Production apparatus and production method of water mixed with carbonic acid fine bubble

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a production apparatus and a production method of water mixed with a carbonic acid fine bubble that enable addition of a carbonic acid fine bubble generation effect to be easily performed even for a using shower head as it is, can finely divide a fine bubble, and thereby, further improve blood circulation promoting effect, cleaning effect or the like.CONSTITUTION: A production apparatus of water mixed with a carbonic acid fine bubble has a configuration in which a bath agent storage part is connected to a part between a hose and a shower head, a carbonic acid bath agent can be stored in the bath agent storage part by an open and close mechanism of a lid body while maintaining connection with both the shower head and the hose, at least a part of the bath agent storage part is formed by a transparent member, and the stored carbonic acid bath agent is visible from outside.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water, which significantly improves the effects of carbonated spring bathing, such as promoting blood circulation, and also has a carbonated fine bubble effect, and a manufacturing device for easily producing said carbonated fine bubble mixed water. [Background technology]

[0002] Forming a mixture containing bicarbonate (sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate) and an organic acid into a foaming composition (solid) by tableting or other methods is used in products such as detergents, bath additives, bath water cleaners, and pool disinfectants. These products (solids) have the advantage of dissolving quickly when added to water, generating carbon dioxide gas as a result of the reaction of their ingredients, and at the same time, they enhance the commercial value of the product by providing a pleasant user experience to consumers. In particular, bath additives (sometimes called bath additives) actively utilize the blood circulation-promoting effect of the generated carbon dioxide gas.

[0003] On the other hand, minute air bubbles known as fine bubbles are widely used for purifying turbid water and wastewater, sterilizing domestic water, etc. For example, when fine bubbles are generated in a turbid water treatment tank at a water purification facility, the bubbles can attach to pollutants floating in the turbid water, causing them to float and separate. When fine bubbles are generated in closed bodies of water such as lakes and aquaculture ponds, they can promote the dissolution of oxygen into the water, among other effects.

[0004] Fine bubbles are classified into two types based on their diameter: microbubbles, which are micro-sized (diameter 1 μm or more but less than 100 μm), and ultrafine bubbles, which are nano-sized (less than 1 μm). These are defined in ISO 20480-1 and JIS B 8741-1.

[0005] Conventionally, a fine bubble shower utilizing swirling flow and tap water pressure has been known (see Patent Document 1).

[0006] Also known is a technology that combines a technology for dissolving a carbon dioxide-generating component in hot water with a technology for generating fine bubbles to purify and sterilize the liquid (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0007] The technology of Patent Document 1 involves placing a carbon dioxide gas generator, such as various bath additives, inside a gas-liquid mixing device as a gas generator, and then connecting the outlet side of the gas-liquid mixing device to a shower head, so that hot water mixed with the bath additive ingredients and fine bubbles is discharged from the shower head, which is expected to have a cleansing effect and health-promoting effects such as promoting blood circulation. On the other hand, there is also known a technique in which a carbon dioxide bath additive is accommodated near the outlet in a shower head (see Patent Documents 3 to 5). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-229516 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-194390 [Patent Document 3] Patent No. 4177660 [Patent Document 4] Utility Model Registration No. 3183630 [Patent Document 5] Utility Model Registration No. 3066561 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, in the prior art cited in the background art, conventional bath additive ingredients and tablets are rapidly dissolved by the water flow of tap water pressure, while the dissolution duration of carbon dioxide-generating bath additives is extremely short, and the bubbles are extremely large, making them unlikely to have an effect on the skin or blood vessels even when they come into contact with the body. In particular, when using a shower with running water, the water ejected from the shower head quickly flows down after contacting the body, so the contact time between the body and the water is short, and the contact heat capacity and area are not large compared to when soaking in hot water in a bathtub. Therefore, the inventors have discovered that in order to obtain the health-promoting effects of the carbon dioxide ingredients, such as promoting blood circulation, the bubble diameter is too large to maximize contact with the body, and the short dissolution duration of the bath additives is fatal.

[0010] Therefore, the applicant previously filed a patent application (Patent Application No. 2012-236289) with the objective of "providing a microbubble mixed water manufacturing device that can continuously supply carbon dioxide components during the normal shower time, even when microbubble mixed water mixed with carbon dioxide gas components is sprayed in the shower, and that is expected to fully exert health-promoting effects such as promoting blood circulation, thanks to the carbon dioxide gas bubbles that are micro-sized and come into contact with the body in large amounts, and that have a carbonated bath additive component that allows the carbon dioxide components to be instantly absorbed through the skin." As a solution to this problem, the invention of this prior application proposed "a microbubble-mixed water manufacturing device which comprises: hot water introduced into a water passage having a microbubble generator provided between a hot water inlet and a discharge outlet; microbubbles (fine air bubbles) obtained by dissolving carbonated bath additives contained in the microbubble generator in the hot water; mixing the hot water and the microbubbles; and discharging the mixture from the discharge outlet to obtain microbubble-mixed water; wherein the carbonated bath additives contained in the microbubble generator are compression-molded in the presence of bicarbonate, organic acid, and polyethylene glycol to have a diameter and thickness of 7 mm or more, a hardness of a specific value or more, and a pH value of 5.5 to 8.5 immediately after dissolving in hot water."

[0011] According to the invention of this prior application, the following effects can be obtained: "Since the generation of carbon dioxide gas components continues for a long period of time, the contact time between the body and the microbubble-mixed water in which the carbon dioxide gas components are dissolved is extended, making it possible to easily improve health-promoting effects such as promoting blood circulation."

[0012] However, as the inventor continued to research the invention related to this earlier application, he discovered that merely modifying the carbonated bath additives contained in the fine bubble mixed water manufacturing device would result in the carbonated bath additives being exposed to a strong water current and dissolving rapidly in a short period of time, shortening the time that bicarbonate ions are in contact with the body and making it difficult to obtain a sufficient body warming effect. He also discovered that this would result in a shower with a high concentration of bicarbonate ions in the first half and a freshwater shower in the second half, which meant that the tablets had to be replaced with new ones within the same bath time, and the task of opening the shower head to replace the tablets was cumbersome and difficult, as hands could be slippery with detergent, shampoo, etc.

[0013] Based on the above, the inventors are continuing their research into shower equipment that produces fine bubble mixed water containing carbonated bath additive tablets, and that sprays carbon dioxide fine bubble mixed water into the shower. This shower equipment enhances health-promoting effects such as promoting blood circulation, and maintains the effect of allowing users to enjoy a moderately concentrated bicarbonate shower for a long time, while optimizing the dissolution rate of the carbonated bath additive tablets, extending the life of the tablets, and reducing the frequency of replacement of the carbonated bath additives, thereby reducing running costs.

[0014] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a carbonated fine bubble producing device and method that can selectively add carbonated fine bubble generation effects as needed without affecting the shower water discharge configuration of a shower head in use. Furthermore, we provide a carbonated fine bubble mixed water manufacturing device and manufacturing method that can selectively generate fine bubbles by passing hot water through a mesh body, thereby generating not only microbubbles but also further subdivided ultrafine bubbles, thereby further improving the blood circulation promoting effect, cleansing effect, etc. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] 1. A bath additive storage section is provided between the connection at the rear end of the hose and the connection at the shower head, in which solid carbonated bath additives are placed in the hot water supply path. In this carbonated fine bubble mixed water producing device, the carbonated bath additive dissolves in hot water sent from a hose to a shower head, generating carbonated fine bubbles, which then mix with the hot water to produce carbonated fine bubble mixed water, which is then showered out from the hot water outlet of the shower head. The bath additive container is separate from the shower head and is detachably connected between the connecting part at the rear end of the hose and the connecting part of the shower head. The bath additive container has a connection part that can be connected to a shower head and a hose, Furthermore, the bath additive storage section is fitted with a lid that can open and close the opening for storing carbonated bath additives while maintaining connection to both the shower head and the hose. The lid is configured to be able to open and close the opening while maintaining connection with the bath additive container without being separated from the container, The bath additive storage section has a space large enough to allow the carbonated bath additives contained therein to roll around when hot and cold water passes through the interior, Furthermore, at least a part of the bath additive storage section is made of a transparent material, so that the carbonated bath additive stored therein can be seen from the outside. A carbonated fine bubble mixed water manufacturing device characterized by the above.

[0016] 2. The carbonated fine bubble mixed water manufacturing device described in 1 above, characterized in that the lid is configured so that the opening can be opened and closed with a single movement.

[0017] 3. A carbonated fine bubble mixed water manufacturing device as described in 1 or 2 above, characterized in that the lid is configured to open and close by sliding from the part covering the opening along the part adjacent to the opening.

[0018] 4. A carbonated fine bubble mixed water manufacturing device as described in 1 or 2 above, characterized in that the lid has a hinge portion and is configured to open and close using the hinge portion as a fulcrum.

[0019] 5. The carbonated bath additives contain bicarbonate (sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate) and an organic acid, but do not contain a bicarbonate ion sequestering substance; the organic acid is at least one of citric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, and malic acid, and also contains anhydrous sodium carbonate and / or anhydrous potassium carbonate; and the pH of the hot water discharged from the hot water outlet of the shower head is 6.8 to 8.5.

[0020] 6. A bath additive container is provided between the rear end of the hose and the shower head, allowing solid carbonated bath additives to be placed in the hot water supply path. In this method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water, the carbonated bath additive is dissolved in hot water supplied from a hose to a shower head to generate carbonated fine bubbles, which are then mixed with the hot water to produce carbonated fine bubble mixed water, which is then showered out from the hot water outlet of the shower head. The bath additive container is separate from the shower head and is detachably connected between the connecting part at the rear end of the hose and the connecting part of the shower head. Furthermore, the bath additive storage section is fitted with a lid that can open and close the opening for storing carbonated bath additives while maintaining connection to both the shower head and the hose. The lid is configured to be able to open and close the opening while maintaining connection with the bath additive container without being separated from the container, The bath additive storage section has a space large enough to allow the carbonated bath additives contained therein to roll around when hot and cold water passes through the interior, Furthermore, at least a part of the bath additive storage section is made of a transparent material, so that the carbonated bath additive stored therein can be seen from the outside. A method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water, characterized by:

[0021] 7. The method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water described in 6 above, characterized in that the opening is opened and closed by sliding the lid body in a single movement from the part covering the opening along the part adjacent to the opening.

[0022] 8. The method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water described in 6 above, wherein the lid has a hinge portion and is configured to open and close using the hinge portion as a fulcrum, and the opening is opened and closed by opening and closing the lid with a single movement.

[0023] 9. A method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water according to any one of 6 to 8 above, characterized in that the carbonated bath additive contains bicarbonate (sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate) and an organic acid, but does not contain a bicarbonate ion sequestering substance, the organic acid is at least one of citric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, and malic acid, and also contains anhydrous sodium carbonate and / or anhydrous potassium carbonate, and the pH of the hot water discharged from the hot water outlet of the shower head is 6.8 to 8.5. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] According to the inventions described in claims 1 and 6, it is possible to add the carbonated fine bubble generation effect without affecting the shower water discharge configuration of the shower head in use. This effect is not limited to shower heads that are used on a daily basis, but can also be applied to existing shower heads installed in hotels, sports gyms, etc. when traveling.

[0025] In particular, because the carbonated bath additives can be stored simply by opening the lid while the device remains connected to both the shower head and the hose, i.e., without separation or disassembly, carbonated bath additives can be easily and quickly replaced or loaded not only before bathing but also during bathing. Therefore, even if you load carbonated bath additives with wet hands while bathing, there is no risk of dropping the shower head on the bathroom floor, preventing breakage of the shower head and damage to the bathroom floor. Furthermore, since the condition of the carbonated bath additives stored in the bath additive storage section (e.g., the amount of carbonated bath additives remaining) can be easily checked, new carbonated bath additives can be promptly and appropriately stored (replenished) when the carbonated bath additives run out. This ensures that the carbonated fine bubble effect is fully realized when using the shower.

[0026] According to the invention as set forth in claim 2, when the carbonated bath additives run out, new carbonated bath additives can be stored (replenished) extremely quickly and reliably.

[0027] According to the inventions of claims 3 and 7, the opening for adding carbonated bath salts can be opened simply by sliding the lid located close to the hand holding the shower head, making it extremely easy to store (refill) carbonated bath salts.Furthermore, the opening can be closed by simply sliding the lid in the opposite direction to when it was opened.

[0028] According to the inventions of claims 4 and 8, the opening for adding carbonated bath salts can be opened simply by opening the lid located close to the hand holding the shower head, making it extremely easy to store (refill) carbonated bath salts.Furthermore, the opening can also be closed by simply closing the lid.

[0029] According to the invention shown in claim 5 or claim 9, the pH of the hot water released from the hot water outlet is kept neutral, resulting in a large amount of bicarbonate ions in the water, which is expected to have a significant effect on promoting blood circulation and cleansing.

[0030] In the present invention, "hot water" refers to water, or warm or heated water, or a mixture of both. Furthermore, in the present invention, "amount" refers to "mass" unless otherwise specified, "%" refers to "mass %" unless otherwise specified, and "parts" refers to "parts by mass" unless otherwise specified. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0031] [Figure 1] Schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a carbonated fine bubble mixed water production device [Figure 2] Schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a bath additive storage unit [Figure 3] Schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the bath additive storage unit [Figure 4] Schematic diagram showing another embodiment of the bath additive storage unit. [Figure 5] Schematic diagram showing still another embodiment of the bath additive storage unit. [Figure 6] Schematic diagram showing one embodiment of a carbonated fine bubble mixed water production device [Figure 7] Schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a bath additive storage unit (when a flow path that comes into contact with the bath additive is selected) [Figure 8] Schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a bath additive storage unit (when a flow path that does not come into contact with the bath additives is selected) [Figure 9] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a mesh-like body accommodating section (with a flow path passing through the mesh-like body selected); FIG. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a mesh-like body accommodating section (in a state where a flow path through which the mesh-like body does not pass is selected); FIG. [Figure 11] A diagram showing an example of two mesh bodies with different mesh sizes (openings). [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing another embodiment of two mesh bodies with different mesh sizes (openings). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0032] The carbonated fine bubble mixed water producing device (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the producing device) and the carbonated fine bubble mixed water producing method (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the producing method) according to the present invention will be described below based on the examples shown in Figs. 1 to 5.

[0033] The bath additive manufacturing device 1 of the present invention is provided with a bath additive storage section 5 for storing solid carbonated bath additives 4 in the hot and cold water supply path between a connecting section 3B at the rear end of a hose 3 and a connecting section 2A of a shower head 2, The hot water sent from the hose 3 to the shower head 2 dissolves the carbonated bath additives 4, generating carbonated fine bubbles, which are then mixed with the hot water to produce carbonated fine bubble-mixed water, which is then showered out from the hot water outlet 21 of the shower head 2. The bath additive container (5) is separate from the shower head (2) and is detachably connected between the connecting part (3B) at the rear end of the hose (3) and the connecting part (2A) of the shower head (2). The bath additive container 5 has connectors 5A and 5B that can be connected to the shower head 2 and the hose 3, respectively. Furthermore, the bath additive storage section 5 is fitted with a lid 54 that can open and close an opening 5C for storing carbonated bath additives 4 while maintaining connection to both the shower head 2 and the hose 3. The cover 54 is not separated from the bath additive container 5 and remains connected to the opening 5C. The structure is such that it can be opened and closed. The bath additive storage section 5 has a space 51 large enough to allow the carbonated bath additives 4 contained therein to roll around when hot and cold water passes through the interior. Furthermore, at least a part of the bath additive storage section 5 is made of a transparent material, so that the carbonated bath additives 4 stored therein can be seen from the outside. This technology is mainly composed of the above, and by using this configuration, it is possible to easily obtain carbonated fine bubble mixed water that combines the effects of carbonated spring bathing and fine bubble effects (microbubble effect, ultrafine bubble effect), which can be expected to have health-promoting effects such as cleansing effects and improved blood circulation.

[0034] As shown in Figure 2, the lid 54 of the bath additive storage compartment 5 can be opened and closed by sliding it in the direction of arrow Y from the portion covering the opening 5C along the portion adjacent to the opening 5C. This configuration allows the opening 5C, which serves as the opening for adding carbonated bath additives 4, to be opened simply by sliding the lid 54, which is located in close proximity to the hand holding the showerhead 2, making it extremely easy to add (refill) carbonated bath additives 4. Furthermore, the opening 5C can be closed simply by sliding the lid 54 in the opposite direction from when it was opened. The surface of the lid 54 is preferably textured or roughened to provide a fingertip when sliding. Furthermore, by making the contact portion between the lid body 54 and the peripheral edge portion of the opening 5C liquid-tight (for example, by providing a packing member), it is possible to prevent water leakage from this portion when the lid body 54 is closed.

[0035] Furthermore, the sliding direction Y of the cover 54 is not limited to the direction in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, but it is also preferable to set it to the direction shown in FIG.

[0036] Furthermore, as for the opening and closing mechanism of the lid body 54, it is also preferable that the lid body 54 has a hinge portion 54A as shown in FIG. 4, and is configured to open and close with the hinge portion 54A as a fulcrum. 4, when the opening 5C is closed, the lid 54 is locked by a locking member 54B, and by sliding the locking member 54B, the lid 54 can be opened in the direction of the arrow Z. In this configuration, if the lid 54 is further biased in the opening direction, the lid 54, which has been released by simply sliding the locking member 54, will open by itself due to the biasing force.

[0037] Furthermore, as for the opening and closing mechanism of the lid body 54, it is also preferable that the lid body 54 has a cylindrical shaft portion 54C as shown in Figure 5, and the lid body 54 is rotated as shown by arrow R and then pulled out to expose the shaft portion 54C, and the opening 5C provided in the shaft portion 54C is opened so that the carbonated bath additives 4 can be added. 5, it is preferable to provide a resistance mechanism in the rotation mechanism of the lid 54 that locks when the lid 54 is closed. This configuration makes it possible to prevent the lid 54 from accidentally rotating and opening the opening 5C when the shower is in use.

[0038] It is preferable that the opening 5C of the bath additive container 5 be opened and closed by the lid 54 in a single operation. With this configuration, the lid 54, located close to the hand holding the shower head 2, can be moved in one motion (one touch) to open the opening 5C, which serves as the inlet for the carbonated bath additives 4, making it extremely quick, reliable, and easy to store (replenish) the carbonated bath additives 4. Furthermore, the opening 4C can also be closed with a single motion (one touch) in the opposite direction to that used to open the lid 54. Furthermore, the carbonated bath agent 4 can be stored (refilled) in the bath agent storage section 5 without visual inspection, once the user has become accustomed to storing the carbonated bath agent 4 in the storage section 5 multiple times.

[0039] The showerhead 2 to which the manufacturing device 1 and manufacturing method of the present invention can be applied may be any known type. Typically, it comprises a hose 3 for supplying hot and cold water, a handle to which the hose 3 is connected, and a head portion integral with the handle and having hot and cold water outlets 21. The handle and head may be integral, or may be formed separately and connected or joined together into a single unit. The head may be connected directly or indirectly to the handle so that its orientation or angle can be adjusted. It may also have various water-spraying modes that allow the user to select the desired water-spraying mode depending on the user's mood or situation. It may also be a showerhead 2 having at least a head portion with hot and cold water outlets 21, i.e., a variety of existing showerheads of different types, shapes, and sizes. This includes showerheads that are commonly used, as well as existing showerheads found in hotels, gyms, and other locations during travel.

[0040] Next, the carbonated bath additive 4 that can be used in the present invention will be described. The carbonated bath additives 4 that can be used in the present invention may be any solid, regardless of their composition. There are no particular limitations on their shape or size, and they may be in the form of tablets, spheres, or granules other than cubic. For example, the most preferred carbonated bath additives 4 are those disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6268332, previously proposed by the present inventor, and are exemplified below.

[0041] After granulating bicarbonate with polyethylene glycol (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "PEG") or the like, an organic acid (particularly citric acid, succinic acid, malic acid, fumaric acid) or the like is mixed or granulated with PEG, and each of these is mixed under conditions within a certain ratio, and the excipient of the present invention is added and the tablet is formed by compression molding. The pH of the tablet immediately after dissolution is designed to be in the range described below, so that when water penetrates the tablet, it reacts to vigorously, uniformly, and continuously effervescent carbon dioxide gas, and the generated carbon dioxide gas bubbles can be generated as fine micro-sized carbon dioxide gas for a long period of time. The tablet continues to effervescent micro-sized bubbles until it is completely dissolved, and the bubbles are neutralized in water and dissociated into bicarbonate ions before volatilizing into the air, resulting in a high concentration of dissolved bicarbonate ions. The pH of the water is designed to be 5.5 to 9.0, preferably 6.0 to 8.5. In particular, when the pH when the water is discharged from the hot water outlet 21 is in the range of 6.8 to 8.5 as described above, the cleansing effect and health-promoting effects such as promoting blood circulation are maximized.

[0042] Furthermore, since the bicarbonate mixture is a granulated product prepared by coating with PEG using a fluidized bed, the above-mentioned effects, such as a continuous and uniform reaction within the tablet, are greatly exhibited.

[0043] Furthermore, the higher the tablet hardness, 15 kg or more, preferably 25 kg or more, and particularly preferably 30 kg or more, the more continuous and stable the reaction of the chlorine neutralizing compound can be obtained, and it is preferable that the tablet is molded to a high hardness so that the chlorine neutralization reaction inside the tablet can be suppressed and the dissolved part of the tablet can quickly remove chlorine in hot water. The higher the chlorine removal effect, the greater the health benefits, such as improved blood circulation and increased body temperature, even when taking a shower.

[0044] Furthermore, the tablet friability is preferably 10.0 wt% or less, more preferably 5.0 wt% or less, and even more preferably 3.0 wt% or less, so that the chlorine-neutralizing compound can continue to react stably, maximizing the efficiency of the chlorine-neutralizing reaction inside the tablet and also providing health-promoting effects such as promoting blood circulation and increasing body temperature even during showering.

[0045] For the compression molding to produce tablets of the carbonated bath additive 4 preferably used in the present invention, known compression molding machines can be used without any particular restrictions. For example, a hydraulic press, a single-punch tablet press, a rotary tablet press, a briquetting machine, etc. can be used. The size of the punch used in this tablet press, etc., is preferably 7 mm or more in diameter if the punch is circular, and preferably 7 mm or more in diameter if the punch is triangular or rectangular. The same applies to the thickness of the punch. When obtaining circular tablets, the diameter of the tablet is preferably 7 mm or more, more preferably 10 mm or more, and the thickness is also 7 mm or more, preferably 10 mm or more. When obtaining triangular or rectangular tablets, the diameter and thickness are each preferably 7 mm or more, particularly 10 mm or more, when converted to a circular tablet.

[0046] The tablets of carbonated bath additive 4 do not necessarily have to be round with a flat surface, and as long as they are solid objects of 7 mm or more, they may be oval, tablet-shaped, or spherical, with no restrictions on their shape.

[0047] It is preferable to slowly generate micro-sized bubbles in tablets of the above-mentioned hardness and friability and of a certain size or larger, thereby more efficiently dissolving carbon dioxide gas into the bathwater; therefore, the hardness should be 15 kg or more, preferably 25 kg or more, and particularly preferably 35 kg or more, and the friability should be 10.0 wt% or less, preferably 5 wt% or less, and particularly preferably 3 wt% or less, and a diameter and thickness of 10 mm or more are particularly preferred, as this will allow for more effective generation of carbon dioxide gas in the tablet, efficient dissolution of carbon dioxide gas into the water, and finer bubble diameters, making this a preferred carbonated bath additive 4 for use in the present invention.

[0048] After the water is delivered into the shower head 2 by the water production device 1 having the above configuration, the carbonated spring fine bubble mixed water that is shower-discharged from the water jet holes 21 of the shower head 2 preferably has a pH of 6.8 to 8.5. With this configuration, the water discharged from the water jet holes 21 maintains a neutral pH, resulting in a high concentration of bicarbonate ions in the water, which is expected to have a significant effect on promoting blood circulation and cleansing effects.

[0049] Next, another embodiment of the manufacturing device and manufacturing method according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0050] Between the connecting part 3B at the rear end of the hose 3 and the connecting part 2A of the shower head 2, a bath additive storage part 5 is arranged to hold a solid carbonated bath additive 4 in the hot and cold water supply path. The hot water sent from the hose 3 to the shower head 2 dissolves the carbonated bath additives 4, generating carbonated fine bubbles, which are then mixed with the hot water to produce carbonated fine bubble-mixed water, which is then showered out from the hot water outlet 21 of the shower head 2. The bath additive container (5) is separate from the shower head (2) and is detachably connected between the connecting part (3B) at the rear end of the hose (3) and the connecting part (2A) of the shower head (2). The bath additive container 5 has connectors 5A and 5B that can be connected to the shower head 2 and the hose 3, respectively. Furthermore, the bath additive storage section 5 is fitted with a lid that can open and close the opening for storing carbonated bath additives 4 while maintaining connection to both the shower head 2 and the hose 3. The lid is configured to be able to open and close the opening while maintaining connection with the bath additive container 5 without being separated from it, The bath additive storage section 5 has a space 51 large enough to allow the carbonated bath additives 4 contained therein to roll around when hot and cold water passes through the interior. The bath additive container 5 is provided with mesh containers 7·7 for accommodating mesh containers 6 on both the upstream and downstream sides thereof, and the carbonated fine bubble mixed water is further broken down by passing through the mesh containers 6 in the mesh containers 7. The bath additive container 5 and the mesh container 7·7 are each provided with a flow path switching valve 51·71, The hot and cold water flow path between the connecting part 3B at the rear end of the hose 3 and the connecting part 2A of the shower head 2 can be selected appropriately by switching the flow path switching valves 51 and 71 between a flow path 51 that comes into contact with the bath additives 4 in the bath additive storage part 5, a flow path 52 that does not come into contact with the bath additives 4 in the bath additive storage part 5, a flow path 71 that passes through the mesh body 6 in the mesh body storage part 7, and a flow path 72 that does not pass through the mesh body 6 in the mesh body storage part 7, thereby making it possible to select the flow paths shown in (1) to (7) below. This technology is mainly composed of the above, and by using this configuration, it is possible to easily obtain carbonated fine bubble mixed water that combines the effects of carbonated spring bathing and fine bubble effects (microbubble effect, ultrafine bubble effect), which can be expected to have health-promoting effects such as cleansing effects and improved blood circulation.

[0051] The flow path configuration is as follows: the flow paths are appropriately selected by the switching operation of the flow path switching valves 51 and 71. (1) From the rear end of the hose 3, the water first passes through the upstream mesh 6, then dissolves the bath additives 4, passes through the downstream mesh 6, and is released in the shower. (2) After passing through the upstream mesh body 6 from the rear end of the hose 3, the bath additive 4 is dissolved, bypassing the downstream mesh body 6, and released as a shower. (3) After the rear end of the hose 3 bypasses the upstream mesh body 6, the bath additive 4 dissolves, passes through the downstream mesh body 6, and is released as a shower. (4) The water flows from the rear end of the hose 3, bypasses the upstream mesh body 6, dissolves the bath additives 4, bypasses the downstream mesh body 6, and is released as a shower. (5) The water flows from the rear end of the hose 3 through the upstream mesh 6, bypasses the bath additives 4, passes through the downstream mesh 6, and is released as a shower. (6) The water flows from the rear end of the hose 3 through the upstream mesh body 6, bypasses the bath additives 4, bypasses the downstream mesh body 6, and is released as a shower. (7) The water is discharged from the rear end of the hose 3, bypassing the upstream mesh body 6, bypassing the bath additive 4, passing through the downstream mesh body 6, and being showered out.

[0052] Of the components of the manufacturing device 1 of the present invention, the bath additive container 5 will first be described. The bath additive container 5 has a configuration as shown in FIGS. The bath additive storage section 5 has two channels 51 and 52 inside. Of the two channels 51 and 52, one channel 51 has a space 51A for storing the bath additives 4 midway along its route, while the other channel 52 passes beside the space 51A without passing through it. The flow path 51 and the flow path 52 can be switched by operating a flow path switching valve 53 . Furthermore, the bath additive storage section 5 has an opening (not shown) that can be opened and closed using a lid (not shown), and by opening the lid, the bath additive 4 is stored inside the bath additive storage section 5.

[0053] 7, flow path switching valve 53 has a through hole in a part of a rod-shaped body protruding from one side of bath additive container 5, and this through hole is aligned with flow path 51 to allow hot water to pass through. Hot water passing through the through hole in this rod-shaped body passes into space 51A, dissolving bath additives 4 in space 51A and mixing with the generated carbon dioxide. The configuration in which hot and cold water passes through this flow path 51 corresponds to (1) to (4) among the above flow path configurations (1) to (7).

[0054] Next, by pushing one end of the rod-shaped body protruding from one side of the bath additive container 5 in the direction of arrow X, the other end of the rod-shaped body protrudes from the other side of the bath additive container 5, as shown in Figure 8. At this time, the through-hole of the rod-shaped body coincides with the flow path 52, so that the hot water passes through the flow path 52 without coming into contact with the bath additives 4. The configuration in which hot and cold water passes through this flow path 52 corresponds to (5) to (7) among the above flow path configurations (1) to (7).

[0055] Next, the mesh-like body receiving section 7 will be described. The mesh-like body housing 7 has a configuration as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, for example, and the same configuration is connected to the upstream side and downstream side of the bath additive housing 5. The mesh-like body accommodating section 7 has two systems of flow paths 71 and 72 inside. Of the two systems of flow paths 71 and 72, one of the flow paths 71 has a space 71A for accommodating the mesh-like body 6 midway along its path, and the other flow path 72 is a flow path that passes beside the space 71A without passing through it. The flow path 71 and the flow path 72 can be switched by operating a flow path switching valve 73 .

[0056] 9, the flow path switching valve 73 has a through-hole formed in a part of a rod-shaped body protruding from one side of the side of the mesh-like body accommodating section 7, and this through-hole is aligned with the flow path 71 to allow hot and cold water to pass through (pass through). Hot and cold water that passes through the through-hole in the rod-shaped body passes through space 71A, passes through the mesh-like body 6 in space 71A, and becomes fine bubble-mixed water in which the fine bubbles are further broken down (for example, microbubbles are broken down into ultrafine bubbles). The configuration through which hot and cold water passes through this flow path 71 is (1), (2), (5) and (6) on the upstream side, and (1), (3), (5) and (7) on the downstream side, among the above flow path configurations (1) to (7).

[0057] Next, by pushing one end of the rod-shaped body protruding from one side of the mesh-shaped body accommodating section 7 in the direction of arrow X, the other end of the rod-shaped body protrudes from the other side of the mesh-shaped body accommodating section 7, as shown in Figure 10. At this time, the through-hole of the rod-shaped body coincides with the flow path 72, so that hot and cold water passes through the flow path 72 without coming into contact with the mesh-shaped body 6. The configurations through which hot and cold water passes through this flow path 72 are (3), (4) and (7) on the upstream side, and (2), (4) and (6) on the downstream side, among the above flow path configurations (1) to (7).

[0058] By connecting the bath additive storage section 5 and the mesh storage sections 7·7 to both the upstream and downstream sides of the bath additive storage section 5, there are multiple water flow paths, such as flow path 71 in which the water passes through the mesh body 6 upstream of the bath additive storage section 5, flow path 72 in which the water does not pass through the upstream mesh body 6, flow path 52 in which the water comes into contact with the bath additives 4, flow path 52 in which the water does not come into contact with the bath additives 4, flow path 71 in which the water passes through the downstream mesh body 6, and flow path 72 in which the water does not pass through the downstream mesh body 6.By selecting an appropriate combination of these multiple types of flow paths 71·72·51·52·71·72 by operating the flow path switching valves 73·53·73, the desired effects can be obtained selectively or in stages. That is, various effects can be selectively obtained by simply operating the flow path switching valves 73·53·73, such as carbonated fine bubble effect, carbonated ultra-fine bubble effect, non-carbonated fine bubble effect, non-carbonated ultra-fine bubble effect, etc.

[0059] The manufacturing device 1 of the present invention has a configuration in which, from upstream to downstream, a hose 3, a mesh body accommodating section 7, a bath additive accommodating section 5, a mesh body accommodating section 7, and a shower head 2 are connected in this order, with connection section 7A of the mesh body accommodating section 7, which has a male thread configuration, connected to connection section 3B of the hose 3, which has a female thread configuration, connection section 7B of the mesh body accommodating section 7, which has a female thread configuration, connection section 5A of the bath additive accommodating section 5, which has a male thread configuration, connection section 7A of the mesh body accommodating section 7, which has a male thread configuration, connected to connection section 5B of the bath additive accommodating section 5, which has a female thread configuration, connection section 7A of the mesh body accommodating section 7, which has a male thread configuration, and connection section 7B of the mesh body accommodating section 7, which has a female thread configuration, connected to connection section 2A of the shower head 2, which has a male thread configuration.

[0060] Next, the mesh body 6 that can be used in the present invention will be described. The mesh 6 that can be used in the present invention has a mesh structure made of metal or synthetic resin with vertical and horizontal meshes, for example, as shown in Fig. 11, and the mesh size (opening) is preferably about 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm, and it is preferable to use two or more types of mesh with different mesh sizes (openings) (two types in Fig. 10).As for the arrangement order of two or more types of mesh 6 with different mesh sizes (openings), it is preferable to use mesh with finer meshes on the downstream side than on the upstream side. It is preferable that the mesh body 6 has its edges reinforced by a frame 61 so that it can maintain its shape even when subjected to the water pressure of hot and cold water.

[0061] Furthermore, the mesh body 6 is not limited to the vertical and horizontal mesh shown in Fig. 11, but may also be a plate-like material with many perforated holes as shown in Fig. 12. By using two or more types of perforated holes with different sizes, it is possible to achieve the same effect as two or more types of perforated holes with different mesh sizes (mesh openings). [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 1. Carbonated fine bubble mixed water maker 2 shower heads 2A connection 21 Hot water spout 3 hose 3B Connection 4. Carbonated bath salts 5 Bath additive storage section 5A connection 5B Connection 5C opening 51 Flow path 51A Space 52 Flow path 53 Flow path switching valve 54 Lid 54A Hinge part 54B Locking member 54C shaft 6 Reticulum 61 Frame 7 Mesh housing 7A connection 7B Connection 71 Flow path 71A Space 72 Flow path 73 Flow path switching valve

Claims

1. A bath additive container is provided between the connecting portion at the rear end of the hose and the connecting portion at the shower head, and the solid carbonated bath additive is placed in the hot water supply path. In this carbonated fine bubble mixed water producing device, the carbonated bath additive dissolves in hot water sent from a hose to a shower head, generating carbonated fine bubbles, which then mix with the hot water to produce carbonated fine bubble mixed water, which is then showered out from the hot water outlet of the shower head. The bath additive container is separate from the shower head and is detachably connected between the connecting part at the rear end of the hose and the connecting part of the shower head. The bath additive container has a connection part that can be connected to a shower head and a hose, Furthermore, the bath additive storage section is fitted with a lid that can open and close the opening for storing carbonated bath additives while maintaining connection to both the shower head and the hose. The lid is configured to be able to open and close the opening while maintaining connection with the bath additive container without being separated from the container, The bath additive storage section has a space large enough to allow the carbonated bath additives contained therein to roll around when hot and cold water passes through the interior, Furthermore, at least a part of the bath additive storage section is made of a transparent material, so that the carbonated bath additive stored therein can be seen from the outside. A carbonated fine bubble mixed water manufacturing device characterized by the above.

2. The carbonated fine bubble mixed water producing device according to claim 1, characterized in that the lid is configured so that the opening can be opened and closed with a single movement.

3. The carbonated fine bubble mixed water producing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the lid is configured to open and close by sliding from the part covering the opening along the part adjacent to the opening.

4. 3. The carbonated fine bubble mixed water producing device according to claim 1, wherein the lid has a hinge portion and is configured to open and close around the hinge portion as a fulcrum.

5. The carbonated bath additive contains bicarbonate (sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate) and an organic acid, but does not contain a bicarbonate ion sequestering substance; the organic acid is at least one of citric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, and malic acid, and also contains anhydrous sodium carbonate and / or anhydrous potassium carbonate; and the pH of the hot water discharged from the hot water outlet of the shower head is 6.8 to 8.

5.

6. A bath additive container is provided between the connecting portion at the rear end of the hose and the connecting portion at the shower head, and the solid carbonated bath additive is placed in the hot water supply path. In this method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water, the carbonated bath additive is dissolved in hot water supplied from a hose to a shower head to generate carbonated fine bubbles, which are then mixed with the hot water to produce carbonated fine bubble mixed water, which is then showered out from the hot water outlet of the shower head. The bath additive container is separate from the shower head and is detachably connected between the connecting part at the rear end of the hose and the connecting part of the shower head. Furthermore, the bath additive storage section is fitted with a lid that can open and close the opening for storing carbonated bath additives while maintaining connection to both the shower head and the hose. The lid is configured to be able to open and close the opening while maintaining connection with the bath additive container without being separated from the container, The bath additive storage section has a space large enough to allow the carbonated bath additives contained therein to roll around when hot and cold water passes through the interior, Furthermore, at least a part of the bath additive storage section is made of a transparent material, so that the carbonated bath additive stored therein can be seen from the outside. A method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water, characterized by:

7. The method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water according to claim 6, characterized in that the opening is opened and closed by sliding the lid body in a single movement from the part covering the opening along the part adjacent to the opening.

8. The method for producing carbonated fine bubble mixed water as described in claim 6, characterized in that the lid body has a hinge portion and is configured to open and close using the hinge portion as a fulcrum, and the opening is opened and closed by opening and closing the lid body with a single movement.

9. 9. The method for producing carbonated fine bubble-mixed water according to claim 6, wherein the carbonated bath additive contains a bicarbonate (sodium bicarbonate or potassium bicarbonate) and an organic acid, but does not contain a bicarbonate ion sequestering substance, the organic acid is at least one of citric acid, fumaric acid, succinic acid, and malic acid, and also contains anhydrous sodium carbonate and / or anhydrous potassium carbonate, and the pH of the hot water discharged from the hot water outlet of the shower head is 6.8 to 8.5.

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