Water softening device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025361161-A1
Application number	US-202519292231-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 6, 2025
Priority date	May 22, 2020
Publication date	Nov 27, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A water softening device includes an electrolysis device, a first circulation flow path and a second circulation flow path connected to the electrolysis device and 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. 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.

First claim

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; a controller; 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 first sensor and the second sensor are any one of a pH sensor, a conductivity sensor, and a TDS sensor, 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, 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 a first piping cleaning mode to clean a pipe that constitutes the first and second circulation flow paths, and
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,
when the increased value for the first sensor is determined to be the predetermined value or more, controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device,
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
when the increased value for the second sensor is determined to be the predetermined value or more, controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device,
controls the valve to return the acidic water, that remains in the second batch treatment tank, to the first batch treatment tank and the second batch treatment tank.

2 . 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; a controller; 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 first sensor and the second sensor are hardness sensors, 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, 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 a first piping cleaning mode to clean a pipe that constitutes the first and second circulation flow paths, and
determines whether or not a rate of decrease of the detection value of the first sensor becomes a predetermined value or less in the first mode,
when it is determined that the rate of decrease for the first sensor becomes the predetermined value or less, then controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device,
determines whether or not a rate of decrease of the detection value of the second sensor becomes a predetermined value or less in the second mode,
when it is determined that the rate of decrease for the second sensor becomes the predetermined value or less, then controls to stop electrolysis by the electrolysis device, and
controls the valve to return the acidic water, that remains in the second batch treatment tank, to the first batch treatment tank and the second batch treatment tank.

3 . The water softening device according to claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is positioned downstream of the electrolysis device and upstream of the first batch treatment tank in the first circulation flow path, and the second sensor is positioned downstream of the electrolysis device and upstream of the second batch treatment tank in the second circulation flow path.

4 . The water softening device according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second circulation flow paths merge at a position downstream of the first and second batch treatment tanks, and then are connected to the electrolysis device.

5 . The water softening device according to claim 1 , wherein another flow path is connected to the first and second circulation flow paths,
further comprising a separation device connected to the another flow path, the separation device being configured to separate crystals of metal components from the water supplied through the another flow path.

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