Steam bath device

Abstract

To provide a steam bath device capable of suppressing scalding caused by steam generated through the heating of medicinal herbs and / or making the medicinal herb steam visible.SOLUTION: A steam bath device 100 according to the present invention that provides a steam bath using medicinal herbs to a subject T, includes: a heating device 110 for generating steam S from a liquid containing the medicinal herbs; and a mist generator 120 for generating mist-like water W. The steam bath device is configured to discharge a mixture M of the steam S and the mist-like water W toward the subject T.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a steam bath apparatus for providing a steam bath using herbs.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, mugwort has rich pharmacological effects and is effective in treating gynecological diseases, so so-called mugwort steaming, in which steam generated by boiling mugwort is applied to affected parts of the body, has been performed.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a chair for mugwort steaming. This chair has a container for putting mugwort and water, a heating means for heating this container, and a housing for housing these. An opening for discharging the steam generated by heating the mugwort to the outside of the housing is formed in the seat surface of this housing.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the chair used for mugwort steaming described in Patent Document 1 has a major problem that there is a risk that the user may be burned by the steam coming out of the inside of the housing. In addition, since the steam is transparent, there is also a problem that it is difficult to know whether the steam has reached the desired part such as the affected part.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to suppress burns caused by steam generated by heating herbs. Another object of the present invention is to obtain a steam bath apparatus that enables visualization of the steam of herbs.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0007] The present invention provides the following items.

[0008] (Item 1) A steam bath apparatus for providing a steam bath using herbs to a subject, a heating device for generating steam from a liquid containing the herbs, a mist generating device for generating misty water, and is provided with, a steam bath apparatus configured to discharge a mixture of the steam and the misty water to the subject.

[0009] (Item 2) The steam bath apparatus according to Item 1, comprising a housing having an opening on a seating surface of the subject, and the mixture being configured to be discharged to the outside through the opening from inside the housing.

[0010] (Item 3) The steam bath apparatus according to Item 2, wherein the housing includes the mist generating device inside, and a duct for taking in the steam from the heating device existing outside the housing into the housing.

[0011] (Item 4) The steam bath apparatus according to Item 1, wherein the mist generating device includes an ultrasonic generating mechanism.

[0012] (Item 5) The steam bath apparatus according to Item 4, wherein the steam bath apparatus is configured to control the mist generating device and / or the heating device so that the temperature of the mixture is 43°C or lower.

[0013] (Item 6) Furthermore, the steam bath apparatus according to Item 1, wherein the mist generating device includes at least one of a hydrogen generating device, a titanium oxide supply device, and a supply device for supplying lotion or aromatic oil.

[0014] (Item 7) Furthermore, a mantle for accommodating the subject, and A steam bath device according to any one of Items 1 to 6 and A steam bath device kit comprising the same.

[0015] (Item 8) The steam bath device kit according to Item 7, wherein an aluminum film is provided inside the mantle.

Advantages of the Invention

[0016] According to the present invention, it is possible to obtain a steam bath device that suppresses burns caused by steam generated by heating herbs and / or visualizes the steam of herbs.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0017]

Figure 1

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0018] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described. It should be understood that the terms used in this specification are used in the meanings commonly used in the art unless otherwise specified. Therefore, unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used in this specification have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. In case of conflict, this specification (including definitions) shall prevail.

[0019] In this specification, “about” means within the range of ±10% of the following number.

[0020] An object of the present invention is to obtain a steam bath device that enables suppression of burns caused by steam generated by heating herbs and / or visualization of the steam of herbs, A steam bath device for providing a steam bath using herbs to a subject, A heating device for generating steam from a liquid containing herbs, A fog generator for generating a mist-like water and comprising the same, The above problems are solved by providing a steam bath device configured to emit a mixture of steam and misty water to a subject.

[0021] Therefore, the steam bath device of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it mixes misty water with steam generated by heating a liquid containing herbs and emits it to a subject.

[0022] (Heating device) For example, the heating device may or may not have a heat source. When it has a heat source, the heating device heats, for example, a container containing water and herbs together with the water and herbs by the heat generated by the heat source. Here, the heat source may be a heater, a burner, or a heating element heated by a change in magnetic force. Also, when the heating device does not have a heat source, it directly heats, for example, the water and herbs in the container with microwaves.

[0023] Note that the herbs are not limited to specific ones, but a typical herb is mugwort.

[0024] Also, the following herbs can be mentioned as herbs other than mugwort.

[0025] For example, steamed ginger can be mentioned as something effective for colds.

[0026] Furthermore, in addition to the effect on colds, in order to improve blood flow, it is effective to mix bear bamboo, pine needles, ginseng, etc. in addition to steamed ginger.

[0027] Those effective for swelling include cinnamon twig and adlay.

[0028] Those effective for bowel movements include Chinese dates.

[0029] Note that some people also use Chinese dates for cold prevention or blood flow countermeasures.

[0030] Furthermore, for stress relief, the peel of mandarin oranges, Houttuynia cordata, perilla, etc. are effective.

[0031] For gynecological physical discomfort, tang-kuei, senkyu, etc. are effective.

[0032] (Mist generating device) The mist generating device is not limited to the mechanism for spraying water to form a mist as long as it can generate a misty water (water mist). It may be based on the structure of the nozzle that discharges water, or it may be based on an ultrasonic generating mechanism.

[0033] (Mechanism for mixing steam and misty water) The mechanism for mixing steam and misty water is also not limited in other configurations as long as it is configured such that the mixing of steam and misty water is performed before the steam hits the subject.

[0034] For example, when the steam bath device has a housing with an opening on the seating surface of the subject, the steam bath device is configured such that the mixture is discharged from the inside of the housing to the outside through the opening.

[0035] Here, the housing may be provided with a mist generating device inside and a duct for taking in steam from a heating device existing outside the housing into the inside of the housing.

[0036] Alternatively, the housing may be provided with a heating device inside and a duct for taking in misty water from a mist generating device existing outside the housing into the inside of the housing.

[0037] Furthermore, the heating device and the mist generating device exist outside the housing, and the housing may be provided with a duct for taking in misty water from the mist generating device into the inside of the housing and a duct for taking in steam from the heating device into the inside of the housing.

[0038] The temperature of the misty water may be any temperature as long as it can cool the temperature of the mixture to a temperature at which the subject will not be burned.

[0039] The temperature of the atomized water can be adjusted by the temperature of a liquid such as the water provided to the atomizing device, and the steam bath device may have means for heating or cooling a liquid such as the water supplied to the atomizing device.

[0040] Also, the temperature of the mixture may be a temperature at which the subject is not burned, and the steam bath device is preferably configured to control the atomizing device and / or the heating device so that, for example, the temperature of the mixture is 43°C or lower. Since the temperature at which low-temperature burns occur is around 44°C to 50°C, it is possible to prevent burns by adjusting the temperature to be lower than that temperature.

[0041] As a method for adjusting the temperature of the mixture, for example, in the atomizing device and / or the heating device, the temperature of the mixture may be controlled by the amount of the liquid of the atomized body and / or the amount of steam generated per unit time, but the temperature of the mixture may also be controlled by the temperature of the atomized body.

[0042] Furthermore, the atomizing device preferably includes at least one of a hydrogen generation device, a titanium oxide supply device, and a supply device that supplies lotion or aromatic oil. Because when the atomizing device includes at least one of these devices, the mixture will contain components such as hydrogen gas, titanium oxide, lotion, or aromatic oil. In addition to the effects of the herbal steam bath, it has the effect of detoxifying the active oxygen accumulated in the body in daily life with hydrogen, the ultraviolet protection effect by titanium oxide, the effect of giving moisture to the skin by lotion, the skin-improving effect, and the effect of relieving the tension of the body and mind due to stress, etc. by aromatic oil. Also, the effects of aromatic oil and the like are significantly reduced at high temperatures, but as in the present invention, by supplying the heating device to an atomizing device that does not reach a high temperature separately, it is possible to prevent the reduction of its effects.

[0043] Furthermore, it is preferable that such a steam bath device constitutes a steam bath device kit together with a mantle for accommodating the subject. The subject wears the mantle and can easily take a herbal steam bath at home by introducing a mixture of herbal steam and atomized water inside the mantle.

[0044] Furthermore, it is preferable that the inside of the mantle is provided with an aluminum film. By providing the aluminum film, infrared radiation from the inside of the mantle to the outside can be suppressed, and the heat preservation effect inside the mantle can be enhanced. Also, since hydrogen has small molecules, materials other than aluminum will allow it to escape from the mantle and reduce the effect, which is also a reason for preferring to have an aluminum film. Although the aluminum film was described above, as long as the film can prevent the permeation of hydrogen molecules, it is not limited to the aluminum film and may be a film composed of other compositions. Also, the mantle may be antibacterial and antiviral treated, or disposable. By making it disposable, it is possible to ensure the quality in terms of hygiene.

[0045] Also, the container for accommodating the subject to whom the steam bath is provided is not limited to a mantle that accommodates the part below the subject's neck, and may be an accommodation chamber that covers the entire body of the subject.

[0046] Also, the generation of atomized water (water mist) by the ultrasonic generator mechanism is suitable for a full-body steam bath that wraps the whole body because the generated mist becomes finer and easier to float. Therefore, as a specific form of the accommodation chamber, for example, when there is one subject, a full-body steam bath housing with an internal space secured to wrap the whole body of one person may be used, or when there are multiple subjects, for example, a sauna room capable of accommodating multiple people may be used. In this case, by mixing a lotion-type or powder-type bath agent into the water for deriving the atomized water, it is expected to obtain a beauty effect or a relaxation effect.

[0047] As described above, the steam bath device of the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it mixes atomized water with steam generated by heating a liquid containing herbs and discharges the mixture to the subject. However, in the following embodiments, as a steam bath device, there is provided a device having a housing with an opening on the seating surface of the subject, and configured such that a mixture of steam and atomized water is discharged from the housing to the outside through the opening.

[0048] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0049] (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a steam bath device kit 10 including a steam bath device 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 1(a) shows the whole steam bath device kit 10, and FIG. 1(b) shows the internal configuration of a housing 101 in the steam bath device 100 constituting the steam bath device kit 10.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 1(a), the steam bath device 100 of Embodiment 1 is a steam bath device for providing a steam bath using herbs to a subject T, and includes a heating device 110 for generating steam S from a liquid (here, water) containing herbs, and a fog generating device 120 for generating atomized water W. And this steam bath device 100 is configured to discharge a mixture M of steam S and atomized water W to the subject T.

[0051] Specifically, the steam bath device 100 has a housing 101 having an opening 101a on the seating surface of the subject T, and is configured such that the mixture M is discharged from the inside of the housing 101 to the outside through the opening 101a.

[0052] Here, the housing 101 includes a mist generating device 120 inside, and a duct 130 for taking in the steam S from the heating device 110 existing outside the housing 101 into the housing 101. Further, the mist generating device 120 includes an ultrasonic generating mechanism and is configured to apply ultrasonic vibration to water to form a mist-like body. In this mist generating device 120, since the water is not heated, for example, when water at room temperature (about 25°C) is atomized by ultrasonic vibration and converted into mist-like water, the temperature of the mist-like water is the same as the temperature of the water before atomization (about 25°C). However, by having means for heating or cooling the water supplied to the mist generating device 120 in the steam bath device 100, the temperature of the mist-like water can be adjusted as appropriate.

[0053] Also, this steam bath device 100 is configured to control the mist generating device 120 and / or the heating device 110 so that the temperature of the mixture M is 43°C or lower. Here, the upper limit temperature of the mist-like water or the upper limit temperature of the mixture M is set to 43°C because this temperature is lower than the temperature range of 44°C to 50°C at which low-temperature burns occur, making it possible to prevent the subject from being burned.

[0054] The control of the heating device 110 is the control of the amount of steam generated per unit time, and the control of the mist generating device 120 is the control of the amount of mist-like water generated per unit time. However, when the steam bath device 100 has means for heating or cooling the water supplied to the mist generating device 120, the temperature control of the mixture M can also be performed by controlling the water supplied to the mist generating device 120 with the heating means or the cooling means.

[0055] Inside the housing 101, the steam discharge port 130a, which is the opening on one end side (inside the housing 101) of the duct 130, is arranged close to directly above the blowout port 120a of the mist-like water W in the mist generating device 120. Thereby, the steam S from the heating device 110 existing outside the housing 101 is mixed with the mist-like water W and cooled inside the housing 101 before exiting from the opening 101a of the seating surface of the housing 101.

[0056] Here, the steam bath device 100 of Embodiment 1 provides a steam bath by covering the subject T with a mantle 11, and is provided as a steam bath device kit 10 together with the mantle 11. Hereinafter, a method of using the steam bath device kit 10 will be described.

[0057] The subject T takes off their clothes and sits on the seating surface of the housing 101 with the mantle 11 worn so as to cover the lower part of the body from the neck as shown in Fig. 1(a), with the housing 101 also covered by the mantle 11. Here, a mantle 11 with an aluminum film attached to its inner side is used. Note that the mantle 11 may not have an aluminum film.

[0058] After that, when the mist generating device 120 housed in the housing 101 is turned on to generate a misty water W and at the same time the heating device 110 is turned on to heat the herbs together with the water to generate a herb steam S, the herb steam S is introduced through the duct 130 into the housing 101 within the mantle 11, and the misty water W ejected from the mist generating device 120 within the housing 101 into the housing 101 is mixed with the herb steam S. Thus, the mixture M obtained by mixing the misty water W into the herb steam S within the housing 101 exits from the opening 101a of the housing 101 to the outside of the housing 101 and hits the target area of the lower body of the subject T.

[0059] In this way, in the steam bath device 100 of the present Embodiment 1, the steam S from the heating device 110 existing outside the housing 101 having the seating surface on which the subject T sits is mixed with the misty water W within the housing 101 before exiting from the opening 101a of the seating surface of the housing 101. Therefore, the steam S from the heating device 110 will be cooled by the misty water W from the mist generating device 120, whereby it is possible to avoid or suppress the subject T from being burned by the herb steam S.

[0060] Further, by mixing the misty water W from the mist generating device 120 into the steam S from the heating device 110, the colorless and transparent steam S from the heating device 110 is visualized by the mist contained therein, making it possible to confirm whether the herb steam S has reached the desired parts of the body.

[0061] In the above-described Embodiment 1, the mist generating device 120 generates misty water by spraying water. However, the mist generating device 120 may include at least one of a hydrogen generating device, a titanium oxide supply device, and a supply device that supplies lotion or aroma oil.

[0062] For example, when the mist generating device includes a hydrogen generating device, in the steam bath device 100, in addition to the effect of the steam bath of herbs, an effect of detoxifying the active oxygen accumulated in the body in daily life with hydrogen can be obtained.

[0063] Also, when the mist generating device includes a titanium oxide supply device, in the steam bath device 100, in addition to the effect of the steam bath of herbs, an ultraviolet ray protection effect by titanium oxide can be obtained.

[0064] Also, when the mist generating device includes a supply device that supplies lotion or aroma oil, an effect of moisturizing the skin with the lotion, an effect of relieving the tension of the body and mind due to stress or the like with the aroma oil, and the like can be obtained.

[0065] Also, in the above-described Embodiment 1, the container that houses the subject to whom the steam bath is provided is shown as a mantle that houses the part below the subject's neck. However, considering that the generation of misty water (water mist) by the ultrasonic generating mechanism is suitable for a full-body steam bath that wraps the whole body because the generated mist becomes finer and easier to float, the container may be one that covers so as to house the whole body of the subject. As a specific form of such a container, for example, when there is one subject, a housing with an internal space secured so as to wrap the whole body of one person may be used. Also, when there are a plurality of subjects, for example, a sauna room capable of accommodating a large number of people may be used as the container.

[0066] As described above, the present invention has been illustrated using preferred embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to these embodiments. It is understood that the scope of the present invention should be construed only by the claims. Those skilled in the art will understand that they can implement an equivalent scope based on the description of the present invention and common general knowledge from the description of the specific preferred embodiments of the present invention. It is understood that the documents cited in this specification should be incorporated by reference into this specification as if the content itself were specifically described in this specification.

Industrial Applicability

[0067] The present invention is useful as being able to obtain a steam bath apparatus that can suppress burns caused by steam generated by heating herbs and / or visualize the steam of herbs in the field of steam bath apparatuses.

Explanation of Signs

[0068] 10 Steam bath kit 11 Steam bath mantle 100 Steam bath apparatus 101 Housing 101a Opening 110 Heating device 120 Mist generating device 120a Outlet 130 Duct 130a Discharge port M Mixture S Steam T Subject W Misty water

Claims

1. A steam bath apparatus for providing a steam bath using herbs to a subject, a heating device for generating steam from a liquid containing the herbs, a mist generating device for generating a misty water, and comprising: A steam bath apparatus configured to discharge a mixture of the steam and the misty water to the subject.

2. The steam bath apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a housing having an opening on a seating surface of the subject, wherein the mixture is configured to be discharged to the outside through the opening from inside the housing.

3. The steam bath apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the housing includes the mist generating device therein and a duct for taking in the steam from the heating device existing outside the housing into the housing.

4. The steam bath apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mist generating device includes an ultrasonic generating mechanism.

5. The steam bath apparatus according to claim 4, configured to control the mist generating device and / or the heating device such that the temperature of the mixture is 43°C or less.

6. The steam bath apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising at least one of a hydrogen generating device, a titanium oxide supply device, and a supply device for supplying lotion or aroma oil.

7. Further comprising a mantle for accommodating the subject, and a steam bath apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, A steam bath apparatus kit.

8. The steam bath apparatus kit according to claim 7, wherein an aluminum film is provided inside the mantle.

Images