Automatic hot water supply apparatus

An automatic hot water supply apparatus comprising:

• a cold water/hot water mixing valve for mixing cold water supplied through a cold water supply pipe and hot water supplied from an instantaneous water heater unit through a hot water supply pipe, into temperature-regulated hot water;
• a temperature-regulated hot water supply pipe for supplying the temperature-regulated hot water from said cold water/hot water mixing valve to a tap location;
• a temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit for setting a temperature for the temperature-regulated hot water;
• a flow rate control valve for controlling the rate of flow of the temperature-regulated hot water;
• electric actuator means for actuating said flow rate control valve;
• flow rate limiting means for determining a flow rate at which the temperature-regulated hot water is to flow, based on either one or a combination of the capability of the instantaneous water heater unit, the temperature set by said temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit, and an actual or estimated temperature of the cold water such that the rate of flow of the temperature-regulated hot water is either increased or reduced depending on the capability of the instantaneous water heater unit, and/or the temperature set by said temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit, and/or the actual or estimated temperature of the cold water supplied through the cold water supply pipe;
• and
• a controller for controlling said electric actuator means according to the rate determined by said flow rate limiting mans when the temperature-regulated hot water starts to be supplied.

An automatic hot water supply apparatus comprising:

• a cold water/hot water mixing valve for mixing cold water supplied through a cold water supply pipe and hot water supplied from an instantaneous water heater unit through a hot water supply pipe, into temperature-regulated hot water;
• a temperature-regulated hot water supply pipe for supplying the temperature-regulated hot water from said cold water/hot water mixing valve to a tap location;
• a temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit for setting a temperature for the temperature-regulated hot water;
• a flow rate control valve for controlling the rate of flow of the temperature-regulated hot water;
• electric actuator means for actuating said flow rate control valve;
• flow rate limiting means for determining a flow rate at which the temperature-regulated hot water is to flow, based on either one or a combination of the capability of the instantaneous water heater unit, the temperature set by said temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit, and an actual or estimated temperature of the cold water;
• a controller for controlling said electric actuator means according to the rate determined by said flow rate limiting means when the temperature-regulated hot water starts to be supplied;
• and
• a tap location setting unit for indicating one, at a time, of a plurality of tap locations, said flow rate limiting means comprising means for determining the flow rate at which the temperature-regulated hot water is to flow, based on the tap location indicated by said tap location setting and the temperature set by said temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit.

An automatic hot water supply apparatus comprising:

• a cold water/hot water mixing valve for mixing cold water supplied through a cold water supply pipe and hot water supplied from an instantaneous water heater unit through a hot water supply pipe, into temperature-regulated hot water;
• a temperature-regulated hot water supply pipe for supplying the temperature-regulated hot water from said cold water/hot water mixing valve to a tap location;
• a temperature-regulated to water temperature setting unit for setting a temperature for the temperature-regulated hot water;
• a flow rate control valve for controlling the rate of flow of the temperature-regulated hot water;
• electric actuator means or actuating said flow rate control valve;
• flow rate limiting means for determining a flow rate at which the temperature-regulated hot water is to flow, based on either one or a combination of the capability of the instantaneous water heater unit, the temperature set by said temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit, and an actual or estimated temperature of the cold water, said flow rate limiting means comprising a season setting unit for setting a season dependent on which the temperature of the cold water is estimated;
• and
• a controller for controlling said electric actuator means according to the rate determined by said flow rate limiting means when the temperature-regulated hot water starts to be supplied.

An automatic hot water supply apparatus comprising:

• a cold water/hot water mixing valve for mixing cold water supplied through a cold water supply pipe and hot water supplied from an instantaneous water heater unit through a hot water supply pipe, into temperature-regulated hot water;
• a temperature-regulated hot water supply pipe for supplying the temperature-regulated hot water from said cold water/hot water mixing valve to a tap location;
• a temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit for setting a temperature for the temperature-regulated hot water;
• a flow rate control valve for controlling the rate of flow of the temperature-regulated hot water;
• electric actuator means for actuating said flow rate control valve;
• flow rate limiting means for determining a flow rate at which the temperature-regulated hot water is to flow, based on either one or a combination of the capability of the instantaneous water heater unit, the temperature set by said temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit, and an actual or estimated temperature of the cold water;
• a controller for controlling said electric actuator means according to the rate determined by said flow rate limiting means when the temperature-regulated hot water starts to be supplied;
• and
• an indicator panel indicating instantaneous water heater unit capabilities and seasons, said flow rate limiting means comprising manually operable means for setting the flow rate at which the temperature-regulated hot water is to flow, according to the instantaneous water heater unit capabilities and seasons indicated by said indicator panel.

An automatic hot water supply apparatus comprising:

• a cold water/hot water mixing valve for mixing cold water supplied through a cold water supply pipe and hot water supplied from an instantaneous water heater unit through a hot water supply pipe, into temperature-regulated hot water;
• a temperature-regulated hot water supply pipe for supplying the temperature-regulated hot water from said cold water/hot water mixing valve to a tap location;
• a temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit for setting a temperature for the temperature-regulated hot water;
• a flow rate control valve for controlling the rate of flow of the temperature-regulated hot water;
• electric actuator means for actuating said flow rate control valve;
• flow rate limiting means for determining a flow rate at which the temperature-regulated hot water is to flow, based on either one or a combination of the capability of the instantaneous water heater unit, the temperature set by said temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit, and an actual or estimated temperature of the cold water, said flow rate limiting means comprises a flow rate table containing flow rates at which the temperature-regulated hot water is to flow, and means for selecting one of said flow rates contained in said flow rate control table base don a combination of at least two of the capability of the instantaneous water heater unit, the temperature set by sad temperature-regulated hot water temperature setting unit, and the temperature of the cold water;
• and
• a controller for controlling said electric actuator means according to the rate determined by said flow rate limiting means when the temperature-regulated hot water starts to be supplied.