JPH0623291Y2 - Bubble bath device with negative pressure nozzle drive mechanism - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial field of application] The present invention relates to a bubble bath apparatus, and more particularly to a bubble bath apparatus improved to improve a massage effect and to comfortably take a bath.

[Conventional technology]

 FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a bubble bath.

Water in the bathtub 1 (in the present invention, water is meant to include hot water) is sucked by the water pump 2, pressurized, and supplied to the nozzle device 3.

The pressurized water flow supplied to the nozzle device 3 sucks and mixes the air supplied from the air pipe 4, and becomes a mixed flow 5 of air and water, and is jetted into the bath 1 as indicated by an arrow a.

FIG. 11 is an enlarged sectional view of the nozzle device 3.

The nozzle device 3 is watertightly mounted on the bubble bath nozzle mounting opening 1 a provided in the bathtub 1 via the packing 6.

The water pumped from the water pump 2 (FIG. 10) is supplied through the pressure water pipe 7 as shown by the arrow b, is squeezed by the water nozzle 8 and is injected into the mixing chamber 9 as shown by the arrow c.

The pressure of the water flow (arrow c) that is throttled and becomes high speed decreases,
The air is sucked from the air conduit 4 to form an air-water mixed flow.

The mixed flow nozzle 10 is arranged in front of the above-mentioned mixed flow, that is, on the extension of the arrow c. This mixed flow nozzle is a member for guiding the above-mentioned air-water mixed flow, and has a spherical portion 10a formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof, and is rotatably supported by being sandwiched between a cover 11 and a nozzle retainer 12.

The mixed flow nozzle 10 is pressed against the cover 11 by the coil spring 13, and the ejection direction (arrow d) is kept constant by the frictional force. This ejection direction can be changed by the force of the fingertip. The redirected mixed flow nozzle 10 keeps the orientation after being redirected.

The bather changes the direction of the mixed flow nozzle 10 to any direction with his / her fingertip so that the air-water mixed flow is blown to the desired position from the back, the waist, the neck, and the desired location to receive a massage in a bubble bath. be able to.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

In the conventional bubble bath apparatus, the bather can be installed at any part of his / her body to receive the jet of the air-water mixed flow, but the part to receive this jet is limited to one part of the body.

That is, for example, if one wants to receive a jet of an air-water mixed flow from the neck muscles to the shoulders, or wants to receive a jet from the back to the waist, one has to move his or her body to move the place to receive the jet.

In this way, receiving a bubble bath massage while moving one's own body is troublesome, and comfort is diminished due to mental burden.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bubble bath device that allows a bather to safely receive a bubble bath massage over a wide range without moving his or her body.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

In order to achieve the above object, the bubble bath apparatus of the present invention is provided with a driving means for reciprocally tilting a mixed flow nozzle for ejecting an air-water mixed flow vertically and horizontally. In order to prevent such a problem, a pneumatic drive mechanism is used instead of an electric drive member.

As a concrete configuration based on the above principle, the bubble bath apparatus of the present invention is a bubble bath apparatus in which a mixed flow nozzle for ejecting an air-water mixed flow is tiltably supported, and the mixed flow nozzle is vertically tilted. A pneumatic actuator for driving the above, a pneumatic actuator for driving the horizontal tilting of the mixed flow nozzle, an air pump for supplying air pressure as a drive source to each of the pneumatic actuators, and each of the pneumatic actuators. And a control means for tilting the mixed flow nozzle in a reciprocating manner by controlling the pressure of the supplied air pressure.

[Action]

When the mixed flow nozzle is reciprocally tilted vertically or horizontally by the driving means, the jet direction of the air-water mixed flow jetted from the mixed flow nozzle is swung vertically and horizontally. Therefore, even if the bather is stationary, the air-water mixed flow can be jetted out over a wide range of his / her body, and the mental tension can be released and the massage effect of the bubble bath can be enjoyed.

In particular, since a pneumatic actuator is used as a means for driving the tilting of the mixed flow nozzle, there is no risk of electric shock and it is safe.

Either positive pressure or negative pressure can be used as the air pressure, but it is more convenient to use negative pressure from the viewpoint of the sealing function of the pipe and the prevention of leakage.

〔Example〕

FIG. 2 is a schematic system diagram showing an embodiment of the bubble bath device according to the present invention.

A nozzle device 14 according to the present invention is attached to the bathtub 1. The nozzle device 14 has a structure capable of swinging the jetting direction of the air-water mixed flow vertically and horizontally, and includes a pneumatic actuator 15 for vertical driving and a pneumatic actuator 16 for horizontal driving. There is. Details of the structure will be described later with reference to FIGS. 1 and 3.

U shown in FIG. 2 is a bubble bath unit, which is provided with a water pump 2 similar to that in the conventional bubble bath device described with reference to FIG. 10, and which has the vertical and horizontal driving actuators 15 and 16 described above. Pump 2 for operating the
0, and a device for controlling the actuator.

The horizontal drive actuator 16 is the solenoid valve 1 for intake of air.
8 and the solenoid valve 19, and is connected to the suction port of the air pump 20. Reference numeral 17 is a pressure sensor, 21 is a breather, and 22 is an accumulation tank continuously connected to the suction port side of the air pump 20.

The vertical drive actuator 15 is used for the atmosphere intake solenoid valve 2
4, via the solenoid valve 25, connected to the suction port of the air pump 20. Reference numeral 23 is a pressure sensor.

The pressure sensors 17, 23 and the air intake solenoid valve 1
Details of the structures of the solenoid valves 8, 24 and the solenoid valves 19, 25 will be described later with reference to FIG.

FIG. 1 shows a mixed flow nozzle 14a of the nozzle device 14,
It is a perspective view which extracted and drew the horizontal drive actuator 16 and the up-and-down drive actuator 15.

Like the mixed flow nozzle 10 of the conventional example (FIG. 11), the mixed flow nozzle 14a of the present example is supported so as to be tiltable vertically and horizontally.

For convenience of description, it is assumed that two horizontal orthogonal axes X and Y and a vertical axis Z are used.

z ₁ and z ₂ are auxiliary axes parallel to the Z axis, and y ₁ and y ₂ are auxiliary axes parallel to the Y axis.

An arm 14b for driving the mixed flow nozzle 14a in a tilting direction is fixed to the mixed flow nozzle 14a. This arm 1
4b is provided with slots or notches for engaging with crankshafts 15d and 16d which will be described in detail later.

The horizontal drive actuator 16 is a diaphragm type actuator, and has a structure that is driven by a pressure difference from the atmosphere.

FIG. 3 is a plan view in which the vicinity of the constituent parts shown in FIG. 1 is partially cut and drawn. The structure will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

A diaphragm 16e is provided in the chamber 16a (see FIG. 3). The diaphragm 16e bends due to the pressure difference between the pressure given by the communication pipe 16f and the atmospheric pressure, and the drive rod 16b reciprocates in the y ₁ axis direction. .

The drive rod 16b is connected to the lever 16c to tilting about the z ₁ axis, the lever 16c in a horizontal plane, reciprocally rotated within the angular around the z ₁ axis theta.

The above lever 16c is being secured crankshaft 16d (see FIG. 1), reciprocally rotates about the z ₁ axis with the lever 16c. The crankshaft 16d engages with the arm 14b, and causes the mixed flow nozzle 14a fixed to the arm 14b to perform reciprocal tilting at an angle θ'in the horizontal plane about the Z axis.

The up-and-down drive actuator 15 is a component similar to the horizontal drive actuator 16, and reciprocates the drive rod 15b in the z ₂ axis direction according to the pressure applied to the communication pipe 15f to make the axis y _{2 in the} plane perpendicular to the lever 15c. With φ as the center
Make a reciprocating tilt of. The reciprocating tilt of the lever 15c is caused by the crankshaft 15d and the arm 14b through the mixed flow nozzle 1.
4a, the mixed flow nozzle 14a tilts back and forth about the Y axis by an angle φ '.

The pressure sensor 17 shown in FIG. 2, the air intake solenoid valve 18,
A cross-sectional view of the pressure control mechanism including the solenoid valve 19 is shown in FIG. This sectional view is also common to the pressure control mechanism including the pressure sensor 23, the atmosphere intake solenoid valve 24, and the solenoid valve 25 in FIG.

The electromagnetic coil 19a of the electromagnetic valve 19 (25) drives the valve body 19b. The outside of the valve seat 19c is connected to the air pump 20, the inside of the valve seat 19c is connected to the actuator 16 (15), and the atmosphere intake valve 18 (24) and the pressure sensor 17 are provided in the middle thereof. (23) is provided.

The electromagnetic coil 18a of the air intake valve 18 (24) is a valve body 18
drive b. The outside of the valve seat 18c is the solenoid valve 19 (2
5) inside the valve seat 19c and the actuator 16 (1
Always communicating with 5). The inside of the valve seat 18c communicates with the atmosphere via a breather 18d.

The pressure sensor 17 (23) has a diaphragm 17a inside.
Is provided, and the movement is detected by the electrical contact 17b.

According to the pressure control mechanism configured as shown in FIG. 4, the solenoid valve 19 (25) can control the communication / interruption between the air pump 20 and the actuator 16 (15). The negative pressure applied to the actuator 16 (15) can be adjusted by finely opening and closing the atmosphere intake solenoid valve 18 (24) with the (25) open, and the adjusted pressure can be adjusted by the pressure sensor. 17 (23).

The bubble bath device of this example is a microcomputer (not shown)
By controlling the bubble bath unit U, the negative pressure applied to the vertical drive actuator 15 and the negative pressure applied to the horizontal drive actuator 16 are controlled. A flow chart of the control is shown in FIG.

When the bubble bath device is turned on by a remote controller (not shown), the water pump 2 (Fig. 2) is turned on (flow 5a).

Then, the solenoid valves 25 and 29 are opened as in the flow 5b,
Atmosphere intake solenoid valves (abbreviated as atmosphere intake valves in the flow chart) 24 and 18 are closed, and the air pump 20 is turned on (flow 5c). As a result, the actuator 15,
The inside of the conduit communicating with 16 is evacuated and the atmospheric pressure is lowered.

In the flow 5d, the pressure detected by the pressure sensors 17 and 23 is x ₁
It is determined whether or not the following is reached, and when the pressure x ₁ is reached, the solenoid valves 25 and 19 are turned off (flow 5e).

Therefore, in flow 5f, it is confirmed whether or not there is a nozzle operation command.

If there is a nozzle operation command, it is confirmed whether or not it is horizontal drive (flow 5g).

If it is horizontal drive, proceed to flow 5h, and the air intake valve 18
Is finely turned on and off to control the pressure, and when it is confirmed that the pressure has risen above x _{1 in} the flow 5i, the atmosphere intake valve 18 is turned off (flow 5j). Then, the solenoid valve 19 is finely turned on and off (Flow 5
k). This is because the pressure does not change rapidly.

Now the pressure starts to drop, so in Flow 5, the pressure is x
_It is determined whether or not it is ₁ or less, and if the pressure becomes x ₁ or less, the process returns to the flow 5h, and the operations of the flows 5h to 5 are repeated.

This keeps the pressure between x ₁ and x ₂ .

In the above-mentioned flow 5g, when it is determined that the nozzle operation command is not the horizontal drive command, it is determined that it is the vertical drive command, the flow proceeds to 5m, and the atmosphere intake valve 24 is turned on.
-OFF operation is performed, and it is confirmed whether the output signal of the pressure sensor 23 is x ₂ or more (flow 5n).

If the pressure is x ₂ or more, the atmosphere intake valve 24 is turned off (flow 5o), and the solenoid valve 25 is turned on / off (flow 5p).

In flow 5q, it is determined whether or not the output signal of the pressure sensor 23 is x ₁ or less, and if x ₁ or less, the flow proceeds to flow 5r to turn off the solenoid valve 25 and return to flow 5m.

Then, the flow 5m-5r is repeated to maintain the pressure between x ₁ and x ₂ .

FIG. 6 shows an embodiment different from the above.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, one nozzle device 14 having horizontal and vertical actuators is installed, but in this example, 3 × 2 = 6 nozzle devices 14 are arrayed vertically and horizontally. For convenience of explanation, these nozzle devices will be referred to as 14A, 14B ...
Name it 14F.

The nozzle devices 14A and 14B are connected to the discharge port of the water pump 2 via the electromagnetic valve 31.

The nozzle devices 14C and 14D are connected to the discharge port of the water pump 2 via the solenoid valve 32.

The nozzle devices 14E and 14F are connected to the discharge port of the water pump 2 via the electromagnetic valve 33.

Although not shown, each nozzle device can be tilted vertically and horizontally.

FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are explanatory views showing an example of the vertical and horizontal driving method of the six nozzle devices 14A to 14F in this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a plan view showing three nozzle devices 14A, 14
C, 14E overlap, and three nozzle devices 14B,
14D and 14F overlap.

As shown in FIG. 7 (A), it is also possible to tilt the nozzle devices in two vertical rows inward with respect to each other so as to concentrate the jet flow at one place on the body.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7 (B), it is also possible to make nozzles in two vertical columns substantially parallel (meaning parallel in a plan view) so that the jet flow is applied to a wide part of the body.

Further, as shown in FIG. 7 (C), it is also possible to operate the nozzle devices in two columns in a vertical direction as shown by arc arrows i and j.

FIG. 8 is a side view of the six nozzle device, in which the upper two nozzle devices 14A and 14B overlap, the middle two nozzle devices 14C and 14D overlap, and the lower two nozzle devices 14E. , 14F overlap.

As shown in FIG. 8 (A), all of the nozzle devices are directed upward, and the air-water mixed flow is jetted from the upper nozzle device and tilted downward as indicated by the arc arrow k.

When the upper nozzle device is facing downward as shown in Fig. (B),
Stop the jet of air-water mixed flow from the upper nozzle device,
While ejecting the air-water mixed flow from the nozzle device in the middle stage, this is tilted downward as indicated by the arrow.

When the middle-stage nozzle device faces downward as shown in FIG. 6C, the ejection of the air-water mixed flow from the middle-stage nozzle device is stopped, and the air-water mixed flow is ejected from the lower-stage nozzle device,
This is tilted downward as indicated by arrow m.

When the lower nozzle device faces downward, this time, the nozzle device is tilted upward in sequence in the reverse order of the above operation.

As a result, the bather feels as if he / she strokes his / her back and feels like he / she lifted up, and the bubble bath massage effect is fully exerted.

FIG. 9 is a control flow chart for operating the six nozzle devices as shown in FIG. In the bubble bath apparatus of this example, automatic control is performed by the microcomputer according to the flow chart of FIG.

When the foam device is turned on, all the nozzle devices are turned upward in the flow 9a. (Note that the nozzle device is abbreviated as a nozzle in FIG. 9).

To turn the nozzle device upward (down) means to turn the mixed flow nozzle 14a shown in FIG. 1 upward (down). Tilt up (down) likewise tilts the mixed flow nozzle.

The solenoid valve 31 (Fig. 6) is opened and the solenoid valves 32, 3 are opened.
3 is closed (flow 9b), and the water pump 2 is operated (flow 9c). As a result, the upper nozzle devices 14A, 14
B ejects the air-water mixed flow, and the middle and lower nozzle devices 14C to 14F suspend the ejection of the air-water mixed flow. This state corresponds to FIG. 8 (A).

In this state, the nozzle devices 14A and 14B in the upper stage, which are ejecting the air-water mixed flow, are tilted downward (Flow 9d).

It is confirmed in Flow 9e that the upper nozzle devices 14A and 14B are tilted downward and are directed downward.

When the solenoid valve 32 is opened and the solenoid valves 31 and 32 are closed in the flow 9f, the jetting of the air-water mixed flow of the upper stage nozzle devices 14A and 14B is stopped, and the middle stage nozzle devices 14C and 14D.
The air-water mixed flow jetting is started. This state is shown in Figure 8.
Corresponds to (B).

In this state, the middle-stage nozzle devices 14C and 14D, which are ejecting the air-water mixed flow, are tilted downward (flow 9g).

Middle-stage nozzle devices 14C and 14D that are tilted downward
Is confirmed to be downward in Flow 9h, and the solenoid valve 3
3 and the solenoid valves 31 and 32 are closed (Flow 9
i), the air-water mixed flow is jetted from the lower nozzle devices 14E and 14F. This state corresponds to FIG. 8 (C).

In Flow 9j, the lower nozzle devices 14E and 14F ejecting the air-water mixed flow are tilted downward, and it is confirmed in Flow 9k that they are directed downward.

Next, from the flow 9 to the flow 9s, the operation opposite to the above is performed.

That is, in the flow 9, the lower nozzle devices 14E and 14F
Tilt upwards. In this state, the lower nozzle devices 14E and 14F continue to eject the air-water mixed flow.

Lower stage nozzle devices 14E and 14F tilted upward
Check that it has turned upwards with a flow of 9 m, and use the solenoid valve 3
2 is opened and the solenoid valves 31 and 33 are closed (Flow 9
n) The jetting of the air-water mixed flow is performed by the lower nozzle device 14E,
The nozzle devices 14C and 14D in the middle stage are moved from 14F.

Nozzle device 14 in the middle stage, which has started to eject the air-water mixed flow
C and 14D are tilted upward (flow 9o), and it is confirmed that they are upward by flow 9p, and the solenoid valve 31
Open and close the solenoid valves 32 and 33 (Flow 9
q), the jetting of the air-water mixed flow is performed by the nozzle device 14 in the middle stage.
The nozzles C and 14D are moved to the upper nozzle devices 14A and 14B.

Upper-stage nozzle device 14 that has begun to eject an air-water mixed flow
A and 14B are tilted upward (flow 9r), and flow 9
At s, it is confirmed that the upper stage nozzle devices 14A and 14B are directed upward, and one cycle is completed. Then, the process proceeds to the flow 9d and the above cycle is repeated.

[Effect of device]

As described above, the present invention is applied to a bubble bath in which a nozzle is supported so as to be tiltable with respect to a bathtub and a means for ejecting an air-water mixed flow from the nozzle is provided, and the nozzle is vertically moved. By providing a pneumatic driving means that reciprocates horizontally, the bather can comfortably receive the bubble bath massage over a wide range without moving his or her body, and the massage effect is fully exerted. .

Moreover, since the pneumatic actuator is used to drive the mixed flow nozzle and an electric drive device such as an electric motor is not used, there is no danger of electric shock and safety is ensured.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a bubble bath device according to the present invention, and is a schematic perspective view in which essential parts are extracted and drawn. FIG. 2 is a schematic system diagram of the above embodiment. FIG. 3 is a plan view in which a part of the nozzle device portion in the above embodiment is cut and drawn. FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an essential part of the bubble bath unit U shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the operation of the above embodiment. 6 to 9 show an embodiment different from the above,
The figure is a cutaway perspective view with a water system diagram added. FIGS. 7 (A), (B), (C), and FIGS. 8 (A), (B), (C) are schematic diagrams for explaining the operation, and FIG. 9 shows the operation. It is a flowchart. FIG. 10 is a schematic sectional view showing a conventional bubble bath device. FIG. 11 is a sectional view of the vicinity of the nozzle device in the above conventional example. 1 ... tub, 2 ... water pump, 3 ... nozzle device, 4 ...
… Air line, 7 …… Pressure water pipe, 8 …… Water nozzle, 9 ……
Mixing chamber, 10 ... mixed flow nozzle, 14 ... nozzle device,
15 ... Vertical drive actuator, 16 ... Horizontal drive actuator, 17 ... Pressure sensor, 18 ... Atmosphere intake solenoid valve, 19 ... Solenoid valve, 20 ... Air pump, 23 ...
... pressure sensor, 24 ... atmosphere intake solenoid valve, 25 ... solenoid valve, 31, 32, 33 ... solenoid valve.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A bubble bath device in which a mixed flow nozzle for ejecting an air-water mixed flow is tiltably supported, and a pneumatic actuator for driving the vertical tilt of the mixed flow nozzle, and a horizontal direction of the mixed flow nozzle. Pneumatic actuator for driving direction tilt, air pump for supplying air pressure as a driving source to each of the pneumatic actuators, and the mixed flow nozzle for controlling the pressure of air pressure supplied to each of the pneumatic actuators A bubble bath device provided with a negative pressure type nozzle drive mechanism, comprising: