Fine air bubble water generator and structure of the same

Abstract

To provide a small-sized fine air bubble water generator which has a simple structure and high versatility, achieves low costs, and can be attached to a water pipe easily and applied to various instruments, such as a shower head, a wash stand, and a sink, and devices, such as a washing machine and an automatic dish washer, which use tap water, and to provide a structure of the fine air bubble water generator.SOLUTION: A structure 100 of a generator of fine air bubble water which contains a large amount of fine air bubbles formed by fining air bubbles contained in tap water, includes: a water inlet surface body 11 disposed at the tap water inlet side and having branching holes 15 which branch inflow of tap water flowing into the structure 100 into multiple flows; a water outlet surface body 12 disposed at the outlet side and having branching holes 15 which branch outflow of fine air bubble water generated in the structure 100 into multiple flows; and a hollow cylindrical body 10 supporting the outer peripheral surface of the water inlet surface body 11 and the outer peripheral surface of the water outlet surface body 12. The cylindrical body 10, having an outer diameter size adopted to fit with an inner wall size of a water supply pipe which supplies tap water, is selected and set in the inner pipe of the water pipe in advance. Thus, a worker can finish installation work of the fine air bubble water generator (the structure) easily in a short time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fine bubble water generator that breaks down bubbles in tap water into fine particles, and relates to a fine bubble water generator and its structure that can be used universally in various appliances such as shower heads, washbasins, sinks, etc. that use tap water easily and at low cost, as well as devices such as washing machines and automatic dishwashers. [Background technology]

[0002] Fine bubble water refers to water that contains a lot of air, with the bubbles being micrometer or nanometer sized (approximately 50 to 500 nm in diameter) and having a diameter of approximately 100 μm or less. In recent years, the water has become particularly fine-textured, and the bubbles are smaller than the pores in the human body, penetrating pores and sweat glands and effectively removing dirt. As a result, fine bubble water has come to be used for a variety of beauty and health purposes, such as in shower water and face washing.

[0003] Furthermore, since the molecules that make up the water do not clump together and remain in a smooth state, the water is able to penetrate finely between the fibers of clothing and the like and also comes into intimate contact with the surfaces of tableware and the like, and therefore this type of fine bubble water has come to be widely used as cleaning water, including laundry water, dishwashing water, and toilet seat cleaning water.

[0004] Furthermore, the cleaning effect of the fine bubble water due to the electrical action of the fine bubbles contained therein has also attracted attention. That is, the surface of the fine bubbles contained in the fine bubble water is usually negatively charged, and the fine bubble water repels each other due to the electrical action, and has the property of finely separating, diffusing, and floating in the water. In contrast, dirt caused by oil, sebum, fine foreign matter, etc. is often positively charged and is electrically bonded to the negatively charged object to be cleaned. As a result, when the negatively charged fine bubbles adsorb to the positively charged dirt, they are electrically neutralized, making it easier to separate the dirt from the object to be cleaned. And, it is known that the dirt that has been electrically neutralized and separated from the object to be cleaned floats to the water surface due to the buoyancy of the bubbles while adsorbed to the gas-liquid interface of the fine bubbles, and the dirt removed from the object to be cleaned is cleaned without adhering to the object to be cleaned again in the fine bubble water.

[0005] Known methods for generating fine bubble water containing a large amount of such fine bubbles include high-speed shearing of tap water, pressurized collapse, and cavitation, but most of these use an aspirator method or the like to draw in air from the outside and introduce fine bubbles into the tap water.One such method is a microbubble generator that generates microbubbles by causing cavitation within a casing of a mixed fluid consisting of a liquid accelerated by an accelerating means and a gas (bubbles with a diameter of about a few millimeters) introduced into a casing by a gas-liquid mixing means (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0006] Also, a method is known in which microbubbles are generated by cavitation of relatively large bubbles dissolved in water, instead of taking in air from the outside as in the device described in Patent Document 1. An example of such a method of generating fine bubbles by cavitation is a fine bubble water generator having a first nozzle on the water inlet side, which gradually decreases the cross-sectional area perpendicular to its central axis from the inlet to the outlet of running tap water, a second nozzle on the water outlet side, which is continuously arranged through a communication passage connected to the outlet of the first nozzle and gradually increases the cross-sectional area perpendicular to its central axis from the inlet to the outlet, and a gap or side chamber that opens only to the communication passage (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0007] A shower head, for example, is known as an application of a microbubble generator that generates microbubbles from dissolved air in water by cavitation for beauty and health purposes (see, for example, Patent Document 3).

[0008] In addition, washing machines, cleaning devices, washbasins, etc. equipped with a fine bubble water generating function that generates fine bubble water have recently become known (for example, see Patent Document 4 regarding washing machines), and are currently widely sold. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-21343 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2009-136864 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2016-2196 A [Patent Document 4] JP 2022-185360 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] However, the microbubble generator disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires a large device to mix gas and liquid by accelerating water stored in a tank, and is therefore not suitable for generating fine bubble water from tap water supplied to homes.

[0011] Furthermore, the microbubble generator according to Patent Document 2 is a device in which the water flow that has suddenly expanded in a communicating passage having a side chamber forming a waterway is reduced in pressure by throttling it with a second nozzle. However, since the structure is complicated and the cost is high, it is difficult to install the device in household appliances such as bath showers and wash basins, washing machines, dishwashers, etc.

[0012] Patent Document 3 describes a home shower head that is installed in the bathroom and has a built-in microbubble generator (fine bubble water generator), but storing such a microbubble generator in a shower head results in a larger shower head than a normal one. On the other hand, if each component of such a microbubble generator is made smaller so that it can fit in a normal-sized shower head, the water flow passage in the microbubble generator becomes narrower, the water pressure decreases, and the required amount of water flow cannot be obtained.

[0013] In addition, the device described in Patent Document 4 is one in which a fine-bubble water generator is incorporated into the washing machine during its manufacturing stage, and is not one that adds a fine-bubble water generating function to devices currently in use at home, such as shower heads and washing machines.

[0014] On the other hand, there are also known cases where fine bubble water generators are sold separately, and consumers purchase them and attach them to water pipes or tubes that supply tap water to existing shower heads and washbasins in their homes, either by themselves or by requesting a waterworks company. However, attaching a fine bubble water generator to a metal pipe or flexible tube made of resin or the like that supplies tap water to such a shower head or washbasin requires cutting the water pipe and connecting the fine bubble generator to the water pipe, and performing such work without causing water leakage is difficult, even for an experienced person, because it requires a certain amount of work time to thread the water pipe and handle the water leakage.

[0015] FIG. 13 shows an example of the external appearance (a) of a conventional fine bubble water generator and its internal structure (b).

[0016] As shown in Figure 13(b), conventional micro-bubble water generators generate a large number of micro-bubbles by causing bubbles or dissolved air contained in tap water to rise in the water flow and collide with a wall or other object that obstructs the water flow, resulting in a complex internal structure and an uneven exterior.

[0017] Furthermore, when installing a conventional micro-bubble water generator on a water pipe or a running water pipe inside a device, in order to prevent cutting the water pipe or running water pipe and causing water leakage, the water intake end and water outlet end of the micro-bubble water generator must be threaded (male threaded), screwed into a threaded (female threaded) part on the inner wall of the water pipe, and joined using a nut. For this reason, it is difficult for ordinary consumers to carry out such work, and they have no choice but to ask a professional plumber to do it.

[0018] Also, as shown in Fig. 13, for example, the internal structure of a normal fine-bubble water generator is complex, making it difficult to manufacture it at low cost. Furthermore, since the flow resistance inside the generator is large, in places where the water pressure of the tap water supply is low, such as homes on high ground, homes located far from tap water supply points, and high-rise floors of collective housing such as condominiums and apartment houses, the water pressure of the water flowing through the fine-bubble water generator is low, making it impossible to use the fine-bubble water generator.

[0019] The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems inherent in conventional fine bubble water generators, and aims to achieve the following objectives (a) to (e) in a well-balanced manner. (a) To provide a structure of a general-purpose fine bubble water generator that can be used in various appliances such as shower heads, wash basins, sinks, etc. that use tap water, as well as various devices such as washing machines and automatic dishwashers. (b) It is small, simple, and low cost. (c) Even when a fine bubble water generator is installed, the water pressure of the fine bubble water supplied from it should not be reduced as much as possible. (d) Having the ability to generate a specified number of fine bubbles or more in tap water. (e) It can be easily and quickly installed by a user or an employee on water supply pipes or water supply tubes for existing household fixtures such as shower heads, toilets, and wash basins, and devices such as washing machines and cleaning appliances. In other words, the installation cost is low. [Means for solving the problem]

[0020] For this reason, the present invention is a structure for a fine bubble water generator that refines the bubbles contained in tap water to contain a large number of fine bubbles, and is composed of a water intake surface body that is arranged on the tap water inlet side and has branch holes that branch the inflow of tap water flowing into the inside of the structure into multiple branches, a water outlet surface body that is arranged on the outlet side from the structure and has branch holes that branch the outflow of fine bubble water generated inside the structure into multiple branches, and a hollow cylinder that supports the outer peripheral surface of the water intake surface body and the outer peripheral surface of the water outlet surface body, and the structure is characterized in that the cylinder, water intake surface body, and water outlet surface body have outer diameter sizes that fit the inner wall sizes of various water pipes of tap water supply pipes or tubes that supply the tap water, and are inserted and set in advance into the inner pipe of the water pipe.

[0021] As described above, in the structure of the fine bubble water generator according to the present invention, particularly, (a) It is composed of a water intake surface body that is arranged on the tap water inlet side and has branching holes that branch the inflow of tap water into multiple branches, a water outlet surface body that is arranged on the outlet side from the structure and has branching holes that branch the outflow of fine bubble water generated inside into multiple branches, and a hollow cylinder that supports the outer circumferential surface of the water intake surface body and the outer circumferential surface of the water outlet surface. As a result, while the structure is simple and straightforward, it is possible to generate low-cost, versatile fine bubble water that contains many micro- or nano-sized fine bubbles. Furthermore, (b) The structure of this micro-bubble water generator is made by selecting a cylinder, water intake surface, and water outlet surface with an outer diameter size that fits the inner wall size of various water pipes of tap water supply pipes or tubes that supply tap water, and inserting and setting them into the water pipes. This allows the worker to easily and quickly complete the installation work of this micro-bubble water generator (structure).

[0022] Here, by making the number of branch holes in the intake surface body the same as the number of branch holes in the outflow surface body, the same holes can be used for either the intake surface body or the outflow surface body, thereby making it possible to reduce costs.

[0023] Furthermore, the structure of the micro-bubble water generator according to the present invention may further include one or more intermediate water flow branching bodies that branch the water flow into multiple parts in the water flow channel extending from the intake body side to the outlet body side inside the cylinder. This makes it possible to generate finer and more micro-bubbles in the water.

[0024] The branch holes in the intake body, the outflow body or the intermediate water flow branch body are each circular or elliptical, the number of branch holes in the intermediate water flow branch body is the same as the number of branch holes in the intake body and the outflow body, and usually the number of branch holes in the intake body, the outflow body and the intermediate water flow branch body is preferably 3 or 4. This allows the same thing to be used not only for the intake body or the intake body but also for the intermediate water flow branch body. Also, by making the shape of the branch holes circular or elliptical, the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0025] When looking at the water flow direction from the intake surface to the outflow surface, the centers of the branch holes of the intake body, the intermediate water flow branch body, and the outflow water branch plate are offset from each other so that they do not coincide. This allows most of the water that flows into the intake body to collide with the intermediate water flow branch body and the outflow surface without passing straight through the structure, making it possible to generate finer and more fine bubbles contained in the water.

[0026] Furthermore, the intake and outflow surfaces are preferably made of a resin, stainless steel, or brass material having a thickness of at least 6 mm, and the central axes of the intake and outflow holes in the intake surface are inclined in the direction of water flow with respect to the axis of the tap water supply pipe. This causes the water passing through the structure to swirl, applying pressure to the air dissolved in the water, which then turns into fine bubbles.

[0027] Furthermore, the water flow flowing out from the water outlet body collides at an angle with the inner wall sizes of various water pipes of the tap water supply pipe or tube, and these water pipes themselves, together with the structure of the fine bubble water generator, contribute to the generation of fine bubbles.

[0028] Here, it is preferable that the inclination of the branch hole relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the water intake surface and the inclination of the branch hole relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the water outlet surface are arranged to be inclined in opposite directions.

[0029] For this reason, the intermediate water branching body is made of a resin material, a stainless steel material, or a brass material having a thickness of at least 6 mm, and the branching holes provided in the water branching body are provided so that the central axis in the direction of the water flow is inclined with respect to the axis of the tap water supply pipe. This makes the microbubbles in the water even finer and produces more microbubbles.

[0030] Furthermore, when viewed from the flow direction from the intake surface side to the outflow surface side, the central positions of the branch holes in the intake surface body, the intermediate water flow branch body and the outflow surface body are arranged to be shifted by a predetermined angle so as not to coincide.

[0031] The inclination of the branch hole relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the water intake surface body and the inclination of the branch hole relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the intermediate flow water branch body are arranged to be inclined in opposite directions.

[0032] Here, the inclination of the branch hole provided in the intake surface with respect to the axis of the tap water supply pipe, the inclination of the branch hole in one or more of the intermediate water flow branch bodies, and the inclination of the branch hole in the outflow surface are provided inclined in the opposite directions in the flow direction, so that the tap water flowing in the cylindrical body of the structure flows in a turbulent state as the tap water passes through the intake surface, one or more of the intermediate water flow branch bodies, and the outflow surface, by changing the swirling direction in sequence due to the inclination of each branch hole. As a result, the water flow flowing in the structure becomes turbulent, and the intermediate water flow branch bodies collide with the outflow surface, making it possible to generate finer and more fine bubbles contained in the water.

[0033] Furthermore, the inner surfaces of the branch holes of the water intake body, the intermediate water flow branch body and the water outflow body may be formed with uneven surfaces to generate turbulent flows, or the inner surfaces of the branch holes of the water intake body, the intermediate water flow branch body and the water outflow body may be formed with a plurality of grooves in the flow direction or in a direction intersecting the flow direction to generate turbulent flows.

[0034] The present application further provides a fine-bubble water generator comprising the above-mentioned structure of the fine-bubble water generator, and one or more water flow blocking bodies supported on the inner wall of the cylindrical body of the structure and blocking a part of the water flowing in the cylindrical body between the intake body and the outflow body, between the intake body and the intermediate water flow branch body, or between the intermediate water flow branch body and the outflow body, the water flow blocking body blocking the water flowing in the center of the cylindrical body of the structure, or blocking the water flowing in the peripheral part of the cylindrical body of the structure. As a result, the water flowing in the structure collides with the water flow blocking body in a turbulent state, which further generates finer and more fine bubbles contained in the water. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0035] [Figure 1] 1 shows a first example (corresponding to claim 1) of a fine bubble water generator structure according to the present invention, and shows a state where it is installed in a tap water supply pipe. [Diagram 2] 2 shows a second example of a fine bubble water generator structure according to the present invention (corresponding to claim 3, with one intermediate water branch body). [Diagram 3] 1 shows a third example of a fine bubble water generator structure according to the present invention (corresponding to claim 3, having two intermediate water branch bodies). [Figure 4] In the above-mentioned first example of the fine bubble water generator structure according to the present invention, an example (corresponding to claim 16) in which one water flow obstructing body is provided will be described. [Diagram 5] In the above-mentioned third example of the fine bubble water generator structure according to the present invention, an example (corresponding to claim 16) in which one water flow obstructing body is provided will be described. [Figure 6] In the above-mentioned third example of the fine bubble water generator structure according to the present invention, an example (corresponding to claim 16) in which two water flow obstructing bodies are provided will be described. [Figure 7] 1 shows the positions of branch holes (circular branch holes) of the intake surface, outlet surface, and intermediate water flow branch body that constitute the fine bubble water generator structure of the present invention, viewed from the flowing water direction, where (a) shows an example in which three branch holes are provided perpendicular to the water flow direction, and (b) shows an example in which four branch holes are provided perpendicular to the water flow direction (corresponding to claim 2). [Figure 8] The positions of branch holes (circular branch holes) of the intake surface, outlet surface and intermediate water flow branch body that constitute the fine bubble water generator structure of the present invention are shown when viewed from the flowing water direction, where (a) shows an example in which three branch holes are provided that are inclined in the water flow direction, and (b) shows an example in which four branch holes are provided that are inclined in the water flow direction (corresponding to claims 7, 8 and 11). [Figure 9]The figures show examples of branch holes of shapes other than circular when viewed from the water flow direction of the intake surface, outflow surface and intermediate water flow branching body that constitute the fine bubble water generator structure according to the present invention, where (a) shows an example with three elliptical branch holes, (b) shows an example with four elliptical branch holes, (c) shows an example with three triangular branch holes, and (d) shows an example with four triangular circular branch holes. The branch holes of each shape shown in Figure 9 are also arranged perpendicular to the water flow as shown in Figure 7, or inclined to the water flow direction as shown in Figure 8. Figure 9 shows an example where three branch holes are arranged perpendicular to the water flow direction, and (b) shows an example where four branch holes are arranged perpendicular to the water flow direction ((a) and (b) correspond to claim 3). [Figure 10] In a second example of the fine bubble water generator structure of the present invention shown in Figure 2, which corresponds to claims 6 and 10, (a) shows an example of the relative arrangement of each branch hole in the water intake body, intermediate water flow branch body and outflow body when viewed from the water flow direction, and (b) shows the arrangement of the branch holes in the water intake body, intermediate water flow branch body and outflow body when viewed from the water flow direction. [Figure 11] The following shows examples of irregularities for generating turbulence on the inner surface (flow surface) of the branch holes provided in the intake body, the outflow body, and the intermediate flow branch. [Figure 12] 1 shows examples of intermediate water flow branching bodies, where (a) shows an example of blocking water flowing on the periphery of a cylindrical structure, and (b) shows an example of blocking water flowing in the center of a cylindrical structure. [Figure 13] An example of the external appearance (a) of a conventional micro-bubble water generator and its internal structure (b) are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of a fine bubble water generator and a fine bubble water generator according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a first example of the basic structure of a fine bubble water generator structure 100 according to the present invention, and corresponds to claim 1 of the present application.

[0038] As shown in FIG. 1, the structure 100 of the fine bubble water generator of the present application (hereinafter referred to as "this structure") is composed of a circular water intake body 11 arranged on the tap water inlet side and having branch holes 15, 16, 17, and 18 that branch the inflow of tap water flowing into the structure 100 into multiple branches, a circular water outlet body 12 arranged on the outlet side from the structure 100 and having branch holes 15, 16, 17, and 18 that branch the outflow of fine bubble water generated inside the structure 100 into multiple branches, and a hollow cylinder 10 that supports the outer peripheral surfaces of the water intake body 11 and the outer peripheral surfaces of the water outlet body 12.

[0039] Here, this structure 100 uses a cylinder 10 with an outer diameter size that fits the inner wall size of various water pipes of tap water supply pipes or tubes (hereinafter referred to as "water pipes") that supply tap water, and a water intake surface 11 and a water outlet surface 12 that fit the inner surface of the cylinder 10 according to the size of the water pipe, and is inserted and positioned in close contact with the inner pipe surface of the water pipe without any gaps.

[0040] In this way, since the present structure 100 fits the inner wall size of the water pipe, it can be installed simply by cutting the water pipe, inserting one of the cut water pipes into the water conducting surface of the other cut water pipe, and then aligning the cut surfaces of both cut water pipes and fitting the aligned surfaces together using a bonding agent such as waterproof tape.

[0041] This allows the user or an operator to easily and quickly attach this structure 100 to existing household fixtures such as shower heads, toilets, and washbasins, as well as water supply pipes and water supply tubes for devices such as washing machines and cleaning appliances. When inserting this structure 100 into the water pipe, it is fixed using an adhesive or the like.

[0042] By the way, the diameter of water pipes is set to 20 mm, 25 mm, 32 mm, 40 mm, etc., so a cylinder 10 that fits the size, a water intake surface 11, a water outlet surface 12 that fit the inner diameter of the cylinder, and an intermediate flow branch body 13 and a water flow obstruction body 14, which will be described later, are prepared in advance.

[0043] In this structure 100, tap water that flows in forcefully from the water intake body 11 having multiple branch holes becomes turbulent between the water intake body 11 and the water outlet body 12, collides with the inner wall of the cylinder 10, and then flows out of the multiple branch holes in the water outlet body 12 and collides with the inner surface of the water pipe, efficiently converting the air bubbles or dissolved air in the tap water into fine bubbles.

[0044] In this case, in the present structure 100, the resistance to the water flowing inside the generator is relatively small compared to conventional fine bubble generators such as those described in Patent Document 2, Patent Document 3, or as shown in Figure 13 of the present application, so the water pressure of the tap water supplied from the water pipe is not significantly reduced, and combined with the action of the fine bubble water coming out of the water outlet surface 12 hitting the inner wall of the water pipe, a large number of small-sized fine bubbles can be effectively generated.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows an example of the present structure 100, which corresponds to the invention according to claim 3 of the present application.

[0046] 1, the structure 100 is different in that an intermediate water flow branching body 13 is disposed between the intake body 11 and the outflow body 12 inside the cylinder 10. In most cases, the intermediate water flow branching body 13 has the same shape as the intake body 11 and the outflow body 12, but one with a different shape may also be used. However, the outer diameter of the intermediate water flow branching body 13 is the same as the outer diameters of the intake body 11 and the outflow body 12.

[0047] In the example of this structure 100 shown in Figure 2, tap water that enters through multiple branch holes 15 etc. provided in the water intake surface 11 collides with the intermediate water flow branch body 13 and becomes a vortex between the water intake surface 11 and the intermediate water flow branch body 13, and the vortex water collides with the wall of the water outlet surface 12, becomes a vortex between the intermediate water flow branch body 13 and the water outlet surface 12, and flows out into the water pipe from multiple branch holes 15 etc. of the water outlet surface 12.

[0048] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the fine bubble water generator structure 100 according to the present invention, which, compared to the second example shown in FIG. 2, has two intermediate water flow branch bodies 13-1, 13-2 arranged between the intake body 11 and the outlet body 12 within the cylinder 10.

[0049] Here, the first intermediate water branching body 13-1 is usually the same as the second intermediate water branching body 13-2, but a different specification may be used. However, the outer diameter of the intermediate water branching body 13-2 is the same as the outer diameters of the intermediate water branching body 13-1, the intake body 11, and the outflow body 12.

[0050] In the example of the structure 100 shown in Figure 3, between the intake surface 11 and the first intermediate flow branch body 13-1, between the first intermediate flow branch body 13-1 and the second intermediate flow branch body 13-2, and between the second intermediate flow branch body 13-2 and the outflow surface 12, a vortex state occurs between the intermediate flow branch bodies 13-1, 13-2 and the outflow surface 12 as tap water enters, and finally flows out into the water pipe from multiple branch holes 15 of the outflow surface 12, etc., so that more fine bubble water is generated than in the example shown in Figure 2, and the water pressure of the fine bubble water outflowing from the outflow surface 12 is reduced accordingly.

[0051] FIG. 4 shows an example of the fine bubble water generator structure 100 shown in FIG. 2, in which a water flow obstruction body is provided instead of the intermediate water flow branch body 13.

[0052] Here, the water flow obstruction body 14 is as shown in Figure 12(a) or (12b), and a first example of a water flow obstruction body is as shown in Figure 12(a), which allows water to flow only through the center of the cylinder 10 of the structure 100 and blocks the peripheral portion of the cylinder 10.

[0053] A second example of the water flow blocking body is shown in Fig. 12(b), in which the center of the cylinder 10 of the present structure 100 is blocked and water is passed through the periphery of the cylinder 10. This creates turbulent flow of tap water between the intake surface 11 and the water flow blocking body 14 and between the water flow blocking body 14 and the flood surface 12, and although the number of fine bubble water is lower than in the example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 2, the generation capacity of fine bubble water can be improved compared to the example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 1. In addition, the example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 4 is lower in the water pressure of the fine bubble water supplied from the flood surface 12 than the example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 1, but is superior in the water pressure of the fine bubble water supplied from the flood surface 12 than the example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 2.

[0054] FIG. 5 shows an example of the present structural body 100 shown in FIG. 3, in which a water flow obstruction body is provided between the two intermediate water flow branch bodies 13-1, 13-2.

[0055] In the example shown in Fig. 5, it is possible to generate more and finer micro-bubble water compared to the example of the present structure 100 according to the example shown in Fig. 3. However, the example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 5 is somewhat inferior in terms of the water pressure of the micro-bubble water supplied from the water outlet 12 compared to the example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 3, so it is recommended to use it in places where the supply pressure of tap water is relatively high.

[0056] Fig. 6 shows an example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 3 in which water flow blocking bodies 13-1 and 13-2 are provided between the intake surface 11 and the intermediate water flow branch body 13-1, and between the intermediate water flow branch body 13-2 and the outflow surface 1, respectively. The water flow blocking bodies 13-1 and 13-2 may be the same as or different from the types shown in Fig. 12(a) and Fig. 12(b).

[0057] In the example shown in Fig. 6, it is possible to generate more and finer micro bubble water compared to the example of the present structure 100 according to the example shown in Fig. 5. However, in the example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 6, the water pressure of the micro bubble water supplied from the water outlet 12 is somewhat lower than that of the example of the present structure 100 shown in Fig. 5, so it is recommended to use it in places where the supply pressure of tap water is high.

[0058] 7 shows examples of the shapes of the branch holes 15 provided in the intake body 11, the outflow body 12, and the intermediate water branching body 13 constituting the fine bubble water generator structure 100 according to the present invention, where (a) shows an example in which three circular branch holes 15 are provided perpendicular to the water flow direction, and (b) shows an example in which four circular branch holes 15 are provided perpendicular to the water flow direction. As a result, although tap water is branched into multiple water flows by the multiple branch holes 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, or 15-4 in this structure 100, the tap water collides at points in the intake body 11, the outflow body 12, and the intermediate water branching body 13 where the branch holes 15 are not provided, causing the passing water to become turbulent in this structure 100, generating differences in water pressure at various points in the water flow, and allowing a large amount of fine bubble water to be generated efficiently.

[0059] Figure 8 shows the positions of the circular branch holes 16 when viewed from the water flow direction of the water intake surface 11, the water outflow surface 12, and the intermediate water flow branch body 13-1, similar to the example of this structure 100 shown in Figure 7, but unlike the example of this structure 100 shown in Figure 7, (a) shows an example in which three circular branch holes 16-1, 16-2, and 16-3 are provided and inclined toward the water flow direction, and (b) shows an example in which four circular branch holes 16-1, 16-2, 16-3, and 16-4 are provided and inclined toward the water flow direction.

[0060] In the example of this structure 100 shown in Figure 8, the branch holes are inclined in the water flow direction, so compared to this structure 100 shown in Figure 7, the water flows between the water intake surface 11 and the intermediate water flow branch body 13, between the intermediate water flow branch body 13 and the water outflow surface 13, and even the water flow flowing out from the water outflow surface 13 are twisted and swirl as they flow out, making it possible to generate more and finer micro-bubble water compared to this structure 100 having the branch holes 15 shown in Figure 7.

[0061] 9 shows examples of branch holes of shapes other than circular when viewed from the water flow direction of the water intake body, water outlet body, and intermediate water flow branch body that constitute the fine bubble water generator structure 100 according to the present invention, where (a) shows an example with three elliptical branch holes, (b) shows an example with four elliptical branch holes, (c) shows an example with three triangular branch holes, and (d) shows an example with four triangular circular branch holes. The branch holes of each shape shown in Fig. 9 can also be arranged perpendicular to the water flow as shown in Fig. 7, or inclined to the water flow direction as shown in Fig. 8.

[0062] Figure 10 shows an example of the structure 100 shown in Figure 2 of the present application, in which (a) shows an example of the relative arrangement of each branch hole in the intake surface, intermediate water flow branch body and outflow surface when viewed from the water flow direction, and (b) shows the arrangement of the branch holes in the intake surface, intermediate water flow branch body and outflow surface when viewed from the water flow direction.

[0063] In this way, when viewed in the water flow direction from the intake surface 11 to the outflow surface 12, the central positions of the branch holes in the intake surface 11, the outflow surface 12 and the intermediate water flow branch body 13 are arranged at a predetermined angle so that they do not coincide.As a result, most of the water flowing out from each branch hole does not pass through each branch hole, but collides with the intermediate water flow branch body 13 and the wall on the outflow surface 12 that does not have branch holes 15, making it possible to generate a large amount of fine bubble water more efficiently.

[0064] FIG. 11 shows examples of irregularities for generating turbulent flow provided on the inner surfaces (flowing water surfaces) of the branch holes provided in the intake body, the outflow body, and the intermediate flow branch.

[0065] Fig. 11(a) shows an example where a triangle-shaped unevenness is applied to the flowing water surface of the circular branch hole 15, Fig. 11(b) shows an example where a grained uneven surface is applied to the flowing water surface of the circular branch hole 12, and Fig. 11(c) shows an example where a triangle-shaped unevenness is applied to the flowing water surface of the triangular branch hole 18 shown in Figs. 9(c) and (d). In this way, by applying unevenness to the flowing water surface of the branch holes 15, 16, 17, 18 along the flowing water direction or perpendicular to the flowing water direction, it is possible to generate even finer micro-bubbles.

[0066] Incidentally, the water intake surface 11 and the water outlet surface 12 are preferably made of a resin material, a stainless steel material, or a brass material having a thickness of at least 6 mm.

[0067] In addition, it is preferable that the inclination of the branch hole 16 with respect to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the water intake body 11 shown in Fig. 8 and the inclination of the branch hole 16 with respect to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the water outlet body 12 are inclined in opposite directions. This is because the flowing water in the present structure 100 becomes highly turbulent.

[0068] In this way, the intermediate water flow branching body 13, like the intake surface 11 and the outflow surface 12, is formed from a resin material having a thickness of at least 6 mm, and the branching holes provided in this intermediate water flow branching body 13 are arranged so that their central axes are inclined relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the flow direction, and when viewed from the flow direction from the intake surface 11 side to the outflow surface 12 side, the central positions of the branching holes in the intake surface 11, intermediate water flow branching body 13 and outflow surface 12 are arranged at a predetermined angle so as not to coincide, and are inclined relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the intake surface 11. The inclination of the branch holes 15 etc. in the intermediate flow branch body 13 relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe is inclined in the opposite direction, so that the tap water flowing within the cylinder 10 of this structure 100 becomes turbulent as it passes through the water intake surface 11, one or more intermediate flow branch bodies 13, and the water outlet surface 12, as the flow of the tap water changes direction of rotation sequentially due to the inclination of each branch hole, generating large turbulence within this structure 100, making it possible to generate a large number of fine bubbles extremely efficiently.

[0069] As described above, the basic configuration of the present structure 100 is composed of a circular intake body 11 arranged on the tap water inlet side and having branch holes 15, 16, 17, and 18 that branch the inflow of tap water flowing into the inside of the structure 100 into multiple branches, a circular outlet body 12 arranged on the outlet side from the structure 100 and having branch holes 15, 16, 17, and 18 that branch the outflow of fine bubble water generated inside the structure 100 into multiple branches, and a hollow cylinder 10 that supports the outer circumferential surfaces of the intake body 11 and the outlet body 12 (Fig. 1). Based on this basic configuration, various variations can be developed according to the purpose, the water pressure of the tap water to be supplied, and the properties of the required fine bubble water, as shown in Figs. 2 to 6.

[0070] In this structure 100, a cylinder 10 with an outer diameter size that fits various inner wall sizes of water pipes, and a water intake surface 11 and a water outlet surface 12 that fit the inner surface of the cylinder 10 are selected according to the size of the water pipe, and are inserted and set in the inner pipe of the water pipe in advance.

[0071] This allows a worker to easily and quickly attach this structure 100 to water supply pipes or water supply tubes for existing household fixtures such as shower heads, toilets, and washbasins, as well as devices such as washing machines and cleaning appliances. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 100 Structure of the fine bubble water generator 100 10 Cylinder 11 Water intake body 12 Demizu Mask 13, 13-1, 13-2 Intermediate water branch 14, 14-1, 14-2 Water flow blocker 15, 15-1, 15-2, 15-3, 15-4 Branch hole (vertical / circular) 16, 16-1, 16-2, 16-3, 16-4 Branch hole (inclined direction / circular) 17, 17-1, 17-2, 17-3, 17-4 Branch hole (oval) 18, 18-1, 18-2, 18-3, 18-4 Branch hole (triangle) 20 Example of unevenness (groove shape) applied to the flow surface of a circular branch hole 21 Example of unevenness (protruding ridges) on the water surface of a circular branch hole 23 Example of unevenness (groove shape) applied to the flow surface of a triangular branch hole

Claims

1. A structure of a fine bubble water generator that generates many fine bubbles by finely reducing the bubbles contained in tap water, A water intake surface body is arranged on the tap water inlet side and has a branch hole that branches the inflow of tap water flowing into the inside of the structure into multiple branches; a water outlet body arranged on the outlet side of the structure and having branching holes for branching the outflow of fine bubble water generated inside the structure into multiple outlets; A hollow cylindrical body supporting the outer peripheral surface of the intake body and the outer peripheral surface of the outflow body, The structure is a cylinder, a water intake surface, and a water outlet surface of an outer diameter size that fits the inner wall size of various water pipes of a water supply pipe or tube that supplies the water supply water, and is inserted and set in the water pipe in advance. A structure of a fine bubble water generator.

2. 2. The structure of the fine bubble water generator according to claim 1, wherein the number of the branch holes in the water intake body is the same as the number of the branch holes in the water outlet body.

3. The structure of the fine bubble water generator as described in claim 1, further comprising one or more intermediate water flow branching bodies that branch the water flow into multiple parts in a water flow channel extending from the intake surface side to the outlet surface side inside the cylindrical body.

4. 4. The structure of the fine bubble water generator according to claim 3, wherein the branching holes in the intake surface, the outlet surface or the intermediate water flow branching body are each circular or elliptical in shape.

5. The structure of the fine bubble water generator as described in claim 3, characterized in that the number of branch holes in the intermediate flow branch body is the same as the number of branch holes in the intake surface body and the outflow surface body.

6. 6. The structure of the fine bubble water generator according to claim 5, wherein the number of branch holes in the intake surface, the outlet surface and the intermediate water branch body is 3 or 4.

7. The structure of the fine bubble water generator described in claim 6, characterized in that, when viewed from the flow direction from the intake surface side to the outflow surface side, the center positions of the branch holes in the intake surface body, the outflow surface body and the intermediate flow branch body are arranged at a predetermined angle so as not to coincide.

8. The structure of the fine bubble water generator described in claim 6, characterized in that the water intake surface and the water outlet surface are formed from a resin material having a thickness of at least 6 mm, and the branch holes in the water intake surface and the water outlet surface are arranged so that their central axes are inclined in the flow direction with respect to the axis of the tap water supply pipe.

9. The structure of the fine bubble water generator described in claim 7, characterized in that the inclination of the branch hole relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the water intake surface and the inclination of the branch hole relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the water outlet surface are arranged in a state of inclination in opposite directions.

10. The structure of the fine bubble water generator as described in claim 8, characterized in that the intermediate flow branch body is formed from a resin material having a thickness of at least 6 mm, and the branch hole provided in the flow body is arranged so that its central axis is inclined in the flow direction with respect to the axis of the tap water supply pipe.

11. The structure of the fine bubble water generator described in claim 10, characterized in that, when viewed from the flow direction from the intake surface side to the outflow surface side, the central positions of the branch holes in the intake surface body, the intermediate water flow branch body and the outflow surface body are shifted by a predetermined angle so as not to coincide.

12. The structure of the fine bubble water generator described in claim 11, characterized in that the inclination of the branch hole relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the water intake surface body and the inclination of the branch hole relative to the axis of the tap water supply pipe in the intermediate flow water branch body are arranged in a state of inclination in opposite directions.

13. The structure of a fine bubble water generator as described in claim 12, characterized in that the inclination of the branch hole provided in the water intake surface with respect to the axis of the tap water supply pipe, the inclination of the branch hole in one or more of the intermediate flow water branch bodies, and the inclination of the branch hole in the water outlet surface are arranged to be inclined in sequentially opposite directions in the flow direction, so that the tap water flowing within the cylindrical body of the structure becomes turbulent as the flow of tap water changes its swirling direction sequentially due to the inclination of each branch hole each time it passes through the water intake surface, the one or more intermediate flow water branch bodies, and the water outlet surface.

14. A structure of a fine bubble water generator as described in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein the inner surfaces of the water intake body, the intermediate flow branch body and the branch holes of the water outlet body are formed with uneven surfaces for generating turbulent flow.

15. A structure of a fine bubble water generator as described in any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein a plurality of grooves are formed on the inner surfaces of the water intake body, the intermediate water flow branch body and the branch hole of the water outlet body in the direction of water flow or in a direction intersecting the direction of water flow to generate turbulent flow.

16. A structure of the fine bubble water generator according to any one of claims 1 to 8; A fine bubble water generator comprising one or more water flow obstructing bodies supported on the inner wall of the cylindrical body of the structure and blocking a portion of the water flow flowing within the cylindrical body between the intake body and the outflow body, between the intake body and the intermediate water flow branch body, or between the intermediate water flow branch body and the outflow body.

17. The fine bubble water generator according to claim 16, characterized in that the water flow obstructing body blocks the water flow flowing through a central portion of the cylindrical body of the structure.

18. The fine bubble water generator according to claim 16, characterized in that the water flow obstructing body blocks the water flow flowing around the peripheral portion of the cylindrical body of the structure.

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