JPH0428331A - Cleaning of bathtub and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To economize water by draining the rest warm water in a bathtub by a pump and allowing the clean water mixed with cleaning liquid to compulsorily circulate to discharge dirt and permitting the automatic cleaning of the bathtub. CONSTITUTION:A three-way valve 19' is opened to a drain side by turning ON the operating button of a controller 20, and a pump 16 is operated to drain the rest warm water. Then, clean water is supplied into an injection nozzle 6 from a water supply pipe 17, and large dust, etc., are discharged. The three-way valve 19' is selected to a circulation side, and water is supplied through the injection nozzle 6, and after water is stored in a buffer 2, a cleaning liquid valve 10 is opened to pour cleaning liquid. Then, a three-way valve 19 is selected to a circulation side, and a heating device 11 and the pump 16 are operated, and a bathtub 1 is cleaned by jetting the heated cleaning water. The operations of a heating device 11 and the pump 16 are brought into stop, and the three-way valve 19' is opened to drain the dirty water after cleaning by the pump 16. Then the three-way valve 19' is selected to the circulation side, and the three-way valve 19 is selected to a water supply side, and clean water is jetted from the injection nozzle 6 and stored in a buffer 2, and then the pump 16 is operated to discharge the liquid adhering in a circuit passing through the pump 16.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Application in Industry-4-] The present invention relates to a cleaning method and apparatus for automatically cleaning and cleaning the inside of a bathtub.

[Prior Art] As a device for automatically cleaning the inside of a bathtub, a nozzle is attached to the top or lid of the bathtub, and cleaning liquid (
There are well-known methods in which dirt is washed away by spraying water into the bathtub (Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 60-158828, Utility Model No. 62-4).
270, 62-4271, 62-4274, 63
-71869, JP-A-1-57857).

Also, a cleaning device in which cleaning liquid is circulated is also known (Utility Model Publication No. 62-4272, Utility Model Publication No. 62-4273).
, 62-69977).

[Problems with the Prior Art] However, all of the above-mentioned publicly known bathtub cleaning devices are uneconomical because they use a large amount of water or cleaning fluid, have poor cleaning effects, and are difficult to put into practical use as automatic cleaning devices. Although there is an urgent need to put this into practical use for the elderly and people with physical disabilities, it has not yet been put into practical use due to some mechanical imperfections.

An object of the present invention is to propose a bathtub cleaning method and device that can completely clean a bathtub, waste less water, and have an extremely high possibility of practical application.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The method and apparatus of the present invention proposed to achieve the above object are as follows.

1. The remaining hot water in the bathtub is forcibly drained by a pump, and then cleaning water mixed with cleaning liquid is sprayed all over the bathtub to wash away the dirt in the bathtub with the chemical power of the cleaning water. A bathtub cleaning method that prepares for filling with water or hot water by spraying water into the bathtub to wash away cleaning liquid.

2. An injection nozzle was installed inside the bottom of the bathtub to face the inside of the bathtub. A buffer was formed at the bottom of the bathtub, and a circulation port was provided at the bottom of this buffer. The inlet pipe of the heating device was connected to the circulation of the buffer. The outlet side is connected to the injection nozzle, the water supply pipe is connected to the outlet pipe via a first three-way valve, and the drain pipe is connected to the outlet pipe between the first three-way valve and the heating device via a second three-way valve. Connect the circulation pump to either the inlet or outlet pipe of the heating device. Fill the cleaning liquid container with cleaning liquid, and connect the cleaning liquid container and the buffer with the cleaning liquid supply pipe. At the same time, a cleaning liquid valve is attached to this cleaning liquid supply pipe, a step of forcibly draining the remaining hot water from the bathtub by opening the second three-way valve to the drain side and operating the circulation pump;
Step of opening the three-way valve to the water supply side, supplying a small amount of water from the water supply pipe to the bathtub via the injection nozzle, and storing this water in the buffer, switching the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve to the circulation side. At the same time, the detergent liquid valve is opened and the detergent liquid is injected into the buffer to create washing water.The operation of the heating device and circulation pump is started, and the heated washing water is sprayed from the injection nozzle to the entire area inside the bathtub. Step of cleaning inside, stopping the heating device and circulation pump, opening the second three-way valve to the drainage side, operating the circulation pump, and forcibly draining the cleaning water, turning the second three-way valve to the circulation side. At the same time, the first three-way valve is switched to the water supply side to inject clean water from the injection nozzle into the bathtub and stored in the buffer, and the first three-way valve is switched to the circulation side to start operating the circulation pump and inject The process of washing away the cleaning liquid by repeating the cycle of nozzle → inside the bathtub → buffer → circulation port → (heating device) → circulation pump → second three-way valve → first three-way valve → injection nozzle, switching the second three-way valve to the drain side A bathtub cleaning device characterized by being provided with a controller that controls the process of draining water via a circulation port → (heating device) → circulation pump → second three-way valve → drain pipe.

In the above-mentioned bathtub cleaning device, after all cleaning is completed, water is filled into the bathtub from the water supply pipe, and then the water in the bathtub is heated using a reheating method using a heating device. Heat exchangers are installed for heating and hot water, and the hot water heat exchanger is used to fill the bathtub with hot water using a so-called drop-in method, and the reheating heat exchanger performs the necessary heating or water temperature maintenance. You can.

Next, after draining the remaining hot water, open the first three-way valve while keeping the second three-way valve open and spray water into the bathtub via the water supply pipe and the injection nozzle to first remove large debris. , the control may be performed so that the first and second three-way valves are switched to the circulation side to enter the cleaning process using the cleaning water.

Further, washing with washing water may be repeated several times by mixing with drainage water.

It is safe to attach a sensor to the lid so that the cleaning process starts only when the lid is correctly set in the bathtub.

[Function] When you finish bathing and turn on the operation button with the lid set correctly and hot water remaining in the bathtub, the second three-way valve opens to the drain side and the circulation pump starts operating. The remaining hot water will be drained from the drain pipe. When the end of drainage is detected by, for example, a pressure sensor, the first three-way valve is opened and, for example, tap water is supplied to the injection nozzle through the water supply pipe, and is injected from the injection nozzle into the bathtub, leaving some water remaining in the bathtub. Remove large debris such as hair from the drain pipe. Note that it is also possible to control such that washing away large pieces of dirt is not performed when there is no dirt.

The washing of the garbage is completed in units of time, and then the second three-way valve is switched to the circulation side, and water from the water supply pipe is stored in the buffer via the injection nozzle.

Once water has accumulated in the buffer, the wash liquid valve is opened and wash liquid is injected into the buffer from within the wash liquid container. Next, the first three-way valve switches to the circulation side, the heating device and the circulation pump start operating, and the heated cleaning water is injected into the bathtub from the injection nozzle. The cleaning water is heated and maintained at about 60°C, and its chemical cleaning power washes away dirt adhering to the inner walls of the bathtub. This washing is controlled on an hourly basis, and after a certain period of time,
The heating device and circulation pump are then stopped and the second three-way valve is opened to drain the dirty wash water. Note that after water is stored in the buffer, the water in the buffer may be once circulated in a heating device and heated before injecting the cleaning liquid.

Alternatively, when a hot water supply heat exchanger is incorporated into the heating device, hot water heated by the hot water supply heat exchanger may be stored in the buffer.

Next, the second three-way valve is switched to the circulation side, the first three-way valve is switched to the water supply side, and clean water is injected from the injection nozzle into the bathtub and stored in the buffer.

(Or, with the second three-way valve open, spray clean water into the bathtub from the injection nozzle and rinse it away.) Next, start the circulation pump and press the injection nozzle → inside the bathtub → buffer → circulation port → (Heating device)→Circulation pump→Second three-way valve→First three-way valve→Spray nozzle The cleaning liquid (detergent) adhering to the inside of the bathtub, buffer, and circuit passing through the circulation pump is washed away by repeating the cycle.

This washing may be repeated several times by first draining the water and then switching to clean water. Next, the second three-way valve is switched to the drain side, and the circulation pump drains the water to prepare for filling with water or hot water. However, when using the heating device for reheating other than cleaning the bathtub, switch the water filling section 1 and the second three-way valve to the circulation side, and turn the heating device → circulation pump → second three-way valve → first three-way valve → Reheating is performed along the route from the injection nozzle to the bathtub to the circulation port to the heating device. Next, when a heat exchanger for hot water supply is separately incorporated into the heating device, hot water is poured into the bathtub from the heat exchanger for hot water supply, and if there is a shortage or the temperature of the hot water decreases, the above-mentioned reheating is performed. Perform heating. All of the above steps are performed by signals from the controller. Note that the amount of dirt in the bathtub varies greatly depending on the number of bathers, so the cleaning time is controlled depending on the degree of dirt so that there is no waste or insufficient cleaning.

[Example] The figure shows an example of the present invention, where numeral 1 indicates a bathtub, 2
3 is a buffer formed at the bottom of the bathtub 1, and 3 is a circulation port provided at the bottom of the buffer 2.

5 is a lid of the bathtub 1, and 6 is a full-cone spray nozzle attached to the center of the inner bottom of the bathtub 1.

A sensor 7 detects whether the M5 is set in the bathtub 1 incorrectly.

Reference numeral 8 designates a cleaning liquid container attached to the bathtub l, and the cleaning liquid container 8 is filled with cleaning liquid, and the cleaning liquid container 8 and the buffer 2 are connected by a cleaning liquid supply pipe 9 as shown in FIG. , this cleaning liquid supply pipe 9 is equipped with a cleaning liquid valve (
A solenoid valve) 10 is attached.

11 is a heating device, and a heat exchanger 12 and a gas burner 13 are built into this heating device 11.

14 is an outlet pipe connecting the circulation port 3 of the buffer 2 and the inlet side of the heat exchanger 12, 15 is an inlet pipe connecting the outlet side of the heat exchanger 12 and the injection nozzle 6, and 17 is a first three-way valve 19 connected to the inlet pipe 15. The water supply pipe 4 connected through the inlet pipe 15 is connected to the first three-way valve 1
A drain pipe is connected between the heat exchanger 9 and the heat exchanger 12 via the second three-way valve 19', and a circulation pump 16 is attached to the inlet pipe 15 between the heat exchanger 12 and the second three-way valve 19'.

A controller 20 performs the following control.

When the user turns on the operation button after bathing, with the lid 5 properly set and hot water remaining in the bathtub l, the second three-way valve 19' opens to the drain side and the circulation pump 16 starts operating. and drain the remaining hot water. When the completion of drainage is detected by, for example, a pressure sensor, the first three-way valve 19 is then opened to the water supply side to supply clean water from the water supply pipe 17 to the injection nozzle 6, and from the injection nozzle 6 it is injected into the bathtub 1. Remove large debris such as hair from the circulation port 3 → (heat exchanger 12)
-> Circulation pump 16 -> second three-way valve 19'-> Forced drainage via drain pipe 4.

After performing this washing for a certain period of time, the second three-way valve 19'
is switched to the circulation side, water is supplied via the water supply pipe 17 → first three-way valve 19 → injection nozzle 6, and water is stored in the buffer 2. After water is stored in the buffer 2, the cleaning liquid valve 10 is opened to inject the cleaning liquid into the buffer 2 from within the cleaning liquid container 8. Next, the first three-way valve 19 is switched to the circulation side, the heating device 11 and the circulation pump 16 are started, and the washing water heated and maintained at about 60°C is injected into the bathtub 1 from the injection nozzle 6. 1, and after a certain period of time has elapsed, the heating device 11 and the circulation pump 16 are stopped, the second three-way valve 19' is opened, and the dirty washing water is drained by the circulation pump 16.

Next, the second three-way valve 19' is switched to the circulation side, the first three-way valve 19 is switched to the water supply side, and clean water is injected into the bathtub 1 from the injection nozzle 6 and stored in the buffer 2. Next, the operation of the circulation pump 16 is started, and the injection nozzle 6 → inside the bathtub 1 → buffer 2 → circulation port 3 → (heating device 11) → circulation pump 1
6 → second three-way valve 19' → first three-way valve 19 → injection nozzle 6
The cleaning liquid adhering to the inside of the bathtub 1, the inside of the buffer 2, and the circuit passing through the circulation pump 16 is washed away by repeating the circulation up to . Repeat this rinse several times by switching to clean water. Next, the circulation pump 16 is stopped, and the second three-way valve 1
9' is opened to the drain side to forcibly drain water from the drain pipe 4, and after this is completed, the second three-way valve 19' is closed to complete the cleaning process.

Note that since the dirt in the bathtub varies greatly depending on the number of bathers, the controller 20 is provided with a cleaning time setting function.

FIG. 3 shows an embodiment in which the heating device 11 is also used for reheating, and a reheating circulation port 3' is provided at the bottom of the buffer 2, and the reheating circulation port 3' and the input y- i
s via the third three-way valve 19'' and the branch pipe 17'. In this way, the first three-way valve 19 is switched to the water supply side and the water is connected from the water supply pipe 17 to the injection nozzle 6. Fill the bathtub l with water, then close the first, second, and third three-way valves 19.
．． 19'19" to the circulation side (reheating side), bathtub l → circulation port 3 → heat exchanger 12 → circulation pump 16 → second
Three-way valve 19' → First three-way valve 19 → Third three-way valve 19'' → Reheating circulation port 3' → The bathtub 1 can be circulated and the bath can be heated without reheating.However, the bath can be heated without reheating. It is also possible to perform reheating circulation by injecting from the injection nozzle 6 instead of from the circulation port 3'.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment in which hot water is filled in place of the reheating described above, in which a heat exchanger 21 for hot water supply and this burner 22 are separately incorporated in the heating device 11, and hot water is supplied from the water supply pipe 17''. Water is supplied to the hot water heat exchanger 21 and heated by the hot water heat exchanger 21, and the heated hot water is passed through the hot water supply pipe 23 → the fourth king valve 24 → the circulation pump 16 → the second three-way valve 19' → First three-way valve 19 → third three-way valve 19'' → injection nozzle 6 (or reheating circulation port 3') → bathtub 1 and fill with hot water,
After this, if necessary, the heat exchanger 12 is used to perform reheating. In addition, when making washing water, hot water is supplied from this hot water heat exchanger 21 into the buffer 2 and washing liquid is mixed therein to increase the mixing efficiency or shorten the time to heat the washing water to 60°C. You may also do so.

[Effects of the present invention] As described above, the present invention sprays cleaning water mixed with cleaning liquid into the bathtub from a spray nozzle to remove dirt by chemical action, and finally sprays clean water to rinse away the cleaning liquid. , I tried to finish it. As a result, there are the following effects.

a. It eliminates the hassle of washing the bathtub, which is especially convenient for elderly people and people with physical disabilities.

Since I heated the b8 cleaning water with a heating device,
Dirt comes off quickly and looks good.

There is no waste as the C0 wash water is stored in the buffer and then circulated for use.

d. By using a full cone nozzle for the spray nozzle, the entire area can be covered within the bathtub by simply installing one spray nozzle.

e. Since the heating of the washing water and the reheating are performed by a common heating device, the equipment cost is low.

f. By incorporating a heat exchanger for hot water supply into the heating device and filling the hot water by a drop-in method, the equipment cost is higher than in case e above, but the operating cost (gasification) is lower.

g. Since drainage is forcibly performed using a circulation pump, there is greater flexibility in installing the bathtub compared to natural gravity drainage.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an explanatory diagram of the bathtub cleaning method and its device according to the present invention, Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the bathtub, Fig. 3 is an example diagram in which the heating device is used for reheating (bath pot), FIG. 4 is a diagram showing another embodiment in which a heat exchanger for hot water supply is incorporated into a heating device. l... Bathtub 2... Buffer 3
... Circulation port 3'... Reheating circulation port 4 ... Drain pipe 5 ... Lid 6 ...
Injection nozzle 7... Sensor 8... Cleaning liquid container 9... Cleaning liquid supply pipe 10... Cleaning liquid valve 11... Heating device 12... Heat exchanger 13... Gas burner 14... Outlet pipe 15 ... Inlet pipe 16 ... Circulation pump 17 ... Water supply pipe 19 ... First three-way valve 1
9'... Second three-way valve 19''... Third three-way valve 2
0 ... Heat exchanger for controller hot water supply 4th three-way valve Patent applicant Tokyo Gas Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. The remaining hot water in the bathtub is forcibly drained by a pump, and then cleaning water mixed with cleaning liquid is sprayed all over the bathtub to wash dirt inside the bathtub with the chemical power of the cleaning water. A bathtub cleaning method in which the cleaning solution is washed away by spraying clean water into the bathtub in preparation for filling with water or hot water. 2. An injection nozzle was installed inside the bottom of the bathtub to face the inside of the bathtub. A buffer was formed at the bottom of the bathtub, and a circulation port was provided at the bottom of this buffer. The inlet pipe of the heating device was connected to the circulation of the buffer. The outlet side is connected to the injection nozzle, the water supply pipe is connected to the outlet pipe via a first three-way valve, and the drain pipe is connected to the outlet pipe between the first three-way valve and the heating device via a second three-way valve. A circulation pump is attached to either the inlet or outlet pipe of the heating device. The cleaning liquid container is filled with cleaning liquid, and the cleaning liquid container and the buffer are connected with a cleaning liquid supply pipe. At the same time, a cleaning liquid valve is attached to this cleaning liquid supply pipe, a step of forcibly draining the remaining hot water from the bathtub by opening the second three-way valve to the drain side and operating the circulation pump;
Step of opening the three-way valve to the water supply side, supplying a small amount of water from the water supply pipe to the bathtub via the injection nozzle, and storing this water in the buffer, switching the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve to the circulation side. At the same time, the detergent liquid valve is opened and the detergent liquid is injected into the buffer to create cleaning water.The heating device and circulation pump are started to operate and the heated cleaning water is sprayed from the injection nozzle to the entire area inside the bathtub. Step of cleaning inside, stopping the heating device and circulation pump, opening the second three-way valve to the drainage side, operating the circulation pump, and forcibly draining the cleaning water, turning the second three-way valve to the circulation side. At the same time, the first three-way valve is switched to the water supply side to inject clean water from the injection nozzle into the bathtub and stored in the buffer, and the first three-way valve is switched to the circulation side to start operating the circulation pump and inject The process of washing away the cleaning liquid by repeating the cycle of nozzle → inside the bathtub → buffer → circulation port → (heating device) → circulation pump → second three-way valve → first three-way valve → injection nozzle, switching the second three-way valve to the drain side A bathtub cleaning device characterized by being provided with a controller that controls the process of draining water via a circulation port → (heating device) → circulation pump → second three-way valve → drain pipe. 3. Provide a reheating circulation port at the bottom of the buffer, connect this reheating circulation port to the inlet pipe between the first three-way valve and the injection nozzle via the third three-way valve, and connect the heating device → circulation pump → second
Three-way valve → First three-way valve → Third three-way valve → Reheating circulation port →
3. The bathtub cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the bathtub cleaning device is configured to perform circulation from the bathtub to the circulation port to the heating device to reheat the water or hot water in the bathtub. 4.Incorporate a heat exchanger for hot water supply and a heat exchanger for reheating into the heating device, and fill the bathtub with hot water heated by the heat exchanger for hot water supply through the injection nozzle or circulation port for reheating. 3. The bathtub cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the bathtub cleaning device is configured to perform reheating using a reheating heat exchanger. 5. The bathtub cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein hot water heated by a hot water supply heat exchanger is supplied into a buffer, and cleaning liquid is injected into the buffer to produce cleaning water. 6. After draining the remaining hot water, operate the circulation pump with the second three-way valve open, open the first three-way valve, and spray water into the bathtub via the water supply pipe → injection nozzle to remove large garbage. 3. The bathtub cleaning device according to claim 2, further comprising a controller for controlling the first three-way valve and the second three-way valve to be switched to the circulation side to enter a cleaning process using the cleaning water. 7. The bathtub cleaning device according to claim 2, further comprising a controller for controlling the cleaning with the cleaning water to be repeated several times with drainage mixed therein. 8. A controller that opens the second three-way valve to the drain side, operates the circulation pump, opens the first three-way valve to the water supply side, and controls the injection nozzle to inject water into the bathtub and wash away the cleaning water. The bathtub cleaning device according to claim 2, further comprising: 9. The bathtub cleaning device according to claim 2, further comprising a controller configured to enter the cleaning process only when the lid is correctly set. 10. The bathtub cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the spray nozzle is a full cone nozzle.