JP5566710B2 - Bath equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a bath apparatus having a fine bubble generating function for generating fine bubbles (white turbidity) in a bathtub.

  For example, a bubble generating device that generates bubbles in a bathtub is provided, and the bubbles are discharged into bathtub water (for example, see Patent Document 1). In particular, by discharging very fine bubbles from the bubble generator, there is an increasing demand for devices that generate cloudy white bubbles (which appear cloudy due to a large amount of fine bubbles) in the bath water. It is said that the generation of fine bubbles (white turbidity type) in the bathtub has the effect of improving the heat retention of the bather and making it easier to remove dirt, and the user sends a comfortable bathing time. be able to. In addition to the generation of fine bubbles as described above, a method of dissolving a bathing agent in bath water has been conventionally used as a method for making the bath water hot white (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

JP 2007-135995 A JP-A-11-1424

  However, bathing in a white turbid tub as described above can give you a rich feeling, but if the turbidity is high, the bottom of the tub will not be visible, which may be dangerous for children to bathe. It was. In addition, recently, as shown in FIG. 4, a bathtub 26 provided with a step for half-body bathing or the like has been widely used. The arrangement position and height of such a step are determined by the bathtub 26. Therefore, even if an adult has an opportunity to take a bath in a stepped tub 26 in another household, for example, it is dangerous if the step in the tub 26 becomes invisible due to cloudiness.

  In addition, Fig.4 (a) has shown an example of the bathtub 26 with the top view, and FIG.4 (b) has shown the AA sectional drawing. The shaded area in FIG. 4 (a) is shallowly formed as shown in the cross-sectional view in FIG. 4 (b). Moreover, the bathtub 26 shown in FIG.4 (c) shows the example which formed the part (shown with the oblique line of a figure) with a shallow depth in the aspect different from FIG. 4 (a).

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a safe bath apparatus that can realize a comfortable bathing time by making the hot water in the bathtub cloudy. is there.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following configuration as means for solving the problems. That is, the first invention is a white turbidity device for generating fine bubbles in bathtub hot water to make the bathtub hot water cloudy, a water level detecting means for detecting fluctuations in the level of bathtub hot water caused by a person bathing in the bathtub, and the water level detection And a judging means for judging whether the person bathed in the bathtub is an adult or a child based on the water level fluctuation detected by the means, and the person bathed in the bathtub by the judging means is an adult. When it is determined, the turbidity of the bath water is increased by the turbidity device, and when the determination means determines that the person bathing in the tub is a child, the turbidity of the bath water is increased by the turbidity device. and a means for solving the problems with the configuration having the opacity variable control means for controlling the fine bubble concentration that produced by the clouding apparatus degrees to be so that low.

Moreover, 2nd invention is the cloudiness selection operation part for selecting and operating the cloudiness apparatus which generates a micro bubble in bathtub hot water, and makes the bathtub hot water cloudy, and the cloudiness of the bathtub hot water made cloudy by this cloudiness apparatus And a white turbidity variable control means for controlling the concentration of fine bubbles generated by the white turbidity device so that the white turbidity of the bathtub hot water becomes the white turbidity selected by the white turbidity selection operation unit, and the follow-up of the bathtub hot water. Reheating means for carrying out watering, and when the bath water is made white turbid by the white turbidity device, the reheating setting temperature of the bath water is changed according to the white turbidity, The higher the white turbidity of the water, the higher the set temperature for reheating the bathtub hot water and the reheating of the bathtub hot water by the reheating means .

Furthermore, in addition to the structure of the first invention, the third invention has a reheating means for reheating the bathtub hot water, and when making the bath hot water white turbid by the white turbidity device, the white turbidity depends on the white turbidity. It has a configuration for changing the set temperature of the bath hot water, and the higher the white turbidity of the bath hot water by the whitening device, the higher the set temperature of the bath hot water is set, and the bath hot water is recharged by the reheating means. It is characterized by that.

  The present invention has a white turbidity device for generating fine bubbles in bathtub hot water to make the bathtub hot water cloudy. In the present invention, according to the configuration having the white turbidity selection operation unit, the white turbidity of the bathtub hot water is cloudy. When selected by the degree selection operation unit, the turbidity variable device controls the concentration of fine bubbles generated by the turbidity device so as to achieve the selected turbidity. For this reason, if the person who takes the bath manipulates the turbidity using the turbidity selection operation section, for example, when an adult enters the bathtub that is always used, the turbidity is increased and the bather is bathed in a rich mood, For example, if you are in an unfamiliar bathtub or if you are a child, you can adjust the white turbidity as appropriate, such as avoiding danger by reducing the white turbidity so that you can see the bottom of the bathtub. Can realize a proper bathing.

Further, in the present invention, a water level detecting means for detecting a water level fluctuation of the bathtub hot water, and whether a person bathed in the bathtub is an adult or a child based on the water level fluctuation detected by the water level detecting means. According to the configuration and a determination unit, the opacity variable control means, based on the I that determination result to the determination unit, to increase the opacity when the person bathing the bath is determined to be an adult, in a bath When it is determined that the person taking the bath is a child, the turbidity is lowered. Therefore, when adults enter the bathtub, increase the white turbidity and bathe in a rich mood, and for children, avoid the danger by lowering the white turbidity so that the bottom of the bathtub can be seen. For example, it is possible to adjust the white turbidity as appropriate based on the fluctuation of the water level of the bathtub hot water, thereby realizing a comfortable bathing. The water level detection means is generally provided in the bath apparatus, and the cloudiness is adjusted by using the detection result, so that the apparatus configuration can be simplified correspondingly.

  Furthermore, in the present invention, when the hot water in the bathtub is made cloudy by the clouding device, it is provided with a configuration in which the reheating set temperature of the bathtub hot water is changed according to the cloudiness. According to the configuration in which the hot water reheating set temperature is increased and the hot water of the bathtub is reheated by the hot water reheating means, the following effects can be obtained.

  In other words, when the bath water becomes cloudy, the bath water temperature may decrease due to the generation of fine bubbles in the bath water, or the perceived temperature may decrease even if it does not decrease. The bath water temperature can be set to a reheating set temperature by burning, and by increasing the reheating set temperature as the turbidity of the bath water becomes higher, the bath water temperature is not so high for children, for example, In the case of adults, the temperature can be increased, and the temperature can be made comfortable for the person taking the bath. Therefore, a more comfortable bathing time can be realized together with the cloudiness of the bath water.

It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of 1st Example of the bath apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the system structural example of the bath apparatus of an Example. It is a block diagram which shows the control structure of 2nd Example of the bath apparatus which concerns on this invention. It is typical explanatory drawing for demonstrating the structure of the bathtub which has a level | step difference.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the description of the present embodiment, the same reference numerals are given to the same name portions as in the conventional example.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the control configuration of the first embodiment of the bath apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 schematically shows the system configuration. As shown in the figure, this bath apparatus is a bath water heater in which a reheating burner 16 and a hot water supply burner 10 having two combustion surfaces are provided in an appliance case 27. A hot water supply heat exchanger 7 is provided on the upper side of the reheating burner 16, and a reheating heat exchanger 15 is provided on the upper side. A water supply passage 5 is provided on the inlet side of the hot water supply heat exchanger 7, and a water supply temperature sensor 6 and a flow rate sensor 4 are interposed in the water supply passage 5. A hot water supply temperature sensor 8 is provided on the outlet side of the hot water supply heat exchanger 7, and a hot water supply passage 11 is connected thereto. A water amount control valve 49 is interposed in the hot water supply passage 11.

  A return pipe 23 is connected to the inlet side of the reheating heat exchanger 15 via a conduit 19 and a recirculation circulation pump 21, and an outgoing pipe 24 is connected to the outlet side of the reheating heat exchanger 15. Yes. The forward pipe 24 and the return pipe 23 are connected to a bathtub 26, and the forward pipe 24, the return pipe 23, the reheating heat exchanger 15, and the duct 19 are formed to form a recirculation circulation path 25. . The recirculation circulation passage 25 is connected to the hot water supply passage 11 through a pouring passage 14, and a water level sensor 20, a pouring electromagnetic valve 23, and a flow rate sensor 12 are interposed in the pouring passage 14. ing. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 22 denotes a flowing water switch, reference numeral 9 denotes a gas passage to the hot water supply burner 10, reference numeral 52 denotes a gas electromagnetic valve, and reference numeral 17 denotes a gas passage to the reheating burner 16.

  A control device 3 is provided in the bath device, and remote control devices 1 and 2 (the bath remote control device 1 and the kitchen remote control device 2) are signal-connected to the control device 3. In this bath apparatus, the operation of the hot water supply function is started by opening a hot water tap (not shown) provided at the hot water supply destination from the hot water supply pipe 11 with the operation switches of the remote control devices 1 and 2 turned on. . This operation is controlled by a combustion control unit (not shown) in the control device 3 based on the incoming water temperature by the incoming water temperature sensor 6 and the amount of hot water supplied by the flow rate sensor 4. The hot water supply burner 10 is burned so that the (hot water temperature) becomes the hot water supply set temperature.

  Further, the bath apparatus has an automatic operation function that continuously performs a hot water filling function operation, a reheating function operation, and a heat retention function operation, and a reheating independent operation function. The automatic operation function starts when an automatic switch provided in at least one of the remote control devices 1 and 2 is turned on, and the hot water solenoid valve 13 is opened, and the hot water supply function is similar to the operation of the hot water supply function. Hot water heated through the heat exchanger 7 enters the pouring channel 14 from the hot water supply line 11, and drops into the bathtub 26 through a recirculation circuit 25 having a return pipe 23 and an outgoing pipe 24. It is.

  When the hot water filling is completed, the hot water solenoid valve 13 is closed, and when the detected temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor 18 is lower than the hot water filling temperature (bath setting temperature), the operation of the reheating function is performed. The operation of the reheating function is performed by driving the circulation pump 21 and circulating hot water in the bathtub 26 through the recirculation circulation path 25, and the detected temperature detected by the bath temperature sensor 18 becomes the bath set temperature. Thus, the reheating burner 10 is burned and the reheating heat exchanger 15 is heated. In the operation of the automatic operation, the operation of the heat retaining function is continuously performed so that the temperature of the bathtub hot water does not become lower than the allowable temperature of the bath beyond the allowable range for a preset time. Further, the function of the chasing independent operation is to perform the chasing function when the chasing switch provided in the remote control device 1 is pressed.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram showing a characteristic control configuration for whitening the inside of the bathtub 26 in this embodiment. As shown in the figure, the bath remote control device 1 is provided with a high-concentration bubble switch 30 and a low-concentration bubble switch 31, and the control device 3 is provided with a white turbidity variable control means 32 and a chasing control means 36. It has been.

  In the present embodiment, the recirculation circuit 25 is provided with a clouding device 33 for generating fine bubbles in the bathtub hot water to make the bathtub hot water cloudy, and is connected to the white turbidity variable control means 32. Yes. In addition, although the detailed structure, arrangement | positioning location, etc. of the white turbidity apparatus 33 are not specifically limited, In a present Example, the fine bubble discharge port of the white turbidity apparatus 33 is the bathtub of the recirculation circuit 25, for example. 26 is formed at a circulating metal fitting position (refer to a portion indicated by B in FIG. 2 and FIG. 4) which is a connection portion to 26.

  The high-concentration foam switch 30 and the low-concentration foam switch 31 function as a white turbidity selection operation unit for selecting and operating the white turbidity of the bathtub hot water to be whitened by the white turbidity device 33, and when high white turbidity is desired. If the high-concentration bubble switch 30 is operated and a low white turbidity is desired, the desired white turbidity can be realized by operating the low-concentration bubble switch 31. It should be noted that, for example, when the switch is pressed once, the fine bubble discharge operation by the clouding device 33 is turned on, and when the switch is pressed again, the fine bubble discharge operation by the cloudiness device 33 is turned off. The operation can be turned on and off. Further, the switch is automatically turned off when a predetermined set time has elapsed since the switch was turned on, and one of the high-concentration bubble switch 30 and the low-concentration bubble switch 31 is further switched off. When the other switch is turned on while the switch is on, one of the switches is automatically turned off. One switch may be provided, and each time this switch is pressed, the high concentration bubble switch on, the low concentration bubble switch on, and the switch off may be repeated.

  The white turbidity variable control means 32 is generated by the white turbidity device 33 so that the white turbidity of the bathtub hot water becomes the white turbidity selected by the white turbidity selection operation section (the high concentration foam switch 30 and the low concentration foam switch 31). Control the fine bubble concentration. That is, when the high-concentration bubble switch 30 is turned on, the white turbidity variable control means 32 controls the fine bubble concentration so that the fine bubble concentration generated by the white turbidizer 33 becomes high, and the low-concentration bubble switch 31 is turned on. When this is done, the fine bubble concentration is controlled so that the fine bubble concentration generated by the clouding device 33 is low. Note that the time for generating the fine bubbles by the clouding device 33 is, for example, from when either the high-concentration bubble switch 30 or the low-concentration bubble switch 31 is turned on until it is turned off (including automatically turning off). Between.

  The white turbidity variable control means 32 controls the amount of air that is sucked from the white turbidity device 33 and dissolved in the bath water. Control the on / off time of the solenoid valve at the air intake, control the number of revolutions of the pump that mixes the taken-in air and bath water, control the on / off time of the clouding device 33, etc. The white turbidity is varied by an arbitrary method as appropriate.

  Further, the white turbidity variable control means 32 adds variable control information of the white turbidity of bathtub hot water to the reheating control means 36. The reheating control means 36 is configured to change the reheating setting temperature of the bathtub hot water according to the degree of white turbidity when the white water of the bathtub is made cloudy by the white turbidity device 33. That is, in this embodiment, the set temperature for reheating at the time of white turbidity is set to a temperature different from the set temperature of the hot water filling (bath setting temperature). Is set. For example, αT is set to 2 ° C. when the white turbidity is high and 0.5 ° C. when the white turbidity is low.

  Corresponding to the reheating set temperature at the time of white turbidity, the reheating control means 36 increases the reheating set temperature of the bathtub hot water as the white turbidity of the bathtub hot water by the white turbidity device 33 is higher, and the bath hot water by the reheating means. Do the chasing of. This reheating control is performed by controlling the combustion of the reheating burner 16 while driving the circulation pump 21 and circulating hot water in the recirculation circulation path 25 in the same manner as the normal reheating control operation. Done.

  This embodiment is configured as described above, and the turbidity of bath water can be varied according to the user's preference, and the bath water temperature can be varied according to the turbidity at this time. Therefore, a comfortable bathing time can be realized.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a control configuration of the second embodiment of the bath apparatus according to the present invention. As in the first embodiment, the second embodiment has the system configuration shown in FIG. 2. In the description of the second embodiment, parts having the same names as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals. The duplicate explanation is omitted or simplified.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the second embodiment, the bath remote controller 1 is provided with a bubble switch 34, and the control device 3 includes a determination unit 35, a variable white turbidity control unit 32, and a chasing control unit 36. Is provided. A water level sensor 20 is connected to the determination unit 35, and the water level sensor 20 functions as a water level detection unit that detects a water level fluctuation of the bathtub hot water caused by a person bathing in the bathtub 26.

  The foam switch 34 is an operation unit for generating fine bubbles in the bath water and making them clouded. For example, when the switch is pressed once, the fine bubble discharge operation by the clouding device 33 is turned on, and when the switch is pressed again, the clouding device 33 is turned on. The fine bubble discharge operation can be turned on / off in accordance with the on / off state of the switch, such as turning off the fine bubble discharge operation by. Further, the switch is automatically turned off when a predetermined set time has elapsed since the switch was turned on.

  Based on the water level fluctuation detected by the water level sensor 20, the determination unit 35 determines whether the person bathed in the bathtub 26 is an adult or a child, and adds the determination result to the white turbidity variable control unit 32. In the judgment means 35, the judgment level value of the water level fluctuation for detecting when a person enters the bathtub 26 (bathing) and when it goes out (bathing) by the fluctuation of the water level is distinguished for adults and children. Given, it is stored in a memory (not shown) in the judging means 35.

  As a judgment reference value for bathing detection, in the case of an adult, for example, an increase in bath water level is given as a reference value for adults (eg, 3 cm) or more at a reference time (eg, 20 seconds). As the determination reference value, for example, a decrease in the bath water level is given as a determination value that is equal to or higher than an adult reference value (for example, 3 cm) in a reference time (for example, 20 seconds). In the case of a child, for example, the rise in the bath water level is given at a reference value (for example, 20 seconds) that is not less than the reference value for children (for example, 1.5 cm) and less than the reference value for adults. As a determination reference value for bathing detection, for example, a determination value that a drop in the bath water level is not less than a reference value for children (for example, 1.5 cm) and less than a reference value for adults in a reference time (for example, 20 seconds). Given. These reference times and reference values are also stored in the memory.

  The white turbidity variable control means 32 is a bathtub that causes the white turbidity device 33 to turbid when the bubble switching operation is turned on by the foam switch 34 and the judgment means 35 judges that the person bathed in the bathtub 26 is an adult. The white turbidity device 33 increases the white turbidity of the hot water and lowers the white turbidity of the bath water that is whitened by the white turbidity device 33 when the determination means 35 determines that the person bathed in the bathtub 26 is a child. Control the concentration of fine bubbles to be generated. The turbidity variable control means 32 has a function of storing the judgment result of the judgment means 35 in a built-in memory (not shown), and when the bubble switch 34 is turned on after a person has taken a bath. Based on the stored determination result, fine bubble concentration control for white turbidity control of bath water is performed.

  Note that the time for generating the fine bubbles by the clouding device 33 may be, for example, from when the bubble switch 3 is turned on until it is turned off (including automatically turning off). When it is detected that a person has taken a bath based on the determination result, it may be automatically stopped. In this way, when automatically stopped, the fine bubbles dissolve in the bath water with time or are released to the atmosphere, and the turbidity decreases with the time since the stop, so the safety level when bathing again is increased. Can be raised. In particular, when bathing and taking a shower, the entire bathroom is wrinkled and the outlook itself deteriorates, so it is important to increase the safety by reducing the risk of slipping your feet by bathing.

  Further, the white turbidity variable control means 32 is to add the variable control information of the white turbidity of the bath water to the reheating control means 36 as in the first embodiment. As in the first embodiment, the reheating set temperature of the bathtub hot water is changed according to the turbidity of the bathtub hot water that becomes white turbid by the white turbidity device 33 to perform the reheating.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the said Example, It sets suitably. For example, in the first embodiment, the bath remote controller 1 has two switches, the high-concentration foam switch 30 and the low-concentration foam switch 31, as the white turbidity selection operation unit. It is good also as a structure which has three or more switches for generating a bubble.

  Further, in the second embodiment, one bubble switch 34 is provided, and when the fine bubble discharge operation is turned on by the bubble switch 34, the white turbidity is varied based on the determination result by the determination means 35. However, in addition to this configuration, a turbidity selection operation unit for selecting and operating the turbidity may be provided as in the first embodiment. That is, for example, when there is an adult who wants to reduce the white turbidity, the white turbidity selection operation unit may be operated to reduce the white turbidity.

  Further, in the second embodiment, the judging means 35 detects both bathing and taking out a person. However, the judging means 35 detects only a person's bathing, and whether the person is an adult or a child. It is good also as a structure which judges.

Furthermore, in each of the above-described embodiments, when the bath water is made cloudy by the clouding device 33, the bath water is reheated by changing the reheating set temperature of the bath water according to the white turbidity. In the second embodiment, such a chasing control function in conjunction with clouding can be omitted.

  Furthermore, the system configuration of the bath apparatus of the present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in FIG. In other words, the bath apparatus preferably has an automatic hot water filling function and a reheating function, but may have only a hot water supply function to the bathtub or a type that replenishes the water supplied to the bathtub. A bath apparatus with only a reheating function may be used. Moreover, you may have other functions, such as a heating function and a solar heat utilization heat collecting function.

  Furthermore, in the said Example, although it was set as the bath apparatus provided with the burner which burns gas, the bath apparatus of this invention is good also as an apparatus which burns fuels other than gas and heats water to make hot water, It is good also as an apparatus which heats water with electricity and makes it hot water, The details are set up suitably.

  INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY Since the hot water in the bathtub can be made cloudy to realize a comfortable and safe bathing time, the present invention can be used as a bath device provided in various places such as homes and accommodation facilities such as hotels.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bath remote control device 3 Control apparatus 15 Reheating heat exchanger 16 Reheating burner 18 Bath temperature sensor 20 Water level sensor 25 Reheating circulation path 26 Bathtub 30 High concentration foam switch 31 Low concentration foam switch 32 White turbidity variable control means 33 White turbidity Device 34 Foam switch 35 Judging means 36 Repulse control means

Claims (3)

  A white turbidity device for generating fine bubbles in the bathtub hot water to make the bathtub hot water cloudy, a water level detecting means for detecting the water level fluctuation of the bathtub hot water caused by a person bathing in the bathtub, and a water level fluctuation detected by the water level detecting means And a judgment means for judging whether the person bathed in the bathtub is an adult or a child, and when the judgment means judges that the person bathed in the bathtub is an adult, the clouding device The white turbidity of the bathtub hot water to be clouded by the white turbidity device is lowered when the judgment means determines that the person bathed in the bathtub is a child. And a white turbidity variable control means for controlling the fine bubble concentration generated by the gasification apparatus. A white turbidity device for generating fine bubbles in the bathtub hot water to make the bathtub hot water cloudy, a white turbidity selecting operation unit for selecting and operating the white turbidity of the bathtub hot water to be clouded by the white turbidity device, and the turbidity of the bathtub hot water A white turbidity variable control means for controlling the concentration of fine bubbles generated by the white turbidity device so that the white turbidity selected by the white turbidity selection operation section and a reheating means for replenishing the bath water are provided. And having a configuration in which the reheating set temperature of the bath water is changed according to the turbidity when the bath water is made turbid by the white turbidity device, and the higher the turbidity of the bath water by the white turbidity device, the higher the bath water A bath apparatus characterized in that the reheating set temperature is increased and the bath water is reheated by the reheating means . It has a structure for changing the hot water setting temperature of the bathtub hot water according to the white turbidity when the hot water of the bathtub is made cloudy by the white turbidity device. bathtub hot water cloudiness the higher tub hot water reheating bath hot water by increased to the reheating means the set temperature of the reheating claim 1 Symbol placing bath apparatus and performs.

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