Patent Application
20250129586
Technologies disclosed herein relate to a control device and a water supply and drainage system for a plurality of sanitary facility devices.
Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2018-162649 describes a technology for controlling the volume of flushing water supplied to a flush toilet.
In the above technology, a water volume used in a single sanitary facility device is controlled. This specification provides a technology for controlling water volumes used in specific sanitary facility device(s), considering the total volume of water used in a plurality of sanitary facility devices.
The technology disclosed in the specification relates to a control device. The control device may comprise a controller configured to control water volume to be supplied to one or more specific sanitary facility devices of the plurality of sanitary facility devices by using a first indicator and a second indicator, the first indicator being related to an actual water volume actually used in a plurality of sanitary facility devices, and the second indicator being related to a target water volume to be used in the plurality of sanitary facility devices, and the controller being configured to control the water volume to prevent the actual water volume to exceed the target water volume.
A water supply and drainage system including a plurality of sanitary facility devices and the above control device is also novel and useful.
As shown in
Water is supplied to each of the plurality of flush toilets 100 from a water supply pipe 4 connected to a clean water pipe 3 installed outside the management area 1. The flush toilets 100 are connected to branch pipes 4a, 4b, 4c branching off from the water supply pipe 4, respectively. The flush toilets 100 are connected to branch pipes 6a, 6b, 6c, respectively. Water used in the respective flush toilets 100 flows through the branch pipes 6a, 6b, 6c into the drainpipe 6. Excrements dropped into the respective flush toilets 100 also flow through the branch pipes 6a, 6b, 6c into the drainpipe 6. The water and excrements in the drainpipe 6 flow through the drainpipe 6 and reach the sewer pipe 8.
A circulation path 9 is connected to the drainpipe 6. The circulation path 9 includes a three-way valve 9a, a circulation pipe 9b, and a pump 9c. The three-way valve 9a is located in a portion of the drainpipe 6 that is downstream of positions at which the branch pipes 6a, 6b, and 6c are connected to the drainpipe 6. One end of the circulation pipe 9b is connected to the drainpipe 6 via the three-way valve 9a. The other end of the circulation pipe 9b is connected to an upstream end of the drainpipe 6. The three-way valve 9a switches the circulation pipe 9b between a state in which the circulation pipe 9b is in communication with the drainpipe 6 and a state in which the circulation pipe 9b is shut off from the drainpipe 6. The pump 9c pumps the water in the drainpipe 6 from the downstream side toward the upstream side of the drainpipe 6 through the circulation pipe 9b.
A flow sensor 50 is located downstream of the three-way valve 9a in the drainpipe 6. The flow sensor 50 is located in a portion of the drainpipe 6 that is downstream of the positions at which the branch pipes 6a, 6b, and 6c connected to the flush toilets 100 are connected to the drainpipe 6. The flow sensor 50 detects the total of water volumes used in the flush toilets 100 and drained into the drainpipe 6. The flow sensor 50 may be either of an ultrasonic sensor device or an electromagnetic sensor device.
As shown in
The storage 14 includes at least one type of memory among, for example, a hard disk, ROM and RAM. The storage 14 stores a computer program for the controller 12 and necessary data for processes executed by the controller 12.
The communication module 16 includes an interface for communicatively connecting the controller 12 to other devices. For example, the communication module 16 may include at least one of an interface for communication with a LAN (abbreviation of Local Area Network) and an interface for wireless communication. The controller 12 is communicatively connected via the communication module 16 to a plurality of toilet-side controllers 110, the flow sensor 50, and a PC 150.
The toilet-side controllers 110 are located in the flush toilets 100, respectively.
Every time the toilet-side controller 110a supplies flushing water to the flush toilet 100a, the toilet-side controller 110a transmits to the control device 10 a combination of identification information indicating the flush toilet 100a and flushing information indicating the supply of flushing water. The toilet-side controllers 110b and 110c perform the same control as the one performed by the toilet-side controller 110a to the flush toilets 100b and 100c, respectively.
The flow sensor 50 repeatedly transmits to the controller 12 flow volume information indicating a water volume flowing in the drainpipe 6. The PC 150 is a computer of the administrator of the water supply and drainage system 2. In a variant, the PC 150 may be replaced by a portable terminal of the administrator.
The controller 12 controls flushing water volumes to be supplied to the flush toilets 100 through a water supply controlling process. The water supply controlling process is initiated when the control device 10 is activated. As shown in
In S12, the controller 12 further stores, for each of the plurality of flush toilets 100, the identification information of the flush toilet 100 and SV information indicating its single-supply water volume SV in association with each other in the storage 14. The controller 12 further stores count information indicating a count of flushing in association with the identification information and the SV information in the storage 14. In S12, information indicating a count of flushing is 0 is stored as the count information. In S12, the controller 12 also starts measuring a time period from when the single-supply water volumes SV were set. In a variant, the controller 12 may store the SV information in the storage 14 without associating them with the identification information of the flush toilets 100.
For the management area 1, a water volume limit is set to limit the total of flushing water volumes to be used in the plurality of flush toilets 100 within a specific time period. For the management area 1, a target value is also set for the total of flushing water volumes to be used when the flush toilets 100 are flushed once. That is, the target value indicates the total of flushing water volumes to be used in the flush toilets 100 when the flush toilets 100 are each flushed once. The target value may be set based on the counts of flushing in the flush toilets 100 so as not to exceed the water volume limit. Water volume limit information indicating the water volume limit is stored in advance in the storage 14. The administrator can operate the PC 150 to change the water volume limit by changing the water volume limit information stored in the storage 14. In S12 immediately after the controller 12 has been activated, the controller 12 calculates the single-supply water volumes SV by calculating (target value/the number of flush toilets 100).
In S14, the controller 12 executes a used water volume acquiring process. Specifically, every time flushing water is supplied in the flush toilet 100a, the controller 12 receives from the toilet-side controller 110a a combination of the identification information indicating the flush toilet 100a and the flushing information indicating the supply of flushing water. When the combination of the identification information and the flushing information is received, the controller 12 adds “1” to the number indicated by the count information associated with the identification information that matches the received identification information in storage 14. The controller 12 executes the same process to each of the plurality of flush toilets 100.
In S16, the controller 12 executes a drainage water volume acquiring process. Specifically, the controller 12 integrates flow volumes repeatedly acquired from the flow sensor 50. The controller 12 keeps executing the processes of S14 and S16 until a first time period elapses (YES in S18). The first time period is preset by the administrator. The first time period is shorter than the specific time period, for example, one week. The first time period may be changed by the administrator operating the PC 150.
Once the first time period has elapsed (YES in S18), the controller 12 executes a single-supply water volume determining process in S20 to determine single-supply water volumes SV. Single-supply water volumes SV to be newly set are thereby determined. In S22, the controller 12 determines whether a second time period has elapsed or not since the process of S22 was executed last time. The second time period is longer than the first time period. The second time period may be as long as the specific time period. In a case where the controller 12 executes the process of S22 for the first time after the start of the water supply controlling process, the controller 12 determines whether the second time period has elapsed or not since the water supply controlling process started. If it is determined that the second time period has elapsed (YES in S22), the controller 12 transmits integrated water volume information indicating an integral of used water volumes integrated in S14 within the second time period to the PC 150 in S24, and the process returns to S12. If it is determined that the second time period has not elapsed (NO in S22), the flow skips S24 and returns to S12.
Then, in S12, the controller 12 sets the single-supply water volumes SV determined in S20 for the respective flush toilets 100.
Referring to
If it is determined that clogging is present (YES in S32), i.e., if the water volume difference between the actual water volume and the integral of drainage water volumes acquired in S16 exceeds the predetermined value, the controller 12 determines in S34 whether the actual water volume is less than a target water volume or not. The target water volume is calculated by {water volume limit×(first time period/specific time period)}. If it is determined that the actual water volume is equal to or greater than the target water volume (NO in S34), the controller 12 switches the three-way valve 9a from the state in which the circulation pipe 9b is shut off from the drainpipe 6 to the state in which the circulation pipe 9b is in communication with the drainpipe 6 in S36. The controller 12 then activates the pump 9c only for a predetermined time period (e.g., one minute). As a result, drainage water flows into the circulation pipe 9b. The drainage water flowing in the circulation pipe 9b flows into the upstream end of the drainpipe 6. By allowing the drainage water to circulate through the circulation pipe 9b, the clogging in the drainpipe 6 is removed.
If it is determined that the actual water volume is less than the target water volume (YES in S34), the flow skips S36 and proceeds to S38. In S38, the controller 12 calculates new single-supply water volumes SV. Specifically, the controller 12 calculates a new single-supply water volume SV={current single-supply water volume SV+(target water volume−actual water volume)/the number of flush toilets}. In the case where it is determined that the actual water volume is less than the target water volume (YES in S34), new single-supply water volumes SV are larger than the current single-supply water volumes SV. As a result, flushing water volumes to be supplied to the flush toilets 100 are increased. This can remove the clogging in the drainpipe 6. In the case where it is determined that the actual water volume is less than the target water volume (YES in S34), the clogging in the drainpipe 6 can be removed without the pump 9c being activated in S36. A larger difference between the target water volume and the actual water volume leads to larger new single-supply water volumes SV. A larger difference between the target water volume and the actual water volume leads to larger flushing water volumes and thus suppresses clogging.
In the case where it is determined that the actual water volume is equal to or greater than the target water volume (NO in S34), the new single-supply water volumes SV are less than the current single-supply water volumes SV. This reduces the flushing water volumes to be used in the flush toilets 100. In the case where it is determined that the actual water volume is equal to or greater than the target water volume (NO in S34), the pump 9c is actuated in S36 so that the clogging in the drainpipe 6 can be removed even when the flushing water volumes are reduced. Since the plurality of flush toilets 100 is installed in the management area 1, the flushing water volume in the management area 1 can be reduced and the clogging in the drainpipe 6 can be prevented.
If it is determined that there is no clogging (NO in S32), the single-supply water volume determining process is terminated without determining new single-supply water volumes SV. In this case, the single-supply water volumes SV are not updated in S12.
Flushing water volumes used differ among the flush toilets 100 depending on the frequency of use. If flushing water volumes are adjusted separately for the flush toilets 100, a single-supply water volume SV needs to be reduced for a frequently used flush toilet. In the single-supply water volume determining process, single-supply water volumes SV are determined by using the target water volume to be used in the plurality of flush toilets 100 and the actual water volume actually used in the plurality of flush toilets 100. The difference between the target water volume and the actual water volume can be distributed among the flush toilets 100. The single-supply water volumes SV do not have to be adjusted depending on the usage of individual flush toilets 100.
In a variant, the identification information may not be assigned to each of the plurality of flush toilets 100 such as the first embodiment. The control device 10 may execute the processes without using the identification information of the flush toilets 100.
The plurality of flush toilets 100 is an example of “a plurality of sanitary facility devices”, the actual water volume is an example of “first indicator”, and the target water volume is an example of “second indicator”. The branch pipes 6a, 6b, 6c are each an example of “first drainpipe”, and the drainpipe 6 is an example of “second drainpipe”. The circulation pipe 9b is an example of “water pipe”.
Differences from the first embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the process of calculating new single-supply water volumes SV in S38 differs from that of the first embodiment. In S38, the controller 12 calculates a single-supply water volume SV for each of the plurality of flush toilets 100 depending on the frequency of use of the flush toilet. The controller 12 sets a larger flushing water volume for a more frequently used toilet. Specifically, the controller 12 uses the count information counted in S14 to calculate, for each of the plurality of flush toilets 100, a new single-supply water volume SV={current single-supply water volume SV+(target water volume−actual water volume)×(the count of flushing in the flush toilet/the total count of flushing in the plurality of flush toilets)}. For a flush toilet with the count of flushing “0”, a smaller single-supply water volume SV is set than a single-supply water volume SV for a flush toilet with the count of flushing “1” or greater.
A larger single-supply water volume SV is set for a more frequently used flush toilet. From a more frequently used flush toilet, more excretions and toilet paper (hereinafter simply referred to as “excretions”), which may cause clogging, are flushed down into the drainpipe 6. Therefore, a portion of the drainpipe 6 located downstream of the more frequently used flush toilet is more likely to be clogged with the excretions. By increasing the single-supply water volume SV for the more frequently used flush toilet, the excretions, which may cause clogging, can be easily pushed out to the sewer pipe 8.
The frequency of use is an example of “third indicator” and “fourth indicator”.
Differences from the first embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the controller 12 corrects single-supply water volumes SV in S12. The controller 12 has a calendar function. In S12, the controller 12 refers to the calendar function and calculates corrected single-supply water volumes SV by multiplying the single-supply water volumes SV by a season coefficient. The season coefficient is a value equal to or less than 1.0. The season coefficient varies depending on the time of year. Specifically, during the time of year with relatively high temperatures (e.g., from June through August in Japan), the season coefficient is 0.8. During the time of year with relatively low temperatures (e.g., from December through February in Japan), the season coefficient is 1.0. During the other time of year, the season coefficient is 0.9. In a variant, the season coefficient may vary depending on the temperature. For example, it may be larger for higher temperatures and may be decreased as the temperature decreases.
In a variant, the process of S12 in the second embodiment may be replaced by the process of S12 in the third embodiment. The season coefficient may be equal to or greater than 1.0.
The viscosity of drainage water in the drainpipe 6 decreases under higher temperatures. When the viscosity of drainage water is lower, less water is required to flow through the drainpipe 6. In this embodiment, single-supply water volumes SV are reduced during the time of year with relatively high temperatures, and thus flushing water volumes can be reduced during the time of year with relatively low drainage water viscosity.
The time of year is an example of “fourth indicator”.
Differences from the first embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the controller 12 corrects single-supply water volumes SV in S12. The controller 12 has a calendar function and a clock function. Days and time slots when users of the management area 1 do not use the management area 1 are registered in advance in the calendar function. In S12, the controller 12 refers to the calendar function and the clock function and calculates corrected single-supply water volumes SV by multiplying the single-supply water volumes SV by a date-and-time coefficient. The date-and-time coefficient is a value equal to or less than 1.0. The date-and-time coefficient varies depending on the time of day, the day of week, holiday, and weekday. Specifically, the date-and-time coefficient is 1.0 for daytime of weekdays (e.g., from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday). The date-and-time coefficient is 0.8 for mornings and nights of weekdays (e.g., time slots other than 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Monday through Friday). The date-and-time coefficient is 0.6 for holidays (e.g., Saturday, Sunday, and national holidays). In a variant, based on the frequency of use per day of week and time of day, the date-and-time coefficient may be increased for more frequency of use and decreased for less frequency of use.
At least one of the process of S12 in the second embodiment and the process of S12 in the second embodiment may be replaced by the process of S12 in the fourth embodiment. The date-and-time coefficient may be equal to or greater than 1.0. In S12, single-supply water volumes SV may be corrected using the season coefficient in addition to the date-and-time coefficient. For example, the controller 12 may correct single-supply water volumes SV by multiplying the single-supply water volumes SV by the date-and-time coefficient and the season coefficient.
The drainpipe 6 is less likely to be clogged with less frequency of use. When the frequency of use is low, clogging is unlikely to occur even if flushing water volume are reduced. In this embodiment, flushing water volumes used can be reduced when clogging is less likely to occur.
Date and time is an example of “fourth indicator”.
Differences from the first embodiment will be described. As shown in
In case of YES in S135, the flow proceeds to S36. In S36, the pump 9c is activated and the drainage water is thus circulated. Thus, the clogging in the drainpipe 6 can be removed when the time period until flushing water is supplied next is expected to be long. In case of NO in S135, the flow proceeds to S38. When the time period until flushing water is supplied next is expected to be relatively short, the clogging in the drainpipe 6 can be removed by flushing water supplied to any of the plurality of flush toilets 100.
Differences from the first embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, target drainage water volume information indicating a target drainage water volume is stored in advance in the storage 14. The target drainage water volume indicates a water volume that flows through the unclogged drainpipe 6 when the target water volume is supplied to the plurality of flush toilets 100. The target drainage water volume is determined based on the target water volume. For example, the target drainage water volume is calculated by the target water volume×coefficient (e.g., 0.9). In S32, the controller 12 determines that there is clogging in the drainpipe 6 (YES in S32) if the integral of drainage water volumes acquired in S16 is less than the target drainage water volume. The controller 12 determines that there is no clogging in the drainpipe 6 (NO in S32) if the integral of drainage water volumes acquired in S16 is equal to or greater than the target drainage water volume.
In S38, the controller 12 sets single-supply water volumes SV for the respective flush toilets 100 depending on the water volume in the drainpipe 6. The controller 12 sets larger flushing water volumes as the integral of drainage water volumes acquired in S16 is larger. Specifically, the controller 12 calculates, for each of the plurality of flush toilets 100, a new single-supply water volume SV={current single-supply water volume SV+(target drainage water volume−integral of drainage water volumes)/the number of toilets}. In this embodiment, the single-supply water volumes SV are the same among the plurality of flush toilets 100.
In this embodiment, the single-supply water volumes SV are determined based on the drainage water volume in the drainpipe 6. Therefore, in S14 of the water supply controlling process, the used water volume does not need to be acquired. The processing load on the control device 10 can thus be reduced.
The integral of drainage water volumes is an example of “first indicator”, and the target drainage water volume is an example of “second indicator”.
Differences from the first embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, a process of calculating new single-supply water volumes SV in S38 differs from that of the first embodiment. In S38, the controller 12 sets a single-supply water volume SV for each of the plurality of flushing toilets depending on the length of the drainpipe 6 from the flush toilet to the sewer pipe 8. The controller 12 sets larger flushing water volumes for toilets with longer lengths of the drainpipe 6 from the flush toilets to the sewer pipe 8. Specifically, the controller 12 uses the count information counted in S14 to calculate, for each of the plurality of flush toilets, a new single-supply water volume SV={current single-supply water volume SV+(target water volume−actual water volume)×pipe length coefficient}. The pipe length coefficient for the flush toilet with the longest length of the drainpipe 6 from the flush toilet to the sewer pipe 8 is set as “1.0”. A pipe length coefficient for each of the other flush toilets is set as ratio of the length of the drainpipe 6 from the flush toilet to the sewer pipe 8 to the length of the drainpipe 6 from the flush toilet furthest from the sewer pipe 8 to the sewer pipe 8.
Larger single-supply water volumes SV are set for flush toilets with longer lengths of the drainpipe 6 from the flush toilets to the sewer pipe 8. Excretions from flush toilets with longer lengths of drainpipe 6 from the flush toilets to the sewer pipe 8 are more likely to accumulate before reaching the sewer pipe 8. By increasing the single-supply water volumes SV for the flush toilets with longer lengths of the drainpipe 6 from the flush toilets to the sewer pipe 8, excretions which may cause clogging can easily flow to the sewer pipe 8.
The lengths of the drainpipe 6 from the flush toilets to the sewer pipe 8 are examples of “fourth indicator”.
Differences from the first embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, the controller 12 does not execute the process of S16 in the water supply controlling process. In this embodiment, the controller 12 does not execute the process of S32 in the single-supply water volume determining process. In this embodiment, the water volume and clogging in the drainpipe 6 are not used to determine single-supply water volumes SV. In this embodiment, the flow sensor 50 is not necessary.
Differences from the first embodiment will be described. As shown in
The drainpipe 206 connects each of one or more sanitary facility devices 200 located outside the management area 1 to the sewer pipe 8. Drainage water from each of the one or more sanitary facility devices 200 flows through the drainpipe 206.
In S36 of the single-supply water volume determining process, the controller 12 switches the three-way valve 209a from the state in which the drainpipe 206 is in communication with the drainpipe 6 to the state in which the drainpipe 206 is in communication with the circulation pipe 9b, and then activates the pump 9c. The pump 9c pumps water in the drainpipe 206 toward the upstream end of the drainpipe 6 via the circulation pipe 9b. This can remove the clogging in the drainpipe 6.
Differences from the ninth embodiment will be described. In this embodiment, as shown in
The flow sensor 50 is located in a portion of the drainpipe 6 that is upstream of a position at which the drainpipe 206 joins the drainpipe 6. A flow sensor 250 is located in a portion of the drainpipe 206 that is upstream of the position at which the drainpipe 206 joins the drainpipe 6. The controller 12 executes the water supply controlling process and the single-supply water volume determining process for each of the plurality of flush toilets 100 and the one or more sanitary facility devices 200 by using the first target water volume and the second target water volume. The one or more sanitary facility devices 200 may include device(s) that allows a user to adjust a water volume supplied therefrom. For example, a device that allows a user to adjust the start and stop of water supply, such as a washbasin device, may be included. In this case, its single-supply water volume SV is the maximum volume of water supplied from the start to the stop of a single water supply. When a water volume supplied from the start of a single water supply exceeds the single-supply water volume SV, the water supply may be stopped. When receiving information indicating that a sanitary facility device was used from the sanitary facility device used by the user in S14 together with its identification information, the controller 12 increments count information indicating a count of water supply, which is stored in association with the identification information. The controller 12 calculates the actual water volume by multiplying the single-supply water volume SV by the count of water supply.
In a variant, a circulation path may be provided that connects the portion of the drainpipe 6 upstream of the position at which the drainpipe 206 joins the drainpipe 6 to the upstream end of the drainpipe 206. The circulation path may have a configuration similar to that of the circulation path 9 according to the ninth embodiment. In a variant, the controller 12 may execute the water supply controlling process and the single-supply water volume determining process to a plurality of sanitary facility devices including the plurality of flush toilets 100 and the one or more sanitary facility devices 200, by using a single target water volume.
While specific examples of the present disclosure have been described above in detail, these examples are merely illustrative and place no limitation on the scope of the patent claims. The technology described in the patent claims also encompasses various changes and modifications to the specific examples described above. Variants of the above-described embodiments will be described below.
While specific examples of the present disclosure have been described above in detail, these examples are merely illustrative and place no limitation on the scope of the patent claims. The technology described in the patent claims also encompasses various changes and modifications to the specific examples described above. The technical elements explained in the present description or drawings provide technical utility either independently or through various combinations. The present disclosure is not limited to the combinations described at the time the claims are filed. Further, the purpose of the examples illustrated by the present description or drawings is to satisfy multiple objectives simultaneously, and satisfying any one of those objectives gives technical utility to the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-157197 | Sep 2021 | JP | national |
This application is a national stage application under 35 U.S.C. 371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2022/034547, filed Sep. 15, 2022, which claims the priority of Japanese Application No. 2021-157197, filed Sep. 27, 2021. The entire contents of each priority application is incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2022/034547 | 9/15/2022 | WO |
