JP2004218335A - Spouting head of faucet - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a spouting head capable of responding to both requirements for brightly illuminating hands and for getting to know a temperature of spouting water in the case of plumbing work using a faucet. <P>SOLUTION: LED coloring colors such as red, green and blue is combined with the spouting head 24 to have three color LED 58 coloring various colors by composite colors, and a temperature indication section 60 indicating a spouting temperature by differences in coloring and a lighting section 61 equipped with the LED 58 emit an illuminating light are provided. A generator 36 generated by a current is also provided, and electric power generated by the generator 36 is supplied to the temperature indicating section 60 and the lighting section 61 to make the LED 58 consisting of them perform luminous operation. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2004,JPO&NCIPI

Description

[0001]
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a water faucet head of a faucet.
[0002]
Problems to be solved by the prior art and the invention
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various faucets have been installed in plumbing rooms such as kitchens, washrooms, and bathrooms.
When using a faucet in these sanitary rooms, the main lighting device of the room is turned on to illuminate the entire room, but under such a state that the entire room is illuminated by such a main lighting device. However, when performing a predetermined operation while discharging water from the water discharge head, there is a problem that the hand portion and the like are not always sufficiently bright, and the operation is difficult depending on the content of the operation.
As a solution to this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-163,086 discloses a water faucet head provided with an illuminating unit including an LED.
[0003]
On the other hand, when water is discharged from the water discharge head when performing predetermined work using the water faucet, it is not known whether the water discharge is cold water, hot water, or an intermediate temperature between them. There was a problem that cold water unexpectedly hit the hand when it was cold, and conversely, water spouting unexpectedly felt hot when it hit the hand with hot water.
As a solution to this problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. H11-163,086 discloses a water faucet head provided with a water discharge temperature display unit including an LED.
[0004]
However, there is a demand for brightly illuminating the hand and a demand for knowing the temperature of spouting water in a tapping operation using a faucet. In contrast, in the case of a conventionally known faucet, either one of the requirements is satisfied. In the case of the water faucet head of the faucet disclosed in Patent Literature 2 below, a plurality of colors of LEDs are individually lit to indicate the water spout temperature. In order to display in detail, a large number of LEDs must be provided in the water discharge head, and there is a problem that the space occupied by the LEDs is occupied widely.
[0005]
Even if it does so, the display of the water discharge temperature by these LEDs is stepwise, and there is a problem that it cannot always sufficiently cope with a continuous change of the water discharge temperature.
In other words, there is a problem that the water discharge temperature cannot be continuously followed, and the water discharge temperature cannot be displayed sufficiently finely.
[0006]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2002-294775 A [Patent Document 2]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-266394
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The faucet head of the faucet of the present invention has been devised to solve such a problem.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a three-color LED which emits various colors by combining light by combining LEDs emitting red, green, and blue, and a temperature at which a water discharge temperature is indicated by a difference in color. It is characterized by comprising a display section and an illumination section having an LED for emitting illumination light.
[0008]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the temperature display section and the illumination section are commonly mounted on one control board provided in the water discharge head.
[0009]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first and second aspects, four or more LEDs constituting the illumination unit are provided.
[0010]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, a power generator for generating electric power by a water flow is provided, and the LEDs constituting the temperature display unit and the illumination unit emit light with power from the power generator. It is characterized in that it operates.
[0011]
According to a fifth aspect, in the fourth aspect, the discharged water flow rate is detected by a rotation speed or a generated voltage of the generator, and only one of the temperature display section and the illumination section is controlled under the control of the control board when the flow rate is low. Is operated to emit light.
[0012]
[Action and effect of the invention]
As described above, the present invention combines LEDs that emit red, green, and blue colors, and includes a three-color (RGB) LED that emits various colors by combining light as a temperature display unit that displays the water discharge temperature. In addition, an LED as an illumination unit is provided in the water discharge head of the faucet, and according to the present invention, it is desired to know a request for brightly illuminating the hand and a temperature of the water discharge in a water rotation operation using the water faucet. Can meet both of your demands.
[0013]
In addition, in the present invention, since a three-color LED that emits various colors by combining light is provided as an LED for displaying the water discharge temperature, the display itself is also continuous with respect to a continuous change in the water discharge temperature. Follow-up display can be performed by changing the color.
[0014]
The present invention does not indicate the water discharge temperature by the color of each LED, but realizes a target color by a composite color of the three primary colors of light, red, green, and blue. Can be changed continuously.
[0015]
In addition, since this display section only needs to have three LEDs that emit red, green, and blue as LEDs, the number of LEDs is smaller than when displaying the water discharge temperature using a large number of LEDs. Thereby, the space occupied by the water discharge head can be reduced.
Furthermore, power consumption by the temperature display unit can be suppressed to be small.
[0016]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, the temperature display section and the illumination section are mounted in common on one control board provided in the water discharge head. By simply assembling the unit comprising the water discharge head, the water discharge head can be provided with a temperature display function, an illumination function, and a control function thereof.
Further, the temperature display unit and the lighting unit can be easily attached to the faucet head.
[0017]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, four or more LEDs are provided as LEDs constituting the illumination unit. By doing so, the illumination function of the LEDs can be enhanced, and the hand can be illuminated brightly.
At the same time, the effect produced by the light around the water discharge head can be enhanced.
[0018]
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the water discharge head is provided with a generator for generating electricity by the water flow, and both the temperature display section and the illumination section are colored by the power from the generator. In addition, a special power supply can be made unnecessary, and power supply wiring can be made unnecessary.
[0019]
Since the number of revolutions of this generator changes according to the water discharge flow rate and the power generation voltage changes, the water discharge flow rate is detected based on the rotation speed of the generator or the power generation voltage, and the water discharge flow rate is lower than the set flow rate. At the time of the flow rate, only one of the temperature display unit and the illumination unit can be caused to emit light under the control of the control board.
[0020]
When the water discharge flow rate is low, the power generation amount of the generator is small, so that if both the temperature display unit and the illumination unit are caused to emit light, the power becomes insufficient, and neither function can be exhibited sufficiently. .
Here, in claim 5, when only a small amount of power is generated, only one of them is operated to emit light, so that at least one of them can exhibit its function sufficiently.
[0021]
In this case, when four or more LEDs are used as the illuminating unit, the illuminating unit consumes more power. Therefore, when the flow rate is low, that is, when the amount of power generated by the generator is small, the temperature display unit is selectively lit. It can be made to be.
[0022]
【Example】
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a faucet (kitchen faucet) installed on a sink 14 having a sink 12.
In the present embodiment, the faucet 10 is a single lever type mixing faucet, 16 is the faucet main body, 18 is a lever operating portion provided on the upper part of the faucet main body 16, and 20 is a water discharge pipe.
[0023]
The water discharge pipe 20 includes a water discharge pipe main body 22 and a water discharge head 24 at a distal end having a water discharge port 26.
Here, the water discharge head 24 can be pulled out from the water discharge pipe main body 22 together with the hose.
[0024]
FIG. 2 specifically shows the internal structure of the water discharge head 24.
In the figure, reference numeral 28 denotes a main body of the water discharge head 24, and a water passage 30 communicating with the water discharge port 26 is formed therein. Here, the main body 28 is made of resin.
Reference numeral 32 denotes a cap made of a translucent resin. The cap 32 and the main body 28 form the appearance of the water discharge head 24.
[0025]
Reference numeral 34 denotes a generator unit incorporated in the water discharge head 24, and reference numeral 36 denotes a generator as a main element thereof.
The generator 36 includes an impeller case 38, an impeller 40 rotatably provided inside the impeller case 38, a magnet 42 integrally rotating with the impeller 40, a coil 44 opposed to the magnet 42 in a direction perpendicular to the axis. It has a yoke 46.
[0026]
The impeller 40 has a rotating shaft 48 and a wing 50 provided integrally with the rotating shaft 48.
The generator 36 is provided on the water channel 30 and rotates the impeller 40 with water sent through the water channel 30 to generate power.
Reference numeral 52 denotes a water stop plate, and a control board 56 on which a microcomputer 54 as a control unit is mounted is mounted on an upper surface of the water stop plate 52.
[0027]
As shown in FIG. 3, the control board 56 also has a three-color (RGB) LED 58 formed by combining three LEDs that emit red, green, and blue colors. Thus, a temperature display section 60 for displaying the water discharge temperature is configured.
The three-color LED 58 emits various colors by synthesizing three primary colors of light, red, green and blue. That is, light of a color corresponding to the temperature of the discharged water is emitted.
[0028]
The control board 56 is also provided with a total of five LEDs (white LEDs) 58 that emit illumination light on the lower surface side (see FIGS. 3 and 4).
These five LEDs 58 constitute a lighting unit 61 as a whole.
Each of the LEDs 58 constituting the illuminating unit 61 is arranged facing a window 62 formed in the water discharge head 24, and each is oriented downward.
[0029]
Numeral 64 denotes a thermistor for detecting the temperature of water discharged through the water channel 30. The thermistor 64 is attached to the water stop plate 52, and is electrically connected to the control board 56, specifically, the microcomputer 54 by wiring.
[0030]
The water discharge head 24 of this example generates power by rotating the impeller 40 with the force of the water flow when discharging water from the water discharge port 26.
The generated power is supplied to the microcomputer 54, the three-color LED 58 forming the temperature display unit, and the five LEDs 58 forming the illumination unit 61, and each performs a light emitting operation based on the supplied power.
At this time, in this example, the control board 56 on which the microcomputer 54 is mounted controls the light emission of each of the three-color LEDs 58 according to the temperature of the water discharge, and emits light of a color corresponding to the water discharge temperature from the three-color LED 58 by combining light. Let it develop color.
[0031]
Further, the flow rate of the water discharged through the water channel 30 is detected by the rotation speed of the generator 36, specifically, the rotation speed of the impeller 40 or the power generation voltage, and when the detected flow rate is lower than the set flow rate, the control is performed. Under the control of the substrate 56, one of the three-color LED 58 forming the temperature display unit 60 and the LED 58 forming the lighting unit 61, in this example, the three-color LED 58 emits light, and the five LEDs 58 forming the lighting unit 61 are turned off. Keep in state.
[0032]
The water discharge head 24 of this embodiment can respond to both a request for brightly illuminating a hand and a request for knowing the temperature of water discharge in a water supply operation using a water faucet.
In addition, in this example, since the three-color LED emits various colors according to the temperature of the water discharge by combining light, the display itself is also displayed as a continuous change in color development with respect to the continuous change of the water discharge temperature. can do.
[0033]
Note that the water discharge temperature display section 60 composed of the three-color LED 58 may display the actual water discharge temperature, or may display the water discharge temperature set by the setting section separately. good.
[0034]
In this example, the temperature display unit 60 for displaying the water discharge temperature only needs to have one three-color LED 58. Specifically, it is only necessary to have a total of three LEDs that emit red, green, and blue. There is an advantage that the number of LEDs can be reduced, and the space occupying the water discharge head can be reduced by the LEDs constituting the temperature display section 60.
In addition, power consumption by the temperature display unit 60 can be reduced.
[0035]
Further, in this example, since the three-color LED 58 forming the temperature display section 60 and the five LED 58 forming the illumination section 61 are commonly mounted on one control board 56, only one control board 56 is simply fixed to the water discharge head 24. By simply doing so, the water discharge head 24 can be provided with a temperature display function, an illumination function, and a control function thereof.
Also, the three-color LED 58 and the illumination LED 58 can be easily attached to the water discharge head 24.
[0036]
In this example, since five LEDs 58 are provided for illumination, the illumination function of the illumination unit 61 can be enhanced, and the hand can be illuminated brightly.
[0037]
In addition, in this example, since the water discharge head 24 is provided with a generator, a special power supply and power supply wiring can be eliminated.
Further, the water discharge flow rate is detected by the generator 36, and based on the flow rate, either one of the three-color LED 58 and the LED 58 forming the illumination unit 61 on the control board 56, specifically, in this example, only the three-color LED 58 emits light. Thus, even when the water discharge flow rate is small and the amount of power generated by the generator 36 is small, the temperature display section 60 can reliably display the water discharge temperature.
[0038]
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, this is merely an example, and the present invention can be configured in variously modified forms without departing from the spirit thereof.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a view showing a faucet provided with a water discharge head according to an embodiment of the present invention, together with a kitchen sink.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an internal structure of a water discharge head of the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a top view of the water discharging head of the embodiment except for a cap.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the water discharge head of the embodiment from obliquely below.
[Explanation of symbols]
10 faucet 24 water discharge head 36 generator 56 control board 58 LED
60 Temperature display unit 61 Illumination unit

Claims (5)

Combining LEDs that emit red, green, and blue, a three-color LED that emits various colors by combining light, a temperature display unit that displays the water discharge temperature according to the difference in color, and an LED that emits illumination light A water faucet head of a faucet, comprising: 2. The spout head according to claim 1, wherein the temperature display section and the illumination section are commonly mounted on one control board provided in the spout head. The water discharge head of a water faucet according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein four or more LEDs constituting the illumination unit are provided. The power generator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising: a generator configured to generate electric power by a water flow, wherein the LEDs constituting the temperature display unit and the illumination unit emit light using the power from the generator. A faucet head for a faucet. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the flow rate of the discharged water is detected based on the number of revolutions or the generated voltage of the generator, and only one of the temperature display section and the illumination section is caused to emit light under the control of the control board when the flow rate is low. A water faucet head for a faucet.

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