WATER SUPPLY APPARATUS

• US 20100307619A1
• Filed: 01/22/2009
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Inventors: Kaneda, Kazuhiro, Komatsu, Takahide, Higaki, Nobuhiro, Tejima, Tomoharu, Miyauchi, Sachiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,714,933 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 137/565.33
• CPC Class Codes: E03C 1/025 Water supply lines as such, e.g. shower hoses
• CPC Class Codes: F04B 41/06 Combinations of two or more pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/0066 by changing the speed, e.g. of the driving engine
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 15/029 for pumps operating in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 9/03 with multiple-channel loop, i.e. redundant control systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86131 Plural
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86163 Parallel

Abstract

The present invention provides a water supply apparatus capable of performing a backup operation, without lowering water supply capability, when a failure has occurred in one control substrate due to surge or noise caused by lightning or due to lifetimes of various sensors, by switching to the other control substrate, and capable of reliably performing the backup operation by means of devices that prevent failure of the control substrates. The water supply apparatus (1) includes: a plurality of pumps (3); a plurality of inverters (INV) each configured to change and control a rotational frequency of a corresponding one of the plurality of pumps (3); and a plurality of control substrates (CN) configured to control the plurality of inverters (INV). When an abnormality occurs in one control substrate, other control substrate backs up the one control substrate to thereby allow the water supply apparatus to continue its operations. The one control substrate, the plurality of inverters (INV), and the other control substrate are connected in series by communication lines. A switch (SW1) for turning on and off a communication is provided on the communication lines.

Claims

1. A water supply apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of pumps;

a plurality of inverters each configured to change and control a rotational frequency of a corresponding one of said plurality of pumps; and

a plurality of control substrates configured to control said plurality of inverters,

wherein when an abnormality occurs in one control substrate, other control substrate backs up said one control substrate to thereby allow said water supply apparatus to continue its operations,

wherein said one control substrate, said plurality of inverters, and said other control substrate are connected in series by communication lines, and

wherein a switch for turning on and off a communication is provided on said communication lines.

2. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an output device configured to output signals for turning on and off said switch is provided in said one control substrate or said other control substrate.

3. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said switch is provided on a communication line connecting said one control substrate and/or said other control substrate to a first one of said plurality of inverters.

4. The water supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said plurality of control substrates have a reset function to stop the communication of said one control substrate or said other control substrate in operation and to reset said switch, in order to restart said one control substrate or said other control substrate after said switch is operated as a result of occurrence of the abnormality.

5. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein power switches are provided in a power supply system for supplying power to said one control substrate and said other control substrate, respectively.

6. The water supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said power switches are provided in said plurality of control substrates.

7. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one control substrate and said other control substrate are supplied with power at all times.

8. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one control substrate and said other control substrate are connected via a communication line, and a monitoring device for monitoring whether or not said plurality of control substrates are operating normally is provided.

9. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said one control substrate and said other control substrate are connected via a communication line, and a monitoring device for monitoring whether or not said plurality of control substrates and said plurality of inverters are communicating normally is provided.

10. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said at least one control substrate and said plurality of inverters are connected by signal lines that convey analog signals or contact signals.

11. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said one control substrate and said other control substrate have said pressure-detecting sections;

a pressure sensor is provided in one of said pressure-detecting sections; and

a pressure switch is provided in other of said pressure-detecting sections.

12. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said one control substrate and said other control substrate has at least one set of pressure-detecting device.

13. The water supply apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising a judging device configured to compare detection values inputted from said pressure-detection devices into said one control substrate and said other control substrate and to judge that the input signals are abnormal when the detection values are different.

14. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said one control substrate and said other control substrate have power input sections, respectively; and

each of said power input sections is connected to a corresponding one of power supply sections and is configured to be able to be connected to other of said power supply sections.

15. The water supply apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said one control substrate and said other control substrate include said power supply sections therein, respectively.

16. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a plurality of operation indicators through which various kinds of settings for operation and control of said water supply apparatus are performed, said plurality of operation indicators being connected to said plurality of control substrates, respectively,

wherein said plurality of operation indicators have displays configured to indicate operating conditions of said water supply apparatus.

17. A water supply apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of pumps;

a plurality of inverters each configured to change and control a rotational frequency of a corresponding one of said plurality of pumps; and

a plurality of control substrates configured to control said plurality of inverters,

wherein when an abnormality occurs in one control substrate, other control substrate backs up said one control substrate to thereby allow said water supply apparatus to continue its operations,

wherein each of said plurality of inverters is provided with at least two different communication ports, and

wherein said one control substrate is connected to said plurality of inverters in series by communication lines and said other control substrate is connected to said plurality of inverters in series by different communication lines.

18. The water supply apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each of said plurality of control substrates is provided with at least two different communication ports, and said one control substrate, said plurality of inverters, and said other control substrate are connected in series by a plurality of communication lines, respectively.

19. The water supply apparatus according to claim 17, wherein different communication lines extend respectively from said one control substrate and said other control substrate to a last one of said plurality of inverters in series.

20. The water supply apparatus according to claim 17, wherein said at least one control substrate and said plurality of inverters are connected by signal lines that convey analog signals or contact signals.

21. The water supply apparatus according to claim 17, wherein a switch for turning on and off a communication is provided on said communication lines connecting said one control substrate or said other control substrate to said plurality of inverters.

22. The water supply apparatus according to claim 21, wherein said switch is provided on a communication line connecting said one control substrate and/or said other control substrate to a first one of said plurality of inverters.

23. The water supply apparatus according to claim 17, wherein:

said one control substrate and said other control substrate have pressure-detecting sections;

a pressure sensor is provided in one of said pressure-detecting sections; and

a pressure switch is provided in other of said pressure-detecting sections.

24. The water supply apparatus according to claim 17, wherein each of said one control substrate and said other control substrate has at least one set of pressure-detecting device.

25. The water supply apparatus according to claim 24, further comprising a judging device configured to compare detection values inputted from said pressure-detection devices into said one control substrate and said other control substrate and to judge that the input signals are abnormal when the detection values are different.

26. The water supply apparatus according to claim 17, wherein:

said one control substrate and said other control substrate have power input sections, respectively; and

each of said power input sections is connected to a corresponding one of power supply sections and is configured to be able to be connected to other of said power supply sections.

27. The water supply apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said one control substrate and said other control substrate include said power supply sections therein, respectively.

28. The water supply apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising a plurality of operation indicators through which various kinds of settings for operation and control of said water supply apparatus are performed, said plurality of operation indicators being connected to said plurality of control substrates, respectively,

wherein said plurality of operation indicators have displays configured to indicate operating conditions of said water supply apparatus.

29. A water supply apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of pumps;

a plurality of inverters each configured to change and control a rotational frequency of a corresponding one of said plurality of pumps; and

a plurality of control substrates configured to control said plurality of inverters,

wherein when an abnormality occurs in one control substrate, other control substrate backs up said one control substrate to thereby allow said water supply apparatus to continue its operations,

wherein multiple sets of power supply systems, multiple sets of signals systems, and multiple sets of control systems are connected to said one control substrate and said other control substrate, and

wherein in at least one of said power supply systems, said signals systems, and said control systems, one of said multiple sets has a different level of resistance to external causes from a level of resistance to the external causes of other of said multiple sets.

30. The water supply apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the level of resistance to the external causes is a level of tolerance to at least one of surge and noise.

31. The water supply apparatus according to claim 30, wherein the level of tolerance to the surge and/or noise with respect to said other of said multiple sets connected to said other control substrate is higher than the level of tolerance to the surge and/or noise with respect to said one of said multiple sets connected to said one control substrate.

32. The water supply apparatus according to claim 29, wherein:

the level of resistance to the external causes is water-pressure resistance of a pressure-detecting section; and

water-pressure resistance of a pressure-detecting section connected to said one control substrate is different from water-pressure resistance of a pressure-detecting section connected to said other control substrate.

33. The water supply apparatus according to claim 32, wherein:

a plurality of pressure-detecting sections are connected to each of said one control substrate and said other control substrate; and

said plurality of pressure-detecting sections in the same control substrate have different water-pressure resistances.

34. The water supply apparatus according to claim 29, wherein:

said one control substrate and said other control substrate have pressure-detecting sections;

a pressure sensor is provided in one of said pressure-detecting sections; and

a pressure switch is provided in other of said pressure-detecting sections.

35. The water supply apparatus according to claim 29, wherein each of said one control substrate and said other control substrate has at least one set of pressure-detecting device.

36. The water supply apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising a judging device configured to compare detection values inputted from said pressure-detection devices into said one control substrate and said other control substrate and to judge that the input signals are abnormal when the detection values are different.

37. The water supply apparatus according to claim 29, wherein:

said one control substrate and said other control substrate have power input sections, respectively; and

each of said power input sections is connected to a corresponding one of power supply sections and is configured to be able to be connected to other of said power supply sections.

38. The water supply apparatus according to claim 37, wherein said one control substrate and said other control substrate include said power supply sections therein, respectively.