JP2007167572A - Bathtub equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a bathtub equipment which emits a jet of bathing water with air bubbles of oxygen-enriched air into a bathtub by mixing the oxygen-enriched air into the bathing water sucked in from inside the bathtub. <P>SOLUTION: This bathtub equipment emits the jet of bathing water with the air bubbles of the oxygen-enriched air into the bathtub by mixing the oxygen-enriched air into the bathing water sucked in from inside the bathtub. In the bathtub equipment, a suction opening 21 for sucking in the bathing water, and a jetting nozzle 22 for emitting the jet of bathing water are provided in the bathtub 1 and connected together via a circulation pipeline 23; a pump 24 is provided on the midway of the circulation pipeline 23; an ejector part 25 is provided on the downstream side of the pump 24; a branch joint 4 is provided in a closed space S between the bathtub 1 and an apron 3 which is mounted in the bathtub 1; an oxygen-enriched air supply path 71 from an oxygen-enriching unit 6, and an air supply path 72 communicating with the ejector part 25 are connected to a plurality of branch parts 41 of the branch joint 4, respectively; a check valve 8 is provided on the midway of the air supply path 72 communicating with the ejector part 25; and another branch part 41 of the branch joint 4 communicates with the closed space S. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a bathtub apparatus that mixes oxygen-enriched air with bath water sucked from the inside of the bathtub and jets the bath water containing bubbles of the oxygen-enriched air into the bathtub.

  In recent years, a bathtub has been provided with a fine bubble generator, which dissolves air in the bath water sucked from the bathtub and discharges the bath water in which the air is dissolved into the bathtub to generate fine bubbles in the bathtub. A bubble generation bathtub is provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

  In addition, a bathtub provided with a jet bath device that is provided with a jet bath device alone in the bathtub and jets bubbled bath water in which air is entrained into the bath water sucked from the bathtub is also known. (For example, refer to Patent Document 2).

However, in any of the conventional examples, since the air in the atmosphere is blown into the bath water as bubbles or is generated as fine bubbles in the bath, the thermal effect is obtained. The air (oxygen concentration 21%) is only supplied in the form of bubbles, so the comfort level and the burden on the cardiopulmonary function have not been reduced much.
JP 2002-330885 A JP 2003-61848 A

  Therefore, the present applicant mixes oxygen-enriched air, which is high-oxygen-concentrated air, with the bath water sucked in from the bathtub so that fatigue recovery, thermal effect, and comfortable breathing can be performed. We have developed a bathtub device that jets bath water containing bubbles of enriched air into the bathtub. This comprises a gas mixing part that mixes gas into the bath water sucked from the inside of the bathtub, and a jet nozzle that jets the bath water mixed with gas in the gas mixing part into the bathtub, and further contains oxygen-enriched air. An oxygen-enriching device is provided, oxygen-enriched air is supplied to the gas mixing unit, and bath water mixed with oxygen-enriched air is jetted into the bathtub.

  In the discharge of oxygen-enriched air, the bath water jet from the jet nozzle not only repeats jetting / stopping every time the user bathes, but also repeats jetting / stopping even for the same bather. On the other hand, the oxygen enrichment device does not repeat operation and stop frequently, but continuously generates oxygen-enriched air during a series of bathing, so that the bath water is ejected from the ejection nozzle. When it was not, oxygen-enriched air was discharged into the bathroom.

  By the way, in the ejection of bath water mixed with such oxygen-enriched air, the air in the bathroom taken in from the air intake port provided in the flange portion of the bathtub and the oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen-enriching device are used. Although it was mixed with the bath water, the oxygen concentration of the air in the bathroom is thinner than the oxygen concentration of the oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen enricher, so the oxygen concentration of the air mixed with the bath water is the oxygen enricher Lower than the oxygen-enriched air produced in

  The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide an oxygen-enriched air supply method and apparatus for improving the oxygen concentration of air mixed with bath water. Is an issue.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problem, in the invention according to claim 1, oxygen-enriched air is mixed with the bath water sucked from the bathtub 1, and the bath water containing bubbles of the oxygen-enriched air is mixed in the bathtub 1. A tub device that squirts into the tub 1, and is provided with a suction port 21 for sucking bath water into the tub 1 and a spout port 22 for spewing bath water, and the suction port 21 and the spout port 22 are connected by a circulation line 23; A pump 24 is provided in the middle of the circulation line 23 and an ejector portion 25 is provided on the downstream side thereof. A branch joint 4 is provided in a closed space S between the bathtub 1 and an apron 3 attached to the bathtub 1. The oxygen-enriched air supply path 71 from the oxygen enricher 6 and the air supply path 72 to the ejector section 25 are connected to the plurality of branch sections 41, respectively, and another branch section 41 of the branch joint 4 is connected to the closed space. It is characterized by being connected to S

  By adopting such a configuration, the oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen-enriching device 6 and the oxygen-enriched air accumulated in the closed space S are used as the air mixed with the bath water. As described above, it is possible to use air having a higher oxygen concentration than that using the oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen-enriching device 6 and the air in the bathroom.

  The invention according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in the invention according to claim 1, the check valve 8 is provided in the middle of the air supply path 72 to the ejector portion 25.

  By adopting such a configuration, even when the bath water in the bathtub 1 is full when the jet bath apparatus B is not operated, the check valve 8 is closed and the bath water overflows from the branch portion 41c or oxygen-enriched air. Will not overflow with the bath water.

  Moreover, in the invention which concerns on Claim 3, in the invention which concerns on Claim 2, the air supply path 72 is extended to the bath water upper limit setting position at the time of ejecting bath water from the jet nozzle 22, and a bath water upper limit setting is carried out. A float type check valve 8 is provided at the position.

  With this configuration, when the jet bath apparatus B is not operated, the ball 81 moves up and closes the check valve 8 even when the bath water in the bathtub 1 is full. Therefore, the bath water does not reach the branch joint 4 located above, and the bath water does not overflow from the branch portion 41c, and the oxygen-enriched air does not overflow with the bath water.

  Moreover, in the invention which concerns on Claim 4, in the invention which concerns on any one of Claim 1 thru | or 3, in what provided the multiple jet nozzle 22, of the circulation line 23 connected to the one jet nozzle 22a The air supply path 72a to the ejector section 25 is connected to the branch joint 4, and the tips of the air supply paths 72b and 72c to the ejector section 25 of the circulation pipe 23 connected to the other jet ports 22b and 22c are closed space S. It is characterized in that it is open.

  With such a configuration, the oxygen-enriched air accumulated in the closed space S can be supplied to the ejector unit 25 for mixing oxygen-enriched air into the bath water ejected from the other ejection ports 22b and 22c. In particular, oxygen-enriched air can be mixed into the bath water without being connected to the oxygen-enriching device 6 by piping.

  In the present invention, the oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen-enriching device and the oxygen-enriched air accumulated in the closed space are used as the air to be mixed with the bath water. Compared to those that use oxygen-enriched air from the gasification device and air in the bathroom, it is possible to use air with a higher oxygen concentration, further recovering fatigue, thermal effect, comfortable bathing that is easy to breathe Can be achieved.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a bathtub 1 is installed on a floor P such as a waterproof floor pan at the bottom in a bathroom BR such as a unit bathroom. As shown in FIG. There is provided a jetting device 2 such as a jet bath device for jetting bubbled bath water in which air is entrained in bath water sucked from the bathtub 1 toward the bather M in the bathtub 1.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the ejection device 2 is mainly composed of a suction port 21, an ejection port 22 provided with an ejection nozzle, a circulation line 23, and a pump 24. A suction port 21 is provided on the side wall or bottom of the bathtub 1, and bath water in the bathtub 1 is sucked from the suction port 21. Moreover, the jet nozzle 22 is provided in the side wall or bottom part of the bathtub 1, and the bath water containing a bubble is jetted in the bathtub 1 from this jet nozzle 22. As shown in FIG. The suction port 21 and the jet port 22 are communicated with each other through a circulation pipe 23, and a pump 24 is disposed in the middle of the circulation pipe 23, and bath water sucked from the suction port 21 by driving the pump 24. Is strongly ejected from the ejection port 22. The ejection port 22a is provided with an ejector portion 25. By ejecting the bath water from the ejection port 22, the bath water containing the bubbles of oxygen-enriched air is drawn into the bath water from the ejector portion 25 by the ejector action. It is designed to erupt inside. In the present embodiment, four types of jet ports 22 are provided, and the sole jet port 22a, the calf jet port 22b (a pair of left and right), the thigh jet port 22c (a pair of left and right), and the dorsal waist jet port 22d in order from the foot side. Further, a switching valve 26 for switching the flow to these jet ports 22 is provided. There are two switching valves 26, one for the sole outlet 22a and the calf outlet 22b and the other for the thigh outlet 22c and the dorsal waist outlet 22d. Each of the switching valves 26 switches the ejection from the sole ejection port 22a and the calf ejection port 22, and the ejection from the thigh ejection port 22c and the back waist ejection port 22d.

  The circulation pipe 23, the pump 24, the ejector unit 25, and the branch joint 4 described later are provided in a closed space S formed between the bathtub 1 and the apron 3 attached to the bathtub 1.

  Here, in the present invention, an oxygen enricher 6 for supplying high oxygen concentration air (enriched oxygen) is provided in addition to the ejection device 2.

  The oxygen enrichment device 6 is installed on the ceiling of the bathroom BR, for example. The oxygen enrichment apparatus 6 is mainly composed of an oxygen enrichment film and a vacuum pump, and oxygen is enriched by taking air in the atmosphere with the vacuum pump and passing the air through the oxygen enrichment film. It is possible to obtain oxygen-enriched air, which is air having an oxygen concentration. When passing air through the oxygen-enriched membrane, oxygen and nitrogen decelerate, but oxygen passes at a rate approximately 2.5 times that of nitrogen. As a result, the air in the normal atmosphere was 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, but the oxygen-enriched film turns the air 69% nitrogen and 30% oxygen, thereby obtaining oxygen-enriched air.

  The oxygen enrichment apparatus 6 is provided with an oxygen enriched air supply path 71 for supplying the generated oxygen enriched air. The oxygen-enriched air supply path 71 is connected to the branch joint 4 provided in the closed space S.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the branch joint 4 includes a main body 40 having a branch portion 41 that branches in four directions in this embodiment, and a check valve 8 connected to one of the four branch portions 41. In the present embodiment, the four branch portions 41 are directed in the vertical and horizontal directions from the junction portion of each branch portion 41 of the main body 40, and the distal end portion of the branch portion 41 facing left and right is further bent downward. . The oxygen-enriched air supply path 71 from the oxygen enricher 6 is connected to one branch 41b of the left and right branches 41, and the check valve 8 is connected to the branch 41a facing downward. Is done. Further, the branch portion 41a facing upward and the other branch portion 41c facing left and right are opened and communicated with the space around the branch joint 4 (that is, the closed space S). As shown in FIG. 4, the branch joint 4 includes branch portions 41 b, 41 c, 41 d that branch in three directions, left and right, and the oxygen enriched air from the oxygen enricher 6 on one of the branch portions 41 facing left and right. The supply path 71 may be connected and the other branch part 41 facing left and right may be opened to communicate with the closed space S, and the check valve 8 may be connected to the branch part 41d facing downward.

  The check valve 8 is a float type that allows the ball body 81 to move up and down, and is supplied with oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen-enriched air supply path 71 by being lowered and opened during operation of the ejection device 2. Supplying to the ejector part 25 via the path | route 72, when the water level of the bathtub 1 rises at the time of the stop of the ejection apparatus 2, it raises and closes and oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen enrichment apparatus 6 is branched part 41a, 41c Is discharged into the closed space S.

  The pump 24, the switching valve 26, and the oxygen enrichment device 6 of the ejection device 2 are controlled by a control signal from the control unit C, and these operations are performed by operating an operation switch provided in the bathroom BR. However, when operating the ejection device 2, the oxygen enrichment device 6 is operated at the same time, and even when the ejection device 2 is not operated, the oxygen enrichment device 6 is operated and the interior of the bathroom BR is operated. Therefore, the oxygen-enriching device 6 is always operated during bathing.

  Thus, when the ejection device 2 is operated and the oxygen enrichment device 6 is operated, the bath water in the bathtub 1 is sucked from the suction port 21 and the bath water is ejected from the jet port 22 via the pump 24. However, when bath water is ejected from the ejection port 22, oxygen-enriched air is supplied to the ejector portion 25 provided at the ejection port 22a. At this time, since a negative pressure is generated in the air supply path 72, the oxygen-enriched air generated by the oxygen enricher 6 passes through the check valve 8 as shown by the arrow in FIG. Supplied to the unit 25. That is, when the ball 81 is lowered to the position shown in FIG. 3A, the check valve 8 is opened and a flow is generated, and the oxygen-enriched air from the branch portion 41b and the closed space S in the apron 3 are collected. By taking in air having an oxygen concentration higher than that of normal air (described later) and entraining it in the bath water, the bath water containing oxygen-enriched air is ejected from the spout 22 and the bather's massage is performed. it can. Bubbles made of oxygen-enriched air blown into the bathtub 1 drift near the face of the bather who is taking a bath, and can take a comfortable bath with ease of lung respiration. Further, the oxygen-enriched air drifting near the bather's face gradually diffuses into the bathroom BR and increases the oxygen concentration in the bathroom BR. For this reason, even when washing is performed at the washing place, the washing work is performed in air with a high oxygen concentration, and lung breathing can be facilitated.

  During the operation of the ejection device 2, all of the oxygen-enriched air is supplied to the ejector unit 25 of the ejection device 2. Incidentally, when oxygen-enriched air of 2 liters / min is supplied from the oxygen enricher 6, all of the oxygen-enriched air of 2 liters / min is sucked into the ejection device 2, and as described above, the high oxygen concentration The air bubbles are jetted into the bathtub 1 and drift near the bather's face, and gradually diffuse into the bathroom BR to increase the oxygen concentration in the bathroom BR. The amount of oxygen-enriched air supplied from the oxygen enricher 6 is 2 liter / min as an example, and may be 3 liter / min, for example.

  When the ejection device 2 is not operated, the check valve 8 is closed by the ball body 81 ascending to the position shown in FIG. 3B, so that the oxygen-enriched air from the oxygen-enriching device 6 is separated from the branch portion. It is discharged to the closed space S in the apron 3 through 41a and 41c. As a result, the oxygen concentration of the air in the closed space S increases and the oxygen concentration of the air in the bathroom BR also increases, but the space in the bathroom BR is larger in volume and air than the closed space S in the apron 3. However, the closed space S in the apron 3 is small in volume and has almost no air in / out, so that the oxygen concentration tends to increase. For this reason, the air in the apron 3 in which the oxygen concentration is increased is taken in from the branch portion 41 communicating with the apron 3 when the ejection device 2 is operated next, and the oxygen concentration of the air mixed with the bath water Can be made higher than when oxygen-enriched air is not discharged into the closed space S in the apron 3.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, an air supply path 72 a to the ejector portion 25 of the circulation pipe 23 connected to one jet outlet 22 (in this case, the jet outlet 22 a) is connected to the branch joint 4. The tips of the air supply paths 72b and 72c to the ejector portion 25 of the circulation pipe 23 connected to the other jet ports 22 (in this case, the jet ports 22b and 22c) are opened to the closed space S. Each of the air supply paths 72a, 72b, 72c extends to the bath water upper limit setting position when the bath water is ejected from the jet port 22, and a float type check valve 8 is provided at the bath water upper limit setting position. Further, branch joints 4 and 4 ′ are provided on the tip side of the check valve 8. The branch joint 4 ′ has a branch portion on one end side connected to the air supply paths 72 b and 72 c and a branch portion on the other end side opened to the closed space S. From the closed space S, the branch portion is connected to the branch joint 4 ′. The sucked oxygen-enriched air is entrained in the bath water by the ejector unit 25, and the bath water containing bubbles of oxygen-enriched air is jetted into the bathtub 1 from the jet ports 22b and 22c.

  As a result, the oxygen-enriched air accumulated in the closed space S can be supplied to the ejector section 25 for mixing oxygen-enriched air into the bath water ejected from the other ejection ports 22b and 22c. Oxygen-enriched air can be taken in from the branch portion without being connected to the enrichment device 6 and mixed into the bath water.

  In addition, by providing the float type check valve 8 at the bath water upper limit setting position of the air supply path 72, the ball body even when the bath water in the bathtub 1 is full when the jet bath apparatus B is not operated. Since 81 rises and closes the check valve 8, the bath water does not reach the branch joint 4 located above the air supply path 72, and the bath water overflows from the branch portion 41 c or oxygen-enriched air flows. There is no foaming and overflowing with the bath water. Even when the check valve 8 is not provided, the branch portion 41c is arranged near the lower surface of the flange portion (not shown) of the bathtub 1 to prevent the branch portion 41c from overflowing when the water is not full. can do.

1 is an overall configuration cross-sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention. It is a whole schematic perspective view same as the above. The branch joint provided with the non-return valve is shown, (a) is a cross-sectional view for explaining the flow of air in a state where the non-return valve is open, It is sectional drawing demonstrated. It is sectional drawing of the other example of a non-return valve.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bath 21 Inlet 22 Outlet 23 Circulation line 24 Pump 25 Ejector part 3 Apron 4 Branch joint 41 Branch part 71 Oxygen-enriched air supply path 72 Air supply path S Closed space

Claims (4)

  A bath apparatus that mixes oxygen-enriched air with bath water sucked from the inside of the bathtub and jets the bath water containing the oxygen-enriched air into the bathtub, and a suction port for sucking the bath water into the bathtub and the bath water And an apron that is attached to the bathtub by providing a pump in the middle of the circulation pipe and an ejector on the downstream side thereof. A branch joint is provided in the closed space between the two, and an oxygen-enriched air supply path from the oxygen enrichment device and an air supply path to the ejector section are connected to a plurality of branch parts of the branch joint, respectively. A bathtub device characterized in that another branch portion communicates with the closed space.   The bathtub apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a check valve is provided in the middle of the air supply path to the ejector section.   3. The bathtub according to claim 2, wherein the air supply path is extended to a bath water upper limit setting position when the bath water is ejected from the jet outlet, and a float type check valve is provided at the bath water upper limit setting position. apparatus.   In the case where a plurality of jet outlets are provided, the air supply path to the ejector part of the circulation pipe connected to one jet outlet is connected to the branch joint, and the ejector part of the circulation pipe connected to the other jet outlet The bathtub apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the tip of the air supply path is opened to a closed space.

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