JP2903570B2 - Jet bubble bath equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a jet bubble bath apparatus for performing a bubble bath by generating a jet flow with air bubbles in bathtub water.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a configuration as described in, for example, JP-A-1-141670 has been employed. 8 and 9, a bathtub 11 absorbs bathtub water from a perforated portion 13 on its side wall, passes through a bubble generating means 12 from a water circuit 15a, and enters a bathtub from a water circuit 15b. Bubble jet port 1 on the wall
From 4, the air was mixed into the bathtub water by the bubble generating means 12 to blow out the bathtub water containing bubbles into the bathtub 11. In the bubble generating means 12, the strength of the bubbles is controlled by two control means, a bubble generating means 19 and a power control means 18 operated by the signal. Further, the bubble generation control means 19
The time for blowing out bubbles is controlled by the time measuring means 17. Then, as shown in FIG. 9, the water flow containing bubbles ejected from the bubble ejection port 14 has three strengths, namely, strong and weak bubble generation, and OFF, which does not generate a water flow containing any bubbles. changes, each generation time t ₁ ~t repeated every constant time shown in _3, had a to have a rhythm massage function more effectively to the ejection.

In a general conventional example (the drawing is omitted), an air valve for manually adjusting an air suction passage area is provided at a distal end of an air pipe connected to a jet nozzle, so that air is supplied to the jet nozzle. The strength of the bubble jet was adjusted by adjusting the suction volume.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in the former configuration example, there is a problem that only a monotonous rhythmic feeling can be enjoyed because the bubble generating means itself is determined at regular time intervals or repeats a simple cycle.

In the latter example, the strongest bubble jet is obtained when the maximum capacity of the bathing device is reached when the air valve is fully opened, the circulation pump is started, and the impeller reaches the maximum rotation speed. In order to increase the strength of the circulating pump, the capacity of the circulating pump is simply increased, so that there is a problem that a rise in equipment costs and an increase in maintenance costs occur.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, increases the efficiency of the equipment with the current level of equipment capacity such as a circulating pump, generates a stronger jet strength than the current equipment with almost the same equipment as the current equipment, It is still another object of the present invention to make it possible to easily select a jet strength corresponding to a user's constitution and the like with a single touch, and not to make the bathing feel monotonous.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, a means of the present invention is provided on a bathtub side wall, a circulation outlet for sucking bathtub water, and a jet nozzle for jetting bathtub water and sucking air by its negative pressure action. And a circulation pump for circulating bath water
And a water circuit connected to the circulation outlet and the jet nozzle to guide the circulation of bathtub water, an air pipe connected to the air intake of the jet nozzle, and provided in the middle of the air pipe,
An air valve for adjusting the amount of air; and a controller for controlling the air valve and the circulation pump. The controller controls a valve switching controller for opening and closing the air valve, and controls the valve switching controller to control the air. A time controller that changes the number of times of opening and closing of the valve and each opening and closing time at least irregularly, and stores a plurality of patterns of different opening and closing states of the air valve, controlling the time controller, And an operation switch for selecting the number of times of opening and closing.

In the means described above, the bather selects the number of opening and closing of the air valve with the operation switch according to his / her preference, and when the switch is pressed, the time controller operates to open and close the air valve intermittently. Simultaneously, the circulation pump is driven to generate an ejector effect in the jet nozzle, and the water flow containing air bubbles from the jet nozzle into the bathtub repeats injection and stop according to the intensity, and bubbles with the jet strength specified by the bather A jet stream is created.

Embodiment The embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. First
In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a bathtub, and a circulation outlet 2a serving as a bathtub water outlet and a jet nozzle 2b are attached to a perforation on a side wall thereof, and a water circuit 3 for circulating bathtub water is connected to the circulation outlet 2a and the jet nozzle 2b. Then, a circulation pump 4 is provided in the middle of the water circuit 3, and bathtub water is drawn into the water circuit 3 from the bathtub 1 through the circulation outlet 2a, pressurized by the circulation pump 4, and then jetted through the water circuit 3 again. Return to bathtub 1 from nozzle 2b.

In the jet nozzle 2b, an air pipe 6 for sucking air is connected to an air connection port different from the connection port of the water circuit 3, and an air valve 5 is provided on the air pipe 6 in the middle. Have been. Next, since the operation panel 8 for operating this device is provided on a wall surface near the bathtub 1 in the bathroom, a plurality of operation switches 8a to 8c provided on the operation panel 8 by the bather can be provided.
Is pressed, a signal is sent to a controller 7 connected by a signal line, and the circulation pump 4 is driven, and at the same time, the opening and closing of the air valve 5 is controlled. When the air valve 5 is open, the ejector effect is generated in the jet nozzle 2b by the circulating water flowing from the water circuit 3, and the air pipe 5
More air in the atmosphere is sucked and mixed into the water stream, and a jet bubble jet containing air bubbles is jetted into the bathtub 1 from the jet nozzle 2b. Next, when the air valve 5 is closed, the suction of air from the air pipe 6 becomes impossible, so that only the water flow is injected into the bathtub 1 from the jet nozzle 2b. Note that the plurality of operation switches 8a to 8c correspond to the injection patterns in FIG. 3 described later in the order of patterns P-2, P-1, and P-3.

FIG. 2 shows the difference in the strength of the jet flow due to the presence or absence of the bubble, the vertical axis represents the jet strength, and the horizontal width represents the elapsed time when the injection pattern of P-2 in FIG. 3 described later is selected. Is shown in the characteristic diagram automatically recorded. This characteristic diagram shows three repetitions of ON-OFF after a lapse of a certain time from the start, and the air valve 5 is opened at the timing A and the air valve 5 is closed at the timing B. Analyzing the state of change of each jet strength due to the repetition of these three ON-OFF,
Immediately after the air valve 5 is opened, the jet intensity instantaneously becomes an average of 12.3 as a peak value C, and thereafter, for about 0.2 seconds, the average values become _1h = 8.3, _2h = 7.8, _3h = 7.1,
Their average is as high as 7.7. The cause is that, first, the air valve 5 is closed, so that the backflow of the bathtub water into the air chamber and the air pipe 6 of the jet nozzle 2b due to the backflow cannot be performed, and the air in the air chamber is trapped. Since the water flow is still continuously passing through the air chamber to generate the ejector effect, the negative pressure level in the air chamber is gradually increased as compared with the time of bubble injection. And then the air valve 5
Is opened, the negative pressure in the air chamber is large, so that the amount of air mixed into the water flow is maximized, and the jet strength rises sharply to reach the peak value C. After that, it takes some time for the negative pressure to reach the level at the time of normal bubble injection, during which time
_This is due to the phenomenon that the part of the injection strength indicated by _1h etc. appears for about 0.2 seconds.

Further, when the air valve 5 is closed at the timing of B, a small amount of the air initially stored in the air chamber at the time 2b is mixed with the water flow and is replaced with circulating water, and the air valve 5 is closed. Although it is in a state, the strength of the jet does not decrease so much in the initial about 0.3 seconds. However, after that, when it becomes a jet with only water flow, the jet strength is _1L = 2.9, _2L = 3.0, _3L
= 2.3, and the average is 2.7. The ratio of the jet strength according to the presence or absence of air in the jet water is represented by the ratio of the average value of the two intensities with suffixes h and m to the value with the suffix 1. 2.3 by value
It becomes 1.

From the above results, the injection flow according to the present embodiment, when compared with other methods, for example, has a rise and a start when the drive of the circulating pump is ON / OFF controlled and the air amount control in the path of the air pipe 6 is not performed. In the early stage, the opposite phenomenon occurs completely. FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram showing a change in jet strength when the above-mentioned other example is operated intermittently. The circulation pump is switched on (SW-ON in the figure).
Indicated by), the order of the inertia, etc. of the water wheel of the resistance and the circulation pump in the water circuit, after the rising edge indicating the delay time t _1,
With the gradual increase in the rotation speed of the water turbine, the negative pressure generated in the air chamber also gradually increases, and air is slowly supplied to the air chamber, and after showing a smooth change curve as shown by a curve R, The jet strength becomes stable and becomes stable on the line of jet strength 5 indicated by ON →. Then, the next time the circulation pump is stopped (shown in the figure SW-ON), turn contrary to the time of rise, the water flow stops occurring water flow or water wheel delay time due to inertia or the like t _2. After that, the jet strength during the OFF time is O
It is on the line of strength 0 indicated by FF →. As described above, in other examples, there is no irritation to the body due to the strong jet in the initial stage of the generation of the bubble jet shown in the present embodiment, and the massage effect is weakened.

Now, returning to the description of the present embodiment, the phenomenon of the peak value C peculiar to the present embodiment has a favorable effect on the bubble bather. That is, although the jet strength obtained in the normal continuous operation is about 5 on average as a value with the suffix m, according to the intermittent injection pattern of the present embodiment, it is instantaneous in time. There is a peak value C, which is about 2.5 times the normal injection strength, which is the value attached to the suffix m, and a jet strength with a suffix h, which is about 1.5 times the same, for about 15 seconds thereafter. A strong stimulus can be sensed on the skin surface of the skin. Moreover,
If this considerable jet strength is given continuously according to another example, then the body becomes a stimulus of abnormal strength at this time,
It's not always good. As described above, according to the present embodiment, without giving the bather a sense of abnormality, from the strong jet of the instantaneous jet strength of about 12 due to the jet including the air bubbles, the strength is excessively applied to the body by the water flow alone. The jet strength reached an insignificant level of jet strength of about 3.0, the jet strength ratio was wide at 4: 1, and these jet strengths changed appropriately over time and were intermittent. Even a natural stimulus can be given. It should be noted that even if the amount of circulating water or the amount of air mixed changes and the above-mentioned jet strength changes, the characteristics such as the above-mentioned peak value C and the like still exist, and the characteristic of this embodiment is the strength level. Even if changes, the effect can be fully exhibited.

Next, the controller 7 will be described.
It is composed of a valve switching controller 7b, a drive controller 7c and other functions. Then, a plurality of injection patterns, which will be described later, are previously input to a storage element such as a microcomputer included in the time controller 7a, and the bather operates the operation panel 8
When a desired operation switch 8a or the like is pressed, the controller 7 receives the signal and the drive controller 7c operates to drive the circulation pump. At the same time, the signal causes the time controller 7a to operate, the storage element starts to operate, sequentially instructs the valve switching controller 7b on the time to open and close the valve, and receives the signal. The valve switching controller 7b controls the opening and closing of the air valve 5 according to the pattern input to the storage element. The operation panel 8 is provided with lamps corresponding to each of the operation switches 8a to 8c, and the lamps corresponding to the operation switches 8a and the like that are turned on are turned on to display a display during operation, thereby further improving usability. I do. The operation can be stopped by incorporating a timer into the time controller 7a for stopping the operation after a certain period of operation, or by pressing the operation switch 8a or the like again. Further, when switching from one injection pattern to another injection pattern, the operation is switched by pressing an operation switch of another injection pattern.

Next, FIG. 3 shows three injection patterns P-1 to P-3 employed in the present embodiment, and FIG. 4 shows other injection patterns, with the vertical axis representing ON and OFF indicating the presence or absence of air bubbles. ,Also,
The horizontal axis indicates the injection time in seconds, and the features of each pattern will be described below. In any order,
First, an injection pattern (hereinafter, also simply referred to as a pattern) P
With respect to -2 and P-4, the opening and closing time of the air valve 5 (indicated by ON → and OFF → respectively in the figure) is regularly repeated in a short time of 2 and 3 seconds, and as a unit time The frequency (or frequency) of ON / OFF occurring in one minute increases. (Note that the opening and closing times are not necessarily the same, and may be different.) The frequency of both patterns increases to 15 and 10 times / minute, respectively. Other injection patterns P-1 etc. are ON / O which is the opening / closing time of the air valve 5.
Even if the FF time is partially the same, when viewed through one cycle of each pattern (the portion shown in the figure), the pattern is irregularly arranged and the required time is about 2 minutes / cycle. The large number of ON / OFF times of each pattern are arranged at random, and may be another example. Here, the ON / OFF frequency of each injection pattern was calculated and summarized in a table, as shown in Table 1. The pattern P-
2 and P-4 Since the opening and closing time of the valve is always the same, it is not necessary to lengthen one cycle to about 2 minutes as in other injection patterns, and the number of memories in the microcomputer is limited. One cycle may be used. For calculation, one minute was assumed to be one cycle.

To what extent this difference in ON / OFF frequency is perceived by the bather as a bodily sensation, a test was conducted on the above six injection patterns using 20 subjects. In terms of age, healthy men and women between the ages of 20 and 49 are equally selected, and the bathtub with one jet nozzle that jets a jet bubble with a circulating water volume of 25 / min and an air entrainment of 15 / min is actually installed. After taking a bath, receiving bubble injection at the position of 50 to 100 mm from the jet nozzle on the waist and soles of the feet, the results of the questionnaire in which the ranking of the injection pattern and the sense of each difference were grouped are shown in FIG. And FIG. Fig. 5 shows the jet strength that can be classified by the body sensation divided into four categories of A to D on the vertical axis, and the ON / OFF frequency on the horizontal axis, and the ON / OFF frequency by positioning each jet pattern. The relationship of jet strength was indicated by zones. The ON / OFF frequency division value 12 for dividing the jet strengths A and B is uncertain due to the lack of the test injection pattern and is uncertain. And P-4 are determined to be different.
The conventional continuous jet which cannot be expressed by the ON / OFF frequency has the same jet intensity as that of the zone C or D. As described above, with respect to the jet strength according to the present embodiment, it was demonstrated that the characteristics described in detail above with respect to the jet pattern P-2 are remarkable in terms of bodily sensation. By the way, among other irregular intermittent injection patterns except for the patterns P-2 and P-4, the reason for the difference in jet strength as shown in the figure is as follows.
The following can be considered. That is, as shown in FIGS. 7A to 7D, when a large number of ON times are plotted on the horizontal axis, and the frequency of occurrence is plotted for each injection pattern on the vertical axis, the average time of ON times is often large. It can be seen that the jet strength is lower. This is also confirmed from the relationship that the ON / OFF frequency described above is almost inversely proportional to the ON / OFF frequency. Further, the ejection pattern P-3 in FIG. 7A is different from the other ejection patterns P-1, P-5,
As a feature not seen in P-6, it is shifted to the right because it includes an unusually long injection of 18 seconds for one ON time.
If this time is removed from this injection pattern, '= {90− (18 + 18)} / (15−2) −２4.2
And the same level as that of the pattern P-6. Because the ON / OFF frequency at this time changes from 136/15 ≒ 6.6 and increases to {136- (18 + 18 + 2)} / (15-2) ≒ 7.5, so it moves from zone D to zone C. It is.
As can be seen from this analysis result, in order to increase the jet strength in the irregular intermittent injection pattern, the frequency of the ON time as short as 2 to 3 seconds is increased as in the injection pattern P-1. In order to emphasize a natural feeling rather than a rhythmic feeling, it is important to appropriately arrange the ON time of 4 seconds or more and reduce the ON time, and it is a point of the injection pattern creation.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between the four categories of the jet strength and the preference by age based on the questionnaire results. According to this figure, stronger stimuli are preferred for younger people who have elasticity on the skin, and when the age increases and the physical strength weakens, too strong stimuli are not suitable, and it is preferable to gradually reduce the stimuli. I can say. Note that for the elderly and the elderly, the strength was estimated based on the tendency of those in their forties and below. However, it is out of the question that there is an exception in the preference due to variations in the constitution due to differences in personal environment and the like.

Effects of the Invention As is apparent from the above description, in the present invention, a plurality of injection patterns having different jet strengths are prepared in advance in the apparatus main body,
When a user takes a bath, the jet strength suitable for him / her age is
By pressing the operation switch of the desired strength provided on the operation panel, selection can be easily made. And the jet pattern of the jet strength that has been greatly improved gives the maximum stimulation to the body, and is preferred by young people with skin elasticity,
It also has a strong effect of increasing the massage effect in a short time. In addition, a jetting pattern stronger than before can provide a massage effect suitable for middle-aged people in a natural sense rather than an artificial sense. Furthermore, with a slightly stronger or equivalent spray pattern than before, a stimulus suitable for the elderly, the elderly, and small children can be given.

Also, at least irregular intermittent and injection patterns
Bathing monotony due to the conventional continuous injection pattern, etc. is eliminated, and a rhythmic feeling or a natural feeling that is not artificial is obtained.As a result, the bathing time naturally increases, and in addition to the massage effect, the body washing effect and warm water The thermal effect generated by heat transfer to the body is also improved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of a jet bubble bath apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a view showing a temporal change state of jet strength by a regular jet pattern in which both ON / OFF times are 2 seconds. FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram showing three injection patterns according to the embodiment, FIG. 4 is a characteristic diagram showing another injection pattern, and FIG. 5 is an ON / OFF frequency and jet strength of the air valve. FIG. 6 is a characteristic diagram showing age-specific preference of the jet strength, FIG. 7 is a frequency distribution diagram of ON time when the air valve is opened, and FIG. 8 is a conventional apparatus. FIG. 9 is a characteristic diagram showing the jet strength of the same example, and FIG. 10 is a characteristic diagram showing the jet strength of another example. 1 bathtub 2b jet nozzle 4 circulation pump 5 air valve 7 controller 7a time controller
8. Operation panel.

────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Hiroshi Miguchi 1006 Kadoma, Kazuma, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-2-249548 (JP, A) JP-A-2- 243146 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) A61M 23/00 520

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A circulating outlet for absorbing bathtub water, a jet nozzle for ejecting bathtub water and absorbing air by the negative pressure effect, and a circulation pump for circulating bathtub water are provided in the middle of the bathtub; A water circuit connected to the circulation outlet and the jet nozzle to guide circulation of bathtub water, an air pipe connected to an air intake of the jet nozzle, and an air valve provided in the middle of the air pipe to adjust an air amount; A controller for controlling the air valve and the circulating pump, wherein the controller controls the valve switching controller to open and close the air valve, and controls the number of times the air valve is opened and closed and each opening and closing time. At least irregularly, and a time controller storing a plurality of patterns of different open / close states of the air valve, and an operation switch for controlling the time controller to select the number of times the air valve is opened / closed. Jet bubble bath apparatus consisting of a.