Hot-water mat and sterilization module

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020378649-A1
Application number	US-201816767087-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2018
Priority date	Dec 28, 2017
Publication date	Dec 3, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A hot water mat according to the present invention comprises: a boiler part including a tank in which water is stored and a heater for heating the water; a mat part including a flow channel for circulating the water supplied from the tank; and a sterilization part for generating a sterilizing material from the water in order to kill germs contained in the water.

First claim

1 . A hot-water mat comprising:
a boiler including a tank having water stored therein and a heater configured to heat the water; a mat containing a flow passage through which the water supplied from the tank circulates; and a sterilizer configured to generate a germicidal material from the water to destroy germs contained in the water.

2 . (canceled)

3 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , wherein the sterilizer, including a sterilization terminal coated with platinum group metal oxide acting as a catalyst when chlorine ions (Cl − ) are oxidized to chlorine (Cl 2 ), oxidizes the chlorine ions (Cl − ) in the water to the chlorine (Cl 2 ) to generate hypochlorous acid (HOCl) as the germicidal material.

4 . The hot-water mat of claim 3 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control operation of the sterilizer, wherein the controller adjusts an amount of the germicidal material generated from the water, by controlling a magnitude of power to be supplied to the sterilization terminal, based on at least one of an amount of the water, total dissolved solid (TDS) of the water, and a contact area between the sterilization terminal and the water.

5 . (canceled)

6 . The hot-water mat of claim 4 , wherein in a case of determining the magnitude of the power to be supplied to the sterilization terminal based on the TDS of the water, when the TDS of the water is higher than a reference TDS, the controller decreases the magnitude of the power to be supplied to the sterilization terminal, and when the TDS of the water is lower than the reference TDS, the controller increases the magnitude of the power to be supplied to the sterilization terminal.

7 . (canceled)

8 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a supply pipe configured to supply the water stored in the tank into the flow passage, a recovery pipe configured to collect the water from the flow passage into the tank, and a pump provided on the supply pipe and configured to forcibly feed the water from the tank into the flow passage, wherein the sterilizer is provided in at least one of the tank, the supply pipe in front of the pump, and the recovery pipe.

9 . (canceled)

10 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control operation of the sterilizer, wherein the sterilizer includes a sterilization terminal configured to oxidize chlorine ions (Cl − ) in the water to chlorine (Cl 2 ) to generate the germicidal material, wherein the controller controls the sterilizer such that the sterilizer is repeatedly operated and stopped by supplying or shutting off power to the sterilization terminal, and wherein stop time during which the sterilizer is stopped and operating time during which power is supplied to the sterilization terminal are determined, based on at least one of an amount of the water, total dissolved solid (TDS) of the water, and a contact area between the sterilization terminal and the water.

11 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump configured to forcibly feed the water from the tank into the flow passage to circulate the water and a controller configured to control operation of the pump and the sterilizer, wherein the controller controls the sterilizer such that the sterilizer does not operate while the pump operates.

12 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a controller configured to control operation of the heater and the sterilizer, wherein the controller controls the sterilizer such that the sterilizer operates only when temperature of the water is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature.

13 . The hot-water mat of claim 12 , wherein when the temperature of the water exceeds the predetermined temperature and a command to operate the sterilizer is input to the controller, the controller controls the heater to lower the temperature of the water to the predetermined temperature or less and thereafter controls the sterilizer such that the sterilizer operates.

14 . The hot-water mat of claim 12 , wherein when the sterilizer operates and a target temperature of the water is set to more than the predetermined temperature, the controller controls the heater to raise the temperature of the water toward the target temperature and controls the sterilizer such that the sterilizer stops operating when the temperature of the water exceeds the predetermined temperature.

15 . (canceled)

16 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump configured to forcibly feed the water from the tank into the flow passage to circulate the water and a controller configured to control operation of the pump, the heater, and the sterilizer, wherein when the controller is connected to a power supply and a power button configured to allow the hot-water mat to operate is selected, the controller performs control such that the sterilizer operates before the pump and the heater operate.

17 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump configured to forcibly feed the water from the tank into the flow passage to circulate the water and a controller configured to control operation of the pump, the heater, and the sterilizer, wherein when the controller is connected to a power supply and a power button configured to allow the hot-water mat to operate is selected, the controller performs control such that the sterilizer and the pump operate and the heater operates after a predetermined period of time.

18 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump configured to forcibly feed the water from the tank into the flow passage to circulate the water and a controller configured to control operation of the pump, the heater, and the sterilizer, wherein when the controller is connected to a power supply and selection of a power button configured to allow the hot-water mat to operate is released, the controller performs control such that the pump and the heater stop operating, but the sterilizer operates depending on a predetermined operating pattern.

19 . (canceled)

20 . The hot-water mat of claim 18 , wherein when the controller is connected to the power supply and the selection of the power button configured to allow the hot-water mat to operate is released, the controller performs control such that the pump stops and thereafter the pump operates in conjunction with time when the sterilizer operates depending on the operating pattern.

21 . (canceled)

22 . (canceled)

23 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump configured to forcibly feed the water from the tank into the flow passage to circulate the water and a controller configured to control operation of the pump, the heater, and the sterilizer, wherein when the controller is connected to a power supply and selection of a power button configured to allow the hot-water mat to operate is released, the controller performs control such that the heater stops operating, the sterilizer operates at time determined such that the sterilizer operates depending on a predetermined operating pattern, and the pump operates in conjunction with the time when the sterilizer operates depending on the predetermined operating pattern of the sterilizer.

24 . The hot-water mat of claim 1 , further comprising:
a pump configured to forcibly feed the water from the tank into the flow passage to circulate the water and a controller configured to control operation of the pump, the heater, and the ste

Assignees

• Kyungdong Navien Co Ltd

Inventors

• Lee Soo Young
• Lim Gu Min
• Choi Im Suk
• Cho Ki Chul

Classifications

• F24H1/08 Primary

  Packaged or self-contained boilers, i.e. water heaters with control devices and pump in a single unit · CPC title

• C02F1/4674

  with halogen or compound of halogens, e.g. chlorine, bromine · CPC title

• A47C31/00

  Details or accessories for chairs, beds, or the like, not provided for in other groups of this subclass, e.g. upholstery fasteners, mattress protectors, stretching devices for mattress nets · CPC title

• A47C27/00

  Spring, stuffed or fluid mattresses {or cushions} specially adapted for chairs, beds or sofas · CPC title

• A47C21/048 Primary

  for heating · CPC title