JP7846863B2 - Bathroom system - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates to a bathroom system for disinfecting bathrooms.

There is considerable user dissatisfaction with mold and bacteria buildup in bathrooms. To address this, for example, as described in Patent Document 1, a bathroom ventilation fan is known that sprays a mist of electrolyzed water (disinfectant water) into the bathroom from an electrolyzed water spraying device mounted on the bathroom ceiling to disinfect the bathroom, and then ventilates it.

Furthermore, as described in Patent Document 2, a bathroom heating and ventilation fan is known that sprays electrolyzed water from an electrolyzed water spraying unit installed on the bathroom ceiling to suppress the generation of slime and other dirt caused by yeast and other fungi that proliferate on the bathroom floor. It then performs a drying operation and a fan operation to effectively suppress the growth of yeast and other fungi in the bathroom.

Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-292183 Japanese Patent Publication No. 2019-165831

In the conventional devices described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 mentioned above, electrolyzed water (disinfectant water) is sprayed from the bathroom ceiling. Therefore, the electrolyzed water accumulates on visible surfaces and cannot act on the back surfaces or crevices of the objects to be disinfected.

Therefore, in conventional devices, electrolyzed water is sprayed, and then the air in the bathroom is circulated by a ventilation fan to allow the electrolyzed water to act. However, if the mist of the sprayed electrolyzed water is fine, the electrolyzed water vaporizes during circulation, reducing the concentration of the active ingredients in the electrolyzed water. By the time it reaches the back or crevices of the object to be disinfected, the disinfecting effect is lost. Furthermore, the mist of the electrolyzed water adheres to various parts of the bathroom, causing limescale buildup and damaging the appearance.

The inventors of this invention, in order to solve the problems of the prior art described above, diligently conducted research and, building upon the conventional methods of disinfecting bathrooms by considering factors such as the spray distance, concentration, and volume of disinfectant water, discovered that by dissolving the "active ingredients of the disinfectant water that vaporize after spraying," which were not used in conventional disinfection methods, into the remaining water in the bathroom, the disinfectant can reach every corner of the bathroom, thereby disinfecting a wider area.

This invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art and to provide a bathroom system that can efficiently disinfect the bathroom by distributing the active ingredients of vaporized disinfectant water throughout the bathroom.

To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a bathroom system for disinfecting the inside of a bathroom, comprising: a disinfecting water device equipped with a disinfecting water discharge unit that sprays disinfecting water into the bathroom; a ventilation and circulation device that performs a ventilation operation to discharge the air inside the bathroom to the outside and a circulation operation to circulate the air inside the bathroom and vaporize the disinfecting water; and a control unit that controls the disinfecting water device and the ventilation and circulation device, wherein the control unit controls the disinfecting water device and the ventilation and circulation device so that the ventilation and circulation device performs a circulation operation to circulate the air inside the bathroom while the disinfecting water discharge unit of the disinfecting water device is discharging disinfecting water and even after the discharge of disinfecting water has finished, and further controls the ventilation and circulation device so that the first air circulation volume by the ventilation and circulation device while the disinfecting water is being discharged is greater than the second air circulation volume of the air after the discharge of disinfecting water has finished.
In the present invention configured as described above, the control unit controls the disinfectant water device and the ventilation/circulation device so that the ventilation/circulation device circulates the air in the bathroom while the disinfectant water discharge unit of the disinfectant water device is discharging disinfectant water and even after the discharge of disinfectant water has finished. Furthermore, the control unit controls the ventilation/circulation device so that the first circulating air volume by the ventilation/circulation device while disinfectant water is being discharged is greater than the second circulating air volume after the discharge of disinfectant water has finished. As a result, the circulating air volume is increased while a large amount of discharged disinfectant water is present in the bathroom, thereby enabling the vaporization of the active ingredients of the highly concentrated disinfectant water. On the other hand, there is a problem that disinfectant water leaks to the outside even during the circulation operation, but in the present invention, the circulating air volume is reduced after the discharge of disinfectant water has finished, so the amount of active ingredients of the disinfectant water that leaks to the outside of the bathroom is also reduced, and the vaporized active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be deposited throughout the entire bathroom by utilizing the time after the disinfectant water has finished being discharged.

In the present invention, preferably, the disinfectant water discharge section of the disinfectant water device discharges disinfectant water intermittently.
If disinfectant water is continuously sprayed, the disinfectant water density (definition: "disinfectant water concentration" or "amount of disinfectant water that can dissolve in the air") near the disinfectant water spraying area will become saturated. As a result, the vaporization efficiency of the disinfectant water will decrease. To solve this, in the present invention, disinfectant water is discharged intermittently, that is, a disinfectant water OFF time (a time when disinfectant water is not sprayed) is periodically provided. This disinfectant water OFF time replaces the saturated or nearly saturated air near the disinfectant water spraying area, thereby suppressing the decrease in the vaporization efficiency of the disinfectant water. As a result, according to the present invention, disinfectant water can be distributed throughout the bathroom without spraying an unnecessarily large amount of disinfectant water. In addition, by discharging disinfectant water intermittently, disinfectant water can be saved compared to continuously spraying disinfectant water, and furthermore, electrode wear and power consumption in the device that generates the disinfectant water can be suppressed.

In the present invention, preferably, the control unit controls the ventilation and circulation device so that the third circulating airflow from the ventilation and circulation device is greater than the second circulating airflow during the OFF time of the intermittent discharge of disinfectant water from the disinfectant water device.
In the present invention configured as described above, the control unit controls the ventilation and circulation device so that the third circulating airflow from the ventilation and circulation device becomes greater than the second circulating airflow during the disinfectant water OFF time of the disinfectant water discharge from the disinfectant water device. This makes it easier to replace the saturated or nearly saturated air near the disinfectant water spray area even in a short time, and more effectively suppresses a decrease in the vaporization efficiency of the disinfectant water.

In the present invention, preferably, the control unit controls the ventilation and circulation device so that after the disinfecting water device has discharged disinfecting water, it circulates the air in the bathroom, and then ventilates the bathroom.
In the present invention configured as described above, the control unit controls the ventilation and circulation device so that after the disinfectant water device has discharged disinfectant water, it circulates the air in the bathroom, and then ventilates the bathroom. This prevents humidity from rising due to the disinfectant water remaining in the bathroom, and makes it possible to suppress mold growth.

According to the bathroom system of the present invention, the active ingredients of the vaporized disinfectant water can be distributed throughout the bathroom, allowing for efficient disinfection of the bathroom.

This is a diagram illustrating the basic principle of a bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a perspective view showing a bathroom in which a bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention is used. Figure 2 is a magnified perspective view of the area near the counter. This is a partial cross-sectional view of the water discharge device along the line IV-IV in Figure 2. This is a front view showing the nozzle section of the water discharge device. This is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI in Figure 5. This is a perspective view showing disinfectant water being sprayed from the disinfectant water nozzle opening of the nozzle section of the water discharge device. This is a perspective view showing tap water being sprayed from the retained water nozzle opening of the nozzle section of the water discharge device. This is a cross-sectional view showing the "ventilation damper open state (ventilation state)" of the bathroom drying device of a bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a cross-sectional view showing the "ventilation damper closed state (circulation state)" of the bathroom drying device of a bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a time chart showing the operation of a bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This window opens to show the operation of the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram and table illustrate the "pre-wash operation" performed by the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This diagram and table illustrate the "disinfectant water discharge operation" performed by the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a front perspective view showing the discharge of disinfectant water during the circulating operation performed by a bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a side perspective view showing the discharge of disinfectant water during the circulating operation performed by a bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention. This is a front perspective view showing the discharge of disinfectant water during the circulating motion in which the louvers of the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention oscillate. This diagram shows the temporal change in the spatial concentration of disinfectant water in a bathroom during the time when disinfectant water is dispensed ON and OFF when the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention continuously dispenses disinfectant water.

First, the basic principle of the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a diagram illustrating the basic principle of the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in Figure 1, conventionally, disinfectant water with a free chlorine concentration A was discharged from a nozzle, and it was necessary that the disinfectant water reached the target area where it would exert its effect at a concentration B. Furthermore, the amount of water that landed at the target area and the duration of action were also important.

In this conventional technology, the disinfectant water sprayed from the nozzle would volatilize (vaporize) before reaching the target point, resulting in a decrease in the concentration of the disinfectant water. Therefore, it was necessary to consider the "concentration × amount of water applied × action time" when spraying the disinfectant water, making it difficult to disinfect a large area of the bathroom.

Here, since the active ingredients of the disinfectant water that volatilize (vaporize) during the time it travels from the nozzle to the target area are not utilized in the disinfection process, the inventors discovered a way to utilize these volatilized active ingredients in the disinfection process. Specifically, by first creating a closed space within the bathroom, the volatilized disinfectant water is dissolved in the remaining water on the bathroom floor, bathtub apron, counter back, walls, etc. This allows the vaporized active ingredients of the disinfectant water to spread throughout the bathroom, enabling efficient disinfection.

Next, a bathroom in which the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention is used will be described with reference to Figures 2 and 3. Figure 2 is a perspective view showing a bathroom in which the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention is used, and Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the area near the counter in Figure 2.
As shown in Figure 2, the bathroom 1 comprises a first wall 2, a second wall 4, a third wall 6, and a fourth wall 8 that form four sides of a roughly rectangular parallelepiped. A bathtub 10 is provided on the side of the second wall 4, and a washing area floor 12 is provided below the area between the fourth wall 8 and the bathtub 10. A drain 14 is provided near the bathtub 10 on the washing area floor 12, and hot water is discharged to the outside from this drain 14.

A counter 16 is provided on a portion of the third wall 6. Above the counter 16 on the third wall 6, a mirror, water tap, shower hose, etc., are provided. On the underside of the counter 16, a water dispensing device 22 is provided for dispensing disinfectant water and tap water (water), which constitute part of the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment.

A ceiling 24 is attached to the upper ends of the first wall 2 to the fourth wall 8 described above, and a bathroom drying device 26 is provided on this ceiling 24 for ventilating and drying the air inside the bathroom 1, which constitutes part of the bathroom system 20. As will be described later, this bathroom drying device 26 is for ventilating and circulating the air inside the bathroom, and furthermore, it is a device for vaporizing the disinfectant water that is discharged by circulating the air, and thus corresponds to a "ventilation and circulation device" and/or a "circulation device".
Furthermore, outside the bathroom 1, there is an operation panel 28 for operating the bathroom system 20 and a control device 30 for controlling the operation of the water discharge device 22 and the bathroom drying device 26 mentioned above.

As a variation, the operation panel 28 may be formed as an operation screen displayed on the screen of an electronic device such as a smartphone or remote control. That is, the operation panel 28 may form an operation unit that receives operation input from the user via operation buttons on such an operation screen. In this case, the operation panel 28 of the electronic device such as a smartphone or remote control is electrically connected to the control unit 30 by wireless communication such as the Internet or infrared communication.
Furthermore, as another variation, the control panel 28 may be a voice control unit that accepts operation input from the user via voice input, or a gesture control unit that accepts operation input from the user via gesture input of the user's fingers, etc. (for example, the user's fingers, etc. are detected when the user holds their fingers, etc. over a predetermined space for a certain period of time, and this is detected as operation input and accepted).

As shown in Figure 3, the counter 16 has a top plate 16a and a lower cover 16b, and is positioned above and spaced apart from the washing area floor 12.

Next, the water discharge device 22 will be described with reference to Figures 4 to 8. Figure 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the water discharge device along the line IV-IV in Figure 2, Figure 5 is a front view showing the nozzle section of the water discharge device, Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view along the line VI-VI in Figure 5, Figure 7 is a perspective view showing disinfectant water being sprayed from the disinfectant water nozzle opening of the nozzle section of the water discharge device, and Figure 8 is a perspective view showing tap water being sprayed from the stagnant water nozzle opening of the nozzle section of the water discharge device.

As shown in Figure 4, a water dispensing device 22 is provided inside the counter 16 (between the top plate 16a and the lower cover 16b), and this water dispensing device 22 is equipped with a nozzle portion 32 that protrudes downward from the lower cover 16b of the counter 16.
As shown in Figure 3, the nozzle section 32 is positioned below the counter 16, spaced apart from the washing area floor 12. Furthermore, the nozzle section 32 is located near the center of the counter 16 in the lateral direction, that is, near the center of the washing area floor 12 in the lateral direction.

Returning to Figure 4, the water discharge device 22 includes a first strainer 36, a first solenoid valve 38, a second solenoid valve 40, a pressure regulating valve 42, a vacuum breaker 44, a check valve 46, a disinfectant water generation unit 48, and a second strainer 50. The first strainer 36 is connected to an external water supply pipe (not shown), and downstream of the first strainer 36, the water flow path branches into two. Note that the vacuum breaker 44 is not required.

One of the flow paths 51 downstream of the first strainer 36 is configured to supply tap water directly to the nozzle section 32 via the first solenoid valve 38. Opening the first solenoid valve 38 allows tap water to be supplied to the nozzle section 32. The first solenoid valve 38 and the nozzle section 32, located in this one flow path 51, spray tap water onto the washing area floor 12, forming residual water on the floor 12.

The other flow path 52 downstream of the first strainer 36 is connected, in order from upstream, to the second solenoid valve 40, pressure regulating valve 42, vacuum breaker 44, check valve 46, disinfectant water generation unit 48, and second strainer 50, supplying disinfectant water to the nozzle unit 32. Note that the vacuum breaker 44 is not required.

The first solenoid valve 38 and the second solenoid valve 40 are configured to perform the operations of opening the aforementioned water channels 51 and 52, and closing the water channels 51 and 52, respectively.

The pressure regulating valve 42 controls the pressure of the supplied tap water. This allows the flow rate of tap water supplied to the disinfectant water generation unit 48 (details of which will be described later) to be adjusted to a desired value. By adjusting the flow rate of tap water supplied to the disinfectant water generation unit 48, the flow rate of disinfectant water supplied to the nozzle unit 32 is adjusted. Alternatively, the flow rate of tap water may be adjusted by a second solenoid valve 40 instead of, or in addition to, the pressure regulating valve 42.

The disinfectant water generation unit 48 is an electrolytic chamber (electrolytic cell) having an anode and a cathode. The disinfectant water generation unit 48 generates disinfectant water containing hypochlorous acid by applying a voltage between the anode and cathode and electrolyzing the tap water flowing between these electrodes. Since tap water contains chloride ions, hypochlorous acid is generated by electrolyzing these chloride ions. Here, the nozzle unit 32 corresponds to the "disinfectant water discharge unit."

The first solenoid valve 38, the second solenoid valve 40, the pressure regulating valve 42, and the disinfectant water generation unit 48 are appropriately controlled by the control device 30. This allows for independent control of the spraying of tap water from the nozzle unit 32 and the spraying of disinfectant water from the nozzle unit 32.

Specifically, the first solenoid valve 38 and the second solenoid valve 40 open and close the water channels 51 and 52 based on signals from the control device 30. This controls the flow rate of the water supplied downstream. Furthermore, the disinfectant water generation unit 48 switches the electrolysis chamber ON/OFF based on signals from the control device 30. In this way, the control device 30 can control the concentration of various components in the disinfectant water, the instantaneous flow rate (flow rate per unit time) of the discharged water and disinfectant water, and the total volume of disinfectant water discharged.

The disinfectant water described above is functional water that has the function of reducing bacteria, mold, and yeast, and is, for example, water containing hypochlorous acid. Tap water contains chloride ions, so hypochlorous acid is produced by electrolyzing these chloride ions. As a result, the electrolyzed water changes into a liquid containing hypochlorous acid (HOCl). This hypochlorous acid vaporizes to become disinfectant water gas ( _Cl₂O ). This dichlorine monoxide is the active ingredient in the disinfectant water gas.

The disinfectant water may be water containing metal ions (for example, water containing metal ions such as silver ions, copper ions, or zinc ions) or water containing ozone. For example, when tap water is electrolyzed, acid (H ⁺ ) is consumed at the cathode, and the pH rises near the cathode. That is, alkaline water is produced near the cathode. On the other hand, alkali ( ^OH- ) is consumed at the anode, and the pH falls near the anode. That is, acidic water is produced near the anode. By changing the flow rate in the disinfectant water generation unit 48, the concentration of components contained in the disinfectant water can be controlled. In this case, metal ions such as silver ions, copper ions, or zinc ions, or ozone ( _O3 ), are vaporized active ingredients.

Furthermore, while the disinfectant water generation unit 48 described above generates disinfectant water by electrolysis, it is not limited to this method. For example, disinfectant water may be generated by dissolving a disinfectant agent in tap water.

In this embodiment, "effective" in the context of the active ingredient of vaporized disinfectant water refers to, for example, a reduction rate of 10% or more of bacteria, mold, and yeast attached to the target object. More specifically, if the amount of bacteria, mold, and yeast attached to the target object is reduced to 90% or less by the vaporized disinfectant water, the vaporized disinfectant water is defined as being effective.

In this embodiment, as will be described in detail later, the nozzle section 32 is rotationally driven by an electric motor 53. The electric motor 53 is, for example, a stepping motor. The electric motor 53 is controlled by a control device 30. As a result, the rotation angle and rotation speed of the nozzle section 32 change based on signals from the control device 30, as the electric motor 53 is controlled (see Figures 13 and 14). Furthermore, an operation panel 28 equipped with a switch for starting the disinfection process is connected to the control device 30, allowing bathroom users to perform operations other than disinfection as needed.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the nozzle section 32 includes a first water passage section (stagnant water passage section) 54, a second water passage section (disinfectant water passage section) 56, a stagnant water nozzle opening 58 formed in the stagnant water passage section 54, and a disinfectant water nozzle opening 60 formed in the disinfectant water passage section 56.

The tap water that has passed through the first solenoid valve 38 is supplied into the first flow path section 54 and discharged from the first nozzle opening 58. The disinfected water generated by the disinfected water generation section 48 is supplied into the second flow path section 56 and discharged from the second nozzle opening 60.

As shown in Figures 7 and 8, tap water is discharged from the stagnant water nozzle opening 58 onto the surface of the washing area floor 12 in a vertical V-shape, forming a vertical plate. Similarly, disinfectant water is discharged (sprayed) from the disinfectant water nozzle opening 60 onto the surface of the washing area floor 12 in a vertical V-shape, forming a vertical plate. Furthermore, the nozzle section 32 is rotated around its axis by the electric motor 53, causing the nozzle section 32 to oscillate along the washing area floor 12 as indicated by arrow S1. This allows tap water and disinfectant water to be discharged over a wide horizontal range (25 to 335 degrees, etc.) (see Figures 13 and 14).

Next, the bathroom drying device 26 installed on the ceiling 24 of the bathroom 1 will be described with reference to Figures 9 and 10. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the bathroom drying device 26 in the "ventilation damper open state (ventilation state)," and Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the bathroom drying device 26 in the "ventilation damper closed state (circulation state)." In this circulation state, heating is performed before bathing, during bathing, and "disinfectant water is dispensed" by the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment. The arrows in the figures indicate the flow of air.

As shown in Figure 9, the bathroom drying device 26 comprises a housing 70, the lower part of which communicates with the interior of the bathroom 1 via an opening 72. A fan 74 is installed inside the housing 70 and rotated by an electric motor (not shown). The rotation of this fan 74 draws in air from the bathroom 1. Furthermore, an exhaust damper 76 and a heater 78 are provided downstream of the fan 74 inside the housing 70. An exhaust port 79 is also provided downstream of the exhaust damper 76.

As shown in Figure 9, when the bathroom drying device 26 ventilates the bathroom 1, the exhaust damper 76 is opened, and the air drawn in by the fan 74 from the bathroom 1 is discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 79.

Next, as shown in Figure 10, when heating the bathroom 1 before and during bathing, the exhaust damper 76 is closed, the air inside the bathroom 1 drawn in by the fan 74 is heated by the heater 78, and this heated air returns to the bathroom 1 through the opening 72 and the louvers 80. In this way, the air inside the bathroom 1 is circulated with the bathroom drying device 26, and the air inside the bathroom 1 is maintained at a desired temperature (for example, 20°C).

Furthermore, a louver 80 is attached to the opening 72 downstream of the heater 78, and this louver 80 is equipped with multiple blades 80a. These multiple blades 80a are linked together by an electric motor 80b via a link mechanism, allowing the user to adjust the direction of the air sent into the bathroom 1 by tilting the multiple blades 80a by a predetermined angle using the control panel 28. In addition, when drying and heating the bathroom 1, the multiple blades 80a oscillate as indicated by arrow S2.

Even when the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment performs "disinfectant water discharge," as shown in Figure 10, the exhaust damper 76 is closed, the air inside the bathroom 1 drawn in by the fan 74 is heated by the heater 78, and this heated air returns to the bathroom 1 through the opening 72, causing the air inside the bathroom 1 to circulate with the bathroom drying device 26.

In this case, the multiple blades 80a of the louver 80 may be fixed at a predetermined angle and perform a circulating motion (see Figures 15 and 16), or they may perform a circulating motion by the oscillating motion indicated by arrow S2 (see Figure 17).
When this "disinfectant water dispensing" is performed, the bathroom 1 is not ventilated, so the air inside the bathroom 1 is trapped inside. Because the bathroom 1 is a closed space, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water that are sprayed and vaporized inside the bathroom 1 can be distributed throughout the bathroom without being discharged outside.

Here, the cycle of the oscillation motion of the multiple blades 80a of the louver 80 of the bathroom drying device 26 is preferably in the range of 10 to 60 seconds. One cycle is the time it takes for the blades to complete one back-and-forth motion.

Furthermore, as mentioned above, the nozzle 32 that dispenses the disinfectant water is located below the counter 16, and therefore acts as a "windbreak" against the airflow from the bathroom drying device 26 installed on the ceiling 24. This prevents the disinfectant water immediately after being dispensed from the nozzle 32 from directly contacting the air discharged from the bathroom drying device 26.

Next, the "pre-washing" and "disinfectant water discharge" processes performed by the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figures 11 and 12. Figure 11 is a time chart showing the operation of the bathroom system according to the embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the operation of the bathroom system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in Figure 11, the bathroom drying device 26 ventilates the air inside the bathroom 1 for a predetermined time of 12 minutes from the start of operation (see Figure 9). This ventilation operation is preferably performed within a range of 1 to 60 minutes, including the 12 minutes. In this ventilated state, the water discharge device 22 performs a "pre-wash" by spraying water onto the washing area floor 12 of the bathroom 1.
During the 12 minutes that these ventilation operations and pre-washing are being performed, disinfectant water will not be dispensed.

Next, after 12 minutes have elapsed since the start, the bathroom drying device 26 closes the exhaust damper 76 and stops ventilation for 34 minutes (see Figure 10). With the bathroom now a closed space, the heater 78 is turned ON to warm the air inside the bathroom 1, and the warmed air is circulated within the bathroom 1.
After 12 minutes from the start, the water dispensing device 22 stops dispensing water for 4 minutes and waits. Then, for 30 minutes, the water dispensing device 22 intermittently dispenses disinfectant water, and then terminates the disinfectant water dispensing. Details of this intermittent disinfectant water dispensing will be described later.

As is clear from Figure 11, the time for circulating air with the heater ON is 34 minutes, and the time for intermittently discharging disinfectant water is 30 minutes. These two time periods overlap by 30 minutes, and during this overlapping period, the circulation operation and disinfectant water discharge are controlled to run simultaneously.

When the water discharge device 22 is dispensing disinfectant water, as described above, the bathroom drying device 26 closes the exhaust damper 76 to stop ventilation, heats the air in the bathroom 1 with the heater 78, and circulates the warmed air. This circulating air causes the discharged disinfectant water to volatilize and vaporize. While the circulation of warmed air is effective for vaporizing the disinfectant water, simply turning off the heater 78 and blowing air will also vaporize the disinfectant water. It is not necessary for all of the disinfectant water to vaporize; a mixture of atomized and vaporized disinfectant water is also acceptable.

After the heater ON circulation and disinfectant water discharge described above are completed, the bathroom drying device 26 continues to close the exhaust damper 76 and stop ventilation for a predetermined time of 26 minutes. That is, while keeping the bathroom 1 a closed space, the heater 78 is turned OFF and the air inside the bathroom 1 is circulated. This heater OFF circulation operation is preferably performed within the range of 0 to 54 minutes, including the 26-minute mark.

After this 26-minute heater-off circulation operation is completed, the bathtub drying device 26 opens the exhaust damper 76 to ventilate the air inside the bathroom 1 for 24 hours (see Figure 9), and then the ventilation is terminated.
In this embodiment, it is important that this ventilation operation is performed 26 minutes (0 to 54 minutes) after the heater ON circulation and disinfectant water discharge have finished. Therefore, the heater OFF circulation operation may be omitted.

Next, the control flow performed by the bathroom system according to this embodiment will be explained with reference to Figure 12. The control flow shown in Figure 12 and the explanation in Figure 11 described above have the same basic operation. In Figure 12, "S" indicates each step.

As shown in Figure 12, in S1, the switch on the control panel 26 for starting the bathroom system is turned ON. In S2, the ventilation operation by the bathroom drying device 26 is started, and at the same time, the "pre-wash" operation by the water discharge device 22 is also started. Details of this "pre-wash" operation will be described later.
Next, proceed to S3 to determine if 12 minutes have elapsed. Continue operation as in S2 until 12 minutes have passed.

This pre-wash operation using the water discharge device 22 allows for the formation of the necessary amount of residual water on the washing area floor 12. The active ingredients of the vaporized disinfectant water then dissolve in this residual water, providing a further disinfecting effect.

If it is determined that 12 minutes have elapsed in S3, the process proceeds to S4, where the ventilation operation by the drying device 26 stops (the exhaust damper is closed), and the "pre-wash" operation by the water discharge device 22 also stops.

Next, the process proceeds to S5, where it is determined whether the water discharge device 22 has stopped the "pre-wash" operation and waited for 4 minutes. Until 4 minutes have passed, the process proceeds to S6, where it is determined whether the bathroom temperature is 20°C or higher. If it is not 20°C or higher, the process proceeds to S7, where the heater 78 of the drying device 26 is turned ON, and a circulation operation is performed to warm and circulate the air in the bathroom. This operation in S7 is performed immediately after the exhaust of the drying device is stopped in S4, if the bathroom temperature is not 20°C or higher. Furthermore, if it is determined in S6 that the bathroom temperature is 20°C or higher, the process proceeds to S8, where the drying device performs a circulation operation to circulate air with the exhaust damper closed.

In S5, if it is determined that the water dispensing device 22 has been waiting for 4 minutes, the process proceeds to S9, and the water dispensing device 22 begins "disinfectant water dispensing." Details of this "disinfectant water dispensing" will be described later.

Next, the process proceeds to S10, where it is determined whether 30 minutes have elapsed since the water discharge device 22 started discharging disinfectant water. Until 30 minutes have elapsed, the process proceeds to S11, where it is determined whether the bathroom temperature is 20°C or higher. If it is not 20°C or higher, the process proceeds to S12, where the drying device 26 closes the exhaust damper 76, turns on the heater 78, and performs a circulation operation to warm and circulate the air in the bathroom. This operation in S12 is performed immediately after the disinfectant water is discharged by the water discharge device 22 in S9, if the bathroom temperature is not 20°C or higher. Furthermore, if it is determined in S11 that the bathroom temperature is 20°C or higher, the process proceeds to S13, where the drying device 26 closes the exhaust damper 76 and performs a circulation operation to circulate the air.

In this way, the disinfectant water discharged from the water discharge device 22 is subjected to the circulating air warmed by the drying device 26. This causes the disinfectant water to vaporize, and the active ingredients of this vaporized disinfectant water dissolve into the residual water remaining on the washing area floor 12, thereby improving the disinfecting effect. Furthermore, if the temperature in the bathroom is 20°C or higher, the disinfectant water can be easily vaporized even if the heater 78 is turned OFF.

In S10, if it is determined that 30 minutes have elapsed since the start of disinfectant water discharge by the water discharge device 22, the process proceeds to S14. The heater 78 of the drying device 26 is turned OFF, and circulation operation is performed with the exhaust damper 76 closed. At this time, the "disinfectant water discharge" by the water discharge device 22 is stopped.

Next, the process proceeds to S15, where it is determined whether 26 minutes have elapsed since the heater 78 of the drying device 26 was turned OFF in S14. If 26 minutes have elapsed, the process proceeds to S16, where the circulation operation of the drying device 26 with the exhaust damper 76 closed is stopped. Next, the process proceeds to S17, where the ventilation operation of the drying device 26 is continued for 24 hours with the exhaust damper 76 open. This completes the bathroom disinfection operation using the bathroom system according to this embodiment.

Next, the "pre-wash" operation performed by the water discharge device 22 will be explained using Figure 13. Figure 13 is a configuration diagram and table illustrating the "pre-wash" operation performed by the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 13, tap water is discharged (sprayed) from the retained water nozzle opening 58 of the nozzle section 32 of the water discharge device 22 toward the washing area floor 12 of the bathroom 1. At this time, the nozzle section 32 can rotate (oscillate), so it performs operations 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 → 8 → 9 in order. At this time, tap water is not discharged in operations 6 and 9 (discharge OFF). The discharge range of the tap water is in the range of 25 to 335 degrees. Furthermore, when tap water is being discharged, the angular velocity of rotation of the nozzle section 32 is slow in the central area of the washing area floor 12 (operations 3, 4, and 5) and fast in the side areas (operations 1, 2, 7, and 8), so that as much tap water as possible is sprayed toward the central area of the washing area floor 12. Furthermore, operations 1 through 9 are performed for approximately 4 minutes, and the water dispensing operation of the water dispensing device 22 is performed for three cycles, resulting in a total of approximately 12 minutes of tap water dispensing.

Here, the shower floor 12 of the bathroom 1 has a drainage slope (for example, 0.1 to 11 degrees) that slopes downward towards the drain 14, such that a predetermined amount of stagnant tap water remains. This allows the amount of tap water remaining on the shower floor 12 to be set to the desired amount for the active ingredients of the vaporized disinfectant water to dissolve.

Next, the "disinfectant water discharge" operation performed by the water discharge device 22 will be explained using Figures 11 and 14. Figure 14 is a configuration diagram and table illustrating the "disinfectant water discharge operation" performed by the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 14, disinfectant water is discharged from the disinfectant water nozzle opening 60 of the nozzle section 32 of the water discharge device 22 toward the washing area floor 12 of the bathroom 1. At this time, the nozzle section 32 can rotate (oscillate), so it performs operations 1 → 2 → 3 → 4 → 5 → 6 → 7 in order. Operations 1 to 7 constitute one cycle (period). The discharge range of the disinfectant water is from 25 degrees to 335 degrees. The angular velocity of rotation of the nozzle section 32 is slow in the central area of the washing area floor 12 (operations 2 and 5) and fast in the side areas (operations 1, 3, 4, and 6), so that as much disinfectant water as possible is discharged to the central area of the washing area floor 12. Furthermore, in operation 7, the discharge of disinfectant water is turned OFF. As a result, the disinfectant water is discharged from the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22 for 30 seconds (0.5 minutes) during operations 1 to 6. Then, in operation 7, the nozzle 32 stops for 45 seconds (0.75 minutes), not discharging disinfectant water (discharge OFF), and remains in standby mode. This operation is repeated 24 times. In other words, the nozzle 32 operates in 24 cycles.

In this embodiment, the "disinfectant water discharge OFF" state in the intermittent disinfectant water discharge by the water discharge device includes not only the state in which disinfectant water is not discharged, but also the state in which disinfectant water is discharged at a rate of 50 ml/min or less, and the state in which disinfectant water is discharged at a rate of 20% or less compared to the disinfectant water ON state.

Next, Figures 15 and 16 will illustrate the relationship between the disinfectant water sprayed from the disinfectant water nozzle opening 60 and the airflow discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 into the bathroom 1 when the ventilation damper is closed (circulation state). Figure 15 is a front perspective view showing the disinfectant water discharge during the circulation operation performed by the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 16 is a side perspective view showing the disinfectant water discharge during the circulation operation performed by the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

First, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the disinfectant water is sprayed from the disinfectant water nozzle opening 60 onto the surface of the washing area floor 12, spreading vertically to form a vertical plate-like spray. Furthermore, the disinfectant water nozzle opening 60 oscillates along the surface of the bathroom washing area floor 12, as indicated by arrow S1. At this time, the angle of the blades 80a of the louvers 80 of the bathroom drying device 26 is set such that the airflow F1 discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 into the bathroom 1 strikes the side of the vertically sprayed disinfectant water when it moves near the center position (near the 180-degree position in Figure 14).

In this state, when the disinfectant water sprayed in a vertical plate shape moves to the vicinity of the center (near the 180-degree position in Figure 14), the airflow F1 directly hits the side of the vertical plate-shaped disinfectant water, effectively diffusing the disinfectant water within the bathroom 1. Furthermore, the air discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 collides with the washing area floor 12 and bounces back, and this bounced airflow F2 hits the disinfectant water sprayed in a vertical plate shape. Thus, the state in which the airflow F1 directly hits the side of the vertical plate-shaped disinfectant water and the state in which the bounced airflow F2 indirectly hits the disinfectant water sprayed in a vertical plate shape are repeated.

Furthermore, in this configuration, the nozzle portion 32 of the water discharge device 22 is positioned below the countertop 16a of the counter 16, recessed beyond the front edge of the countertop 16a (see Figure 4). Therefore, the airflow F1 discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 does not directly hit the disinfectant water immediately after it is sprayed from the disinfectant water nozzle opening 60 of the nozzle portion 32. In this way, the countertop 16a of the counter 16 functions as a "windbreak."

Next, we will explain the case where the louvers 80a of the bathroom drying device 26 perform the oscillating motion indicated by arrow S2 in Figure 10, as shown in Figure 17. Figure 17 is a front perspective view showing the discharge of disinfectant water during the circulating operation in which the louvers perform the oscillating motion, as performed by the bathroom system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in Figure 17, the multiple blades 80a of the louvers 80 of the bathroom drying device 26 perform a oscillating motion indicated by arrow S2, causing the air F1 discharged from the warm air heater 26 into the bathroom 1 to also oscillate. As a result, the air F1 strikes the side surface of the vertical plate-shaped disinfectant water sprayed from the disinfectant water nozzle opening 60, and the position at which it strikes the side surface of the disinfectant water changes vertically.

At this time, as described above, the vertical plate-shaped disinfectant water sprayed from the disinfectant water nozzle opening 60 is undergoing an oscillating motion as indicated by arrow S1. Therefore, the airflow F1 directly hits the side of the vertical plate-shaped disinfectant water, and the reflected airflow F2 indirectly hits the sprayed disinfectant water. This cycle repeats. In addition, the air F1 discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 into the bathroom 1 also oscillates, changing the position at which it hits the side of the disinfectant water.

Furthermore, the period of one cycle of the oscillating motion of the disinfectant water, indicated by arrow S1, and the period of one cycle of the oscillating motion of the louver 80's blades 80a, indicated by arrow S2, are set to different values. Given that the values of the two periods are different, the period of one cycle of the disinfectant water's oscillating motion is preferably in the range of 10 to 400 seconds, and the period of one cycle of the louver 80's oscillating motion is preferably in the range of 10 to 60 seconds. In this case, the period of one cycle of the disinfectant water's oscillating motion may be shorter than the period of one cycle of the louver 80's oscillating motion.

Next, referring again to Figure 11, we will explain the airflow rate of the air discharged into the bathroom 1 from the bathroom drying device 26. First, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, while the disinfecting water is being discharged (intermittent disinfecting water discharge for 30 minutes) and even after the disinfecting water discharge has finished, the bathroom drying device 26 circulates air within the bathroom in "heater ON circulation for 34 minutes" and "heater OFF circulation for 26 minutes."

Furthermore, in this embodiment, if the air circulation volume during the "heater ON circulation 34 minutes" performed by the bathroom drying device 26 while "intermittent disinfecting water discharge 30 minutes" is being executed by the water discharge device is defined as the first circulation volume Q1, and the air circulation volume during the "heater OFF circulation 26 minutes" performed by the bathroom drying device 26 after the disinfecting water discharge is completed is defined as the second circulation volume Q2, then the bathroom drying device 26 is controlled such that "first circulation volume Q1 > second circulation volume Q2".

At this time, the air circulation volume during the "disinfectant water OFF time" (corresponding to a 45-second standby time) when the "intermittent disinfectant water discharge for 30 minutes" by the water discharge device is performed is defined as the third circulation volume Q3.
In this case, the bathroom drying device 26 is controlled so that the relationship between these three circulating airflows is "first circulating airflow Q1 ≥ third circulating airflow Q3 > second circulating airflow Q2".

Here, the first circulating airflow Q1, the second circulating airflow Q2, and the third circulating airflow Q3 are preferably in the range of 50 ^m³ /h to 250 ^m³ /h, the second circulating airflow Q2 to 1 ^m³ /h to 99 ^m³ /h, and the third circulating airflow Q3 to ^{2 m³ /} h, provided that the relationship in the above equation is satisfied.

Next, referring to Figure 11, the air circulation operation within the bathroom by the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment will be described. After the bathroom drying device 26 performs a 12-minute ventilation operation, the bathroom drying device 26 circulates the air for 34 minutes (heater ON circulation for 34 minutes), while the water discharge device 22 dispenses disinfectant water (intermittent disinfectant water discharge for 30 minutes). Of this 30 minutes of intermittent disinfectant water discharge, the time spent discharging disinfectant water is 12 minutes (= 30 seconds of discharge × 24 cycles). Therefore, if the time spent discharging disinfectant water while circulating the air is defined as the first predetermined time, then the first predetermined time is 12 minutes. Here, this first predetermined time is preferably in the range of 6 to 60 minutes, including 12 minutes.

Furthermore, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, air is circulated without discharging disinfectant water. This time is the 26 minutes of heater-off circulation plus 18 minutes (45 seconds waiting x 24 cycles = 1080 seconds) of the 30 minutes during which intermittent disinfectant water is dispensed after a 4-minute waiting period. In this embodiment, during this "second predetermined time" of 44 minutes (26 minutes + 18 minutes), air is circulated without discharging disinfectant water after the initial disinfectant water discharge. This second predetermined time is preferably in the range of 7 to 61 minutes, including 44 minutes.

In the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the bathroom drying device 26 and the water discharge device 22 are controlled so that the second predetermined time described above is longer than the first predetermined time.

As a variation, the disinfectant water may be dispensed continuously instead of intermittently. In this case, the second predetermined time, "heater OFF circulation," must be set to a longer duration than the first predetermined time, during which the disinfectant water is dispensed while air circulation is performed.

Figure 18 is a diagram showing the temporal change in the spatial concentration of disinfectant water in the bathroom during the time when the disinfectant water is dispensed ON and OFF, when the bathroom system according to this embodiment continuously dispenses disinfectant water.
As shown in Figure 18, when disinfectant water is continuously discharged (sprayed), by making the disinfectant water discharge OFF time longer than the disinfectant water ON time, disinfectant water remains in the bathroom even after the disinfectant water has been sprayed (disinfectant water OFF time), allowing the active ingredients remaining in the bathroom to spread throughout the bathroom.

Furthermore, as shown in Figure 11, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, after 30 minutes of intermittent disinfecting water discharge, the bathroom drying device 26 performs "24-hour ventilation." Here, this ventilation operation is preferably within a range of 1 to 24 hours, including 24 hours.

Next, the basic operation of the bathroom system according to this embodiment will be explained, mainly with reference to Figures 11 and 12.
First, after use, the bathroom 1 is in a high-humidity state and all parts are wet. Furthermore, dirt (dead skin cells) remains on the surface of the washing area floor 12. Therefore, ventilation is performed first. Ventilation can lower the humidity inside the bathroom. Next, after a certain amount of ventilation, for example after 12 minutes, the ventilation is stopped.

Next, while the ventilation operation is running, water is discharged from the water discharge device 22 to pre-wash the washing area floor for, for example, 12 minutes, and the dirt (dead skin cells) on the floor surface is washed away into the drain 14.
Next, the bathroom drying device 26 performs hot air circulation (heater ON circulation) for, for example, 34 minutes to raise the temperature inside the bathroom and create an environment where the disinfectant water can easily vaporize.

While the warm air is circulating, the water discharge device 22 intermittently (intermittently) discharges (sprays) disinfectant water. As the temperature in the bathroom rises, the disinfectant water vaporizes more easily. Furthermore, the warm air circulation allows the active ingredients of the vaporized disinfectant water to reach every corner of the bathroom 1. Additionally, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water dissolve in the remaining water in the bathroom, exerting a disinfecting effect.

Next, the hot air circulation and disinfectant water discharge operations are stopped. Then, the bathroom drying device 26 performs a heater-off circulation for, for example, 26 minutes. At this time, instead of heater-off circulation, heater-on circulation may be performed. Furthermore, ventilation may be performed during heater-on circulation.

Finally, the bathroom drying device 26 is used to ventilate the bathroom for, for example, 24 hours to dry the entire bathroom, and the disinfection process is completed.

Next, the effects and benefits of the bathroom system according to this embodiment will be explained.
Firstly, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, when the control device 30 receives a control command from the user, it controls the bathroom drying device 26 to perform a ventilation operation for a predetermined time, and then the bathroom drying device 26 to perform a circulation operation and the water dispensing device 22 to perform a disinfectant water spray operation to vaporize the disinfectant water. Firstly, the humid air inside the bathroom 1 is discharged to the outside to facilitate the vaporization of the disinfectant water, and then the sprayed (mist-like) disinfectant water is circulated inside the bathroom 1. This allows the active ingredients of the vaporized disinfectant water to spread throughout the bathroom 1, effectively disinfecting the bathroom 1.

Next, the control device 30 controls the water discharge device 22 and the bathroom drying device 26 so that at least a portion of the time periods during which the circulation operation of the bathroom drying device 26 and the disinfectant water spraying operation of the water discharge device 22 are performed overlap. This allows the circulation operation and the disinfectant water spraying operation to be performed simultaneously, thereby actively vaporizing the disinfectant water and efficiently distributing the active ingredients of the vaporized disinfectant water throughout the bathroom 1 in a short time.

Next, the humidity inside bathroom 1 increases due to the disinfectant water sprayed into the bathroom. However, if the ventilation operation is terminated while this humidity remains elevated, mold and other contaminants may grow inside bathroom 1, which is undesirable. Therefore, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the water discharge device 22 and the bathroom dryer 26 so that the bathroom dryer 26 resumes ventilation operation after the circulation operation of the bathroom dryer 26 and the disinfectant water spraying operation of the disinfectant water device have finished. This prevents the growth of mold and other contaminants inside bathroom 1.

Next, if the ventilation operation is performed immediately after the disinfectant water spraying operation of the water discharge device 22 has finished, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water that have been distributed will be immediately discharged to the outside of the bathroom 1, which is undesirable. Therefore, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the water discharge device 22 and the bathroom dryer 26 so that the bathroom dryer 26 performs ventilation operation again after a predetermined time has elapsed since the circulation operation of the bathroom dryer 26 and the disinfectant water spraying operation of the water discharge device 22 have finished, thus preventing the waste of the active ingredients of the disinfectant water.

Next, the control device 30 controls the water discharge device 22 and the bathroom drying device 26 so that the water discharge device 22 does not perform the disinfectant water spraying operation during the initial ventilation operation performed by the bathroom drying device 26, thereby preventing the wasteful use of disinfectant water.

Next, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the water discharge device 22 discharges water onto the bathroom floor, and the control device 30 controls the bathroom dryer 26 and the water discharge device 22 to discharge water onto the bathroom floor 12 during the initial ventilation operation performed by the bathroom dryer 26. Therefore, water is sprayed onto the bathroom floor 12 during the ventilation operation, removing sebum, hair, and other contaminants, preparing the area for the subsequent disinfectant water spray. Furthermore, since water is sprayed during the ventilation operation, not only is the overall work time required for disinfecting the bathroom 1 reduced, but the increase in humidity due to water spraying is also suppressed.

Secondly, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, disinfectant water is sprayed from the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22 onto the surface of the washing area floor 12 of the bathroom 1, spreading vertically in a plate-like shape. Furthermore, the control device 30 controls the bathroom drying device 26 so that the air discharged into the bathroom 1 by the bathroom drying device 26 hits the sides of the vertically sprayed disinfectant water. Therefore, the air discharged into the bathroom 1 by the bathroom drying device 26 can be used to efficiently diffuse the sprayed disinfectant water throughout the bathroom 1. As a result, according to this embodiment, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be vaporized and distributed throughout the bathroom 1 more efficiently.

Next, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, disinfectant water is sprayed from the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22 in a vertical plate shape, moving along the surface of the washing area floor 12 of the bathroom 1. The control device 30 controls the bathroom dryer 26 so that the air discharged from the bathroom dryer 26 into the bathroom 1 repeatedly hits the side of the vertical plate-shaped sprayed disinfectant water, and the air discharged from the bathroom dryer 26 into the bathroom 1 collides with the washing area floor 12, bounces back, and hits the side of the vertical plate-shaped sprayed disinfectant water. As a result, the air discharged from the bathroom dryer 26 into the bathroom 1 directly hits the side of the vertical plate-shaped sprayed disinfectant water, causing the disinfectant water to be strongly dispersed, while the air that collides with the washing area floor 12 and bounces back indirectly hits the side of the vertical plate-shaped sprayed disinfectant water, allowing the dispersed disinfectant water to diffuse to the upper part of the bathroom 1. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be vaporized and spread throughout the bathroom more efficiently.

In the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the bathroom dryer 26 so that it continues its circulation operation even after the disinfectant water spraying operation by the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22 has finished. Therefore, even after the disinfectant water is sprayed, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be thoroughly diffused throughout the bathroom 1.

Immediately after the disinfectant water is discharged from the disinfectant water outlet, it spreads over a wide area. Therefore, it is preferable to prevent the air discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 into the bathroom 1 from directly hitting the disinfectant water. For this reason, in this embodiment, a counter (windbreak) 16 is provided to prevent the disinfectant water immediately after it is discharged from the nozzle 32 of the water outlet 22 from directly hitting the air discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 into the bathroom 1. This allows the air discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 into the bathroom 1 to directly hit the disinfectant water after it has spread thoroughly.

Thirdly, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the bathroom drying device 26 so that the air discharged into the bathroom 1 by the bathroom drying device 26 strikes the side of the sprayed disinfectant water, and the position at which the air strikes the side of the disinfectant water changes vertically. Therefore, the air discharged into the bathroom 1 from the bathroom drying device 26 can be used to efficiently diffuse the sprayed disinfectant water throughout the bathroom 1. As a result, according to this embodiment, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be vaporized more efficiently and spread throughout the bathroom.

In the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, disinfectant water is sprayed from the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22 so as to move along the surface of the washing area floor 12 of the bathroom 1. Therefore, the air discharged into the bathroom 1 from the bathroom drying device 26 can be used to further efficiently diffuse the sprayed disinfectant water within the bathroom 1. As a result, according to this embodiment, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be vaporized and distributed throughout the bathroom more efficiently.

In the bathroom system according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the bathroom drying device 26 and the water discharge device 22 such that the time of one cycle of the oscillation operation of the louvers 80 of the bathroom drying device 26 and the time of one cycle of the operation of changing the spray direction of the disinfectant water nozzle opening 60 of the nozzle unit 32 are different. As a result, the location where the disinfectant water and air collide changes over time, thereby allowing the disinfectant water to be diffused more efficiently within the bathroom 1. Consequently, according to this embodiment, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be vaporized and distributed throughout the bathroom more efficiently.

In the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the bathroom dryer 26 so that it continues its circulation operation even after the disinfectant water spraying operation by the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22 has finished. Therefore, even after the disinfectant water is sprayed, the active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be thoroughly diffused throughout the bathroom.

Immediately after the disinfectant water is discharged from the disinfectant water outlet, it spreads over a wide area. Therefore, it is preferable to prevent the air discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 into the bathroom from directly hitting the disinfectant water. For this reason, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, a counter (windbreak) 16 is provided to prevent the disinfectant water immediately after it is discharged from the nozzle 32 of the water outlet 22 from directly hitting the air discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 into the bathroom 1. This allows the air discharged from the bathroom drying device 26 into the bathroom 1 to directly hit the disinfectant water after it has spread thoroughly.

Fourth, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22 and the bathroom dryer 26 so that the bathroom dryer 26 performs a circulation operation to circulate the air inside the bathroom 1 while disinfectant water is being discharged from the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22 and even after the discharge of disinfectant water has finished. Furthermore, the control device 30 controls the bathroom dryer 26 so that the first circulating air volume by the bathroom dryer 26 while disinfectant water is being discharged is greater than the second circulating air volume after the discharge of disinfectant water has finished. Therefore, while a large amount of discharged disinfectant water is present in the bathroom 1, the circulating air volume is increased, thereby enabling the vaporization of the active ingredients of the highly concentrated disinfectant water. On the other hand, there is a problem that disinfectant water leaks to the outside even during the circulation operation, but in this embodiment, since the circulating air volume is reduced after the discharge of disinfectant water has finished, it is possible to reduce the amount of active ingredients of the disinfectant water that leaks to the outside of the bathroom 1, and the vaporized active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be deposited throughout the entire bathroom 1 by utilizing the time after the disinfectant water discharge has finished.

Continuously spraying disinfectant water causes the disinfectant water density (definition: "disinfectant water concentration" or "amount of disinfectant water that can dissolve in the air") near the spraying area to saturate. This reduces the vaporization efficiency of the disinfectant water. To solve this, in this embodiment, disinfectant water is discharged intermittently, meaning that disinfectant water OFF time (time when disinfectant water is not sprayed) is periodically provided. This disinfectant water OFF time replaces the saturated or nearly saturated air near the spraying area, suppressing the decrease in the vaporization efficiency of the disinfectant water. As a result, according to this embodiment, disinfectant water can be distributed throughout the bathroom without unnecessarily spraying large amounts of disinfectant water. In addition, by intermittently discharging disinfectant water, disinfectant water can be saved compared to continuous spraying, and furthermore, electrode wear and power consumption within the disinfectant water generating device can be suppressed.

In the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the bathroom drying device 26 so that the third circulating airflow from the bathroom drying device 28 is greater than the second circulating airflow during the disinfectant water OFF time of the intermittent disinfectant water discharge from the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22. This makes it easier to replace the saturated or nearly saturated air near the disinfectant water spray area, even in a short time, and more effectively suppresses a decrease in the vaporization efficiency of the disinfectant water.

In the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the bathroom drying device 26 to circulate the air in the bathroom 1 after the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22 has discharged disinfectant water, and then to ventilate the bathroom 1. This prevents humidity from rising due to the disinfectant water remaining in the bathroom 1, thereby suppressing mold growth.

Fifth, in the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the nozzles 32 of the bathroom drying device 26 and the water dispensing device 22 to circulate air while dispensing disinfectant water for a first predetermined time, and further controls the nozzles 32 of the bathroom drying device 26 and the water dispensing device 22 to circulate air without dispensing disinfectant water for a second predetermined time. Therefore, the active ingredients remaining in the bathroom 1 after the disinfectant water spraying can be distributed throughout the bathroom 1, and the active ingredients of the disinfectant water can be efficiently distributed throughout the bathroom even with a small amount of disinfectant water, without unnecessarily spraying disinfectant water.

In the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the nozzle section 32 of the bathroom drying device 26 and the water dispensing device 22 so that the second predetermined time (the time during which air is circulated without dispensing disinfectant water after the initial dispensing of disinfectant water) is longer than the first predetermined time (the time during which disinfectant water is dispensed while circulating air). This allows for a longer time for circulating the disinfectant water than for dispensing it, thereby enabling the active ingredients to adhere to the entire bathroom over time without unnecessarily spraying large amounts of disinfectant water. This ensures that the active ingredients reach every corner of the bathroom 1, suppressing bacterial and mold growth.

In the bathroom system 20 according to this embodiment, the control device 30 controls the bathroom drying device 26 to circulate the air in the bathroom 1 after discharging disinfectant water from the nozzle 32 of the water discharge device 22, and then to ventilate the bathroom 1. This prevents humidity from rising due to the disinfectant water remaining in the bathroom 1, thereby suppressing mold growth.

1. Bathroom 10. Bathtub 12. Washing area floor 14. Drain 16. Counter (windproof section)
20 Bathroom system 22 Water discharge device 26 Bathroom drying device 30 Control device 32 Nozzle section 48 Disinfectant water generation section 58 Nozzle opening for stagnant water 60 Nozzle opening for disinfectant water 74 Fan 76 Exhaust damper 78 Heater 79 Outlet 80 Louver 80a Blade 80b Electric motor

Claims (4)

A bathroom system that disinfects the inside of the bathroom,
A disinfectant water device equipped with a disinfectant water discharge unit that sprays disinfectant water into the bathroom,
A ventilation and circulation device that performs a ventilation operation to expel air from the bathroom to the outside, and a circulation operation to circulate the air in the bathroom and vaporize disinfectant water,
The system comprises the above-mentioned disinfectant water device and a control unit that controls the above-mentioned ventilation and circulation device,
The control unit controls the disinfectant water device and the ventilation/circulation device so that the ventilation/circulation device performs a circulating operation to circulate air in the bathroom while the disinfectant water discharge unit of the disinfectant water device is discharging disinfectant water and even after the discharge of disinfectant water has finished, and further controls the ventilation/circulation device so that the first circulating air volume by the ventilation/circulation device while the disinfectant water is being discharged is greater than the second circulating air volume after the discharge of disinfectant water has finished. The bathroom system according to claim 1, wherein the disinfectant water discharge section of the disinfectant water device discharges disinfectant water intermittently. The bathroom system according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the ventilation and circulation device so that the third circulating airflow from the ventilation and circulation device is greater than the second circulating airflow during the OFF time of the intermittent discharge of disinfectant water from the disinfectant water device. The bathroom system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit controls the ventilation and circulation device so that after the disinfectant water device has discharged disinfectant water, it circulates the air in the bathroom, and then ventilates the bathroom.