Shower unit

Abstract

To provide a bathroom shower unit which can be stably constructed to an existing member in a bathroom and is comfortably usable and post-installable.SOLUTION: A shower unit comprises: a water supply hose 120 whose one end is connected to a hand-shower connection plug of a mixed water plug; a branch part including a primary side connection port and a plurality of secondary side connection ports to be connected to the other end of the water supply hose 120; a switch mechanism to be connected to the branch part; a hand-shower hose 150 whose one end is connected to the one of the secondary side connection ports of the branch part; a hand-shower head 160 connected to the other end of the hand-shower hose 150; a vertically long water supply pipe 170 whose one end is connected to the one of the secondary side connection ports of the branch part; and an overhead shower 180 to be connected to the other end of the water supply pipe 170. The water supply pipe 170 can be attached to an existing member.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a simple to install, retrofit shower unit for a bathroom. [Background technology]

[0002] An example of a bathroom shower unit that can be retrofitted is the technology shown in Utility Model Registration No. 3156883 (Patent Document 1). This shower unit has a wall locking part that can be attached to an existing shower hook provided on a wall. Specifically, a wall locking part perpendicular to the length of the shower unit base is provided on the rear side of the shower unit base, and the wall locking part is adapted to be locked to an existing shower hook provided on the wall to hold the shower unit in place. This configuration allows the prior art to easily mount the shower unit to a wall without requiring technical expertise. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Utility Model Registration No. 3156883 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, since this conventional technique involves engaging a wall engaging portion with an existing shower hook, it cannot be applied to existing components other than shower hooks, such as handrails. Furthermore, since the wall-mounted engaging part is simply engaged with an existing shower hook, even a small force applied to the shower unit could cause the shower unit to shift position or the wall-mounted engaging part to come off.

[0005] Furthermore, the retrofit shower unit did not have a function to drain the fluid in the flow path after the shower unit was used, so when the overhead shower was used, fluid remained in the flow path leading to the overhead shower. As a result, when the overhead shower was used again, the user could be splashed with the fluid (cold water) remaining in the flow path.

[0006] The present invention has been proposed in consideration of these problems, and aims to provide a bathroom shower unit that can be retrofitted to existing components in the bathroom more stably and more comfortably to use. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following features.

[0008] (Feature Configuration 1) The shower unit according to the present invention has the following features: A shower unit that can be connected to an existing mixer faucet having a hand shower connection port and can easily install an overhead shower, a water supply hose having one end connected to the hand shower connection port of the mixing faucet; a branch portion having a primary side connection port connected to the other end of the water supply hose and a plurality of secondary side connection ports; A switching mechanism connected to the branching portion and capable of switching the flow paths of the secondary connection ports and draining the water; a hand shower hose having one end connected to one of the secondary connection ports of the branching portion; a hand shower head connected to the other end of the hand shower hose; A vertically elongated water supply pipe having one end connected to one of the secondary side connection ports of the branch portion; the overhead shower connected to the other end of the water supply pipe; having The water supply pipe can be attached to an existing member.

[0009] (effect) With this configuration, even in the case of an easily installable bathroom overhead shower that can be retrofitted, it is possible to drain any fluid remaining in the flow path, thereby reducing the possibility that a user will be splashed with fluid (cold water) remaining in the flow path when using the overhead shower.

[0010] (Feature Configuration 2) The shower unit according to the present invention includes: The existing member is a rod member, The water supply pipe is attached to the rod member by a rod member fixing portion, The rod member fixing portion is Bolt and a water supply pipe side cover member covering an outer peripheral surface of the water supply pipe, a rod member side cover member covering an outer peripheral surface of the rod member, and a clamp portion having a bolt insertion hole through which the bolt is inserted and a connection portion connecting the water supply pipe side cover member and the rod member side cover member; A nut connected to the bolt; having may be also possible.

[0011] (effect) By having such a rod fixing portion, the shower unit can be fixed even if the existing member is a rod member such as a handrail, which is different from a shower hook. In other words, it is possible to expand the range of objects to which the shower unit can be easily installed. Furthermore, by having such a rod member fixing portion, the shower unit can be fixed more firmly to existing members.

[0012] (Feature Configuration 3) The shower unit according to the present invention includes: a flange provided near the upper end of the water supply pipe; may be also possible.

[0013] (effect) Providing such a flange makes it easier to install the shower unit when the existing component is a bar such as a handrail. That is, by placing the flange on the top end of the bar, it is possible to easily position the shower unit.

[0014] (Feature 4) The shower unit according to the present invention includes: The existing member is a shower hook, The water supply pipe is attached to the shower hook by a shower hook fixing part, The shower hook fixing part is A first bolt and a second bolt; A first clamp portion disposed in the shower hook, the first clamp portion having a substantially cylindrical shaft portion with a tapered surface, an insertion hole through which the first bolt is inserted provided in the shaft portion, a clamp receiving portion provided on a side surface of the shaft portion, and an insertion hole through which the second bolt is inserted provided in the clamp receiving portion; A second clamp portion having a flange covering a lower end of the shower hook and having an insertion hole through which the first bolt is inserted; A nut connected to the first bolt; a second water supply pipe side cover member that covers an outer circumferential surface of the water supply pipe, an extension that sandwiches the clamp receiving portion, and a third clamp portion having an insertion hole through which the second bolt is inserted, the third clamp portion being provided in the extension portion; A nut connected to the second bolt; having may be also possible.

[0015] (effect) By having such a shower hook fixing portion, the shower unit can be fixed to the shower hook more firmly than in the prior art.

[0016] (Feature Configuration 5) The shower unit according to the present invention includes: The shower hook fixing part is a fourth clamp portion provided on the upper end surface of the shaft portion and through which the first bolt is inserted; may be also possible.

[0017] (effect) By having this type of fourth clamp portion, the upper end surface of the shaft portion of the shower hook fixing portion can be held over a wider area, allowing the shower unit to be more stably fixed to the shower hook.

[0018] (Feature 6) The shower unit according to the present invention includes: a case connected to the branching portion and covering the switching mechanism; A drain valve for draining water is provided at a rear portion and a lower portion of the case in the front-rear direction, The primary side connection port is provided forward of the drain valve and at the bottom of the case. may be also possible.

[0019] (effect) With this configuration, the drain valve that performs drainage can be hidden from view of the user of the shower unit by the primary side connection port.

[0020] (Feature Configuration 7) The shower unit according to the present invention includes: An operation mechanism for operating the switching mechanism is provided, an operation unit of the operation mechanism is provided on a front surface in a front-rear direction of the case, The drain valve is opened and closed in response to the operation of the operating unit. may be also possible.

[0021] (effect) With this configuration, the operation of the operating part is linked to the opening and closing of the drain valve, so that you will never forget to drain the water.

[0022] (Feature Configuration 8) The shower unit according to the present invention includes: The operating mechanism has a shaft, The shaft is linked to a cam mechanism that operates the drain valve. may be also possible.

[0023] (effect) With this configuration, the operation of the operating portion and the opening and closing of the drain valve can be linked with a simple configuration. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a shower unit according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a configuration of a rod member fixing portion according to a first embodiment; [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the branching water discharge / stop unit; [Figure 4] Right side view showing the exterior of the branching water outlet / stop unit [Diagram 5] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the branching water discharge / stop unit. [Figure 6] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the configuration of the branching water discharge / stop unit. [Figure 7] A cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the branch water discharge / stop unit when the water discharge / stop button is in the extended position (first position) [Figure 8] A cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the branch water discharge / stop unit when the water discharge / stop button is in the maximum depressed position (third position) [Figure 9] A cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the branch water discharge / stop unit when the water discharge / stop button is in the pressed position (second position). [Figure 10] An explanatory diagram showing the state of the branch water discharge and stop unit when the overhead shower is selected. [Figure 11] An explanatory diagram showing the state of the branch water discharge and stop unit when the hand shower is selected. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a shower unit according to a second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view showing components of the shower hook fixing part according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14]FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the shower hook fixing part according to the second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Hereinafter, the embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Each embodiment is not independent of the others, and those skilled in the art can appropriately combine them without excessive explanation, and can also understand the synergistic effect of this combination. In principle, overlapping explanations between the embodiments will be omitted.

[0026] In addition, in the embodiment of the present invention, each direction is defined as follows. As shown in Figures 1 and 7, the front-rear direction is the direction in which a water discharge / stop button 132 (described later) moves, the up-down direction is the direction in which a water supply pipe 170 (described later) extends, and the left-right direction is the direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction. Note that each direction may be redefined in a different way based on the disclosure of the entire application.

[0027] [First embodiment] 〔overview〕 A first embodiment of a shower unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, this shower unit is mainly composed of five components. The first is a water supply hose 120, one end of which is connected to a hand shower connection port of an existing mixer faucet (not shown). The second is a branching discharge / stopping unit 130 having a branching section having a primary side connection port 131a connected to the other end of the water supply hose 120 and multiple secondary side connection ports (hand shower connection port 131b, overhead shower connection port 131c), and a switching mechanism attached to the branching section that can switch the flow path of the multiple secondary side connection ports and perform drainage. The third is a hand shower unit having a hand shower hose 150 having one end connected to the hand shower connection port 131b of the branching portion, and a hand shower head 160 connected to the other end of the hand shower hose 150. The fourth is an overhead shower unit having a vertically long water supply pipe 170 having one end connected to the overhead shower connection port 131c of the branching portion, and an overhead shower 180 connected to the other end of the water supply pipe. The fifth is a rod member fixing part 110 for attaching the water supply pipe 170 to an existing member in the bathroom, such as a handrail.

[0028] The configurations of the water supply hose 120 and the hand shower unit are common, so a description thereof will be omitted. The specific structures of the overhead shower unit, rod member fixing portion 110, and branching water discharge / stop unit 130 will be described below.

[0029] [Overhead shower unit] As shown in FIG. 1, the overhead shower unit is formed from a vertically long water supply pipe 170 having one end connected to the overhead shower connection port 131c of the branching portion, and an overhead shower 180 connected to the other end of the water supply pipe 170. The configuration of the water supply pipe 170 is not particularly limited, but it is preferable that the pipe has a thickness that is easy to grip with the hand so that it can function as a handrail. If the water supply pipe 170 were made thicker to make it easier to grip, the water supply pressure would decrease, and this could cause problems with the flow of water to the overhead shower 180. Therefore, if the water supply pipe 170 is made thicker than a certain thickness, the water supply pipe 170 may have a double pipe structure and water may flow only through the inner pipe.

[0030] It is also preferable to provide a flange (not shown) near the upper end of water supply pipe 170. This flange allows efficient positioning when attaching the shower unit to the handrail in the bathroom. In other words, the shower unit can be positioned by placing the flange of water supply pipe 170 on the upper end of the handrail in the bathroom. Since the height of the upper end of a handrail in a bathroom may vary depending on the handrail manufacturer, etc., it is preferable that the flange of the water supply pipe 170 be able to move up and down near the upper end of the water supply pipe 170. In addition, it is preferable to provide a non-slip surface such as silicone on the flange of the water supply pipe 170 where it comes into contact with the upper end of the handrail, or to provide a shape that fits the shape of the upper end of the handrail. This configuration allows for more stable positioning of the shower unit.

[0031] The upper end of the water supply pipe 170 has a bent portion, and an overhead shower 180 is attached to the tip of the bent water supply pipe 170. In the first embodiment, the angle of the bent portion at the upper end of the water supply pipe 170 is approximately 90 degrees, but this angle can be adjusted taking into consideration the shape and design of the overhead shower 180. Furthermore, the bent portion and the connection portion of the overhead shower 180 may be provided with an angle adjustment portion that allows the user to adjust the angle.

[0032] [Bar member fixing portion 110] A specific configuration of the rod member fixing portion 110 is shown in FIG. The rod member fixing part 110 is for attaching the water supply pipe 170 to an existing rod member in the bathroom, such as a handrail, and is composed of a bolt 112, a water supply pipe side cover member 111a that covers the outer surface of the water supply pipe 170, a rod member side cover member 111b that covers the outer surface of the rod member, and a clamp part 111 having a bolt insertion hole 111d for inserting the bolt and a connection part 111c that connects the water supply pipe side cover member 111a and the rod member side cover member 111b, and a nut 113 that connects to the bolt 112.

[0033] In FIG. 2, the water supply pipe side cover member 111a and the rod member side cover member 111b are shaped to cover approximately half of the outer periphery of the water supply pipe 170. A pair of clamp parts 111 are then prepared, which clamp the water supply pipe 170 and the rod member, and bolts 112 are inserted into bolt insertion holes 111d provided in the connection parts 111c of both clamp parts 111. Both clamp parts 111 are then tightened with nuts 113, so that the water supply pipe 170 is attached to the rod member.

[0034] In Figure 2, a pair of clamp portions 111 are provided, but this configuration is not limited to this. For example, it is also possible to configure a single clamp portion 111 by connecting the open end of the water supply pipe side cover member 111a (or the rod member side cover member 111b) to the open end of the other water supply pipe side cover member 111a (or the rod member side cover member 111b). With such a configuration, the number of parts can be reduced, and the pair of bolt insertion holes 111d can be easily aligned.

[0035] Furthermore, nothing in particular is provided on the inner surfaces (the surfaces that contact the water supply pipe 170 and the rod member) of the water supply pipe side cover member 111a, the rod member side cover member 111b, and the connection portion 111c, but for example, an elastic body shaped to fit the inner surfaces may be provided. By providing such an elastic body, the water supply pipe 170 can be attached to the rod member more stably.

[0036] The shape of clamp portion 111 is not limited to that shown in FIG. 2, and any configuration can be used as long as it can connect water supply pipe 170 and a rod member.

[0037] [Diverting discharge and stop water unit 130] Specific configurations of the branching water discharge / stop unit are shown in Figs. The branching water discharge / stop unit 130 includes an operation button mechanism, a rotation operation mechanism, and a switching mechanism.

[0038] The details of the configuration of the operation button mechanism are as follows. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, the operation button mechanism (operation mechanism) mainly has a water discharge / stop button 132, a second switching member 134, a switching ring 135, a first switching member 136, a switching shaft member 137, a first coil spring 138, and a switching cover 139.

[0039] The water discharge / stop button 132 (operating portion) has an engagement hole 132a on its outer circumferential surface, which engages with an engagement claw 137b of a switching shaft member 137, which will be described later. The switching shaft member 137 has a button holding portion 137a, an engagement claw 137b that engages with an engagement hole 132a of the water discharge / stop button 132, a push rod (shaft) 137c, and a connection portion 137d. The button holding portion 137a and the push rod 137c are integrally formed via the connection portion 137d. The switching cover 139 has a slit 139a, a rear bottom portion 139b, a notch 139c that engages with a protrusion 133b of the flow path switching dial 133 described later, an engagement hole 139d that engages with an engagement claw 141b of a ball valve 141 described later, and a sealing member 139e provided between the rear bottom portion 139b and the ball valve 141.

[0040] The switching ring 135 is fixed to the front of the switching cover 139 . The switching shaft member 137 is guided by a slit 139a of a switching cover 139 via a connecting portion 137d and moves forward and backward in the front-rear direction. A push rod 137c is inserted through the first coil spring 138. As shown in Fig. 7, the first coil spring 138 is located between the rear bottom portion 139b of the switching cover 139 and the rear end portion of the button holding portion 137a of the switching shaft member 137, and biases them in a direction separating them from each other. The first coil spring 138 is attached coaxially with the switching shaft member 137 and the water discharge / stop button 132. The first coil spring 138 pushes the water discharge / stop button 132 forward via the switching shaft member 137. The first coil spring 138 exerts a spring force that resists the pressing operation of the water discharge / stop button 132.

[0041] The engaging claw 137b of the button holder 137a of the switching shaft member 137 engages with the engaging hole 132a of the water discharge / stop button 132, thereby connecting the water discharge / stop button 132 and the switching shaft member 137. Therefore, by pressing the water discharge / stop button 132, the switching shaft member 137 moves forward and backward (reciprocating) together with the water discharge / stop button 132. A switching mechanism, which will be described later, is connected to the periphery and rear of the push rod 137c of the switching shaft member 137. Therefore, when the water discharge / stop button 132 is pressed against the spring force of the first coil spring 138, the switching mechanism switches between water discharge and stop. Furthermore, the first switching member 136 rotates each time the water discharge / stop button 132 is pressed, and can be held in two different positions. The operating button mechanism realizes alternate operations, which will be described later.

[0042] A thrust lock mechanism is used in this operation button mechanism. This thrust lock mechanism is widely used as an operation button mechanism. For example, the thrust lock mechanism is also used in ballpoint pens, and allows the lead of the ballpoint pen to be inserted and removed. For example, this thrust lock mechanism is also used in Japanese Patent No. 3454756 and Japanese Patent No. 5721679. The operation button mechanism of this embodiment is similar to the mechanism described in these patent publications.

[0043] Generally, as so-called alternate operation type operation button mechanisms, a heart-shaped cam mechanism, a rotating cam mechanism, a ratchet cam mechanism, etc. are known. Any of these mechanisms can be adopted as the button mechanism. Any button mechanism that enables the alternate operation type can be adopted.

[0044] The details of the alternate operation of the operation button mechanism are as follows. When the water discharge / stop button 132 in the protruding position (first position) shown in FIG. 7 is pressed, the water discharge / stop button 132 moves to the most depressed position (maximum depressed position: third position) shown in FIG. When the pressure is released, the water discharge / stop button 132 moves from this fully depressed position (third position) to the depressed position (second position) shown in Fig. 9 and remains there. This depressed position (second position) is maintained unless pressure is applied again. Next, when the water discharge / stop button 132, which is in the pressed-in position (second position), is pressed, the water discharge / stop button 132 moves to the maximum pressed-in position (third position). When the pressure is released, the water discharge / stop button 132 moves from this maximum pressed-in position (third position) to the pop-out position (first position) and comes to rest. In this way, each time the water discharge / stop button 132 is pressed, the water discharge / stop button 132 alternates between the extended position (first position) and the depressed position (second position), and each time it transitions between these positions, it passes through the maximum depressed position (third position). The movable range of the water discharge / stop button 132 is from the first position to the third position. The movement direction of the water discharge / stop button 132 is the front-to-rear direction (axial direction).

[0045] The details of the configuration of the rotation operation mechanism are as follows. The rotary operation button mechanism mainly includes a flow path switching dial 133 and a switching cover 139, as shown in FIGS.

[0046] The flow path switching dial 133 has, on its outer circumferential surface, an operation tab 133a for rotating the flow path switching dial 133. In addition, the flow path switching dial 133 has, on its inner circumferential surface, a protrusion 133b formed therein, which engages with a notch 139c formed in the rear bottom portion 139b of the switching cover 139.

[0047] An engagement claw 141b of a ball valve 141, which will be described later, engages with an engagement hole 139d of the switching cover 139, and a notch 139c of the switching cover 139 engages with a protruding portion of the flow path switching dial 133. Therefore, when the flow path switching dial 133 is rotated by utilizing the operation tab 133a, the ball valve 141 also rotates via the switching cover 139. In addition, the slit 139a of the switching cover 139 engages with the connection portion 137d of the switching shaft member 137, and the engagement claw 137b of the switching shaft member 137 engages with the engagement hole 132a of the water discharge / stop button 132, so that when the flow path switching dial 133 is rotated, the water discharge / stop button 132 also rotates. Since the rotary operation mechanism has this structure, by rotating the operation tab 133a of the flow path switching dial 133, the flow path is switched by the switching mechanism.

[0048] [Switching mechanism] A specific switching mechanism is shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, the switching mechanism includes an adjacent member 140, a ball valve 141, a slide cam 142, a second coil spring 143, an inner case 144, and an outer case 131.

[0049] 3 and 4, outer case (case) 131 is connected to primary side connection port 131a connected to water supply hose 120, hand shower connection port 131b connected to hand shower hose 150, overhead shower connection port 131c connected to water supply pipe 170, and drainage section 147 that drains water retained in the flow path. Primary side connection port 131a, hand shower connection port 131b, overhead shower connection port 131c, and drainage section 147 form a branching section. As shown in FIG. 7, the primary connection port 131a has a water stop valve 145 that opens and closes a water inlet 144a of an inner case 144 described below, and a coil spring 145a that biases the water stop valve 145 towards the water inlet 144a. As shown in FIG. 7, the drain section 147 has a drain outlet 147a, a drain valve 146, a coil spring 146a that urges the drain valve 146 toward the drain outlet 147a, and a drain valve side cam receiver 146b that operates in conjunction with a drain valve side cam 142b of the slide cam 142 described later.

[0050] Drain valve 146 is provided at the rear and lower part of outer case 131 in the front-to-rear direction, and primary side connection port 131a is provided forward of drain valve 146 and at the lower part of outer case 131. With this configuration, drain valve 146, which performs drainage, can be hidden from the view of a user of the shower unit by primary side connection port 131a.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 7, the inner case 144 has a water inlet 144a through which fluid from the primary side connection port 131a passes, water outlets (hand shower side water outlet 144b and overhead shower side water outlet 144c) through which fluid that has passed through the ball valve 141 passes, and a second coil spring holding portion 144d that holds one end of the second coil spring 143. The adjacent member 140 forms a flow path inside the inner case 144 and prevents the fluid from flowing out forward (toward the water discharge / stop button 132). The adjacent member 140 also has a seal member 140a provided between the inner peripheral surface of the adjacent member 140 and the outer peripheral surface of the engagement claw 141b of the ball valve 141.

[0052] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the ball valve 141 has an insertion hole 141a for inserting and holding the push rod 137c of the switching shaft member 137, an engagement claw 141b that engages with an engagement hole 139d of the switching cover 139, a first flow path 141c that guides fluid from the rear toward the center, and a second flow path 141d that guides fluid in a direction perpendicular to the first flow path to the water outlet of the inner case 144 (hand shower side water outlet 144b and overhead shower side water outlet 144c). A hand shower side water outlet 144b and an overhead shower side water outlet 144c of the inner case 144 are provided with a seal member that comes into close contact with the second flow passage 141d of the ball valve 141.

[0053] 7, the direction in which second flow path 141d of ball valve 141 extends coincides with the direction in which operation tab 133a of flow path switching dial 133 rises. That is, when operation tab 133a of flow path switching dial 133 faces upward as shown in Fig. 10, second flow path 141d communicates with overhead shower side water outlet 144c, and when operation tab 133a faces left as shown in Fig. 11, second flow path 141d communicates with hand shower side water outlet 144b.

[0054] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the slide cam 142 (cam mechanism) has a stop valve side cam 142a that presses the stop valve 145 against the spring force of the coil spring 145a, a drain valve side cam 142b that pulls the drain valve 146 against the spring force of the coil spring 146a, a push rod receiving portion 142c that is pressed by the push rod 137c of the switching shaft member 137, and a second coil spring holding portion 142d that holds one end of the second coil spring 143. The second coil spring 143 is located between the second coil spring holding portion 142d of the slide cam 142 and the second coil spring holding portion 144d of the inner case 144, and biases them in directions separating them from each other. The second coil spring 143 is attached coaxially with the switching shaft member 137 and the water discharge / stop button 132. The second coil spring 143 exerts a spring force that resists the pressing operation of the water discharge / stop button 132.

[0055] [Operation of the switching mechanism] The operation of the switching mechanism for switching between water discharge and water stop and for drainage is as follows. In the branching water discharge / stop unit 130 in the water stop state, as shown in FIG. 7, the water discharge / stop button 132 is in the protruding position (first position). In the water stop state, the water stop valve 145 is pushed upward by the force of the coil spring 145a and blocks the water inlet 144a. In order to improve the water stop performance, a seal member is provided at a position of the water stop valve 145 opposite the water inlet 144a.

[0056] The drain valve 146 is pushed upward by the drain valve side cam 142b of the slide cam 142 against the spring force of the coil spring 146a, thereby opening the drain port 147a. In other words, in the water stop state, the fluid that has accumulated in the flow path (the flow path on the overhead shower side in FIG. 7) that communicates with the second flow path 141d of the ball valve 141 is drained from the branching discharge / stop unit 130 through the drain port 147a. With this configuration, the fluid in a specified flow path is discharged simply by setting the branch discharge / stop unit 130 to the water-stopping state, thereby preventing stagnant cold water from being discharged the next time a user uses that flow path. In particular, since the water discharged from the overhead shower 180 is likely to splash on the user, it is preferable that the second flow path 141d of the ball valve 141 communicates with the overhead shower outlet 144c when the water is stopped. To encourage this state, it is also preferable to provide a mark on the front of the water discharge / stop button 132, etc. For example, it is preferable that the word "PUSH" is easily readable on the front of the water discharge / stop button 132 when the second flow path 141d of the ball valve 141 communicates with the overhead shower outlet 144c (when the operation tab 133a is facing up), as shown in FIG.

[0057] In the branch water discharge / stop unit 130 in the water discharge state, the water discharge / stop button 132 is in the pressed-in position (second position) as shown in Fig. 9. In order to move the water discharge / stop button 132 from the protruding position (first position) to the pressed-in position (second position), it is necessary to press the water discharge / stop button 132 until it is moved to the most pressed-in position (third position), and then release the pressure. When the water discharge / stop button 132, which is in the extended position (first position), is pressed, the push rod 137c moves rearward, and the slide cam 142 also moves rearward against the second coil spring 143. In the process, the upper end of the water stop valve 145 is pushed downward along the tapered surface of the water stop valve side cam 142a of the slide cam 142, causing the water stop valve 145 to open the water inlet 144a against the spring force of the coil spring 145a. Also, the drain valve side cam receiver 146b of the drain valve 146 moves downward along the tapered surface of the drain valve side cam 142b of the slide cam 142 by the spring force of the coil spring 146a, causing the drain valve 146 to close the drain port 147a.

[0058] The details of the operation of the switching mechanism in switching the flow paths are as follows. When water is being discharged, and the flow path is connected to the overhead shower outlet 144c, the operation tab 133a of the flow path switching dial 133 is positioned at the top as shown in Figure 10. At this time, the second flow path 141d of the ball valve 141 is connected to the overhead shower outlet 144c. In this state, the fluid enters inner case 144 from water inlet 144a, passes through first flow path 141c from the rear of ball valve 141, and flows to the center side of ball valve 141. The fluid then passes through second flow path 141d of ball valve 141 and overhead shower side water outlet 144c, and is discharged from overhead shower 180.

[0059] When switching the flow path to the shower head side, the operation tab 133a of the flow path switching dial 133 is operated and rotated so that the operation tab 133a is positioned on the left side as shown in FIG. When the operating tab 133a is rotated so that it is positioned on the left side, the rotation of the flow path switching dial 133 causes the switching cover 139, which engages with the protrusion 133b of the flow path switching dial 133, and the ball valve 141, which engages with the cutout portion 139c of the switching cover 139, to rotate, and the second flow path 141d of the ball valve 141 becomes connected to the hand shower side water outlet 144b. In this state, the fluid enters inner case 144 from water inlet 144a, passes through first flow path 141c from the rear of ball valve 141, and flows to the center of ball valve 141. The fluid then passes through second flow path 141d of ball valve 141 and passes through hand shower side water outlet 144b, and is discharged from the hand shower.

[0060] [Installation of shower units] The method for installing the shower unit of the present invention is as follows. First, the overhead shower unit is connected to the overhead shower connection port 131c of the branching water discharge / stop unit 130. The water supply pipe 170 of the overhead shower unit is then placed in front of the rod member and fixed to the rod member using the rod member fixing part 110. Next, the shower head unit is connected to the hand shower connection port 131b of the branching water discharge and stop unit 130. Then, one end of water supply hose 120 is connected to the hand shower connection port of the existing mixer faucet, and the other end is connected to primary side connection port 131a of branching water discharge / stop unit 130, thereby completing the installation of the shower unit.

[0061] The above installation method is merely an example, and each step can be changed as desired. However, if the overhead shower unit, shower head unit, and water supply hose 120 are connected before the water supply pipe 170 is fixed to the rod member, the weight will increase when the water supply pipe 170 is fixed to the rod member using the rod member fixing part 110, which is not preferable. Furthermore, because the branching discharge / stop unit 130 has a predetermined length in the front-to-rear direction, if the branching discharge / stop unit 130 is connected to the water supply pipe 170 after the water supply pipe 170 is fixed to the rod member using the rod member fixing part 110, there is a risk that the branching discharge / stop unit 130 will interfere with the rod member. For this reason, it is preferable to connect the branching discharge / stop unit 130 to the water supply pipe 170 before the water supply pipe 170 is fixed to the rod member using the rod member fixing part 110.

[0062] 〔effect〕 Because the shower unit 100 of the first embodiment has the configuration described above in detail, even though it is a bathroom shower unit that can be easily installed and retrofitted, it is able to drain any water remaining in the waterway, reducing the possibility that a user will be splashed with cold water remaining in the flow path when using an overhead shower. Furthermore, even if the existing component is a rod component such as a handrail, which is different from a shower hook, the shower unit can be fixed.

[0063] The branching discharge / stop unit 130 of the shower unit 100 of the first embodiment has a discharge / stop function, a branching function, and a drainage function. That is, these functions are independent of the existing mixer faucet, so even if a malfunction occurs in these functions, the existing mixer faucet can be used. Therefore, damage when a malfunction occurs can be kept to a minimum. In addition, because the branch water discharge / stop unit 130 having the water discharge / stop button 132 and the flow path switching dial 133 can be added later, it is possible to set the operation position to any location by adjusting the position of the existing components and the length of the water supply hose 120. This improves user convenience.

[0064] Second Embodiment 〔overview〕 A second embodiment of the shower unit according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the second embodiment, the existing member in the bathroom is a shower hook, and the configuration of the fixing part for attaching the water supply pipe 170 is different from that of the first embodiment. The other configurations are the same as those of the first embodiment, so the explanation will be omitted. Note that the same numbers are used for the same configurations as those of the first embodiment.

[0065] [Shower hook fixing part 210] A specific configuration of the shower hook fixing portion 210 is shown in Figs. The shower hook fixing part 210 is for attaching the water supply pipe 170 to the shower hook 220, and is composed of a first bolt 214, a second bolt 217, a first clamp part 211 arranged within the shower hook 220, a second clamp part 213, a nut 215 connecting to the first bolt 214, a third clamp part 216, a nut 218 connecting to the second bolt 217, and a fourth clamp part 212.

[0066] As shown in Figures 13 and 14, the first clamp portion 211 is arranged within the shower hook 220, and is composed of a substantially cylindrical shaft portion 211a with a tapered surface, an insertion hole 211b through which a first bolt 214 provided within the shaft portion is inserted, a clamp receiving portion 211c provided on the side of the shaft portion, and an insertion hole 211d through which a second bolt provided within the clamp receiving portion 211c is inserted. The second clamp portion 213 is provided with an insertion hole through which the first bolt 214 is inserted, and is composed of a flange that covers the lower end portion of the shower hook 220. The third clamp portion 216 is composed of a second water supply pipe side cover member 216a that covers the outer surface of the water supply pipe 170, an extension portion 216b that clamps the clamp receiving portion 211c, and an insertion hole 216c through which a second bolt 217 provided in the extension portion 216b is inserted. The fourth clamp portion 212 is disposed on the upper end surface of the shaft portion 211a, and is provided with an insertion hole 212a through which the first bolt 214 is inserted.

[0067] The procedure for attaching the water supply pipe 170 to the shower hook 220 by the shower hook fixing part 210 will be described with reference to Figs. First, first clamp portion 211 is fitted so that clamp receiving portion 211c enters slit 220b of shower hook 220. Then, first bolt 214 is passed through insertion hole 212a of fourth clamp portion 212, insertion hole 211b of first clamp portion 211, insertion hole of second clamp portion 213, and nut 215 in that order, and first bolt 214 is rotated to attach first clamp portion 211 to shower hook 220. Then, while second water supply pipe side cover member 216a of third clamp portion 216 clamps water supply pipe 170, extension portion 216b clamps clamp receiver 211c of first clamp portion 211. Thereafter, second bolt 217 is inserted through extension portion 216b and tightened together with nut 218 so that insertion hole 216c of extension portion 216b and insertion hole 211d of clamp receiver 211c overlap each other. By going through these steps, the water supply pipe 170 can be attached to the shower hook 220 by the shower hook fixing part 210.

[0068] Although nothing in particular is provided on the inner surface (the surface that contacts the water supply pipe 170) of the second water supply pipe side cover member 216a of the third clamp portion 216, for example, an elastic body shaped to fit the inner surface may be provided. By providing such an elastic body, the water supply pipe 170 can be attached to the rod member more stably.

[0069] 13 and 14, the size of the fourth clamp part 212 in a direction perpendicular to the first bolt 214 is smaller than the radial size of the upper end surface of the shaft part 211a. This shape makes it possible to prevent the fourth clamp part 212 from interfering with the upper end of the shower hook 220. In other words, it becomes possible to attach the first clamp part 211 to the shower hook 220 more stably. Also, the size of second clamp part 213 in a direction perpendicular to first bolt 214 is larger than the lower end of shower hook 220. This shape allows second clamp part 213 to come into contact with the lower end of shower hook 220. In other words, it is possible to prevent first clamp part 211 from coming off shower hook 220 after first bolt 214 is fastened. Third clamp portion 216, which fixes water supply pipe 170, is connected to clamp receiver 211c of first clamp portion 211 via second bolt 217 and nut 218. With this shape, water supply pipe 170 can be fixed vertically by adjusting the angle of third clamp portion 216, regardless of the angle at which shower hook 220 is installed on the bathroom wall or the like.

[0070] In the shower hook fixing part 210 shown in Figures 13 and 14, the fourth clamp part 212 is used to more stably fix the first clamp part 211 to the shower hook 220, but it is possible to fix the first clamp part 211 to the shower hook 220 even without this component. 13 and 14, the second clamp part 213 is used, which has a shape that fits with the shape of the nut 215 so that the nut 215 does not rotate together, but the first clamp part 211 can be fixed to the shower hook 220 even without the second clamp part 213. When the second clamp part 213 is not used, it is preferable that the shape of the nut 215 is larger than the diameter of the lower end of the shower hook 220 and is such that it contacts the base 220a of the shower hook 220 or the ground surface (wall, etc.). In this way, it is possible to prevent the nut 215 from rotating together.

[0071] 〔effect〕 As shower unit 200 of the second embodiment has the configuration as described above in detail, shower unit 200 can be fixed to shower hook 220 more firmly than with the shower hook fixing portion of the prior art.

[0072] Other embodiments In each of the above embodiments, a ball valve 141 is used as the switching mechanism, but for example, a valve in the shape of a cylindrical pipe may be used. In the case of such a valve, it may have a first flow path that guides the fluid from the rear to the center of the cylindrical pipe, and a second flow path that guides the fluid in a direction perpendicular to the first flow path and to the water outlets of inner case 144 (hand shower side water outlet 144b and overhead shower side water outlet 144c). In this configuration, as with the ball valve 141, by rotating the flow path switching dial 133 and rotating the pipe in the circumferential direction, it is possible to switch the water outlet of the inner case 144 (the hand shower side water outlet 144b and the overhead shower side water outlet 144c).

[0073] Also, in each of the above embodiments, the force pressing the water discharge / stop button 132 is transmitted to the slide cam 142 by the push rod 137c of the switching shaft member 137, but it is also possible to make a cylindrical pipe-shaped valve movable back and forth so that the valve transmits the force pressing the water discharge / stop button 132. When using such a configuration, it is preferable that the first flow path that guides the fluid into the cylindrical pipe is shaped to guide the fluid from the outer periphery towards the center of the pipe.

[0074] In the shower hook fixing part 210 of the second embodiment described above, the lower end part of the fourth clamp part 212 (the part that contacts the upper end surface of the first clamp) and the upper end surface of the second clamp part 213 (the part that contacts the lower end surface of the shower hook 220) have a flat shape, but they can also be, for example, hemispherical or semicircular. By using such a shape, it is possible to more effectively accommodate various shapes of shower hooks 220 available on the market.

[0075] [Material] Any suitable material can be selected for each component as long as it ensures ease of manufacture and durability. For example, materials that can be used for the clamp parts of rod member fixing part 110 and shower hook fixing part 210 include PP (polypropylene), POM (polyacetal), glass-filled POM, and PVC, with PP, POM, and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) being preferred for reasons of manufacturing cost and ease of production, and POM and PVC being particularly preferred from the standpoint of durability in high temperature and humidity environments such as a bathtub. In addition, the materials for each sliding part (switching shaft member 137, ball valve 141, slide cam, etc.) in the operation button mechanism, switching mechanism, etc. can be PP, POM, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer synthetic resin), or PE (polyethylene), with POM and PE being preferred for their resistance to wear due to sliding, and POM and PE being more preferred from the standpoint of manufacturing cost and ease of production. [Industrial Applicability]

[0076] The fixing device according to the present invention is not limited to shower units, but can be widely applied to anything that is configured to be retrofitted to existing components installed in a bathroom or the like. Furthermore, the branching water discharge / stop unit 130 according to the present invention can be widely applied to water faucet devices that discharge, stop, and drain fluids such as water or hot water, without being limited to shower units. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 100: Shower unit 110: Rod member fixing part 111: Clamp section 111a: Water supply pipe side cover member 111b: Rod member side cover member 111c: Connection 111d: Bolt insertion hole 112: Bolt 113: Nut 120: Water supply hose 130: Branching discharge and stoppage unit 131: Outer case (case) 131a: Primary side connection port 131b: Hand shower connection port 131c: Overhead shower connection 132: Water discharge / stop button (operation part) 132a: Engagement hole 133: Flow path switching dial 133a: Operation tab 133b:Protrusion 134: Second switching member 135: Switching ring 136: First switching member 137: Switching shaft member 137a: Button holder 137b: Engagement claw 137c: Push rod (shaft) 137d: Connection 138: First coil spring 139: Switching cover 139a: Slit 139b: Bottom of the back 139c: Notch 139d: Engagement hole 139e: Sealing material 140: Adjacent parts 140a: sealing member 141: Ball valve 141a: Through hole 141b: Engagement claw 141c: First flow path 141d: Second flow path 142: Slide cam (cam mechanism) 142a: Water stop valve side cam 142b: Drain valve side cam 142c: Push rod receiving part 142d: Second coil spring holding portion 143: Second coil spring 144: Inner case 144a: Water inlet 144b: Hand shower outlet 144c: Overhead shower outlet 144d: Second coil spring holding portion 145: Water stop valve 145a: Coil spring 146: Drain valve 146a: Coil spring 146b: Drain valve side cam holder 147: Drainage section 147a: Drain port 150: Hand shower hose 160: Hand shower head 170: Water supply pipe 180: Overhead shower 200: Shower unit 210: Shower hook fixing part 211: First clamp section 211a:Shaft part 211b: Through hole 211c: Clamp receiving part 211d: Through hole 212: 4th clamp section 212a: Through hole 213: Second clamp section 214: First bolt 215: Nut 216: 3rd clamp section 216a: Second water supply pipe side cover member 216b: Extension part 216c: Through hole 217: 2nd bolt 218: Nut 220: Shower hook 220a: Pedestal 220b: Slit

Claims

1. A shower unit that can be connected to an existing mixer faucet having a hand shower connection port and can easily install an overhead shower, a water supply hose having one end connected to the hand shower connection port of the mixing faucet; a branch portion having a primary side connection port connected to the other end of the water supply hose and a plurality of secondary side connection ports; A switching mechanism connected to the branching portion and capable of switching the flow paths of the secondary connection ports and draining the water; a hand shower hose having one end connected to one of the secondary connection ports of the branching portion; a hand shower head connected to the other end of the hand shower hose; A vertically elongated water supply pipe having one end connected to one of the secondary side connection ports of the branch portion; the overhead shower connected to the other end of the water supply pipe; having The water supply pipe can be attached to an existing member. Shower unit.

2. The existing member is a rod member, The water supply pipe is attached to the rod member by a rod member fixing portion, The rod member fixing portion is Bolt and a water supply pipe side cover member covering an outer peripheral surface of the water supply pipe, a rod member side cover member covering an outer peripheral surface of the rod member, and a clamp portion having a bolt insertion hole through which the bolt is inserted and a connection portion connecting the water supply pipe side cover member and the rod member side cover member; A nut connected to the bolt; having The shower unit according to claim 1.

3. A flange is provided near the upper end of the water supply pipe. The shower unit according to claim 2.

4. The existing member is a shower hook, The water supply pipe is attached to the shower hook by a shower hook fixing part, The shower hook fixing part is A first bolt and a second bolt; A first clamp portion disposed within the shower hook, the first clamp portion having a substantially cylindrical shaft portion with a tapered surface, an insertion hole through which the first bolt is inserted provided within the shaft portion, a clamp receiving portion provided on a side surface of the shaft portion, and an insertion hole through which the second bolt is inserted provided within the clamp receiving portion; A second clamp portion having a flange covering a lower end of the shower hook and having an insertion hole through which the first bolt is inserted; A nut connected to the first bolt; a second water supply pipe side cover member that covers an outer peripheral surface of the water supply pipe, an extension portion that sandwiches the clamp receiving portion, and a third clamp portion having an insertion hole through which the second bolt is inserted, the third clamp portion being provided in the extension portion; A nut connected to the second bolt; having The shower unit according to claim 1.

5. The shower hook fixing part is a fourth clamp portion provided with an insertion hole through which the first bolt is inserted and disposed on an upper end surface of the shaft portion; The shower unit according to claim 4.

6. a case connected to the branching portion and covering the switching mechanism; A drain valve for draining water is provided at a rear portion and a lower portion of the case in the front-rear direction, The primary side connection port is provided forward of the drain valve and at the bottom of the case. The shower unit according to claim 1.

7. An operation mechanism for operating the switching mechanism is provided, an operation unit of the operation mechanism is provided on a front surface in a front-rear direction of the case, The drain valve is opened and closed in response to the operation of the operating unit. The shower unit according to claim 6.

8. The operating mechanism has a shaft, The shaft is linked to a cam mechanism that operates the drain valve. The shower unit according to claim 7.

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