Water supply apparatus

• US 8,714,933 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2009
• Issued: 05/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Original Assignee: Ebara Corporation
• Inventors: Komatsu, Takahide, Kaneda, Kazuhiro, Tejima, Tomoharu, Higaki, Nobuhiro, Miyauchi, Sachiko
• Primary Examiner(s): RIVELL, JOHN A
• Application Number:
  US12/864,257
• Publication Number:
  US 20100307619A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,930 Days
• Field of Search: 137/565.29, 137/565.33, 417 1- 5, 417/44.2
• US Class Current: 417/5
• 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

A water supply apparatus is 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 sensor wear, by switching to the other control substrate, and capable of reliably performing the backup operation. The water supply apparatus includes: a plurality of pumps; a plurality of inverters each configured to change and control a rotational frequency of a corresponding one of the plurality of pumps; and a plurality of control substrates configured to control the plurality of inverters. 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, and the other control substrate are connected in series by communication lines.

Claims

1. A water supply apparatus, comprising:

a plurality of pumps;

a plurality of motors configured to drive said plurality of pumps;

a plurality of inverters each configured for variable rotational speed control of a corresponding one of said plurality of motors; and

a first control board and a second control board each configured to control said plurality of inverters,

wherein when an abnormality occurs in said first control board, said second control board backs up said first control board to thereby allow said water supply apparatus to continue its operations,

wherein said first control board, said plurality of inverters, and said second control board 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 first control board or said second control board.

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

4. The water supply apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said first control board and said second control board have a function to stop the communication of said second control board in operation and to reset said switch, in order to restart said first control board after said switch is turned off as a result of occurrence of the abnormality in said first control board.

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

6. The water supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said power switches are provided in said first control board and said second control board.

7. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first control board and said second control board are supplied with power at all times.

8. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first control board and said second control board are connected via a communication line, and a monitoring device for monitoring whether or not said first control board and said second control board are operating normally is provided.

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

10. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first control board and said second control board are connected with said plurality of inverters by signal lines that convey analog signals or contact signals.

11. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each of said first control board and said second control board has at least one set of pressure-detecting devices.

12. The water supply apparatus according to claim 11,

wherein said first control board and said second control board have pressure-detecting sections;

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

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

13. The water supply apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a judging device configured to compare detected values inputted from said pressure-detecting devices into said first control board and said second control board and to judge that the input signals are abnormal when the detected values are different.

14. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said first control board and said second control board have power input sections, respectively;

and

wherein 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 first control board and said second control board 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 settings for operation and control of said water supply apparatus are performed, said plurality of operation indicators being connected to said first control board and said second control board

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

17. The water supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the abnormality of said first control board includes an abnormality of equipment coupled to said first control board.