JPH0475616A - Shower equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute the flow rate fluctuation of a shower by the small energizing time and, quantity by providing a discharge port of hot water, and a flow rate control means for maximizing the hot water flow rate at the time when a signal from a flow rate controller is zero or minimum, and minimizing the hot water flow rate, at the time when said signal is maximum, of the flow rate controller which is varied timewise. CONSTITUTION:When a mode switch of an operating part is turned on in a state of a shower jet, a flow rate control means 10 is conducted electrically only at the moment of the respective signals by interlocking with a rhythm of music and in accordance with strength of a sound, and by electromagnetic force of an electromagnetic coil 11, a movable iron core 13 works a valve body 16 by overcoming force of a spring 17, and at that moment, a shower flow rate is decreased. When the electromagnetic force is eliminated, the valve body 16 is fully opened by force of the spring and returns to the maximum flow rate. As for the flow rate control means 10, fluid pressure of an inlet 20 works on a flow rate control flange 28 and a pressure balance flange 29 of the valve body 16, and the valve body 16 can be driven only by electromagnetic force of the electromagnetic coil 11 which can oppose force of the spring 17, therefore, low power driving can be executed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a shower device installed and used in a bathroom, shower room, or the like.

Conventional technology Showers provide a sense of cleanliness and refreshment that is different from the comfort of taking a bath, and are increasingly being used for purposes such as stress relief and relaxation. In recent years, shower equipment has not only been shown to be able to simply wash away sweat and dirt from the body, but also to improve the functionality of so-called multi-functional showers, which provide enjoyment and comfort through changes such as various jet patterns and fluctuations in the amount of hot water. It's coming.

Conventionally, regarding this type of shower device, for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 1983
-4.4938, a time-varying signal is sent from the signal generator 1 to the electromagnetic valve 3 of the flow control device 2, and the pilot valve 4 is driven to open and close to control the flow rate. The main valve 5 of the control device 2 changes the flow rate over time between a maximum flow rate and a minimum flow rate, and when used in a shower, a pleasant stimulation and pine surge effect can be obtained.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in such a conventional configuration, when the solenoid valve 3 is not energized, the pilot valve 4 closes the valve seat 6t' and is in the minimum flow state, and the normal If you want to take a shower with a large flow rate, you have to keep the solenoid valve 3 fully open with a continuous current, which requires a large amount of electricity when you take a normal shower.

The present invention solves these conventional problems and aims to provide a shower device with low power consumption and high added value.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the shower apparatus of the present invention includes a discharge port for discharging hot water, a flow rate controller for outputting a flow rate control signal that changes over time, and a flow rate controller that outputs a flow rate control signal that changes over time. When the signal is zero or minimum, the flow rate of hot water supplied to the discharge port is maximum, and when the signal is maximum, the flow rate of hot water is varied in accordance with the flow rate control signal of the flow rate controller in order to minimize the flow rate of hot water. This is a shower device equipped with a flow control means for controlling the flow rate.

Effect of the present invention With the above-described configuration, in the case of a normal shower in which the user uses the shower without changing the shower flow rate, there is no need to energize the flow rate control means, resulting in power saving, and the flow control means Even when the shower flow rate is varied, for example, the flow rate control means is energized only at the moment when the flow rate is reduced, and when the energization is stopped, the flow returns to the maximum flow rate. It is possible to reduce the power consumption of a shower device that provides a stimulating sensation and a pine surge effect.

Embodiment Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the accompanying drawings.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, reference numeral 7 denotes a memory IC for recording music as an example of musical tone signal generating means. When the musical tone signal generating means 7 is operated, a musical tone signal is output.

This musical tone signal is input to a flow rate controller 8 and a speaker 9. The flow rate controller 8 detects a rhythm element from the musical tone signal, and applies an electrical output corresponding to the rhythm element signal to the electromagnetic coil 11 of the flow rate control means 10. Flow controller 8
To detect rhythm elements, a frequency filter is used to extract only the frequency band of the rhythm section of the musical sound signal, such as the sound of an instrument such as a drum, and a current corresponding to the volume of that frequency band is applied to the electromagnetic coil 11. be. The flow rate control means 10 has a movable iron core 13 slidably inserted into the axis of an electromagnetic coil 11 via a guide vibe 12t, and a yoke 14 and a yoke plate 15 arranged on the outside of the electromagnetic coil 11. The circuit is configured. Furthermore, movable iron core 1
A spring 17 is attached to the end surface of 3 so that the valve body 16 comes into contact with it.
is installed. The flow path in the valve body 18 of the flow rate control means 10 has an inlet communicating with a hot water supply port 19 and an outlet 23 communicating with a hand shower 22 having an outlet 21 for discharging hot water.
A valve seat 24 and a cylinder portion 25 are formed in the middle of the communication path, and the valve body 16 is inserted so as to slide in the cylinder portion 25. Further, a communication passage 27 is formed between the cylinder bottom 26 where the spring 17 is disposed and the outlet 23 with a sufficient passage area. A flow control flange 28 and a pressure balance flange 29 are formed on the valve body 16 . In addition, when the shower main body 30 shown in FIG. 2 is installed on the wall in the bathroom, 31 is a hot water mixing faucet with an automatic temperature control function that can adjust the water temperature to your preference, and 32 is a hot water mixing faucet 81 connected to the hot water supply port 1.
This is a hot water supply hose that supplies hot water to the shower main body 30 via the shower head 9 . 33 is a battery power supply unit built into the shower body 30, which is replaceable and has a waterproof structure. 34
is a fixed nozzle that can discharge hot water from the top of the shower body separately from the hand shower 22, and the hand shower 22 and the fixed nozzle 34 can be switched by operating a switching solenoid valve 36 (not shown) from the operating section 35. be. Note that the switching solenoid valve 36 is constructed of a self-holding type solenoid valve that can be switched by one-shot energization in order to reduce consumption of the battery power source 33. Note that the flow rate controller 8 and the flow rate control means 10 are configured to be built in the shower body 30. 37 is a mirror.

In the above configuration, when an instruction is given to discharge water from the hand shower using the operation unit 31 of the shower main body 30, the switching solenoid valve 36 is opened by one-shot energization, and hot water is spouted from the discharge port 21 of the hand shower 22. In this case, since the flow rate control means 10 is not energized, the flow rate control means 1
The flow path at 0 remains fully open, and a shower jet with a fully open flow rate is obtained. This is because, as shown in FIG. 3, the characteristics of the flow rate control means in one embodiment of the present invention are such that the flow rate is maximum when the electrical input is zero or minimum, and the flow rate is minimum when the electrical input is maximum. This is due to the fact that In the case of a configuration like the conventional example shown in FIG. 5, unless the electromagnetic valve 3 is energized, a shower jet of normal full flow rate cannot be obtained. In the case of a normal shower that is used without changing the shower flow rate as described above, there is no need to supply electricity to the flow rate control means 10, resulting in power saving.

Next, when the musical tone fluctuation mode switch (not shown) of the operating section 35 is turned on in the normal shower jet state, a musical tone signal is generated from the musical tone signal generating means 7, and at the same time the music is heard from the speaker 9. The flow rate of the shower jet changes in conjunction with the rhythm of the shower. This musical tone-linked fluctuation occurs when the flow rate controller 8 detects a rhythm element from the musical tone signal using the above-described configuration and applies an electrical output corresponding to the rhythm element signal to the electromagnetic coil 11 of the flow rate control means 10. At this time, the flow rate controller 8 to the flow rate control means 1
FIG. 4 shows the state in which the input current applied to the shower head 0 changes and the state in which the shower flow rate changes. In this way, the shower flow rate changes according to the rhythm element signal that changes over time, and rhythmic stimulation can be obtained. In this way, the flow rate control means 10 is energized only at the instant of each signal depending on the intensity of the sound of the rhythm element that changes over time, and the electromagnetic force generated in the electromagnetic coil 11 of the flow rate control means 10 causes
Since the movable iron core 13 acts to push the valve body 16 overcoming the force of the spring 17, the shower flow rate decreases at that moment. Furthermore, between the pulses of the rhythm element signal, the input current from the flow rate controller 8 to the flow rate control means 10 is stopped, and the electromagnetic force of the electromagnetic coil 11 of the flow rate control means 10 is also eliminated at that moment, so that the valve body 16 is moved by the spring. It works by fully opening due to the force of and immediately returning to the maximum flow rate. In the flow rate control means 10, the fluid pressure at the inlet 20 acts on the flow rate control flange 28 and the pressure balance flange 29 of the valve body 16, and the force of the valve body receiving pressure due to the inlet pressure is almost canceled out, so that the force of the spring 17 is reduced. By configuring the valve body 16 to be driven only by the electromagnetic force of the electromagnetic coil 11 that can resist the above, it is possible to drive the valve body 16 with lower power. The communication passage 27 is also effective in further reducing the force exerted by the fluid pressure on the valve body. In other words, assuming that there is no communication passage 27, the fluid pressure at the inlet 20 goes around to the side of the pressure balance flange 29 where the spring 17 is installed and acts as a force pushing the valve body 16 toward the movable core. This requires a large amount of electromagnetic force, which in turn requires a large amount of electric power. Further, the flow rate control means 10 is different from a conventional structure in which the flow rate is varied by driving the main valve 5 through a change in the force acting on the diaphragm by driving the pilot valve 4. Movable iron core 1 on which electromagnetic force acts
Since it has a so-called direct-acting configuration in which the shower head is directly driven by the shower head 3, quick response can be obtained, and the shower flow rate can be varied in conjunction with fast-changing signals such as music.

As described above, it is possible to fluctuate the flow rate of the shower with a short current application time and a short current application amount, and a stimulating sensation and a pine surge effect can be obtained with extremely low power. Therefore, conventionally, attempting to realize such a fluctuating shower requires a commercial power supply, and when installing it in a bathroom, etc., it requires electrical work in addition to hot water supply piping work, and the bathroom needs to be renovated or remodeled. Although there was a problem in that there were restrictions on the conditions, one embodiment of the present invention uses low power as described above, making it possible to use a battery power type as shown in Figure 2, which is useful for electrical work and bathrooms. This creates a high-value-added shower that can be easily installed in existing bathrooms, etc., without requiring any renovations.

As described above, according to this embodiment, while listening to one's favorite music from the speaker 9, the flow rate of the shower changes according to changes in the rhythm of the music, providing a rhythmic stimulation sensation, a pine surge effect, and visual, auditory, and tactile sensations. It realizes a fluctuating shower linked to musical sounds that produces a perceptible performance effect using low power, and enables a high-value-added shower that has a built-in battery power supply and can be easily installed without the need for electrical work.It has the effect of easily creating a rich shower life. .

In the above embodiment, a musical sound-linked fluctuation shower using a musical tone signal recorded in a memory IC was explained as an example of a time-varying flow rate control signal. The same is true even if

Effects of the Invention As described above, the shower device of the present invention provides the following effects.

(1) A discharge port that discharges hot water, a flow rate controller that outputs a flow control signal that changes over time, and when the signal from the flow rate controller is zero or minimum, the flow rate of hot water supplied to the discharge port is maximum. Since the shower apparatus is equipped with a flow rate control means that varies the hot water flow rate according to the flow rate control signal of the flow rate controller in order to minimize the hot water flow rate when the signal is maximum, the shower flow rate can be adjusted with extremely low electric power. It is now possible to use a regular shower that is used without changing the shower flow rate, and a flow rate fluctuation shower that changes the shower flow rate according to a signal that changes over time, making it possible to create a high-value-added shower device that provides stimulation and pine surge effects. It has the effect of being electrified.

(2) The shower flow rate can be varied with extremely low power according to the flow rate control signal that changes over time, so it can be easily installed in existing bathrooms, etc., with a built-in battery power supply and no electrical work or bathroom renovations required. This provides the unique effect of realizing a shower with high added value.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a shower device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the installed state of the device, FIG. 3 is a characteristic diagram of the flow rate control means of the device, and FIG. 4 is a dynamic characteristic diagram of the same device, and FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a conventional shower device. 8...Flow rate controller, 10...Flow rate control means, 21.
...Discharge port. Name of agent Patent attorney Shigetaka Awano Haka 1 person 8- Ring 1 Betsu oval 14 Fig. 2 Fig. Fig.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a discharge port for discharging hot water; a flow rate controller for outputting a time-varying flow rate control signal; A shower device comprising a flow rate control means for varying the flow rate of hot water according to a flow rate control signal of the flow rate controller so as to minimize the flow rate of hot water when the signal is maximum.