JP2023152360A - Discharging device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a discharge device that can reliably prevent water added with additives from being sucked upstream.SOLUTION: A discharge device 1 comprises a water passage part 2, an addition part (foam supply unit 3), an air intake part 60 and a drain part 70. The water passage part 2 circulates water supplied from an upstream side and supplies the water to a downstream side discharge part (shower head 102). The foam supply unit 3 is provided in the water passage part 2. The foam supply unit 3 adds an additive (liquid cleaning agent) to the water flowing through the water passage part 2. The air intake part 60 is provided in the water passage part 2 located at the upstream side of the foam supply unit 3. The air intake part 60 has an air intake channel (air introduction hole 65B, gap 66A) that is closed when the water is flowing and is opened when the water is stopped. The drain part 70 is provided in the water passage part 2 between the air intake part 60 and the foam supply unit 3 and is disposed below the air intake part 60. The drain part 70 has a drainage channel (water discharge hole 75B, gap 76A) that is closed when the water is flowing and is opened when the water is stopped.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to a dispensing device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a conventional discharge device. This discharge device adds a fragrance to water flowing through a channel that supplies water to a shower head, and discharges the water from the shower head. This dispensing device is equipped with a changeover switch in the part where the fragrance is added. This discharge device prevents the water added with the fragrance from flowing to the upstream side of the water supply source or the like using the changeover switch.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2000-023867

In the case of Patent Document 1, when negative pressure is generated on the upstream side of the water supply hose, the changeover switch cannot sufficiently prevent backflow, and there is a risk that the water added with the fragrance will be sucked upstream.

The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and provides a discharge device that can reliably prevent water added with additives from being sucked upstream.

A discharge device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a water passage section that distributes water supplied from an upstream side and supplies the water to a discharge section on a downstream side; an addition section for adding additives to water; an intake section provided in the water passage section upstream of the addition section and having an intake passage that is closed when water is flowing and opened when water is stopped; a drainage section that is provided in the water passage section between the water supply section and the addition section and is located below the intake section, and has a drainage channel that is closed when water is flowing and opened when water is stopped; The air intake section sucks air from the air intake path and introduces it into the water passage section when the water is stopped, and the drainage section is arranged in the water passage section between the intake section and the water intake section when the water is stopped. The water is discharged to the outside from the drainage channel.

It is a figure showing the installation state of the discharge device concerning an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the configuration of an addition section according to an embodiment. It is a side sectional view showing an intake part and a drainage part concerning an embodiment. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing the intake part according to the embodiment. It is a sectional side view showing the drainage part concerning an embodiment.

<Embodiment>
The discharge device 1 according to the embodiment is a device that adds a liquid detergent as an additive to water and discharges the foamed water. The discharge device 1 is installed, for example, in a bathroom such as a unit bath or a shower booth. In the case of this embodiment, the discharge device 1 is installed on a wall surface W in a bathroom, as shown in FIG. The wall surface W is a surface of the wall member of the bathroom on the bathroom side. In this embodiment, the bathroom wall member is constructed by pasting a heat insulating material such as gypsum board on the back side of a magnetic metal material such as a steel plate. The discharge device 1 is attached to the wall surface W by magnetic force.

The discharge device 1 is provided between a faucet 101 and a shower head 102. The faucet 101 is a hot water mixed faucet. The faucet 101 is connected to a water supply pipe and a hot water supply pipe (not shown) within the wall surface W. The faucet 101 can adjust the amount of water, adjust the temperature by mixing hot water and water, stop water discharge, and the like. In the following description, what is supplied from the faucet 101 is simply referred to as water, regardless of the mixing ratio of hot water and water. Shower head 102 is an example of a discharge section according to the present disclosure. The shower head 102 is detachably attached to a shower hook 102A fixed to the wall W. The shower head 102 is a so-called hand shower that can be held and used by a user.

In the following description, the directions of each component in the discharge device 1 are based on the directions in the installed state (see FIG. 1). The front-rear direction of the discharge device 1 is defined as the front direction of the wall surface W as the front, and the opposite direction as the rear. Regarding the left and right directions and the up and down directions in the discharge device 1, the directions seen from the user who directly faces the wall surface W are taken as the left and right directions and the up and down directions. The X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis shown in each figure represent the front-back direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction, respectively. In the X-axis, Y-axis, and Z-axis, the positive direction of each axis is forward, leftward, and upward, respectively.

The discharge device 1 includes a water passage section 2, a foam supply unit 3, and a backflow prevention unit 4, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3. The water passage unit 2 circulates water supplied from the faucet 101 on the upstream side and supplies it to the shower head 102 on the downstream side. The water passage section 2 forms a series of flow paths that communicate from the faucet 101 on the upstream side, through the backflow prevention unit 4 and the foam supply unit 3, to the shower head 102. The water passage section 2 includes water passage hoses H1, H2, and H3. The water hose H1 forms a flow path between the faucet 101 and the backflow prevention unit 4. The water hose H2 forms a flow path between the backflow prevention unit 4 and the foam supply unit 3. The water hose H3 forms a flow path between the foam supply unit 3 and the shower head 102.

The foam supply unit 3 and the backflow prevention unit 4 are provided in the water passage section 2, respectively. The foam supply unit 3 adds liquid cleaning agent to the water flowing through the water passage section 2 . The backflow prevention unit 4 prevents backflow to the upstream side of the discharge device 1. The foam supply unit 3 and the backflow prevention unit 4 are provided in the water passage section 2, with the foam supply unit 3 on the downstream side and the backflow prevention unit 4 on the upstream side. Thereby, the discharge device 1 prevents the water containing the liquid cleaning agent added in the foam supply unit 3 from flowing back upstream of the backflow prevention unit 4. The foam supply unit 3 and the backflow prevention unit 4 are removably attached to the wall surface W by magnetic force generated by a magnetic force generating means (not shown) such as a magnet sheet.

When installing the discharge device 1, the foam supply unit 3 and the backflow prevention unit 4 can be installed at desired positions within a reasonable range for handling the water hoses H1, H2, and H3. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the foam supply unit 3 and the backflow prevention unit 4 are installed below the shower head 102 attached to the shower hook 102A and above the faucet 101. exemplify.

As shown in FIG. 2, the foam supply unit 3 includes a case 10, a flow path 20, a compressor 30, a battery unit B, a tank T, a control section C, and an operation section 22A. The foam supply unit 3 houses a flow path 20, a compressor 30, a battery unit B, a tank T, and a control section C in the inner space of the case 10. The operating section 22A is rotatably supported by the case 10.

The case 10 forms a water inlet 10A and a foam outlet 10B. A water hose H2 is connected to the water inlet 10A. A water hose H3 is connected to the foam outlet 10B. The flow path 20 is a flow path that extends from the water inlet 10A to the foam outlet 10B. This flow path 20 constitutes a part of the water passage section 2. The compressor 30 is built into the case 10 and feeds compressed air into the flow path 20. Battery unit B is built into case 10 and supplies power to compressor 30. The tank T is built into the case 10 and stores liquid cleaning agent. The control unit C is built into the case 10 and controls the operation of the compressor 30.

As shown in FIG. 2, the flow path 20 is formed in the case 10 and connects the water inlet 10A and the foam outlet 10B. The flow path 20 may be formed by a hose, a pipe joint, or the like (not shown). The flow path 20 allows water to flow in from the water inlet 10A, and in the process mixes the liquid cleaning agent and compressed air to generate foam, which flows out from the foam outlet 10B. The liquid cleaning agent and compressed air are supplied from the first connecting path TA and the second connecting path 30A in the middle of the flow path 20, respectively. The first connecting path TA is connected to the tank T at one end. One end of the second connecting path 30A is connected to the compressor 30.

The flow path 20 is provided with a check valve 21, a three-way valve 22, a flow sensor 23, an aspirator 24, and a foamer 25. It can be said that the check valve 21, the three-way valve 22, the flow sensor 23, the aspirator 24, and the foamer 25 form a part of the flow path 20 inside. The check valve 21, the three-way valve 22, the flow rate sensor 23, the aspirator 24, and the foamer 25 are arranged in this order between the water inlet 10A at the upstream side of the flow path 20 and the foam outlet 10B at the downstream end. has been done.

The flow path 20 in the foam supply unit 3 can be roughly divided into a flow path 20A from the water inlet 10A to the three-way valve 22, a flow path 20B from the three-way valve 22 to the aspirator 24, and a flow path from the aspirator 24 to the foamer 25. It is divided into four sections: a channel 20C, and a channel 20D leading from the foamer 25 to the foam outlet 10B.

The check valve 21 is provided in the flow path 20A. The check valve 21 prevents water in the flow path 20 from flowing back upstream. As mentioned above, in the foam supply unit 3 as an addition section, a liquid cleaning agent as an additive is added to water. For this reason, the foam supply unit 3 prevents backflow to the upstream side of the foam supply unit 3 by providing a check valve 21 in the most upstream flow path 20A among the internal flow paths 20. There is.

The three-way valve 22 switches the form of outflow from the foam outlet 10B in the foam supply unit 3 to either water or foam. The three inlets and outlets of the three-way valve 22 are connected to a flow path 20A connected from the water inlet 10A on the upstream side, a flow path 20B leading to the flow rate sensor 23 on the downstream side, and a bypass flow path BP leading directly to the foamer 25, respectively. There is. The three-way valve 22 is a so-called ball valve using a ball-shaped valve body. The three-way valve 22 switches the communication state of each flow path by rotating the operating section 22A. Specifically, the three-way valve 22 can be switched between a state in which the flow path 20A and the flow path 20B are in communication with each other, and a state in which the flow path 20A and the bypass flow path BP are in communication with each other. When the flow path 20A and the flow path 20B are in communication with each other in the three-way valve 22, the foam supply unit 3 causes foam to flow out from the foam outlet 10B. When the flow path 20A and the bypass flow path BP are in communication with each other in the three-way valve 22, the foam supply unit 3 allows water to flow out from the foam outlet 10B.

The operating portion 22A is rotatable between two positions: a position shown in FIG. 1 and a position tilted forward from the position shown in FIG. The operating portion 22A switches the communication state of the flow path 20 by the three-way valve 22 described above by being rotated by the user.

The flow path 20B extends from the three-way valve 22 and is connected to the aspirator 24 via the flow rate sensor 23. The flow rate sensor 23 detects the flow rate of water flowing through the flow path 20B. The detection result of the flow rate sensor 23 is transmitted to the control unit C and used for controlling the operation of the compressor 30. The aspirator 24 sucks the liquid cleaning agent in the tank T using negative pressure. The aspirator 24 generates negative pressure using the Venturi effect.

The aspirator 24 is provided with a first merging section 24A. A first connection path TA is connected to the first merging portion 24A. The first connecting path TA is connected to the tank T, and allows the liquid cleaning agent stored in the tank T to flow therethrough. The aspirator 24 mixes the liquid cleaning agent sucked from the first confluence section 24A with negative pressure into the water flowing in from the upstream channel 20B. The water mixed with the liquid cleaning agent in the aspirator 24 flows out into the downstream channel 20C.

The flow path 20C extends from the aspirator 24 and is connected to the foamer 25. The foamer 25 further mixes compressed air with the mixed fluid of water and liquid cleaning agent to generate a mixed fluid of water, liquid cleaning agent, and compressed air, that is, foam. The foamer 25 is provided with a second merging section 25A. A second connecting path 30A is connected to the second merging portion 25A. The second connecting path 30A is connected to the compressor 30 at its upstream end. Compressed air generated in the compressor 30 flows through the second connecting path 30A. Compressed air that has passed through the second connection path 30A is sent into the foamer 25 from the second merging section 25A. The foamer 25 mixes the compressed air sent from the second merging section 25A with the mixed fluid of water and liquid cleaning agent flowing from the flow path 20C. The foamer 25 stirs a mixed fluid of water, liquid cleaning agent, and compressed air while it is flowing inside. The mixed fluid of water, liquid cleaning agent, and compressed air well mixed in the foamer 25 is discharged to the downstream channel 20D.

The flow path 20D extends from the foamer 25 and communicates with the foam outlet 10B. The mixed fluid flowing out from the foamer 25 flows through the flow path 20D and flows out from the foam outlet 10B. A bypass channel BP is also connected to the foamer 25. The water flowing through the bypass flow path BP and reaching the foaming device 25 is not mixed with the liquid cleaning agent and compressed air, and is directly discharged from the foam outlet 10B as water.

Compressor 30 is electrically driven. Electric power for driving the compressor 30 is supplied from battery unit B. Compressor 30 is controlled by control section C. As described above, the compressor 30 is connected to the second connection path 30A. The battery unit B is removably housed in the case 10. The battery unit B includes a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery, and can be taken out from the case 10, charged, and used.

Tank T stores liquid cleaning agent. As described above, the tank T is connected to the first connecting path TA. The liquid cleaning agent that has passed through the first connection path TA is introduced into the aspirator 24 in the flow path 20 . The control unit C controls the operation of the compressor 30 connected to the control unit C. The control unit C is mainly composed of a computer, for example, and has an arithmetic unit such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a memory such as a ROM (Read Only Memory) or a RAM (Random Access Memory), etc., and is connected to an electrical board. This is the implemented form. The control unit C drives the compressor 30 based on the detection result of the flow rate sensor 23.

As shown in FIG. 3, the backflow prevention unit 4 includes a housing 50, an intake section 60, and a drainage section 70. The backflow prevention unit 4 has a structure in which an intake part 60 is fixed to the upper part of a housing 50, and a drainage part 70 is fixed to the lower part of the housing 50, and the relative positions of the intake part 60 and the drainage part 70 are fixed by the housing 50. The housing 50 has a cylindrical shape with both upper and lower ends closed. The housing 50 has a cylindrical shape with a diameter of about 100 mm and an axial length of about 300 mm. When the casing 50 has its axis disposed along the vertical direction, the vertical distance between the intake section 60 and the drainage section 70 is 200 mm or more. The housing 50 has an inlet 50A and an outlet 50B formed at its lower end. Water hoses H1 and H2 are connected to the inlet 50A and the outlet 50B, respectively. The backflow prevention unit 4 is connected to the upstream faucet 101 by a water hose H1 connected to the inlet 50A. The backflow prevention unit 4 is connected to the foam supply unit 3 on the downstream side by a water hose H2 connected to the outlet 50B.

Inside the casing 50, a flow path 51 is formed that continues from the inlet 50A to the outlet 50B. This flow path 51 constitutes a part of the water passage section 2 . The intake section 60 and the drainage section 70 are each provided in the flow path 51. In the backflow prevention unit 4, the intake part 60 is provided upstream of the flow path 51 than the drainage part 70. The flow path 51 allows water flowing in from the inlet 50A to flow through the intake section 60 and the drainage section 70 in this order, and then flows out from the outlet 50B. The flow path 51 is formed by a flow path forming member such as a hose or a pipe joint. The flow path 51 can be roughly divided into a flow path 51A from the inlet 50A to the intake section 60, a flow path 51B from the intake section 60 to the drainage section 70, and a flow path 51C from the drainage section 70 to the outflow port 50B. It is divided into three sections.

The suction unit 60 sucks air from the outside and introduces it into the flow path 51 when the flow of water in the flow path 51 is stopped. The intake section 60 functions as a so-called vacuum breaker. The intake section 60 introduces air from the outside when negative pressure is generated upstream of the backflow prevention unit 4. Thereby, the suction section 60 prevents water on the downstream side of the suction section 60 from being sucked upstream due to negative pressure. As shown in FIG. 4, the intake section 60 includes a main body case 61, a guide member 65, and an on-off valve body 67. The main body case 61 is formed into a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. The main body case 61 forms an opening 61A and an accommodation space 62W. The opening 61A is an opening at the upper end of the main body case 61. The accommodation space 62W is an internal space of the main body case 61 that expands downward from the opening 61A. A guide member 65 and an on-off valve body 67 are accommodated in the accommodation space 62W. A female thread is formed on the upper inner peripheral surface of the housing space 62W, and the guide member 65 is fastened and fixed thereto.

The main body case 61 has an upstream water pipe 62, an inner cylinder 63, and a downstream water pipe 64. The upstream water pipe 62 extends downward from the lower end of the main body case 61. The upstream water pipe 62 extends downward concentrically with the central axis of the main body case 61. The upstream water pipe 62 is formed with an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the main body case 61. A flow path 51A extending from the inlet 50A is connected to the lower end of the upstream water pipe 62.

The inner cylinder 63 extends upward from the inner lower surface of the main case 61. The inner cylinder 63 forms an upstream water passage 61W that communicates with the inside of the upstream water pipe 62. The length of the inner cylinder 63 in the vertical direction is shorter than the length of the main body case 61 in the vertical direction. The upper end 63A of the inner cylinder 63 is in contact with an inner cylinder side valve portion 67B of the on-off valve body 67, which will be described later. A slight notch 63B is formed in the upper end 63A of the inner cylinder 63. The downstream water pipe 64 extends radially outward from the peripheral wall of the main body case 61 . The tip of the downstream water pipe 64 is connected to an upstream water passage 71W in the drainage section 70, which will be described later, via a flow path 51B. The downstream water pipe 64 forms a downstream water passage 63W that communicates with the upstream water passage 61W and the accommodation space 62W.

The guide member 65 has a disc-shaped appearance. The guide member 65 has a guide hole 65A penetrating in the vertical direction, and a plurality of air introduction holes 65B penetrating in the vertical direction so as to surround the guide hole 65A. The guide hole 65A is for holding an on-off valve body 67, which will be described later, so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The air introduction hole 65B communicates the accommodation space 62W of the main body case 61 with an external space. A cap 66 is removably attached to the upper part of the guide member 65. The cap 66 is shaped to cover the opening 61A of the main case 61. A gap 66A is formed between the lower end of the cap 66 and the upper end of the main body case 61. The accommodation space 62W of the main body case 61 communicates with the external space through the gap 66A and the air introduction hole 65B. The gap 66A and the air introduction hole 65B are examples of the air intake path according to the present disclosure.

The on-off valve body 67 has a main body portion 68 and a shaft portion 69. The main body portion 68 has a disk-shaped appearance. The shaft portion 69 extends upward from the center of the upper surface of the main body portion 68 . The shaft portion 69 is inserted into the guide hole 65A of the guide member 65. The main body portion 68 has a guide side valve portion 67A on the upper surface side. The guide side valve portion 67A has a shape that allows it to come into contact with a guide side valve seat 65C formed on the lower surface of the guide member 65. The guide side valve seat 65C is formed in an annular shape so as to surround the air introduction hole 65B. The main body portion 68 has an inner cylinder side valve portion 67B on the lower surface side. The inner cylinder side valve portion 67B has a shape that allows it to come into contact with the upper end 63A of the inner cylinder 63.

The drainage section 70 is provided downstream of the intake section 60 in the flow path 51 . The drainage section 70 is provided upstream of the foam supply unit 3 as an addition section. The drainage section 70 discharges water in the flow path 51B between the water intake section 60 and the intake section 60 to the outside when the flow of water in the water passage section 2 is stopped. The drainage section 70 can discharge water that flows backward when a backflow occurs in the water passage section 2 on the upstream side of the drainage section 70 . Thereby, the drainage section 70 prevents water from flowing back upstream of the drainage section 70.

As shown in FIG. 5, the drainage section 70 has the same configuration as the intake section 60, and also includes an elastic member 77C. The drainage section 70 is arranged vertically opposite to the arrangement of the intake section 60. That is, the drainage section 70 allows water to flow in from above, whereas the intake section 60 allows water to flow in from below. The drainage section 70 includes a main body case 71, a guide member 75, and an on-off valve body 77 in addition to the elastic member 77C. The main body case 71 is formed into a cylindrical shape extending in the vertical direction. The main body case 71 forms an opening 71A and a housing space 72W. The opening 71A is an opening at the lower end of the main body case 71. The accommodation space 72W is an internal space of the main body case 71 that expands upward from the opening 71A. A guide member 75 and an on-off valve body 77 are accommodated in the accommodation space 72W. A female thread is formed on the upper inner peripheral surface of the housing space 72W, and the guide member 75 is fastened and fixed thereto.

The main body case 71 has an upstream water pipe 72, an inner cylinder 73, and a downstream water pipe 74. The upstream water pipe 72 extends upward from the upper end of the main body case 71. The upstream water pipe 72 extends upward concentrically with the central axis of the main body case 71. The upstream water pipe 72 is formed with an inner diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the main body case 71. The upper end of the upstream water pipe 72 is connected to the downstream water pipe 64 in the intake section 60 via the flow path 51B.

Inner cylinder 73 extends downward from the inner upper surface of main body case 71 . The inner cylinder 73 forms an upstream water passage 71W that communicates with the inside of the upstream water pipe 72. The length of the inner cylinder 73 in the vertical direction is shorter than the length of the main body case 71 in the vertical direction. The lower end 73A of the inner cylinder 73 comes into contact with an inner cylinder side valve portion 77B of the on-off valve body 77, which will be described later. The downstream water pipe 74 extends radially outward from the peripheral wall of the main body case 71 . The tip of the downstream water pipe 74 is connected to the outlet 50B via a flow path 51C. The downstream water pipe 74 forms a downstream water passage 73W that communicates with the upstream water passage 71W and the accommodation space 72W.

The guide member 75 has a disc-shaped appearance. The guide member 75 has a guide hole 75A penetrating in the vertical direction, and a plurality of water discharge holes 75B penetrating in the vertical direction so as to surround the guide hole 75A. The guide hole 75A is for holding an on-off valve body 77, which will be described later, so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The water discharge hole 75B communicates the accommodation space 72W of the main body case 71 with an external space. A cap 76 is removably attached to the upper part of the guide member 75. The cap 76 is shaped to cover the opening 71A of the main case 71. A gap 76A is formed between the upper end of the cap 76 and the lower end of the main case 71. The accommodation space 72W of the main body case 71 communicates with the external space through the gap 76A and the water discharge hole 75B. The gap 76A and the water discharge hole 75B are examples of a drainage channel according to the present disclosure.

The on-off valve body 77 has a main body portion 78 and a shaft portion 79. The main body portion 78 has a disk-shaped appearance. The shaft portion 79 extends downward from the center of the lower surface of the main body portion 78 . The shaft portion 79 is inserted into the guide hole 75A of the guide member 75. The main body portion 78 has a guide side valve portion 77A on the lower surface side. The guide side valve portion 77A has a shape that allows it to come into contact with a guide side valve seat 75C formed on the upper surface of the guide member 75. The guide side valve seat 75C is formed in an annular shape so as to surround the water discharge hole 75B. The main body portion 78 has an inner cylinder side valve portion 77B on the upper surface side. The inner cylinder side valve portion 77B has a shape that allows it to come into contact with the lower end 73A of the inner cylinder 73. The on-off valve body 77 is made of a material having a specific gravity smaller than that of water, such as polypropylene (PP) or ethylene propylene rubber (EPDM).

The elastic member 77C applies elastic force to the on-off valve body 77 to move the on-off valve body 77 upward. The elastic force of the elastic member 77C is set to be relatively small. The elastic force of the elastic member 77C is sufficiently smaller than the force due to the mass of water staying in the flow path 51B, which is the flow path 51 between the drainage section 70 and the intake section 60. In the case of this embodiment, the elastic member 77C employs a compression coil spring. As shown in FIG. 5, this compression coil spring is disposed below the main body 78 of the on-off valve body 77, contacts the lower surface of the main body 78, and applies an upward elastic force to the main body 78. .

When water is flowing from the upstream side to the downstream side in the backflow prevention unit 4, the on-off valve body 67 moves upward in the intake section 60 due to the pressure of the water flowing into the accommodation space 62W from the upstream water passage 61W. , the guide side valve portion 67A contacts the guide side valve seat 65C.

When water is flowing from the upstream side to the downstream side in the backflow prevention unit 4, in the drainage section 70, the pressure of the water flowing from the upstream water passage 71W into the accommodation space 72W causes the on-off valve body 77 to close the elastic member 77C. moves downward against the elastic force of

When the backflow prevention unit 4 is in a water-stop state where water does not flow from the upstream side to the downstream side, the on-off valve body 67 moves downward due to its own weight in the intake section 60, and the inner cylinder side valve section 67B closes to the inner cylinder. It is in contact with the upper end 63A of 63.

When the backflow prevention unit 4 is in a water-stop state where water does not flow from the upstream side to the downstream side, in the drainage section 70, the on-off valve body 77 moves upward by the elastic force of the elastic member 77C and closes to the guide side valve seat. It will be in a state away from 75C. At this time, the opening/closing valve body 77 is in a state in which the inner cylinder side valve portion 77B is also separated from the lower end 73A of the inner cylinder 73.

When the water is stopped and the user lifts the shower head 102 above the discharge device 1, or when the shower head 102 is attached to the shower hook 102A, etc. Water pressure acts in the direction from the water faucet 101 toward the faucet 101, that is, in the reverse flow direction.

When backflow occurs downstream of the backflow prevention unit 4, this backflow water flows into the drainage section 70. At this time, the on-off valve body 77 in the drainage section 70 is pushed upward by the elastic force of the elastic member 77C, and the water discharge hole 75B is opened. Therefore, water that has flowed back into the drainage section 70 is discharged to the outside from the water discharge hole 75B. The on-off valve body 77 is made of a material with a specific gravity smaller than that of water. Therefore, when water flowing backward into the accommodation space 72W flows into the opening/closing valve body 77, the water discharge hole 75B is opened by the buoyancy. The opening/closing valve body 77 further floats up and comes into contact with the lower end 73A of the inner cylinder 73 depending on the force of the water flowing backward. Thereby, the drainage section 70 prevents water flowing backward from flowing into the upstream water passage 71W. In this way, the backflow prevention unit 4 can prevent water that has flowed back from the downstream side of the backflow prevention unit 4 from flowing into the water passage section 2 upstream of the drainage section 70.

Next, the operation of the discharge device 1 according to the present embodiment will be explained together with the usage method. When taking a shower using the dispensing device 1, the user of the dispensing device 1 should choose between a foam-like dispensing form and a dispensing form of ordinary water without additives such as liquid cleaning agents. Select whether to eject in the ejection form. If the user desires a foam-like discharge form, the user operates the operating section 22A in the foam supply unit 3 to bring the three-way valve 22 into communication between the flow path 20A and the flow path 20B. If the user desires a normal water-only discharge mode, the user operates the operating section 22A to bring the three-way valve 22 into communication between the flow path 20A and the bypass flow path BP.

The user of the discharge device 1 operates the operation unit 22A to switch the communication state of the channel 20, and then operates the faucet 101 to supply water to the discharge device 1. Water supplied from the faucet 101 flows through the water passage section 2 in the discharge device 1 . Specifically, water supplied from the faucet 101 flows through the water hose H1 and flows into the backflow prevention unit 4 from the inlet 50A in the backflow prevention unit 4. The water that has flowed into the backflow prevention unit 4 flows through the flow path 51A and flows into the intake section 60. In the intake section 60, the on-off valve body 67 is pushed up by the inflowing water. As a result, in the intake section 60, the accommodation space 62W is watertightly closed from the air introduction hole 65B, and the upstream water passage 61W and the downstream water passage 63W are brought into communication via the accommodation space 62W. The water that has flowed into the accommodation space 62W from the upstream water passage 61W flows into the downstream water passage 63W without leaking out from the air introduction hole 65B. In this manner, the intake section 60 allows water to flow suitably from the upstream flow path 51A to the downstream flow path 51B during water flow.

The water that has passed through the flow path 51B via the intake section 60 flows into the drainage section 70. In the drainage section 70, the on-off valve body 77 is pushed down by the inflowing water against the elastic force of the elastic member 77C. As a result, in the drainage section 70, the accommodation space 72W is watertightly closed from the water discharge hole 75B, and the upstream water passage 71W and the downstream water passage 73W are brought into communication via the accommodation space 72W. The water that has flowed into the accommodation space 72W from the upstream water passage 71W flows into the downstream water passage 73W without leaking out from the water discharge hole 75B. In this manner, the drainage section 70 preferably allows water to flow from the upstream flow path 51B to the downstream flow path 51C during water flow. The water that has flowed into the flow path 51C flows out from the outlet 50B, flows through the water hose H2, and flows into the foam supply unit 3 from the water inlet 10A in the foam supply unit 3.

The water that has flowed into the foam supply unit 3 flows through the flow path 20A and reaches the three-way valve 22. When the above-described operation of the operating section 22A is switched to the foam discharge mode, the water that has flowed through the flow path 20A and flowed into the three-way valve 22 flows into the flow path 20B. Water flowing through the flow path 20B flows into the aspirator 24 via the flow rate sensor 23. In the aspirator 24, the liquid cleaning agent is mixed from the first confluence section 24A by negative pressure using the Venturi effect caused by the flow of water. The liquid cleaning agent is supplied from the tank T via the first connecting path TA. The mixed fluid of water and liquid cleaning agent that has passed through the aspirator 24 and flowed through the flow path 20C flows into the foamer 25. In the foamer 25, compressed air is mixed with the mixed fluid of water and liquid cleaning agent from the second merging section 25A.

When water flows through the flow path 20B from the three-way valve 22 to the aspirator 24, the flow rate sensor 23 detects that water is flowing through the flow path 20B, and sends a signal representing this to the control unit C. The control unit C receives a signal from the flow rate sensor 23 and executes drive control of the compressor 30. Thereby, the compressor 30 generates compressed air, and sends the compressed air into the flow path 20 from the second merging section 25A. Compressed air is supplied from the compressor 30 via the second connection path 30A. The foamer 25 stirs the mixed fluid of water, liquid cleaning agent, and compressed air, and then flows out into the channel 20D. Then, the mixed fluid of water, liquid cleaning agent, and compressed air that has passed through the flow path 20D flows out as foam from the foam outlet 10B. The foam flowing out from the foam outlet 10B flows through the water hose H3, flows into the shower head 102, and is discharged as a foamy shower. The user of the discharge device 1 holds the shower head 102 in his hand and applies a foamy shower to a desired body part, or takes a foamy shower discharged from the shower head 102 attached to the shower hook 102A. can do.

When the above-described operation of the operating section 22A is switched to the normal water discharge mode, the water that has flowed through the flow path 20A and entered the three-way valve 22 flows into the bypass flow path BP. The water that has flowed into the bypass flow path BP passes through the foamer 25 without being mixed with liquid cleaning agent and compressed air, flows through the flow path 20D, and flows out from the foam outlet 10B. The water flowing out from the foam outlet 10B flows through the water hose H3, flows into the shower head 102, and is discharged as a normal water-only shower.

When the shower is finished, the user operates the faucet 101 to shut off the water. As a result, the flow of water in the water passage section 2 is stopped. When the user of the discharge device 1 holds the shower head 102 in his hand while using it, he attaches the shower head 102 to the shower hook 102A and puts it away. As described above, in this embodiment, the installed discharge device 1 is located below the shower head 102 on the downstream side and above the faucet 101 on the upstream side. In this case, water pressure in the direction from the shower head 102 side toward the foam supply unit 3 side, that is, in the reverse flow direction, acts on the water passage section 2 in the water-stopped state. Since the foam supply unit 3 is provided with a check valve 21 in the flow path 20, backflow to the upstream side of the foam supply unit 3 is prevented. Even if backflow occurs from the foam supply unit 3 to the upstream side, the water will be drained to the outside at the drainage part 70 of the backflow prevention unit 4 as described later, and the water will be drained to the outside at the water faucet 101 or the water supply source upstream of the backflow prevention unit 4. backflow is prevented.

When the water passage section 2 is in a water-stop state, the air introduction hole 65B and the water discharge hole 75B are opened in the intake section 60 and the drainage section 70 of the backflow prevention unit 4, respectively. Specifically, in the intake section 60, the on-off valve body 67, which had been moved upward by water pressure during water flow, is moved downward by its own weight. As a result, the guide side valve portion 67A, which was in contact with the guide side valve seat 65C during water flow, separates from the guide side valve seat 65C, and the air introduction hole 65B communicates with the accommodation space 62W in the intake portion 60. The opening/closing valve body 67 that has moved downward brings the inner cylinder side valve portion 67B into contact with the upper end 63A of the inner cylinder 63 and closes the upstream water passage 61W. Therefore, when the water flow section 2 is in a water-stop state, air is introduced into the accommodation space 62W from the air introduction hole 65B in the intake section 60, and the flow path 51B between the downstream flow channel 63W and the drainage section 70. into the air and form an air gap.

When the water passage section 2 is in a water-stop state, in the drainage section 70, the on-off valve body 77, which had been moved downward by water pressure when water was flowing, is moved upward by the elastic force of the elastic member 77C. As a result, the guide-side valve portion 77A, which was in contact with the guide-side valve seat 75C during water flow, separates from the guide-side valve seat 75C, and the water discharge hole 75B communicates with the accommodation space 72W in the drainage portion 70. At this time, the elastic force of the elastic member 77C is set to be relatively small, and the water head pressure of the water staying in the upstream flow path 51B acts, so that the opening/closing valve body 77 is moved at the lower end of the inner cylinder 73. It does not come into contact with 73A and block the upstream water passage 71W. Therefore, when the water passage section 2 is in a water-stop state, in the drainage section 70, the water discharge hole 75B and the upstream water passage 71W communicate with each other via the accommodation space 72W. Thereby, the water in the flow path 51B is drained to the outside from the drain section 70. As described above, an air gap is formed in the space in the flow path 51B from which the water has been discharged, due to the air introduced from the air introduction hole 65B in the intake section 60.

That is, when the water flow section 2 is in a water-stop state, the backflow prevention unit 4 drains the internal space from the air introduction hole 65B in the intake section 60, through the flow path 51B, to the water discharge hole 75B in the drainage section 70. are connected in series. As a result, in the backflow prevention unit 4, air is introduced from the air introduction hole 65B in the intake section 60 and replaces the water in the flow path 51B. The water in the flow path 51B that has been replaced with air is discharged to the outside from the water discharge hole 75B in the drainage section 70. In this way, in the backflow prevention unit 4, an air gap is formed in the water passage section 2 between the intake section 60 and the drainage section 70 when water is stopped. The discharge device 1 can prevent water from the water passage section 2 on the downstream side from flowing back to the upstream side.

When negative pressure is generated on the upstream side of the backflow prevention unit 4, such as the faucet 101, water supply piping, hot water supply piping, etc. on the upstream side thereof, the on-off valve body 67 in the intake part 60 moves downward due to the negative pressure. The inner cylinder side valve portion 67B is pressed against the upper end 63A of the inner cylinder 63. The space between the inner cylinder side valve portion 67B and the upper end 63A of the inner cylinder 63 is not maintained completely airtight due to the formation of the notch 63B. Therefore, the upstream passage 61W communicates with the outside through the gap 66A, the air introduction hole 65B, and the accommodation space 62W, and air is sucked into the upstream passage 51A of the intake section 60. As a result, in the backflow prevention unit 4, negative pressure on the upstream side does not act on the downstream side of the intake part 60, and water can be prevented from being sucked into the upstream faucet 101 side. In this way, even if negative pressure is generated upstream of the backflow prevention unit 4, the discharge device 1 can eliminate the negative pressure by the suction part 60, and the foam supply unit 3 can eliminate the negative pressure from the water added with the liquid cleaning agent. can be reliably prevented from being sucked upstream of the backflow prevention unit 4.

As described above, the discharge device 1 according to the present embodiment includes the water passage section 2, the foam supply unit 3 as an addition section, and the backflow prevention unit 4 having the suction section 60 and the drainage section 70. . The water passage section 2 circulates water supplied from the faucet 101 side, which is the upstream side, and supplies it to the shower head 102, which is a discharge section on the downstream side. The foam supply unit 3 is provided in the water passage section 2. The foam supply unit 3 adds a liquid detergent as an additive to the water flowing through the water passage section 2 . The suction section 60 is provided in the water passage section 2 upstream of the foam supply unit 3. The air intake section 60 has an air introduction hole 65B and a gap 66A as an air intake path that is closed when water is flowing and opened when water is stopped. The drainage section 70 is provided in the water passage section 2 between the intake section 60 and the foam supply unit 3 and is arranged below the intake section 60 . The drainage section 70 has a water discharge hole 75B and a gap 76A as a drainage channel that is closed when water is flowing and opened when water is stopped. The intake section 60 sucks air from the air introduction hole 65B and introduces it into the water passage section 2 when the water is stopped. When the water is cut off, the drainage section 70 discharges the water in the water passage section 2 between it and the intake section 60 to the outside through the water discharge hole 75B.

With this configuration, the discharge device 1 can prevent water from leaking to the outside because the air introduction hole 65B in the intake section 60 and the water discharge hole 75B in the drainage section 70 are each closed during water flow. Water can be circulated. On the other hand, when the water is stopped, the air introduction hole 65B and the water discharge hole 75B of the discharge device 1 are opened. As a result, the water in the flow path 51B between the intake part 60 and the drainage part 70 falls under its own weight and is discharged from the water discharge hole 75B, and the water in the flow passage 51B from which the water was discharged is filled with the air introduction hole 65B. An air gap is formed by introducing air from the inside. As a result, even if negative pressure is generated in the faucet 101, the water supply source, the hot water supply source, etc. upstream of the discharge device 1, the discharge device 1 can prevent water mixed with the liquid cleaning agent in the foam supply unit 3. It is possible to prevent the water from being sucked upstream beyond the backflow prevention unit 4.

In the discharge device 1, the intake section 60 is arranged below the shower head 102 as a discharge section. Therefore, in the discharge device 1, the water head pressure on the side of the shower head 102 above the intake section 60 can act in the reverse flow direction. Conventionally, such an arrangement should have been avoided. However, even if backflow occurs from the shower head 102 side, the discharge device 1 can drain backflow from the upstream side of the backflow prevention unit 4 by arranging the drainage section 70 below the intake section 60. Since the water can be discharged from the water discharge hole 75B in the section 70, backflow to the upstream side can be prevented. That is, the discharge device 1 has a configuration that allows free arrangement without being restricted by the height relationship with the discharge portion such as the shower head 102. In this way, it is significant that the discharge device 1 can realize an arrangement that would otherwise cause backflow, which should be avoided.

The discharge device 1 can also be placed in a hidden position in a bathroom where it is difficult to see, for example, in a space formed behind a bathroom mirror. Bathroom mirrors are usually placed at a lower level compared to the shower head. However, as described above, the ejection device 1 is not limited by the height relationship with the ejection section. Therefore, the discharge device 1 can be freely arranged without spoiling the aesthetics of the bathroom.

<Other embodiments>
The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; for example, the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

The configuration of the flow path, the form of bubble generation during the process of flowing through the flow path, etc. according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above embodiments.

The configuration of the addition section, the type of additive added in the addition section, etc. according to the present disclosure are not limited to the above embodiments. The additive part may be not only one having a cleaning effect such as a liquid cleaning agent, but also an aromatic agent, a bath additive, carbon dioxide gas, and the like. The addition section may, for example, add multiple types of additives to the water. For example, the addition section may be formed into a unit together with the intake section and the drainage section, or may be provided integrally with a discharge section such as a shower head.

The configurations of the intake section and the drainage section according to the present disclosure are not limited to the configurations of the above embodiments. The intake section is provided in the water passage section upstream of the addition section, and has an intake passage that is closed when water is flowing and opened when water is stopped, and sucks air from the intake passage when water is stopped to close the water passage section. There is no particular problem with its configuration as long as it is introduced into the system. The drainage section is provided in the water passage section between the suction section and the addition section and is located below the suction section, and has a drainage channel that is blocked when water is flowing and opened when water is stopped. The structure is not particularly limited as long as the water in the water passage section between the intake section and the intake section is discharged to the outside from the drainage channel when water is flowing.

The vertical distance between the intake part and the drainage part in the installed state is preferably 50 mm or more from the viewpoint of reliability in preventing backflow. The upper limit of the vertical distance between the intake part and the drainage part is preferably about 250 mm. That is, the vertical distance between the intake part and the drainage part in the installed state is preferably 50 mm or more and 250 mm or less. Within this range, it is possible to achieve both reliable formation of an air gap and avoidance of increasing the size of the device.

The intake part and the drainage part may be provided separately, without being unitized as in the above embodiment. It is preferable that the intake part and the drainage part are formed into a unit because it can be easily installed compared to a case in which the intake part and the drainage part are each provided separately. It is preferable that the intake part and the drainage part are unitized and their relative positions are fixed, since this allows an appropriate vertical distance between the intake part and the drainage part in the installed state. The discharge device may be, for example, one in which an intake section, an exhaust section, and an addition section are integrated into a unit.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Discharge device, 2... Water passage part, 3... Foam supply unit (addition part), 60... Intake part, 65B... Air introduction hole (intake path), 66A... Gap (intake path), 70... Drainage part, 75B ...Water discharge hole (drainage channel), 76A...Gap (intake channel), 102...Shower head (discharge section)

Claims (2)

a water passage section that circulates water supplied from the upstream side and supplies it to the discharge section on the downstream side;
an addition section that is provided in the water passage section and adds an additive to the water flowing through the water passage section;
an intake section that is provided in the water passage section upstream of the addition section and has an intake passage that is closed when water is flowing and opened when water is stopped;
a drainage section that is provided in the water passage section between the intake section and the addition section and is located below the intake section, and has a drainage channel that is closed when water is flowing and opened when water is stopped; ,
It is equipped with
The intake section sucks air from the intake passage and introduces it into the water passage section when the water is stopped;
The drainage section is a discharge device that discharges water in the water passage section between the intake section and the water passage to the outside when the water is stopped. The discharge device according to claim 1, wherein the intake section is arranged below the discharge section.

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