Instant electric water heater

Abstract

To provide an instant electric water heater that can meet the normal temperature rise conditions without performing complicated control, in an instant electric water heater with a detachable PET bottle and a heating means in which a heating element is attached around a metal tube. [Solution] The instant electric water heater 1 according to the present disclosure comprises holding means 10 to which a PET bottle can be attached and which holds liquid, heating means 30 having a heating element that generates heat when electricity is applied attached around a metal pipe through which liquid supplied from the PET bottle flows, hot water dispensing means 50 having a hot water outlet from which the liquid heated by the heating means 30 is dispensed, and control means 80 for controlling the heating means 30. When the cumulative time of hot water dispensing operation to dispense hot water from the hot water dispensing means 50 exceeds a first predetermined time T0, the control means 80 enters a pause mode which prohibits the operation of the heating means 30 for a second predetermined time S0.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an instantaneous electric water heater, and more particularly to a technique for suppressing temperature increases in various parts during operation and continuing operation safely. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventional electric water heaters, which heat water stored in a tank inside a housing like a conventional household electric kettle, need to heat the entire amount of stored water to a desired temperature and maintain that temperature, so they may heat more water than actually used, and because they heat for a long period of time, they require more energy than actually needed, which can make them economical.In addition, because they need to store a certain amount of water, the housing must be large, and they require a large space to place in the kitchen.

[0003] In light of this situation, instantaneous water heaters have been gaining attention, as shown in Patent Document 1. These heaters do not have a water storage tank inside the housing, but instead use a commercially available PET bottle, which heats and dispenses hot water supplied from the attached PET bottle (Patent Document 1). These detachable PET bottle instantaneous water heaters are used by attaching a 500 mL or 2 L PET bottle with its cap removed. When the user presses the hot water dispense button on the operation unit, the pump operates to supply water from the attached PET bottle to a flow path inside the housing. A heater installed midway through the flow path instantly heats the water to the desired temperature, and the water is dispensed from the hot water outlet. Because detachable PET bottle instantaneous electric water heaters use a heater only when dispensing hot water, they are economical because they do not use more energy than necessary. Another advantage is that the device can be made smaller because a tank for storing water is not required.

[0004] The Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act, which aims to ensure the safety of electrical appliances such as instantaneous electric water heaters and prevent the occurrence of dangers and damage to products, provides an index called the normal temperature rise, which defines the upper limit of the temperature of each part of an electrical appliance during specified operation, in order to prevent fires, smoke, burns, etc., from occurring when the electrical appliance is used.

[0005] Normal temperature rise is a temperature condition that requires that a voltage equal to the rated voltage be applied continuously until the temperature rise of each part becomes approximately constant, and that the temperature value at a specified measurement point be below a specified value. To meet the normal temperature rise condition, it is desirable to have a structure that effectively dissipates heat inside the housing so that the temperature rise at the specified measurement point is below the specified value. To achieve this, for example, it is possible to increase the volume of the housing or drill holes in the housing for heat dissipation, but changing the structure of the housing would increase the size of the device itself, which is undesirable.

[0006] Another option is to provide a device to prevent excessive temperature rise, such as a thermostat, that activates when the temperature reaches a predetermined level, and stop operation before the temperature reaches that level. However, under the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Act, stopping operation with a thermostat is considered to function as a device to prevent excessive temperature rise that immediately stops the temperature from rising in the event of an abnormality, and is not considered to satisfy the requirement for normal temperature rise.

[0007] Therefore, it is necessary to satisfy the normal temperature rise condition by methods other than improving heat dissipation through overheat prevention devices or improved housing structure. To achieve this, for example, it is possible to install temperature sensors in various locations and control the heater by stopping operation whenever the temperature sensors detect a predetermined temperature. However, installing temperature sensors in various locations on the product is costly and requires complex control. In particular, a control that stops operation every time the temperature reaches an upper limit and restarts operation when it drops to a predetermined temperature is undesirable because it causes hunting, where the device repeatedly stops and restarts in a short period of time. Furthermore, if the heater operation is stopped, the water cannot be heated to the desired temperature, and the water heater's performance is not achieved.

[0008] Incidentally, some instantaneous electric water heaters use ceramic heaters, as shown in Patent Document 2. Ceramic heaters have a water pipe disposed within a ceramic block in which a heater body that generates heat through Joule heating is embedded, and the water flowing through the water pipe disposed within the ceramic block is heated via the heater body (Patent Document 2). Alternatively, some water pipes have a ceramic-coated heater disposed within them. Still others have a ceramic water pipe wrapped around a heater such as nichrome wire. Instantaneous electric water heaters using ceramic heaters have a low temperature rise in the water pipe itself when water is constantly flowing through them, which in turn reduces the temperature rise inside the product and makes it easier to meet the normal temperature rise requirements. However, if for some reason water is not flowing through the water pipe and the heater is operating in an empty-heat state, there is a risk that the fragile ceramic will immediately break and cause a breakdown. As a result, electric water heaters using ceramic heaters are prone to frequent breakdowns, or the water flow and heater control to prevent dry boiling in order to prevent breakdowns from occurring becomes complicated.

[0009] To avoid the above risks associated with using ceramic heaters, electric water heaters have been proposed that use a heating element that generates heat when electricity is passed through it, attached directly or indirectly to the periphery of a metal pipe such as a stainless steel pipe.Unlike ceramics, metals such as stainless steel do not break immediately even when they become hot, so the risk of breakdown is reduced, but because they have a higher heat transfer rate than ceramics, the temperature rise from the heater is easily transmitted to other parts, so some ingenuity is required to meet the conditions for normal temperature rise. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0010] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-276141 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-186554 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The present invention has been made in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide an instant electric water heater that is detachable from a PET bottle and uses a heating means in which a heating element is attached around a metal tube, and that can meet the conditions for normal temperature rise without complex control. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] The present invention provides the following solutions.

[0013] The instant electric water heater according to a first aspect includes a holding means for holding a detachable PET bottle and for holding a liquid, a heating means having a heating element that generates heat when energized and is attached around a metal pipe through which the liquid supplied from the PET bottle flows, a hot water dispensing means having a hot water outlet for dispensing hot water heated by the heating means, and a control means for controlling the heating means. When the cumulative time of hot water dispensing operation for dispensing hot water from the hot water dispensing means exceeds a first predetermined time, the control means enters a pause mode that prohibits operation of the heating means for a second predetermined time.

[0014] According to the first aspect of the present invention, a pause mode is activated to prohibit operation of the heating means when the cumulative time of the hot water dispensing operation exceeds a first predetermined time, thereby preventing temperature increases in various components due to continued hot water dispensing operation. Moreover, unlike systems that prohibit operation of the heating means based on detected temperatures, this control is based on cumulative time, eliminating hunting, which is the repeated stopping and restarting of the device in a short period of time. In particular, in instantaneous electric water heaters that use a heating means with a heating element that generates heat by passing electricity around a metal tube with high thermal conductivity, controlling the heating means based on cumulative time rather than detected temperature reliably prevents hunting while limiting temperature increases. Furthermore, by continuing the pause mode for a second predetermined time, the elevated temperatures of various components can be reduced over time, allowing operation to be resumed from a reduced temperature state at the time of the next hot water dispensing operation.

[0015] In addition, the instant electric water heater according to the second feature is the instant electric water heater according to the first feature, wherein the control means controls the pause mode to end and the accumulated time of the hot water dispensing operation to reset when the duration of the pause mode exceeds a second predetermined time.

[0016] According to the second feature of the invention, the control means terminates the pause mode when the duration of the pause mode has elapsed a second predetermined time, and resets the accumulated time of the hot water dispensing operation, thereby allowing the temperature of each part to be sufficiently reduced and the next hot water dispensing operation to be resumed under similar conditions.

[0017] Furthermore, the instant electric water heater according to the third feature is the instant electric water heater according to the first feature, wherein the control means performs control to reset the accumulated time of the hot water dispensing operation when the time interval between one hot water dispensing operation and the next hot water dispensing operation exceeds a third predetermined time.

[0018] According to the third feature of the invention, the control means performs control to reset the accumulated time of hot water dispensing operations when the time interval between one hot water dispensing operation and the next exceeds a third predetermined time, thereby preventing the sleep mode from being unnecessarily activated even when the temperature of each part has sufficiently dropped.

[0019] Furthermore, the instantaneous electric water heater according to the fourth feature is the instantaneous electric water heater according to the first feature, and if the continuous hot water dispensing time of the hot water dispensing operation does not exceed a fourth predetermined time, the pause mode is entered when the cumulative time of the hot water dispensing operation exceeds a first predetermined time, and if the continuous hot water dispensing time of the hot water dispensing operation exceeds the fourth predetermined time, the pause mode is entered when it exceeds a fifth predetermined time that is shorter than the first predetermined time.

[0020] According to the invention relating to the fourth feature, if the continuous hot water dispensing time of the hot water dispensing operation does not exceed a fourth predetermined time, a pause mode is executed when the cumulative time of the hot water dispensing operation exceeds a first predetermined time, and if the continuous hot water dispensing time of the hot water dispensing operation exceeds the fourth predetermined time, the pause mode is executed when it exceeds a fifth predetermined time that is shorter than the first predetermined time, thereby making it possible to continue stable operation while reliably suppressing temperature increases in each part. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the present invention, an instantaneous electric water heater can be provided that is capable of meeting the normal temperature rise conditions without complex control, in a detachable PET bottle type instantaneous electric water heater that uses a heating means in which a heating element is attached around a metal tube. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1]Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall structure of an instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment. Fig. 1(a) shows a perspective view seen from above, and Fig. 1(b) shows a perspective view seen from below. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the hardware configuration and software functions of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the hot water dispensing operation of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the pause mode of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The following describes embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, these are merely examples, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0024] [Overall configuration of instant electric water heater 1] The overall configuration of an instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment will be described using Figures 1 to 3. The instant electric water heater 1 of the present invention is an instant electric water heater 1 that has a structure that allows a commercially available plastic bottle to be attached with its cap removed, and heats and dispenses hot water from the attached plastic bottle.

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall structure of an instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment, with FIG. 1(a) showing a perspective view from above and FIG. 1(b) showing a perspective view from below. FIG. 2 is a side view of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a block diagram for explaining the hardware configuration and software functions of the control means 80 of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment.

[0026] 1 to 3, the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment heats a liquid within the body and causes hot water to flow outside the body, and includes a holding means 10 for holding the liquid, a supplying means 20 for delivering the liquid, a heating means 30 for heating the liquid, a molten metal pouring pipe 40, a hot water dispensing means 50 for dispensing the heated liquid, a power supplying means 60 for supplying power to the heating means 30 and the control means, a housing 70, and a control means 80. Note that the holding means 10 is not shown in FIG. 3.

[0027] The holding means 10 in this embodiment has a cylindrical structure to which a commercially available PET bottle can be screwed with its cap removed, and is provided with a screw-on portion 11 at the top that can be screwed onto the mouth of the PET bottle, and an outlet portion 12 at the bottom through which the liquid supplied from the mouth of the PET bottle flows out. The outlet portion 12 also has a valve portion (not shown). By screwing the PET bottle with its cap removed onto the screw-on portion 11 and attaching it to an attachment portion 71 formed on the top surface of the housing 70, the liquid in the PET bottle can be sent to the supply means 20.

[0028] The supply means 20 pumps the liquid held by the holding means 10 toward the heating means 30 and the hot water dispensing means 50, and in this embodiment, an electric pump is used.

[0029] The heating means 30 heats the liquid pumped from the PET bottle by the supply means 20 to a desired temperature. In the present invention, the heating means 30 is formed by directly or indirectly attaching a heating element that generates heat when electricity is applied around a metal pipe such as a stainless steel pipe.

[0030] The melt pouring pipe 40 is a path that guides the heated and pressure-fed melt to the melt discharging means 50 .

[0031] The molten metal outlet means 50 is connected to the molten metal filling pipe 40 and dispenses the molten metal supplied through the molten metal filling pipe 40. The molten metal outlet means 50 comprises a nose portion 51 that protrudes horizontally from the housing 70 and a molten metal outlet 52 that is formed on the underside of the nose portion 51 and faces vertically downward.

[0032] The power supply means 60 is connected to a household power source or a general power source, and supplies power for operation to the supply means 20, heating means 30, etc., and is provided with a power plug and power cord (not shown).

[0033] The housing 70 holds the holding means 10, supply means 20, heating means 30, control means 80, etc. inside or outside thereof, and is formed in a cylindrical shape in this embodiment. A mounting section 71 to which the holding means 10 can be mounted is formed on the top surface of the housing 70. In addition, an operation panel (not shown) is formed on the surface of the housing 70.

[0034] A power button, temperature adjustment button, mode selection button, hot water button, and water supply / child lock button are formed on an operation panel (not shown) formed on one side of the housing 70. The operation panel also has a setting display section that displays the current temperature, set temperature, operating status, etc.

[0035] The control means 80 includes a means for outputting control signals to the supply means 20 and the heating means 30, and a timing means for measuring time, and outputs control signals to the supply means 20 and the heating means 30 based on the detection results of the timing means.

[0036] The hardware configuration and software functions of the control means 80 provided in the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to the block diagram shown in FIG.

[0037] The control means 80 is equipped with a CPU (Central Processing Unit), RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), etc., and loads a predetermined program to realize functions using a timing module 81, a memory module 82, a temperature detection module 83, a signal generation module 84, an arithmetic module 85, and a comparison module 86.

[0038] The timing module 81 is a module for measuring the time during which the supplying means 20 and the heating means 30 are operating and the time during which they are at rest.

[0039] The memory module 82 is a module for storing information using semiconductor memory or the like, and in particular includes a setting data memory unit 82a that stores pre-set data, and a timing data memory unit 82b that stores the time measured by the timing module 81.

[0040] The temperature detection module 83 is a module that includes temperature sensors provided at various locations in the instant electric water heater 1 and detects the temperatures at various locations.

[0041] The signal generation module 84 is a module that generates a signal to be sent to the supply means 20 and the heating means 30 as an operation start command, an operation stop command, or an operation prohibit command.

[0042] The calculation module 85 is a module that performs arithmetic operations, differential and integral calculus, etc. on the information acquired by the timing module 81 and the temperature detection module 83, and the information stored in the storage module .

[0043] The comparison module 86 is a module that compares the information stored in the storage module 82 and the information obtained by calculation in the calculation module 85 to determine which is larger.

[0044] The electric kettle 1 constructed as described above is operated by inserting a plastic bottle with its cap removed into the holding means 10 to hold the liquid, and then operating an operating unit (not shown).This causes the supply means 20 to operate in response to a signal from the control means 80, pressurizing the liquid, and the heating means 30 to heat the liquid to the desired temperature, causing a stream of hot water to flow through the hot water inlet 40 and out of the hot water outlet 52 of the hot water outlet means 50.

[0045] [Instant electric water heater 1 hot water output operation] Next, the hot water dispensing operation of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the hot water dispensing operation of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment.

[0046] <Steps S100 to S110: Start of dispensing operation> When a user removes the cap from a plastic bottle attached to the holder 10 and attaches it to the attachment means 71 via the holder 10, the user presses the hot water dispensing button on the operation panel to start the hot water dispensing operation. When the hot water dispensing operation starts, the control means 80 operates the timing module 81 to reset the time interval r from the previous hot water dispensing operation (step S100), and then operates the signal generation module 84 to generate an activation signal for the supply means 20 and the heating means 30, operating the supply means 20 and the heating means 30 to perform the hot water dispensing operation. The control means 80 also operates the timing module 81 to measure the hot water dispensing operation time t (step S110). At this time, the hot water dispensing operation is performed for a predetermined hot water dispensing operation time t, which may be the time from when the user presses and releases the operation button, or it may be a preset time stored in the setting data storage unit 82a of the storage module 82. The hot water dispensing operation time t, which is the length of time during which the hot water dispensing operation is performed, is measured by the timing module 81 and stored in the timing data memory section 82b of the memory module 82.

[0047] <Step S120: Determining cumulative hot water dispensing time> When the hot water dispensing operation starts, it is then determined whether or not the accumulated hot water dispensing time, which is the accumulated time of the hot water dispensing operation up to now, has exceeded a first predetermined time TO (step S120).

[0048] In step S120, using memory module 82 and calculation module 85, a new cumulative hot water dispensing time is calculated, which is the sum of the cumulative hot water dispensing time, which is the total value of the hot water dispensing operation times stored in timing data memory unit 82b in memory module 82, and the hot water dispensing operation time t of the current hot water dispensing operation clocked by timing module 81. A determination is then made by comparing the new cumulative hot water dispensing time with a predetermined time T0 stored in setting data memory unit 82a in comparison module 86. In step S120, if it is determined that the new cumulative hot water dispensing time does not exceed the predetermined time T0 (N in S120), the process proceeds to step S130. If it is determined that the new cumulative hot water dispensing time does exceed the predetermined time T0 (Y in S120), the process proceeds to a pause mode for a second predetermined time S0 shown in Figure 6. The pause mode will be described later.

[0049] <Step S130: Determining whether pouring is complete> If it is determined in step S120 that the cumulative hot water dispensing time does not exceed the predetermined time T0, the control means 80 then determines whether the hot water dispensing operation has ended (step S130). The end of the hot water dispensing operation is determined by detecting that the user has released their finger from the hot water dispensing button, or by determining whether the hot water dispensing operation time measured by the timing module 81 has reached a predetermined hot water dispensing operation time previously stored in the setting data storage unit 82a. If it is determined in step S130 that the hot water dispensing operation has ended, the hot water dispensing operation time measured by the timing module 81 is stored in the timing data storage unit 82b, and the process proceeds to step S140 (Y in S130). At this time, the timing data storage unit 82b adds the currently measured hot water dispensing operation time to the cumulative hot water dispensing time accumulated up to that point and stores the result as a new cumulative hot water dispensing time. In step S130, if it is determined that the hot water dispensing has not finished (N in S130), the process returns to step S110, and the determinations in steps S120 and S130 are repeated while continuing to measure the hot water dispensing operation time.

[0050] <Step S140: Determining cumulative hot water dispensing time> If it is determined in step S130 that the hot water dispensing operation has ended, it is next determined whether the cumulative hot water dispensing time, which is the cumulative time of the hot water dispensing operation up to that point, has exceeded a first predetermined time TO (step S140). The determination of the cumulative hot water dispensing time in step S140 is performed in the same manner as the determination of the cumulative hot water dispensing time in step S120, and therefore will not be described here. If it is determined in step S140 that the cumulative hot water dispensing time has not exceeded the predetermined time TO (N in S140), the process proceeds to step S150. If it is determined that the cumulative hot water dispensing time has exceeded the predetermined time TO (Y in S140), the process proceeds to a pause mode for a second predetermined time SO shown in FIG. 6. The pause mode will be described later.

[0051] <Step S150: Timing the Time Interval> If it is determined in step S120 that the cumulative hot water dispensing time does not exceed the predetermined time T0, the control means 80 then operates the timing module 81 to measure the time interval r of the hot water dispensing operation (step S150). That is, as determined in step S130, the hot water dispensing operation has already ended, so the time interval until the next hot water dispensing operation is measured.

[0052] <Step S160: Determining whether the next hot water is being dispensed> Next, the control means 80 determines whether the next hot water is being dispensed (step S160). The determination of whether the next hot water is being dispensed is made by detecting whether the hot water is being dispensed, for example, when the user presses the hot water dispense button on the operation panel. If the next hot water is not detected in step S160 (N in step S160), the process proceeds to step S170. If the next hot water is detected in step S160 (Y in step S160), the process returns to step S100, resets the time interval r that was being measured, and then measures the hot water dispensing operation time t in step S110.

[0053] <Step S170: Determining Time Interval> If the next hot water dispense is not detected in step S160, it is then determined whether or not the time interval has exceeded a third predetermined time R0 (step S170).

[0054] In step S170, the determination is made by using storage module 82 and comparison module 86 to compare the predetermined time R0 stored in setting data storage unit 82a with the time interval r measured by timing module 81. If it is not determined in step S170 that the time interval r has exceeded the predetermined time R0 (N in step S170), the process returns to step S150, where the measurement of the time interval r continues and the determinations in steps S160 and S170 are repeated. If it is determined in step S170 that the time interval r has exceeded the predetermined time R0 (Y in step S170), the process proceeds to step S180.

[0055] <Step S180: Resetting the accumulated hot water dispensing time> If it is determined in step S170 that the time interval r has exceeded the predetermined time R0, the control means 80 resets the cumulative hot water dispensing time t stored in the timing data storage unit 82b of the storage module 82 to zero and terminates the hot water dispensing operation (step S180). The control in steps S170 and S180 means that if there is no next hot water dispensing operation for a predetermined time R0, such as five minutes, it is determined that the internal temperature has dropped sufficiently, the cumulative hot water dispensing time is reset, the series of hot water dispensing operations is terminated, and the system returns to the initial state. This prevents the sleep mode from being unnecessarily activated even when the temperatures of each component have dropped sufficiently.

[0056] [Instant Electric Water Heater 1 Sleep Mode] Next, the pause mode of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 6. Fig. 6 is a flowchart showing the pause mode of the instant electric water heater 1 according to this embodiment.

[0057] <Step S200: Start of sleep mode and start of timing> In step S120 or step S140 shown in the flowchart of Figure 5, when the cumulative hot water dispensing time exceeds a predetermined time T0, the control means 80 operates the signal generating module 84 to generate an operation prohibition signal to the supply means 20 and the heating means 30, starts the sleep mode, and operates the timing module 81 to start timing the sleep mode duration time s (step S200).

[0058] When the pause mode is activated, even if the supply means 20 and the heating means 30 are operating, they immediately stop operating and are prohibited from operating for a predetermined period of time based on the operation prohibition signal generated by the signal generation module 84. While the pause mode continues, even if the user presses the hot water dispense button, the operation command is canceled by the operation prohibition signal, and the equipment will not operate.

[0059] <Step S210: Determining Sleep Mode Duration s> When timing of the sleep mode duration is started in step 200, the control means 80 then uses the memory module 82 and the comparison module 86 to determine whether the sleep mode duration s has exceeded a third predetermined time S0 (step S210).

[0060] In step S210, the comparison module 86 compares the duration of the sleep mode stored in the timing data storage unit 82b in the storage module 82 with a predetermined time S0 pre-stored in the setting data storage unit 82a, and if the duration of the sleep mode s does not exceed the predetermined time S0, the judgment in step S210 is repeated every predetermined time, and if the duration of the sleep mode s exceeds the predetermined time S0, the process proceeds to step S220.

[0061] <Step S220: Ending Sleep Mode> In step S210, when the sleep mode duration s exceeds the predetermined time S0, the signal generating module 84 generates an operation enable signal to the supply means 20 and the heating means 30, the operation prohibition signal is released, and the sleep mode ends (step S220).

[0062] At this time, the accumulated hot water dispensing time of the hot water dispensing operation time t stored in the timing data storage unit 82b is reset, and the accumulated hot water dispensing time is set to 0, and the series of hot water dispensing operations and pause mode are ended.

[0063] Example 1 As Example 1, an example of repeating short-time hot water dispensing mode operation will be described. Short-time hot water dispensing mode operation is an operation in which the hot water dispensing time t for one operation is within the fourth predetermined time of 120 seconds, for example, t = 20 seconds. In addition, the time interval r between the previous and next short-time hot water dispensing mode operations is assumed to be within R0 = 300 seconds.

[0064] In short-time hot water dispensing mode operation, pause mode is initiated when the cumulative hot water dispensing time, which is the cumulative value of the hot water dispensing time, exceeds a predetermined cumulative time T0 = 1200 seconds. When pause mode is initiated, the signal generation module 84 generates an operation prohibition signal and transmits the operation prohibition signal to each device, such as the supply means 20 and heating means 30. During pause mode, even if the user presses the hot water dispensing button, the operation command is canceled due to the operation prohibition signal, and the device will not operate. In addition, the display unit of the operation panel of the housing 70 visually indicates that the user is in pause mode. The duration of pause mode is S0 = 300 seconds. After 300 seconds of pause mode, an operation enable signal is generated, the operation prohibition signal is released, and the device returns to a state where normal hot water dispensing mode operation is possible. At this time, the cumulative hot water dispensing time is reset to zero, so if the same short-time hot water dispensing mode operation is repeated, the hot water dispensing operation can be performed again for 1200 seconds.

[0065] <Example 2> As Example 2, an example of repeating the long-time hot water dispensing mode operation will be described. The long-time hot water dispensing mode operation is, for example, an operation in which the hot water dispensing time is continuously 121 seconds or more, which exceeds the fourth predetermined time of 120 seconds. In addition, the time interval r between the previous and next long-time hot water dispensing mode operations is assumed to be within R0 = 300 seconds.

[0066] When the cumulative hot water dispensing time accumulates through repeated long-time hot water dispensing mode operation, it is desirable to initiate the pause mode when a fifth predetermined time, e.g., T0 = 600 seconds, has elapsed, which is shorter than the first predetermined time at which the pause mode is activated through repeated short-time hot water dispensing mode operation. The pause mode is initiated when the predetermined cumulative time T0 = 600 seconds has elapsed through long-time hot water dispensing mode operation. When the pause mode is initiated, the signal generation module 84 generates an operation prohibition signal and transmits the operation prohibition signal to each device, such as the supply means 20 and heating means 30. During the pause mode, even if the user presses the hot water dispensing button, the operation command is canceled due to the operation prohibition signal, and the device will not operate. Furthermore, the display on the operation panel of the housing 70 visually indicates that the user is in the pause mode. The pause mode lasts for S0 = 300 seconds. After 300 seconds of the pause mode, an operation enable signal is generated, the operation prohibition signal is released, and the device returns to a state where normal hot water dispensing mode operation is possible. At this time, the cumulative hot water dispensing time is reset to zero, so if the same long-term hot water dispensing mode operation is repeated, the hot water dispensing operation can be performed again for 600 seconds.

[0067] Example 3 As Example 3, we will explain an example in which the short-time hot water dispensing mode operation described in Example 1 and the long-time hot water dispensing mode operation described in Example 2 are combined. Note that the time interval r between the previous and next hot water dispensing mode operations is set to R0 = 300 seconds or less.

[0068] When short-time hot water dispensing mode operation and long-time hot water dispensing mode operation are combined, it is desirable to start the pause mode after a short cumulative hot water dispensing time, such as T0 = 600 seconds, has elapsed, just as when long-time hot water dispensing mode operation is repeated. This is to prevent the temperature of each part from rising too quickly due to long-time hot water dispensing mode operation.

[0069] In this way, by adjusting the cumulative hot water dispensing time required to activate the pause mode according to the length of one hot water dispensing operation, it is possible to continue stable operation while reliably suppressing the occurrence of temperature increases in each part.

[0070] According to the operation mode of the present invention, the control means 80 enters a pause mode that prohibits operation of the heating means 30 when the cumulative time of hot water dispensing mode operation exceeds a first predetermined time T0, thereby preventing temperature increases in various components that may occur during continued hot water dispensing mode operation. Moreover, unlike systems that prohibit hot water dispensing based on detected temperature, this control is based on cumulative time, eliminating hunting, which is the repeated stopping and restarting of the device in a short period of time. In particular, in instant electric water heaters 1 that use heating means 30 made of a stainless steel heater with high thermal conductivity, controlling based on cumulative time rather than detected temperature reliably prevents hunting while limiting temperature increases. Furthermore, by continuing the pause mode for a second predetermined time S0, the elevated temperatures of various components can be reduced over time, allowing operation to resume from a reduced temperature state at the time of the next hot water dispensing mode operation.

[0071] In addition, the control means 80 terminates the pause mode when the duration of the pause mode has exceeded the second predetermined time S0, and resets the accumulated time of hot water dispensing mode operation, thereby allowing the temperature to drop sufficiently and then restarting the next hot water dispensing mode operation under similar conditions.

[0072] In addition, the control means 80 performs control to reset the cumulative hot water dispensing time of the hot water dispensing operation when the time interval between one hot water dispensing operation and the next exceeds a third predetermined time R0, thereby preventing the sleep mode from being unnecessarily activated even though the temperature of each part has dropped sufficiently.

[0073] In addition, the control means 80 enters pause mode when the continuous hot water dispensing time of the hot water dispensing operation exceeds a fourth predetermined time, or a fifth predetermined time that is shorter than the first predetermined time, thereby enabling stable operation to be continued while reliably preventing premature temperature increases in each part due to long-term hot water dispensing mode operation.

[0074] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Furthermore, the effects described in the embodiments of the present invention are merely a list of the most preferable effects resulting from the present invention, and the effects of the present invention are not limited to those described in the embodiments of the present invention.

[0075] Furthermore, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and is not necessarily limited to an embodiment having all of the configurations described. [Industrial Applicability]

[0076] The instantaneous electric water heater of the present invention can be applied to instantaneous electric water heaters of various sizes, regardless of whether they are for general household use or commercial use. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1. Instant electric water heater 10 Retention means 11 Arukubu 12 Exit section 20 Means of supply 30 Heating means 40 Pouring pipe 50 Hot water supply means 51 Nose 52 Tap 60 Power supply means 70 Case 71 Mounting part 80 Control Means 81 Timing Module 82 Memory Module 82a Setting data storage section 82b Timing data storage unit 83 Temperature detection module 84 Signal Generation Module 85 Computing Module 86 Comparison Module

Claims

1. An instant electric water heater comprising: a holding means for holding a detachable PET bottle and for holding a liquid; a heating means having a heating element that generates heat when electricity is applied around a metal pipe through which the liquid supplied from the PET bottle flows; a hot water dispensing means having a hot water outlet for dispensing hot water heated by the heating means; and a control means for controlling the heating means. The control means enters a pause mode in which the operation of the heating means is prohibited for a second predetermined time when the cumulative time of the hot water dispensing operation in which hot water is dispensed from the hot water dispensing means exceeds a first predetermined time. Instant electric water heater.

2. The control means controls the queuing mode to end when the duration of the queuing mode exceeds a second predetermined time, and to reset the accumulated time of the hot water dispensing operation.

2. The instant electric water heater according to claim 1.

3. The control means performs control to reset the accumulated time of the hot water dispensing operation when the time interval between the hot water dispensing operation and the next hot water dispensing operation exceeds a third predetermined time.

2. The instant electric water heater according to claim 1.

4. When the continuous hot water discharging time of the hot water discharging operation does not exceed a fourth predetermined time, the control means performs the pause mode when the cumulative time of the hot water discharging operation exceeds the first predetermined time, and when the continuous hot water discharging time of the hot water discharging operation exceeds the fourth predetermined time, the control means performs the pause mode when the cumulative time of the hot water discharging operation exceeds a fifth predetermined time that is shorter than the first predetermined time.

2. The instant electric water heater according to claim 1.

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