JP2769021B2 - Spout - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a foam spout which is attached to a tip of a spout or a shower head of a faucet so that water can be switched to spray spout or foam spout.

[Conventional technology]

Typical examples of shower heads for bathrooms and hand showers for hair washing and face washing, which have become widespread in recent years, are those that uniformly spray water from a large number of holes formed in a watering plate. .

Instead of such one-pattern watering, foam spraying in which foams are included in watering in addition to normal spray watering has been used. Examples thereof include those described in JP-A-58-35949.

Foaming of water supply is performed by incorporating a pressure reducing plate with a large number of holes at the discharge end, as adopted in general faucets, etc., and increasing the internal pressure based on the speed increase of the water supply when passing through these holes. This is based on the decline. Then, a suction hole for sucking outside air is opened to the atmosphere downstream of the pressure reducing plate, and at the time of water supply, air is sucked from the suction hole and mixed with the water supply to obtain foamed water.

Since the pressure loss of the water supplied by the pressure reducing plate is large in such foaming, the present applicant has already developed a foaming structure that solves this problem. In this method, the water supply is swirled and then sent to a room with an air suction unit, the water is turned into a film by swirling the flow, the speed is increased, and the room is depressurized. It is.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, whether using a pressure reducing plate or swirling the flow, the valve mechanism that switches between foam and spray,
It is a uniaxial operation type that opens and closes simultaneously to the foam side and the spray side flow path. This structure requires two systems of flow paths for guiding the water supply to the foam side and the spray side, and also requires a storage space for a valve arranged for switching the flow paths. Further, it is necessary to separately provide a foam hole and a spray hole communicating with the foam side and the spray side, respectively, on the water spray plate provided at the discharge end, and the water spray plate becomes large.

Therefore, in the structure for turning the water supply, the problem due to the pressure loss of the water supply can be solved, but the structure of the water discharge head tends to be complicated and large. For this reason, the weight increases, which becomes an obstacle in the case of a hand shower type and the like, and also narrows installation conditions.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to reduce the size of a spout to improve usability for faucets, hand showers, and the like.

[Means for solving the problem]

The present invention provides a swirling flow chamber which communicates with a water supply source to swirl a flow, and a foaming device which communicates with the swirling flow chamber by a discharge hole opened substantially at the center of the swirling flow chamber and has a water spray plate at a discharge end. A chamber, an air passage substantially coaxially arranged with the discharge hole, and an air flow path for sucking air into the foaming chamber by a depressurizing effect when water flows in from the discharge hole, and the swirling flow chamber communicating with the water supply source side. A switching chamber disposed at the top of the swirling flow chamber, and a flow path for supplying water in the axial direction of the swirling flow chamber from the switching chamber to the swirling flow chamber, and a switching valve for opening and closing the flow path is provided. It is characterized by.

Further, the switching valve may have a sliding valve structure having a valve capable of opening and closing a hole formed in the upper wall of the swirling flow chamber and slidingly contacting the upper wall of the swirling flow chamber.

[Action]

The water that has flowed into the swirling flow chamber becomes a spiral swirling flow, and an outward centrifugal force acts on the flow itself. And since the flow at the discharge hole part opened almost at the center of the swirling flow chamber is also spiral, the water flowing out of the discharge hole is blown outward by centrifugal force, forming a conical water film from the discharge hole. Into the foaming chamber. As a result, the water flowing into the foaming chamber is already in a state of being easily scattered, and if the foaming chamber is opened to the atmosphere through an air hole or the like, the air is sucked by the decompression effect of the water flowing in from the discharge hole at high speed. Then, the sucked air is promptly mixed into the flowing water supply in the form of a water film, and is discharged as foam spouting water.

When the switching valve of the switching chamber provided at the upper part of the swirling flow chamber is operated to open the flow path from the switching chamber to the swirling flow chamber, water flows from the flow path in the axial direction of the swirling flow chamber and is sent out to the discharge hole. It is. At this time, the flow directed in the axial direction with respect to the flow to be swirled in the swirling flow chamber interferes with the swirling, and weakens the swirling force. As a result, the centrifugal force of the swirling flow is also attenuated, and there is no water film-like water discharge into the foaming chamber, resulting in a continuous flow.
It flows off the foaming chamber as it is and is discharged from the sprinkling hole.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a water discharge port of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a bottom view, and FIG. 3 is a schematic transverse sectional view taken along line II of FIG.

The main body 1 of the water discharge port forms a laterally extending flow channel 1a, and a water discharge head 2 is integrally incorporated at the lower end. The flow path 1a is formed as a switching chamber 1b for foam and four rectified water discharges, the flow path area being increased toward the center of the main body 1 and the end thereof having a circular cross section.

The water discharge head 2 is formed by forming a swirling flow chamber 3 inserted into the switching chamber 1b and a foaming chamber 4 projecting from the bottom surface of the main body 1 coaxially with circular cross sections.

As shown in FIG. 3, the swirling flow chamber 3 is surrounded by an annular flow path 1a, and a total of four holes 3a are formed in the peripheral wall. A hole 3b is provided. The opening axis of these holes 3a is tangential to the swirl flow chamber 3 having a circular cross section,
Further, the discharge hole 3b is located at the center of the swirling flow chamber 3, and its inner diameter is much smaller than that of the swirling flow chamber 3. Further, at the upper end of the swirling flow chamber 3, for example, two auxiliary holes 3c are formed at point-symmetric positions with respect to the center, and the swirling flow chamber 3 can be switched to communicate with the chamber 1b by these auxiliary holes 3c. .

The foaming chamber 4 has a lower end formed as a sprinkler plate 4a, and as shown in FIG. 2, a total of four sprinkler holes 4b are provided by incorporating a cross-shaped rectifying plate 4c in each. The center is coaxial with the discharge hole 3b, and the upper end thereof is the discharge hole 3b.
The air suction cylinder 4d facing the vicinity of is raised, and an air flow path 4e is formed therein to communicate with the outside air. In addition, a disc-shaped backflow prevention plate 4f is provided near the upper end of the air suction cylinder 4d to prevent the backflow of the foamed water and prevent the air flow path 4e from being blocked by the water supply.

On the other hand, a switching handle 5 is rotatably mounted on the upper end of the main body 1, and a valve body 6 is mounted on a lower end of a spindle 5a arranged coaxially with the swirling flow chamber 3. This valve 6
As shown in FIG. 4, is a disc-shaped one having two valve holes 6a that can be aligned with the auxiliary holes 3c of the swirling flow chamber 3, and has a sliding valve structure on the upper end surface of the swirling flow chamber 3. It is assembled and urged in the direction of the swirling flow chamber 3 by a spring 6b housed in the switching chamber 1b. Valve hole 6a and auxiliary hole
Assuming that 3c have the same inner diameter and are arranged at the same radial position around the same center, the switching handle 5 can be set from the closed state in FIG. 1 to the fully opened state in FIG. The opening can be arbitrarily changed by adjusting the rotation amount.

In FIG. 1, the auxiliary hole 3c is closed by the valve element 6, and the flow path 1a communicates only with the hole 3a on the peripheral wall of the swirling flow chamber 3. In this state, foam water is discharged from the water spray hole 4b, and this flow will be described with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG.

When water is supplied from the flow path 1a, the holes 3a face the tangential direction with respect to the swirl flow chamber 3 having a circular cross section, so that the water flows from the outer peripheral portion of the swirl flow chamber 3 along the inner wall. Then, the water from the four holes 3a starts to swirl in the swirling flow chamber 3 while forming a vortex. At this time, if the entire flow passage area of the hole 3a is larger than the discharge hole 3b, a phenomenon that water stays in the swirling flow chamber 3 occurs,
The internal pressure also increases somewhat. Therefore, the swirling flow chamber 3
Inside, the flow energy of the water itself increases, and centrifugal force due to the swirling flow acts. Therefore, the water flowing down from the discharge hole 3b behaves outwardly under the influence of the centrifugal force,
The water is discharged as a conical water film F as indicated by the arrow in FIG.

On the other hand, the discharge hole 3b is located substantially at the center of the foaming chamber 4, and the water with centrifugal force flows out at a large flow velocity, so that the internal pressure of the space outside the conical water film F decreases. For this reason,
Air is sucked in from the air flow path 4e, and the water film F from the discharge hole 3b hits the inner wall of the foaming chamber 4, and the air is mixed with the broken water to foam the water supply. Then, the foamed water flows into the water sprinkling holes 4b, and the flow is adjusted by the flow straightening plate 4c and discharged.

Thus, the auxiliary hole 3c is closed by the valve body 6,
By feeding water only from the hole 3a, turning of water supply,
Water film-like supply, air suction and foaming are performed, and it can be used for foam discharge. Then, the water supply is swirled and sent as a conical water film F into the foaming chamber 4, and air is mixed into the water film F to foam the water, so that the pressure is lower than in the conventional case using a pressure reducing plate. The loss is much smaller.

Rotate the switching handle 5 to open the valve hole as shown in FIG.
When 6a is aligned with the auxiliary hole 3c, water flows into the swirling flow chamber 3 from the hole 3a and the auxiliary hole 3c in the peripheral wall. At this time, the inflow water from the hole 3a tends to swirl the flow in the swirl flow chamber 3 as described in the case of the foam spouting. However, the swirling flow tends to flow from the auxiliary hole 3c in a direction substantially orthogonal to the swirling flow and to flow away in the direction of the discharge hole 3b. Therefore, the water from the hole 3a is affected by the vertical flow from the auxiliary hole 3c to the discharge hole 3b at a stretch. Accordingly, the swirling force of the flow to be swirled is attenuated, and the water flowing out of the discharge hole 3b does not form a water film but becomes a continuous flow of the normal spouting water.

Since such a flow does not accelerate the flow in the foaming chamber 4, the air suction from the air flow path 4e is also stopped. Therefore, the foaming of the supply water in the foaming chamber 4 is not performed, and the normal rectified water discharged by the rectifying plate 4c is discharged from the sprinkling holes 4b.

The degree of foaming can also be adjusted by adjusting the degree of alignment between the valve hole 6a of the valve body 6 and the auxiliary hole 3c. In other words, if the degree of alignment of the valve is small, the amount of water from the hole 3a is larger than the amount of water from the auxiliary hole 3c that interferes with the turning force, so that the remaining turning force can discharge water containing bubbles. If the degree of alignment is gradually increased, the turning force is gradually attenuated, no bubbles are generated, and normal water discharge is performed. In this way, not only the switching of the four rectified water discharges and the foam discharge, but also the setting of the degree of foam can be performed freely.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of an example in which three water discharge modes can be changed.

This is similar to the previous example, in which the water discharge head 2
The switching handle 5 enables switching between foam discharge and spray (rectification) discharge, and the structure of the switching valve and the flow path configuration on the spray side are changed.

An upper end of the swirling flow chamber 3 above the water discharge head 2 is open, and a sub-valve element 10 for opening and closing a flow path between the switching chamber 1b and the flow path 1a is provided at the upper part. The sub-valve 10 is slid coaxially with the water discharge head 2 in the main body 1 and is urged by a spring 11 in the direction of the water discharge head 2.
And an auxiliary hole 10a is opened in the center of the sub-valve element 10,
The spindle 5a of the switching handle 5 passes through the auxiliary hole 10a. The valve body 12 provided at the lower end of the spindle 5a is housed in the swirl flow chamber 3, and can move toward and away from the lower surface of the sub-valve body 10 and the upper surface of the bottom wall 3d of the swirl flow chamber 3 by moving in the axial direction. is there.

On the other hand, between the outer periphery of the foaming chamber 4 and the inner periphery of the main body 1, a sub flow path 13 having an annular cross section is formed, and the sub flow path 13 is switched by a plurality of communication paths 14 provided in the main body 1. It communicates with the chamber 1b. A large number of small-diameter spray holes 4g are formed in the water spray plate 4a corresponding to the sub flow path 13.

The other configuration is substantially the same as that of the above-described embodiment, and the same members are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the above configuration, in the illustrated state, the valve element 12 closes the auxiliary hole 10a of the sub-valve element 10, and the sub-valve element 10 itself shuts off between the flow path 1a and the switching chamber 1b. For this reason, the flow path 1a communicates only with the swirl flow chamber 3 and feeds water swirled in the swirl flow chamber 3 in the form of a water film from the discharge hole 3b to the foaming chamber 4 as in the above-described embodiment. Sending in
Foam is spouted from the sprinkling hole 4b.

When the switching handle 5 is operated to move the spindle 5 a upward, the sub-valve 10 is pushed up by the valve 12.
As a result, the sub-valve 10 separates from the upper end of the swirl flow chamber 3 so that the flow path 1a communicates with the switching chamber 1b, and water is supplied from the hole 3a in the peripheral wall of the swirl flow chamber 3 and through the switching chamber 1b. It flows into the swirling flow chamber 3 from the upper end opening of the chamber 3. For this reason, the flow becomes the same as that described in FIG. 4, and the swirling in the swirling flow chamber 3 is weakened and the swirling flow is sent into the foaming chamber 4 as a continuous flow. Therefore, normal rectified water discharge is performed through the water spray hole 4c through the foaming chamber 4.

Further, the operation of lowering the spindle 5a by the switching handle 5 and closing the discharge hole 3b by the valve body 12 can be performed. In this case, the water flowing into the swirling flow chamber 3 flows from the auxiliary hole 10a via the switching chamber 1b to the communication path 14a.
Is supplied to the sub flow path 13 from the sub flow path 13. Therefore, water is sprayed on the watering board 4a
Is discharged as a large number of spray water with a small streamline from the spray hole 4g.

In this manner, by providing the switching valve element 12 and the sub-valve element 10, in addition to the foam water discharge and the rectification water discharge from the water spray hole 4b, three types of water discharge from the spray hole 4g can be obtained. . Therefore, by switching the switching handle 5, a form of water spouting according to the intended use is obtained, and it can be optimally used for face washing and hair washing.

〔The invention's effect〕

In the present invention, there is provided a switching valve for changing the flow of water to the swirling flow chamber for foaming to swirl acceleration or swirl suppression, and by operating this switching valve, it is possible to perform foam spouting, rectifying spouting, or spray spouting. . For this reason, in the case of using a conventional decompression plate or the like, two channels for spraying and foaming were required. However, it is only necessary to form a channel to one common sprinkler plate, and the discharge The whole mouth can be made smaller.

Further, by using a sliding valve structure for the switching valve, the bulk of the valve mechanism can be reduced, and the water outlet can be further reduced in size.

Furthermore, since foam and rectified water discharge can be performed using one common sprinkler plate, if a sub-flow path is provided outside the foaming chamber so that water can be supplied thereto, three types of water discharge forms can be obtained. It is possible to use it according to the application.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a water discharge port showing one embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a bottom view, FIG. 3 is a schematic transverse sectional view taken along the line II of FIG. 1, and FIG. FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing the generation of a swirling flow inside the swirling flow chamber when switching to water discharge. FIG. 5 (a) is a schematic vertical sectional view and FIG. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment. 1: Main unit, 1a: Flow path 1b: Switching chamber 2: Water discharge head 3: Swirling flow chamber, 3a: Hole 3b: Discharge hole, 3c: Auxiliary hole 3d: Bottom wall 4: Foaming chamber, 4a: Sprinkler plate 4b: Sprinkler hole, 4c: Rectifier plate 4d: Air suction cylinder, 4e: Air flow path 4f: Backflow prevention plate, 4g: Spray hole 5: Switching handle, 5a: Spindle 6: Valve body, 6a: Valve hole 6b: Spring 10: Sub-valve, 10a: auxiliary hole 11: spring, 12: valve 13: sub-flow path, 14: communication path

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) E03C 1/084 B05B 1/34 101 B05B 1/30 B05B 1/10

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A foam having a swirling flow chamber communicating with a water supply source for swirling a flow, and a spouting plate at a discharge end communicating with the swirling flow chamber through a discharge hole opened substantially at the center of the swirling flow chamber. Chamber, an air flow passage which is arranged substantially coaxially with the discharge hole and sucks air into the foaming chamber by a decompression effect when water flows in from the discharge hole, and the swirling flow which communicates with the water supply source side. A water outlet, comprising: a switching chamber disposed at an upper portion of the chamber; and a switching valve that forms a flow path that connects the switching chamber and the swirling flow chamber and that opens and closes the flow path. 2. The sliding valve structure according to claim 1, wherein the switching valve has a valve capable of opening and closing a hole formed in an upper wall of the swirling flow chamber, and having a valve disposed in sliding contact with the upper wall of the swirling flow chamber. The spout according to claim 1, characterized in that: