to operate the circulation pump by a predetermined time at a predetermined time interval (33) When the temperature detected by the timer circuit (T) and the hot water temperature detection device (32) is below the set temperature, the burner (30) and the circulation pump (33) are activated and the detected temperature reaches the set temperature. And a reheating control circuit (19) for stopping the operation of the reheating function section, and the reheating control circuit (19) is connected in parallel with the reheating switch (37). The series circuit of the relay (R ₃ ) and the output contact (R ₁₁ ) is connected to the water filling switch (25), which is connected in parallel with the water filling valve (23). The normally closed output contact (R ₂₁ ) of the relay (R ₂ ) is inserted. The normally open output contact (R ₃₁ ) of the relay (R ₃ ) is inserted in the electric circuit to the timer circuit (T) and the electric circuit to the reheating control circuit (19).

In the heat retention device with this configuration, after the automatic filling is completed, the heat retention control circuit (H) is turned on as long as the normally closed output contact (R ₂₁ ) is closed and the output contact (R ₁₁ ) is closed. Then, the timer circuit (T) controls the circulation pump (33) and the reheating control circuit (19) controls the reheating operation. That is, when the heat retention detecting operation is performed at a constant time interval and the temperature is equal to or lower than the set temperature, the temperature in the bathtub (B) is maintained at a constant temperature by reheating.

In the embodiment having the above configuration, when the water filling operation is performed and the water filling switch (25) is turned on, the water filling is automatically started, and when the output of the water level sensor (P) reaches the set water level, the comparison is made. The water filling is automatically stopped by the output of the arithmetic circuit (4). During this filling operation, the relay (R ₂ ) connected in parallel with the filling valve (23) is in the conductive state, the normally closed output contact (R ₂₁ ) is in the non-conductive state, and the heat retention control circuit (H) Has stopped working. Then, when the filling of water is completed, the normally closed output contact (R ₂₁ ) is closed and the heat retention control circuit (H) enters the operating state, and the heat retention operation proceeds.

However, in the circuit to the heat retention control circuit (H), the output contact (R ₁₁ ) of the relay (R ₁ ) is the normally closed output contact (R ₂₁ ).
The relay (R ₁ ) controls the operation of the heat retention control circuit (H) since it is connected in series.
Further, since the changeover switch (54) serving as the other output contact of the relay (R ₁ ) is inserted between the temperature control circuit and the drive circuit (51), this controls the hot water supply temperature to the bathroom. Will be switched.

That is, when a bather enters the bathtub (B),
The changeover switch (54) is switched by the output of the water level change calculation circuit (1) and the relay (R ₁ ), and the hot water temperature is set by the second temperature control circuit (5b) by the output of the bather detector (N). It has priority over that of the other first temperature control circuit (50). The priority operation time is the time set in the timer (14). Therefore, even if the bathroom shower (27) is used within this time, it will be controlled to the hot water temperature set by the hot water temperature setting device (53) provided on the sub operation panel (C ₂ ). Even if the hot water temperature is set at the temporary high temperature on the operation panel (C ₁ ) side, it is possible to prevent the inconvenience that the high temperature hot water is ejected from the shower (27). At the same time, by opening the output contact (R ₁₁ ), the circuit to the heat retention control circuit (H) becomes non-conductive, and the operation of the heat retention device is stopped for the time set in the timer (14).

Here, the set time of the timer (14) is set to a general bathing time (20 to 30 minutes).

In addition to the above water level change calculation circuit (1), it is also possible to adopt a configuration as shown in FIG. 4 as a water level change calculation circuit (1) that achieves the same purpose.

In this device, the output from the water level sensor (P) is input to a differentiating circuit (17) through an inverting circuit, and this differentiating circuit (1
The output from 7) is input to the timer (18), and the output of this timer (18) causes the changeover switch (54) to be input to the relay (R ₁ ) of FIG. The relay (R ₁ ) is configured to be conductive only for the set time of (). Here, the differentiating circuit (17) uses a resistor and a capacitor, and the resistance value and the capacitance are set to predetermined values so that there is a change in water pressure when the bather enters the bathtub (B). It goes without saying that a constant "positive output" is obtained when the bather enters the bath, and a constant "output" is obtained when the bather leaves the bathtub (B). "Negative output" will be output.

In addition, in the above-mentioned embodiment, as a bathing detection sensor,
We adopted a method that detects changes in the water level in the bathtub.
As disclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 64-626, a human detection sensor such as an infrared detection sensor may be arranged in a human passage area into the bathroom.

Further, this human detection sensor may be combined with the bathing detection sensor of the type that detects the water level change in the above embodiment.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall view of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an electric circuit diagram thereof, FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a water level change calculation circuit (1), and FIG. 4 is a water level change calculation circuit ( FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of another embodiment of 1), and FIG. 5 is a conceptual view of the present invention, in which (B) ... Bathtub (N) ... Bather detection means (S) ... Switch device

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A heating circuit of a reheating device and a bath are connected by a circulation circuit provided with a circulation pump and a hot water temperature detector,
The circulating pump is operated at regular time intervals to detect the hot water temperature in the bathtub with the hot water temperature detecting device, and when the hot water temperature in the bathtub is equal to or lower than a set temperature, the heating means is operated to maintain the hot water temperature in the bathtub at a constant temperature. In a bath warming device having a warming control circuit (H) as described above, a bather detection that detects that a bather is in the bathtub (B) or in the bathroom and outputs a constant output in this bather detection state The output of the means (N) is input to the switch device (S), and the switch device (S) operates an electric circuit to the heat retention control circuit (H) when the bather detection means (N) outputs. A warming device for a bath, which is a switch device which is non-conductive and makes an electric circuit to a warming control circuit (H) conductive when there is a signal corresponding to the fact that the bather leaves the room.