Shower device

Abstract

To provide a passage-type shower device capable of economically performing shower spraying in accordance with a movement position of a user.SOLUTION: A shower device 1 includes a plurality of overhead showers 5 that discharge water onto a user from above the head in a traveling direction in which a shower passage T extends. The shower device 1 further includes a water discharge control unit 7 having a plurality of sensors 6 that individually detect that the user has entered an individual shower area A arranged along the traveling direction in the traveling direction. The water discharge control unit 7 switches one overhead shower 5 located in the shower area A where the user is detected to a water discharge state, from among the plurality of overhead showers 5 on the basis of detection results from the individual sensors 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a shower apparatus, and more particularly to a shower apparatus having a plurality of overhead showers arranged in the direction of a shower passageway, which spray water onto a user from above. [Background technology]

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a pass-through shower system installed in a school swimming pool. This shower system uses a sensor to detect when a user enters through the front entrance, and then multiple overhead showers spray water over the user's head.

[0003] The overhead showers are arranged in a line in the direction of passage of the shower device, so that the shower device can continue to spray water onto the user until the user passes through the shower device from the entrance to the exit. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-113569 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the configuration described in Patent Document 1, when a user enters the shower system through the entrance, all overhead showers are activated to spray water. However, this is not economical because the shower is activated even when the user is not present. Therefore, the present invention provides a pass-through shower system that can economically spray water according to the user's location. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above problems, the shower device of the present invention takes the following measures.

[0007] In other words, the first aspect of the present invention is a shower apparatus having a plurality of overhead showers in the direction of travel of a shower passageway that spray water onto the user from above, a plurality of sensors in the direction of travel that individually detect when the user enters each of the shower areas lined up in the direction of travel, and a water discharge control unit that switches one or more of the overhead showers in the shower area where the user was detected to a water discharge state based on the detection results of each of the sensors.

[0008] According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a user enters an individual shower area through the shower passageway, water is sprayed overhead from one or more overhead showers in each shower area. This allows the shower water to be sprayed according to the user's location. As a result, shower water can be sprayed more economically than in a configuration where water is sprayed in shower areas where no user is present upon detection of a user.

[0009] A second aspect of the present invention is a shower apparatus according to the first aspect, wherein a plurality of the overhead showers are arranged side by side in the width direction of the shower passage, and a plurality of the shower areas are arranged side by side in the width direction of the passage.

[0010] According to the second aspect of the present invention, multiple users can use the shower side by side. The shower water can be sprayed in accordance with the movement position of each user in each line. This allows for more efficient shower water spraying.

[0011] A third aspect of the present invention is a shower apparatus according to the first or second aspect of the present invention, wherein a plurality of sensors detect when a user enters each of the shower areas by detecting a change in the incidence of a reflected wave of a wave projected from above.

[0012] According to the third aspect of the present invention, the user's entry into each shower area can be properly detected by overhead detection. In particular, when multiple shower areas are lined up across the width of the aisle, the user's entry into each shower area can be properly detected, compared to a configuration that detects users by projecting light or other waves across the width of the aisle. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view illustrating a schematic configuration of a shower device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 2] 2 is a schematic diagram showing each shower area of ​​the shower device. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0015] First Embodiment (Schematic configuration of shower device 1) First, the configuration of a shower apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. In the following description, directions such as front, back, top, bottom, left, and right refer to the directions shown in each figure. The directions shown in each figure are those seen from a user standing in front of the shower apparatus 1 according to this embodiment.

[0016] As shown in Figure 1, shower apparatus 1 according to this embodiment is configured as a pass-through water discharge unit installed in facilities such as school swimming pools and sports gyms. Shower apparatus 1 has four support posts 2 erected on the floor of the installation area and a ladder-like frame body 3 arranged to span the top of each support post 2. The four support posts 2 are arranged to support frame body 3 at two points, front and back, on both sides of the frame.

[0017] The frame body 3 is composed of an outer frame 3A that is rectangular in plan view, and four shower pipes 4 that extend between both side portions of the outer frame 3A. The four shower pipes 4 are arranged parallel to each other and spaced equally apart from each other in the front and back directions.

[0018] Each shower pipe 4 is provided with three overhead showers 5 on the left and right sides, each with nozzle holes facing downward for spraying water. The three overhead showers 5 on each shower pipe 4 are spaced equally apart from one another on the left and right. Each overhead shower 5 is configured to spray hot and cold water supplied to each shower pipe 4 from one of the support columns 2 through the outer frame 3A as a wide shower spray directly below it.

[0019] With this configuration, shower apparatus 1 has a shower passageway T formed directly below frame 3, through which users can pass from the front to the back while being showered. Multiple overhead showers 5 are provided in both the forward direction (front-to-back direction) and the width direction (left-to-right direction) of shower passageway T.

[0020] Shower device 1 also has a water discharge control unit 7 that detects when a user enters shower passage T and controls each overhead shower 5 to discharge water toward the user. Water discharge control unit 7 has a reflective sensor 6 installed on each shower pipe 4 near the location where the nozzle hole of each overhead shower 5 is located.

[0021] Each sensor 6 is a known reflective photoelectric sensor that detects a user's entry into shower area A (see Figure 2), the detection area directly below it, by detecting changes in the amount of reflected light projected from above. Sensors 6 can be optical types that use laser light, millimeter-wave types that use electromagnetic waves in the millimeter wave range, or ultrasonic types. In addition to reflective types, sensors 6 can also be so-called TOF types that detect a user based on the time elapsed until the reflected light or other waves return.

[0022] The water discharge control unit 7 switches one of the multiple overhead showers 5 in the shower area A where the user was detected to the water discharge state based on the user detection results sent from each sensor 6. In more detail, when multiple sensors 6 detect a user at the same time, the water discharge control unit 7 switches the overhead showers 5 in each detected shower area A to the water discharge state.

[0023] Therefore, when one user is positioned across multiple shower areas A, or when multiple users are positioned in different shower areas A at the same time, the overhead showers 5 in each detected shower area A are simultaneously switched to a water discharge state.

[0024] The water discharge control unit 7 keeps each overhead shower 5 in a stopped state in the initial state when no user is detected by each sensor 6. Specifically, the water discharge control unit 7 closes each solenoid valve connected to the individual water supply pipes (not shown) that supply hot and cold water to the nozzles of each overhead shower 5, thereby individually stopping the water flow for each of them.

[0025] When a corresponding sensor 6 detects that a user is in one of the multiple shower areas A, the water discharge control unit 7 switches the solenoid valve (not shown) in the shower area A where the user is detected to an open state, causing water to be discharged from the corresponding overhead shower 5. This allows a wide shower of water to be sprayed from above the user in the corresponding shower area A.

[0026] Therefore, as the user moves through the shower passage T to each shower area A, water is gradually sprayed above the user's head from the overhead shower 5 in each shower area A. Therefore, the shower water can be sprayed according to the user's position.

[0027] In addition, shower system 1 has multiple overhead showers 5 arranged in the width direction of the passageway on each shower pipe 4, allowing multiple users to shower side by side. In each row, the shower water can be sprayed according to the position of each user in the direction of travel.

[0028] This allows for more economical shower water spraying than a configuration in which water is sprayed even in unoccupied shower areas A upon detection of a user. The water discharge control unit 7 maintains the overhead shower 5 in each corresponding shower area A in a water discharge state while each sensor 6 detects a user. Then, once the user has moved away and each sensor 6 no longer detects the user, the water discharge control unit 7 stops water spraying from the overhead shower 5 in each corresponding shower area A either instantly or after a certain period of time has passed.

[0029] To summarize the above, the shower device 1 according to the first embodiment has the following configuration: Note that the reference numerals in parentheses below correspond to the respective components shown in the above embodiment.

[0030] That is, the shower apparatus (1) has a plurality of overhead showers (5) arranged in the direction of travel of the shower passage (T) that spray water from above the user's head. The shower apparatus (1) has a water discharge control unit (7) equipped with a plurality of sensors (6) arranged in the direction of travel that individually detect when the user enters each of the shower areas (A) lined up in the direction of travel. Based on the detection results of each sensor (6), the water discharge control unit (7) switches one or more of the overhead showers (5) located in the shower area (A) in which the user was detected to a water discharge state.

[0031] According to the above configuration, when a user enters an individual shower area (A) through the shower passage (T), water is sprayed above the user's head from one or more overhead showers (5) in each shower area (A). Therefore, shower water can be sprayed according to the user's movement position. As a result, shower water can be sprayed more economically than in a configuration in which water is sprayed even in shower areas (A) where no user is present upon detection of a user.

[0032] In addition, multiple overhead showers (5) are also arranged in a line across the width of the shower passage (T). Multiple shower areas (A) are also arranged in a line across the width of the passage. With this configuration, multiple users can use the shower side by side. Furthermore, for each line, shower water can be sprayed in accordance with the movement position of each user in the direction of travel. This allows for more efficient shower water spraying.

[0033] Furthermore, the multiple sensors (6) are configured to detect when a user enters each shower area (A) by detecting changes in the incidence of reflected waves of waves projected from above. This configuration allows for proper detection of a user's entry into each shower area (A) by detecting from an overhead position. In particular, when multiple shower areas (A) are lined up in the width direction of the aisle, this configuration allows for proper detection of a user's entry into each shower area (A) compared to a configuration that detects users by projecting waves such as light in the width direction of the aisle.

[0034] Other Embodiments Although one embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention can be embodied in various forms as described below in addition to the above embodiment.

[0035] 1. The shower device of the present invention may be installed in an outdoor facility as well as an indoor facility.

[0036] 2. Multiple overhead showers that spray water from above the user may be configured with the nozzle holes exposed from the shower pipes as shown in the above embodiment, or each may be configured with a separate shower head. When multiple overhead showers are configured with the nozzle holes exposed from the shower pipes, the shower pipes may be configured to extend in the direction of the shower passage's width or in the direction of the shower passage's travel.

[0037] The multiple overhead showers may be arranged in a single row instead of multiple rows in the direction of travel of the shower passage. There is no particular limit to the number of overhead showers arranged in the direction of travel or width of the shower passage, as long as there are at least multiple in the direction of travel of the shower passage. The shower passage may extend in a straight line, or may extend so as to bend left and right or turn back.

[0038] 3. The water discharge control unit may be configured to control the water discharge and stopping for each sensor individually. Each shower area may be equipped with multiple overhead showers. In other words, when an individual sensor detects that a user has entered a particular shower area, the water discharge control unit may switch all of the overhead showers in that shower area to the water discharge state.

[0039] The multiple sensors may detect when a user enters each shower area by detecting changes in the incidence of reflected waves projected from the side rather than from above. However, if each sensor is set up to detect users from the side, it becomes difficult to determine whether there are multiple users lined up side by side or just one user, so some ingenuity is required, such as switching all overhead showers in the same row to a water discharge state.

[0040] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the description of the above embodiments, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1...shower device, 2...support, 3...frame body, 3A...outer frame, 4...shower pipe, 5...overhead shower, 6...sensor, 7...water discharge control section, A...shower area, T...shower passage

Claims

1. A shower device having a plurality of overhead showers that spray water from above the user's head in the direction of the shower passage, A shower device having a plurality of sensors in the direction of travel that individually detect when a user enters each of the shower areas lined up in the direction of travel, and a water discharge control unit that switches one or more of the overhead showers in the shower area where the user was detected to a water discharge state based on the detection results of each of the sensors.

2. The shower apparatus according to claim 1, A plurality of the overhead showers are arranged in a line in the width direction of the shower passage, A shower apparatus in which a plurality of the shower areas are arranged side by side in the width direction of the passage.

3. The shower device according to claim 1 or 2, A shower device in which a plurality of the sensors detect a user's entry into each of the shower areas by a change in the incidence of a reflected wave of a wave projected from above.

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