Fine bubble water supply device

Abstract

To provide a fine bubble water supply device that supplies fine bubble water and that can be connected to a plurality of shampoo stands, and is easily switched between white water and non-white water for each shampoo stand and also suitably used for a beauty parlor etc.SOLUTION: A fine bubble water supply device comprises: an air supply part 10; a water supply part 20; a fine bubble water generation part 30 which merges air and water together to generate non-white water or white water; a selection part 40 which selects a first mode in which the non-white water is generated by the fine bubble water generation part 30 or a second mode in which the white water is generated; and a discharge part 50 which discharges the non-white water or white water. The air supply part 10 has air flow rate switching means 16 using solenoid valves 18-1, 18-2, the fine bubble water generation part 30 include a swirl flow type coupling 33, and the selection part 40 selects an air flow rate by controlling the solenoid valves 18-1, 18-2 so as to select the non-white water or white water generated by the fine bubble water generation part 30.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fine bubble water supply device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there have been known methods of using water containing minute air bubbles (also called fine bubbles) to wash the hair and skin in a shower at a beauty salon or the like, or of filling a bathtub with hot water containing such fine bubbles to enhance beauty of the entire body. When using water containing such fine bubbles, there are cases where the water is used for different purposes, depending on whether it is cloudy water made with large bubbles or not: cloudy water made with small bubbles is used to fill a bathtub with cloudy water made with large bubbles, like a jacuzzi, to achieve a massaging or relaxing effect, while clear water made with small bubbles is used to cleanse hair and skin. For this reason, some fine bubble generators are capable of switching between cloudy water and non-cloudy water depending on the application.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a fine bubble generator for bathtubs. In this device, an air introduction valve, a pump (circulation pump), and a pressurized container are provided from the upstream side in the hot water supply path, and the hot water from the pressurized container is supplied to the bathtub. Here, the device switches between a cloudy mode in which the pump speed is increased to prevent the formation of an air layer in the tank of the pressurized container, and a non-cloudy mode in which the pump speed is decreased to form an air tank. The switching is performed by a fine bubble generation operation unit provided on the remote control device. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-111502 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The present invention aims to enable a user to easily switch between a first mode, which generates a first fine bubble water containing a first size and / or quantity of fine bubbles, and a second mode, which generates a second fine bubble water containing a second size and / or quantity of fine bubbles. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the fine bubble water supplying device (1) of the present invention includes an air supply unit (10) that supplies air, a water supply unit (20) that supplies water, a fine bubble water generating unit (30) that merges the air and the water to generate first fine bubble water containing fine bubbles of a first size and / or quantity in the water, or second fine bubble water containing fine bubbles of a second size and / or quantity in the water, a selection unit (40) that selects a first mode in which the fine bubble water generating unit (30) generates the first fine bubble water or a second mode in which the second fine bubble water is generated, and a release unit (50) that releases the first fine bubble water or the second fine bubble water.

[0007] With this configuration, the selection unit switches between the first fine bubble water and the second fine bubble water, making it easy to switch between the first fine bubble water and the second fine bubble water.

[0008] The fine bubble water supply device (1) may be connected to one or more water utilization equipment (100) and generates the first fine bubble water or the second fine bubble water by independently injecting air into the water supply line (101) of each of the water utilization equipment (100). The fine bubble generation unit (30) may be inserted into the water supply line (101) of each of the water utilization equipment (100). The water supply unit (20) may be a connection unit between the upstream portion of the water supply line (101) and the fine bubble generation unit (30). The release unit (50) may be a connection unit between the fine bubble generation unit (30) and the downstream portion of the water supply line (101).

[0009] With this configuration, the upstream and downstream portions of the water supply line in an existing water-using device such as a shampoo stand can be utilized, thereby reducing the cost of the device.

[0010] The air supply unit (10) has air flow rate switching means (16a, 16b, 16c) using solenoid valves (18-1, 18-2), the fine bubble water generation unit (30) includes a swirl type joint (33) that swirls water and introduces air into the center of the swirl, and the selection unit (40) controls the solenoid valves (18-1, 18-2) to select an air flow rate, thereby selecting the first fine bubble water or the second fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble water generation unit (30). The air flow rate switching means (30) is configured as follows: a first flow path (16-1) in which a first throttle valve (17-1) and a first solenoid valve (18-1) are arranged in series; and a second flow path (16-2) in which a second throttle valve (17-2) and a second solenoid valve (18-2) are arranged in series, which are provided in parallel; and the air flow rate switching means (30) is configured to obtain an air flow rate determined by the throttle valve corresponding to each solenoid valve by opening only the first solenoid valve (18-1) or only the second solenoid valve.

[0011] This configuration makes it possible to switch the air flow rate with a simple structure, thereby enabling the first fine bubble water and the second fine bubble water to be switched immediately.

[0012] The selection unit may be configured to include a foot switch (41, 41-1, 41-2) that is operated by a user with his / her foot, and to control the solenoid valves by the foot switch (41, 41-1, 41-2).

[0013] With this configuration, even if the customer has both hands full washing their hair, the first fine bubble water and the second fine bubble water can be easily switched by operating with the foot.

[0014] The foot switches (41, 41-1, 41-2) may include a first foot switch (41-1) corresponding to the first mode and a second foot switch (41-2) corresponding to the second mode.

[0015] With this configuration, even if the customer has both hands full washing their hair, the first and second fine-bubble water can be easily switched by operating with the foot.

[0016] The second fine bubble water is preferably such that the average number of fine bubbles having a diameter of 10 μm or more and less than 100 μm in 1 mL of the second fine bubble water is 700 or more when the number of the fine bubbles is counted 15 times by a laser diffraction / scattering method.

[0017] Since the greater the number of fine bubbles (microbubbles) with a bubble diameter of 10 μm or more and less than 100 μm, the more likely the liquid becomes cloudy, this configuration increases the degree of cloudiness. The average number of the fine bubbles is more preferably 1000 or more, and even more preferably 2000 or more.

[0018] It is preferable that the number of fine bubbles having a diameter of 1 μm or more and less than 10 μm in 1 mL of the first fine bubble water and the second fine bubble water is measured 15 times using a laser diffraction / scattering method, and the average number of the fine bubbles is 50,000 or more.

[0019] This configuration improves the cleaning power for removing fine dirt from pores, etc. The average number of the fine bubbles is more preferably 100,000 or more, and even more preferably 150,000 or more.

[0020] It is preferable that the amount of air supplied in the first mode is 0.5 L / min or more and 2.0 L / min or less, the dynamic water pressure of the first fine bubble water is 0.15 MPa or more and 0.5 MPa or less, and the amount of air supplied in the second mode is 0.03 L / min or more and 0.15 L / min or less.

[0021] With this configuration, it is possible to supply an appropriate amount of air while increasing the massage level. The amount of air supplied in the first mode is more preferably 0.7 L / min to 1.5 L / min, and the dynamic water pressure of the first fine bubble water is more preferably 0.17 MPa to 0.4 MPa.

[0022] It is preferable that the user can recognize that the second fine bubble water is cloudy.

[0023] These definitions make it possible to clearly distinguish between the first fine bubble water (non-cloudy water) and the second fine bubble water (cloudy water).

[0024] The fine bubble water supplying device (1) may include a usage amount measuring unit (70) that measures the usage amount of the first fine bubble water and the usage amount of the second fine bubble water.

[0025] With this configuration, the amount of the first fine bubble water used and the amount of the second fine bubble water used can be used as a reference when billing a user or customer.

[0026] The fine bubble water supplying device (1) may include a usage amount display unit (75) that displays to a user the usage amount of the first fine bubble water and the usage amount of the second fine bubble water measured by the usage amount measuring unit (70).

[0027] This configuration allows the user or customer to refer to the charges based on the usage amount of the first fine bubble water and the usage amount of the second fine bubble water.

[0028] The fine bubble water supplying device (1) may be provided with a usage time measuring unit (80) that measures the usage time of the first fine bubble water and the usage time of the second fine bubble water, and in this case, the usage time of the first fine bubble water and the usage time of the second fine bubble water may be measured based on the time when the user operates the foot switch (41, 41-1, 41-2).

[0029] With this configuration, the usage time of the first fine bubble water and the usage time of the second fine bubble water can be used as a reference when billing users or customers. Also, compared to measuring the usage amount, no actual measuring equipment such as a flow meter is required, which reduces costs.

[0030] The fine bubble water supply device (1) may include a usage time display unit (85) that displays to the user the usage time of the first fine bubble water and the usage time of the second fine bubble water measured by the usage time measuring unit (80).

[0031] This configuration allows the user or customer to refer to the amount of the first fine bubble water used and the fee based on the duration of use of the second fine bubble water. The reference numerals in parentheses above are shown as an example of the present invention, and are the reference numerals of corresponding components in the embodiment described below. Effect of the Invention

[0032] The fine bubble water supplying device of the present invention allows the user to easily switch between a first mode which generates a first fine bubble water containing a first size and / or quantity of fine bubbles, and a second mode which generates a second fine bubble water containing a second size and / or quantity of fine bubbles. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a fine bubble water supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a front view showing a swirl-type joint of the fine bubble water supply device of FIG. 1. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of the swirl flow type joint in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 4 is a cross-sectional view of the swirl flow type joint of FIG. 3 . [Diagram 5] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the swirl-type joint of FIG. 2. [Figure 6]2 is a table showing the evaluation results of the number of fine bubbles, the degree of cloudiness, and the degree of massage in the fine bubble water supply device of FIG. 1. [Figure 7] 1 is a table showing the evaluation results of the number of fine bubbles, the degree of cloudiness, and the degree of massage in a conventional fine bubble water supply device. [Figure 8] 3 is a photograph showing the cloudy state of fine bubble water in the fine bubble water supply device of FIG. 1 and a conventional fine bubble water supply device. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a fine bubble water supply device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First Embodiment The fine bubble water supply device 1 of this embodiment is connected to one or more water-using appliances, such as shampoo stations 100 used in beauty salons, and independently injects air into the water supply line 101 of each water-using appliance (100) to generate cloudy / non-cloudy water. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a configuration of a fine bubble water supplying device 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The fine bubble water supplying device 1 of this embodiment includes an air supplying unit 10, a water supplying unit 20, a fine bubble generating unit 30, a selecting unit 40, a discharging unit 50, and a control unit 60.

[0035] The air supply unit 10 is provided in the device body and is a unit that supplies air to each of the fine bubble generating units 30 described below. The air supply unit 10 includes an air intake (not shown), an air filter 11, an air compressor 12, an air tank 13, a pressure regulator 14, a branch 15, and further includes flow rate adjustment units 16a to 16c corresponding to each of the shampoo stations 100a to 100c.

[0036] The air filter 11 is a filter that purifies the air by removing particles such as dust contained in the air taken in from an air intake port (not shown). The compressor 12 is a device that compresses the air purified by the air filter 11 and supplies it to the air tank 13. The compressor 12 is controlled by a compressor drive circuit 63 of the control unit 60 described later, and is started when the pressure monitored by a pressure gauge PG1 provided in the air tank 13 falls below a predetermined lower limit, and is stopped when the pressure rises above a predetermined upper limit. In this way, the air pressure in the air tank 13 is controlled to be within a predetermined range. The air tank 13 is provided with a drain valve 19 that removes moisture and the like that has condensed inside.

[0037] The pressure regulator 14 is a device that adjusts the pressure downstream thereof to a predetermined value. The pressure regulator 14 is equipped with a pressure gauge PG2 so that the pressure downstream can be monitored. The branch 15 is a device that is provided downstream of the pressure regulator 14 and that branches the air whose pressure has been adjusted by the pressure regulator 14 and supplies it to each of the flow rate adjustment units 16a to 16c, and is formed of, for example, a manifold.

[0038] Each flow rate adjustment unit (also referred to as air flow rate switching means) 16a to 16c is a unit that adjusts the air flow rate to each water utilization device (100a to 100c), and is configured by a first flow path 16-1 in which a first throttle valve (first speed controller) 17-1 and a first solenoid valve 18-1 are arranged in series, and a second flow path 16-2 in which a second throttle valve (second speed controller) 17-2 and a second solenoid valve 18-2 are arranged in series, which are provided in parallel. By opening only the first solenoid valve 18-1 or only the second solenoid valve 18-2, the air flow rate determined by the throttle valve 17-1 or 17-2 corresponding to each solenoid valve 18 is supplied to the fine bubble generating section 30.

[0039] The water supply unit 20 is a unit that supplies water to the fine-bubble generating unit 30. The term "water" as used herein includes not only cold water but also warm water and hot water. The fine-bubble water supply device 1 of this embodiment is configured to generate cloudy water / non-cloudy water by injecting air into the water supply line 101 of an existing shampoo stand 100, so the water supply unit 20 is a connection between the upstream portion of the water supply line 101 and the fine-bubble generating unit 30 described later, and is made up of, for example, a general-purpose union joint (not shown) or the like. However, the water supply unit 20 in the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and may include a tap water connection unit (not shown) or a water heater (not shown), etc., and may be configured to supply water to the fine bubble generating unit 30 without using the water supply line 101 of an existing water-using device such as a shampoo stand 100.

[0040] The fine bubble generating unit 30 is a unit that takes in air supplied by the air supply unit 10 and water supplied by the water supply unit 20, and generates fine bubble water containing fine bubbles in the water, and includes a union 31 that connects piping from the flow rate adjustment units 16a to 16c of the air supply unit 10, a check valve 32 provided downstream of the union 31, and a swirl flow type joint 33 provided further downstream of the union 31. Note that fine bubbles include, for example, fine bubbles (microbubbles) with a bubble diameter of 1 μm or more and less than 1 mm, and ultrafine bubbles (nanobubbles) with a bubble diameter of less than 1 μm.

[0041] As shown in Figures 2 to 5, this swirl flow type joint 33 comprises a roughly cylindrical main body 33a having a short axial direction, a cylindrical internal space 33b arranged coaxially inside the main body 33a, a water inlet hole 33c arranged eccentrically on the cylindrical surface of the main body 33a when viewed in the axial direction and communicating with the cylindrical internal space 33b, an air inlet hole 33d arranged in one axial end of the main body 33a in the axial direction and communicating with the cylindrical internal space 33b, and a fine bubble water outlet hole 33e arranged in the other axial end of the main body 33a in the axial direction and communicating with the cylindrical internal space 33b.

[0042] This swirl flow type joint 33 swirls water introduced through the water inlet hole 33c in the cylindrical internal space 33b, and introduces air into the center of the swirl through the air inlet hole 33d. Air is then diffused into the swirling water to generate fine bubble water, which is then discharged from the fine bubble water outlet hole 33e. A cylindrical portion is protruding from each of the water inlet hole 33c and the micro-bubble water outlet hole 33e, and an outer peripheral thread is formed on each of these cylindrical portions so that piping can be connected via a bag-shaped nut (not shown). Meanwhile, a cylindrical portion is also protruding from each of the air inlet hole 33d, and an inner peripheral thread is formed on each of these cylindrical portions so that piping from the check valve 32 can be connected via a nipple joint 34. In addition, a venturi 35, which is a cylindrical member whose diameter increases toward the downstream side on both the inner and outer sides, is fitted into the inner side of the fine bubble water outlet hole 33e, generating negative pressure inside the water and promoting further generation of fine bubble water.

[0043] The selection unit 40 is a unit that selects a first mode (also called a non-cloudy mode) for generating a first fine bubble water (also called a non-cloudy water) containing a first size and / or number of fine bubbles in the fine bubble generating unit 30, or a second mode (also called a cloudy mode) for generating a second fine bubble water (also called a cloudy water) containing a second size and / or number of fine bubbles. Alternatively, the first mode may be a massage mode and the second mode may be a cloudy mode. When the first fine bubble water is released to the user (e.g., the head) in the massage mode, the user feels as if he or she is being massaged. When the first mode is the massage mode, the first fine bubble water may be non-cloudy water or cloudy water. In the following, a pattern in which the first mode is the non-cloudy mode and the second mode is the cloudy mode will be taken as an example. The selection unit 40 includes a first foot switch 41-1 and a second foot switch 41-2, and an electromagnetic valve drive circuit 62 of the control unit 60, and controls the electromagnetic valves 18-1, 18-2 of the air supply unit 10 to select the air flow rate, thereby selecting the first fine bubble water or the second fine bubble water generated in the fine bubble generation unit 30.

[0044] The first foot switch 41-1 and the second foot switch 41-2 are provided on each shampoo stand 100 and are operated by a hairdresser or the like using the shampoo stand 100, and are switches that open and close the first solenoid valve 18-1 and the second solenoid valve 18-2, respectively. On the other hand, the solenoid valve drive circuit 62 constitutes a part of the control unit 60 (described later) provided on the main body side of the fine bubble water supplying device 1. When signals from the first foot switch 41-1 and the second foot switch 41-2 are sent to the solenoid valve drive circuit 62, the solenoid valve drive circuit 62 follows instructions from the microcomputer 61 of the control unit 60 to open and close the first solenoid valve 18-1 and the second solenoid valve 18-2. In operation, when the first foot switch 41-1 is stepped on once, the first solenoid valve 18-1 opens to the first mode (non-cloudy water mode), and when stepped on again, it closes and returns to normal water. Similarly, when the second foot switch 41-2 is stepped on once, the second solenoid valve 18-2 opens to the second mode (cloudy water mode), and when stepped on again, it closes and returns to normal water. When the second foot switch 41-2 is stepped on once during the first mode (non-cloudy water mode), it enters the second mode (cloudy water mode), and when the first foot switch 41-1 is stepped on once during the second mode, it returns to the first mode. However, the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the first mode or the second mode may be set only while the first foot switch 41-1 or the second foot switch 41-2 is stepped on, and the water may return to normal water when the foot switch is released. With this configuration, even if the user has both hands full, the user can easily switch between the first and second fine bubble water by operating the device with his / her foot.

[0045] For example, the more bubbles with a diameter equal to or larger than a predetermined diameter are present in the fine bubble water, the more cloudy the water becomes. "First fine bubble water" is water in which the user cannot recognize that it is cloudy, and which contains small microbubbles (e.g., 10 μm or less) and a small number of microbubbles. On the other hand, "second fine bubble water" is water in which the user can recognize that it is cloudy, and which contains large microbubbles (e.g., 10 μm or more) and a large number of microbubbles. Here, "the user cannot recognize that it is cloudy" includes cases in which the water is not cloudy at all, as well as cases in which the water is cloudy but not enough for the user to recognize.

[0046] The discharge unit 50 discharges the first fine bubble water (non-cloudy water) or the second fine bubble water (cloudy water). The fine bubble water supplying device 1 of this embodiment is configured to generate cloudy water / non-cloudy water by injecting air into the water supply line 101 of the existing shampoo stand 100, so the discharge unit 50 is a connection between the fine bubble generating unit 30 and the downstream portion of the water supply line 101, and is made of, for example, a general-purpose union joint. However, the fine bubble water supplying device 1 of the present invention is not limited to this configuration, and the release section 50 may be configured to include a hose (not shown) or a shower head (not shown), etc., so that cloudy water / non-cloudy water can be supplied to the target without using the downstream portion of the water supply line 101 of an existing water-using device such as a shampoo stand 100.

[0047] The control unit 60 is a device that operates the fine bubble water supply device 1 by driving the first solenoid valve 18-1, the second solenoid valve 18-2, and the air compressor 12 according to the operating state of the operation switches such as the foot switch 41 and the operating program. The control unit 60 also includes a microcomputer 61 that controls the entire device according to the program, a solenoid valve drive circuit 62 that drives the first solenoid valve 18-1 and the second solenoid valve 18-2, a compressor drive circuit 63 that drives the air compressor 12, and a WiFi interface 65, and also has a function of transmitting usage data to an external WiFi device 200.

[0048] The fine bubble water supplying device 1 of this embodiment further includes a usage amount measuring unit 70 that measures the usage amount of the first fine bubble water and the second fine bubble water. This usage amount measuring unit 70 includes a flow meter 71 and a usage amount measuring module 66 in the control unit 60. The flow meter 71 is inserted in the connection between the fine bubble generating unit 30 in the discharge unit 50 and the downstream part of the water supply line 101. As the flow meter 71, for example, an electromagnetic flow meter that can measure even when air bubbles are present, an impeller type flow meter, a float type flow meter, etc. can be used. The usage amount measuring module 66 in the control unit 60 acquires data from the flow meter 71, and separately tallies the flow rate when the first mode is selected and the flow rate when the second mode is selected. With this configuration, the amount of the first fine bubble water used and the amount of the second fine bubble water used can be used as a reference when billing a user or customer.

[0049] The fine bubble water supplying device 1 of this embodiment further includes a usage amount display unit 75 that displays to the user the usage amount of the first fine bubble water and the usage amount of the second fine bubble water measured by the usage amount measuring unit 70. A general-purpose monitor such as a liquid crystal monitor or an organic electroluminescence monitor can be used as this usage amount display unit 75. In this embodiment, this usage amount display unit 75 is provided on the main body to collectively display the usage amount of each shampoo stand, but it may also be provided on each shampoo stand 100a to 100c. This configuration allows the user or customer to refer to the charges based on the usage amount of the first fine bubble water and the second fine bubble water. Instead of using the usage amount display unit 75, for example, the usage amount data may be sent to a general-purpose smartphone (200) via the WiFi interface 65, and the usage amount of the fine bubble water may be displayed on the display unit of the smartphone (200).

[0050] Next, the operation of the fine bubble water supplying device 1 according to the first embodiment configured as described above will be described. Here, the case where a user such as a hairdresser uses the shampoo stand 100a will be described, but the operation is similar when the user uses the shampoo stands 100b and 100c. First, when the fine bubble water supply device 1 is started, the air compressor 12 starts up and compresses the air purified by the air filter 11, and supplies it to the air tank 13 for storage. A user of the shampoo stand 100a, such as a hairdresser, uses the shampoo stand 100a in a normal way, dispensing temperature-adjusted normal water to wash the customer's hair.

[0051] At this time, when the first foot switch 41-1 provided on the shampoo stand 100a is stepped on once, the first solenoid valve 18-1 opens and the first mode (non-cloudy water mode) is entered. This operation causes air to flow out of the air tank 13, be depressurized by the pressure regulator 14, and pass through the branch 15 and flow through the first flow path 16-1 in which the first throttle valve 17-1 and the first solenoid valve 18-1 in the open state are interposed in series in the flow rate adjustment unit 16a corresponding to the shampoo stand 100a for which the foot switch 41-1 was operated, and the air flow rate determined by the first throttle valve 17-1 is supplied to the fine bubble generator 30.

[0052] The swirl flow type joint 33 of the micro-bubble generator 30 is installed in the water supply line 101 of the shampoo stand 100a, and the hot water flowing through this water supply line swirls in the cylindrical internal space 33b as shown by the arrows in Fig. 5, and air is introduced into the center of this swirl from the air inlet hole 33d (see Fig. 3) and diffused into the swirling water to generate micro-bubble water. This micro-bubble water is discharged downstream of the water supply line 101 and released from the shower head 102 for use in washing the customer's hair. When the hairdresser or the like depresses the first foot switch 41-1 again, the first solenoid valve 18-1 closes, the supply of air to the fine bubble generating unit 30 stops, and the water returns to normal.

[0053] Similarly, when the second foot switch 41-2 is pressed once from a state in which normal water is flowing, the second solenoid valve 18-2 opens and enters the second mode (cloudy water mode), and when pressed again, it closes and returns to normal water. When the second foot switch 41-2 is pressed once during the first mode (non-cloudy water mode), the second mode (cloudy water mode) is entered, and when the first foot switch 41-1 is pressed once during the second mode, the mode returns to the first mode.

[0054] According to the fine bubble water supplying device 1 of this embodiment, fine bubble water is generated using a swirling flow type fitting 33, and the first fine bubble water (non-cloudy water) and the second fine bubble water (cloudy water) are switched by changing the air flow rate using the solenoid valves 18-1 and 18-2. Therefore, by providing the required number of solenoid valves, it is possible to switch between cloudy water and non-cloudy water for each of the multiple connected shampoo stations 100.

[0055] [Performance evaluation of the fine bubble water supply device of the first embodiment] (1) Evaluation method Using a Shimadzu SALD7500 microbubble measuring device, the number of microbubbles with a bubble diameter of 1 μm or more and less than 10 μm and the number of microbubbles with a bubble diameter of 10 μm or more and less than 100 μm in 1 mL of the first fine bubble water generated by the fine bubble water supplying device 1 according to the present embodiment, 1 mL of the second fine bubble water, and 1 mL of the fine bubble water generated by the conventional fine bubble water supplying device 1 were measured 15 times under different conditions (amount of fine bubble water discharged (L / min), amount of air supplied (L / min), water temperature of the fine bubble water (℃), dynamic water pressure of the fine bubble water (MPa)). In addition, the degree of cloudiness of each fine bubble water discharged from the shower head was visually observed and evaluated by the user. In addition, the degree of massage (degree of massage) when each fine bubble water was discharged from the shower head and applied to the user's scalp was evaluated by the user's sense.

[0056] (2) Evaluation results FIG. 6 shows the evaluation results of the number of fine bubbles, the degree of cloudiness, and the degree of massage in the fine bubble water dispenser 1 of this embodiment. In the first mode (air supply rate 1L / min), the number of 10-100μm microbubbles was moderate at 789-1171 / ML, and a strong massage effect and relatively weak cloudiness were observed. The number of smaller 1-10μm microbubbles was high at 90808-301270, and the dynamic water pressure of the microbubble water was 0.22-0.32MPa. On the other hand, in the second mode (air supply volume 0.07 L / min), the number of 10-100 μm microbubbles was high at 3431-3619 / ML, and a weak massage effect and strong cloudiness were observed. The number of smaller 1-10 μm microbubbles was 104797-171322, and the dynamic water pressure of the microbubble water was 0.20-0.31 MPa, which was similar to that of the first mode.

[0057] 7 shows, as a comparative example, the evaluation results of the number of microbubbles, the degree of cloudiness and the massage level for a conventional microbubble water supplying device. The conditions for generating microbubble water were different from the first and second modes of the embodiment of the present invention, but the number of 10 to 100 μm microbubbles was 296 to 540 / ML, which was fewer than the embodiment of the present invention, resulting in a strong massage level and almost no cloudiness. The number of smaller 1 to 10 μm microbubbles was 209 to 30,152, and the dynamic water pressure of the microbubble water was 0.06 to 0.10 MPa.

[0058] Photographs showing the cloudy state of the fine bubble water in the fine bubble water supplying device 1 of this embodiment and a conventional fine bubble water supplying device are shown in Figure 8. In the fine bubble water supplying device 1 of this embodiment, strong cloudiness is observed in the second mode, whereas in the conventional fine bubble water supplying device, almost no cloudiness is observed under any generation conditions.

[0059] (3) Comments on the evaluation results The above evaluation results lead to the following conclusions: When the second fine bubble water (second mode fine bubble water) is to be cloudy water, the number of fine bubbles having a diameter of 10 μm or more and less than 100 μm per 1 mL of the second fine bubble water (average value when 15 measurements are taken) is preferably 700 or more, more preferably 1,000 or more, and even more preferably 2,000 or more, from the viewpoint of increasing the degree of cloudiness (the upper limit may be, for example, 30,000). The number of fine bubbles having a diameter of 1 μm or more and less than 10 μm in 1 mL of the first fine bubble water and the second fine bubble water (average value when measured 15 times) is preferably 50,000 or more, more preferably 100,000 or more, and even more preferably 150,000 or more, from the viewpoint of cleaning power against fine dirt such as pores (the upper limit may be, for example, 300,000). The amount of air supplied in the first mode is preferably 0.5 L / min to 2.0 L / min, and more preferably 0.7 L / min to 1.5 L / min, from the viewpoint of supplying an appropriate amount of air while increasing the level of massage. The dynamic water pressure of the first fine bubble water is preferably 0.15 MPa to 0.5 MPa, and more preferably 0.17 MPa to 0.4 MPa. The amount of air supplied in the second mode is preferably 0.03 L / min or more and 0.15 L / min or less, and more preferably 0.05 L / min or more and 0.12 L / min or less, from the viewpoint of adjusting the degree of opacity within an appropriate range.

[0060] Second Embodiment In this embodiment, while the first and second modes can be selected using two switches 41-1, 41-2 in the first embodiment, the selection can be made using a single foot switch 41, and instead of the usage amount measuring unit 70 and the usage amount display unit 75, a usage time measuring unit 80 and a usage time display unit 85 are provided. Other than that, the configuration is the same as in the first embodiment, so the corresponding components are given the same reference numerals and duplicated explanations are omitted.

[0061] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a fine bubble water supply device 2 according to this embodiment. The foot switch 41 is provided on each shampoo stand 100 and is connected to the control unit 60 in the fine bubble water supply device main body. With this configuration, when a user, such as a hairdresser, presses the foot switch 41 once, the first solenoid valve 18-1 opens and the first mode (non-cloudy water mode) is entered; when the user presses the foot switch 41 twice, the second mode (cloudy water mode) is entered; and when the user presses the foot switch for a longer period of time, the switch is turned off (normal water mode).

[0062] The fine bubble water supplying device 2 of this embodiment also has a usage time measuring unit 80 that measures the usage time of the first fine bubble water and the usage time of the second fine bubble water at each shampoo station 100. In this embodiment, the usage time of the fine bubble water is defined as the time that the solenoid valve 18-1 or 18-2 is open when the user steps on the foot switch 41. Therefore, the usage time measuring unit 80 is a program in the control unit 60, and is not hardware. With this configuration, the usage time of the first fine bubble water and the usage time of the second fine bubble water can be used as a reference when billing users or customers, and since measuring equipment such as a flow meter is not required, costs can be reduced.

[0063] The fine bubble water supplying device 2 of the present embodiment also has a usage time display unit 85 that displays to the user the usage time of the first fine bubble water and the usage time of the second fine bubble water measured by the usage time measuring unit 80. This usage time display unit 85 is provided on the fine bubble water supplying device main body and displays the usage time of each shampoo stand 100a to 100c collectively. This usage time display unit 85 is similar to the usage amount display unit 75 of the first embodiment, except that the information displayed is different. This configuration allows the user or customer to refer to the charges based on the usage amount of the first fine bubble water and the usage amount of the second fine bubble water.

[0064] The operation of the fine bubble water supplying device 2 of this embodiment configured as described above is similar to that of the fine bubble water supplying device 1 of the first embodiment. However, the first mode and the second mode can be selected with one foot switch 41. Specifically, pressing once switches to the first mode (non-cloudy water mode), pressing twice switches to the second mode (cloudy water mode), and pressing for a long time switches to off (normal water mode).

[0065] According to the fine bubble water supplying device 2 of this embodiment, the first mode and the second mode can be selected with one foot switch 41, which saves space around the water-using device such as the shampoo stand 100. In addition, since the usage time measuring unit 80 and the usage time display unit 85 are adopted, measuring instruments such as a flow meter are not required, which reduces costs.

[0066] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. For example, the first embodiment uses two foot switches 41-1, 41-2, a usage amount measuring unit 70, and a usage amount display unit 75, whereas the first embodiment uses one foot switch 41, a usage time measuring unit 80, and a usage time display unit 85. However, a configuration using two foot switches 41-1, 41-2, a usage time measuring unit 80, and a usage time display unit 85, or a configuration using one foot switch 41, a usage amount measuring unit 70, and a usage amount display unit 75, is also possible.

[0067] Furthermore, the selection unit 40 for switching between the first and second modes is not limited to the foot switch 41, and various switches such as a manual switch and a voice switch can be used depending on the purpose of use.

[0068] Depending on the purpose of use, the usage amount measuring unit 70, the usage amount display unit 75, the usage time measuring unit 80 and the usage time display unit 85 may not necessarily be required. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 1,2 Micro bubble water supply device 10 Air supply section 11 Air Filter 12 Air Compressor 13 Air Tank 14 Pressure Regulator 15 Branch 16a to 16c Flow rate adjustment unit (air flow rate switching means) 16-1 First channel 16-2 Second Stream 17-1 First throttle valve 17-2 Second throttle valve 18-1 First solenoid valve 18-2 Second solenoid valve 19 Drain valve 20 Water supply section 30 Microbubble water generating section 31 Union 32 Check valve 33 Swirling flow type joint 33a Main body 33b Cylindrical internal space 33c Water introduction hole 33d Air inlet 33e Micro bubble water outlet hole 34 Nipple fitting 35 Venturi 40 Selection section 41 (second embodiment) foot switch 41-1 First foot switch 41-2 Second foot switch 50 Emission part 60 Control section 61 Microcomputer 62 Solenoid valve drive circuit 63 Compressor drive circuit 65 WiFi Interfaces 66 Usage Measurement Module 70 Usage Meter 71 Flow meter 75 Usage amount display section 80 Usage time measurement unit 85 Usage time display section 100, 100a~100c Shampoo stand (water-using equipment) 101 Water Supply Line PG1, PG2 pressure gauge

Claims

1. an air supply unit that supplies air; A water supply unit that supplies water; a fine bubble water generating section for generating a first fine bubble water containing fine bubbles of a first size and / or quantity in the water by merging the air and the water, or a second fine bubble water containing fine bubbles of a second size and / or quantity in the water; a selection unit for selecting a first mode in which the fine bubble water generating unit generates the first fine bubble water or a second mode in which the fine bubble water generating unit generates the second fine bubble water; A fine bubble water supplying device comprising: a discharge section that discharges the first fine bubble water or the second fine bubble water.

2. The fine bubble water supply device is connected to one or more water-using appliances, and generates the first fine bubble water or the second fine bubble water by independently injecting air into the water supply line of each of the water-using appliances. The fine bubble water generating unit is inserted into the water supply line of each of the water-using devices, The water supply unit is a connection between an upstream portion of the water supply line and the fine bubble water generating unit, 2. The fine bubble water supply device according to claim 1, wherein the discharge section is a connection section between the fine bubble water generating section and a downstream portion of the water supply line.

3. The air supply unit has an air flow rate switching means using an electromagnetic valve, the selection unit is configured to select the first fine bubble water or the second fine bubble water generated in the fine bubble water generating unit by controlling the solenoid valve to select an air flow rate, and the air flow rate switching means is provided in parallel with a first flow path in which a first throttle valve and a first solenoid valve are disposed in series, and a second flow path in which a second throttle valve and a second solenoid valve are disposed in series, The fine bubble water supply device according to claim 1, configured to obtain an air flow rate determined by a throttle valve corresponding to each solenoid valve by opening only the first solenoid valve or only the second solenoid valve.

4. The fine bubble water supply device according to claim 3 , wherein the selection unit includes a foot switch that is operated by a user with a foot, and the solenoid valve is controlled by the foot switch.

5. The fine bubble water supplying device according to claim 4 , wherein the foot switch comprises a first foot switch corresponding to the first mode and a second foot switch corresponding to the second mode.

6. 2. The fine bubble water supplying device according to claim 1, wherein the number of fine bubbles having a bubble diameter of 10 μm or more and less than 100 μm in 1 mL of the second fine bubble water is measured 15 times by a laser diffraction / scattering method, and the average number of the fine bubbles is 700 or more.

7. 7. The fine bubble water supplying device according to claim 6, wherein the number of fine bubbles having a bubble diameter of 1 μm or more and less than 10 μm in 1 mL of the first fine bubble water and the second fine bubble water is measured 15 times by a laser diffraction / scattering method, and the average number of the fine bubbles is 50,000 or more.

8. The fine bubble water supplying device according to claim 7, wherein the amount of air supplied in the first mode is 0.5 L / min or more and 2.0 L / min or less, the dynamic water pressure of the first fine bubble water is 0.15 MPa or more and 0.5 MPa or less, and the amount of air supplied in the second mode is 0.03 L / min or more and 0.15 L / min or less.

9. The fine bubble water dispenser according to claim 6, wherein the second fine bubble water is cloudy, and the user can recognize this as being cloudy.

10. 2. The fine bubble water supplying device according to claim 1, further comprising a usage amount measuring unit that measures a usage amount of the first fine bubble water and a usage amount of the second fine bubble water.

11. The fine bubble water supplying device according to claim 10, further comprising a usage amount display unit that displays to a user the usage amount of the first fine bubble water and the usage amount of the second fine bubble water measured by the usage amount measuring unit.

12. 2. The fine bubble water supplying device according to claim 1, further comprising a usage time measuring unit that measures a usage time of the first fine bubble water and a usage time of the second fine bubble water.

13. The fine bubble water supplying device according to claim 12, wherein the usage time of the first fine bubble water and the usage time of the second fine bubble water are measured based on the time during which the user operates the foot switch.

14. The fine bubble water supplying device according to claim 12, further comprising a usage time display unit that displays to the user the usage time of the first fine bubble water and the usage time of the second fine bubble water measured by the usage time measuring unit.

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