초록 ▼

A control unit for operating a valve system in a water conditioner system includes a drive motor having an output shaft coupled to the valve system, a valve position slide switch, an electronic regeneration controller, and a settable mechanical clock. The electronic controller can be programmed by t

A control unit for operating a valve system in a water conditioner system includes a drive motor having an output shaft coupled to the valve system, a valve position slide switch, an electronic regeneration controller, and a settable mechanical clock. The electronic controller can be programmed by the use of electrical jumpers/dip switches/control knobs. As the drive motor drives the output shaft coupled to the valve system, the drive motor also contemporaneously rotates a dual lead screw in the valve position slide switch. The dual lead screw drives an electrical contactor along a series of electrical contacts in a closed loop fashion. Each of the discrete electrical contacts corresponds to a position of the valve. The electronic controller controls the position of the valve in accordance with dwell times programmed into the electronic controller. If a demand regeneration scheme is desirable, a hardness setting rotary potentiometer can be used to provide analog electrical control.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] In a water conditioning system having a mineral tank containing a bed of an ion exchange resin, a brine tank, and a valve for directing fluid flow into and from the mineral tank, a valve position control system comprising:a mechanical electric switch;a mechanical clock that actuate

[ We claim:] [1.] In a water conditioning system having a mineral tank containing a bed of an ion exchange resin, a brine tank, and a valve for directing fluid flow into and from the mineral tank, a valve position control system comprising:a mechanical electric switch;a mechanical clock that actuates the mechanical electric switch at a settable time of day;means for generating a regeneration ready signal to indicate that the water conditioning system is ready for a regeneration cycle;an electronic regeneration controller that begins a regeneration cycle when the regeneration ready signal indicates that the water conditioning system is ready for a regeneration cycle and the mechanical clock actuates the mechanical electric switch;a drive motor that positions a valve; anda feedback interface mechanism for providing inputs to the electronic regeneration controller indicative of the position of the valve. [11.] In a water conditioning system having a mineral tank containing a bed of an ion exchange resin, a brine tank, and a valve for directing fluid flow into and from the mineral tank, a method of controlling operation of the valve for the regeneration of the ion exchange resin, the method comprising the steps of:generating a regeneration ready signal to indicate that the water conditioning system is ready for a regeneration cycle;actuating a mechanical switch at a settable time of day in response to motion of a mechanical clock;electronically generating a first motor control signal after the regeneration ready signal indicates that the water conditioning system is ready for a regeneration cycle and the mechanical switch has been actuated, and positioning the valve from an in-service position to a backwash position in accordance with the first motor control signal;providing feedback information that the valve is in the backwash position;electronically generating a second motor control signal after a dwell time corresponding to the backwash position of the valve, and positioning the valve in the brine/slow rinse position in accordance with the second motor control signal;providing feedback information that the valve is in the brine/slow rinse position;electronically generating a third motor control signal after a dwell time corresponding to the brine/slow rinse position of the valve, and positioning the valve in the fast rinse/brine refill position in accordance with the third motor control signal;providing feedback information that the valve is in the fast rinse/brine refill position; andelectronically generating a fourth motor control signal after a dwell time corresponding to the fast rinse/brine refill position of the valve, and positioning the valve in the in-service position in accordance with the fourth motor control signal. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the mechanical switch is actuated at a settable time of day by a mechanical clock that physically interacts with the mechanical switch. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the regeneration ready signal is generated by:measuring the cumulative water usage through the mineral tank to generate a cumulative water usage signal;comparing the value of the cumulative water usage signal to a water usage set point; andgenerating the regeneration ready signal when the value of the cumulative water usage signal reaches the water usage set point. A method as recited in claim 13 wherein the water usage set point can be adjusted mechanically by a user of the water conditioning system. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the regeneration ready signal is generated by:electronically counting the number of days that have passed since the previous regeneration cycle;comparing the number of days counted to a preselected value; andgenerating the regeneration ready signal when the number of days counted exceeds a preselected value. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the regeneration ready signal is generated by:electrically setting the days of the week on which it is desired to trigger a regeneration cycle;electronically incrementing a day-of-the-week value;comparing the incremented day-of-the-week value to the day-of-the-week settings; andgenerating the regeneration ready signal when the incremented day-of-the-week value matches one of the day-of-the-week settings. A method as recited in claim 11 wherein the dwell times corresponding to the backwash, brine/slow rinse, and fast rinse/brine refill positions can be adjusted by moving electrical jumpers. In a water conditioning system having a mineral tank containing a bed of an ion exchange resin, a brine tank, and a valve system for directing fluid flow into and from the mineral tank, a control unit for controlling the operation of the valve system comprising:a drive motor having an output shaft coupled to the valve system;a board having a series of electrical contacts spaced physically along a path on the board;a dual lead screw that can be driven by the drive motor to turn threads on the dual lead screw; anda movable carriage carrying an electrical contactor along the path on the board, wherein movement of the carriage is driven by turning the threads of the dual lead screw. The invention as recited in claim 18 wherein the valve system is a rotary valve mounted to the top of the mineral tank. [32.] A valve control unit comprising:a drive motor having an output shaft that rotates to control a valve;a board having a series of electrical contacts spaced physically along a path on a board;a dual lead screw that can be driven by the drive motor to turn threads on the dual lead screw; anda movable carriage carrying an electrical contactor along the path on the board wherein movement of the carriage is driven by turning the threads of the dual lead screw.