JP4385785B2 - Fluid ejection device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a fluid ejection device that ejects fluid, and more particularly, to a fluid ejection device that can be applied to, for example, cleaning a human body by ejecting fluid.

  Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 7, this type of fluid ejection device includes a plunger pump 4 as water physical quantity changing means between a hot water outlet 2 at the outlet of the heat exchanging means 1 and a nozzle discharge means 3. The power supply control means 5 controls this. And the heating means 6 of the self-temperature control function which supplies heat energy to the heat exchange means 1, and the energization control means 8 which detects a user by the detection means 7 and starts heating in advance before the user's cleaning action, It was made up of.

In the invention according to the above-described configuration, the rise time of the flow velocity is shortened by the intermittent operation of the plunger pump 4 to obtain a stronger acceleration of the flow velocity. Here, a pre-filter 10 is provided between the heat exchanging means 1 and the water inlet 9 to prevent entry of foreign matters or the like (for example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-279784 A

  However, the conventional configuration shortens the rise time of the flow rate by the opening / closing operation of the plunger pump 4, but the maximum flow rate after the rise is equal to the flow rate when the pump is opened and a high flow rate is obtained. There was a problem that it was difficult.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to intermittently eject a jet having a large fluid energy, such as a high-pressure, large-volume or high-speed jet, from a nozzle.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a fluid ejection device of the present invention includes a pump that pressurizes fluid in a flow path, a flow path area variable means that changes a flow path area downstream of the pump, and a nozzle that ejects fluid. A pressure accumulating means provided between the pump and the flow path area varying means; and a nozzle control means for controlling the operation of the nozzle while interlocking the operation of the flow path area varying means with the operation of the pump. It is a thing.

  As a result, the fluid pressurized by the pump is temporarily accumulated on the upstream side of the flow path area variable means and then released to intermittently generate a high energy jet such as a high pressure, large flow rate or high speed jet from the nozzle. Can erupt. Furthermore, various cleaning patterns can be realized by controlling the operation of the nozzle.

Fluid ejection device of the present invention, the high pressure from the nozzle, such as a large flow rate or a fast jet, because a large jet of energy can you ejected changed intermittently the jet forms including the fluid ejection device body When applied to cleaning or the like and used as a human body cleaning apparatus, it can be cleaned with various cleaning patterns, so that a more comfortable cleaning feeling can be obtained.

The first invention includes a pump for pressurizing fluid in the flow path, flow path area variable means for changing the flow area on the downstream side of the pump , a nozzle for ejecting fluid, the pump, and the flow path area variable means, The pressure accumulating means provided between them, the operation of the flow path area varying means and the operation of the pump are interlocked, and the nozzle control means for controlling the operation of the nozzle is provided, and the flow area of the fluid pressurized by the pump is variable. By temporarily accumulating and releasing the pressure upstream of the means, it is possible to intermittently eject a high energy jet such as a high pressure, a large flow rate, or a high speed jet from the nozzle. Further, during the cleaning, the nozzle control means controls the operation of the nozzle in accordance with the opening / closing operation of the flow path area varying means, thereby realizing various jet patterns and performing the cleaning suitable for the preference.

In the second invention, in particular, the flow path area varying means of the first invention opens and closes the flow path intermittently, so that the wash water pressurized by the pump closes the flow path area varying means. The pressure can be accumulated at a high pressure, and when the flow path area variable means is opened, a jet with high energy such as high pressure, large flow rate, and high speed is intermittently ejected, and a jet with a pulsating feeling can be obtained.

In the third invention, in particular, the pressure accumulating means of the first invention or the second invention can store pressure instantaneously by using an elastic or elastic connection pipe, and can also save space by using the connection pipe. Thus, it is possible to reduce the size, and it is possible to absorb the pressure fluctuation due to the opening and closing of the flow path area changing means and to prevent the pressure fluctuation from being transmitted to the upstream pipe.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in particular, in the first to third aspects of the invention, the nozzle control means is based on a fluid ejected from a branch flow path having an ejection port branched from the downstream flow path of the flow path area varying means. The object to be cleaned is formed to be cleaned, and the object to be cleaned can be cleaned with a strong water flow by flowing a strong high-pressure water flow through the branch channel.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in particular, in the fourth aspect of the invention, the nozzle control unit is configured as a body to be cleaned by a fluid ejected from a branch channel having an ejection port branched from the downstream channel of the channel area variable unit. The object to be cleaned can be washed with a strong water flow by flowing a high-pressure strong water flow through the branch flow path, so that it can be used cleanly.

In a sixth aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first to fifth aspects of the invention, the nozzle control means for vibrating the nozzle in conjunction with the operation of the flow path area varying means is provided, so that the nozzle is vibrated during cleaning. As a result, the cleaning point changes, so that cleaning can be performed over a wide range.

According to a seventh aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first to sixth aspects of the invention, the nozzle is provided with nozzle control means for controlling it to be extended by the fluid pressure. Accumulating pressure and releasing it at once can shorten the nozzle extension time.

According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in particular, in the first to seventh aspects of the invention, the nozzle has a nozzle control means that is formed so that the area of the fluid ejection hole of the nozzle is variable, and that is interlocked with the operation of the flow path area variable means. Thus, by changing the area of the ejection hole of the nozzle, the speed, pressure, etc. of the jet flow can be changed, and it is possible to select a fine cleaning mode according to the preference.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a water circuit of a sanitary washing device as a fluid ejection device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In FIG. 1, first, a branch flow from a water pipe 11 that is a water source is connected to a flow path 13 that leads to a switching valve 12. On this flow path 13, a water stop valve 14, a flow sensor 15 for measuring the flow rate of washing water, a heat exchanger 16 for producing hot water, a temperature sensor 17 for detecting the temperature of hot water, and pressurization for pressurizing the washing water A pump 18 and the like are provided. Furthermore, on the downstream side thereof, a hose 19 as a pressure accumulating means for accumulating washing water pressurized by the pump 18, an on-off valve 20 as a flow area changing means for opening and closing the flow path, and a flow rate for adjusting the flow rate. A switching valve 12 in which a flow rate control valve and a flow path switching valve for switching the flow path are integrally formed is connected. A butt nozzle 21 and a bidet nozzle 22 are connected to the switching valve 12.

  In addition, a branch flow path 23 configured to be able to clean the surfaces of the butt nozzle 21 and the bidet nozzle 22 and having an injection port 23A is connected. Further, the injection port 23A may be provided at the tip of the branch flow path 23 as shown in FIG. 1 or may be provided in the middle of the branch flow path 23 (not shown). In addition to controlling the above-described components, nozzle control means 25 for controlling the operation of the on-off valve 20 and the operation of the pump 18 and controlling the operation of the nozzle 24 is provided.

  Next, the bottom nozzle 21 shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the butt nozzle 21 of FIG. The configuration and operation of the bidet nozzle 22 of FIG. 1 are the same as those of the butt nozzle 21 of FIG. As shown in FIG. 2, the butt nozzle 21 includes a cylindrical piston portion 26, a cylindrical cylinder portion 27, a seal packing 28, and a spring 29. In the vicinity of the tip of the piston portion 26, an ejection hole 30 for ejecting cleaning water is formed. At the rear end of the piston portion 26, a flange-shaped stopper portion 31 is provided. A seal packing 28 is attached to the stopper portion 31. A flow path 32 communicating from the rear end surface to the ejection hole 30 is formed in the piston portion 26.

  On the other hand, the cylinder portion 27 includes a small-diameter portion on the front end side and a large-diameter portion on the rear end side. As a result, a stopper surface 33 is formed between the small diameter portion and the large diameter portion, with which the stopper portion 31 can abut via the seal packing 28. A cleaning water inlet 34 is provided on the rear end surface of the cylinder portion 27, and this cleaning water inlet 34 is connected to the switching valve 12 shown in FIG.

  Further, the spring 29 is disposed between the stopper portion 31 of the piston portion 26 and the peripheral edge of the opening portion 35 of the cylinder portion 27, and biases the piston portion 26 rearward of the cylinder portion 27.

  About the human body washing | cleaning apparatus comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below. First, water is supplied from the water pipe 11 and flows into the water stop valve 14. When the cleaning operation is started, the water stop valve 14 is opened, water is passed through the heat exchanger 16 and heating is started. The hot water pressurized by the pressurizing pump 18 connected to the downstream side is ejected from a predetermined nozzle, for example, the buttocks washing nozzle 21 while the flow rate is adjusted by the switching valve 12. At this time, the on-off valve 20 is opened and closed while changing the area of the flow path, so that the water pressure in the flow path is further increased and ejected.

  Next, the operation of the bottom nozzle 21 in FIG. 2 will be described. First, when cleaning water is not supplied from the cleaning water inlet 34 of the cylinder part 27, the piston part 26 is retracted in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow X by the elastic force of the spring 29 and is accommodated in the cylinder part 27. As a result, the piston part 26 is in a state in which it does not protrude the most from the opening part 35 of the cylinder part 27.

Further, when supply of cleaning water from the cleaning water inlet 34 of the cylinder portion 27 is started, the piston portion 26 gradually moves in the direction of the arrow X against the elastic force of the spring 29 due to the pressure of the cleaning water. When the piston part 26 further advances, the stopper part 31 comes into watertight contact with the stopper surface 33 of the cylinder part 27 via the seal packing 28. As a result, the cleaning water is ejected only from the ejection hole 30 through the flow path 32 in the piston portion 26.

  Here, the on-off valve 20 is an electromagnetic shut-off valve mechanism as shown in FIG. 3, and changes the flow path area by changing the gap between the plunger 36 and the valve seat 37. And 38 is a water inlet, 39 is a water outlet, 40 is an electromagnetic coil part, 41 is a spring. Since such an electromagnetic valve is operated, its responsiveness is fast, and opening and closing can be performed intermittently at high speed.

  FIG. 4 shows the operation timing. As shown in the figure, the internal pressure in the flow path rises above the pressurization of the pump by the nozzle control means 25 operating in an interlocking manner so that the pressurization pump 18 pressurizes at the timing of closing the on-off valve 20. And since the contraction hose 19 as a pressure accumulating means is connected between the pressurization pump 18 and the on-off valve 20, when the on-off valve 20 is closed, the pressure energy pressurized by the pressurization pump 18 is The pressure is accumulated in the contraction hose 19. And since the accumulated pressure energy is released when the on-off valve 20 is opened, it is released as a strong jet from the nozzle.

  FIG. 4 shows a state in which the pressurization timing of the pressurization pump 18 and the open / close timing of the on-off valve 20 are the same, but FIG. 5 shows that the on-off valve 20 is opened / closed less than the number of pressurizations of the pressurization pump 18. This indicates that the pressure energy accumulated in the contraction hose 19 can be further increased. That is, since the flow path is closed during pressurization, the pressure in the flow path is accumulated in the pipe or the contraction hose 19 and rises to a high pressure. A strong jet pressure is obtained by releasing the pressure when the on-off valve 20 is open. Further, although the number of times of pressurization and the number of times of opening and closing operations are described, the relationship between the pressurization time and the open / close time is also the same. The pressure in the road can be increased.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, there is a clearance between the outer diameter of the stopper portion 31 and the inner diameter of the cylinder portion 27. Therefore, when the on-off valve 20 is opened and closed by the nozzle control means 25, the nozzle tip portion is controlled to vibrate substantially vertically by the repulsive force of the jet discharged from the nozzle 24, and the jet direction of the jet changes. It is possible to clean the entire area. Further, by changing the clearance between the outer diameter of the stopper portion 31 and the inner diameter of the cylinder portion 27, the substantially vertical vibration width of the nozzle can be adjusted.

  Here, as an example of the nozzle 24, the case where the nozzle is extended by water pressure has been described. However, for example, when the nozzle is extended using a driving force such as a motor, the nozzle control means interlocks with the operation of the on-off valve. There is no problem with any nozzle, such that the motor can be controlled so that the nozzle vibrates in the extending direction and in the opposite direction.

  Thus, by associating and operating the operations of the pressurizing pump 18 and the on-off valve 20, the pressure in the flow path can be stored in the contraction hose 19 which is a pressure accumulating means and can be significantly increased. By discharging the high pressure from the cleaning nozzle 24, it can be discharged as a very strong jet, and the cleaning effect can be greatly improved. Furthermore, various jet patterns can be realized by controlling the nozzle operation. Furthermore, when washing the human body, the strong washing feeling and jet pattern satisfy the user's satisfaction, and if the jet is pulsated by opening and closing the valve intermittently, the jet has a sense of volume. You will be able to feel more satisfaction.

Further, by using the contraction hose 19 as the pressure accumulating means, it is possible to reduce the size and space by using the connecting pipe as well as to absorb the pressure fluctuation due to the opening and closing of the flow path area varying means 20. The pressure fluctuation can be prevented from being transmitted to the upstream pipe. Although the pressure accumulating means has been described with the contraction hose 19, the same effect can be expected even with a hose or pipe with less contractibility.

  Further, by switching the flow path of the pressurized fluid as described above by the switching valve 12 and ejecting it from the branch flow path 23, it becomes possible to wash away the dirt adhering to the surface of the nozzle 24 with a strong water flow. 24 can be kept clean. Moreover, by making the injection port 23A of the branch flow path 23 jettable into the toilet bowl, it is possible to inject the toilet bowl with a strong water flow and effectively clean the toilet bowl. In addition, although the example of the surface of the nozzle 24 and the inside of a toilet bowl was given as an example of the location which wash | cleans by the injection port 23A of the branch flow path 23, the washing location is not restricted to these.

  Further, by adopting a configuration in which the nozzle 24 is extended by water pressure as shown in FIG. 2, when the nozzle is extended, the nozzle control means 25 pressurizes and accumulates the fluid and releases it at once. Compared with the case where the nozzle 24 is extended with a fluid that has not been pressurized and accumulated, the nozzle 24 can be extended faster, and the waiting time until the start of cleaning can be shortened.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a nozzle of a sanitary washing device as a fluid ejection device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The difference from FIG. 2 shown in the first embodiment is that the ejection area variable mechanism 42 operates so that the fluid ejection area can be varied by the rotation of the motor 43. The other points are the same as those of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2, and the same numbers are assigned and detailed description is omitted.

  About the sanitary washing apparatus comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below. In the figure, the ejection area variable mechanism 42 drives the motor 43 by a signal from the nozzle control means 25. Controlling to advance in the + X direction in FIG. 6 reduces the fluid ejection area, and conversely controlling to advance in the −X direction increases the fluid ejection area. If the fluid ejection area is narrowed, the speed of the jet is increased and a strong washing feeling can be realized. In addition, when the fluid ejection area is increased, the jet velocity is reduced but the cross-sectional diameter of the jet is increased, so that cleaning with a sense of volume can be realized. Thus, by providing the nozzle control means 25 in which the fluid ejection area of the nozzle fluctuates in conjunction with the operation of the flow path area varying means 20, according to the user's preference such as strong washing, voluminous washing, etc. Cleaning methods can be realized.

  As described above, the fluid ejection device according to the present invention can intermittently eject a high-energy jet such as a high pressure or a large flow rate, a high-speed jet from a nozzle, and can realize various jet patterns. It can also be used for applications such as equipment and fountains.

The schematic diagram which shows the water circuit of the fluid ejection apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention Cross-sectional view of the nozzle of the fluid ejection device Sectional view of flow path area variable means of the fluid ejection device Timing chart explaining the operation of the fluid ejection device Timing chart explaining other operations of the fluid ejection device Sectional drawing of the nozzle of the fluid ejection apparatus in Embodiment 2 of this invention Block diagram of a conventional fluid ejection device

13 Channel 14 On-off valve (Channel area variable means)
18 Pump 19 Hose (pressure accumulation means)
23 branch flow path 23A injection port 24 nozzle 25 nozzle control means

Claims (8)

A pump for pressurizing fluid in the flow path;
A channel area variable means for changing the area of the channel provided on the downstream side of the pump;
A nozzle that is provided on the downstream side of the flow path area varying means and ejects fluid;
A pressure accumulating means provided between the pump and the flow path area varying means;
A fluid ejection apparatus comprising nozzle control means for controlling the operation of the nozzle by interlocking the flow path area varying means and the pump. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 , wherein the flow path area varying means has a function of intermittently opening and closing the flow path. The fluid ejection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the pressure accumulating means is a connecting pipe having elasticity. A branch flow path branched from a flow path on the downstream side of the flow path area variable means; and an injection port formed so that fluid is jetted into the branch flow path, and the nozzle control means is injected from the injection port The fluid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the fluid to be cleaned is controlled to be cleaned with a fluid. The fluid ejection device according to claim 4 , wherein the object to be cleaned is a nozzle or a toilet. Nozzle control means, in conjunction with the operation of the flow channel area changing means fluid ejection device of any one of claims 1 to 5 to vibrate the nozzle. The fluid ejection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the nozzle control means controls the nozzle to be extended by fluid pressure. Area of the fluid jet port of the nozzle for ejecting a fluid is formed so as to variably, nozzle control means, either in conjunction with flow path area varying means according to claim 1-7 for variably controlling the area of said fluid jetting ports The fluid ejection device according to claim 1.

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