JP2003164504A - Air bubble bath - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an air bubble bath in which the pressure loss of a water current can be prevented while suppressing the expansion of an entire system. <P>SOLUTION: Inside a case 4 installed in a water tank, a plurality of pumps 33 are provided for feeding pressurized water currents in one-to-one correspondence to a plurality of spouts 36a, and closely to each of a plurality of spouts 36a, a feed pipe 37 is provided for exhausting air from an air outlet and mixing air into the pressurized water current. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is to be installed in a water tank such as a bathtub to perform a hydromassage by a flow of pressure water jetted toward a human body and a bubble massage by air discharged toward a human body. The present invention relates to a bubble bath.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, it has been installed in a bathtub and ejects a pressure water flow of air mixing toward a human body, and a powerful massage effect due to the pressure of the pressure water flow (water itself) to the human body and mixing in the pressure water flow. There is known a bubble bath which is designed to give a soft massage effect by the generated foamy air.

[0003] Such bubble baths have various configurations such as those for massaging the entire back of the human body, those for massaging both left and right shoulders, those for massaging the soles of both left and right feet, etc. However, when massaging the left and right shoulders and the soles of both feet at the same time, it is necessary to have at least two jet ports for jetting the pressurized water flow.

As a bubble bath provided with such a plurality of (two) jets, a bubble bath 1 for foot massage as shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 is known.

As shown in FIG. 5, the bubble bath 1 is provided with a case 4 having a substantially L shape in a side view, the height of which varies between the upper case 2 and the lower case 3.

As shown in FIG. 6, a substantially rectangular frame portion 5 having an upward opening is formed so as to protrude upward at the substantially left and right center of the lower portion of the upper case 4. From both ends of the frame portion 5, a substantially semi-cylindrical support portion 6 having an upward opening is formed so as to project in a direction separating from each other in the left and right directions. As shown on the right side of FIG. 5, each support portion 6 has a cylindrical collar 7
Is rotatably provided. Further, as shown on the left side in FIG. 5, a finger pressure roller 9 having a plurality of projections 8 of different sizes is provided on the outer periphery of the collar 7, and in this state, the upper portion of the frame portion 5 and the support portion 6 are provided. Each end is covered with the top lid 10 and the side lid 11.

The collar 7 and the acupressure roller 9 are formed with openings 7a and 9a along the circumferential direction. Further, the plurality of protrusions 8 having the same size are arranged at predetermined intervals along the axial direction of the acupressure roller 9, and the protrusions 8 are arranged to be displaced from each other in the circumferential direction in an alternating manner. This big and small projection 8
Plays a role of stimulating the pressure points on the soles and separating the soles from the surface of the acupressure roller 9.

On the other hand, inside the case 4, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a control circuit unit 12 and one pump 1 are provided.
3 and the piping unit 14 are provided.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the control circuit unit 12 is connected to a power cord 15 arranged in the case 4 from the outside so that it receives power to drive the pump 13. To control.

The pump 13 includes a motor 17 covered with a casing 16 in a watertight state, and an output shaft 16 of the motor 16.
It is equipped with a water flow fan 18 and a filter 19 provided in a. When the case 4 is submerged in water (in a bathtub), water that has entered the case 4 is filtered by the filter 19 by the rotational force of the water flow fan 18. While suctioning, the pressurized water flow is supplied to the piping unit 14.

The piping unit 14 is bent from the low-height portion of the case 4 to the frame portion 5, and is then bent upward, and is connected to the tip of the water flow tube 20 so as to be connected to the left and right sides. A branch pipe 21 arranged in each support portion 6 and an upward jet pipe 22 provided at each end of the branch pipe 21 are provided. The tip of the air supply pipe 23 drawn from the outside is connected to the tip of the jet pipe 22 near the jet outlet 22a. The air supply pipe 23 and the power cord 15 are
It is covered with a bellows-shaped tube 24.

The pressurized water flow supplied to the piping unit 14 is branched by the branch pipe 21 via the water flow pipe 20, and is jetted from the jet outlet 22a of each jet pipe 22 to the sole of the foot through the openings 7a and 9a.

At this time, the inside of the air supply pipe 23 is made to have a negative pressure by the pressure water flow flowing through the jet pipe 22, and the atmosphere is sucked from the tip (not shown) drawn out to the outside of the water surface (outside of the bathtub) and the jet outlet 22a. Air is mixed into the pressurized water flow from the nearby exhaust port 22b.

As a result, a powerful massage effect due to the pressure of the pressure water flow (water itself) and a soft massage effect due to the foamy air mixed in the pressure water flow can be provided.

[0015]

By the way, in the bubble bath device 1 described above, the ambient water (hot water in the bathtub) is sucked in from one pump 13 and, at the same time, toward the jet ports 22a on the left and right. Because of the structure for supplying the pressurized water flow, the midway part of the water flow path from the pump 13 to the jet ports 22a at the two left and right positions was branched.

Therefore, there has been a problem in that the water flow path from the pump 13 to the two left and right jet outlets 22a becomes long. Moreover, such a problem is caused by the spout 22.
The greater the number of a installed, the more the bending and the like, and the longer the water flow path becomes, and the bending structure associated with branching causes a problem of pressure loss of the water flow.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem,
Although it is conceivable to use the pump 13 having a large output, the number of the jet outlets 22a installed is not proportional to the output of the pump 13. For example, when the jet outlet 22a is branched into two, one jet is used. In order to obtain a water flow having the same pressure as in the case of the outlet 22a, it is considered that about three times the output is required depending on the amount of water flow produced by the total diameter of the jet outlets 22a. Further, when the output of the pump 13 is increased, the power consumption increases, and the size of the entire apparatus increases.

In order to solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a bubble bath device capable of preventing pressure loss of a water flow while suppressing an increase in size of the entire device.

[0019]

In order to achieve the object, a bubble bath according to claim 1 is provided with a case installed in a water tank and a plurality of cases installed in the case and provided in the case. A plurality of pumps for supplying a pressure water flow in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the jet outlets and an exhaust port provided in the vicinity of each of the plurality of jet outlets to mix air into the pressure water flow. The gist is to have an air supply pipe.

Further, the invention according to claim 2 is a case installed in the water tank, and one pump installed in the case and supplying a pressurized water flow to a plurality of jet ports provided in the case. A switching valve that supplies a pressure water flow to one of the plurality of jet ports, and an air supply pipe that discharges air from an exhaust port provided in the vicinity of each of the plurality of jet ports and mixes the air in the pressure water flow. The point is to have.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Next, an embodiment of a bubble bath according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1) FIGS. 1 to 3 show Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The apparent appearance structure is shown in Fig. 5.
Since it is the same as that shown in FIG.

In the figure, as shown in FIG. 3, the bubble bath 31 has a substantially rectangular frame portion 5 that opens upward and is formed so as to project upward. From both ends of the frame portion 5, a substantially semi-cylindrical support portion 6 having an upward opening is formed so as to project in a direction separating from each other in the left and right directions. Each support portion 6 is provided with a finger pressure roller 9 having a plurality of projections 8 of different sizes projected through a cylindrical collar 7, and in this state, above the frame portion 5 and each end portion of the support portion 6. And are covered by the upper lid 10 and the lateral lid 11.

The collar 7 and the acupressure roller 9 are formed with openings 7a and 9a along the circumferential direction. A plurality of projections 8 of the same size are projected at a predetermined interval along the axial direction of the acupressure roller 9, and are arranged in the circumferential direction with large and small offsets. The projections 8 of different sizes play a role of stimulating the pressure points on the soles and separating the soles from the surface of the acupressure roller 9.

On the other hand, inside the case 4, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the control circuit unit 32 and the two pumps 3 are provided.
3 and a piping unit 34 connected to each pump 33.

To the control circuit unit 32, a power cord 15 arranged in the case 4 is connected from the outside,
As a result, power is supplied and the drive of each pump 33 is controlled.

The pump 33 includes a motor 17 covered with a casing 16 in a watertight state, and an output shaft 16 of the motor 16.
It is equipped with a water flow fan 18 and a filter 19 provided in a. When the case 4 is submerged in water (in a bathtub), water that has entered the case 4 is filtered by the filter 19 by the rotational force of the water flow fan 18. While suctioning, the pressurized water flow is supplied to the piping unit 34.

The piping unit 34 extends from the high-height portion of the case 4 toward the low-height portion, and is slightly bent in a crank shape in a substantially horizontal plane to adjust the position, and then the height of the case 4 is increased. The water flow pipe 35 is bent upward so as to project from the lower portion to the outside of the case 4, and the upward ejection pipe 36 connected to the tip of the water flow pipe 35. The tip of the air supply pipe 37, which is drawn from the outside, is connected to the tip of the jet pipe 36 near the jet outlet 36a.

The air supply pipe 37 and the power cord 15 are covered with a bellows-shaped tube pipe 24. Also, the water flow pipe 3
5 is bent upward so as to penetrate through the lower case 3, the support portion 6, the collar 7, and the acupressure roller 9, and the collar 7 and the acupressure roller 9 have a portion through which the water flow pipe 35 penetrates.
In addition, since the openings 7a and 9a are formed so as to extend along the circumferential direction at the portion facing the ejection port 36a, the collar 7 and the acupressure roller 9 are integrally rotated by a user's foot operation,
In particular, it is possible to sufficiently secure the acupressure effect in the vicinity of the arch, which is a practical rotation utilization range.

In the above structure, the pressure water flow supplied to the piping unit 34 passes through the water flow pipe 20 and the branch pipe 2
1, and the opening 7 is opened from the ejection port 36a of each ejection pipe 36.
It jets out to the sole through a and 9a.

At this time, the inside of the air supply pipe 37 is made to have a negative pressure by the pressure water flow flowing through the ejection pipe 36, and the atmosphere is sucked from the tip (not shown) pulled out to the outside of the water surface (outside of the bathtub) to eject the ejection port 36a. Air is mixed into the pressurized water flow from the nearby exhaust port 36b.

As a result, a powerful massage effect due to the pressure of the pressure water flow (water itself) and a soft massage effect due to the foamy air mixed in the pressure water flow can be provided.

By the way, in the first embodiment, two pumps 33 are used, but as shown in the figure,
By arranging them in parallel and arranging the control circuit unit 32 by effectively utilizing the space generated due to the elimination of the branch pipe 21, the water pressure of the pressurized water flow becomes insufficient without enlarging the case 4. It is possible to dispose two small pumps 33 that have low output and are small in size.

(Second Embodiment) FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In the first embodiment, two pumps 33 are used.
And the piping unit 34 provided for each pump 33 are disclosed, but in the second embodiment, one pump 13 is arranged as in the prior art. still,
In the second embodiment, the piping unit 1 described in the related art is used.
Since the substantial configuration other than 4 is the same, the description thereof is omitted.

In FIG. 4, the piping unit 44 is connected to the water flow pipe 41, which is bent upward from the low-height portion of the case 4 and then bent upward, and the tip of the water flow pipe 41. And a branch pipe 42 disposed in each of the left and right support portions 6, a water flow control valve 43 such as a solenoid valve provided at each end of the branch pipe 42, and an upward direction controlled by jetting to the water flow control valve 43. And the ejection pipe 44 of In addition, this ejection pipe 44
The tip of the air supply pipe 37 drawn from the outside is connected to the vicinity of the jet port 44a at the tip of the.

The pressure water flow supplied to the piping unit 44 is branched by the branch pipe 42 via the water flow pipe 41.
Since the supply to each ejection pipe 44 is controlled by the water flow control valve 43, by alternating the supply to each ejection pipe 44, from one ejection port 44a to the sole through the openings 7a and 9a. Gush out.

At this time, the inside of the air supply pipe 37 is made to have a negative pressure by the pressure water flow flowing through the ejection pipe 44, and the atmosphere is sucked from the tip (not shown) drawn out to the outside of the water surface (outside of the bathtub) to eject the ejection port 44a. Air is mixed into the pressurized water stream from a nearby outlet (not shown).

As a result, the powerful massage effect due to the pressure of the pressure water flow (water itself) and the soft massage effect due to the foamy air mixed in the pressure water flow can be alternately applied to the left and right soles.

By the way, in each of the above-described embodiments, a type in which air is mixed with the pressurized water flow has been disclosed. For example, an electromagnetic valve controlled by the control circuit unit 32 is provided in the middle of the air supply pipe 37, and the injection is performed. When only the pressure water flow is jetted from the outlets 36a and 44a,
It can be configured to switch to a case where a pressure water flow mixed with air is ejected from a, whereby a convenient bubble bath can be obtained.

[0040]

As described above, in the bubble bath according to the first aspect of the invention, the case installed in the water tank and the plurality of jets installed in the case and provided in the case. A plurality of pumps that supply a pressure water flow in a one-to-one correspondence with each of the outlets, and an air supply pipe that discharges air from exhaust ports provided in the vicinity of each of the plurality of ejection ports and mixes the air in the pressure water flow. By including the above, it is possible to prevent the pressure loss of the water flow while suppressing an increase in the size of the entire apparatus.

In the bubble bath according to a second aspect of the present invention, a pressure water flow is supplied to a case installed in a water tank and a plurality of jet ports installed in the case and provided in the case. Two pumps, a switching valve for supplying a pressure water flow to one of the plurality of jet outlets, and an exhaust port provided in the vicinity of each of the plurality of jet outlets to discharge air to mix the air in the pressure water flow. By including the air supply pipe, it is possible to prevent the pressure loss of the water flow while suppressing an increase in the size of the entire device while using the existing device almost as it is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a bubble bath according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and is a plan sectional view of the bubble bath.

FIG. 2 is likewise an enlarged vertical sectional view of a main part of the bubble bath.

FIG. 3 is likewise a perspective view of the bubble bath with the collar and the acupressure roller removed.

FIG. 4 shows a bubble bath according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention, and is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the bubble bath in the longitudinal direction.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an external appearance of a conventional bubble bath in which one of the acupressure rollers is removed.

FIG. 6 is likewise a perspective view of the bubble bath with the collar and the acupressure roller removed.

FIG. 7 is likewise a plan sectional view of the bubble bath.

FIG. 8 is likewise an enlarged vertical sectional view of a main part of the bubble bath.

FIG. 9 is likewise a longitudinal sectional view in the longitudinal direction of the bubble bath.

[Explanation of symbols]

4 ... Case 31 ... Bubble bath 33 ... Pump 36 ... Spout tube 36a ... Spout 37 ... Air supply pipe

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    F-term (reference) 3L024 CC05 CC13 CC16 DD31                 4C074 LL07 MM01 QQ11 QQ14 QQ21                       QQ36

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A case installed in a water tank, and a plurality of pumps installed in the case and supplying a pressure water flow in a one-to-one correspondence with each of a plurality of jet outlets provided in the case. An air supply pipe which discharges air from an exhaust port provided in the vicinity of each of the plurality of jet ports and mixes the air into the pressurized water flow. 2. A case installed in a water tank, one pump installed in the case and supplying a pressure water flow to a plurality of ejection ports provided in the case, and the pressure water flow for the plurality of ejection ports. One of the plurality of jet ports, and an air supply pipe for discharging air from an exhaust port provided in the vicinity of each of the plurality of jet ports to mix the air into the pressurized water flow. Bubble bath. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein it is possible to switch between a case of ejecting only the pressure water flow from the ejection port and a case of ejecting the pressure water flow mixed with air from the ejection port. Bubble bath described in.