Circulation type bathing facility and control method

Abstract

To achieve both maintenance of a sanitary state and reduction of power consumption even when the number of bathers is rapidly changed.SOLUTION: A bathing apparatus includes: a bathing tank 2; a storage tank 3 that stores water OF overflowing from the bathing tank 2; a first return path 6 that is a path for returning the water passing through the bathing tank 2 as a laminar flow LF to the bathing tank 2; a second return path 7 that is a path for returning the water stored in the storage tank 3 to the bathing tank 2; a filtering device 5 that filters the water returned to the bathing tank 2; a number-of-people measuring device that can measure the number of people that can be associated with the number of bathers in the bathing tank 2; and a control device. The control device can control at least one of a flow rate of the first return path 6 and a flow rate of the second return path 7 based on a measurement result of the number-of-people measuring device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a circulating bathing facility and a control method for controlling the circulating flow rate in the circulating bathing facility. [Background technology]

[0002] In water tanks used for bathing, such as bathtubs and pools, water is circulated and filtered to maintain hygienic conditions. Aiming to reduce power consumption in facilities with these types of water tanks, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-247633 (Patent Document 1) discloses an invention that controls the inverter of a circulation and filtration device based on the chlorine concentration, the amount of chemical solution injected, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-247633 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Because water contamination in a water tank is primarily caused by an increase in the number of bathers, a sudden increase in the number of bathers can lead to a rapid progression of water contamination. The monitored items used to control the inverter in the invention described in Patent Document 1 are all parameters that respond relatively slowly to the progression of water contamination. Therefore, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, if contamination progresses rapidly due to a sudden increase in the number of bathers, the increase in the operating output of the circulation and filtration device may not be sufficient. Therefore, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to provide a margin of operating output for the circulation and filtration device in order to ensure the ability to deal with sudden contamination, which could result in insufficient reduction in power consumption.

[0005] Therefore, it is desirable to realize a circulating bathing facility and a control method for controlling the circulating flow rate in a circulating bathing facility that can maintain hygienic conditions and reduce power consumption even when the number of bathers changes suddenly. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The circulating bathing facility of the present invention comprises a bathing bath, a storage tank for storing water overflowing from the bathing bath, a first return path which is a path for returning water that has passed through the bathing bath as a laminar flow to the bathing bath, a second return path which is a path for returning water stored in the storage tank to the bathing bath, a filtration device which filters the water returned to the bathing bath, a people counting device which can measure a number of people that can be correlated with the number of bathers in the bathing bath, and a control device, and is characterized in that the control device can control at least one of the flow rate of the first return path and the flow rate of the second return path based on the measurement results of the people counting device.

[0007] The control method of the present invention is a control method for controlling the circulation flow rate in a circulating bathing facility that includes a bathing tub, a storage tank that stores water that overflows from the bathing tub, a first return path that is a path for returning water that has passed through the bathing tub as a laminar flow to the bathing tub, a second return path that is a path for returning water stored in the storage tank to the bathing tub, and a filtration device that filters the water returned to the bathing tub, and is characterized by including a people measurement process that measures a number of people that can be associated with the number of bathers in the bathing tub, and a control process that controls at least one of the flow rate of the first return path and the flow rate of the second return path based on the measurement results of the people measurement process.

[0008] These configurations make it possible to maintain hygienic conditions while reducing power consumption even when the number of bathers changes suddenly. Furthermore, it is easy to maintain hygienic conditions and reduce power consumption while achieving the number of circulations required by law and industry standards.

[0009] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below, but the scope of the present invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments described below.

[0010] In one aspect of the circulating bathing facility of the present invention, it is preferable that the control device be able to increase the flow rate of the second return path when the trend of a decrease in the number of people measured by the number of people counting device meets a predetermined condition.

[0011] With this configuration, if the water level in the bathtub drops due to a decrease in the number of bathers, the water level can be quickly restored.

[0012] In one aspect of the circulating bathing facility of the present invention, it is preferable that the control device be able to increase the flow rate of the second return path and decrease the flow rate of the first return path when the decreasing trend in the number of people measured by the number of people counting device meets predetermined conditions.

[0013] This configuration allows the water level to recover more smoothly.

[0014] In one aspect, the circulating bathing facility of the present invention further includes a bathtub measuring device that can measure at least one of the water quality and water level of the bathtub, and it is preferable that the control device can control at least one of the flow rate of the first return path and the flow rate of the second return path based on the measurement results of the number of people counting device and the measurement results of the bathtub measuring device.

[0015] According to this configuration, the flow rate is controlled based on a plurality of criteria, so that more accurate control can be achieved.

[0016] In one aspect, the circulating bathing facility of the present invention further includes a storage tank water level meter that can measure the water level of the storage tank, and it is preferable that the control device can control the flow rate of the second return path based on the measurement results of the storage tank water level meter.

[0017] This configuration makes it easier to balance laminar flow and overflow.

[0018] In one aspect, the circulating bathing facility of the present invention further comprises a flow meter capable of measuring the flow rate of water passing through the filtration device, and it is preferable that the control device be able to determine whether or not the filtration device needs to be cleaned based on the measurement results of the flow meter.

[0019] This configuration makes it possible to maintain the filtering performance of the filtering device while suppressing the waste of water caused by excessive cleaning of the filtering device.

[0020] Further features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of exemplary and non-limiting embodiments, which is given with reference to the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0021] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a circulating bathing facility according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] A block diagram showing the configuration of a circulating bathing facility for an embodiment. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a circulating bathing facility related to a first variant example. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram showing the configuration of a circulating bathing facility related to a second variant example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which the present invention is applied to a circulating bathing facility 1 and a control method thereof, as shown in Figs.

[0023] [Configuration of circulating bathing facilities] The circulating bathing facility 1 according to this embodiment comprises a bathing tub 2, a storage tank 3, a circulation pump 4, a filtration device 5, a first return path 6, a second return path 7, a people counting device 8, and a control device 9 (Figs. 1 and 2). The circulating bathing facility 1 generally comprises a bathing tub 2 in which users bathe, and various devices that filter the water that flows out of the bathing tub 2 and circulate it back to the bathing tub 2.

[0024] The bathtub 2 is a water tank in which users bathe. The bathtub 2 is not limited to any particular type as long as it is a water tank used for bathing, and may be, for example, a bathtub or a swimming pool. The bathtub 2 comprises a tank body 21 in which water to be used for bathing is stored, and an overflow groove 22 provided around the periphery of the tank body 21.

[0025] In the tank body 21, water filtered by the filtration device 5 is supplied from an inlet 23 provided at the bottom in the depth direction of the side wall. An outlet 24 is provided at the bottom in the depth direction of the side wall opposite the side wall provided with the inlet 23. The water supplied to the tank body 21 passes through the tank body 21 as a laminar flow LF that flows approximately horizontally from the inlet 23 to the outlet 24, or as an overflow OF that flows from the edge of the tank body 21 into the overflow groove 22.

[0026] The bathtub 2 has a bathtub measuring device 25 that can measure the water quality and water level. The bathtub measuring device 25 includes a water quality meter 25a and a water level meter 25b. The water quality meter 25a may be a turbidity meter, a transparency meter, a residual chlorine concentration meter, or the like. The water level meter 25b may be a known water level meter such as a radar type, ultrasonic type, infrared type, electrode type, float type, or capacitance type.

[0027] The storage tank 3 is a water tank that stores water (overflow OF) that has overflowed into the overflow channel 22. The storage tank 3 is connected to the overflow channel 22 by a first overflow pipe 71 (second return line 7). The storage tank 3 has a storage tank water level gauge 31 that can measure the water level.

[0028] The circulation pump 4 is a pump that returns water that has passed through the bathing tub 2 as a laminar flow LF or an overflow OF to the bathing tub 2. A laminar flow pipe 61 (first return path 6) that is fluidly connected to the outlet 24 of the tank body 21, and a second overflow pipe 72 (second return path 7) that is fluidly connected to the storage tank 3 are connected to the primary side of the circulation pump 4. The laminar flow pipe 61 and the second overflow pipe 72 merge just before being connected to the circulation pump 4. A filtration device 5 is connected to the secondary side of the circulation pump 4.

[0029] The filtration device 5 is a device that filters the water circulating through the circulating bathing facility 1. The filtration device 5 may be a device known as a filtration device used in circulating bathing facilities, such as, but not limited to, a sand filtration device, a cartridge filtration device, a diatomaceous earth filtration device, or a membrane filtration device. The primary side of the filtration device 5 is connected to the circulating pump 4, and the secondary side is connected to the inlet 23 (bathing bath 2) via a water supply pipe 51.

[0030] The first return path 6 is a path that returns the water that has passed through the bathing tub 2 as a laminar flow LF to the bathing tub 2. The water that has passed through the bathing tub 2 as a laminar flow LF passes through the outlet 24, laminar flow pipe 61, circulation pump 4, filtration device 5, and water supply pipe 51 in this order, and then flows into the tank body 21 from the inlet 23. This path is the first return path 6. A first control valve 62 is provided in the laminar flow pipe 61.

[0031] The second return path 7 is a path that returns water that has passed through the bathing tub 2 as overflow OF to the bathing tub 2. The water that has passed through the bathing tub 2 as overflow OF passes through the overflow groove 22, the first overflow pipe 71, the storage tank 3, the second overflow pipe 72, the circulation pump 4, the filtration device 5, and the water supply pipe 51, in that order, before flowing into the bath body 21 from the inlet 23. This path is the second return path 7. A second control valve 73 is provided in the second overflow pipe 72.

[0032] In this embodiment, the first return line 6 and the second return line 7 share parts of the path, including the circulation pump 4, the filtration device 5, and the water supply pipe 51. As in this example, the first return line 6 and the second return line 7 may share parts. Note that the flow rates of the first return line 6 and the second return line 7 are specified as the flow rates in the parts where the first return line 6 and the second return line 7 are independent of each other.

[0033] People counting device 8 is a device that can measure a number of people that can be correlated with the number of bathers in bath tub 2. The number of people measured by people counting device 8 may be the actual number of bathers bathing in bath tub 2, or the number of users of the ancillary facilities of bath tub 2. For example, by counting the number of users entering and exiting the changing room at the entrance / exit of the changing room leading to bath tub 2, the number of users in the changing room or bath tub 2 can be determined. While this number is not the actual number of bathers in bath tub 2, it is a number that is expected to have a significant correlation with the number of bathers currently bathing in bath tub 2, and can be a useful variable used to determine the control conditions of bath tub 2.

[0034] The number of people counting device 8 has a measurement unit 81 that performs some kind of measurement on bathers, etc., and a calculation unit that determines the number of bathers, etc. based on the measurement results of the measurement unit. In this embodiment, the control device 9 also serves as the calculation unit of the number of people counting device 8.

[0035] When counting the number of bathers bathing in bathtub 2, it is desirable to configure number of people counting device 8 taking into consideration that bathers are dressed appropriately for bathing. In other words, it is important to note that depending on the configuration of measurement unit 81, it may be difficult to measure the bathers themselves. From this perspective, it is preferable to install number of people counting device 8 (measurement unit 81) in a location among the ancillary facilities of bathtub 2 where users are expected to be fully clothed, as this can relax the constraints.

[0036] A first example of the measurement unit 81 is an image sensor. For example, by installing an image sensor at the entrance / exit of a changing room, it is possible to capture users entering and exiting the changing room. By using a trained model in which the image data acquired by the image sensor is used as an input variable and the increase or decrease in the number of users in the changing room is used as an output variable, the increase or decrease in the number of users can be determined. Furthermore, by using a trained model in which the image data is used as an input variable and the user's attributes (male or female, adult or child, etc.) are used as an output variable, the user's attributes can be determined. In this case, information related to the user's attributes can be used as an additional control parameter for controlling the water circulation in the circulating bathing facility 1. Note that, as a variation of the first example, a thermal camera or a time-of-flight sensor may be used. As another variation, the image sensor may detect the user's skeleton based on the image data acquired by the image sensor, and only the skeleton data may be used to determine the increase or decrease in the number of users, with the image data discarded. According to these variations, the installation of the measurement unit 81 is less likely to be avoided than when the image data acquired by the image sensor is directly used to determine the increase or decrease in the number of users.

[0037] A second example of the measurement unit 81 is a distance measurement sensor. For example, distance measurement sensors are installed at two different locations in a corridor connecting the bath area and the changing room. When the distance measurement sensors react in the order of the changing room side and the bath area, it is determined that a user has entered the bath area. Conversely, when the distance measurement sensors react in the order of the bath area and the changing room side, it is determined that a user has left the bath area.

[0038] A third example of the measurement unit 81 is a radar sensor. For example, by installing a radar sensor on the ceiling or wall of the entrance / exit of the changing room, it is possible to detect users passing under the radar sensor and the number of users. Furthermore, the direction of users' movements can be identified based on the transition of the coordinates of the point cloud detected by the radar sensor. As a result, it is possible to grasp users entering and exiting the changing room based on the measurement results of the radar sensor. Furthermore, by installing a radar sensor above the bathing bath 2, it is possible to directly detect bathers in the bathing bath 2. The data acquired by the radar sensor is point cloud data, and does not capture the images of the bathers themselves, so the installation of the measurement unit 81 is less likely to be avoided. Furthermore, the radar sensor may also be used to detect the water level of the bathing bath 2. In this case, the radar sensor is used to acquire point cloud data related to the water surface of the bathing bath 2. In other words, the radar sensor may serve as both the measurement unit 81 and the water level indicator 25b.

[0039] A fourth example of the measurement unit 81 is a surface measurement sensor. A surface measurement sensor is a sensor that can measure the variation of a numerical value relative to a surface, and can take the form of a distance sensor, a thermosensor, or the like. As with the third example, the passage and direction of travel of users can be detected based on the measurement results of the surface measurement sensor, making it possible to grasp an increase or decrease in the number of users.

[0040] A fifth example of the measurement unit 81 is a carbon dioxide concentration sensor. As the number of users in a space increases, the carbon dioxide concentration in the space increases due to the users' breathing. In other words, the carbon dioxide concentration in a space has a positive correlation with the number of users. Therefore, the increase or decrease in the number of users can be determined based on the change in carbon dioxide concentration.

[0041] The control device 9 controls the water circulation in the circulating bathing facility 1. The control device 9 may be a known device used to control equipment, such as a server computer, a personal computer, a programmable logic controller, or a microcontroller. The control device 9 may be a single piece of hardware or may include multiple pieces of hardware. For example, the latter example of the control device 9 includes a server computer that performs calculations to determine a control variable and a programmable logic controller that controls the equipment according to the control variable determined by the server computer. Examples of equipment controlled by the control device 9 include, but are not limited to, the circulation pump 4, the first control valve 62, and the second control valve 73. Communication between the control device 9 and the controlled equipment may be wired or wireless. For example, in the above example in which the control device 9 includes multiple pieces of hardware, the server computer may be a cloud computer, and the cloud computer and the programmable logic controller communicate via the Internet or the like.

[0042] The control device 9 is electrically connected to the number of people counting device 8 (measurement unit 81), bathtub measuring device 25 (water quality meter 25a and water level meter 25b), and storage tank water level meter 31, and receives the measurement results of these devices. The control device 9 is also electrically connected to the circulation pump 4, first control valve 62, and second control valve 73, and can control the operation of these devices. Note that wireless communication may be used instead of or in addition to the electrical connections described here. Such wireless communication may be achieved by short-range wireless communication using devices conforming to standards such as Bluetooth (registered trademark) BLE or WiFi (registered trademark) Zigbee, or communication via a network such as the Internet, but is not limited to these.

[0043] [Control device function (control method)] Next, we will explain the functions of the control device 9 in the circulating bathing facility 1 of this embodiment. Note that the control device 9 is the subject of each operation in the following explanation unless otherwise specified. The following explanation also describes an embodiment of the control method of the present invention.

[0044] The control device 9 can control the flow rate of the first return line 6 and the flow rate of the second return line 7. For example, by controlling the frequency of the circulation pump 4, the total flow rate of the first return line 6 and the second return line 7 increases or decreases, and accordingly the flow rate of the first return line 6 and the second return line 7 increases or decreases. Furthermore, by controlling the opening degrees of the first control valve 62 and the second control valve 73, the flow rate of the first return line 6 and the flow rate of the second return line 7 can be increased or decreased independently.

[0045] The flow rate of the first return path 6 and the flow rate of the second return path 7 are controlled based on the measurement results of the people counting device 8. When the number of people counted by the people counting device is relatively high, there are relatively many people bathing in the bathing tub 2, and it is highly likely that the water in the bathing tub 2 is easily contaminated. In this case, since there is a high need for filtration, the total flow rate of the first return path 6 and the second return path 7 is increased to increase the filtration cycle and maintain the hygienic state of the bathing tub 2. For example, control is performed to increase the output of the circulation pump 4 (increase the frequency). Conversely, when there are relatively few people counted by the people counting device, there is less need for filtration, so the output of the circulation pump 4 is decreased to reduce energy consumption.

[0046] Furthermore, the flow rate of the first return path 6 and the flow rate of the second return path 7 may be controlled based on the measurement results of the water quality meter 25a in addition to the measurement results of the people counting device 8. As described above, the degree of need for filtration can be determined based on the number of people measured by the people counting device 8. However, as a more direct indicator, the water quality state indicated by the measurement results of the water quality meter 25a may be taken into consideration. Note that even when the measurement results of the water quality meter 25a are taken into consideration, the concept of controlling the flow rates of the first return path 6 and the second return path 7 is the same as when the measurement results of the water quality meter 25a are not taken into consideration. In other words, when the measurement results of the people counting device 8 and the water quality meter 25a indicate a high need for filtration, control is performed to increase the output of the circulation pump 4.

[0047] If the water level in the bathing tub 2 drops suddenly, the water surface will not reach the edge of the bathing tub 2, making it difficult for overflow OF to occur. At this time, foreign objects floating on the water surface of the bathing tub 2 are likely to remain in the bathing tub 2, so it is desirable to restore the water level to prevent overflow OF. When the decreasing trend in the number of people measured by the number of people counting device 8 meets a predetermined condition (e.g., when the rate of decrease in the number of people exceeds a predetermined threshold), it is suggested that many bathers have left the bathing tub 2 in a short period of time, and it is estimated that the water level in the bathing tub 2 is dropping. In this case, the flow rate of the second return line 7 is increased to restore the water level. For example, control is performed to increase the opening of the second control valve 73.

[0048] At this time, it is preferable to leave the flow rate of the first return line 6 unchanged or to reduce it. When the flow rate of the first return line 6 is reduced, the opening of the first control valve 62 is controlled to be reduced. When the opening of the first control valve 62 is controlled to be reduced, the proportion of laminar flow LF in the water flowing into the primary side of the circulation pump 4 decreases, and the flow rate of water passing through the bathing bath 2 as laminar flow LF decreases. On the other hand, since the liquid level in the bathing bath 2 is low, overflow OF is unlikely to occur. Therefore, since the outflow of water from the bathing bath 2 is generally at a low level, the inflow exceeds the inflow, making it easier for the water level to recover.

[0049] Furthermore, the flow rate of the first return path 6 and the flow rate of the second return path 7 may be controlled based on the measurement results of the water level meter 25b in addition to the measurement results of the people counting device 8. As described above, the need to restore the water level in the bathing tub 2 can be determined based on the decreasing trend in the number of people measured by the people counting device 8. However, as a more direct indicator, the decreasing trend in the water level measured by the water level meter 25b may also be considered. Note that even when the measurement results of the water level meter 25b are taken into consideration, the concept of controlling the flow rate of the first return path 6 and the second return path 7 is the same as when they are not. That is, if the measurement results of the people counting device 8 and the water level meter 25b indicate a decrease in the water level in the bathing tub 2, the second control valve 73 is controlled to increase its opening, and, if necessary, the first control valve 62 is controlled to decrease its opening.

[0050] If the overflow OF is excessive, there is a risk that the capacity of the storage tank 3 will be reached, so it is desirable to increase the flow rate of water returning from the storage tank 3 to the bathing tub 2 in order to lower the water level in the storage tank 3. Therefore, when the water level in the storage tank 3 measured by the storage tank water level gauge 31 exceeds a predetermined threshold, the second control valve 73 is controlled to increase its opening, thereby increasing the flow rate in the second return line 7. Note that control to increase the output of the circulation pump 4 and control to decrease the opening of the first control valve 62 may be used in combination.

[0051] As described above, the control method implemented in the circulating bathing facility 1 according to this embodiment includes a number of people measurement process for measuring a number of people that can be correlated with the number of bathers in the bathtub 2, and a control process for controlling at least one of the flow rate of the first return path 6 and the flow rate of the second return path 7 based on the measurement results of the number of people measurement process. Specific examples of the control process include controlling the total flow rate of the first return path 6 and the second return path 7 when the number of people measured in the number of people measurement process is relatively large, and controlling the flow rate of the second return path 7 to increase when the decreasing trend of the number of people measured in the number of people measurement process satisfies predetermined conditions, and controlling the opening of the first control valve 62 to decrease as needed.

[0052] In addition, the control method according to this embodiment may optionally and independently include a bathing bath measurement step for measuring at least one of the water quality and water level of the bathing bath 2, and a water tank water level measurement step for measuring the water level of the storage tank.

[0053] [First Modification] In the above embodiment, the first return path 6 and the second return path 7 share the circulation pump 4, the filtration device 5, and the water supply pipe 51. However, in the present invention, the first return path 6 and the second return path 7 may be entirely independent of each other (FIG. 3). In the circulation-type bathing facility 1A shown in FIG. 3, the first return path 6A and the second return path 7A are entirely independent of each other. The first return path 6A and the second return path 7A each have independent circulation pumps 41, 42 and filtration devices 52, 53. In this embodiment, the flow rate of the first return path 6A can be controlled by controlling the output of the circulation pump 41, and the flow rate of the second return path 7A can be controlled by controlling the output of the circulation pump 42. Therefore, in this embodiment, control valves are not required in the first return path 6A and the second return path 7A.

[0054] [Second Modification] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the flow rate of the first return line 6 and the flow rate of the second return line 7 are increased or decreased by controlling the opening degrees of the first control valve 62 and the second control valve 73. However, in the present invention, instead of or in addition to providing a control valve for each of the first return line 6 and the second return line 7, a valve capable of controlling the flow rate ratio between the first return line 6 and the second return line 7 may be provided (FIG. 4). The circulating bathing facility 1B shown in FIG. 4 has a three-way valve 63 instead of the first control valve 62 and the second control valve 73 of the circulating bathing facility 1 according to the above embodiment. By controlling the three-way valve 63, the flow rate ratio between the first return line 6 and the second return line 7 can be controlled.

[0055] The circulating bathing facility 1B also includes a flowmeter 54 that can measure the flow rate of water passing through the filtration device 5. The control device determines that the filtration device 5 needs to be cleaned when the measurement result (flow rate value) of the flowmeter 54 falls below a predetermined threshold. The filtration device 5 can be cleaned, for example, by backwashing, and a supply pipe (not shown) that supplies backwash water to the filtration device 5 may be provided. Conventionally, filtration devices have generally been cleaned at predetermined operating intervals to prevent clogging, but this operation can result in wasting cleaning water because cleaning is performed regardless of the degree of clogging of the filtration device. In this modified example, the need for cleaning of the filtration device 5 is determined based on the measurement result of the flowmeter 54, making it less likely to waste cleaning water.

[0056] Other Embodiments Finally, other embodiments of the circulating bathing facility and control method according to the present invention will be described. Note that the configurations disclosed in the following embodiments can be applied in combination with the configurations disclosed in other embodiments, as long as no contradiction occurs.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the bath tub 2 is described as having the bath tub measuring device 25, but the presence or absence of the bath tub measuring device is optional in the present invention. Also, in the above embodiment, the bath tub measuring device 25 is described as having a water quality meter 25a and a water level meter 25b, but if the present invention is provided with a bath tub measuring device, it is sufficient if it can measure at least one of the water quality and water level of the bath tub.

[0058] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which the storage tank 3 has the storage tank water level gauge 31. However, in the present invention, the presence or absence of the storage tank water level gauge is optional.

[0059] Regarding other configurations, it should be understood that the embodiments disclosed in this specification are illustrative in all respects and that the scope of the present invention is not limited thereby. Those skilled in the art will easily understand that appropriate modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, other embodiments modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention are naturally included in the scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0060] The present invention can be applied to bathtubs, swimming pools, etc. [Explanation of symbols]

[0061] 1: Circulating bathing facility 2: Bathtub 21: Tank body 22: Overflow groove 23:Inlet 24: Outlet 25: Bathtub measuring device 25a: Water quality meter 25b: Water level gauge 3: Reservoir 31: Reservoir water level gauge 4: Circulation pump 5: Filtration device 51: Water supply pipe 6: First return route 61: Laminar flow tube 62: First control valve 7: Second return route 71:First overflow pipe 72:Second overflow pipe 73: Second control valve 8: People counting device 81: Measuring part 9: Control device LF: Laminar flow OF :Overflow 1A: Circulating bathing facility (first variant) 6A: First return path (first variant) 7A: Second return path (first variant) 41: Circulation pump (first variant) 42: Circulation pump (first variant) 1B: Circulating bathing facility (second variant) 54:Flowmeter 63: Three-way valve

Claims

1. Bathtub and a storage tank for storing water overflowing from the bathtub; a first return path that is a path for returning water that has passed through the bathtub as a laminar flow to the bathtub; a second return path for returning the water stored in the storage tank to the bathtub; a filtration device for filtering the water returned to the bathtub; a people counting device capable of measuring a number of people that can be correlated with the number of people bathing in the bathtub; a control device; A circulating bathing facility in which the control device can control at least one of the flow rate of the first return path and the flow rate of the second return path based on the measurement results of the number of people counting device.

2. A circulating bathing facility as described in claim 1, wherein the control device can increase the flow rate of the second return path when the decreasing trend in the number of people measured by the number of people measuring device meets a predetermined condition.

3. A circulating bathing facility as described in claim 2, wherein the control device is capable of increasing the flow rate of the second return path and decreasing the flow rate of the first return path when the decreasing trend in the number of people measured by the number of people measuring device meets predetermined conditions.

4. Further provided is a bathtub measuring device capable of measuring at least one of the water quality and water level of the bathtub; A circulating bathing facility as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device can control at least one of the flow rate of the first return path and the flow rate of the second return path based on the measurement results of the number of people counting device and the measurement results of the bathtub measuring device.

5. Further provided is a storage tank water level meter capable of measuring the water level of the storage tank, 3. A circulating bathing facility as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device is capable of controlling the flow rate of the second return path based on the measurement results of the storage tank water level meter.

6. Further provided is a flow meter capable of measuring the flow rate of water passing through the filtration device; 3. A circulating bathing facility as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the control device is capable of determining whether or not the filtration device needs to be cleaned based on the measurement results of the flow meter.

7. Bathtub and a storage tank for storing water overflowing from the bathtub; a first return path that is a path for returning water that has passed through the bathtub as a laminar flow to the bathtub; a second return path for returning the water stored in the storage tank to the bathtub; A control method for controlling the circulation flow rate in a circulation-type bathing facility equipped with a filtration device that filters the water returned to the bathtub, a number of people measuring step for measuring a number of people that can be correlated with the number of people bathing in the bathtub; A control method including a control step of controlling at least one of the flow rate of the first return path and the flow rate of the second return path based on the measurement result of the number of people measurement step.

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