JPH0812017B2 - Bath heater heat insulation device - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a warming device for a bath kettle, and more particularly to a device for keeping a hot water temperature in a bathtub at a predetermined temperature after the hot water having a predetermined temperature is filled in the bathtub. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recent bath kettles have been largely automated, and once the bathtub is filled with hot water, the bath temperature in the bathtub is maintained at a constant temperature thereafter. As shown in FIG. 6, this kind of automatic bath heater has a casing (1).
The hot water supply circuit (13) from the heat exchanger (11) for hot water supply housed inside is connected to one of the circulation circuits (14) connected to the heat exchanger (12) of the bath kettle to be described later, and from this circuit Hot water having a predetermined temperature is supplied to the bathtub (B) (filling with hot water), and the pouring operation is stopped when the amount of hot water in the bathtub (B) reaches a predetermined water level, and thereafter, as necessary. Heat exchanger (12)
The bathtub (B) is circulated and heated, and the heat retention device keeps the temperature of the bathtub (B) at a constant temperature.

Therefore, the control device (C) is built in the casing (1).
The hot water supply circuit (1
Open / close valve (1) in the water filling circuit (15) branched from 3)
6) is controlled to open and close, and by this, the heat exchanger (1
The gas circuit corresponding to 1) is controlled. Further, when the bathtub (B) is filled with water by each of the above-mentioned parts, thereafter, it is reheated or kept warm by the circulation heating of the heat exchanger (12) if necessary. That is, when the reheating operation signal is input, the circulation pump (P) is operated by the control output in the control device (C) and the heat exchanger (12) is also operated.
The burner (17) corresponding to (1) burns and the inside of the bath (B) is circulated and heated by the bath. Then, during the heat retention operation, the temperature in the bathtub (B) is detected by the sensor (S) at regular time intervals, and at the stage where the detected temperature drops by a certain level below the heat retention temperature, the same as the above-mentioned reheating. When the operation progresses and the inside of the bath (B) is heated to the heat retention temperature, the on-off valve (18) inserted in the circuit to the burner (17) is closed by the output from the controller (C). The operation of the heat exchanger (12) is stopped.

As described above, in this conventional apparatus, after a predetermined amount of hot water is filled in the bathtub (B), the hot water in the bathtub (B) can be arbitrarily reheated as needed. The temperature will be maintained at the heat retention temperature. However, in this conventional one, normally, for example, for about 4 hours after the completion of filling with water, there is a warming operation (detection of the temperature in the bathtub (B), and when the detected temperature is low, an operation of reheating to the warming temperature is performed. Combination) is performed and the warming operation is stopped when a time longer than that has occurred, and the hot water temperature in the bathtub (B) is not maintained at a desired temperature throughout the day. Therefore, there is a problem that these demands cannot be sufficiently met at present, as the lifestyles of each person have been diversified.
In order to eliminate such inconvenience, it is conceivable to switch the heat retention operation between a continuous operation state and an operation state within a fixed time. However, simply switching the heat-retention operating time (hereinafter, simply referred to as the heat-retention time) of the bathtub equipped with the conventional heat-retaining device causes a large amount of wasteful heating in the continuous operation state, resulting in a corresponding increase in energy loss.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and "The heat exchanger (1
2) and the operation of the circulation pump (P) are controlled, and the heat retention control means detects the hot water temperature in the bathtub (B), and from the time when the detected temperature drops by a certain level below the heat retention temperature, the heat exchanger. (12) and the circulation pump (P) are operatively circulated and heated, and when the temperature in the bathtub (B) reaches the heat retention temperature, the heat exchanger (12) and the circulation pump (P) are stopped. It is an object of the present invention to reduce unnecessary energy consumption in the case of "heat-retaining device for bath cooker" when heat-retaining operation is continued for a long time including continuous heat-retaining operation. [Invention of Claim 1]

[0006]

[Technical Means] The technical means of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems are as follows: "The first heat retention control means (21) when the heat retention time is set to a fixed time after completion of the filling and the heat retention time is A second heat retention control means (22) is provided when the time is set to be longer than a fixed time, and these first heat retention control means (2) are provided.
A switching means (3) for activating one of the first heat retention control means (22) and the second heat retention control means (22) is provided, and the heat retention temperature set by the second heat retention control means (22) is set to the first heat retention control means ( 21)).

[0007]

The above technical means operates as follows. When the heat retention time is set to be relatively short, the switching means (3)
The first heat retention control means (21) is set to the operating state by this, and in this state, the operation of the heat exchanger (12) and the circulation pump (P) is controlled by the first heat retention control means (21). At this time, the heat retention operation proceeds at the same heat retention temperature as the conventional one. When the heat retention time is set to be long, the switching means (3) sets the second heat retention control means (22) to the operating state, and the output of the second heat retention control means (22) causes the heat exchanger (12) and the circulation. The operation of the pump (P) is controlled. Therefore, in this heat retention state, the bathtub (B)
The inside will be maintained at a relatively lower temperature than in the case of the control by the first heat retention control means (21). Since it is essential for the bath kettle to be equipped with a reheating device, when bathing in the middle of the latter control state, and when the hot water of the above-mentioned warming temperature is lukewarm for the bather, it is desired to perform the reheating operation. Heat to temperature and take a bath.

[0008]

[Effect] Since the present invention has the above-mentioned structure, it has the following unique effects. When the heat retention time is set to be long, the heat retention temperature is set to be low, and the energy loss is reduced accordingly. [About the invention of claim 2]

[0009]

[Technical Means] The technical means of the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problem is to control the operations of the heat exchanger (12) and the circulation pump (P) by the output from the heat retention control means, Detects the temperature of the hot water in the bathtub (B), and circulates and heats the heat exchanger (12) and the circulation pump (P) in an operating state from the time when the detected temperature drops by a certain level below the heat retention temperature, and the bathtub (B) In the warming device of the bath kettle, in which the operation of the heat exchanger (12) and the circulation pump (P) are stopped when the temperature reaches the warming temperature, the warming time is set to a fixed time after completion of the filling with water. The first heat retention control means (21) when the heat retention time is set and the second heat retention control means (22) when the heat retention time is set to be longer than the constant time, and these first heat retention control means (21) are provided. ) And the second heat retention control means (22) One of a means (3) switching the operating state, the maintenance operation start temperature set by the second heat retaining control means (22) first heat keeping control means (21)
It is lower than the value set by.

[0010]

The above technical means operates as follows. Also in this case, the first heat retention control means (21) or the second heat retention control means (2) is changed by the switching means (3) according to the setting of the heat retention time.
2) is alternatively set to the operating state, and the heat retaining operation proceeds in the same manner as the invention of claim 1, but the heat retaining temperatures are both maintained at the same temperature. However, when the heat retention time is set to be long, the heat retention operation start temperature set by the second heat retention control means (22) is set to a relatively low temperature as compared with the case of the control by the first heat retention control means (21). Therefore, the warming operation interval becomes longer. Therefore, in the case of the heat retention control by the second heat retention control means (22), the total number of heat retention operations becomes smaller than that in the case of the control by the first heat retention control means (21). It is to be noted that when bathing in the middle of the control state by the second heat retention control means (22), the bath is heated to a desired temperature and bathed if necessary by additional heating operation.
It is similar to the invention of.

[0011]

[Effect] Since the present invention has the above-mentioned structure, it has the following unique effects. When the heat retention time is set to be long, the number of heat retention operations is reduced, and the energy loss is reduced accordingly.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention described above will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The bath kettle of this embodiment is structurally similar to that of the conventional one described above. Therefore, FIG. 6 is referred to for the relationship with the bathtub (B) and the configuration inside the casing (1). A block diagram of the control system of the heat retention device is as shown in FIG. 1, and the first heat retention control means (21) and the second heat retention control means (22) are selectively operated by the switching means (3). It is like this. This switching means (3) is
The configuration is such that the switching operation is automatically performed depending on whether or not the heat retention time is set to be long, and the output from the heat retention time setting device (41) and the heat retention time for operating the first heat retention control means (21) are set. Reference time setting device (42) for determining the maximum value
Is compared with the output from the comparator (40), and the output from the comparator (40) is input to the switching means (3). As a result, when the heat retention time set by the heat retention time setting device (41) is smaller than that of the reference time setting device (42), the comparator (40) is in the non-output state and the switching means (3). Activates the first heat retention control means (21). Conversely, the heat retention time setting device (4
1) Insulation time set by the reference time setter (4
When the value exceeds the value of 2), the comparator (40) enters the output state and the switching means (3) turns on only the second heat retention control means (22). A concrete example for realizing these operations will be described below with reference to the embodiment shown in FIG.

[Embodiment 1] Embodiment 1 shown in FIG.
Corresponds to the invention of claim 1 described above, in which the circulation circuit (P) is operated for a predetermined time by the timer circuit (T) at a constant time interval, and the hot water temperature in the bathtub (B) is controlled by the sensor (S). The configuration to be detected is the same as the conventional one,
A known configuration is adopted. In this embodiment, whether the heat retention time is arbitrarily set by the heat retention time setting device (41) and whether this time is set longer than the reference time (for example, 4 hours) set by the reference time setting device (42). The heat storage time setting device (41) and the reference time setting device (4)
It is monitored by the comparator (40) which inputs the setting output of 2). The output from the comparator (40) is input to the base of the relay switching transistor inserted into the circuit of the (R ₁₎ (31), the relay (R ₁₎ of the switching output switch (32) is retained temperature setting circuit ( It is inserted in the circuit of 5). This insulation temperature setting circuit (5)
Is a first temperature setting resistor (51) for setting the heat retaining temperature in the case of normal short-time heat retaining (4 hours) and a second temperature setting resistor for setting the heat retaining temperature in the case of long-term heat retaining. (52) is connected to the resistor (50) via the changeover output switch (32), and the voltage applied to the first temperature setting resistor (51) or the second temperature setting resistor (52) is kept warm. As a voltage corresponding to the temperature, a comparator (2
It is entered in 3).

A voltage corresponding to the hot water temperature in the bathtub (B) detected by the sensor (S) is input to the comparator (23), and the output voltage also rises as the detected temperature rises. It is composed. Therefore, when the temperature detected by the sensor (S) reaches the heat retention temperature set by the heat retention temperature setting circuit (5), the output from the comparator (23) becomes "H". On the contrary, when the detected temperature is equal to or lower than the heat retention temperature, the output is in the "L" state. A comparator (24) is provided separately from the comparator (23), and the comparator (24)
The temperature at which the warming operation is started, that is, the voltage of the lower limit temperature setting circuit (6) and the output voltage of the hot water temperature detection circuit (7) are input to the output of the hot water temperature detection circuit (7). When the voltage drops below the set voltage of the lower limit temperature setting circuit (6), the output becomes "H", and conversely, when it exceeds the set voltage of the lower limit temperature setting circuit (6), it becomes "L". The output from the comparator (24) is input to the set input terminal of a flip-flop circuit (hereinafter referred to as FF circuit (F)). The output of the comparator (23) is input to the reset input terminal of the FF circuit (F), and the output of the FF circuit (F) is the switching transistor () connected to the relay (R ₂ ). It is input to the base of 25). The output contact of the relay (R ₂ ) is connected in parallel with the output contact of the timer circuit (T) and input to the circuit of the circulation pump (P), and an on-off valve that controls the operation of the heat exchanger (12). It is inserted in the circuit to (18). Note that the timer circuit (T) is configured to be reset when one warming operation is executed. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the output of the comparator (23) becomes "H", it is reset. It

In this embodiment, the heat retention operation switch (H)
Is input, the circulation pump (P) operates intermittently for a fixed time by the output of the timer circuit (T) to detect the hot water temperature in the bathtub (B). When the detected temperature drops to the warming operation start temperature set by the lower limit temperature setting circuit (6), the FF circuit (F) is output by the output of the comparator (24).
Output becomes “H”, the relay (R ₂ ) is turned on, and the circulation pump (P) and the on-off valve (18) are activated. As a result, circulation heating progresses, and a heat retention operation state is set. When the time set by the heat retention time setting device (41) is short, the heat retention operation is continued until the temperature is set to the heat retention temperature set by the first temperature setting resistor (51). When the time set by the heat retention time setting device (41) is long, the relay (R ₁ ) is turned on by the output of the comparator (40), whereby the changeover output switch (32) is switched, The heat retention operation is continued until it is heated to the heat retention temperature set by the second temperature setting resistor (52). As a result, in the case of long-term heat retention or continuous operation, the heat retention operation is continued under the condition that the heat retention temperature is set to a low temperature. In order to execute the continuous heat retention, the continuous heat retention switch (43) may be connected in parallel with the switching transistor (31) as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. Further, in this embodiment, the temperature for starting the warming operation is kept constant, but the lower limit set temperature (6) is replaced by the circuit shown in FIG. 3 described later, and in the case of keeping the temperature for a long time, the changeover switch of the relay (R ₁ ) is used. It is also possible to lower the heat retention operation start temperature.

[Embodiment 2] Embodiment 2 shown in FIG.
Corresponds to the invention of claim 2, and is different from the embodiment 1 only in the circuits of the heat retention temperature setting circuit (5) and the lower limit temperature setting circuit (6), and other configurations are The configuration is similar to that of the first embodiment. In this embodiment, the heat retention temperature setting circuit (5) is configured to have a single heat retention temperature, and the voltage set by the first temperature setting resistor (51) and the resistor (50) is used as the heat retention temperature setting voltage. It is applied to the comparator (23). Therefore, this heat retention temperature is always kept constant. The other lower limit temperature setting circuit (6) is connected in parallel with a first resistor (61) that sets the warming operation start temperature to the high temperature side and a second resistor (62) that sets the warming operation start temperature to the low temperature side. These are connected in series with the resistor (60) through the changeover output switch (32). The changeover output switch (32) is an output contact of the relay (R ₁ ) as in the first embodiment.

In the case of this embodiment, when the heat retention time set by the heat retention time setter (41) is shorter than the reference time, the heat retention operation start temperature is set to the high temperature side by the first resistor (61). Then, the warming operation starts at the time when the detected temperature drops to this warming operation start temperature, and “H” from the comparator (23) at the time when the temperature is circulated and heated to the warming temperature by the warming temperature setting circuit (5). Output is FF circuit (F)
Is input to the reset input terminal of, and the output from the FF circuit (F) is reset, and the heat retention operation is stopped. On the contrary, when the heat retention time is set to a long time, the detected temperature is
Circulation heating is started when the temperature falls to the heat retention operation start temperature set by the resistance (62), and the heat retention operation is stopped when the temperature is increased to the heat retention temperature. As a result, in the case of long-time heat retention, the heat retention operation interval becomes long.

[Third Embodiment] In the first embodiment,
In the case of long-time heat retention longer than the reference time, the heat-retention temperature was set to a constant temperature lower by a certain level than in the case of short-time heat retention, but as shown in FIG. You may make it shift to a low temperature side in steps. Such a heat retention temperature switching device is shown in FIG.
As shown in the relay (R ₁₎ of the normally open parallel connections to the first temperature setting resistor the normally-closed position output contacts of the output contact relay (R ₁₎ of the timer (33) which is a predetermined time operating state by the output ( 51), the other normally closed output contact is connected in series with the normally open output contact of the relay (R ₁ ) and inserted into the circuit of the second temperature setting resistor (52).

With this configuration, when the temperature is kept warm for a short time and the output from the comparator (40) is "L", the relay (R ₁ ) is placed in a non-conducting state, and When the normally closed output contact keeps the circuit of the first temperature setting resistor (51) conductive, and conversely, when the output from the comparator (40) becomes “H” in the case of keeping the temperature for a long time, The normally closed output contact of the relay (R ₁ ) opens, the normally open output contact closes, and the timer (33) conducts. Due to this output, only the circuit of the first temperature setting resistor (51) is opened. Conduct.
Then, when the set time of the timer (33) elapses, the output contact is restored and the second temperature setting resistor (5
Only 2) becomes conductive, the heat retention temperature shifts to the low temperature side, and the subsequent heat retention operation is executed based on this low temperature side heat retention temperature.

In the third embodiment, in the case of long-term heat retention, the heat retention temperature is changed in two steps, but it may be changed over a plurality of steps over time. Further, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which each set value (heat retention operation start temperature) of the lower limit temperature setting circuit (6) in the second embodiment is changed with time as in the above-described embodiment. It is also possible to change both the heat retention temperature and the heat retention operation start temperature to the low temperature side with time. Further, it goes without saying that the control means of the above embodiment can be changed to a control means using a computer. In this case, the control program may be configured to execute the operation of each part of each of the above embodiments. Further, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments, it is configured to automatically determine whether it is a long-time heat retention or a short-time heat retention by setting the heat retention time, but the present invention can also be adopted in a configuration in which one is selected by a manual operation. In this case, the switching means (3) may be manually switched as it is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating the principle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an electric circuit diagram of a main part of the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an electric circuit diagram of a main part of a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an electric circuit diagram of a main part of a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of the operation of the main part of the third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a conventional example, which corresponds to part of the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention.

[Description of sign]

 (12) ... Heat exchanger (P) ... Circulation pump (B) ... Bathtub (21) ... First heat retention control means (22) ... Second heat retention control means (3). ..Switching means

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Shinji Umemura 2-26, Fukuzumi-cho, Nakagawa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Rinnai Co., Ltd. (JP, U)

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. The operation of a heat exchanger (12) and a circulation pump (P) is controlled by the output from the heat retention control means, and the heat retention control means detects the hot water temperature in a bath (B), The heat exchanger (12) and the circulation pump (P) are circulated and heated from the time when the detected temperature drops by a certain level below the heat retention temperature, and the heat exchanger (when the temperature in the bathtub (B) reaches the heat retention temperature ( 12) and the warming device of the bath kettle in which the operation of the circulation pump (P) is stopped, the first warming control means (21) and the warming time when the warming time is set to a certain time after the completion of the filling with water. And a second heat retention control means (22) for the case where is set to be longer than the predetermined time, and one of the first heat retention control means (21) and the second heat retention control means (22) is operated. A switching means (3) for setting the state is provided, and 2 heat keeping control means (22) kept apparatus bathtub was lower than the value set by the first heat keeping control means the set retained temperature (21) by. 2. The operation of the heat exchanger (12) and the circulation pump (P) is controlled by the output from the heat retention control means, and the heat retention control means detects the hot water temperature in the bathtub (B), The heat exchanger (12) and the circulation pump (P) are circulated and heated from the time when the detected temperature drops by a certain level below the heat retention temperature, and the heat exchanger (when the temperature in the bathtub (B) reaches the heat retention temperature ( 12) and the warming device of the bath kettle in which the operation of the circulation pump (P) is stopped, the first warming control means (21) and the warming time when the warming time is set to a certain time after the completion of the filling with water. And a second heat retention control means (22) for the case where is set to be longer than the predetermined time, and one of the first heat retention control means (21) and the second heat retention control means (22) is operated. A switching means (3) for setting the state is provided, and The maintenance operation start temperature set by the 2 heat keeping control means (22) first heat keeping control means (21)
The bath warmer that is lower than the value set by.