Water discharge device
Patent Information
- Application Number
- JP2024167088
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-09-26
- Publication Date
- 2025-02-19
AI Technical Summary
Existing water discharging devices with multiple spouts face difficulties in independently controlling the flow rate and direction of each spout, and incorporating a switching device in a single water supply line increases the device's size.
A water spouting device with separate first and second water supply lines for independent control of hot water flow to first and second spouts, along with a switching device positioned outside the bathtub to manage these lines, allowing for independent adjustment of flow rates and directions.
Enables independent control of flow rates and directions for each spout, reduces the device's size by separating the supply lines, and enhances user convenience by allowing simultaneous or separate operation of spouts.
Smart Images
Figure 00000000_0000_ABST
Abstract
Description
[Technical field]
[0001] The present disclosure relates to a water discharge device. [Background technology]
[0002] A technology has been known in the past that provides a water discharge device on the upper edge of a bathtub to discharge water to a user while bathing. The water discharge device supplies hot water from a water source outside the bathtub through a single hot water supply line and discharges the water from a single water outlet. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]
[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-104192 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]
[0004] If a water discharge device has multiple water outlets and tries to discharge water separately at different positions, it becomes difficult to discharge water from only one of the water outlets or to change the flow rate and speed of the water discharged from each of the two water outlets. If a switching device is provided on one water supply line, the switching device is placed between the water supply line and the water outlet. In this case, the water discharge device becomes larger. [Means for solving the problem]
[0005] The present disclosure relates to a water-discharging device comprising a main body portion provided on the upper edge surface of a bathtub and having a first water outlet and a second water outlet that discharge water into the interior of the bathtub, a first water supply line that supplies hot and cold water to the first water outlet, and a second water supply line that supplies hot and cold water to the second water outlet and has a flow path different from that of the first water supply line. [Brief description of the drawings]
[0006] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a bathtub provided with the water discharge device of this embodiment. [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a development view showing the water discharge device of the present embodiment. [Diagram 3] 1 is a perspective view of a bathtub equipped with the water discharge device of this embodiment, viewed from the outside. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0007] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the water discharger 1 is provided on the upper edge surface 120 of a bathtub 100, and is a device that discharges water onto the neck, shoulders, etc. of a user.
[0008] The bathtub 100 has a bathtub body 110 and an upper edge surface 120. The bathtub 100 has a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape with an open top, and is formed so as to be able to store hot and cold water.
[0009] Bathtub body 110 has a bottom surface 111, sidewalls 112, a pair of jet nozzles 113, and a drain port 114. Bottom surface 111 is roughly rectangular with curved corners. Sidewalls 112 extend upward from bottom surface 111. Two jet nozzles 113 are formed below the surface of sidewalls 112 located in the short direction of bathtub body 110. Jet nozzles 113 spray hot and cold water supplied from water supply mechanism 5 (described later) into bathtub body 110.
[0010] The upper edge surface 120 is a portion that extends outward from the upper end of the bathtub body 110. The upper edge surface 120 is formed generally flat, and a drainage gradient is formed from the outside toward the bathtub body 110 side.
[0011] The water discharger 1 is provided on the upper edge surface 120 of the bathtub 100. More specifically, it is disposed on a portion of the upper edge surface 120 that extends in the short direction of the bathtub 100. In the description of this specification, the direction in which the water discharger 1 is viewed from the short direction of the bathtub 100 is defined as the front, and the direction connecting the left and right in the front view is defined as the width direction of the water discharger 1. The water discharger 1 has a pillow portion 2, a main body portion 3 (see Figure 2), a base plate 4 (see Figure 2), and a water supply mechanism 5 (see Figure 3).
[0012] The pillow part 2 has a height that allows the user to rest his / her head, and is arranged so as to be convex from the upper edge surface 120. The pillow part 2 is a part that defines the outer shape of the water discharger 1, and is arranged so as to cover the main body part 3 of the water discharger 1. The pillow part 2 has a horizontally elongated shape that is long in the width direction.
[0013] The main body 3 is provided on the upper edge surface 120 of the bathtub, as shown in Figure 2. The main body 3 is disposed below and inside the pillow portion 2, and is equipped with a mechanism for spouting hot and cold water into the bathtub 100. The main body 3 has a horizontally elongated shape extending in the width direction. The main body 3 has a first water outlet 31, a pair of second water outlets 32, and a front wall portion 33. The first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32 are both provided on the upper edge surface of the bathtub 100, and spout water into the inside of the bathtub 100.
[0014] The first water outlet 31 is an outlet that spouts hot and cold water onto the user's shoulders, for example. The first water outlet 31 is an elongated slit-like opening that extends in a substantially straight line in the width direction. The hot and cold water spouted from the first water outlet 31 is formed into a thin film and spouted onto the user's shoulders.
[0015] The front wall portion 33 is a plate-like portion that extends downward from the first water outlet 31 and constitutes the front surface of the main body portion 3.
[0016] The pair of second water outlets 32 are openings formed at a distance from each other in the approximate center of the width of the front wall 33. From each second water outlet 32, water is discharged in a wavy stream toward, for example, the neck of the user. As shown in FIG. 2, a neck bath unit 320 is disposed inside the second water outlet 32 to shoot the water discharged from the second water outlet 32 in a wavy stream.
[0017] The base plate 4 is disposed on the lower inside of the main body 3, and is fixed to the upper edge surface 120 of the bathtub 100 with bolts. The base plate 4 has a plate portion 43, a first connecting portion 41, and a pair of second connecting portions 42. The plate portion 43 has approximately the same length as the main body 3, extends in the width direction of the main body 3, and is formed in a flat plate shape.
[0018] The first connection part 41 has a cylindrical shape that protrudes downward from below the plate part 43. The first connection part 41 is located at approximately the center in the width direction of the base plate 4. The first connection part 41 is connected to a first water supply line 51, which will be described later. An opening in the cylindrical shape of the first connection part 41 is the first water supply port 41a. The first water supply port 41a is connected to the first water supply line 51, which will be described later, and is an opening through which hot and cold water to be supplied to the first water outlet 31 passes.
[0019] The pair of second connection parts 42 protrude downward from below the plate part 43 and have a cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the first connection parts 41. The second connection parts 42 are arranged on both outer sides of the first connection parts 41 in the width direction, spaced apart from the first connection parts 41. The second connection parts 42 are connected to a second water supply line 52, which will be described later. An opening in the cylindrical shape of the second connection parts 42 is the second water supply port 42a. The second water supply port 42a is connected to the second water supply line 52, which will be described later, and is an opening through which hot and cold water passes to be supplied to the second water outlet 32.
[0020] 3, the water supply mechanism 5 is a mechanism for supplying hot and cold water from an external water supply source (not shown). The water supply mechanism 5 has a first water supply line 51, a second water supply line 52, a third water supply line 53, a pump 54, and a switching device 55.
[0021] The pump 54 supplies hot and cold water from an external water supply source at a predetermined amount at a predetermined speed. The pump 54 is connected to a switching device 55, and is connected to the first water supply line 51 to the third water supply line 53 via the switching device 55.
[0022] The first water supply line 51 has a pipe that supplies hot and cold water to the first water outlet 31. One end of the first water supply line 51 is connected to a switching device 55 described later, and the other end is connected to the first connection part 41.
[0023] The second water supply line 52 has a pipe that supplies hot and cold water to each of the pair of second water outlets 32. That is, the second water supply line 52 has two pipes. One end of the second water supply line 52 is connected to a switching device 55 described below, and the other end is connected to a second connection part 42 described below. The second water supply line 52 receives hot and cold water from the switching device 55 through a pipe different from that of the first water supply line 51, i.e., a different flow path.
[0024] The third water supply line 53 has a pipe that supplies hot and cold water to the jet nozzles 113 of the bathtub body 110. The third water supply line 53 has one end connected to a switching device 55 described later, and branches into two lines, the other ends of which are connected to a pair of jet nozzles 113.
[0025] These first water supply line 51, second water supply line 52, and third water supply line 53 are not connected to the first connection part 41, second connection part 42, and jet nozzle 113, respectively, at the shortest distance from the switching device 55. The first water supply line 51, second water supply line 52, and third water supply line 53 extend along the width direction of the bathtub body 110, and are formed so as to move away from the first connection part 41, second connection part 42, and jet nozzle 113, respectively, and then bend and return. By forming them in this manner, a margin is created to allow for construction errors that occur at the construction site.
[0026] The switching device 55 is disposed on the outside of the side wall portion 112 which serves as the side wall of the bathtub 100. The switching device 55 switches between supplying hot and cold water to any one, any combination, or all of the first water supply line 51 to the third water supply line 53. The switching device 55 has a three-way valve 551, a two-way valve 552, and a connecting pipe 553.
[0027] Connecting pipe 553 is a pipe that connects pump 54 to three-way valve 551 and two-way valve 552. Connecting pipe 553 has large diameter portion 553a that faces the three-way valve 551, and small diameter portion 553b that branches off from large diameter portion 553a toward two-way valve 552. Three-way valve 551 switches hot and cold water supplied from pump 54 via connecting pipe 553 to first water supply line 51 and third water supply line 53. Two-way valve 552 is provided in small diameter portion 553b of connecting pipe 553, and supplies hot and cold water to the second water supply line.
[0028] The switching device 55 switches whether or not hot water is supplied to the first water supply line 51, the second water supply line 52, and the third water supply line 53, and can also independently change the flow rate and flow speed of the hot water supplied to each line. For example, the flow rate of the hot water supplied from the first water supply line 51 is greater than the flow rate of the hot water supplied from the second water supply line 52.
[0029] The overall flow of the water supply mechanism 5 will be described. The hot and cold water supplied from the water supply source is selected and changed by the user's selection and instruction. For example, when instructed to discharge water from the first water outlet 31, the hot and cold water supplied from the pump 54 passes through the connection pipe 553 of the switching device 55, the three-way valve 551, the first water supply line 51, and the first water supply port 41a of the first connection part 41 formed on the base plate 4 to the first water outlet 31.
[0030] When an instruction is given to discharge water from second water outlet 32, hot and cold water supplied from pump 54 passes through connecting pipe 553 of switching device 55, branches off from two-way valve 552, and flows through two pipes of second water supply line 52. Then, the hot and cold water flowing through second water supply line 52 passes through second water supply port 42a of second connection part 42 formed in base plate 4 to reach second water outlet 32.
[0031] When an instruction is given to discharge water from the jet nozzle 113, the hot and cold water supplied from the pump 54 branches off from the three-way valve 551 of the switching device 55, passes through the third water supply line 53, and passes through the jet nozzle 113 to the second water discharge port 32.
[0032] Water can be discharged from both the first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32 at the same time, or from only one of them.
[0033] According to this embodiment, the following effects are achieved. The water discharge device 1 is provided on the upper edge surface 120 of the bathtub 100, and is configured to include a main body 3 having a first water outlet 31 and a second water outlet 32 that discharge water into the inside of the bathtub 100, a first water supply line 51 that supplies hot and cold water to the first water outlet 31, and a second water supply line 52 that supplies hot and cold water to the second water outlet 32 and has a different flow path from the first water supply line 51. Since the first water supply line 51 and the second water supply line 52 are configured with different flow paths, it is possible to place a switching device 55 that switches the water supply to the first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32 on the outside of the bathtub body 110, separately from the main body 3 having the first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32, on the upstream side of the main body 3. If the first water supply line 51 and the second water supply line 52 are configured as the same flow path and switched before being supplied to the first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32, it is necessary to supply water from one water supply flow path and place a switching device between the first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32 to branch the flow path. In this case, since the switching device 55 is located just before the first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32, there is a concern that the main body part placed on the upper edge surface of the bathtub will become large. According to this embodiment, the flow rate and flow speed of hot and cold water discharged from the first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32 can be controlled while the main body part 3 of the water discharge device 1 placed on the upper edge surface 120 of the bathtub 100 is made small.
[0034] According to this embodiment, the device is configured to include a first water supply port 41a connected to a first water supply line 51 and through which hot water supplied to the first water outlet 31 passes, and a second water supply port 42a connected to a second water supply line 52 and through which hot water supplied to the second water outlet 32 passes. Hot water supplied to the first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32 are supplied through the first water supply port 41a and the second water supply port 42a, which are independent openings, respectively. This ensures that the first water supply line 51 and the second water supply line 52 are separate and independent, thereby achieving the same effect as above.
[0035] According to this embodiment, at least one of the first water supply line 51 and the second water supply line 52 is configured to be able to adjust the flow rate of hot and cold water independently. For example, the second water supply line 52 is configured to adjust the flow rate of hot and cold water independently of the first water supply line 51. This allows water to be discharged from the second water outlet 32 without considering the presence or absence of water discharge from the first water outlet 31, the flow rate, etc., improving convenience. Similarly, when the first water supply line 51 is configured to be able to adjust the flow rate of hot and cold water independently of the second water supply line, water can be discharged from the first water outlet 31 without considering the presence or absence of water discharge from the second water outlet 32, the flow rate, etc. When both the first water supply line 51 and the second water supply line 52 are configured to be able to adjust the flow rate of hot and cold water independently, more flexible water discharge is possible.
[0036] According to this embodiment, the first water outlet 31 discharges hot water onto the shoulders of the user, and the second water outlet 32 discharges hot water onto the neck of the user. The flow rate of hot water supplied by the first water supply line 51 is greater than that of the second water supply line 52. This allows the user to have hot water discharged onto either or both of the shoulders and neck, improving convenience. By discharging more hot water onto the shoulders than onto the neck, it is possible to discharge an amount of water according to the area of the part of the body to which it is discharged, improving the feeling of use.
[0037] According to this embodiment, the configuration further includes a switching device 55 that supplies hot and cold water to either the first water supply line 51 or the second water supply line 52. The switching device 55 switches between a state in which hot and cold water is supplied to either the first water supply line 51 or the second water supply line 52, and a state in which hot and cold water is supplied to both the first water supply line 51 and the second water supply line 52. The switching device 55 is disposed on the outside of the side wall portion 112 of the bathtub 100. This allows the main body portion 3 portion of the water discharger 1 that is disposed on the upper edge surface 120 of the bathtub 100 to be made smaller, thereby making the appearance of the water discharger 1 neat and increasing the space around the bathtub 100 at the same time.
[0038] The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and any modifications, improvements, etc. that can achieve the object of the present disclosure are included in the present disclosure. For example, any type of valve may be used for the switching device 55 as long as it is capable of switching the flow path.
[0039] Hot and cold water discharged from the first water outlet 31 is discharged, for example, toward the shoulders, and hot and cold water discharged from the second water outlet 32 is discharged, for example, toward the neck. However, hot and cold water discharged from the first water outlet 31 and the second water outlet 32 may be discharged toward other parts of the body.
[0040] The bathtub 100 has been described as having a generally rectangular parallelepiped shape with an opening at the top. The shape of the opening of the bathtub may be oval, circular, square, or any other shape as long as it can store hot water so that a user can bathe in it. [Explanation of symbols]
[0041] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 water outlet device, 3 main body, 31 first water outlet, 32 second water outlet, 41a first water supply port, 42a second water supply port, 51 first water supply line, 52 second water supply line, 55 switching device, 100 bathtub, 112 side wall portion (side wall), 120 upper edge surface
Claims
1. A bathtub having a bathtub body and an upper edge portion extending outward from the upper end of the bathtub body, A pair of water outlets arranged at a distance from each other on the upper edge portion; The water discharge device comprises the pair of water discharge ports, a nozzle provided in the bathtub body for spraying hot and cold water into the bathtub body, and a water supply mechanism for supplying water to the nozzles.
2. The pair of water outlets are supplied with hot and cold water via a water outlet water supply line, The water outlet water supply line of claim 1 has two pipes connected to the pair of water outlets, one pipe being connected to one of the pair of water outlets and the other pipe being connected to the other of the pair of water outlets.
3. The water supply mechanism has a pump that supplies hot and cold water supplied from an external water source, The water discharge device according to claim 2 , wherein the water discharge port water supply line branches off from a pipe extending from the pump.
4. A water discharge device as described in claim 2 or 3, wherein the water supply mechanism has a switching device that switches between the water discharge port water supply line that supplies water to the pair of water discharge ports and the water discharge port water supply line that supplies water to the water discharge port.
5. A water-discharge device as described in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the pair of water outlets are arranged horizontally side by side on one side of the upper edge portion.
6. The bathtub body is formed into a substantially rectangular shape in a plan view, The water discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pair of water discharge ports are provided on the short side sides of the upper edge portion.
7. The water discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the nozzles are provided in a pair spaced apart from each other.
8. A bathtub provided with the water discharge device according to any one of claims 1 to 7.