JPH1099227A - Bathtub cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To provide a bathtub hot water purifier capable of keeping a predetermined flow rate without dirt on a pipe line and performing an effective cleaning process. A cleaning pipe is formed by connecting a water suction pipe 3 and a fountain pipe 9 to an apparatus body 4 in which cleaning processing devices such as a filtration tank 5, a circulation pump 6, a heater 7, and an ozonizer 8 are collectively provided. Then, a line cleaning key 27 is provided on the key input device 22, a line cleaning program is stored in the program ROM 32 of the control device 30, and the operation of the line cleaning key causes the control device to switch the device to the circulation pump. Speed operation, heater ON at set temperature, Ozonizer OFF for predetermined time,
When the timer 29 counts that a certain time has elapsed after the pipeline cleaning, the pipeline cleaning LED 39 of the display device 38 is turned on and off to warn of the pipeline cleaning.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bath apparatus, and more particularly to a bath apparatus in which bath water is adjusted to a bathing temperature while simultaneously purifying water such as filtration and sterilization while forcibly circulating hot water in the bathtub. The present invention relates to a so-called 24-hour bath apparatus which is kept clean and at an appropriate temperature so that a user can take a bath at any time for 24 hours.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a bathtub hot water purifying apparatus, that is, a 24-hour bath, which constantly keeps hot water in a bathtub clean and at an appropriate temperature, enables comfortable bathing for 24 hours, and saves water, has been actively used. It has become

[0003] An example of such an apparatus for cleaning bath water is shown in FIG. 6, wherein 1 is a bath tub, 2 is hot water, 3 is a suction pipe for pumping hot water 2 in bath tub 1, and 4 is a hot water suction pipe. An apparatus main body in which devices for cleaning the hot water pumped up by the water suction pipe 3 are collectively provided, and 9 is a fountain pipe for ejecting the hot water treated by the apparatus main body 4 into the bathtub 1 again. .

In order to remove dirt from the bath water, a filter tank 5 containing various types of granular filter media such as activated carbon, activated stones, and porous ceramic balls, and a fibrous filter is used. A cleaning device such as a circulation pump 6 for forcibly circulating hot water, an electric heater 7 for heating hot water, and an ozonizer 8 as a sterilizing device for hot water is provided. Examples of the sterilizer include an ultraviolet sterilizer using a UV lamp and an ozone / ultraviolet combined sterilizer using a UV lamp that outputs ultraviolet light of two wavelengths previously proposed by the present applicant. In the present invention, a sterilization apparatus using an ozonizer will be described in order to achieve the above.

[0005] Reference numeral 10 denotes a prefilter attached to the end of the water suction pipe 3 for removing large dirt before being pumped to the apparatus main body 4. Reference numeral 11 denotes a jet flow of the hot water after the cleaning treatment as a high-speed jet flow in the bathtub 1. Suction pipe 1
Reference numeral 2 denotes a jet nozzle connected to the ejector unit.

A solenoid valve 13 for opening and closing a pipe is provided at the end of an intake pipe 12 connected to an ejector portion of the jet nozzle 11, and an ozonizer 8 is provided on the way. When the solenoid valve 13 is opened, the jet nozzle 11 is opened. Air is sucked from the suction pipe 12 by the suction force of the air, this air is mixed into the hot water at the ejector section, and a jet stream is jetted from the jet nozzle 11 into the bathtub 1 to form a bubble bath. The air sucked into the bath is ozonized and jetted into the bathtub 1 to sterilize the hot water 2 with ozone.

[0007] Accordingly, the hot water 2 in the bathtub 1 passes through a cleaning pipe 14 from a water suction pipe 3 having a pre-filter 10 attached to a tip thereof to a hot water pipe 9 having a jet nozzle 11 attached to a tip thereof through a circulation pump 6. , And a predetermined cleaning process such as filtration, sterilization, and hot water temperature adjustment is performed.

[0008]

However, in the conventional apparatus, as the operation is continued, dirt is attached to the cleaning pipe, and when a large amount of dirt is attached to the cleaning pipe, the pipe becomes narrow and the flow of hot water becomes poor. And the ability of cleaning is reduced.

Therefore, if the flow of hot water deteriorates due to the contamination of the cleaning pipe, the pipe must be washed with a considerable amount of time and the pipes must be replaced.

[0010] Even if the pipes are once cleaned to remove dirt, it is not clear when to clean the pipes next time. Until the pipes become so dirty that the flow of hot water becomes very bad, You do not notice that you need to clean the pipeline.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art, and cleans a cleaning line without hassle. At the same time, once a line is cleaned, and after a certain interval of time has passed, the line is cleaned. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that informs a user that cleaning of a pipe is necessary and keeps a pipe line constantly clean.

[0012]

That is, the present invention relates to a filter tank for pumping hot water in a bathtub from a suction pipe with a circulation pump,
In a bathtub hot water purifying device forcibly circulating a cleaning channel to be re-spouted from a fountain tube to a bathtub after the cleaning process in a device body provided with a cleaning process device such as a sterilizing device, the pipe line cleaning setting means When the cleaning of the cleaning line is set, the control means operates the cleaning processing means with the optimal program for cleaning the line, easily cleans the line, and sets the line cleaning interval set by the line cleaning interval timer. When the time of the pipeline cleaning interval elapses, the pipeline cleaning warning means is used to warn the user of the pipeline cleaning, prompting the user to perform the cleaning, and keeping the cleaning clean.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a basic configuration of the present invention as a basic block diagram. Reference numeral 15 denotes a pipeline cleaning setting means, which is operated by a user of the apparatus according to the degree of contamination of the pipeline. To set the line cleaning.

16 is a control means for controlling the operation of the apparatus as a whole, 17 is a pipe cleaning program storage means storing a pipe cleaning program, and 18 is a circulating pump 6, a heater 7, The cleaning processing means such as the ozonizer 8 and the cleaning processing means driving circuit for driving the display device, and 19 are the cleaning processing means driven by the cleaning processing means driving circuit 18.

Therefore, when the pipeline cleaning is set by the pipeline cleaning setting unit 15, the control unit 16 drives the cleaning processing unit in accordance with the pipeline cleaning program stored in the pipeline cleaning program storage unit 17. The cleaning means 19 is controlled via the circuit 18 so as to operate in a state suitable for pipe line cleaning.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a pipeline cleaning interval timer, which is set in advance by the pipeline cleaning setting unit 15 to clean the pipeline after the pipeline cleaning is set at an appropriate interval as described above. The time of the set pipeline cleaning interval is counted.

Numeral 21 is a pipe washing warning means, which issues a warning urging the user to wash the pipe when the time of the pipe washing interval set by the pipe washing interval timer 20 has elapsed.

Next, the basic configuration of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the control block diagram of FIG.

Reference numeral 22 denotes a key input device. The key input device 22 includes a run / stop key 23 for operating or stopping the device, and a hot water temperature setting key 2 for setting a hot water temperature.
4. Various keys for setting operating conditions of devices such as a bathing key 25 for stopping ozone sterilization at the time of bathing and preventing a bather from inhaling ozone and a jetting key 26 for setting a jet are provided as usual. .

In the configuration of the present invention, the key input device 22
A line cleaning key 27 as the line cleaning setting means 15 is further provided, and the user operates the line cleaning key 27 when the user wants to perform line cleaning.

Reference numeral 28 denotes a hot water temperature sensor provided in the cleaning line 14 for controlling the hot water temperature to the temperature set by the hot water setting key 24, and 29 denotes a time by a control device which will be described later. It is a timer for setting and measuring the time in order to perform dynamic control.

Of course, the timer 29 sets the interval of the line cleaning as time and measures the elapsed time, and thus functions as the line cleaning interval timer 20 in the basic block diagram.

Reference numeral 30 denotes a control device as control means 16 for controlling the entire device.
Is a microcomputer including a CPU 31 as a central processing unit, a program ROM 32 as a storage device storing a control program including control data, and a RAM 33 as a temporary storage device for data for arithmetic processing.

Of course, in the present invention, the program ROM 3
Reference numeral 2 stores a pipeline cleaning program and functions as a pipeline cleaning program storage unit 17.

Reference numeral 34 denotes a circulation pump drive circuit for driving the circulation pump 6, 35 denotes a heater drive circuit for supplying electric power to the heater 7, 36 denotes an ozonizer drive circuit for driving the ozonizer 8, and 37 denotes a display device. 38 is a display device driving circuit for driving the display device 38.

Accordingly, the pump drive circuit 34, the heater drive circuit 35, the ozonizer drive circuit 36, and the display device drive circuit 3
Reference numeral 7 and the like correspond to the cleaning processing means drive circuit 18 in the basic block diagram, and the circulating pump 6, the heater 7, the ozonizer 8, the display device 38 and the like correspond to the cleaning processing means 19.

The display device 38 includes a line cleaning LED 39 for indicating that the line cleaning is being performed and for indicating that the time of the line cleaning interval has elapsed.

That is, the line cleaning LED 39 indicates that the line is being cleaned by turning on a lamp, and a line cleaning warning that prompts the user to clean the line after the passage of the line cleaning interval has elapsed by flashing the lamp. indicate.

Therefore, the conduit cleaning LED of the display device 38
39 functions as the pipeline cleaning warning means 21. Needless to say, LEDs for the pipeline cleaning and the pipeline cleaning warning are separately provided, and the pipeline cleaning warning is also displayed by turning on a lamp. This LE
Displaying D in different colors or the like is also effective.

The key input device 22 and the display device 38
As shown in FIG. 5, the key operation for setting the operation of the pipeline cleaning and the warning of the pipeline cleaning or the pipeline cleaning are displayed as other operations in the operation panel 40. The setting and display of the condition are performed by the operation panel 40.

Next, the operation of the line cleaning based on the line cleaning program stored in the program ROM 32 will be described with reference to the flow chart of FIG. Each will be described based on the flowchart of FIG.

First, in the pipeline cleaning operation, it is determined whether or not the pipeline cleaning operation is being performed in the first step S31 of FIG. 3. If it is determined that the pipeline cleaning is not being performed, the second step S32 is performed.
Then, it is determined whether or not the pipeline cleaning has been set by turning on the pipeline cleaning key 27.

If it is determined in the second step S32 that the line cleaning has been newly set, the operation of the line cleaning is started in a third step S33.

Under the operating conditions of the pipeline cleaning, the circulation pump 6 is operated at a medium speed in order to increase the flow rate of the hot water and increase the cleaning power, and the heater 7 is set so that the hot water temperature becomes the temperature set by the hot water setting key 24. ON, a sterilizing device such as the ozonizer 8 is turned off so that the detergent used for the line cleaning does not affect the device by a chemical reaction, and the line cleaning LED 3 of the display device 38 is turned off.
9 is lit to indicate that the pipeline cleaning operation is being performed.

Further, the cleaning of the pipeline is manually stopped at any time by operating the pipeline cleaning key 27. If not manually stopped, the cleaning is automatically stopped after a certain period of time, for example, about 4 hours. The fourth step S3
In step 4, the timer 29 measures the pipeline cleaning time to an ON state and starts counting.

Next, in the first step S31, it is determined that the pipeline is being cleaned, and in the fifth step S35, the OF of the pipeline cleaning key 27 is turned off.
It is determined whether or not the line cleaning has been canceled by the operation of F.

If it is determined in the fifth step S35 that the operation of turning off the conduit cleaning key 27 is not performed, the sixth
In step S36, the pipeline cleaning is continued until it is determined that the time set by the pipeline cleaning time timer has elapsed, for example, a predetermined time of four hours such as four hours.

In the fifth step S35, when it is determined that the operation of turning off the conduit cleaning key 27 has been performed, and in the sixth step S36, it is determined that a predetermined period of time for the conduit cleaning, such as four hours, has elapsed. If it is determined, the operation of the pipeline cleaning is stopped in the seventh step S37.

When stopping the operation of the line cleaning, the operation of the circulation pump 6 is stopped, the heater 7 is turned off, and the line cleaning LED 39 indicating that the line cleaning is being performed is turned off.

Next, a warning of the line cleaning interval will be described with reference to FIG. The end of the pipeline cleaning operation in the above-described seventh step S37 of FIG. 3 is started as a first step S41.

In response to the end of the pipeline cleaning operation in the first step S41, the cleaning interval timer 29 is started in the second step S42.

In a third step S43, it is determined whether or not a predetermined time has elapsed by a cleaning interval timer. If the timer determines that the interval has elapsed, the fourth step S
At 44, the pipeline cleaning LED 39 is blinked to display a warning to perform the pipeline cleaning.

Next, in a fifth step S45, it is determined whether or not the pipeline cleaning has been performed in accordance with the warning. If the pipeline cleaning has not been performed, a flashing display is performed until the pipeline cleaning is performed to prompt the cleaning.

When the pipeline cleaning is executed, the blinking of the pipeline cleaning LED 39 is released in the sixth step S46, and as shown in S33 of FIG. The line cleaning LED is changed to a lighting display, and the line cleaning interval timer is reset.

[0046]

The present invention is constructed as described above, and the apparatus is operated under conditions suitable for pipe cleaning simply by operating the pipe cleaning key 27 of the key input device 22 provided on the operation panel 40. Dirt on the pipeline is removed neatly.

Further, once the line cleaning key 27 is operated, the line cleaning is automatically continued for a set time, for example, 4 hours. However, depending on the degree of dirt, it is necessary to operate the line cleaning key 27 again. Is stopped on the way.

Further, when a set time interval has elapsed after the cleaning of the pipeline, the pipeline cleaning LED 39 of the display device 38 provided on the operation panel 40 blinks to warn of the pipeline cleaning. By operating the conduit cleaning key 27 and circulating hot water with an appropriate detergent at a high flow rate to clean the conduit, the conduit is constantly kept in a clean condition free from dirt. The cleaning process can be performed in a good condition without decreasing the flow rate of hot water even if the process is continued.

Further, since the operation of the sterilizing apparatus is stopped during the cleaning of the pipeline, there is no fear that the detergent used for cleaning the pipeline chemically reacts with ozone or ultraviolet rays to damage the apparatus.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a basic block diagram,

FIG. 2 is a control block diagram,

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a pipe cleaning operation,

FIG. 4 is a flow chart of a pipe washing warning.

FIG. 5 is an operation panel,

FIG. 6 is a device piping diagram.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bathtub 2 Hot water 3 Water suction pipe 4 Device main body 5 Filtration tank 6 Circulation pump 7 Heater 8 Ozonizer 9 Spouting pipe 14 Cleaning pipe 22 Key input device 27 Pipe cleaning key 29 Timer 30 Control device 32 Program ROM 38 Display device 39 Pipe line cleaning LED 40 Operation panel

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning method in which hot water in a bathtub is pumped from a suction pipe by a circulating pump, cleaned in a device body provided with a cleaning device such as a filtration tank and a sterilizing device, and then spouted again from the hot water tube into the bathtub. In a bathtub hot water purifying apparatus for forcibly circulating a cleaning pipe, cleaning of the cleaning pipe is set by a pipe cleaning setting means, and control means is controlled based on the setting of the pipe cleaning by the pipe cleaning setting means. Based on the pipeline cleaning program stored in the cleaning program storage means, the operation of the cleaning processing equipment is controlled via the cleaning processing equipment drive circuit to clean the cleaning pipeline, and is set by the pipeline cleaning interval timer. A bathtub hot water purifying device, wherein a pipe cleaning interval is measured, and when the time of the pipe cleaning interval elapses, a pipe cleaning warning unit is warned of the pipe cleaning.