JP2001254868A - Water and hot water mixing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a water and hot water mixing device capable of automatically adjusting a temperature of mixed water to a fixed temperature to supply hot water having a proper temperature irrespective of fluctuation of a hot water temperature on a supply side. SOLUTION: In this water and hot water mixing device having a valve arranged movably in a housing and discharging mixed water having the set temperature, one spring made of a shape memory element is arranged in the front and rear of the axial direction of the valve to correspond to the fluctuation of a mixed water temperature, and the valve is moved to correspond to the fluctuation of a hot water supply temperature.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot and cold water mixing apparatus having an automatic temperature control function.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional hot and cold water mixing apparatus is disclosed in
A SMA coil formed of a shape memory alloy having a characteristic region in which a spring constant changes linearly in response to a temperature change, as proposed in US Pat. No. 9532, and a coil spring having a function as a bias spring Then, when the user sets the desired hot water supply temperature by turning the temperature setting handle, the SMA coil responds to the temperature of the hot water mixture while positioning the mixing valve body by balancing the urging force with the bias spring. The mixing ratio is automatically adjusted, and the temperature of the hot and cold water mixture is mechanically feedback-controlled toward a set value.

When the temperature of the hot and cold water mixture changes under some conditions, the SMA coil expands and contracts according to the temperature change.
The mixing valve body is displaced to correct the mixing ratio of the hot and cold water, and the temperature of the hot and cold water mixture gradually converges to almost the target value while repeating overshoot and undershoot.

[0004]

However, in the conventional hot and cold water mixing apparatus, when the supply temperature of hot water or the supply temperature of water changes, the SMA coil expands and contracts in response to the temperature change. However, when the biasing force of the bias spring is not sufficiently applied, the temperature adjustment does not work well, and the temperature of the mixed water from the discharge port deviates from the original temperature.

For example, when the supply temperature of water is 15 ° C. and the supply temperature of hot water is 60 ° C., the temperature of the mixed water discharged is 40 ° C.
Operate the temperature setting handle so that After that, the water supply temperature and the temperature setting handle keep the current state,
When only the supply temperature of the hot water is changed to 40 ° C., the temperature of the mixed water and the water decreases due to the effect, and the SMA coil that senses the decrease in the temperature reduces the urging force to the valve, and the bias spring The valve is displaced in a direction to reduce the water supply flow rate by urging the valve with a corresponding force. As a result, the temperature of the mixed water of hot water and water approaches the original 40 ° C. When the biasing force of the bias spring works sufficiently and the water inlet is completely closed, hot water of 40 ° C. is discharged from the discharge port, and the temperature control function works normally.

[0006] However, depending on the adjustment position of the temperature setting handle, the compression of the bias spring may be weakened, and the force of the bias spring alone may not completely close the water inlet. Therefore, hot and cold water mixed with water is discharged from the discharge port, and the temperature becomes lower than 40 ° C. before changing the supply temperature of hot water.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and is an improvement of the present invention.
An object of the present invention is to provide a hot-water mixing apparatus capable of automatically adjusting the temperature of mixed water to a constant temperature and capable of supplying hot water at an appropriate temperature.

[0008]

Means adopted by the present invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is to mix a hot and cold water having a valve movably disposed in a housing and discharging a set temperature of the mixed water. In the device, one elastic body having a shape memory function is disposed one at a time in front and rear of the valve in the axial direction, and the urging force on the valve is not increased by adjusting the temperature adjusting screw in accordance with the fluctuation of the mixed water temperature. To perform stable temperature control.

When an elastic body having a shape memory function is disposed in front and rear of the valve in the axial direction, a shape having a characteristic in which the urging force on the valve is reduced when the temperature rises on the inlet side of the hot water of the valve. An elastic body having a memory function is installed, and an elastic body having a shape memory function of a property that the urging force to the valve increases when the temperature rises is provided on the water inlet side of the valve to supply hot water. When the temperature fluctuates, the biasing force acting on the valve is automatically adjusted from the elastic body having the shape memory function in accordance with the fluctuation, and stable temperature control is performed.

When an elastic body having a shape memory function is disposed in front and rear of the valve in the axial direction, a shape having a characteristic that the urging force applied to the valve increases as the temperature decreases when the hot water flows into the valve. By installing an elastic body having a memory function, and installing an elastic body having a shape memory function of a characteristic that the urging force on the valve decreases as the temperature decreases on the water inlet side of the valve, thereby supplying hot water. When the temperature fluctuates, the biasing force acting on the valve is automatically adjusted from the elastic body having the shape memory function in accordance with the fluctuation, and stable temperature control is performed.

Further, by making the valve freely movable in the axial direction, the present invention can be easily applied to a conventional hot / water mixing apparatus, and the conventional hot / water mixing apparatus has a function against transient fluctuations of hot / water pressure. Along with stability, it is possible to perform stable temperature control with respect to fluctuations in the supply temperature of hot water.

[0012]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In order to make the contents of the present invention easier to understand, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to examples.

[0013]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a hot water mixing apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1, a hot water mixing apparatus 1 of the present invention has a housing 2. A hot water side inlet 3 and a water side inlet 4 are formed on the peripheral wall of the housing 2 at intervals in the axial direction. A mixed water discharge port 5 is opened on the downstream side communicating with these inflow ports 3 and 4. A valve 6 is disposed at a position facing the inlet of the hot water and the water in the housing 2 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. The inside of the housing 2 is divided by a valve 6 into a hot water side valve chamber 7 and a water side valve chamber 8. An annular packing 16 is incorporated around the valve 6, and the packing 16 is brought into close contact with the inner wall of the housing 2 to shut off the flow of hot water and water outside the valve 6. The hot water inlet 3 communicates with a hot water valve chamber 7 in the hot water mixing device, and similarly, the water inlet 4 communicates with a water valve chamber 8 in the hot water mixing device.

The hot-side valve chamber 7 is in communication with the water-side valve chamber 8 via a passage provided on the central axis of the valve, and the hot water passing through the hot-side valve chamber 7 flows into the water-side valve chamber 8. It has become.
Accordingly, the water-side valve chamber 8 functions as a hot-water mixing chamber, and is hereinafter also referred to as a hot-water mixing chamber. The hot and cold water mixture formed in the hot and cold water mixing chamber 8 is discharged from the discharge port 5.

The water-side valve chamber has an SM made of a shape memory alloy having a characteristic that the spring constant changes according to the temperature.
An A coil a9 is provided. A coil guide 12 movably mounted in the axial direction is covered on an end of the SMA coil a9 on the water-side entrance side. The coil guide 12 is provided with a hole on the center axis, and connects the hot / water mixing chamber 8 with the discharge port 5. The coil guide 12 is provided with fins 15 for promoting mixing of hot water and water. An SMA coil b10 made of a shape memory alloy is provided in the hot water side valve chamber. One end of the SMA coil b10 is in contact with the valve, and the other end is in contact with the movable spring receiver 13. The movable spring receiver 13 is screwed to a temperature adjusting screw 14 outside the housing 2, and the movable spring receiver 13 moves in the housing 2 in the axial direction by rotating the temperature adjusting screw 14.

When assembling the hot and cold water mixing apparatus, the movable spring receiver 13, the SMA coil b10, the valve 6, the coil guide 12, and the SMA coil a9 are assembled in the housing 2 in this order. After assembling, the water-side valve seat 11 is fastened to the downstream side of the housing 2. By doing so, the SMA coil a9 is supported by the water side valve seat 11 and the coil guide 12, and
The MA coil b10 is supported by the movable spring receiver 13 and the valve 6. Since the SMA coil a9 and the SMA coil b10 are each compressed and incorporated into the housing 2, the SMA coil a urges the valve 6 leftward in FIG. 1, and the SMA coil b10 pushes the valve 6 rightward in FIG. Will be urged.

Next, the operating mechanism of the hot and cold water mixing apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. When the stopcock and flow control valve 17 is opened, the hot water taken in from the hot water side inlet 3 fills the hot water side valve chamber 7 and passes through the center passage of the valve 6,
It is sent to the hot and cold water mixing chamber 8. The water taken in from the water-side inlet 4 is stirred by the fins 15 of the coil guide 12, sent to the hot-water mixing chamber 8, and mixed with the hot water. The hot water mixture in the hot water mixing chamber 8 passes through the center hole of the coil guide 12 and
The water mainly passes through the inner diameter portion of the A coil a9, is discharged from the discharge port 5, and can be supplied to the curan 18 or a shower (not shown). At this time, the valve 6 is positioned by the balance between the biasing force of the SMA coil a9 and the biasing force of the SMA coil b10.

The flow rate of hot water and water is controlled by changing the opening areas of the hot water inlet 3 and the water inlet 4 by sliding the valve 6 in the axial direction. By operating the temperature adjusting screw 14, the user can adjust the temperature of the hot and cold water mixture from the outlet 5 to a desired temperature. That is, by the rotation operation of the temperature adjusting screw 14, the movable spring receiver 13 screwed to the temperature adjusting screw 14 is displaced in the axial direction in the hot metal side valve chamber 7.
SMA coil b10 supported on movable spring receiver 13
The biasing force on the valve 6 is adjusted. When the urging force applied to the valve 6 increases, the valve 6 is displaced in a direction in which the opening area of the hot water inlet 3 to the hot water valve chamber 7 increases to a position where the urging force with the SMA coil a9 is balanced. The opening area to the water-side valve chamber 8 is reduced. As a result, the supply flow rate of hot water increases, the supply flow rate of water decreases, and a hot water mixture with an increased temperature is obtained from the discharge port 5.

Conversely, when the urging force of the SMA coil b10 to the valve 6 decreases, the urging force of the SMA coil a9 prevails, and the valve 6 moves the hot water inlet 3 to the hot valve chamber 7 to a position that balances the force. Displaced in the direction to reduce the opening area, water side entrance 3
The opening area to the water-side valve chamber 8 increases. As a result, the supply flow rate of the hot water decreases, the supply flow rate of the water increases, and the mixture of the hot and cold water having a lowered temperature is obtained from the discharge port 5.

As shown in FIG. 3, the SMA coil a9 has a characteristic that, when the temperature rises, the urging force increases, and when the temperature decreases, the urging force decreases. As shown in FIG. 4, the SMA coil b10 has a characteristic that, when the temperature rises, the urging force decreases, and when the temperature decreases, the urging force increases. An SMA coil a9 installed closer to the discharge port 5 than the hot water mixing chamber 8 senses the temperature of the hot water mixture, and an SMA coil b10 provided in the hot water valve chamber 7 is Sensing the temperature of the hot water supplied to it.

The SMA coil a9 responds to the temperature of the hot water mixture in the hot water mixing chamber 8, and generates an urging force corresponding to the temperature of the mixture as shown in FIG. On the other hand, when the supply temperature of hot water is constant, the SMA coil b10 generates an urging force according to its preload, like a normal coil spring. Valve 6 is SM
The biasing force generated by the A coil b10 is positioned at a position that balances the biasing force generated by the SMA coil a9.

If the temperature of the hot and cold water mixture rises transiently for some reason while using the hot and cold water mixing apparatus 1, the urging force generated by the SMA coil a9 increases, and the valve 6 is connected to the hot water side valve chamber at the hot water side inlet 3. 7 is displaced in the direction in which the area of the opening is reduced. Accordingly, the supply amount of hot water decreases and the supply amount of water increases, and at the same time, the SMA coil b10 is compressed and its urging force increases. SM determined by new temperature of hot water mixture
When the new urging force of the A coil a9 and the new urging force of the SMA coil b10 are balanced, the valve 6 stops. Conversely, when the temperature of the hot water mixture drops transiently, conversely, the supply amount of hot water increases and the supply amount of water decreases. In this way, the mixture temperature is controlled from the outlet by mechanical feedback.

When the supply temperature of hot water drops, SM
The urging force generated by the A coil b10 increases, and the valve 6 is displaced in a direction in which the opening area of the hot water side inlet 3 to the hot water side valve chamber 7 increases. In particular, the hot water supply temperature and the adjustment screw 14
If the temperatures set by the above are the same, it is necessary to shut off the supply of water from the water-side inlet to the hot and cold water mixing chamber 8. For this purpose, the SMA coil b10 is connected to the hot water mixing chamber 8 through the water side inlet 4.
Until the opening to the valve is completely closed, a biasing force capable of moving the valve 6 is generated. In this way, the temperature of the mixed water can be maintained at a constant temperature even when the supply temperature of hot water fluctuates.

While a specific embodiment of the present invention has been described, various modifications may be made. In the above embodiment, an SMA coil made of a shape memory alloy is used as an elastic body made of a shape memory element.
An elastic body made of synthetic resin may be used as long as it functions as a shape memory element.

In the above embodiment, the hot water mixing apparatus has a valve movable in the axial direction. However, the present invention is applicable to a hot water mixing apparatus having a valve rotatable around the axis. In this case, it is possible to use an elastic body made of a shape memory element as a torsion spring.

[0026]

By using the hot water mixing apparatus of the present invention,
The temperature of the mixed water can be automatically adjusted to a constant temperature irrespective of the fluctuation of the hot water temperature on the supply side.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a hot and cold water mixing apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an example of use of the hot and cold water mixing apparatus shown in FIG.

3 is a SM made of a shape memory alloy of the hot and cold water mixing apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
Graph showing the temperature change of the urging force generated by A coil a

FIG. 4 shows a shape memory alloy S of the hot water mixing apparatus shown in FIG.
Graph showing temperature change of urging force generated in MA coil b

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Hot water mixing device, 2 ... Housing, 3 ... Water side inlet, 4
... hot water side inlet, 5 ... discharge port, 6 ... valve, 9 ... SMA coil a made of shape memory alloy, 10 ... SMA coil b made of shape memory alloy

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 3H057 AA12 BB03 BB06 BB26 BB32 CC12 DD13 EE02 EE03 FC04 HH03 HH14 3H067 AA14 CC07 CC32 CC55 DD05 ED17 FF02 GG13 3L036 AC25

Claims (4)

[Claims] A valve for changing an opening area ratio between the hot water and the water inlet by movement of the hot water inflow port and the water inflow port, and mixing the hot water and the water in accordance with the opening area ratio, and In a hot and cold water mixing device that performs water discharge, an elastic body having a shape memory function is disposed before and after the valve in the moving direction, and the elastic body expands and contracts by an expansion and contraction amount corresponding to a temperature change of a fluid in the hot and cold water mixing device. The hot water mixing apparatus is characterized in that the valve is moved to change the supply flow rate of hot water and water. 2. An elastic body having a shape memory function having a characteristic that the urging force applied to the valve decreases as the temperature rises, wherein the elastic body having a shape memory function is arranged on the inlet side of the hot water of the valve. 2. The hot and cold water mixing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an elastic body having a shape memory function of increasing the urging force is disposed on the water inlet side of the valve. 3. In the hot water mixing apparatus, an elastic body having a shape memory function of increasing the urging force on the valve when the temperature decreases is disposed on the hot water inlet side of the valve. 3. The hot and cold water mixing device according to claim 1, wherein an elastic body having a shape memory function having a characteristic of reducing the urging force is disposed on the water inlet side of the valve. 4. The hot water mixing device according to claim 1, wherein the valve is movable in the axial direction.
The hot and cold water mixing device as described in the above.