Water softening device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12410075-B2
Application number	US-202117925820-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2021
Priority date	May 22, 2020
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

A water softening device includes an electrolysis device, a first circulation flow path and a second circulation flow path, a first sensor, a second sensor, and a controller, wherein the controller controls the electrolysis device to execute a first mode in which the alkaline water is allowed to flow through the first circulation flow path and the acidic water is allowed to flow through the second circulation flow path, and a second mode in which the acidic water is allowed to flow through the first circulation flow path ( 8 A) and the alkaline water is allowed to flow through the second circulation flow path, and controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device based on a detection value of the first sensor or the second sensor in the first mode and the second mode.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A water softening device comprising:
an electrolysis device that generates alkaline water and acidic water by electrolysis;
a first circulation flow path and a second circulation flow path connected to the electrolysis device, the first circulation flow path and the second circulation flow path being capable of alternately passing the alkaline water and the acidic water generated by the electrolysis device;
a first sensor that detects a parameter of water flowing through the first circulation flow path;
a second sensor that detects a parameter of water flowing through the second circulation flow path; and
a controller,
wherein the controller
controls the electrolysis device to execute a first mode in which the alkaline water is allowed to flow through the first circulation flow path and the acidic water is allowed to flow through the second circulation flow path, and a second mode in which the acidic water is allowed to flow through the first circulation flow path and the alkaline water is allowed to flow through the second circulation flow path, and
controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device based on a detection value of the first sensor or the second sensor in the first mode and the second mode

wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are any one of a pH sensor, a turbidity sensor, a conductivity sensor, a hardness sensor, a chromaticity sensor, and a TDS sensor
wherein the first sensor and the second sensor are any one of a pH sensor, a conductivity sensor, and a TDS sensor; and
the controller
determines whether or not a variation value of the detection value of the first sensor during a predetermined period is within a predetermined range in the first mode,
when it is determined that the variation value is within the predetermined range, then determines whether or not an increased value of the detection value of the first sensor during the predetermined period is the predetermined value or more,
controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device when the increased value is determined to be the predetermined value or more,
determines whether or not a variation value of the detection value of the second sensor during a predetermined period is within a predetermined range in the second mode,
when it is determined that the variation value is within the predetermined range, then determines whether or not an increased value of the detection value of the second sensor during the predetermined period is a predetermined value or more, and
controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device when the increased value is determined to be the predetermined value or more.

2. The water softening device according to claim 1 , wherein the controller controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device based on the detection value of the first sensor in the first mode, and controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device based on the detection value of the second sensor in the second mode.

3. A water softening device comprising:
an electrolysis device that generates alkaline water and acidic water by electrolysis;
a first circulation flow path and a second circulation flow path connected to the electrolysis device, the first circulation flow path and the second circulation flow path being capable of alternately passing the alkaline water and the acidic water generated by the electrolysis device;
a first sensor that detects a parameter of water flowing through the first circulation flow path;
a second sensor that detects a parameter of water flowing through the second circulation flow path; and
a controller,
wherein the controller
controls the electrolysis device to execute a first mode in which the alkaline water is allowed to flow through the first circulation flow path and the acidic water is allowed to flow through the second circulation flow path, and a second mode in which the acidic water is allowed to flow through the first circulation flow path and the alkaline water is allowed to flow through the second circulation flow path, and
controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device based on a detection value of the first sensor or the second sensor in the first mode and the second mode,

the water softening device further comprising:
a first batch treatment tank provided in the first circulation flow path;
a second batch treatment tank provided in the second circulation flow path; and
a valve that controls water flow/water stop from the first batch treatment tank to downstream thereof and water flow/water stop from the second batch treatment tank to downstream thereof,

wherein the controller,
in the first mode, controls the valve so that water flows downstream from the first batch treatment tank and water is stopped from the second batch treatment tank, and
in the second mode, controls the valve so that water flows downstream from the second batch treatment tank and water is stopped from the first batch treatment tank.

4. The water softening device according to claim 3 , wherein the first sensor is provided downstream of the electrolysis device and upstream of the first batch treatment tank in the first circulation flow path, and the second sensor is provided downstream of the electrolysis device and upstream of the second batch treatment tank in the second circulation flow path.

5. The water softening device according to claim 3 , wherein the first circulation flow path and the second circulation flow path merge at positions extending downstream from the first batch treatment tank and the second batch treatment tank respectively, and then are connected to the electrolysis device.

Assignees

• Panasonic Ip Man Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ueya Noriyoshi
• Saito Mai
• Maeda Yasunari

Classifications

• C02F2301/046

  Recirculation with an external loop · CPC title

• C02F2209/11

  Turbidity · CPC title

• C02F2209/10

  Solids, e.g. total solids [TS], total suspended solids [TSS] or volatile solids [VS] · CPC title

• C02F2209/06

  pH · CPC title

• C02F2209/055

  Hardness · CPC title