Bathtub drainage unit

Abstract

To provide a bathtub drainage unit capable of avoiding a bather's drowning in a bathtub with a simple structure.SOLUTION: A bathtub drainage unit 10 includes: a siphon tube 12 one end of which is disposed in a bathtub 11 and the other end of which is disposed outside the bathtub 11; a detection device 14 for detecting state abnormality of a bather U in the bathtub 11; a movable body 16 which can rise by buoyancy of hot water W stored in the bathtub 11 when the detection device 14 detects the state abnormality; and a hollow body 18 which is provided with a communicating space S communicating with an inside of the siphon tube 12 inside and can store in the communicating space S the hot water W in the bathtub 11. By rising of the movable body 16, the hot water W stored in the communicating space S inside the hollow body 16 is delivered to the inside of the siphon tube 12.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a bathtub drainage unit, and more particularly to a bathtub drainage unit that can lower the water level in the bathtub in an emergency to prevent a bather from drowning. [Background technology]

[0002] There are many accidents where bathers lose consciousness in the bathtub due to falling asleep or a sudden change in physical condition, and end up drowning in the bathtub. In order to prevent such accidents, it is necessary to forcibly drain a large amount of bath water in a short period of time when there is a possibility that the bather may drown. For example, in a bathtub with a large drain gate, such as a nursing bathtub, it is possible to drain a large amount of hot water at once by simply opening the gate, but this is difficult for a general bathtub that has only one small drain at the bottom. Therefore, a drainage system that utilizes the principle of a siphon has been proposed for general bathtubs.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a system that recognizes the situation in the bathtub from video data and drains bath water into the washing area using a siphon effect if an abnormality is detected. In this drainage system, a pump is used to supply water (priming water) from the bathtub into the siphon pipe to start automatic drainage.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a system in which the water level when a bather is submerged is set in advance, and when the water level in the bathtub reaches or exceeds the set water level, the bathtub water is drained by siphon action. This drainage system has a separate water tank that communicates with the bathtub body, and the suction port of the siphon pipe is inserted into this separate water tank. When the water level in the separate water tank reaches or exceeds the set water level in the siphon pipe, the water stored in the separate water tank flows into the siphon pipe by siphon action. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-151086 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2019-122628 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, if you were to attach a drain gate, a pump required for the above-mentioned drainage system, or a separate tank to an existing typical bathtub (hereinafter referred to as an "existing bathtub"), it would result in a very large-scale system, which would be expensive and time-consuming to install. Therefore, the present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned problems, and its object is to provide a bathtub drainage unit that can prevent bathers from drowning in the bathtub with a simpler configuration. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The above problems are solved by the bathtub drainage unit of the present invention, which comprises a siphon tube with one end located inside the bathtub and the other end located outside the bathtub, a detection device for detecting an abnormal condition of a bather in the bathtub, a movable body that can rise due to the buoyancy of hot water stored in the bathtub when the detection device detects an abnormal condition, and a hollow body that has an internal communication space that communicates with the inside of the siphon tube and is capable of storing hot water from the bathtub in said communication space, and is configured so that the hot water stored in the communication space within the hollow body is sent to the inside of the siphon tube as the movable body rises.

[0008] In the bathtub drainage unit of the present invention configured as described above, the hot water stored in the communication space within the hollow body can be sent to the inside of the siphon pipe simply by the rise of the movable body due to the buoyancy of the hot water stored in the bathtub. Therefore, it is possible to start draining the hot water in the bathtub using the siphon phenomenon with a simple configuration without requiring large-scale equipment. This makes it possible to prevent bathers from drowning in the bathtub.

[0009] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned bathtub drainage unit, the hollow body is a container in which the movable body is accommodated in a state in which it can rise, and is configured so that hot and cold water in the bathtub can be stored in a communicating space inside the container that is located above the movable body, and it is preferable that the unit further comprises a stationary mechanism that holds the movable body inside the hollow body still against buoyancy, a switching mechanism that switches the movable body from a stationary state to a movable state by the stationary mechanism when the detection device detects an abnormal condition, and a communicating pipe that connects the communicating space to the inside of the siphon tube. According to the above configuration, when the detection device detects an abnormality, the movable body can be switched from a stationary state to a movable state by the immobilization mechanism. This makes it possible to accurately drain the hot water in the bathtub when the detection device detects an abnormality.

[0010] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned bathtub drainage unit, it is more preferable that the stationary mechanism is equipped with a rod body that is movable in the vertical direction and comes into contact with the movable body to stop the movable body, and that the switching mechanism is composed of a stopper that limits the movement of the rod body, and that the stopper is switchable between a state in which the movement of the rod body is restricted and a state in which the restriction on movement is released. According to the above configuration, by releasing the restriction on the movement of the rod body imposed by the stopper, the drainage of hot water in the bathtub can be easily started.

[0011] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned bathtub drainage unit, it is more preferable that the hollow body is a cylindrical container, the side wall of which is provided with a through hole for allowing hot and cold water in the bathtub to flow into the communicating space. According to the above-mentioned configuration, hot and cold water in the bathtub can flow into the hollow body through the through-hole. This makes it possible to store hot and cold water in the bathtub in the communicating space within the hollow body with a simple configuration.

[0012] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned bathtub drainage unit, it is even more preferable that when the movable body is pushed to the lower end inside the hollow body by the stationary mechanism, the through hole is positioned above the upper end of the movable body. According to the above-mentioned configuration, hot and cold water in the bathtub can be more reliably flowed into the hollow body through the through hole. This makes it possible to easily store hot and cold water in the bathtub in the hollow body with a simple configuration.

[0013] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned bathtub drainage unit, it is even more preferable that the communicating pipe connects the communicating space within the hollow body with the inside of the raised portion of the siphon pipe that is positioned within the bathtub, and that the end of the communicating pipe on the communicating space side penetrates the ceiling wall of the hollow body. With the above configuration, as the movable body rises, the hot water in the bathtub stored in the communication space is pushed up, allowing the hot water (priming water) to flow into the siphon pipe. This makes it possible, with a simple configuration, to accurately start draining the hot water in the bathtub when an abnormality in the bather's condition is detected.

[0014] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned bathtub drainage unit, it is even more preferable if a check valve is provided in the rising portion of the siphon pipe. According to the above configuration, when hot and cold water in the bathtub is flowed into the siphon pipe as priming water, the priming water can be prevented from flowing back into the bathtub. As a result, the siphon pipe is filled with priming water, allowing the hot and cold water in the bathtub to be properly drained.

[0015] Furthermore, in the bathtub drainage unit described above, it is more preferable that the detection device includes a millimeter wave sensor, and that the millimeter wave sensor is attached to the door of the room in which the bathtub is located. According to the above configuration, the millimeter wave sensor can accurately detect the condition of the subject, so that if the condition of the person bathing in the bathtub becomes abnormal, it is possible to properly detect the abnormal condition. Effect of the Invention

[0016] The bathtub drainage unit of the present invention has a simpler structure and can prevent bathers from drowning in the bathtub while bathing. In addition, the bathtub drainage unit of the present invention can be used in an existing bathtub without requiring major construction work. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0017] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic diagram of a bathtub drainage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] 1 is a diagram showing a bathroom in which a bathtub drainage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention is installed. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a stopper according to an embodiment of the present invention, in a state before a movable body is pressed down. [Figure 3B] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a stopper according to an embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which a movable body is lowered to the bottom dead center. [Figure 3C] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a stopper according to one embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which the restriction on the movement of the rod body is released. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an example of the operation of a bathtub drainage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 4(a) shows the state in which hot water is in the middle of being filled into the bathtub, and FIG. 4(b) shows the state when more than the specified amount of hot water has been stored in the bathtub (when the bathtub has been filled with hot water). [Diagram 5] These figures show an example of the operation of a bathtub drainage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention when an abnormality is detected, where FIG. 5(a) shows the state when the restriction on the movement of the rod body is released, and FIG. 5(b) shows the state in which hot and cold water in the bathtub is drained by siphon action. [Figure 6] 6A and 6B show modified examples of the stationary mechanism of the bathtub drainage unit of the present invention, in which Fig. 6(a) shows the state when the bathtub has been filled with hot water before an abnormality is detected, Fig. 6(b) shows the state when the restriction on the movement of the rod body is released, and Fig. 6(c) shows the state in which hot water in the bathtub is drained by siphon action. [Figure 7]FIG. 7 is a top view showing a cross section II of FIG. 6(a). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] <<About a bathtub drainage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention>> Hereinafter, a bathtub drainage unit according to one embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter, this embodiment) will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, each component is shown somewhat simplified and schematic to make the explanation easier to understand, and the size (dimension) of each component and the interval between components shown in the drawings are different from the actual ones.

[0019] The bathtub drainage unit in this embodiment (hereinafter, bathtub drainage unit 10) is used to drain hot and cold water from the bathtub 11, and more specifically, is used to forcibly drain hot and cold water from the bathtub 11 when there is a risk of a bather drowning in the bathtub 11. Furthermore, the bathtub drainage unit 10 can be easily installed in an existing bathtub 11 and used.

[0020] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the bathtub drainage unit 10 of this embodiment comprises a siphon pipe 12, a detection device 14 for detecting an abnormal condition of a bather U in the bathtub 11, a movable body 16 that can rise due to the buoyancy of the hot water W stored in the bathtub 11, and a hollow body 18 capable of storing the hot water in the bathtub 11 inside.

[0021] The siphon pipe 12 is made of an inverted U-shaped pipe, and is attached to the bathtub 11 so that one end is disposed inside the bathtub 11 and the other end is disposed outside the bathtub 11. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, the siphon pipe 12 has a rising portion 12a disposed inside the bathtub 11 and rising upward, a horizontal portion 12b extending from the upper end of the rising portion 12a toward the outside of the bathtub 11, and a hanging portion 12c disposed outside the bathtub 11 and hanging down from the tip of the horizontal portion 12b. The inside of the rising portion 12a is also connected to the inside of the hollow body 18 (more specifically, the communication space S described below). When hot water (priming water) W stored in the communication space S inside the hollow body 18 is sent into the pipe and the inside of the pipe is filled with water, a siphon action occurs and the hot water W in the bathtub starts to be drained.

[0022] 1, siphon pipe 12 is provided with a check valve 20 at the bottom of rising portion 12a. Check valve 20 prevents the priming water W in bathtub 11 from flowing back into the bathtub when the priming water flows into siphon pipe 12. This fills siphon pipe 12 with the priming water, allowing the hot and cold water in bathtub 11 to be properly drained.

[0023] As shown in FIG. 2, the detection device 14 is composed of a sensor 22, a controller 24 that recognizes the state of a bather (hereinafter referred to as bather U) in the bathtub 11 based on the output signal from the sensor 22, and a power supply 26 that supplies power to the sensor 22 and the controller 24.

[0024] The sensor 22 is installed to measure the body condition of the bather U and the water level WL in the bathtub 11, and can output signals corresponding to, for example, the body temperature, heart rate, amount of sweat, number of body movements and breathing rate of the bather U, the position and behavior of the bather U, the water level (height from the floor) WL in the bathtub 11, and vibration (swaying) of the water surface. In this embodiment, a millimeter wave sensor is used as the sensor 22 to detect the breathing and pulse (heart rate) of the bather U, as well as the water level WL and behavior of the water surface. As shown in Fig. 2, the millimeter wave sensor is preferably attached to the wall of the door 23 of the bathroom 21, which is the room in which the bathtub 11 is set, more specifically, to the side opposite the bathroom (outer side), taking into consideration waterproofing measures, the position of the detection target such as the bather U or the water level WL in the bathtub 11, and the structure and material of the bathroom 21.

[0025] In this embodiment, the millimeter wave sensor 22 is used, but there is no particular limitation on the type of sensor as long as it is possible to detect the physical condition of the bather U and measure the water level WL in the bathtub 11. For example, a pyroelectric infrared sensor may be used to detect the bather U's entry and exit from the bathtub 11, and an ultrasonic sensor may be used to detect the behavior of the bather's head. Furthermore, the location of sensor 22 is not particularly limited as long as it is a position where it can properly detect the detection target in bathtub 11. Sensor 22 may be installed in a location according to its characteristics and specifications. For example, when an infrared sensor or ultrasonic sensor is used, the sensor may be installed on the ceiling or window in bathroom 21.

[0026] The controller 24 analyzes the signal output from the sensor 22 and, based on the detection or measurement value indicated by the signal, determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the condition of the bather U, specifically, whether or not there is a possibility that the bather U is drowning in the bathtub 11. To explain in more detail, the controller 24 determines whether or not there is an abnormality in the condition of the bather U by judging whether or not the above detection and measurement values ​​deviate from the standard.

[0027] Here, the criterion is a criterion set for determining whether the bather is in an abnormal state. For example, the normal values ​​of the bather's body temperature, heart rate, sweat rate, body movement rate, and respiratory rate may be set as the criterion for determination. In this case, if the detection value indicated by the output signal of the sensor 22 is outside the normal value, it is determined that the bather U may be drowning. In addition, a value (abnormal value) when the bather is in a drowning state, for example, the time when the movement of the bather U is not detected in the bathtub 11, the amount of change in the position of the water surface when the water surface is shaking violently, or the height from the top of the bather U's head to the water surface when drowning, may be set as the criterion for determination. In this case, if the detection value indicated by the output signal of the sensor 22 corresponds to an abnormal value, it is determined that the bather U may be drowning.

[0028] As described above, the controller 24 can determine whether or not there is an abnormality in the condition of the bather U based on the output signal of the sensor 22; in other words, if there is an abnormality in the condition of the bather U while bathing, the controller 24 can work together with the sensor 22 to detect the abnormality in the condition.

[0029] Furthermore, if the controller 24 detects an abnormality in the condition of the bather U (i.e., if it is determined that the bather U may be drowning), it releases the restriction on the movement of the rod body 32 imposed by the stopper 34 that prevents the movable body 16 from floating up. More specifically, the controller 24 is connected to the stopper 34 via the stopper drive harness 28. If the controller 24 detects an abnormality in the condition of the bather U, it transmits a control signal to the stopper 34 via the stopper drive harness 28 to release the restriction on the movement of the rod body 32. The release mechanism for the stopper 34 will be explained later.

[0030] The route of installation of the stopper drive harness 28 is not particularly limited, and may be installed along a route along the floor surface of the bathroom (the route of the stopper drive harness indicated by the reference symbol 28A in the figure) as shown in Fig. 2. Alternatively, as shown by the dashed line in Fig. 2, the stopper drive harness 28 may be installed along a route along the wall and ceiling surfaces of the bathroom (the route of the stopper drive harness indicated by the reference symbol 28B in the figure).

[0031] The power source 26 is not particularly limited as long as it is capable of supplying power to the sensor 22 and the controller 24, and a commercial power source or a portable power source such as a rechargeable battery can be used.

[0032] Movable body 16 is a member that floats on the water surface by buoyancy, like a float. Movable body 16 is housed inside hollow body 18 installed in bathtub 11, and is located at the lowest part inside hollow body 18 when there is no hot or cold water in bathtub 11. When hot or cold water is stored in bathtub 11 and the water level WL in bathtub 11 rises, buoyancy acts on movable body 16. Furthermore, movable body 16 is normally held down by rod body 32, which will be described later, and is unable to rise (i.e., is stationary).

[0033] On the other hand, if the detection device 14 detects an abnormal condition of the bather U, the movable body 16 is released from the pressure applied by the rod body 32, and is able to rise within the hollow body 18 due to the buoyancy of the hot and cold water stored in the bathtub 11. The movable body 16, released from the pressure applied by the rod body 32, moves up and down within the hollow body 18 as the water level WL rises or falls due to an increase or decrease in the amount of hot and cold water in the bathtub 11.

[0034] The size and shape of the movable body 16 are not particularly limited as long as they are large enough to store the hot water W in the bathtub 11 in the communication space S located above the housed movable body 16 inside the hollow body 18. The material of the movable body 16 is also not particularly limited as long as it can float on the water surface by buoyancy.

[0035] The hollow body 18 is a cylindrical container that houses the movable body 16 inside in a state in which it can rise, and is configured so that hot water in the bathtub 11 can be stored in a communication space S located above the movable body 16 within the internal space of the hollow body 18. More specifically, the hollow body 18 has a ceiling wall and a side wall (body) that surrounds the internal space of the hollow body 18, and the lower end of the hollow body 18 is an open end. In addition, the planar size of the internal space of the hollow body 18 (the size of the internal space when viewed from directly above) is slightly larger than the planar size of the movable body 16, and is sized so that the movable body 16 can move up and down within the hollow body 18. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, hollow body 18 is fixed to the wall of bathtub 11 using suction cups (shown) so that its opening is positioned near the bottom of bathtub 11, and thus the hollow body will not float up and shift in position within bathtub 11 due to buoyancy.

[0036] Further, a through hole 18h is provided in the side wall of hollow body 18 to allow hot water W stored in bathtub 11 to flow into communication space S. Through hole 18h is provided so as to be located above the upper end of movable body 16 when movable body 16 is pushed into the lower end inside hollow body 18 by rod body 32. This allows hot water in the bathtub to flow into communication space S through through hole 18h, and the hot water can be stored in communication space S.

[0037] 1, the hollow body 18 is provided with a stilling mechanism 30 that holds the movable body 16 in the hollow body 18 still against buoyancy, and a communication pipe 36 that connects the communication space S with the inside of the siphon tube 12. The stilling mechanism 30 is composed of a rod 32 that limits the movement of the movable body 16 in the hollow body 18.

[0038] Rod body 32 penetrates ceiling wall 18a of hollow body 18 and enters hollow body 18, and is attached to hollow body 18 in a state in which it can move up and down. Furthermore, rod body 32 pushes down movable body 16 against the buoyancy acting on movable body 16 when hot water W is stored in bathtub 11, and stops movable body 16 at the lowest part within hollow body 18, that is, at a position where the lower end of movable body 16 reaches the lower end of hollow body 18 and comes into contact with the bottom surface within bathtub 11. 3A to 3C, a groove 32a engageable with a plunger 42 of a stopper 34 is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rod body 32. An operating handle 32b is attached to the upper end of the rod body 32 and is operated when pressing the rod body 32 downward to lower it.

[0039] 1, in this embodiment, a stopper 34 is provided for the rod body 32. This stopper 34 limits the movement of the rod body 32. The stopper 34 is switchable between a state in which the movement of the rod body 32 is limited and a state in which the restriction on the movement of the rod body 32 is released.

[0040] Specifically, the stopper 34 is in a state of restricting the movement of the rod 32 while the bather U is in a normal state during bathing. On the other hand, when the controller 24, which constitutes the detection device, detects an abnormal state of the bather U, the stopper 34 switches to a state in which the restriction on the movement of the rod 32 is released. Accordingly, the movable body 16, which was held down by the rod 32 in the hollow body 18, switches to a state in which it can move upward while pushing up the rod 32 due to the buoyancy acting on the movable body 16. That is, in this embodiment, the stopper 34 constitutes a switching mechanism that switches the movable body 16 from a stationary state held down by the stationary mechanism 30 to a movable state when an abnormal state of the bather U is detected.

[0041] The configuration of the stopper 34 is not particularly limited as long as it can restrict the movement of the rod body 32 and can be switched between a state in which the movement of the rod body 32 is restricted and a state in which the restriction is released. The stopper 34 according to this embodiment includes a solenoid-type switching mechanism, and includes a frame 38 made of a magnetic material, an electromagnetic coil 40 arranged in the frame 38, a plunger 42, a coil spring 44, and a spring receiver 46, as shown in FIG. 3A.

[0042] The electromagnetic coil 40 is energized when an operating section (not shown) is operated by a control signal transmitted from the controller 24 when the controller 24 detects an abnormal condition of the bather U. 3A to 3C, the plunger 42 extends toward the rod body 32 with its base end 42a disposed inside the electromagnetic coil 40 within the frame 38. The plunger 42 has a brim-shaped spring receiver 46 on the rod body 32 side, and the coil spring 44 is attached to the plunger 42 so as to be disposed between the frame 38 and the spring receiver 46. In addition, the tip end 42b of the plunger 42, i.e., the end on the rod body 32 side, is engageable with a groove 32a provided on the outer circumferential surface of the rod body 32.

[0043] As shown in Fig. 3A, the plunger 42 is normally close to the rod body 32 by receiving the biasing force of the coil spring 44 at a spring receiver 46. In this state, when the rod body 32 is at the lower end position inside the hollow body 18, the tip portion 42b of the plunger 42 can engage with the groove 32a as shown in Fig. 3B. When the tip portion 42b of the plunger 42 is engaged with the groove 32a, the side wall of the groove 32a is engaged with the tip portion 42b of the plunger 42, thereby restricting the vertical movement of the rod body 32.

[0044] On the other hand, when the controller 24 detects an abnormal condition of the bather U and the electromagnetic coil 40 is energized, the plunger 42 is drawn toward the plunger receiver 38a provided at the back of the frame 38 as shown in Fig. 3C, and the tip 42b of the plunger 42 moves away from the outer circumferential surface of the rod body 32. This causes the tip 42b of the plunger 42 to come out of the groove 32a and to be released from the engagement with the groove 32a. As a result, the restriction on the vertical movement of the rod body 32 is released, and the rod body 32 becomes vertically movable.

[0045] Here, the operation of the stationary mechanism 30 and the switching mechanism will be described with reference to Figures 3A to 3C. Figure 3A shows the state before the rod body 32 presses down the movable body 16. Figure 3B shows the state in which the movable body 16 has been pressed down by the rod body 32 to the lowest part inside the hollow body 18 (i.e., the bottom surface inside the bathtub 11) and is stationary in that position. Figure 3C shows the state when an abnormality in the bather's condition is detected.

[0046] When the movable body 16 is not pressed down by the rod body 32 and the electromagnetic coil 40 is in a non-energized state, the tip 42b of the plunger 42 faces a region of the outer circumferential surface of the rod body 32 below the groove 32a (hereinafter, referred to as the lower wall surface 32c) as shown in Fig. 3A. At this time, the coil spring 44 is sandwiched between the frame 38 and the spring receiver 46 and compressed, biasing the plunger 42 toward the rod body 32. This biasing force presses the plunger 42 toward the rod body 32, and as a result, the tip 42b of the plunger 42 abuts against the lower wall surface 32c on the outer circumferential surface of the rod body 32 as shown in Fig. 3A.

[0047] Furthermore, when the rod body 32 moves up and down due to the above-mentioned biasing force, the tip portion 42b of the plunger 42 maintains a state of abutment with the outer circumferential surface of the rod body 32. Therefore, when the rod body 32 is moved downward and the movable body 16 is pushed down by the rod body 32, the abutment position between the plunger 42 and the rod body 32 is displaced upward from the lower wall surface 32c.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 3B, when the tip 42b of the plunger 42 reaches the area of ​​the outer circumferential surface of the rod body 32 where the groove 32a is formed, it enters the groove 32a and engages with the groove 32a, and abuts against the side of the groove 32a. At this time, the movable body 16 is pressed down to the bottom surface of the bathtub 11 by the rod body 32, and the coil spring 44 is slightly stretched from its previous compressed state. Then, the tip 42b of the plunger 42 engages with the groove 32a, locking the rod body 32 in its current position, in other words, restricting the vertical movement of the rod body 32. As a result, the movable body 16 is pressed down by the stationary mechanism 30 against the buoyant force acting on the movable body 16, and as a result, it remains stationary at the lowest part in the hollow body 18.

[0049] 3B, in other words, when the movable body 16 is pressed down to the bottom surface of the bathtub 11 and is stationary, the controller 24 of the detection device 14 detects an abnormal state of the bather U in the bathtub 11 and transmits a control signal to the actuator (not shown) through the stopper drive harness 28, and the actuator is activated to energize the electromagnetic coil 40. When the electromagnetic coil 40 is energized, the base end 42a of the plunger 42 is drawn into the electromagnetic coil 40 as shown in FIG. 3C, and moves (retracts) toward the plunger receiver 38a of the frame 38. As a result, the tip end 42b of the plunger 42, which was engaged with the groove 32a of the rod body 32, is released from the groove 32a. As a result, the rod body 32 is free to move up and down as the movement restriction by the stopper 34 is released.

[0050] Then, as the rod body 32 becomes movable, the movable body 16 that was being held down by the rod body 32 becomes capable of floating up from a stationary state at the bottom of the hollow body 18 due to the buoyant force acting on the movable body 16.

[0051] The communicating pipe 36 communicates between the communicating space S in the hollow body 18 and the inside of the rising portion 12a of the siphon tube 12. In this embodiment, the communicating pipe 36 is provided in a state where the end of the communicating pipe 36 on the communicating space S side penetrates the ceiling wall 18a of the hollow body 18, as shown in FIG.

[0052] Next, an example of the operation of the bathtub drainage unit 10 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. When in use, the bathtub drainage unit 10 is installed in an existing bathtub 11. Specifically, a hollow body 18 with a movable body 16 housed therein is erected on the bottom surface of the bathtub 11. In addition, the siphon pipe 12 is installed with its rising portion 12a disposed inside the bathtub 11 and its hanging portion 12c disposed outside the bathtub 11.

[0053] When the bathtub drainage unit 10 is installed, the communication pipe 36 that penetrates the ceiling wall of the hollow body 18 is connected at one end (the end opposite the hollow body 18) to the rising portion 12a. This allows communication between the communication space S inside the hollow body 18 and the inside of the rising portion 12a. Before hot water is stored in the bathtub 11, the movable body 16 is pushed by the stationary mechanism 30 so that it is located at the lowest part inside the hollow body 18, in other words, at the bottom of the bathtub 11, and remains stationary in that position. At this time, the communication space S inside the hollow body 18 has a maximum volume.

[0054] Then, when pouring of hot water W into bathtub 11 (filling) begins and the water level WL in bathtub 11 rises, hot water is also stored in rising portion 12a of siphon pipe 12 up to the water level WL, as shown in Figure 4(a). Hot water W is also poured into communication space S in hollow body 18 up to the water level WL through through hole 18h of hollow body 18. At this time, air in communication space S moves into siphon pipe 12 through communication pipe 36 and is discharged through siphon pipe 12.

[0055] When the pouring of hot water W into bathtub 11 (filling with hot water) is completed, as shown in Figure 4(b), more than the specified amount of hot water W is stored in bathtub 11, and the water level WL is located above the upper end of hollow body 18. In this state (hereinafter referred to as the bath-ready state), communication space S of hollow body 18 is filled with hot water W, and rising portion 12a of siphon pipe 12 is filled with hot water to the same water level WL as in bathtub 11.

[0056] In the bathing state, the movement of the rod 32 in the stationary mechanism 30 is restricted by the stopper 34. At this time, the movable body 16 is held down by the rod 32 and therefore remains stationary against the buoyant force acting on the movable body 16;

[0057] While the bather is in the bathing-ready state, the bather U enters the bathtub 11 and begins bathing. During the bathing period, the condition of the bather U and the condition inside the bathtub 11 are monitored by the sensor 22 and the controller 24. Then, while bathing, if the condition of the bather U is normal, the bathtub drainage unit 10 described above maintains the above-mentioned state.

[0058] On the other hand, if an abnormality in the condition of the bather U is detected while bathing, that is, if the controller 24 detects an abnormality in the condition of the bather U in the tub, the restriction on the movement of the rod body 32 by the stopper 34 acting as a switching mechanism is released (see FIG. 3C). As a result, as shown in FIG. 5(a), the movable body 16 rises within the hollow body 18 while pushing up the rod body 32 by buoyancy. As the movable body 16 rises, the hot water W stored in the communication space S is displaced by the movable body 16 and is sent to the rising portion 12a of the siphon pipe 12 through the communication pipe 36 as priming water.

[0059] As described above, when the hot water W in the communication space S is sent into the siphon pipe 12 as priming water, and the siphon pipe 12 is filled with hot water W, a siphon action occurs, and the hot water W in the bathtub 11 is automatically drained through the siphon pipe 12, as shown in Figure 5(b). At this time, because a check valve 20 is provided below the rising portion 12a, it is possible to prevent the priming water flowing into the siphon pipe 12, i.e., the hot water W in the communication space S, from flowing back. As a result, the siphon pipe 12 is appropriately filled with priming water, and the hot water W in the bathtub 11 is appropriately drained by the siphon action.

[0060] As described above, in this embodiment, the bathtub drainage unit 10, which has a relatively simple configuration, can rapidly drain a large amount of hot and cold water from the bathtub 11 when an abnormal condition of the bather U is detected while bathing (i.e., when the bather U is in a situation where he or she is likely to drown in the bathtub 11). This makes it possible to prevent the bather U from drowning in the bathtub 11 while bathing. Furthermore, the bathtub drainage unit 10 of the present invention can be easily attached to an existing bathtub 11 and used without requiring any extensive installation work.

[0061] <<Other embodiments>> Although one embodiment of the bathtub drain unit of the present invention has been described above, the above embodiment is merely an example for facilitating understanding of the present invention and does not limit the present invention. In other words, the present invention can be modified and improved without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In addition, the present invention naturally includes its equivalents.

[0062] In addition, other embodiments (variations) different from the above-described embodiment may be considered for the present invention. The following describes the variations. Note that the following mainly describes the differences from the above-described embodiment, and omits a description of the commonalities.

[0063] (Modification of the stationary mechanism) The stationary mechanism 30 according to the embodiment described above is composed of the rod 32 that enters the hollow body 18 and pushes the movable body 16 to the lowest part inside the hollow body 18 (i.e., the bottom surface inside the bathtub 11) and stops it. However, the stationary mechanism is not limited to this as long as it can contact the movable body 16 and stop the movable body 16. For example, as shown in Figs. 6(a) to (c), the stationary mechanism may be a frame member 52 that pulls the movable body 16 inside the hollow body 48 against buoyancy to stop it. Below, the stationary mechanism according to the modified embodiment shown in Figs. 6(a) to (c) and Fig. 7 will be described.

[0064] In this modification, hollow body 48 has an internal space slightly larger than the size of movable body 16, and is fixed to the upper wall of bathtub 11 with a suction cup or the like (shown in the accompanying drawings) as shown in Fig. 7. Moreover, hollow body 48 is configured so that movable body 16 can move up and down inside it, as shown in Figs. 6(a) to (c).

[0065] A communication pipe 36 is provided in the ceiling wall 48a of the hollow body 48, connecting the communication space S with the inside of the siphon pipe 12. A plurality of guides are provided on the outer side of the side wall of the hollow body 48 for supporting a frame material 52, which will be described later, and in the configuration shown in Figures 6(a) to (c), two guides are provided on each side, for a total of four guides 54. As shown in Figure 7, each guide 54 is provided with a guide hole 54h through which the frame material 52 is inserted and which guides the vertical movement of the frame material 52.

[0066] The frame material 52 is attached to the bottom surface 16b of the movable body 16 and moves up and down in conjunction with the movable body 16. Specifically, a part (lowermost part) of the frame material 52 is joined to the bottom surface 16b of the movable body 16, and the frame material 52 moves up and down together with the movable body 16 in conjunction with the vertical movement of the movable body 16 inside the hollow body 48. That is, as shown in FIG. 6(a), when the movable body 16 is located near the bottom surface of the bathtub 11, the frame material 52 is also near the bottom surface. In other words, by pushing the frame material 52 into the bottom surface of the bathtub 11, the movable body 16 is pulled to the bottom surface of the bathtub 11. Then, by maintaining the frame material 52 located near the bottom surface of the bathtub 11, the movable body 16 is stopped near the bottom surface of the bathtub 11 by the frame material 52.

[0067] Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 6(b), when the movable body 16 rises due to buoyancy, the frame material 52 also rises. At this time, the frame material 52 moves vertically upward while being guided by the guide 54. Then, as the movable body 16 and the frame material 52 rise, the hot and cold water W in the communication space S is pushed in by the movable body 16 and flows into the siphon pipe 12 through the communication pipe 36. Note that, as shown in Fig. 6(c), when the movable body 16 is completely housed in the hollow body 48, the lowermost part of the frame material 52 fixed to the bottom surface 16b of the movable body 16 becomes engaged with the bottom surface of the hollow body 48 (more specifically, the edge of the opening).

[0068] In addition, the outer peripheral surface of the frame material 52 is provided with a groove (not shown) that can engage with the plunger 42 of the stopper 34, similar to the rod body 32 of the stationary mechanism 30 according to the above embodiment. In the modified example, the stopper 34 has the same structure as that for the rod body 32, and can switch between a state in which the movement of the frame material 52 is restricted and a state in which the restriction on the movement of the frame material 52 is released. With the above configuration, even in the modified example, when an abnormality in the state of the bather U is detected during bathing, the stopper 34 is released and the frame material 52 is switched to a movable state, and the movable body 16 floats due to buoyancy and rises together with the frame material 52 as the stationary mechanism. This allows priming water to flow into the siphon pipe 12, and hot and cold water in the bathtub 11 can be drained rapidly and in large quantities by the siphon action. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 10 Bathtub drainage unit 11 Bathtub 12 Siphon tube 12a Rising part 12b Horizontal part 12c hanging part 14 Detection equipment 16 Movable body 16b Bottom 18, 48 hollow body 18a, 48a Ceiling wall 18h, 48h through hole 20. Check valve 21 Bathroom 22 Sensor (mmWave sensor) 23 Door 24 Controller 26 Power supply 28 Stopper drive harness 30 Stationary mechanism 32 Rod (stationary mechanism) 32a groove 32b Operating handle 32c Lower wall 34 Stopper (switching mechanism) 36 Communication pipe 38 Frames 38a Plunger holder 40 Electromagnetic Coil 42 Plunger 42a Proximal end 42b Tip 44 Coil spring 46 Spring holder 52 Frame material (stationary mechanism) 54 Guide 54h Guide hole S communication space U bather W Water (hot water) WL water level

Claims

1. A siphon tube having one end disposed within the bathtub and the other end disposed outside the bathtub; A detection device for detecting an abnormal state of a bather in the bathtub; a movable body that can rise by buoyancy of hot water stored in the bathtub when the detection device detects the abnormal state; a hollow body having a communication space therein that communicates with the inside of the siphon pipe, and capable of storing hot water in the bathtub in the communication space; The bathtub drainage unit is configured so that hot water stored in the communicating space within the hollow body is sent to the inside of the siphon pipe when the movable body is raised.

2. The hollow body is a container in which the movable body is accommodated in a state in which the movable body can rise, and is configured so that hot water in the bathtub can be stored in the communication space located above the movable body within the container, a stationary mechanism for stationary the movable body within the hollow body against buoyancy; a switching mechanism that switches the movable body from a stationary state to a movable state by the stationary mechanism when the detection device detects the abnormal state; The bathtub drainage unit according to claim 1 , further comprising a communication pipe that connects the communication space with the inside of the siphon pipe.

3. the stationary mechanism includes a rod body that is movable in a vertical direction and that contacts the movable body to stationary the movable body, The switching mechanism includes a stopper that limits the movement of the rod body, The bathtub drainage unit according to claim 2 , wherein the stopper is switchable between a state in which the movement of the rod body is restricted and a state in which the restriction on the movement is released.

4. The bathtub drainage unit according to claim 2, wherein the hollow body is a cylindrical container, and a through hole is provided in the side wall of the hollow body to allow hot and cold water in the bathtub to flow into the communication space.

5. The bathtub drainage unit according to claim 4, wherein when the movable body is pushed to the lower end of the interior of the hollow body by the stationary mechanism, the through hole is located above the upper end of the movable body.

6. The communication pipe communicates the communication space in the hollow body with the inside of the rising portion of the siphon pipe that is disposed in the bathtub, The bathtub drainage unit according to claim 4, wherein an end of the communication pipe on the communication space side penetrates a ceiling wall of the hollow body.

7. The bathtub drainage unit according to claim 6, wherein a check valve is provided in the rising portion of the siphon pipe.

8. The bathtub drainage unit according to claim 1 , wherein the detection device includes a millimeter wave sensor, and the millimeter wave sensor is attached to a door of a room in which the bathtub is located.

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