Fine-bubble water generation device for shower head and shower head

Abstract

To provide a fine-bubble water generation device for a shower head that enables an existing in-use shower head or a newly-purchased shower head to have a high-performance fine-bubble water generation function by simple manual work performed by a user.SOLUTION: A fine-bubble water generation device for a shower head includes: a shower hose connection body 11-3; a fine-bubble water generator 33 that micronizes bubbles contained in tap water flowing in from a shower hose connection port 11-2 to generate fine-bubble water; and a shower head connection body 11-4 that holds the fine-bubble water generator and is connected to a shower head 10. The fine-bubble water generator 33 includes: a cylindrical water passage 33-1 through which tap water flows; a water entering surface body 33-2 having a plurality of branch holes that branch tap water flowing into the water passage; and a water discharging surface body 33-3 having a plurality of branch holes that branch tap water flowing out from the water passage. The shower hose connection body 11-3 and the shower head connection body 11-4 are rotatably supported about a central axis of the water passage in the fine-bubble water generator 33.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a fine bubble water generator for shower heads that enables users to easily add a high-performance fine bubble water generating function to existing or newly purchased shower heads with simple manual operations. [Background technology]

[0002] In this application, "fine bubbles" refers to microbubbles and fine bubbles (diameters of approximately 50 to 500 nm) with a diameter of approximately 100 μm or less, and "fine bubble water" refers to tap water containing many such tiny bubbles.

[0003] Fine bubble water contains bubbles that are smaller than the diameter of the pores on the human face and body, which penetrate comfortably onto the skin surface, and fine particles of solid soap, liquid soap, shampoo, etc. adhere to the surface of the bubbles in the water and penetrate finely into the skin cells and pores, improving cleansing power.

[0004] Fine bubble water penetrates human pores, sweat glands, and skin tissue, effectively removing dirt and lipids and improving blood circulation, and has therefore recently attracted attention and come to be used in the fields of beauty and health.

[0005] Known methods for generating water containing a large amount of such fine bubbles include high-speed shearing, pressurized collapse, and cavitation, but most of these involve sucking in or forcibly injecting air from the outside using an aspirator, etc. One known method is a microbubble generator that generates microbubbles by causing cavitation within a casing of a mixed fluid consisting of a liquid accelerated by an acceleration means and a gas (bubbles with a diameter of about several millimeters) introduced into the casing by a gas-liquid mixing means (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0006] Furthermore, as a method for generating microbubbles (fine bubbles) by cavitation from so-called dissolved air dissolved in water without drawing in air from the outside, a microbubble generator is known which has a first nozzle on the water inlet side, whose cross-sectional area perpendicular to its central axis gradually decreases from the inlet to the outlet, a second nozzle on the water outlet side, which is arranged continuously via a communication passage that is connected to the outlet of the first nozzle and whose cross-sectional area perpendicular to the central axis gradually increases from the inlet to the outlet, and a gap or side chamber that is open only to the communication passage (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0007] A shower head is known as an example of a microbubble generator that uses a cavitation method to generate microbubbles from dissolved air in water and applies it to beauty and health benefits (see, for example, Patent Document 3). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0008] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-021343 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-136864 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-002196 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0009] However, the microbubble generator disclosed in Patent Document 1 requires a large device to mix gas and liquid by accelerating water stored in a tank, making it unsuitable for general household shower equipment that is directly connected to a water pipe.

[0010] Furthermore, in the microbubble generator disclosed in Patent Document 2, the water flow that has suddenly expanded in the communication passage with the side chamber is reduced in pressure by throttling it with the second nozzle, which can cause a drop in water pressure and prevent a sufficient amount of water from being supplied. For this reason, the width of the side chamber in the axial flow direction must be adjusted depending on the water pressure, making it unsuitable for installation in shower facilities in ordinary household baths.

[0011] Patent Document 3 describes a household shower head that generates microbubble water, but the microbubble generator is pre-installed in the shower head, and the fine bubble generator is not configured to be attachable to shower equipment such as an existing shower head or a regular shower head.

[0012] Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a fine bubble water generator for shower heads that can give existing shower heads in use or newly purchased shower heads a high-performance fine bubble water generation function through simple manual operations by the user themselves. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] In order to solve the above problems, a first embodiment of the fine bubble water generator for a shower head according to the present invention comprises a shower hose connector having a shower hose connection port connected to the water outlet of a shower hose, a fine bubble water generator that generates fine bubble water by micronizing water bubbles contained in tap water flowing in from the shower hose connection port, and a shower head connector that holds the fine bubble water generator and has a shower head connection port through which the fine bubble water generated in the fine bubble water generator flows out to the shower head. The fine bubble water generator is composed of a cylindrical water passage through which tap water flows, a water inlet face having a plurality of branch holes that branch the tap water flowing into the water passage, and a water outlet face having a plurality of branch holes that branch the tap water flowing out of the water passage, The shower hose connector and the shower head connector are joined to each other via a pivoting mechanism that supports them so that they can rotate freely around the central axis of the water passage within the fine bubble water generator.

[0014] This means that simply by removing the shower hose connected to the shower head from an existing or newly purchased shower head, connecting the shower head connection port of this fine bubble water generator to the water inlet of the shower head, and then connecting the shower hose connection port of this fine bubble water generator to the water outlet of the removed shower hose, it is possible to give an existing or newly purchased shower head the ability to generate fine bubble water.

[0015] Furthermore, the shower hose connector and the shower head connector are joined to each other via a pivoting mechanism that supports them so that they can rotate freely around the central axis of the water passage within the fine bubble water generator, making it possible to change the direction in which fine bubble water is released from the shower head without twisting the shower hose.

[0016] A second embodiment of the fine bubble water generator for a shower head according to the present invention comprises a shower hose connector having a shower hose connection port connected to the water outlet of a shower hose; a fine bubble water generator holder that holds a fine bubble water generator that generates fine bubble water by micronizing water bubbles contained in tap water flowing in from the shower hose connection port; a shower head connector having a shower head connection port through which the fine bubble water generated in the fine bubble water generator flows out to the shower head; and a connecting bracket that connects the fine bubble water generator holder and the shower head connector. The fine bubble water generator is composed of a cylindrical water passage through which tap water flows, a water inlet face having a plurality of branch holes that branch the tap water flowing into the water passage, and a water outlet face having a plurality of branch holes that branch the tap water flowing out of the water passage, The shower hose connector and the fine bubble water generator holder are joined to each other via a rotation mechanism that supports them rotatably around the central axis of the water passage in the fine bubble water generator, and further The shower head connector has a spherical socket that can be swiveled in all directions within a predetermined angle range relative to the connecting bracket and has a water passage hole at its center for passing fine bubble water from the fine bubble water generator, and the connecting bracket has a receiving surface that receives the spherical socket in a sliding state, The shower head connector is supported by the connection bracket so as to be oscillating in all directions within a predetermined range of angles.

[0017] Thus, in addition to the advantageous effects of the first embodiment described above, the second embodiment of the present invention allows the direction of the water flow from the shower head to be swiveled in all directions within a predetermined range of angles relative to the axial direction of the shower hose while the shower head is in use.

[0018] The rotation mechanism in the first and second embodiments of the present invention is composed of an elastic C-shaped circle lip interposed between a first groove provided in the shower hose connector and a second groove provided in the shower head connector.

[0019] Furthermore, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the shower head connector is configured to be supported via the connecting bracket so that it can be swiveled in 360° directions within a predetermined range of angles relative to the fine bubble water generator.

[0020] In the fine bubble water generator for shower heads of the present invention, the branch holes in the water inlet panel are inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the central axis of the water passage, so that tap water entering the water inlet panel collides with the water passage surface at a predetermined angle.

[0021] In addition, the multiple branch holes provided in the water inlet surface are each equally spaced at a predetermined distance from the center of the water inlet surface, and the multiple branch holes provided in the water outlet surface are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the central axis of the water passage.

[0022] The branch holes on the outlet body are each arranged at equal intervals at a predetermined distance from the center of the outlet body. The thickness of the inlet body is preferably at least 1 / 4 of the diameter of the water passage, and the centers of the branch holes on the inlet body and the outlet body are offset by a predetermined angle so that they do not coincide when viewed from the direction of the central axis of the water passage, thereby enabling the production of more fine bubble water.

[0023] Furthermore, the inner wall of the water passage is formed with uneven sections due to spiral cuts, and water flowing in from the multiple branch holes of the water inlet face comes into contact with and collides with the spiral uneven sections, causing turbulence in the water passage, and the air bubbles in the tap water are finely crushed, causing fine bubble water to flow out from the multiple branch holes of the water outlet face.

[0024] The present invention also provides a shower head in which the above-mentioned shower head fine bubble water generator is connected to the shower head's water inlet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] The first effect of the present invention is that, with just a few simple steps, users can easily equip their existing or newly purchased shower head with high-performance fine bubble water generation capabilities by simply removing the shower hose connected to the shower head from the shower head they are currently using or have newly purchased, connecting the shower head connector of the fine bubble water generator to the water inlet of the shower head, and then connecting the shower head connector of the fine bubble water generator to the water outlet of the removed shower hose.

[0026] Furthermore, since the shower hose connector and the shower head connector are joined to each other via a pivoting mechanism that supports them so that they can rotate freely around the central axis of the water passage within the fine bubble water generator, it is possible to change the direction in which fine bubble water is released from the shower head without twisting the shower hose.

[0027] Furthermore, in the second embodiment of the present invention, with the above-described configuration, the shower head connector is supported so as to be swingable in all directions within a predetermined range of angles relative to the connection bracket. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] 1 shows the installation relationship of a fine bubble water generating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, installed between a shower head and a shower hose. [Figure 2] 1 shows a state in which a fine bubble water generating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a shower head. [Figure 3] 10 shows the installation relationship of a fine bubble water generating device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, installed between a shower head and a shower hose. [Figure 4] 10 shows a state in which a fine bubble water generating device according to a second embodiment of the present invention is attached to a shower head. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B show the appearance of a fine bubble water generating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 1A is a perspective view of the fine bubble water generating device as seen from the shower head connection port side, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the fine bubble water generating device as seen from the shower hose connection port side. [Figure 6] 1 shows the appearance of a fine bubble water generating device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) is a perspective view seen from the side where the fine bubble water generating device connects to a shower head, and (b) is a perspective view seen from the side where the fine bubble water generating device connects to a shower hose. [Figure 7]1A and 1B show the structure of a fine bubble water generating device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view and FIG. 1B is a configuration diagram. [Figure 8] 1 shows the structure of a fine bubble water generating device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows a cross-sectional view and (b) shows the configuration. [Figure 9] This shows the configuration (part 1) of a fine bubble water generator housed in the fine bubble water generator of the present invention. (a) shows the internal configuration of the fine bubble water generator housed in this fine bubble water generator. (b) shows the side of the water inlet face and the side of the water outlet face. The holes in the water inlet face (three in the example shown in Figure 9) and the holes in the water outlet face (three in the example shown in Figure 9) are arranged so that they do not coincide in the direction of water flow. (c) shows a perspective view of the AA' cross section of the fine bubble water generator shown in (b). A spiral cut is made on the inner surface of the cylinder, and unevenness is formed in the water passage of the fine bubble water generator. [Figure 10] This shows the configuration (part 2) of a fine bubble water generator housed within the fine bubble water generator of the present invention. (a) shows the internal configuration of the fine bubble water generator housed within this fine bubble water generator. (b) shows the side of the water inlet and the side of the water outlet. The holes in the water inlet (four in the example shown in Figure 10) and the holes in the water outlet (four in the example shown in Figure 10) are arranged so that they do not coincide in the direction of water flow (they are rotated approximately 90 degrees). (c) shows the BB' cross section of the fine bubble water generator shown in (b). A spiral cut is made on the inner surface of the cylinder, and unevenness is formed in the water passage of the fine bubble water generator. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] The fine bubble water generating device for a shower head according to the present invention will be described in detail below.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows an installation relationship in which a fine bubble water generator 11 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is installed between a shower head 10 (water inlet 10-1) and a shower hose 12 (water outlet 12-2).

[0031] The fine bubble water generator 11 of the first embodiment of the present invention enables an existing or newly purchased shower head to have fine bubble water generation capabilities by removing the shower head 10 currently in use or a newly purchased shower head from the shower hose 12 connected to the shower head 10, connecting the shower head connection port 11-1 of the shower head connector 11-4 (see Figures 5 and 7) of the fine bubble water generator 11 to the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10, and then connecting the shower hose connection port 11-2 of the shower hose connector 11-3 (see Figures 5 and 7) of the fine bubble water generator 11 to the water outlet 12-2 of the removed shower hose 12.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the water inlet 10-1 (male thread) of the existing shower head 10 is screwed into the water outlet 12-2 (female thread) of the shower hose 12, so the shower head 10 can be easily removed from the shower hose 12 by turning the handle portion 10-2 of the shower head 10 counterclockwise relative to the shower hose 12.

[0033] Then, with the shower head 10 detached from the shower hose 12, the fine bubble water generator 11 can be installed between the shower head 10 and the shower hose 12. The internal structure of the fine bubble water generator 11 will be explained in detail in Figure 7.

[0034] The technical standards for the threading of the shower head 10's water inlet 10-1 (male thread) and the shower hose's water outlet 12-2 (female thread) are based on the international general-purpose standard G1 / 2 interface standard, and this shower head fine bubble water generator 11 can be installed between the shower head 10 and the shower hose 12 after the shower head 10 has been removed from the shower hose 12.

[0035] As an exception, some major shower head manufacturers sell shower heads with threaded connections that conform to their own technical standards. In such cases, the manufacturer provides an adapter to convert the technical standard of the threaded connection between the shower head 10 and shower hose 12 from the proprietary standard to the G1 / 2 standard. By using this adapter, the fine bubble water generating device can be easily attached between the shower head 10 and shower hose 12 while the shower head 10 is removed from the shower hose 12.

[0036] Thus, the fine bubble water generator 11 for shower heads according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a shower hose connector 11-3 having a shower hose connection port 11-2 connected to the water outlet 12-2 of the shower hose 12; a fine bubble water generator 33 that generates fine bubble water by micronizing the bubbles contained in the tap water flowing in from the shower hose connection port 11-2; and a shower head connector 11-4 that holds the fine bubble water generator 33 inside and has a shower head connection port 11-1 through which the fine bubble water generated in the fine bubble water generator 33 flows out to the shower head. Therefore, simply by connecting the shower hose connector 11-4 of the fine bubble water generator 11 to the water outlet 12-2 of the shower hose 12, it is possible to give an existing or newly purchased shower head 10 the ability to generate fine bubble water.

[0037] Figure 2 shows a fine bubble water generator 11 according to a first embodiment of the present invention attached to a shower head 10. Here, the shower hose connection port 11-2 of the fine bubble water generator 11 has a male thread of the same standard as the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10 shown in Figure 1, and is therefore directly threaded into the water outlet 12-2 (female thread) of the shower hose 12.

[0038] FIG. 3 shows the installation relationship of a fine bubble water generator according to a second embodiment of the present invention, installed between a shower head (water inlet) and a shower hose (water outlet).

[0039] As shown in Figure 3, the fine bubble water generator 13 of the second embodiment of the present invention allows an existing or newly purchased shower head to have fine bubble water generation functionality by removing the currently used or newly purchased shower head 10 from the shower hose 12 connected to the shower head 10, connecting the shower head connector 13-4 (see Figure 8) of the fine bubble water generator 13 to the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10, and then connecting the shower hose connection port 13-2 of the shower hose connector 13-4 of the fine bubble water generator 13 to the water outlet 12-2 of the removed shower hose 12.

[0040] In this fine bubble water generating device 13 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the water inlet 10-1 (male thread) of the existing shower head 10 is screwed into the water outlet 12-2 (female thread) of the shower hose 12, so that the shower head 10 can be removed from the shower hose 12 by turning the shower head 10 counterclockwise relative to the shower hose 12.

[0041] After removing the shower head 10 from the shower hose 12, the fine bubble water generator 13 can be installed between the shower head 10 and the shower hose 12.

[0042] This shower head fine bubble water generator 13 has a shower head connector 13-8 (see Figures 6 and 8) that fits the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10 and a shower hose connection port 13-2 that fits the water outlet 12-2 of the shower hose 12.By simply connecting the shower head connection port 13-1 of the shower head connector 13-8 (see Figures 6 and 8) to the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10 and the shower hose connection port 13-2 of the shower hose connector 13-4 (see Figures 6 and 8) to the water outlet 12-2 of the shower hose 12, it is possible to give an existing or newly purchased shower head 10 the ability to generate fine bubble water.

[0043] Figure 4 shows a fine bubble water generator 13 according to a second embodiment of the present invention attached to a shower head 10. As described above, the shower hose connection port 13-2 of the shower hose connector 13-4 of the fine bubble water generator 13 has a male thread of the same standard as the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10 shown in Figure 4, and therefore can be directly screwed onto the water outlet 12-2 of the shower hose 12.

[0044] Figure 5 shows the appearance of the fine bubble water generator 11 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows an upper oblique view of the shower head connection port 11-1 of the fine bubble water generator 11 as seen from diagonally above, and (b) shows a lower oblique view of the shower hose connection port 11-2 of the fine bubble water generator 11 as seen from diagonally below.

[0045] In Figure 5, the fine bubble water generator 11 according to the first embodiment of the present invention has a shower head connector 11-4 having a shower head connection port 11-1 and a water inlet 11-2 that screws onto the water outlet 12-2 (Figure 1) of the shower hose 12, and the fine bubble water generator 33 is supported within the shower head connection 11-4, and the water inlet face 33-2 of this fine bubble water generator 33 is supported so as to fit into the shower hose connector 11-3 (see Figure 7) of the fine bubble water generator 11.

[0046] As will be described later, the shower head connector 11-4 and the shower hose connector 11-3 are fitted together so as to be rotatable relative to each other in the axial direction by an internal rotation mechanism shown in FIG. 7(b) which will be described later.

[0047] As shown in Figure 5(b), the fine bubble water generator 33 housed in the fine bubble water generating device 11 is designed so that its water inlet face (symbol 33-2 in Figure 9) roughly coincides with the water inlet surface of the water inlet face 13-2 of the fine bubble water generator 33.

[0048] Figure 6 shows the appearance of a fine bubble water generator 13 according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows an upper oblique view of the shower head connection port 13-1 of the shower head connector 13-8 of the fine bubble water generator 13, viewed from diagonally above, and (b) shows a lower oblique view of the shower head connection port 13-2 of the shower hose connector 13-4 of the fine bubble water generator 13, viewed from diagonally below.

[0049] As shown in Figure 6, the fine bubble water generator 33 is held in a fine bubble water generator holder 13-6, and as shown in Figure 6(b), the fine bubble water generator 33 housed in the fine bubble water generating device 13 is held so that its water inlet face (symbol 33-2 in Figure 9) roughly coincides with the water inlet face of the fine bubble water generator 33.

[0050] In the fine bubble water generator 13 of this second embodiment, similar to the fine bubble water generator 11 of the first embodiment described above, the fine bubble water generator holder 13-6 and the shower hose connector 13-4 are fitted together so as to be rotatable axially relative to each other by an internal rotation mechanism shown in Figure 8(b).

[0051] FIG. 7 shows the structure of a fine bubble water generator 11 according to a first embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows a cross-sectional view and (b) shows the configuration.

[0052] The fine bubble water generator 11 according to the first embodiment of the present invention mainly comprises a shower hose connector 11-3 having a shower hose connection port 11-2 connected to the water outlet 12-2 of the shower hose 12, a fine bubble water generator 33 that generates fine bubble water by micronizing the bubbles contained in the tap water flowing in from the shower hose connection port 11-2, and a shower head connector 11-4 that holds the fine bubble water generator 33 inside and has a shower head connection port 11-1 through which the fine bubble water generated in the fine bubble water generator 33 flows out toward the shower head 10.

[0053] The shower head connector 11-4 is rotatably fitted to the shower hose connector 11-3 via a C-shaped circle clip 11-6. This C-shaped circle clip 11-6 has elasticity that causes it to expand in the direction of increasing its diameter from the C-shaped notch, and as shown in the AA' cross section of Figure 7(a), it is inserted between a groove on the outer surface of the fine bubble water generator 33 in the shower head connector 11-4 and a groove on the inner surface of the shower hose connector 11-3, joining the shower hose connector 11-3 to the shower head connector 11-4 by slidably holding it at its sliding surface 11-5.

[0054] The fine bubble water generator 11 also includes a rubber washer 11-7 to prevent water leakage between the shower hose connector 11-3 and the water outlet 12-2 of the shower hose 12. A rubber washer (not shown) to prevent water leakage is also provided between the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10 and the shower head connection port 11-1 connected to the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10.

[0055] FIG. 8 shows the structure of a fine bubble water generating device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (a) shows a cross-sectional view and (b) shows the configuration.

[0056] The fine bubble water generator 11 according to the second embodiment of the present invention mainly comprises a shower hose connector 13-4 having a shower hose connector 13-4, a fine bubble water generator holder 13-6 that holds the fine bubble water generator 33, a connecting bracket 13-7, and a shower head connector 13-8 having a spherical socket 13-8-1.

[0057] The fine bubble water generator holder 13-6 is rotatably fitted to the shower hose connector 13-4 via a C-shaped circle clip 13-3. This C-shaped circle clip 13-3 has elasticity that causes it to expand in the direction of increasing its diameter from the C-shaped notch, and as shown in the AA' cross section of Figure 8(a), it is inserted between a groove on the outer peripheral surface of the fine bubble water generator 33 of the shower head connector 13-8 and a groove on the inner peripheral surface of the shower hose connector 13-4, and slidably holds and joins the shower hose connector 13-4 to the fine bubble water generator holder 13-6 at its sliding surface 13-5.

[0058] The shower head connector 13-8 has a spherical socket 13-8-1 with a water passage hole 13-8-2 in its center, and the spherical socket 13-8-1 passes through the inside of the connecting bracket 13-7 and faces the water outlet body 33-3 of the fine bubble water generator 33 (see Figure 9).

[0059] To prevent water leakage, a hard rubber spherical C-shaped washer 13-9 is placed between the spherical socket 13-8-1 and the connecting bracket 13-7, and a spherical round washer 13-10 is placed between the spherical socket 13-8-1 and the water outlet body 33-3 (see Figure 9) of the fine bubble water generator 33. This allows the shower head connector 13-8 to be supported oscillatably in all directions within a predetermined angle range relative to the connecting bracket 13-7.

[0060] In addition, a washer 13-11 to prevent water leakage is placed between the shower hose connector 13-4 and the water outlet 12-2 of the shower hose 12, and a rubber washer (not shown) to prevent water leakage is placed between the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10 and the shower head connection port 13-1 connected to the water inlet 10-1 of the shower head 10.

[0061] Next, the fine bubble water generator 33 housed in the fine bubble water generators 11 and 13 according to the present invention will be described in detail.

[0062] Fig. 9 shows a first example of the structure of a fine bubble water generator 33 according to the present invention, with Fig. 9(a) showing a cross-sectional view from the side in the direction of water flow. The left diagram of Fig. 9(b) shows the fine bubble water generator 33 as seen from its water inlet body 33-2, the right diagram of Fig. 9(b) shows the fine bubble water generator 33 as seen from its water outlet body 33-3, and Fig. 9(c) shows a cross-section of the water passage 33-1.

[0063] Tap water flows in from the water inlet face 33-2 shown in the right diagram of Figure 9(a) and passes through the fine bubble water generator 33 to generate fine bubble water, which then flows out through the water outlet face 33-3 into the shower head 10.

[0064] As shown in Figure 9(a), in the first embodiment of the present invention, the fine bubble water generator 33 of the fine bubble water generator 11, 13 for shower heads is placed within the shower head connector 11-4 as shown in Figure 7, and in the second embodiment of the present invention, it is placed within the fine bubble water generator holder 13-6 as shown in Figure 8.

[0065] As shown in Figure 9, the fine bubble water generator 33 passes tap water flowing in from a water inlet face 33-2 through a cylindrical water passage 33-1, and the fine bubble water formed there flows out from a water outlet face 33-3.

[0066] The water inlet body 33-2 and the water outlet body 33-3 are provided with a plurality of branch holes. In the first example shown in Fig. 9, three holes are provided in both the water inlet body 33-2 and the water outlet body 33-3. In the second example shown in Fig. 10, four holes are provided in both the water inlet body 33-2 and the water outlet body 33-3. However, the number of holes is not limited to this.

[0067] The branch holes provided in the water inlet body 33-2 and the water outlet body 33-3 are each disposed at equal intervals at a predetermined distance from the center of the water inlet body. At least the branch holes 36 provided in the water inlet body 33-2 are drilled at a predetermined angle to the central axis of the water passage 33-1.

[0068] When viewed from the direction of the central axis of the water passage 33-1, the central positions of the branch holes 36, 37 in the water inlet face 33-2 and the water outlet face 33-3 are arranged to be offset by a predetermined angle so as not to coincide.

[0069] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 10(c), the inner wall of the water passage 33-1 has uneven sections formed by spiral cuts, and water flowing in from the multiple branch holes 36 of the water inlet surface 33-2 comes into contact with and collides with the spiral uneven sections on the inner wall of the water passage 33-1, causing turbulence in the water passage 33-1, and the air bubbles in the tap water are finely crushed, causing a large amount of fine bubble water to flow out from the multiple branch holes 37 of the water outlet surface 33-3.

[0070] Here, the thickness dimension of the water inlet surface 33-2 is set to be at least 1 / 4 of the diameter of the water passage 33-1, so that the water flowing in from the multiple branch holes 36 of the water inlet surface 33-2 hits the spiral unevenness on the inner wall of the water passage 33-1 at a predetermined angle.

[0071] Figure 10 shows a second example of the structure of a fine bubble water generator 33 according to the present invention, with (a) showing a cross-sectional view from the side in the direction of water flow. The left side of Figure 10(b) shows the fine bubble water generator 33 as seen from the water inlet body 33-2 side, the right side of Figure 10(b) shows the fine bubble water generator 33 as seen from the water outlet body 33-3 side, and Figure 10(c) shows a cross-section of the water passage 33-1 with spiral irregularities on the inner wall.

[0072] Tap water flows in from the water inlet face 33-2 shown in the right diagram of Figure 10(a) and passes through the fine bubble water generator 33 to generate fine bubble water, which then flows out through the water outlet face 33-3 into the shower head 10.

[0073] The water inlet surface 33-2 and the water outlet surface 33-3 are formed from brass, resin or stainless steel material having a thickness of at least 5 millimeters, and the cylindrical water passage 33-1 is formed from brass, stainless steel or resin material.

[0074] The fine bubble water generator 33 housed in the fine bubble water generators 11 and 13 of the present invention thus has a water inlet face 33-2 and a water outlet face 33-3 arranged on either side of a cylindrical water passage 33-1, with the inflow direction twisted at a predetermined angle relative to the axial direction of the water passage 33-1 by the multiple branch holes 36 in the water inlet face 33-2. This causes the water to come into contact with and collide with the spiral irregularities on the inner wall of the water passage 33-1, creating turbulence in the water passage 33-1, finely crushing the bubbles in the tap water and allowing a large amount of fine bubble water to efficiently flow out of the multiple branch holes 37 in the water outlet face 33-3. This allows the fine bubble water generator 33 to be made compact, enabling it to be housed in the shower head fine bubble water generators 11 and 13.

[0075] Furthermore, with the fine bubble water generators 11, 13 of the present invention, all a user needs to do is remove the shower hose 12 connected to the shower head 10 from the shower head 10 that is currently in use or has been newly purchased, connect the shower head connectors 11-4, 13-8 of the fine bubble water generators 11, 13 to the water inlet of the shower head 11, and then connect the shower head connectors 11-4, 13-8 of the fine bubble water generators 11, 13 to the water outlet 12-2 of the removed shower hose 12. This simple process allows the user to easily equip an existing or newly purchased shower head with high-performance fine bubble water generation capabilities.

[0076] Furthermore, in the fine bubble water generators 11 and 13 according to the present invention, the shower hose connectors 11-3 and 13-4 and the shower head connectors 11-4 and 13-8 are joined so as to be rotatable around the central axis of the water passage 33-1 in the fine bubble water generator 33, making it possible to change the direction in which fine bubble water is released from the shower head without twisting the shower hose.

[0077] In the fine bubble water generating device 13 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, the shower head connector 13-8 is supported so as to be able to swing in all directions within a predetermined range of angles relative to the shower hose 12, making it possible to arbitrarily change the angle at which the fine bubble water is released from the shower head 10. [Explanation of symbols]

[0078] 10. Shower head 12 shower hose 11, 13 Fine bubble water generator for shower heads 11-3 Shower hose connector 11-4 Shower head connector 11-6 C-shaped circle clip 13-4 Shower hose connector 13-6 Fine bubble water generator holder 13-7 Connecting bracket 13-8 Shower head connector 13-8-1 Spherical socket 13-9 Spherical C-type washer 13-10 Spherical Receptacle Round Washer 33 Fine Bubble Water Generator 33-1 Canal 33-2 Water entry surface 33-3 Demi-Hedotai

Claims

1. a shower hose connector having a shower hose connection port connected to a water outlet of a shower hose; a fine bubble water generator that generates fine bubble water by micronizing water bubbles contained in tap water flowing in from the shower hose connection port; a shower head connector that holds the fine bubble water generator and has a shower head connection port through which the fine bubble water generated in the fine bubble water generator flows out to a shower head, The fine bubble water generator comprises: A cylindrical waterway through which tap water flows, a water inlet face having a plurality of branching holes that branch tap water flowing into the water channel; and a water outlet body having a plurality of branching holes that branch the tap water flowing out from the water channel, A fine bubble water generator for a shower head, characterized in that the shower hose connector and the shower head connector are joined to each other via a pivoting mechanism that supports them rotatably around the central axis of the water passage within the fine bubble water generator.

2. a shower hose connector having a shower hose connection port connected to a water outlet of a shower hose; a fine bubble water generator holder that holds a fine bubble water generator that generates fine bubble water by micronizing water bubbles contained in tap water flowing in from the shower hose connection port; and a shower head connector having a shower head connection port through which the fine bubble water generated in the fine bubble water generator flows out to the shower head; a connecting bracket that connects the fine bubble water generator holder and the shower head connector, The fine bubble water generator comprises: A cylindrical waterway through which tap water flows, a water inlet face having a plurality of branching holes that branch tap water flowing into the water channel; and a water outlet body having a plurality of branching holes that branch the tap water flowing out from the water channel, The shower hose connector and the fine bubble water generator holder are joined to each other via a rotation mechanism that supports them rotatably around the central axis of the water passage in the fine bubble water generator, and further The shower head connector is oscillating in all directions within a predetermined angle range relative to the connecting bracket, and has a spherical socket at its center with a water passage hole through which fine bubble water from the fine bubble water generator passes. the connecting bracket has a receiving surface that receives the spherical socket in a sliding state; A fine bubble water generating device for a shower head, characterized in that the shower head connector is supported so that it can be swiveled in all directions within a predetermined range of angles relative to the connecting bracket.

3. 3. The fine bubble water generating device for a shower head as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the pivoting mechanism is composed of an elastic C-shaped circle lip interposed between a first groove provided in the shower hose connector and a second groove provided in the shower head connector.

4. The fine bubble water generator for a shower head as described in claim 2, characterized in that the water passage hole of the spherical socket is connected to the water outlet of the fine bubble water generator via the connecting bracket, sandwiching a spherical receiving washer.

5. The fine bubble water generating device for a shower head according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of branch holes provided in the water inlet face are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the central axis of the water passage.

6. 4. The fine bubble water generating device for a shower head as described in claim 3, wherein the plurality of branch holes provided in the water inlet face are each equally spaced at a predetermined distance from the center of the water inlet face.

7. The fine bubble water generating device for a shower head according to claim 3, wherein the plurality of branch holes provided in the water outlet face are inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the central axis of the water passage.

8. The fine bubble water generating device for a shower head as described in claim 5, wherein the plurality of branch holes provided in the water outlet body are each equally spaced at a predetermined distance from the center of the water outlet body.

9. The fine bubble water generating device for a shower head according to claim 3, wherein the thickness of the water inlet body is at least 1 / 4 of the diameter of the water passage.

10. The fine bubble water generating device for a shower head as described in claim 7, characterized in that, when viewed from the direction of the central axis of the water passage, the center positions of the branch holes in the water inlet face and the water outlet face are offset by a predetermined angle so as not to coincide.

11. The inner wall of the water passage is formed with uneven portions formed by spiral cuts, The fine bubble water generating device for a shower head described in claim 10, characterized in that water flowing in from the multiple branch holes of the water inlet facet comes into contact with and collides with the spiral uneven portion, causing turbulence in the water passage, and air bubbles in the tap water are finely crushed, causing fine bubble water to flow out from the multiple branch holes of the water outlet facet.

12. A shower head and A shower head having the fine bubble water generator for a shower head according to claim 1 connected to a water inlet of the shower head.

13. A shower head and A shower head having the fine bubble water generating device for a shower head according to claim 2 connected to a water inlet of the shower head.

Images