JPH0449993Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (a) Industrial application field The present invention relates to an automatic faucet that can selectively supply hot water and water.

(b) Prior Art Conventionally, one type of automatic faucet has a sensor installed in a discharge fitting installed above a hand-washing bowl or wash basin, etc., which detects when a hand approaches or leaves the water dispenser. The detection output is then used to activate a valve drive device in a controller, which automatically opens and closes an on-off valve to discharge mixed hot water at the appropriate temperature from the discharge fitting.

(c) Problems to be solved by the invention However, such conventional automatic faucets still have the following problems.

In other words, in such an automatic faucet, the sensor can only discharge or stop the mixed hot water based on its detection output, and in order to mix hot water and cold water to obtain a mixed hot water at an appropriate temperature, However, the temperature control handle provided on the hot and cold water mixing faucet must be manually operated, making the operation complicated and making it inconvenient to use automatic faucets as a whole.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automatic faucet that can solve the above problems.

(d) Means for solving the problem The present invention includes a hot water supply valve and a water supply valve that communicate with a discharge fitting, a sensor that detects a user, and a detection output of the sensor that drives the hot water supply valve or water supply valve. The automatic water faucet equipped with a controller includes an operation mode changeover switch that selectively operates the hot water supply valve and the water supply valve to switch the operation mode to a water supply mode or a hot water supply mode, and the controller is configured to operate in a predetermined hot water supply mode. The present invention relates to an automatic faucet characterized in that when there is no detection output from a sensor even after a period of time has elapsed, the operation mode is automatically switched from a hot water supply mode to a water supply mode.

(E) Functions and Effects With the configuration described above, the present invention has the following functions and effects.

In the present invention, the operation mode can be easily switched to either a hot water supply mode that provides hot water at an appropriate temperature or a water supply mode that provides water at an appropriate temperature by simply operating an operation mode changeover switch.
The operation of the automatic faucet can be made significantly easier.

Furthermore, in the present invention, when the sensor does not generate a detection output to the controller after a predetermined period of time when operating in the hot water supply mode, the operation mode can be automatically switched from the hot water supply mode to the water supply mode. The amount of hot water used can be minimized and energy savings can be achieved.

(f) Examples The present invention will be described in detail below based on examples shown in the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the inside of a toilet in which a number of washbasins B are mounted on a cabinet C, and as shown, each washbasin B is equipped with an automatic faucet A according to the present invention.

In addition, FIGS. 2 and 3 show the overall configuration of the washbasin B and automatic faucet A, and as shown in the figures, the washbasin B has a mounting groove cut out in the counter that forms the upper part of the cabinet C. It is fitted and fixed inside.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the automatic faucet A includes a discharge fitting 11 fixedly placed on the back placement surface 10a of the washbowl 10 of the washbasin B, and a discharge fitting 11 placed at the bottom of the washbowl 10. installed, and each hot water supply side solenoid valve 12
and a common pipe line 14 to which the water supply side solenoid valve 13 is attached.
, a communication pipe 15 that communicates and connects the common pipe line 14 and the discharge fitting 11, and a communication pipe 15 that communicates and connects the hot water supply valve 12 and the water supply valve 13, respectively, and supplies hot water at an appropriate temperature (for example, 40°C) and water at an appropriate temperature (for example, 18°C). ℃) to the discharge metal fitting 11 selectively.

Note that the hot water supply valve 12 and the water supply valve 13 are preferably formed by electromagnetic valves.

With this configuration, the hot water supply valve 12 or the water supply valve 1
3, hot water or water at an appropriate temperature can be selectively discharged into the washbasin B from the discharge fitting 11.

In addition, in FIG. 3, 18 and 19 are manual sealing valves attached to the hot water supply side flow path 16 and the water supply side flow path 17, respectively, and 14a is a mounting plate for mounting and supporting the hot water supply valve 12 and the water supply valve 13. It is.

Further, the detailed structure of the discharge fitting 11 is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

The discharge fitting 11 has an upper water discharge channel 21 in its upper and lower portions, respectively, which communicates with the tip discharge port 20.
and the lower sensor mounting space 22, and the lower end is connected to the common pipe line 14 at the base of the upper water discharge flow path 21.
The upper end of the communication pipe 15 that communicates with is attached.

A sensor mounting opening 23 is formed in the front face of the base of the lower sensor mounting space 22 , and a sensor 24 is inserted into the lower sensor mounting space 22 through the sensor mounting opening 23 and fixed with a fixing bolt 25 .

Note that as the sensor 24, a dual type pyroelectric sensor or the like can be used.

The sensor 24 detects the behavior of the user's hand within the washbasin 10 and generates a detection output, and as described later, the sensor 24 detects the behavior of the user's hand within the washbasin 10 and outputs a detection output from the controller D (in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. The output signal is sent to the hot water supply side solenoid valve 12 or the water supply side solenoid valve, respectively, depending on whether the operation mode set by the operation mode changeover switch 32 is the hot water supply mode or the water supply mode. 13 can be driven.

That is, controller D is a microprocessor,
It consists of a memory that stores programs for performing the above operations, and an input/output interface.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the discharge fitting 11 is
An operation mode changeover switch mounting space 30 is formed in the upper part of the tip, and a switch insertion opening 31 is provided above the mounting space 30.

The operation mode changeover switch 32 is inserted through the opening 31 into the operation mode changeover switch mounting space 3.
0 and fixed at the same insertion position by adhesive or the like.

5 and 6 show the detailed structure of the operation mode changeover switch 32.

As shown in the figure, the operation mode changeover switch 32
These include a cylindrical case 33 having an enlarged diameter flange 33a at the top, a printed circuit board 34 disposed inside the case 33, a switch main body 35, a hot water lamp 36, and a water lamp 37 mounted on the circuit board 34.
and a display sheet 38 on which desired symbols and characters are written.
It consists of

Note that the hot water supply lamp 36 and the water supply lamp 37 are
As will be described later, the lights are turned on when the automatic water faucet A is in the hot water supply mode and the water supply mode, and can be formed from an LED, for example.

Then, such an operation mode changeover switch 32
The controller D controls the switch body 35.
Each time you press , you can alternately switch the operating mode between hot water supply mode and water supply mode.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 7, the discharge fitting 11 is
Wiring space 4 for lead wires etc. along upper water discharge channel 21
0, and within the same wiring space 40, a lead wire 41 communicating with the operation mode changeover switch 32 is connected.
will be distracted.

Next, the operation of the automatic faucet A during washing will be explained with reference to the time chart shown in FIG.

In the time chart shown in FIG. 8, step 1 indicates a state in which the sensor 24 is not yet sensing a hand and is on standby. In addition, as shown in the fourth stage of step 1, the sensor 24 does not generate a detection output when the sensor detection time t is shorter than the water discharge delay time T1, in order to prevent mischief etc. If the hand is released for a time t shorter than the water stop delay time T2 and the hand is held out again after the water stop delay time T2 is generated, the detection output is not generated.

Then, as shown in step 2, the water spouting fitting 1
Operation mode selector switch 3 provided at the top of the tip of 1
When 2 is pressed, the operation mode is switched from the water supply mode to the hot water supply mode by the controller D, the water supply lamp 37 goes out, and the hot water supply lamp 36 turns off.
lights up and the hot water is ready. At the same time, a hot water standby limit timer provided in controller D starts.

Then, as shown in step 3, when the sensor 24 detects a hand while the hot water standby limit timer is operating, the hot water supply side solenoid valve 12 is driven by a drive signal from the controller after the water discharge delay time T1, and the valve 12 is driven by the drive signal from the controller. is opened, and hot water flows from the hot water supply side flow path 16 to the hot water supply valve 12.
The water is discharged into the wash basin 10 via the common pipe line 14 → the connecting pipe 15 → the discharge fitting 11.
Further, at the same time that hot water is discharged, the elapsed time of the hot water standby limit timer is canceled.

Thereafter, when the sensor 24 no longer detects a hand, the hot water standby limit timer starts again. Note that in the water standby state, the hot water standby limit timer is in a reset state.

Next, as shown in step 4, when the operating mode changeover switch 32 is pressed again, the operating mode changes from the hot water supply mode to the water supply mode, and then the sensor 24
When the hand is detected, after the water discharge delay time T1, the water supply side solenoid valve 13 is driven by a drive signal from the controller, opens the water supply side solenoid valve 13, and the water flows through the water supply side flow path 17 → water supply side solenoid valve 13 → Common pipe line 14
→Connection piping 15→Discharge fitting 11, and the fluid is discharged into the washbasin bowl 10.

Further, when the operation mode changeover switch 32 is pressed while water is being spouted from the discharging fitting 11, the water supply valve 13 is closed by the controller, and the hot water supply valve 1
2 opens, and hot water flows through the discharge fitting 1 according to the procedure described above.
1, the water supply lamp 37 goes out, and the hot water supply lamp 36 turns on.

On the other hand, as shown in step 5, while the operation mode remains in the hot water side mode, the sensor is turned on again.
When 4 detects a hand, the hot water supply valve 12 is driven by the detection output, opens the valve 12, and hot water is discharged from the discharge fitting 11.

When the operation mode changeover switch 32 is pressed during hot water discharging, the hot water supply valve 12 is closed by the controller D, the water supply valve 13 is opened, and water is discharged from the discharge fitting 11 in the manner described above. , the hot water supply lamp 36 goes out, and
The water supply lamp 37 lights up.

Further, as shown in step 6, if the sensor 24 does not detect a hand within the hot water waiting time limit T3 set by the timer after the operation mode is set to hot water supply mode by the operation mode changeover switch 32, , automatically switches to water supply mode.

Also, due to some kind of accident, an object may
If it stays in the detection range of sensor 2 for a long time,
4 continues to detect an object, and when the water spouting delay time T4 set by the timer has elapsed, water spouting will be stopped.

As described above, this embodiment has the following functions and effects.

By simply operating the operation mode changeover switch 32, the operation mode can be easily switched to either a hot water supply mode that provides hot water at an appropriate temperature or a water supply mode that provides water at an appropriate temperature, which greatly simplifies the operation of the automatic faucet A. It can be made simple.

In addition, in operation in the hot water supply mode, if the sensor 24 does not generate a detection output to the controller even after a predetermined period of time has elapsed, the operation mode can be automatically switched from the hot water supply mode to the water supply mode, so the amount of hot water used can be reduced. This can be minimized and energy savings can be achieved.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the inside of a toilet that has a large number of washbasins equipped with automatic faucets according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the washbasins, and Fig. 3 is a side view showing the overall configuration of the automatic faucet. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the discharge fitting;
Figure 5 is a plan view of the operation mode selector switch, Figure 6
The figure is a sectional view taken along the line of Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line of Fig. 4.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line, and is a time chart showing the operating procedure of the automatic water faucet. In the diagram, A... Automatic faucet, B... Wash basin, C...
Cabinet, D... Controller, 11... Discharge fitting, 12... Hot water supply valve, 13... Water supply valve, 24
...Sensor, 32...Operation mode changeover switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A hot water supply valve 12 and a water supply valve 13 that communicate with the discharge fitting 11, a sensor 24 that detects a user, and a detection output of the sensor 24 that drives the hot water supply valve 12 or the water supply valve 13. An automatic water faucet equipped with a controller D includes an operation mode changeover switch 32 that selectively operates the hot water supply valve 12 and the water supply valve 13 to switch the operation mode to a water supply mode or a hot water supply mode. An automatic faucet characterized in that when there is no detection output from the sensor 24 after a predetermined period of time in the hot water supply mode, the operation mode is automatically switched from the hot water supply mode to the water supply mode.