JP7467073B2 - Water draining device and method for installing the water draining device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a water draining device and a method for installing the water draining device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a water drainage mechanism that drains water remaining inside a showerhead to the outside. This water drainage mechanism is placed in the water passage leading from the faucet to the showerhead. When water is being discharged from the showerhead, the water drainage mechanism elastically deforms to close the drainage passage leading to the outside. When the faucet is turned off, the water drainage mechanism elastically deforms to open the drainage passage and discharge the water in the water passage to the outside.

JP 2003-74095 A

After using a shower device, users may dry wipe the washing area or bathtub to keep the bathroom hygienic. However, if water remains inside the shower head, it may expand due to changes in the surrounding temperature, or may be subjected to external vibrations, causing the water to drip from the shower head onto the washing area. For this reason, users make sure that there is no water left inside the shower head. The water draining mechanism in Patent Document 1 automatically drains water when the showerhead stops discharging water, so users may feel uncomfortable when water is suddenly drained or mistake it for a malfunction. In addition, because it is difficult for users to recognize that water has been drained, they may have to drain the water from inside the showerhead again when cleaning.

In light of these circumstances, the present disclosure aims to provide a water draining device that allows for intentional water drainage.

The water draining device disclosed herein is a water draining device connected to a water pipe that runs from a faucet to a shower head, and includes a water passage section that communicates with the water passage of the water pipe, a faucet side connection section formed on one end of the water passage section and freely connectable to the water pipe on the faucet side, a shower head side connection section formed on the other end of the water passage section and freely connectable to the water pipe on the shower head side, an opening that communicates the water passage with the outside, and an opening/closing member that opens and closes the opening and is operable from a closed state to an open state when an operating force is applied from the outside.

1 is an overall view of a shower apparatus equipped with a water drainage device according to a first embodiment; FIG. 2 is a rear view of the shower apparatus, showing an enlarged partial view of the shower apparatus showing a portion where the water drainage device is attached. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the water draining device showing a state in which the on-off valve body is closed. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the water draining device, showing the on-off valve body in an open state. 4 is a front view of the water drainage device with the branch pipe side facing forward and the fastening members and the on-off valve unit omitted. FIG. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the water draining device according to the second embodiment, showing the on-off valve body in a closed state.

<Embodiment 1>
Next, the water draining device 10 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the water draining device 10 is attached to a shower device S installed in a bathroom. The bathroom P includes a bathtub P1 and a counter P2 on the wall facing the washing area. The shower device S is installed on the wall above the counter P2. The shower device S includes a faucet body S1, a shower hose S2, a shower hook S3, and a hand shower S4.

The hand shower S4 corresponds to a shower head. The hand shower S4 has a water spray surface S41 with multiple water spray holes formed therein. The hand shower S4 is detachably held by the shower hook S3. The hand shower S4 is connected to a shower hose S2. The shower hose S2 is flexible and has a water passage (not shown) formed therein. The hand shower S4 sprays mixed water supplied from the faucet body S1 through the shower hose S2 and the water spray holes on the water spray surface S41.

As shown in FIG. 2, the faucet body S1 has a pair of crank legs S11, a main body S12, a temperature adjustment handle S13, a water discharge/stop switching handle S14, a faucet S15, and a shower hose connection pipe S16. One end of each of the pair of crank legs S11 is connected to a water supply pipe and a hot water supply pipe installed on the wall of the bathroom, and the other end is connected to the main body S12. The water supply pipe is connected to a water supply source. The hot water supply pipe is connected to a hot water supply source. A water passage (not shown) is formed inside the crank legs S11, and water supplied from the water supply pipe and hot water supplied from the hot water pipe are supplied to the main body S12 through the water passage.

The main body S12 has a generally cylindrical appearance. Inside the main body S12 are a mixing valve (not shown) that mixes hot and cold water, and a switching valve that switches the supply path that supplies the mixed water to the faucet S15 or hand shower S4 and adjusts the flow rate of the mixed water.

The temperature adjustment handle S13, like the main body S12, has a cylindrical appearance with multiple protrusions S131 protruding from the circumferential surface. As shown in FIG. 1, the temperature adjustment handle S13 is located on the left side of the main body S12 when viewed from the front. The temperature adjustment handle S13 is connected to a mixing valve (not shown) housed in the main body S12. The temperature adjustment handle S13 is rotatable in the circumferential direction. When a user of the shower device S adjusts the discharge temperature, the user grasps the temperature adjustment handle S13 and rotates it using the protrusions S131 as a finger hook.

The water discharge/stop switching handle S14 has a cylindrical appearance like the main body S12, and a knob S141 protrudes horizontally from the periphery. The water discharge/stop switching handle S14 is located on the right side of the main body S12 when viewed from the front. The water discharge/stop switching handle S14 is connected to the switching valve of the main body S12. The water discharge/stop switching handle S14 is rotatable in the circumferential direction. When the knob S141 of the water discharge/stop switching handle S14 is facing horizontally, the shower device S is in a stopped state. When the user of the shower device S discharges mixed water from the faucet S15, he or she rotates the water discharge/stop switching handle S14 so that the knob S141 faces downward, and when the user discharges mixed water from the hand shower S4, he or she rotates the water discharge/stop switching handle S14 so that the knob S141 faces upward.

The faucet S15 has a tubular shape with flat upper and lower surfaces. A water passage (not shown) is formed inside the faucet S15. The faucet S15 has a connection part S151 on the upper surface of one end that rotatably connects to the lower side of the main body part S12. The connection part S151 connects to a water passage (not shown) formed inside the main body part S12. The faucet S15 has an outlet S152 on the lower surface of the other end. The outlet S152 discharges the mixed water supplied from the main body part S12.

The shower hose connection pipe S16 has an L-shaped bent pipe shape as shown in FIG. 2. The shower hose connection pipe S16 has a water passage (not shown) formed inside. One end of the shower hose connection pipe S16 is rotatably connected to the back side of the main body S12 and is connected to the water passage of the main body S12. The middle part of the shower hose connection pipe S16 is bent downward. The shower hose connection pipe S16 has a male screw (not shown) formed on the outer circumferential surface of the other end. The male screw of the shower hose connection pipe S16 is shaped so that it can be screwed into the connection part S21 arranged on one end side of the shower hose S2, and has the same shape as the male screw part 40 of the water draining device 10. The male screw of the shower hose connection pipe S16 is connected to the cap nut 30 of the water draining device 10 as shown in FIG. 2.

As shown in FIG. 3, the water draining device 10 includes a water pipe 20, a cap nut 30, a male threaded portion 40, a branch pipe 50, and a push button 60. The water pipe 20 corresponds to the water passage portion. The water pipe 20 has a cylindrical appearance and is a straight pipe shape.

The cap nut 30 corresponds to the faucet side connection part. The cap nut 30 is placed on one end side of the water pipe 20. As shown in FIG. 4, the cap nut 30 has a female threaded part 31 formed on its inner circumference. As described above, the female threaded part 31 has a shape that can be screwed into the male thread of the shower hose connection pipe S16, and has the same shape as the connection part S21 on one end side of the shower hose S2. The cap nut 30 is rotatably connected to the water pipe 20 via a connecting member 32 attached inside the water pipe 20.

The connecting member 32 has a cylindrical tubular shape. One end of the connecting member 32 is inserted into the cap nut 30 and holds the cap nut 30 rotatably. The other end of the connecting member 32 is inserted into the water pipe 20 and has three annular grooves formed on the outer circumferential surface. The three grooves accommodate, in order from the center to the one end, a water-stopping O-ring 33, a protective O-ring 34, and a connecting C-ring 35.

The water-stopping O-ring 33 has the function of maintaining a watertight seal between the inner circumference of the water pipe 20 and the outer circumference of the connecting member 32. The protective O-ring 34 has the function of blocking debris in case debris gets in from the end of the water pipe 20, to prevent the debris from reaching the water-stopping O-ring 33 and damaging it. The connecting C-ring 35 can elastically deform in the radial direction, and fits across an annular groove formed on the inner circumference of the water pipe 20 and an annular groove formed on the outer circumference of the connecting member 32. The connecting C-ring 35 allows the connecting member 32 to rotate freely with respect to the water pipe 20, and has the function of preventing it from coming loose.

The male thread portion 40 corresponds to the shower head side connection portion. The male thread portion 40 is located on the other end side of the water passage pipe 20 and is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the water passage pipe 20. The male thread portion 40 has a shape that allows it to be screwed into and connected to the connection portion S21 on one end side of the shower hose S2, and as described above, has the same shape as the male thread of the shower hose connection pipe S16.

The branch pipe 50 corresponds to the branching section. The branch pipe 50 extends from the middle of the water pipe 20 in a direction perpendicular to the pipe axis of the water pipe 20. The branch pipe 50 has a male thread 51 formed on the outer peripheral surface at the end side. A fastening member 52 is screwed and fixed to the male thread 51 of the branch pipe 50. The fastening member 52 has a function of holding the on-off valve unit 70 described later inside the branch pipe 50. The fastening member 52 has an opening 53 formed on the surface. The opening 53 is connected to the inside of the branch pipe 50. As shown in FIG. 6, the branch pipe 50 has a cylindrical exterior, and flat parts 54 are formed on the top, bottom, left and right parts indicated by the dashed line. The size of the branch pipe 50 in the left and right direction is the same as the outer diameter of the water pipe 20.

The push button 60 corresponds to the operating member. As shown in FIG. 3, the push button 60 has an operating surface 61 and an insertion portion 62. The operating surface 61 is disk-shaped. The front side of the operating surface 61 is the surface that the user presses with his finger when draining water from the water pipe 20. The insertion portion 62 is shaped like a rod extending from the back side of the operating surface 61. When draining water from the water pipe 20, the tip of the insertion portion 62 is inserted through the opening 53 of the fastening member 52 and detachably abuts against a recess 78 of the opening/closing valve body 73 described below. When the water draining operation is not performed, such as when the shower device S is in use, the push button 60 is removed from the opening/closing valve body 73 and stored.

As shown in FIG. 4, the water pipe 20 has a water passage 21 formed therein. When the water draining device 10 is connected to the shower device S, the water passage 21 communicates with the water passage leading from the faucet body S1 to the hand shower S4, and mixed water flows through it. The branch pipe 50 has a branch passage 55 formed therein. The base end side of the branch passage 55 communicates with the water passage 21. When water is drained from the water pipe 20, the water in the water passage 21 flows through the branch passage 55. The branch pipe 50 houses an opening/closing valve unit 70 inside.

The on-off valve unit 70 has a storage member 71, a lid member 72, an on-off valve body 73, and a spring member 74. The storage member 71 stores the on-off valve body 73 and the spring member 74 inside. An opening is formed in the outer shell portion of the storage member 71. The inside of the storage member 71 communicates with the branch passage 55 through the opening and is filled with water. The lid member 72 is ring-shaped. The outer periphery of the lid member 72 fits into the storage member 71, and holds the on-off valve body 73 and the spring member 74 inside the storage member 71. The lid member 72 has a valve seat portion 75 on its inner periphery where the O-ring of the on-off valve body 73 sits.

The opening and closing valve body 73 corresponds to the opening and closing member. The opening and closing valve body 73 has a valve portion 76 and a shaft portion 77. The valve portion 76 is disk-shaped. The valve portion 76 has an annular groove formed on the outer periphery for holding an O-ring. The valve portion 76 has a recess 78 with a recessed center on the front side. The recess 78 faces the outside through the opening 53 of the fastening member 52, and is always located on the back side of the opening 53. The recess 78 corresponds to the operated portion. The recess 78 abuts against the insertion portion 62 of the push button 60 described above. The shaft portion 77 is shaped to extend from the bottom surface 761 of the valve portion 76 in the same direction as the branch passage 55. The direction in which the shaft portion 77 extends is the same as the direction in which the opening and closing valve body 73 moves when opening and closing, and is the left-right direction in FIG. 4. The shaft portion 77 is slidably inserted into a cylindrical holding portion 79 formed in the storage member 71.

The recess 78 of the valve portion 76 is open to the atmosphere through the opening 53 of the fastening member 52. Meanwhile, the shaft portion 77 is present in the water that fills the interior of the storage member 71. Therefore, the bottom surface 761 of the valve portion 76 and the end surface 771 of the shaft portion 77 become pressure-receiving surfaces that receive the flow pressure of the water flowing through the water passage leading from the faucet body S1 to the hand shower S4, and the head pressure of the water remaining in the water passage of the hand shower S4 and the shower hose S2, and the opening/closing valve body 73 receives water pressure so that it is seated on the valve seat portion 75, i.e., in a closed state.

The spring member 74 corresponds to the elastic member. The spring member 74 is a coil spring. The spring member 74 is disposed so as to surround the outer periphery of the shaft portion 77. The spring member 74 constantly exerts an elastic force on the on-off valve body 73 in the direction in which the on-off valve body 73 closes, due to its own elastic force.

Next, the method of operating the water draining device 10 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the user attaches the hand shower S4 to the shower hook S3 and places the hand shower S4 at a higher position than the water draining device 10. Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the user inserts the insertion part 62 of the push button 60 into the opening 53 from the direction of the large arrow shown on the right side of FIG. 5. The tip of the insertion part 62 abuts against the recess 78 of the opening and closing valve body 73. Next, when the user presses the operation surface 61 of the push button 60 in the direction in which the insertion part 62 is inserted, the opening and closing valve body 73 moves away from the valve seat part 75 against the water pressure of the water in the water passage 21 and the branch passage 55 and the elastic force of the spring member 74, and changes from the closed state to the open state. When the opening and closing valve body 73 is open, the branch passage 55 communicates with the outside via the opening and closing valve unit 70 and the opening 53. Then, due to its own head pressure, the water in the water passage leading from the hand shower S4 to the shower hose S2 flows from the hand shower S4 toward the water draining device 10 as shown by the thin arrow in FIG. 5, flows between the opening/closing valve body 73 and the valve seat 75, and between the cover member 72 and the insertion part 62, and is discharged to the outside through the opening 53. The water discharged to the outside drips into the washing area from the gap between the surface of the fastening member 52 and the back side of the operating surface 61. If it is desired to prevent water from dripping into the washing area, the user can perform this water draining operation while holding the push button 60 and fastening member 52 with a towel.

Next, when the user pulls out the insertion portion 62 of the push button 60 from the opening 53, the opening/closing valve body 73 automatically seats on the valve seat portion 75 due to the water pressure of the water remaining inside the shower hose S2 and the elastic force of the spring member 74, changing from an open state to a closed state. This prevents mixed water from leaking from the opening 53 when the shower device S is in use.

The amount of water discharged from the shower device S to the outside depends on the time the user holds down the push button 60, the relationship between the height positions of the hand shower S4 and the water draining device 10, and the orientation of the opening 53 of the water draining device 10. Furthermore, the water draining device 10 cannot drain all of the water in the water passage leading from the faucet body S1 to the hand shower S4. However, if the water draining device 10 can drain enough water from the water passage inside the hand shower S4 that no water remains near the water spray holes when the hand shower S4 is attached to the shower hook S3, it can prevent water from leaking from the water spray holes of the hand shower S4.

Next, a method for installing the water draining device 10 will be described. When the water draining device 10 is not attached to the shower device S, the male thread of the shower hose connecting pipe S16 is screwed and connected to the connection part S21 of the shower hose S2. First, the worker loosens the male thread of the shower hose connecting pipe S16 and the connection part S21 of the shower hose S2, and separates them. This method corresponds to the method for disassembling the connection part between the water pipe on the faucet side and the water pipe on the shower head side.

Next, the worker connects the cap nut 30 of the water drainage device 10 by screwing it onto the male thread of the shower hose connection pipe S16. This method corresponds to the method of connecting the faucet side connection part to the faucet side water pipe. At this time, the worker can hook a tool or a finger on the flat part 54 of the branch pipe 50, making the connection work easier.

Next, the worker screws the male threaded portion 40 of the water draining device 10 into the connection portion S21 of the shower hose S2 to connect it. This method corresponds to the method of connecting the shower head side connection portion to the water pipe on the shower head side. As a result, the water passage 21 of the water draining device 10 becomes part of the water passage leading from the faucet body S1 to the hand shower S4.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, the water draining device 100 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment are used in the drawings to designate parts having the same functions as those in the first embodiment, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. As shown in FIG. 7, the water draining device 100 includes a water pipe 200, a male threaded portion 300 on the faucet body side, a male threaded portion 400 on the shower hose side, a branch pipe 500, and a push button 600.

The water pipe 200 corresponds to the water passage section. The water pipe has an L-shaped bent pipe shape. The water pipe 200 has a water passage 210 formed inside. The water passage 210 can communicate with the water passage of the faucet body S1 and the water passage of the shower hose S2.

The male threaded portion 300 on the faucet body side corresponds to the faucet side connection portion. The male threaded portion 300 on the faucet body side is located on one end side of the water passage pipe 200 and is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the water passage pipe 200. The male threaded portion 300 on the faucet body side has a shape that allows it to be screwed into and connected to the portion of the body portion S12 of the faucet body S1 shown in FIG. 2 that connects to the shower hose connection pipe S16. The male threaded portion 300 on the faucet body side can be connected to the body portion S12 in a freely rotatable manner.

The shower hose male thread 400 corresponds to the shower head side connection part. The shower hose male thread 400 is located at the other end of the water pipe 200 and is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the water pipe 200. The shower hose male thread 400 has a shape that allows it to be screwed into and connected to the connection part S21 on one end of the shower hose S2.

The branch pipe 500 corresponds to the branching section. As shown in FIG. 7, the branch pipe 500 extends from a bent portion of the middle portion of the water pipe 200. The branch pipe 500 extends on the same pipe axis as the water pipe 200 on which the shower hose side male thread portion 400 is formed. As in the first embodiment, the branch pipe 500 houses the opening/closing valve unit 70 inside, and is fixed by screwing the fastening member 52 on the end side.

The push button 600 has an operating surface 610 and an insertion portion 620. The operating surface 610 is located in a position exposed from the opening 53 of the fastening member 52. The tip of the insertion portion 620 is formed integrally with the opening/closing valve body 73 of the opening/closing valve unit 70. The opening/closing valve body 73 corresponds to the opening/closing member.

Next, a method of operating the water draining device 100 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 1, the user attaches the hand shower S4 to the shower hook S3 and places the hand shower S4 at a higher position than the water draining device 100. Next, when the user presses the operating surface 610 of the push button 600, the opening/closing valve body 73 is similarly pressed, and the opening/closing valve body 73 changes from a closed state to an open state. Then, the water in the water passage leading from the hand shower S4 to the shower hose S2 is discharged to the outside from the opening 53 due to its own head pressure.

Next, the method of installing the water draining device 100 will be described. First, the worker loosens the screw connection between one end of the shower hose connecting pipe S16 and the connection part S21 of the shower hose S2, and separates them. Next, the worker loosens the screw connection between the main body part S12 of the faucet main body S1 and the other end of the shower hose connecting pipe S16, and separates them. These methods correspond to the methods of disassembling the connection between the water pipe on the faucet side and the water pipe on the shower head side.

Next, the worker screws the male threaded portion 300 of the faucet body of the water draining device 100 into the body portion S12 of the faucet body S1 to connect it. This method corresponds to the method of connecting the faucet side connection portion to the water pipe on the faucet side.

Next, the worker screws the shower hose side male thread portion 400 of the water draining device 100 into the connection portion S21 of the shower hose S2 to connect it. This method corresponds to the method of connecting the shower head side connection portion to the shower head side water pipe. As a result, the water passage 210 of the water draining device 100 becomes part of the water passage leading from the faucet body S1 to the hand shower S4.

<Actions and Effects of the First and Second Embodiments>
Next, the operation and effect of the first and second embodiments will be described. The water draining device 10, 100 is connected as a part of the water passage leading from the faucet body S1 to the hand shower S4 head. The water draining device 10 is provided with a water pipe 20 in which a water passage 21 is formed, which communicates with the water passage of the shower hose connecting pipe S16 and the water passage of the shower hose S2. The water draining device 10 is provided with a cap nut 30 that can be connected to the male thread of the shower hose connecting pipe S16, and a male threaded portion 40 that can be connected to the connecting portion S21 of the shower hose S2. The water draining device 100 is provided with a water pipe 200 that has a water passage 210 that communicates with the water passage of the faucet body S1 and the water passage of the shower hose S2. The water draining device 100 is provided with a faucet body side male threaded portion 300 that can be connected to the main body portion S12 of the faucet body S1, and a shower hose side male threaded portion 400 that can be connected to the connecting portion S21 of the shower hose S2. This allows the water draining device 10, 100 to be easily attached to the shower device S installed in the bathroom. The water draining device 10, 100 also includes an opening 53 that connects the water passage 21, 210 to the outside, and an opening/closing valve body 73 that opens and closes the opening 53 and is operable from a closed state to an open state in response to an operating force from the outside. This allows the water draining device 10, 100 to not discharge water in the water passage 21 to the outside unless the user intentionally operates the opening/closing valve body 73. Therefore, the user can intentionally perform a water draining operation by using the water draining device 10, 100.

The opening and closing valve body 73 of the water draining device 10, 100 has a valve portion 76 and a shaft portion 77 that receive the water pressure of the water in the water passage 21, 210 in the closing direction. As a result, the water draining device 10, 100 can prevent water from leaking from the opening 53 when the shower device S is in use. Therefore, the water draining device 10, 100 does not discharge the water in the water passage 21, 210 to the outside unless the user intentionally performs the water draining operation. In addition, the opening and closing valve body 73 of the water draining device 10, 100 does not open from the time the shower device S is used until the water draining operation is performed. As a result, the water draining device 10, 100 can prevent water, detergent, etc. from entering the inside through the opening 53. Therefore, the water draining device 10, 100 can keep the shower device S hygienic.

The opening and closing valve unit 70 of the water draining device 10, 100 has a spring member 74 that always applies an elastic force in the closing direction. As a result, the water draining device 10, 100 can prevent water from leaking from the opening 53 not only when the shower device S is in use, but also when the shower device S is not in use. Therefore, the water draining device 10, 100 does not discharge water in the water passage 21, 210 to the outside unless the user intentionally performs the water draining operation. Also, the opening and closing valve body 73 of the water draining device 10, 100 does not open when the water draining operation is not performed. As a result, the water draining device 10, 100 can prevent water, detergent, etc. from entering the inside through the opening 53. Therefore, the water draining device 10, 100 can keep the shower device S hygienic.

The water draining device 10, 100 is equipped with a branch pipe 50, 500 that branches off and extends from the water passage pipe 20, 200. A fastening member 52 is fixed to the end of the branch pipe 50, 500. The fastening member 52 has an opening 53 formed on its surface. This allows the water draining device 10, 100 to easily form the opening 53 for discharging water in the water passage 21, 210 to the outside.

The opening/closing valve unit 70 of the water draining device 10, 100 is housed inside the branch pipe 50, 500. This eliminates the need to place a component for opening and closing the opening 53 inside the water passage pipe 20, 200, and there are no components in the water passage leading from the faucet body S1 to the hand shower S4 that could impede the flow of water and cause pressure loss. Therefore, even if the water draining device 10, 100 is connected as part of the water passage leading from the faucet body S1 to the hand shower S4, the user can use the shower device S as well as when the water draining device 10, 100 is not connected.

The water pipe 20 of the water draining device 10 can rotate freely with respect to the bag nut 30, with the direction in which the water pipe 20 extends as an axis. As a result, even if the shower hose S2 is twisted when the shower device S is used, the water pipe 20 can also rotate with it, preventing the bag nut 30 from loosening. Therefore, the water draining device 10 can maintain a good connection with the shower device S. In addition, when installing the water draining device 10 or performing a water draining operation, the user can rotate the water pipe 20 to adjust the direction of the opening 53. This allows the user to easily install the water draining device 10 or perform a water draining operation. In addition, the user can rotate the water pipe 20 so that the opening 53 of the water draining device 10 faces the wall surface on which the faucet body S1 is installed, making the water draining device 10 less noticeable when using the shower device S. Therefore, the water draining device 10 can prevent the user from accidentally performing a water draining operation.

The opening/closing valve body 73 of the water draining device 10 has a recess 78 that receives an operating force, located behind the opening 53. This allows the user to touch the exterior of the water draining device 10 without touching the opening/closing valve body 73 when using or cleaning the shower device S. Therefore, the water draining device 10 does not discharge water in the water passage 21 to the outside unless the user intentionally performs a water draining operation.

The water draining device 10 is equipped with a push button 60. The push button 60 can be operated to change the on-off valve body 73 from a closed state to an open state by abutting against the recess 78. This allows the user to use the push button 60 to open the on-off valve body 73 located behind the opening 53. The push button 60 is also detachable from the on-off valve body 73. This allows the user to store the push button 60 away from the shower device S, and the water draining device 10 can prevent the user from accidentally touching the push button 60 to perform the water draining operation when using the shower device S. Therefore, the water draining device 10 does not discharge water in the water passage 21 to the outside unless the user intentionally uses the push button 60 to perform the water draining operation.

The push button 60 of the water draining device 10 has an insertion portion 62 that is inserted from the opening 53 and abuts against the recess 78. This allows the user to use the push button 60 to open the on-off valve body 73 located behind the opening 53. In addition, the water draining device 10 can use one opening 53 to both discharge water to the outside and operate the on-off valve body 73 to the open state, and there is no need to form multiple openings to achieve each function. Therefore, the water draining device 10 can discharge water to the outside with a simple structure. In addition, if it is desired to prevent water from dripping into the washing area, the user can perform the water draining operation by pressing the push button 60 while holding the push button 60 and the fastening member 52 with a towel. Therefore, the water draining device 10 can easily perform the water draining operation.

The opening/closing valve body 73 of the water draining device 100 is integrated with the push button 600. This means that the user does not need to store the push button 600 separately from the shower device S, and can immediately perform the water draining operation when they want to drain water. Therefore, the water draining device 100 allows for easy water draining operation.

The water draining device 10 can be attached to a shower device S installed in a bathroom. First, the worker loosens the male thread of the shower hose connection pipe S16 and the connection part S21 of the shower hose S2, which are screwed together, and separates them. Next, the worker screws the cap nut 30 of the water draining device 10 into the male thread of the shower hose connection pipe S16 to connect it. Next, the worker screws the male thread part 40 of the water draining device 10 into the connection part S21 of the shower hose S2 to connect it. As a result, the water passage 21 of the water draining device 10 becomes part of the water passage leading from the faucet body S1 to the hand shower S4. Therefore, even if the water draining device 10 is attached to the shower device S, the user can use the shower device S smoothly in the same way as when the water draining device 10 is not attached. In addition, by attaching the water draining device 10 to the shower device S, a function can be added that allows intentional drainage operation from the shower device S installed in the bathroom.

The water draining device 100 can be attached to a shower device S installed in a bathroom. First, the worker loosens the screw connection between one end of the shower hose connection pipe S16 and the connection part S21 of the shower hose S2 to separate them. Next, the worker loosens the screw connection between the main body part S12 of the faucet main body S1 and the other end of the shower hose connection pipe S16 to separate them. Next, the worker screws the faucet main body side male thread part 300 of the water draining device 100 to the main body part S12 of the faucet main body S1 to connect them. Next, the worker screws the shower hose side male thread part 400 of the water draining device 100 to the connection part S21 of the shower hose S2 to connect them. As a result, the water passage 210 of the water draining device 100 becomes part of the water passage leading from the faucet main body S1 to the hand shower S4. Therefore, even if the water draining device 100 is attached to the shower device S, the user can use the shower device S as smoothly as if the water draining device 100 was not attached. Also, by attaching the water draining device 100 to the shower device S, a function can be added that allows the user to intentionally drain water from the shower device S installed in the bathroom.

<Other embodiments>
The present disclosure is not limited to the first and second embodiments described above with reference to the drawings, and the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the invention.
(1) The water draining device 10 is connected to the connection between the shower hose connecting pipe S16 and the shower hose S2, and the water draining device 100 is connected to the connection between the main body S12 and the shower hose S2 instead of the shower hose connecting pipe S16. However, the water draining device 100 may be connected to any part of the water pipe leading from the faucet main body S1 to the hand shower S4, or may be connected to the connection between the shower hose S2 and the hand shower S4.
(2) The water drainage devices 10, 100 are connected to a shower device S equipped with a hand shower S4, but may also be connected to a shower device equipped with an overhead shower fixed near the ceiling of the bathroom so that water in the water passage leading from the faucet to the overhead shower can be drained to the outside.
(3) The water drainage devices 10, 100 are connected to the shower device S by screwing them together, but the connection structure is not limited to screws. They may be connected by fitting an elastically deformable fixing clip from the outside, or they may be connected by fixing them with screws.
(4) The water drainage device 10, 100 includes the branch pipe 50, 500, but may not include the branch pipe 50, 500. In this case, the opening 53 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the water passage 20, 210. The opening/closing valve body 73 is housed in the water passage 21, 210.
(5) The male thread portion 40 of the water drainage device 10 cannot rotate relative to the water pipe 20, but may be freely rotatable relative to the water pipe 20, like the cap nut 30.
(6) The water draining device 10 is equipped with a push button 60 dedicated to the water draining operation, but the user can use a general-purpose tool such as a flat-head screwdriver to operate the opening/closing valve body 73 from a closed state to an open state.
(7) The water draining devices 10, 100 are provided with the on-off valve unit 70, but the opening 53 may be closed by fixing a screw from the outside to the opening 53, thereby making it possible to open and close the opening 53. In this case, the screw itself is the opening/closing member. A user can open the opening 53 and drain the water by loosening the screw relative to the opening 53 or removing the screw from the opening 53.
(8) The water draining devices 10, 100 are connected to the shower device S that has already been installed in the bathroom, but may also be connected to the shower device S from the beginning before it is installed in the bathroom.
(9) The water draining device 10, 100 discharges water in the water passage 21, 210 to the outside through the opening 53, but can also be operated to drain water by taking in outside air through the opening 53. In this case, the user first removes the hand shower S4 from the shower hook S3 and places the hand shower S4 and the shower hose S2 at a position lower than the water draining device 10, 100. Next, the user presses the push button 60, 600 to open the opening/closing valve body 73. Then, the water passage 21, 210 is released to atmospheric pressure through the opening 53, and the water in the water passage 21, 210 flows out of the water draining device 10, 100 toward the hand shower S4 due to its own head pressure, and is discharged to the outside through a plurality of spray holes formed on the spray surface S41 of the hand shower S4. Next, the user stops pressing the push button 60, 600 and attaches the hand shower S4 to the shower hook S3. Even with this operating method, the water draining device 10, 100 can drain the water inside the hand shower S4 to the outside.
(10) The method of installing the water drainage device 10 has been described as first connecting the cap nut 30 to the male thread of the shower hose connecting pipe S16 and then connecting the male threaded portion 40 to the connection portion S21 of the shower hose S2. However, the installation may also be performed in the order of first connecting the male threaded portion 40 to the connection portion S21 of the shower hose S2 and then connecting the cap nut 30 to the male thread of the shower hose connecting pipe S16.

10,100...Draining device, 20,200...Water passage pipe (water passage part), 30...Cap nut (faucet side connection part), 300...Male thread part on faucet body side (faucet side connection part), 40...Male thread part (shower head side connection part), 400...Male thread part on shower hose side (shower head side connection part), 50,500...Branch pipe (branch part), 53...Opening, 60...Push button (operating member), 62...Insertion part, 73...Opening and closing valve body (opening and closing member), 74...Spring member (elastic member), 761...Bottom surface (part of pressure receiving surface), 771...End surface (part of pressure receiving surface), 78...Recess (operated part), S...Shower device, S1...Faucet body (faucet), S4...Hand shower (shower head)

Claims (10)

A water draining device connected to a water pipe leading from a faucet to a shower head,
A water passage portion communicating with the water passage of the water pipe;
A faucet side connection part formed on one end side of the water passage part and freely connectable to the water passage pipe on the faucet side;
a shower head side connection part formed on the other end side of the water passage part and connectable to the water passage pipe on the shower head side;
An opening that connects the water passage with the outside;
an opening/closing member that opens and closes the opening, is operable from a closed state to an open state by receiving an operating force from the outside, and has an operated part that receives the operating force on a deeper side than the opening ;
an operating member that can be brought into contact with the operated portion to operate the opening/closing member from a closed state to an open state, is detachable from the opening/closing member, and can be inserted and removed from the opening;
A water drainage device equipped with: The water drainage device according to claim 1, wherein the opening/closing member closes the opening when the operated portion is not receiving an operating force, and opens the opening only while the operated portion is receiving an operating force. The water drainage device according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the opening and closing member has a pressure-receiving surface that receives the water pressure of the water in the water passage in the closing direction. The water drainage device according to claim 3, wherein the pressure-receiving surface is a surface that is parallel to the flow of water in the water passage. The water drainage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, which is provided with an elastic member that applies an elastic force in the direction in which the opening and closing member is closed. The water drainage device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, which is provided with a branching section that extends from a straight portion of the water passage section and has the opening located at the distal end. The water drainage device according to claim 6, wherein the opening and closing member is disposed inside the branching portion. The water drainage device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the water passage part is rotatable about an axis along which the water passage extends, relative to the faucet side connection part or the shower head side connection part. The water draining device according to claim 1 , wherein the operating member has an insertion portion that is inserted through the opening and comes into contact with the operated portion. A method for attaching the water draining device according to any one of claims 1 to 9 to a shower device installed in a bathroom, comprising:
The water pipe includes a water pipe on the faucet side and a water pipe on the shower head side,
Disassemble the connection between the water faucet side water pipe and the water head side water pipe;
The faucet side connection part is connected to the faucet side water pipe,
A method for attaching a water draining device, comprising: connecting the shower head side connector to the water pipe on the shower head side.

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