Control device and sauna apparatus having the same

Abstract

To provide a control device allowing a user to suitably feel temperature and humidity in a sauna room, and a sauna apparatus including the control device.SOLUTION: A control system 100S controls a sauna device 100 having a sauna room 100H having a rear door 101 and a left door 102 and capable of housing a plurality of users, a heater 110 arranged in the sauna room 100H and capable of heating the sauna room 100H, and a humidifying unit 112 capable of supplying water to the heater 110 and increasing the moisture of the sauna room 100H. The control system 100S is provided with a sensor unit 120 capable of detecting the temperature and moisture of the sauna room 100H and a control part 100H for controlling the setting temperature of the heater 110 and the water supply amount of the humidifying unit 112 to the heater 110 so that the absolute moisture in the sauna room 100T is within a target range based on at least the detection date of the sensor unit 120.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a control device and a sauna device equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, sauna devices with sauna rooms that can accommodate multiple users have been known. Patent Document 1 discloses a sauna device in which a space is provided between the bench seat and the sauna room floor, and a space is provided between the back of the bench and the side wall of the sauna room, and a sauna heater is placed in the interior space of the bench. In this technology, the sauna device includes a temperature detection unit that detects the temperature of one or more of the sauna room's side wall and flammable parts of the bench, and a sauna heater control unit that reduces the heating of air by the sauna heater when the temperature detected by the temperature detection unit exceeds a predetermined temperature. As a result, the temperature of flammable parts in the sauna room is prevented from exceeding the predetermined temperature, allowing the sauna device to operate safely. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5249798 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] While the technology described in Patent Document 1 can suppress the temperature rise of flammable parts in a sauna room, it has the problem of not being able to adjust the humidity in the sauna room to make it comfortable for users. Traditionally, dry saunas have been the norm in Japan, with high temperatures (generally above 90 degrees Celsius) and low relative humidity settings (5% to less than 15%) preferred. However, wet saunas such as Finnish saunas have recently become mainstream, with higher relative humidity settings (15% to less than 25%) becoming more popular. In dry saunas, the environment in the sauna room can be controlled simply by controlling the temperature, and users can maintain a constant level of comfort by setting the temperature low during periods of high atmospheric humidity and high during periods of low atmospheric humidity. While conventional technology can maintain a certain temperature, traditional sauna equipment cannot control humidity in the wet saunas that have become mainstream recently. Therefore, humidity has been adjusted by using an analog hygrometer based on the principle of a hair hygrometer to measure the relative humidity in the sauna room, or by having the user or worker sense a lack of humidity and then replenishing the sauna heater with loyly water, or by using a timer to open a solenoid valve for a set number of seconds at set intervals to replenishing the sauna heater with loyly water. The hair hygrometer used in the former adjustment method uses an analog mechanism to roughly measure relative humidity. The saturated water vapor volume at 70 degrees Celsius is 197.3 g / m 3 , 291.9 g / m at 80 degrees Celsius 3 , 421.2 g / m at 90 degrees Celsius 3 , 594.2 g / m at 100 degrees Celsius 3Because the amount of saturated water vapor increases exponentially with increasing temperature, a 1°C change in temperature results in a large change in relative humidity in sauna rooms where high temperatures are maintained. Hair hygrometers, which use analog mechanisms to roughly measure relative humidity, have very little correlation with the sauna room's perceived environment, making it difficult to maintain humidity. Furthermore, methods that rely on users or workers to sense insufficient humidity and then increase it themselves, relying on their own personal preferences and physical condition, have led to problems in many sauna facilities, such as adding too much water, which can cause a sudden increase in humidity in the sauna room and risk burns, or users adding too much water can cause sauna stove damage. While this humidity control method is desirable for private saunas shared with family, friends, and acquaintances in sauna-advanced countries such as Finland, where every household has a sauna, it is not a generally acceptable control method for hot spring facilities in Japan that accept a large number of users, due to the need to ensure user safety and comfort.

[0005] To address these issues, the latter timer-based adjustment method has been used, but this method also faces many challenges. This adjustment method involves opening a solenoid valve to add water for a set number of seconds at set intervals. However, the temperature and humidity inside the sauna room are significantly affected by not only the ever-changing ambient temperature and humidity, but also the number of users in the sauna room and the frequency with which the sauna door is opened and closed. As the seasons change, such as summer and winter, the ambient temperature and humidity naturally change between the hot daytime hours and the hours after sunset. Therefore, maintaining a constant sauna temperature and humidity requires frequent adjustments to the water addition frequency. Even more difficult than adjusting the settings to accommodate changes in ambient temperature and humidity is adjusting the settings to accommodate fluctuations in the number of users in the sauna room and the frequency with which the sauna door is opened and closed. Because water vapor in the sauna room condenses on human skin, which is relatively cooler than the sauna room temperature, the humidity decreases as the number of users increases. Furthermore, when the number of users in the sauna room increases, the frequency of opening and closing the door increases, and the air inside the sauna room is exchanged with the outside air, causing the temperature and humidity inside the sauna room to drop. It is impossible to maintain the temperature and humidity inside the sauna room without monitoring the users in the sauna room in real time and changing the settings, but this is not practical for workers, and the reality is that the settings are changed about once every few weeks depending on the season. This creates the problem that the temperature and humidity inside the sauna room are high during the daytime on weekdays when there are fewer users, and are low in the evenings and on weekends when there are more users, making it difficult to stabilize the temperature and humidity inside the sauna room. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The object of the present invention is to provide a control device and a sauna device equipped with the same that allow users to feel the temperature and humidity in a sauna room at a comfortable level even when the temperature and humidity in the atmosphere and the number of users in the sauna room change.

[0007] A control device according to one aspect of the present invention is a control device that controls a sauna device having a sauna room that has at least one opening and closing door and can accommodate multiple users, a heater that is placed in the sauna room and is capable of heating the sauna room, and a humidifier that is capable of supplying water to the heater and increasing the humidity in the sauna room, and is equipped with a temperature and humidity detection unit that can detect the temperature and humidity of the sauna room, and a control unit that controls the set temperature of the heater and the amount of water supplied by the humidifier to the heater based on at least the detection data of the temperature and humidity detection unit so that the absolute humidity in the sauna room is within a target range.

[0008] With this configuration, the control unit controls the heater temperature setting and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier so that the absolute humidity in the sauna room falls within a target range, allowing users in the sauna room to experience a consistently comfortable temperature and humidity.

[0009] In the above configuration, it is desirable that the system further includes an opening / closing detection unit capable of detecting the opening / closing state of the at least one opening / closing door, and that the control unit controls the set temperature of the heater and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier based on the detection data of the temperature and humidity detection unit and the detection data of the opening / closing detection unit.

[0010] With this configuration, if the door is opened frequently, it is possible to predict that the temperature and humidity will drop before the temperature and humidity detection unit detects it. When the humidifier dispenses water, it is necessary to increase the heater output about one minute before dispensing water to increase the rate at which the dispensed water evaporates. However, depending on the door opening frequency, it is possible to predict that the temperature and humidity will drop before the temperature and humidity detection unit detects it, and increase the heater output in advance to prepare for the addition of water. Therefore, even if the hot air and humidity inside the sauna room leak out to the outside, causing the temperature and humidity to drop, the environment inside the sauna room can be quickly restored to a desirable state.

[0011] In the above configuration, it is desirable that the sauna room further includes a rotatable intake fan and exhaust fan, and that the control unit further controls the rotation speed of at least one of the intake fan and the exhaust fan based on the detection data.

[0012] This configuration allows the rotation speed of the intake fan and exhaust fan to be controlled based on the results of the temperature and humidity detection unit, so that the sauna room can be kept comfortable even when hot air and humidity tend to accumulate in certain areas.

[0013] In the above configuration, it is desirable that the control unit have an outdoor control unit that is located outside the sauna room and is capable of receiving the detection data, and a remote control unit that is located in a remote location relative to the sauna room and receives the detection data from the outdoor control unit, and determines and outputs command signals for controlling the set temperature of the heater and the water supply amount of the humidifier.

[0014] According to this configuration, a remote control unit located remotely from the sauna room can determine and output command signals for controlling the heater temperature setting and the water supply amount of the humidifier. Therefore, there is no need to place an expensive remote control unit adjacent to the sauna room. Furthermore, a server (management device) that is generally available for a fee can be used as the remote control unit to maintain a favorable sauna room environment.

[0015] In the above configuration, it is desirable that the control unit controls the set temperature of the heater and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier in accordance with the number of times the opening and closing door is opened and closed within a predetermined time period as the detection data of the opening and closing detection unit.

[0016] With this configuration, even if the high-temperature air and humidity inside the sauna room are likely to leak out, the environment inside the sauna room can be maintained in a comfortable state based on the number of times each door is opened and closed.

[0017] In the above configuration, it is desirable that the control unit controls the set temperature of the heater and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier based on the detection data as well as at least one of the following information: the season, weather, and the number of users in the sauna room at the installation location where the sauna room is located.

[0018] With this configuration, the heater temperature setting and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier can be controlled based on not only the data detected by the temperature and humidity detector, but also the season, weather, number of users in the sauna room, etc. of the sauna room's installation location. As a result, the sauna room can be maintained in a comfortable state with high accuracy, depending on the environment of the area where the sauna device is located.

[0019] A sauna device according to another aspect of the present invention comprises a sauna room having at least one opening and closing door and capable of accommodating multiple users, a heater disposed in the sauna room and capable of heating the sauna room, a humidifier capable of supplying water to the heater and increasing the humidity in the sauna room, and the control device described above.

[0020] With this configuration, the control unit controls the heater temperature setting and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier so that the absolute humidity in the sauna room falls within a target range, allowing users in the sauna room to continue to feel comfortable at a constant temperature and humidity. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, a control device and a sauna device equipped with the same are provided that allow users to feel the temperature and humidity in a sauna room at a comfortable level even when the temperature and humidity in the atmosphere or the number of users in the sauna room changes. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of a sauna apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control device of a sauna apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] A sauna apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the sauna apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a control system 100S (control device) for the sauna apparatus 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] The sauna apparatus 100 is placed in a building (not shown). The sauna apparatus 100 can provide benefits such as maintaining health and refreshing the user by encouraging sweating in a high-temperature, high-humidity environment. The sauna apparatus 100 according to this embodiment can accommodate multiple users. The sauna apparatus 100 includes a floor 100A, a ceiling 100B, a front wall 100C, a rear wall 100D, a right wall 100F, a left wall 100G, and a rear door 101 and a left door 102 (opening and closing doors). These components define a sauna room 100H of the sauna apparatus 100. The sauna room 100H can accommodate multiple users. Note that the up-down, left-right, and front-to-back directions shown in FIG. 1 do not limit the function or usage of the sauna apparatus 100.

[0025] In this embodiment, the sauna room 100H has a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The floor 100A defines the lower surface of the sauna room 100H. The ceiling 100B defines the upper surface of the sauna room 100H. The front wall 100C defines the front side of the sauna room 100H. The rear wall 100D defines the rear side of the sauna room 100H. The right wall 100F defines the right side of the sauna room 100H. The left wall 100G defines the left side of the sauna room 100H.

[0026] The rear door 101 is provided at the right end of the rear wall 100D and can be opened and closed. Similarly, the left door 102 is provided at the rear end of the ceiling 100B and can be opened and closed. Users can enter and exit the sauna room 100H through these doors. Note that the sauna room 100H only needs to be provided with at least one door (opening and closing door).

[0027] The sauna apparatus 100 also includes a rear door sensor 101S and a left door sensor 102S (open / close detection units). The rear door sensor 101S detects whether the rear door 101 is open or closed. The left door sensor 102S detects whether the left door 102 is open or closed. The detection results of each sensor are sent to a control unit 100T, which will be described later.

[0028] Furthermore, the sauna apparatus 100 has a right seat 103, a left seat 104, and a front seat 105. A user who enters the sauna room 100H sits on these seats.

[0029] Furthermore, the sauna apparatus 100 includes a heater 110 and a humidifying unit 112 (humidifying device).

[0030] The heater 110 is placed on the floor 100A in the center of the sauna room 100H. The heater 110 is also called a sauna stove. The heater 110 is capable of heating the sauna room 100H. The amount of heat generated by the heater 110 is adjusted according to a command signal (voltage) input from the control unit 100T described below.

[0031] The heater 110 has a plurality of elements 110S. The elements 110S are arranged directly above the heat generating portion of the heater 110. The heat generated by the heat generating portion causes the elements 110S to also reach a high temperature.

[0032] The humidifying unit 112 is capable of supplying water to the heater 110 to increase the humidity in the sauna room 100H. In this embodiment, the humidifying unit 112 is fixed (hanging) to the ceiling 100B so as to be positioned directly above the heater 110. Also, in FIG. 1, the water (loyly water) supplied from the heater 110 is indicated by an arrow. When the supplied water comes into contact with the multiple stones 110S of the heater 110, a large amount of steam is generated, increasing the humidity in the sauna room 100H. The humidifying unit 112 adjusts the amount of water supplied to the heater 110 in accordance with a command signal (voltage) input from the control unit 100T, which will be described later.

[0033] The sauna apparatus 100 further includes a clock 114, a user thermometer / hygrometer 116, and a sensor unit 120 (temperature / humidity detection section). These devices are arranged side by side on the upper edge of the rear wall 100D. The clock 114 notifies the user in the sauna room 100H of the current time. The user thermometer / hygrometer 116 notifies the user of the temperature and humidity inside the sauna room 100H. The sensor unit 120 transmits temperature and humidity information inside the sauna room 100H to the control section 100T described below. The user thermometer / hygrometer 116 notifies the user of approximate temperature and humidity information, while the sensor unit 120, as described in detail below, serves to appropriately adjust the temperature and humidity environment inside the sauna room 100H.

[0034] The sauna apparatus 100 also has an air intake port 122 , an upper exhaust port 124 , and a lower exhaust port 126 .

[0035] The air intake port 122 is opened at the lower end of the rear wall 100D, in the center in the left-right direction. The air intake port 122 is connected to the external environment (atmosphere) through a duct (not shown). An air intake fan 131 (FIG. 2), which will be described later, is disposed inside the air intake port 122. The rotation of the air intake fan 131 causes external air to flow into the sauna room 100H.

[0036] The upper exhaust port 124 is open at the upper right end of the front wall 100C. The upper exhaust port 124 is connected to the external environment (atmosphere) through a duct (not shown). An exhaust fan 133 (FIG. 2), which will be described later, is disposed inside the upper exhaust port 124. Air is exhausted from the sauna room 100H by the rotation of the exhaust fan 133.

[0037] Similarly, the lower exhaust port 126 is opened at the lower end of the front wall 100C, in the center in the left-right direction. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the lower part of the front seating portion 105 is hollow, and the lower exhaust port 126 is arranged to face this hollow part. The lower exhaust port 126 is connected to the external environment (atmosphere) through a duct (not shown). An exhaust fan 133 (FIG. 2), which will be described later, is also arranged inside the lower exhaust port 126. Air is exhausted from the sauna room 100H by rotation of the exhaust fan 133.

[0038] 2, sauna apparatus 100 includes control system 100S. In addition to sensor unit 120, control system 100S includes air supply fan 131, air supply MD 132, exhaust fan 133, exhaust MD 134, and control unit 100T.

[0039] As described above, the sensor unit 120 detects the temperature and humidity inside the sauna room 100H. The detection results of the sensor unit 120 are referenced in the temperature and humidity control by the control unit 100T. The sensor unit 120 has a temperature sensor 120A, a humidity sensor 120B, an auxiliary temperature sensor 120C, and an auxiliary humidity sensor 120D.

[0040] The temperature sensor 120A detects the temperature in the sauna room 100H and inputs a signal corresponding to the detection result to the control unit 100T. The humidity sensor 120B detects the humidity in the sauna room 100H and inputs a signal corresponding to the detection result to the control unit 100T. Unlike conventional analog hair hygrometers, the humidity sensor 120B is digital. As an example, a temperature and humidity sensor equipped with Sensirion's SHT-31 can be used.

[0041] 2, the temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B are connected to the cloud 160 via a communication network, and the temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B are connected to the control panel 140 and are connected to the cloud 160 via the PC 150. The temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B may be connected to the cloud 160 in either one of the two modes.

[0042] The auxiliary temperature sensor 120C detects the temperature in the sauna room 100H and inputs a signal corresponding to the detection result to the control unit 100T. The auxiliary humidity sensor 120D detects the humidity in the sauna room 100H and inputs a signal corresponding to the detection result to the control unit 100T. The auxiliary temperature sensor 120C and the auxiliary humidity sensor 120D are provided to perform a so-called emergency stop function (redundant sensors) to prevent the temperature and humidity environment in the sauna room 100H from exceeding a preset range and becoming an abnormal condition.

[0043] 1 and 2 show one sensor unit 120, the sauna apparatus 100 may have multiple sensor units 120. In this case, the control unit 100T can refer to the detection results of the multiple sensor units 120 to perform control processing with high accuracy.

[0044] The intake fan 131 is rotatably installed inside the intake port 122, and encourages the inflow of air into the sauna room 100H. The intake MD 132 is a shutter that operates in conjunction with the operating state of the intake fan 131. Even if the intake fan 131 stops rotating, air will easily flow in if the internal air pressure becomes negative, and conversely, air will flow out if the internal pressure becomes positive. To prevent this, the intake MD 132 is designed so that the shutter closes when the intake fan 131 is not rotating.

[0045] The exhaust fans 133 are rotatably installed inside the upper exhaust port 124 and the lower exhaust port 126, respectively, and promote the exhaust of air from the sauna room 100H. The exhaust MD 134 is a shutter that operates in conjunction with the operating state of the exhaust fan 133. Even if the exhaust fan 133 stops rotating, air will easily flow in if the internal air pressure becomes negative, and conversely, air will flow out if the internal pressure becomes positive. To prevent this, the exhaust MD 134 is designed so that the shutter closes when the exhaust fan 133 is not rotating.

[0046] The control unit 100T controls the sauna apparatus 100. In particular, the control unit 100T controls the set temperature of the heater 110 and the amount of water supplied by the humidification unit 112 to the heater 110 so that the absolute humidity in the sauna room 100H falls within a target range, based on at least the detection data of the sensor unit 120. The control unit 100T has a control panel 140, a client PC (Personal Computer) 150, a touch panel 151, and a cloud 160.

[0047] The control panel 140 is placed outside the sauna room 100H. The control panel 140 is composed of a known microcomputer. As an example, the control panel 140 is connected to a three-phase 200V or three-phase 400V power supply. The control panel 140 is also electrically connected to the heater 110, humidification unit 112, sensor unit 120 (temperature and humidity sensor), client PC 150, and touch panel 151 via an I2C serial communication cable or the like, and can input and output each command signal and each drive voltage. The control panel 140 has a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) 141, a HUB 142, an inverter 143, an inverter 144, a solid-state contactor 145, and a circuit breaker 146.

[0048] The PLC 141 controls the various devices in the sauna apparatus 100 in an integrated manner.

[0049] The HUB 142 mediates communication between the PLC 141 and the client PC 150. The HUB 142 may employ publicly known specifications.

[0050] Inverter 143 is interposed between PLC 141 and exhaust fan 133, and controls the air volume of exhaust fan 133 to fall within a predetermined target range. Similarly, inverter 144 is interposed between PLC 141 and supply fan 131, and controls the air volume of supply fan 131 to fall within a predetermined target range.

[0051] The solid-state contactor 145 supplies power to the PLC 141 and also controls the operation of the heater 110. Specifically, a voltage pulse is output from the PLC 141 of the control panel 140 and input to the solid-state contactor 145. The solid-state contactor 145 is turned ON / OFF in response to this voltage pulse, and the heater 110 is operated at a predetermined heat generation amount.

[0052] The circuit breaker 146 is disposed between the solid-state contactor 145 and the external power supply to prevent malfunctions due to overcurrent or electrical leakage.

[0053] The PC 150 is placed outside the sauna room 100H. The PC 150 is configured as a known single-board computer. The PC 150 is also connected to the rear door sensor 101S and left door sensor 102S (FIG. 1) described above via a wired or wireless connection. The PC 150 can record the number of times each door is opened and closed within a preset time period. The PC 150 also transmits each environmental data collected from the control panel 140 to the cloud 160 via a network at preset intervals.

[0054] The touch panel 151 is provided in association with the control panel 140 and receives various inputs from an operator to the control panel 140. The touch panel 151 also notifies the control status of the sauna apparatus 100 by the control panel 140 using numerical values, lamps, graphs, etc.

[0055] Cloud 160 is placed in a remote location and calculates and outputs various command values ​​based on the environmental data acquired from sensor unit 120 and PC 150. The command values ​​include a command to raise or lower the set temperature of heater 110 (room temperature raising or lowering function), a command to change the rotation speed of air supply fan 131 and exhaust fan 133 (room temperature lowering function, humidity lowering function, indoor ventilation function), and a command to supply loyly water from humidification unit 112 to heater 110 (humidity raising function). Cloud 160 is connected to client PC 150 via an internet line or the like.

[0056] Various command values ​​(command signals) set by cloud 160 are input via PC 150 and control panel 140 to the control panel of heater 110, the control panels of air supply fan 131 and exhaust fan 133, and the control panel of humidification unit 112. For example, the command value to the control panel of heater 110 is set to correspond to 0 to 100% depending on the required heat generation amount.

[0057] In addition to the sensor unit 120 and the control unit 100T, the rear door sensor 101S and the left door sensor 102S described above constitute a part of the control system 100S in this embodiment.

[0058] <Issues with conventional sauna equipment> Traditionally, typical sauna facilities have used analog hygrometers based on the principle of a hair hygrometer to measure the relative humidity inside the sauna room, but this only provided a rough grasp of the relative humidity. Furthermore, these hygrometers require periodic calibration based on the degree of hair elasticity, and due to the nature of their principles, they are difficult to detect instantaneous changes in humidity, particularly the momentary increase in humidity caused by loyly.

[0059] Also, even if the amount of water vapor inside the sauna room is constant, if the amount of saturated water vapor increases due to an increase in temperature, the relative humidity will decrease, so there is not necessarily a correlation between relative humidity and the sauna user's physical sensation (hot, lukewarm).

[0060] Meanwhile, it has been possible to measure the temperature inside a sauna room relatively accurately, and sauna facility operators have relied on temperature to manage the sauna environment. However, even if the temperature remains constant, fluctuations in humidity can significantly change the user's experience. For example, a sauna environment at 70 degrees Celsius and 25% relative humidity will feel the same as a sauna environment at 100 degrees Celsius and 8% relative humidity, and it will take about the same amount of time for the user to feel hot. As such, maintaining a comfortable sauna environment based on temperature alone has been difficult.

[0061] <Control of heater and humidifier units by the control system> To solve the above problems, the sauna apparatus 100 according to this embodiment implements the following control. In particular, in this embodiment, temperature and humidity data is acquired in real time using the temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B, and actions (commands) for the devices to keep the sauna room 100H within the appropriate target temperature and humidity ranges can be determined in a short time and input to each device. As a result, a consistent sauna environment can be maintained without being affected by external factors such as the season, weather, and the number of users in the sauna room 100H.

[0062] Specifically, in this embodiment, the sauna apparatus 100 includes a control system 100S. A control unit 100T of the control system 100S controls the set temperature of the heater 110 and the amount of water supplied by the humidification unit 112 to the heater 110 based on the detection data of at least the temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B so that the absolute humidity in the sauna room 100H falls within a target range.

[0063] With this configuration, the control unit 100T controls the set temperature of the heater 110 and the amount of water supplied by the humidification unit 112 to the heater 110 so that the absolute humidity in the sauna room 100H falls within a target range. As a result, users in the sauna room 100H can continuously experience a comfortable temperature and humidity.

[0064] As an example, the cloud 160 stores predetermined reference data acquired through past experimental verification. This reference data includes information on the relative humidity required to achieve an absolute humidity that the user feels comfortable at each temperature inside the sauna room 100H. Therefore, the cloud 160 determines a command signal to achieve a desired absolute humidity based on the current temperature and relative humidity data of the sauna room 100H acquired from the control panel 140, and inputs the command signal to the control panel 140. As a result, the control panel 140 adjusts the heat output of the heater 110 and the amount of water supplied by the humidification unit 112, thereby maintaining a comfortable environment inside the sauna room 100H.

[0065] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the control unit 100T controls the set temperature of the heater 110 and the amount of water supplied by the humidification unit 112 based on the detection data of the temperature sensor 120A, the humidity sensor 120B, and the detection data of the rear door sensor 101S and the left door sensor 102S.

[0066] With this configuration, if the rear door sensor 101S and the left door sensor 102S open and close frequently, it is possible to predict that the temperature and humidity will drop before they are detected by the temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B. When the humidifier unit 112 dispenses water, the output of the heater 110 needs to be increased about one minute before the water is dispensed to increase the rate at which the dispensed water evaporates. However, depending on the frequency of opening and closing of each door, it is possible to predict that the temperature and humidity will drop before they are detected by the temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B, and increase the output of the heater 110 in advance to prepare for the addition of water. Therefore, even if the hot air and humidity inside the sauna room 100H are likely to leak out and cause the temperature and humidity to drop, the environment inside the sauna room 100H can be quickly restored to a comfortable state.

[0067] In this embodiment, the rotation speed of at least one of the air supply fan 131 and the exhaust fan 133 is further controlled based on the detection data of the temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B.

[0068] With this configuration, the rotation speeds of the air supply fan 131 and the exhaust fan 133 can be controlled according to the detection results of the temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B. Therefore, even if high-temperature air and humidity tend to stagnate in some areas of the sauna room 100H, the environment inside the sauna room 100H can be maintained in a comfortable state.

[0069] In addition, in this embodiment, the control unit 100T has a control panel 140 (outdoor control unit) that is located outside the sauna room 100H and is capable of receiving the detection data, and a cloud 160 (remote control unit) that is located in a remote location relative to the sauna room 100H and receives the detection data from the control panel 140, and determines and outputs command signals for controlling the set temperature of the heater 110 and the water supply amount of the humidification unit 112.

[0070] With this configuration, the cloud 160, which is located at a remote location relative to the sauna room 100H, can determine and output command signals for controlling the set temperature of the heater 110 and the amount of water supplied by the humidification unit 112. This eliminates the need to place an expensive cloud 160 adjacent to the sauna room 100H, and also makes it possible to use a server (management device) that is generally available for a fee as the cloud 160 to maintain a favorable environment in the sauna room 100H.

[0071] Furthermore, when multiple sauna devices 100 are located in multiple locations, data can be aggregated and managed in a remote cloud 160. Also, by referencing the data acquired from one sauna device 100 that is used more frequently, the accuracy of setting command values ​​for other sauna devices 100 that are used less frequently can be improved.

[0072] In addition, in this embodiment, the control unit 100T controls the set temperature of the heater 110 and the amount of water supplied by the humidification unit 112 based on the number of times each door is opened and closed within a predetermined time period as detected data from the rear door sensor 101S and the left door sensor 102S.

[0073] With this configuration, even if the high-temperature air and humidity inside the sauna room 100H are likely to leak out to the outside, the environment inside the sauna room 100H can be maintained in a comfortable state based on the number of times each door is opened and closed.

[0074] In addition to the detection data, the control unit 100T may also control the set temperature of the heater 110 and the amount of water supplied to the humidification unit 112 based on at least one of the following information: the season, weather, and number of users in the sauna room 100H at the installation location where the sauna room 100H is located.

[0075] With this configuration, the set temperature of the heater 110 and the amount of water supplied by the humidifier unit 112 can be controlled by referring to not only the temperature sensor 120A and the humidity sensor 120B, but also the season, weather, and number of users in the sauna room 100H at the installation location of the sauna room 100H. As a result, the environment in the sauna room 100H can be maintained in a comfortable state with high accuracy, depending on the environment of the area where the sauna apparatus 100 is located.

[0076] Although the control device and sauna device equipped with the same according to the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the following modified embodiments can be adopted.

[0077] In the above embodiment, the sauna apparatus 100 is described as having the control system 100S, but the control system 100S may be installed in an existing sauna apparatus 100 and may provide the same functions and effects as those described above. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 100 Sauna Equipment 100A Floor 100B ceiling 100S Control System 100T control unit 101 Rear door (opening door) 101S Rear door sensor (open / close detection part) 102 Left door (opening door) 102S Left door sensor (open / close detection part) 110 Heater 110S stone 112 Humidification unit 114 Clock 116 Temperature and humidity meter for users 120 Sensor unit (temperature and humidity detection unit) 120A Temperature Sensor 120B Humidity Sensor 120C Auxiliary Temperature Sensor 120D Auxiliary Humidity Sensor 122 Air supply port 124 Upper exhaust port 126 Lower exhaust port 131 Air supply fan 133 Exhaust fan 140 Control panel (outdoor control unit) 141 PLC 142 HUB 143 Inverter 144 Inverter 145 Solid State Contactor 146 Circuit Breaker 150 client PCs 151 Touch Panel 160 Cloud (remote control unit)

Claims

1. A control device for controlling a sauna device having a sauna room having at least one opening and closing door and capable of accommodating a plurality of users, a heater disposed in the sauna room and capable of heating the sauna room, and a humidifier supplying water to the heater and capable of increasing humidity in the sauna room, A temperature and humidity detection unit capable of detecting the temperature and humidity of the sauna room; a control unit that controls the set temperature of the heater and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier by the humidifier so that the absolute humidity in the sauna room falls within a target range based on at least the data detected by the temperature and humidity detection unit; A control device comprising:

2. Further, an open / close detection unit capable of detecting the open / close state of the at least one open / close door is provided, The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit controls the set temperature of the heater and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier based on detection data from the temperature and humidity detection unit and detection data from the open / close detection unit.

3. Further, the sauna room is provided with a rotatable air supply fan and an exhaust fan. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit further controls a rotation speed of at least one of the air supply fan and the exhaust fan based on the detection data.

4. The control unit an outdoor control unit disposed outside the sauna room and capable of receiving the detection data; a remote control unit that is disposed at a location remote from the sauna room and receives the detection data from the outdoor control unit, and determines and outputs a command signal for controlling the set temperature of the heater and the water supply amount of the humidifier; The control device of claim 1 , further comprising:

5. 3. The control device according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the set temperature of the heater and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier in accordance with the number of times the opening and closing door is opened and closed within a predetermined time as the detection data of the opening and closing detection unit.

6. The control device described in claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the set temperature of the heater and the amount of water supplied to the humidifier based on the detection data as well as at least one of information regarding the season, weather, and number of users in the sauna room at the installation location where the sauna room is located.

7. a sauna room having at least one opening and closing door and capable of accommodating a plurality of users; a heater disposed in the sauna room and capable of heating the sauna room; a humidifier that supplies water to the heater to increase the humidity in the sauna room; The control device according to claim 1 ; A sauna device comprising:

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