Method and circuitry for control of a sanitary mixer for cold and hot water

• US 4,693,415 A
• Filed: 05/16/1986
• Issued: 09/15/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Knebel & Rottger GmbH
• Original Assignee: Knebel & Rottger GmbH
• Inventors: Sturm, Hans-Josef
• Primary Examiner(s): Wayner, William E.
• Application Number:
  US06/864,158
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 364/502, 236/12.11, 236/12.12, 4/192, 68/12 R, 68/207, 222/14, 137/88
• US Class Current: 236/12.12
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 23/1393 characterised by the use of electric means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2499 Mixture condition maintaining or sensing

Abstract

In a method for control of a sanitary mixer for cold and hot water, merely the actual temperature is continuously measured in the mixed water and compared to a preset temperature. At least two separate, time-varying regulating values, used for electromechanical adjustment both of the cold as well as of the hot water supply, are electronically derived from the difference between the set and actual temperature. A preset flow rate of the mixed water that is to be kept constant during temperature control is taken into account in the determination of the regulating values. Furthermore, partial flow rates for the cold water supply and hot water supply that are proportional to the regulating values can be determined from the time-varying regulating values. These are then used to continuously determine the instantaneous cumulative filling volume of the mixed water. As soon as a cumulative filling volume value equal to a preset cumulative filling volume is reached, the cold and hot water supplies can be shut off. In addition, a filling operation can be interrupted and resumed taking into account the filling volume drawn up to the interruption. In this way actuation of the cold and hot water valves is made possible via a simple temperature measurement while dispensing with the flow rate determination; in this case temperature, flow rate and/or filling volume can be preset.

Claims

1. Method for control of a sanitary mixer for cold and hot water by carrying out temperature control by means of a comparison between the actual temperature of the mixed water and a preset temperature, comprising:

continuously measuring the actual temperature in the mixed water and electronically deriving at least two separate, time-varying regulating values, used for electromechanical adjustment both of the cold water supply as well as of the hot water supply, from the difference between the set temperature and the actual temperature and taking into account preset flow rate of the mixed water to be kept constant during temperature control in the determination of the regulating valves; and

determining from the time-varying regulating values partial flow rates proportional to the regulating values, continuously determining from the partial flow rates the instantaneous cumulative filling volume of the mixed water, and, when a cumulative filling volume value equal to a preset cumulative filling volume is reached, setting the regulatingvalues to zero, thus shutting off the cold water supply and the hot water supply.

3. Method according to claim 1 wherein by pressing a pause button the filling operation is interrupted and the value of the instantaneous filling operation is interrupted and the value of the instantaneous filling volume of the mixed water is stored and by pressing the pause button a second time the filling operation is resumed taking into account the stored value of the cumulative filling volume of the mixed water.

4. Method according to claim 1 wherein the determination procedure for the cumulative filling volume is ended when a cumulative filling volume value equal to the preset cumulative filling volume is reached.

5. Method according to claim 1 wherein standard values for set temperature, rate and cumulative filling volume of the mixed water as well as the previously determined regulating values corresponding to these standard values are stored and can be recalled.

6. Circuitry for control of a sanitary mixer with a valve each for the cold water supply and the hot water supply and continuous regulation of the mixed water temperature to carry out the method according to claim 1 comprising:

a control circuit to regulate the temperature of the mixed water while keeping the flow rate of the mixed water constant, by means of this control circuit, at least two regulating values for the actuation of at least two electromechanical valve drives can be derived after comparision of the actual temperature measured in the mixed water with the preset temperature using a control alogorithm, and one of the regulating values can be derived from a value proportional to the preset flow volume by subtraction

7. Circuit for control of a sanitary mixer with a valve each for the cold water supply and the hot water supply and continuous regulation of the mixed water temperature to carry out the method according to claim 1 comprising:

a control circuit to regulate the temperature of the mixed water while keeping the flow rate of the mixed water constant, by means of this control circuit, at least two regulating values for the actuation of at least two electromechanical valve drives can be derived after comparision of the actual tempe-ature measured in the mlxed water with the preset temperature using a control algorithm in the form of a PID (proportional plus integral plus derivative action) controller, and one of the regulating values can be derived from a value proportional to the preset flow volume by subtraction.

8. Circuitry according to claim 7 wherein the partial flow rates porportional to the regulating valves can be deterined from the time-varying regulating valves via a function generator, an integrator is provided with which the cumulative, instantaneous filling volume is determined from the partial flow rates, a comparator is provided for comparison of the instantaneous, cumulative filling volume with the preset cumulative filling volume and the control circuit is switched off to determine the reglulating values when the preset cumulative filling volume is reached.

9. Circuitry according to claim 8 wherein a start flip-flop circuit is provided for the integrator and that the control circuit can be switched on at the same time via the comparator to determine the regulating values when the integrator is started.

10. Circuitry for control of a sanitary mixer with a valve each for the cold water supply and the hot water supply and continous regulation of the mixed water temperature to carry out the method according to claim 1 comprising:

a control circuit to regulate the temperature of the mixed water while keeping the flow rate of the mixed water constant, by means of this control circuit, at least two regulating values for the actuation of at least two electromechanical valve drives can be derived after comparison of the actual temperature measured in the mixed water with the preset temperature using a control algorithm and one of the regulating values can be derived from a value proportional to the preset flow volume by subtraction, wherein the partial flow roportional to the regulating values are determined W from the time-varying regulating values via a function generator the cumulative, instantaneous filling volume is determined from the partial flow volumes, a comparator is provided for comparision of the instanteous, cumulative filling volume with the preset cumulative filling volume and the control circuit is switched off to determine the regulating values when the Preset cumulative filling volume is reached.

11. Circuitry for control of a sanitary mixer with a valve each for the cold water supply and the hot water supply and continiuous regulation of the mixed water temperature to carry out the method according to claim 1 comprising:

a control crcuit to regulate the temperature of themixed water while keeping the flow rate of the mixed water constant, by means of this control circuit, at least two regulating values for the actuation of at least two electromechanical valve drives can be derived after comparison of the actual temperature measured in the mixed water with the preset temperature using a control algorithm and one of the regulating values can be derived from a value Proportional to the preset flow volume by subtraction, wherein a start flip-flop circuit is provided for the integrator and the control circuit is switched on at the same time via the comparator to determine the regulating values whenthe integrator is started.

14. Method according to claim 4 wherein by starting a new filling operation the stored value of the instantaneous cumulative filling volume of the mixed water is cleared.

15. Method according to claim 5 wherein the determination procedure for the cumulative filling volume is ended when a cumulative filling volume equal to the preset cumulative filling volume is reached.

16. Method according to claim 6 wherein standard values for set temperature, flow rate and cumulative filling volume of the mixed water as well as the previously delermined regulating values corresponding to these standard values are stored and can be recalled.

2. Method according to calim 1 wherein at the beginning of the determination procedure for the cumulative filling volume the determination of the regulating values is started at the same time.

12. Method for control of a sanitary mixer for cold and hot water by carrying out temperature control by means of a comparison between the actual temperature of the mixed water and a preset temperature, comprising:

continuously measuring the actual temperature in the mixed water and electronically deriving at least two separate, time-varying regulating values, used for electromechanical adjustment both of the cold water supply as well as of the hot water supply, from the difference between the set temperature and the actual temperature and taking into account a preset flow rate of the mixed water to be kept constant during temperature control in the determination of the regulating values; and

determining from the time-varying regulating values partial flow rates proportional to the regulating values, continuously determining from the partial flow rates the instantaneous cumulative filling volume of;

the mixed water, and, when a cumulative filling volume value equal to a preset cumulative filling volume is reached, setting the regulating values to zero, thus shutting off the cold water supply and the hot wa;

er supply,

wherein, at the beginning of the determination procedure for the cumulative filling volume, the determination of the regulating values is started at the same time.

13. Method according to claim 12 wherein by pressing a pause button the filling operation is interrupted and the value of the instantaneous filling volume of the mixed water is stored and by pressing the pause button a second time the filling operation is resumed taking into account the stored value of the cumulative filling volume of the mixed water.