JPH039724Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a device used in a bubble bathtub, which is configured to extract hot water from a bathtub and squirt it together with air bubbles into the bathtub. Specifically, the present invention relates to a bubble bathtub device that includes a pump for filling hot water or reheating in addition to a pump for blowing bubbles.

[Conventional technology]

Bubble bathtubs that emit fine air bubbles into the bathtub have become widely used in recent years. As a bubble bathtub device for spouting bubbles into a bathtub, a system for extracting hot water from the bathtub and spouting it together with bubbles;
Some are equipped with a system for filling the bathtub with hot water. This type of conventional device will be explained with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a system diagram of a conventional device. Reference numeral 10 indicates a bathtub, and reference numeral 12 indicates a water heater. Water is introduced into the heating tank 22 in the water heater 12 through the water supply port 14, water supply pipe 16, branch port 18, and water supply pipe 20, and is heated by a heating means 24 consisting of a burner, a fan, etc., and becomes high-temperature hot water. . A portion of this hot water can be supplied from the hot water outlet 28 to places of demand such as a bathroom shower and a kitchen. The hot water in the heating tank 22 is sent to a mixing valve 34 via a hot water outlet 30 and a hot water tap 32, and mixed with water sent through a water supply pipe 36 at a constant temperature (for example, 40°C). rear,
The water is supplied to the hot water filling tank 40 via the solenoid valve 38. Reference numeral 40a indicates a float switch, and 40b indicates an overflow pipe.

Hot water in the hot water filling tank 40 is supplied to the bathtub 10 via a hot water supply pipe 42, a three-way valve 44, a hot water supply pipe 46, a pump 48, and a hot water supply pipe 50. A nozzle 52 is installed as an air mixer at the connection part of the hot water pipe 50 to the bathtub 10.
is provided, and air can be mixed into the hot water via an air pipe 54 and a solenoid valve 56.

The hot water in the bathtub 10 is passed through a pipe 58 to a heating tube 6 disposed in the heating tank 22.
0 and can be further fed to the three-way valve 44 via piping 62. In addition, the piping 58,
Bypass pipe 63 connecting 62 and three-way switching valve 6
3a is provided.

The bathtub 10 is provided with a bubble bathtub controller 64 , and its control signals (for example, a hot water temperature setting signal, a bubble jetting signal, a reheating signal, etc.) are input to a control device 66 . Moreover, the hot water supply pipe 50
A water pressure sensor 68 and a temperature sensor 70 are provided in the piping 58, and their detection signals are also input to the control device 66. The control device 66 outputs output signals to the three-way valve 44 and the solenoid valve 56.

In the bubble bathtub device configured in this way,
By selecting a flow path to connect the three-way valve 44 to the hot water supply pipes 42 and 46 and operating the pump 48, hot water from the water heater 12 can be supplied to the bathtub 10 to fill it with hot water. Furthermore, when the flow path of the three-way valve 44 is selected so that the piping 62 and the hot water supply pipe 46 are communicated with each other, and the pump 48 is operated, the hot water in the bathtub 10 flows through the piping 58, the tube 60, and the piping 6.
It passes through the 2nd class and is circulated, and on the way, tube 6
It is heated at 0. Therefore, additional heating can be performed to warm the hot water in the bathtub. Furthermore, when circulating the hot water in the bathtub, the flow path of the three-way valve 63a is selected so that the pipes 58 and 62 are short-circuited, and when the solenoid valve 56 is opened, air is mixed in from the nozzle 52 and bubbles are formed. is squirted into the bathtub 10. In this case, the entire amount of hot water that has flowed into the pipe 58 from the bathtub 10 may be flowed into the bypass pipe 63, or a portion may be flowed into the bypass pipe 63 and the remainder may be flowed into the tube 60.

Note that pumps conventionally used for this type of application include self-priming pumps and non-self-priming pumps. A self-priming pump has a water tank or the like on its suction side, and starts discharging water by the vacuum action when discharging the water, so it is easy to start (start discharging).

[The problem that the idea attempts to solve]

In the bubble bathtub device described above, a common pump 48 is used for both filling with hot water and blowing out bubbles. However, in general, it is preferable that the pump discharge rate be small to a certain extent when filling with hot water, and it is preferable that the pump discharge rate be large when blowing out bubbles. That is, if the discharge amount of the pump 48 when filling with hot water is large, the water filling tank 40
The hot water inside has run out and air is getting into the pump, or
The need for intermittent operation of the pump arises. Furthermore, if the discharge amount of the pump 48 when ejecting bubbles is small, there is a possibility that a sufficient amount of bubbles may not be ejected. Therefore,
With conventional equipment that performs two operations, filling water and blowing out bubbles, with one pump, the required pump capacity for filling hot water and the required pump capacity for blowing out bubbles are difficult to match, making it difficult to select a pump. It had become half-hearted. As a result, the bubble bath has sufficient functionality, especially in large bubble baths where the bathtub is equipped with four or more bubble outlets, and where a large amount of bath water is circulated when bubbles are ejected. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to do it.

By the way, conventionally, self-priming pumps have only been commercially available in small capacity models, and large self-priming pumps have been custom-made and are relatively expensive. Also, non-self-priming pumps are difficult to start.

[Means to solve the problem]

The device for a bubble bathtub of the present invention includes a non-self-priming first pump and an aeration machine, a first system line connected to a bathtub so as to circulate hot water in the bathtub, and a self-priming first system line. The bathtub is equipped with two pumps, and a second system that is provided to enable hot water to be supplied from the water heater to the bathtub. Further, a third branch is branched from the downstream side of the first pump in the first system, and is connected to the upstream side of the second pump in the second system via the reheating device. Equipped with a system route. Further, it includes a flow path switching means for selectively connecting the water heater and the reheating device to the second pump,
Furthermore, a water sensor provided near the first pump in the first system and a second reheating device are activated when the water sensor does not detect water when the bubble ejection switch is operated.
The second pump is provided with a control device that controls the flow path switching means so as to be connected to the second pump, and operates the second pump until the water sensor detects water.

[Effect]

In the bubble bathtub device of the present invention, hot water from the water heater or reheating device is exclusively introduced into the bathtub via the second pump. Further, when bubbles are to be ejected, the hot water in the bathtub is circulated exclusively by the first pump, and air is mixed in during the circulation to cause bubbles to be ejected.

In this way, since two pumps are used to perform the respective operations of filling hot water or reheating and blowing out bubbles, the pump capacity can be made appropriate for filling hot water, reheating, and blowing out bubbles. Among these, the second pump is a self-priming type, so it can be started quickly. 1st
Although the pump is of a non-self-priming type, water can be supplied to the first pump using the third system. When the bubble ejection switch is operated, the first
When there is no water near the pump, after the reheating device and the second pump are connected, the second pump is operated until the water sensor near the first pump detects water. Ru. As a result, water in the bathtub passes through the first pump, reaches the reheating device, and then reaches the second pump. Therefore, the non-self-priming first pump can also be started easily.

〔Example〕

Examples will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing the configuration of a bubble bath device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The apparatus shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a relatively large-capacity, non-self-priming first pump 72 that is activated when bubbles are ejected. The suction side of the pump 72 is connected to the bathtub 10 via a pipe 74. Further, the discharge side of the pump 72 is connected to the nozzle 52 via a pipe 78 with a branch port 76. This branch port 76 has piping 5 for reheating.
8 are connected. Note that the hot water supply pipe 50 is directly connected to the bathtub 10.

In this embodiment, the pump 48 is installed as a relatively small-capacity self-priming second pump for filling hot water and reheating. Further, a water sensor 80 is installed in the piping 78 in the vicinity of the pump 72 to detect whether or not water remains in the piping 78, and the detection signal of the water sensor 80 is controlled. is input to device 66. Piping 78
(In this embodiment, the branch port 76) has a water temperature sensor 82.
is provided, and its detection signal is sent to a control device 66.
has been entered. A solenoid valve 84 is provided in the pipe 58 and is opened and closed by a signal from the control device 66. The pipe 78 also has a branch port 76.
A check valve 86 is provided between the branch port 82 and the nozzle 52, and allows only the flow in the forward direction from the branch port 82 toward the nozzle 52. Code 64a, 64b,
64c indicates a hot water filling switch, a reheating switch, and a bubble switch provided in the controller 64.
In this embodiment, a pipe 63 and a three-way valve 63a for short-circuiting the pipes 58 and 62 are not installed. The rest of the structure is the same as that of the apparatus shown in FIG. 2, so the same members are given the same reference numerals.

In this embodiment, a third system is configured by the piping 58, the tube 60, and the piping 62, a second system is configured by the pump 48, the hot water supply pipes 42, 46, and 50, and the piping 74, 78, and The pump 72 constitutes a first system. In the present invention, it is preferable that the pipe 78 be disposed at a lower level than the pipe 50.

Next, the operation of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1 will be explained.

When filling the bathtub 10 with hot water, the hot water filling switch 64a is pressed. As a result, the hot water supply pipes 42, 4
The flow path selection of the three-way valve 44 is performed so that the three-way valve 6 communicates with the second pump 48, and the second pump 48 is operated.
Then, the hot water from the water heater 12 is transferred to the pump 4.
8. Hot water is supplied into the bathtub 10 through the hot water supply pipe 50. .

To reheat, press the reheat switch 64b. Then, the solenoid valve 84 opens. Also,
The flow path of the three-way valve 44 is selected so that the piping 62 and the hot water supply pipe 46 are communicated, and the pump 48
is activated. This allows the hot water in the bathtub to flow to pipe 7.
4, pump 72, piping 78, branch port 76, piping 5
8, heated in a tube 60, and returned to the bathtub via piping 62, pump 48, and hot water supply pipes 46 and 50.

When blowing out bubbles, press the bubble switch 64.
Press c. Then, the control device 66 first determines whether the water sensor 80 is detecting water. When the water sensor 80 is not detecting water, the solenoid valve 84 is opened and the three-way valve 44 is opened.
After the flow path is selected so that the pipe 62 and the hot water supply pipe 46 are communicated with each other, the pump 48 is operated. As the pump 48 operates, water in the bathtub flows into the pump 72 via the piping 74. water sensor 8
Activation of the pump 48 continues or repeats until water is detected. Thereafter, the pump 48 is stopped and the solenoid valve 8
4 is opened. In this state, the first pump 72 is operated, and the hot water in the bathtub 10 is pumped through the piping 74 and the pump 7.
2. It is ejected into the bathtub 10 through the piping 78 and the nozzle 52, and air is mixed in from the nozzle 52 at this time,
Air bubbles are ejected.

Note that if the water sensor 80 detects water when the bubble switch 64c is pressed, the pump 72 is immediately activated and the bubble jetting operation is started as described above.

In this way, even a non-self-priming type pump 72 can be reliably started.

As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the pump 48,
72 is installed, and each is dedicated to hot water filling or reheating and bubble ejection, so it is possible to install a self-priming type or non-self-priming pump with a capacity suitable for hot water filling, reheating, and bubble ejection. It is possible to properly perform all of the tensioning operation, reheating operation, and bubble jetting operation. Since a non-self-priming pump is used as the large-capacity pump 72, the pump 72
A commercially available product can be used as a part, reducing the cost of parts. As described above, this non-self-priming pump 72 is supplied with water for starting by the self-priming pump 48, so that it can be started smoothly and quickly.

In the above embodiment, the tube 60 installed in the heating tank 22 is used for reheating, but it is clear that other heating means may be used as the reheating heating means. be. Further, the illustrated embodiment is an example of the present invention, and it is obvious that the connection configuration of the piping may be other than that illustrated without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

〔effect〕

As described above, with the bubble bathtub device of the present invention, filling, reheating, and blowing out bubbles can be performed using pumps with appropriate capacities, and the water temperature and hot water supply speed (hot water supply amount) at the time of filling the hot water can be controlled. It is easy to adjust the amount of bubbles and maintain the required amount of bubbles. In particular, in the device of the present invention, commercially available normal type self-priming pumps and non-self-priming pumps can be used, so the cost of parts is low. Moreover, a non-self-priming pump can be started smoothly and quickly.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a system diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a system diagram showing a conventional example. 10... Bathtub, 12... Water heater, 22... Heating tank, 34... Mixing valve, 40... Hot water filling tank, 44... Three-way valve, 48... Second pump, 5
2... Nozzle, 56... Solenoid valve, 66... Control device, 72... First pump, 80... Water sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A first system line that includes a first non-self-priming pump and an aerator and is connected to a bathtub so that hot water in the bathtub can be circulated, and a second system line that is self-priming type. a second system, which is equipped with a pump and is provided to be able to supply hot water from the water heater to the bathtub; and the first system branches from the downstream side of the first pump and passes through the reheating device to the second system. The second line of
a third system connected to the upstream side of the pump; a flow path switching means for selectively connecting the water heater and the reheating device to the second pump; a water sensor provided near the first pump; and controlling the flow path switching means so as to connect the reheating device to the second pump when the water sensor does not detect water when the bubble ejection switch is operated; A device for a bubble bathtub having a non-self-priming pump, comprising: a control device that operates the second pump until the water sensor detects water.