Shower switching faucet

Abstract

To provide a shower switching faucet which prevents accumulation of dirt.SOLUTION: In a fixing member 31, a first inclined surface 31d1 wider as advances downward is formed in an inner peripheral corner part of an opening end below a cylindrical body, and in a switching ring 32, an inclined cylindrical part 32a whose inner peripheral edge part extends obliquely upward along the first inclined surface 31d1 is formed. A first inclined surface 32a and an inclined cylindrical part 33f are overlapped with each other on a horizontal surface. Specifically, the inclined cylindrical part 32a of the switching ring 32 obliquely enters into the opening end below the cylindrical body in the fixing member 31. Even if scattering water droplets enter into a gap, the water droplets abut on the outer peripheral surface of the inclined cylindrical part 32a, flow down outward along its inclined surface, and prevent accumulation dirt.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a shower switching faucet that can switch between shower water spouting and straight water spouting. [Background technology]

[0002] A shower faucet that can switch between shower and straight water discharge switches between a straight water discharge flow path that passes through the center and a shower water discharge flow path that discharges water in a shower-like manner from around it by turning a knob or the like. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 3729198 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 6556470 [Patent Document 3] Utility model registration No. 3241138 [Patent Document 4] JIPP No. 63-076069 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] A shower faucet is a device that switches between shower and straight water by turning a knob. In addition to connecting it directly to the faucet, there are cases where you may want to attach it to the bottom of a mixer attached to the faucet, as shown in Figure 1.

[0005] In the lower left of the mixer in Figure 6 of Patent Document 2, there is a water outlet that can dilute the electrolyzed hypochlorous water produced in the main device inside the mixer and discharge it as a shower or straight water. The water discharge can be switched by operating a knob, but there are the following disadvantages. 1) The shower faucet cannot be easily removed or replaced. 2) Disassembly and assembly is difficult (because the shutter is driven by gears) 3) The switching force increases with dirt (the accumulated dirt increases the shutter sliding load, etc.) 4) The outer diameter of the shower head is small (because the bayonet is held from the outside, the diameter of the inner shower head is small, such as φ34 (see Figure 10)). Patent Document 3 improves on Patent Document 2, paragraph 1. "...the electrolytically generated water outlet of the mixer...is fitted with a shower cap or a hose cap to which an extension hose can be connected... (Claim 4)"

[0006] However, there are the following drawbacks: When switching between shower and straight water discharge, it is necessary to "remove parts" and "assemble multiple parts." 5) For straight water flow, remove the cap and hose adapter. 6) When using the shower, attach the shower cap. Patent Document 4 shows a mechanism for switching between "shower and straight water discharge" by rotating a knob 90 degrees. The structure is simple, and disassembly and assembly are not difficult. This type of device, with O-rings added to the sliding surfaces and sealing parts, is still commonly seen on the market today. (The water flow from the original main pipe branches into two, which are joined by a rotating sliding surface, and the branch pipes then merge into a single discharge pipe. However, if the merger pipe is short, the water discharge becomes turbulent.) This type of shower faucet could be easily attached to the bottom of the mixer, but it has the disadvantage of protruding significantly below the mixer.

[0007] Figure 8 shows a hypothetical situation in which this type of shower faucet is to be installed at the bottom of the mixer. In order to install the shower faucet as high as possible at the bottom of the mixer, we will try positioning the bottom of the Y-ring for rotating the shower head 1 mm below the raw water outlet.

[0008] The raw water outlet that discharges tap water is located about 24mm to the right of the center of the electrolyzed water outlet on the left side of the bottom of the mixer, and protrudes 7mm downward, causing the upper cylinder of the shower head φ56 to interfere by 2.1mm in height. "I want to enlarge the outer diameter of the shower head to φ48 (=24 x 2) or more." If a 6mm switch knob is added to the side of a shower head with an outer diameter of φ40, the outer edge of the top surface of the shower head cylinder and the knob will interfere with the raw water outlet. One solution is to lower the top surface of the shower head (or Y-ring) by 2.1mm or more, but this type of shower head has a large total height of 27±3cm, which means it will protrude significantly downward from the raw water outlet. This reduces the distance below the shower head to the bottom of the sink, making it difficult to dispense water into large containers, and can also cause large moments to be generated on the top of the mixer due to side impacts.

[0009] Furthermore, when switching from shower to straight water, friction from pulling back the finger can cause the knob to return slightly to its original position, resulting in rotational misalignment, which can cause water to leak from the shower holes even though the water is straight. While this is not a problem with tap water, electrolyzed hypochlorous water and other waters contain chlorine, which can become a problem if it gets on the outside of the bottle or on your hands. Furthermore, gaps form in the rotating area (near the Y-ring), and if impurities adhere to the top of the shower head, they move across the surface, allowing debris to get into these gaps, resulting in the accumulation of dirt. The present invention provides a shower switching faucet that is less likely to accumulate dirt in the rotating area (the Y-ring gap). [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The present invention is a shower switching faucet that can switch between shower water spouting and straight water spouting, and includes a cylindrical fixing member connected to the upstream side of the water channel, a connecting member that is detachably connected to the inner peripheral surface of the fixing member to form the water channel, a water channel switching member that is in contact with the lower part of the connecting member and switches the water channel depending on the rotation position, and a cup-shaped member that opens upward and has a cylindrical body in the center for straight water spouting and a ring-shaped portion formed on the periphery with multiple holes for shower water spouting, and a water channel switching member that switches between straight water spouting and shower water spouting depending on the water channel switched by the water channel switching member. The device comprises a water cap, and a switching ring formed roughly in a ring shape, which screws onto the water-discharge cap with the connecting member and the waterway switching member placed on the water-discharge cap, and accommodates the connecting member and the waterway switching member so that they can rotate relative to each other, and the fixing member forms a first inclined surface that widens downward at the inner corner of the lower opening end of the cylindrical body, and the switching ring forms an inclined cylindrical portion whose inner peripheral edge extends diagonally upward along the first inclined surface, and the first inclined surface and the inclined cylindrical portion are configured to overlap in a horizontal plane.

[0011] In the above configuration, the fixing member for the cylindrical body is connected to the upstream side of the water channel, and the connecting member is detachably connected to the inner surface of the fixing member to form the water channel. The water channel switching member contacts the lower part of the connecting member and switches the water channel depending on its rotational position. The water spouting cap is cup-shaped with an upward opening, forming a cylindrical body in the center for straight water spouting, and has a ring-shaped portion with multiple holes formed around its periphery for shower water spouting. Here, the switching ring is formed in a roughly ring shape and threadedly engages with the water spouting cap while the connecting member and the water channel switching member are placed on the water spouting cap, housing the connecting member and the water channel switching member so that they can rotate relative to each other. When the water channel switching member is rotated, the water spouting cap switches between straight water spouting and shower water spouting depending on the water channel that is switched depending on the rotational position.

[0012] The fixing member has a first inclined surface formed on the inner peripheral corner of the lower open end of the cylindrical body, which widens as it extends downward, and the switching ring has an inclined cylindrical portion whose inner peripheral edge extends obliquely upward along the first inclined surface. The first inclined surface and the inclined cylindrical portion overlap in the horizontal plane. That is, the inclined cylindrical portion of the switching ring is inserted obliquely into the interior of the lower open end of the cylindrical body of the fixing member. Even if scattered water droplets or the like try to enter, they strike the outer peripheral surface of the inclined cylindrical portion and flow outward along the inclined surface, preventing dirt from accumulating.

[0013] Furthermore, in another aspect of the present invention, below the connecting member, there is provided a flat, ring-shaped upper flat surface with a small diameter, and a flat, ring-shaped lower flat surface with a larger diameter below the upper flat surface, and the inner surface of the inclined cylindrical portion of the switching ring is provided with a ring-shaped upper engaging surface facing the upper flat surface from above, and a ring-shaped lower engaging surface facing the lower flat surface from above, and the switching ring is configured to be supported by the connecting member by abutting the upper engaging surface against the upper flat surface from above and the lower engaging surface against the lower flat surface from above.

[0014] In another aspect of the present invention, the connecting member is configured such that the upper portion is formed with a small diameter that can be inserted into the ring-shaped opening of the switching ring, and the lower portion is formed with a large diameter that cannot be inserted into the ring-shaped opening of the switching ring. Furthermore, in another aspect of the present invention, the connecting member is formed in an approximately cylindrical shape and has a flat bottom surface facing downward, with an opening formed in the bottom surface at a predetermined position around the axis, and the waterway switching member has a communication port formed in its upper surface facing the bottom surface that can move in an arc when rotated, forming a first waterway when the communication port faces the opening and a second waterway when the communication port does not face the opening, an O-ring is arranged on the opening edge of the communication port, and there is an outer wall that surrounds and supports the O-ring, and the outer wall is configured to be cut out at the outer periphery of the waterway switching member.

[0015] In another aspect of the present invention, the switching ring is formed with an air hole that connects the inside and outside of the ring, and the air hole is formed with a check valve that faces inward. [Effects of the Invention]

[0016] According to the present invention, the water discharge can be switched between straight water discharge and shower water discharge according to the rotation operation, and even if scattered water droplets or the like try to get into the gaps in the rotation operation part, they hit the outer peripheral surface of the inclined cylinder part and flow down outward along the inclined surface, so dirt does not accumulate.

[0017] In addition, the height of the top surface of the shower head is 1.2 mm lower than the height of the bottom surface of the rotation Y ring, and the height of the sliding surface 33e is 2.4 mm lower. By reducing the size (19) of the shower head from the top to the outlet (total thickness of the shower head) compared to the conventional size (27±3), it is possible to use a large-diameter shower head of approximately 42 mm while minimizing the downward protrusion from the bottom of the mixer. It also provides the effect of making it difficult for rotational deviation of the knob to occur immediately after switching to a straight shower. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall perspective view of a shower switching faucet to which the present invention is applied; [Figure 2] This is an assembly parts diagram of the water discharge mechanism of a shower switching faucet. [Figure 3] This is an assembly parts diagram of the water discharge mechanism of a shower switching faucet. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a shower switching faucet. [Figure 5] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the shower switching faucet. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a waterway switching member in a shower switching faucet. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of a shower switching faucet according to a modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a partial cutaway view of a hypothetical shower diverter faucet. [Figure 9] 1 is a partially cutaway view of a shower switching faucet to which the present invention is applied. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway view of a conventional shower switching faucet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an overall perspective view of a shower switching faucet to which the present invention is applied, and FIGS. 2 and 3 show assembly parts diagrams of the water discharge mechanism of the shower switching faucet.

[0020] The shower switching faucet 10 to which the present invention is applied comprises a mixer body 20 that houses a cartridge (not shown) and a shower switching mechanism 30 that is detachable from the mixer body 20. The shower switching mechanism 30 comprises a fixing member 31 connected to the upstream side of the water channel, a switching ring 32, a connecting member 33, a water channel switching member 34, and a water discharge cap 35. The switching ring 32, connecting member 33, water channel switching member 34, and water discharge cap 35 constitute a switching mechanism 36 that switches between shower water discharge and straight water discharge. The switching ring 32 and water discharge cap 35 together form a faucet section that houses the connecting member 33 and water channel switching member 34.

[0021] The spout cap 35, which is part of the faucet, has an opening in the center for straight water spouting. A cylindrical body 35a is formed in the opening. A ring-shaped portion 35b around the cylindrical body 35a has many small holes 35b1 formed in it for shower water spouting. A water channel switching member 34 is placed so as to cover the cylindrical body 35a from above, and a connecting member 33 is placed on top of that. When the connecting member 33 and the water channel switching member 34 rotate relative to each other, the water channel is switched.

[0022] The switching mechanism 36 is formed by sequentially placing the water channel switching member 34 and the connecting member 33 on the upward-opening water discharge cap 35, then placing the roughly ring-shaped switching ring 32 over them, and screwing and fixing the switching ring 32 and the water discharge cap 35 together. In this integrated state, the switching ring 32, the water channel switching member 34, and the water discharge cap 35 are immobile, while the connecting member 33 is rotatable relative to them within a range of approximately 90 degrees. The fixing member 31 is fixed to the mixer body 20, and the connecting member 33 is detachably fixed to this fixing member 31. As a result, the switching ring 32, the water channel switching member 34, and the water discharge cap 35 are held rotatable within a range of 90 degrees relative to the mixer body 20.

[0023] In this way, the fixing member 31 can be detachably connected at its upper end to the underside of the mixer body 20, and can be detachably connected at its lower end to the switching mechanism 36. Furthermore, the connecting member 33 can be detachably attached to the fixing member 31 so as to be watertight, and when attached, the entire switching mechanism 36 is supported by the fixing member 31 via the connecting member 33. As will be described later, several O-rings are attached at necessary locations to ensure a watertight state.

[0024] The connecting member 33 is connected to the fixed member 31 to form a waterway. The connecting member 33 is formed in a roughly cylindrical shape and has a flat bottom surface 33e facing downward. An opening 33e1 is formed in the bottom surface 33e at a predetermined position around the axis. In this embodiment, the openings 33e1, 33e1 are formed at two locations symmetrically around the axis. In addition, the bottom surface 33e is formed with a gourd-shaped recess 33e2 that is constricted so as to surround the two openings 33e1, 33e1. The outer periphery of the gourd shape forms an arc surface, allowing the outer edges of the two openings 33e1, 33e1 to move along it. Furthermore, because the constriction is formed, the outer edges of the two openings 33e1, 33e1 abut against the constriction, preventing further rotation. In this embodiment, the two openings 33e1, 33e1 can rotate within a range of approximately 90 degrees.

[0025] The waterway switching member 34 has a dome-shaped ceiling 34a facing the bottom surface 33e of the connecting member 33, and has a communication port 34b formed at the opening edge with an O-ring 34b1 disposed thereon, which is movable in an arc when rotated. In this embodiment, the communication ports 34b, 34b are formed at two symmetrical positions around the axis.

[0026] The positions at which the communication ports 34b, 34b and the openings 33e1, 33e1 are formed create a state in which the communication ports 34b, 34b face the openings 33e1, 33e1 and a state in which the communication ports 34b, 34b do not face the openings 33e1, 33e1, depending on the relative rotation angle (rotational position) between the connecting member 33 and the water channel switching member 34. When the communication ports 34b, 34b face the openings 33e1, 33e1, a first water channel is formed, and when the communication ports 34b, 34b do not face the openings 33e1, 33e1, a second water channel leading from the dome-shaped ceiling 34a to the outer edge is formed.

[0027] O-rings 34b1, 34b1 are attached so as to surround the openings of the communication ports 34b, 34b, and the O-rings 34b1, 34b1 are able to move in close contact with the flat bottom surface 33e of the connecting member 33. Therefore, when forming the first water channel and when forming the second water channel, flow paths that communicate with each other are not formed.

[0028] FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the shower switching faucet, and FIG. 5 shows a partially enlarged cross-sectional view. The fixing member 31 is formed as a cylindrical body. A cylindrical portion 31c is formed in the center, and an engaging cylinder 31d is formed on the outer periphery. The cylindrical portion 31c and the engaging cylinder 31d are concentric and share a common axis. A double-start female thread 31a is formed on the inner periphery of the engaging cylinder 31d, and can be threadedly engaged with a corresponding male thread 33a formed on the outer periphery of the connecting member 33.

[0029] A first inclined surface 31d1 that widens downward is formed at the inner peripheral corner of the lower opening end of the engagement tube 31d in the fixing member 31. Because it widens downward, the opening diameter is largest at the lower opening end of the engagement tube 31d and gradually narrows upward. In this embodiment, the cross section of the first inclined surface 31d1 is linear, but it may also be slightly curved or have a stepwise change in angle.

[0030] The connecting member 33, which screws into the inside of the fixing member 31, is formed as a cylinder, and the connecting member 33 is placed on the waterway switching member 34. The waterway switching member 34 is in contact with the connecting member 33 at the openings of the communication ports 34b, 34b on its upper surface facing the bottom surface 33e of the connecting member 33. The connecting member 33 also has an engaging cylindrical portion 33f that expands downward from the outer periphery of the bottom surface 33e, and an engaging protrusion 34d is formed at a predetermined position on the edge of the waterway switching member 34 that faces the engaging cylindrical portion 33f. The engaging projection 34d is adapted to engage with the inner peripheral surface of the engaging cylindrical portion 33f at a predetermined rotation angle position, producing an appropriate clicking sensation.

[0031] In this way, since the engaging tube portion 33f has a shape that expands downward from the connecting member 33, it can be said that the upper part of the connecting member 33 is formed with a small diameter that can be inserted into the ring-shaped opening of the switching ring 32, and the lower part is formed with a large diameter that cannot be inserted into the ring-shaped opening of the switching ring 32.

[0032] The engaging cylindrical portion 33f below the connecting member 33 has a shape that widens downward from the connecting member 33, and therefore the upper part is formed with a small-diameter, flat, ring-shaped upper flat surface 33f4 and a large-diameter, flat, ring-shaped lower flat surface 33f5 located below this upper flat surface 33f4.

[0033] The switching ring 32 has a ring-shaped opening, and the inner peripheral edge of this ring-shaped opening extends obliquely upward along the first inclined surface 31d1 to form an inclined cylindrical portion 32a. When the switching mechanism 36 is connected to the fixed member 31, the inclined cylindrical portion 32a slightly enters the lower opening of the fixed member 31. Therefore, the first inclined surface 31d1 and the inclined cylindrical portion 32a overlap in the horizontal plane. Because the inclined surfaces overlap, when viewed from the outside in the horizontal direction, the surface of the inclined cylindrical portion 32a is visible in the depth of the gap between the fixed member 31 and the switching ring 32, but the interior of the fixed member 31 and the connecting member 33 cannot be observed. This means that even if water droplets try to enter the gap, they cannot enter and will flow out due to the inclination of the surface of the inclined cylindrical portion 32a.

[0034] A ring-shaped upper locking surface 32a1 facing the upper flat surface 33f4 from above, and a ring-shaped lower locking surface 32a2 facing the lower flat surface 33f5 from above are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the inclined cylindrical portion 32a of the switching ring 32. As a result, when the connecting member 33 is inserted from below into the ring-shaped opening of the switching ring 32, the switching ring 32 is supported by the connecting member 33 with the upper locking surface 32a1 abutting against the upper flat surface 33f4 from above, and the lower locking surface 32a2 abutting against the lower flat surface 33f5 from above.

[0035] The switching ring 32 is screwed onto the cup-shaped water discharge cap 35, and at this time the connecting member 33 and the water channel switching member 34 are housed in the water discharge cap 35 by being pressed against the inside of the cap. If the switching ring 32 were supported by pressing only one locking surface against the flat surface formed on the connecting member 33, a large flat surface and locking surface would be required to withstand water pressure and ensure durability in daily use. This would result in a larger area for the corresponding parts of the switching ring 32 and the connecting member 33. In this larger size, if a shower faucet were to be installed at a higher position on the bottom of the mixer as shown in Figure 8, and the bottom surface of the Y-ring on which the switching ring 32 rotates and slides were positioned 1 mm below the raw water outlet, as described in the problem to be solved by the invention, the raw water outlet for discharging tap water would protrude downward (approximately 7 mm) to the right (approximately 24 mm) from the center of the electrolyzed water outlet on the left side of the bottom of the mixer, causing interference of 2.1 mm with the outer periphery of the upper cylindrical part of the shower head.

[0036] As a measure to improve a) Lower the position of the switching mechanism 36 (together with the bottom height of the Y-ring) by 2.1 mm or more. a) The outer diameter of the shower head should be less than φ47.4, and the top of the shower head should be 2.1 mm higher than the raw water outlet. If a knob is attached, it should be placed lower than the raw water outlet. (c) Raising the height of the bottom surface 33e. The solution in (b) leaves the problem of dirt accumulating in the gap between the rotating part (Y-ring gap) and the fixed part 31 when impurities adhere to the top surface of the showerhead. This gap allows the internal parts 33 to be seen. If the knob is located below the raw water outlet, the top of the knob will be lower than the top of the showerhead, creating a step that is undesirable in terms of design and strength. If the knob does not reach the raw water outlet, as shown in Figure 8, assuming a distance to the raw water outlet of 23.7 mm and a knob width of 6 mm, and the rotation position is uncertain, the showerhead radius will be 16.7 mm (= 23.7 - 6 - 1), and the diameter will be 33.4 mm. This dimension is a smaller shower diameter than the conventional type shown in Figure 10, so the shower cleaning performance will be poor.

[0037] When implementing c), let's say that surface 33e is set 2.4 mm below the bottom of the Y ring as shown in Figure 9. If the top surface of the flange corresponding to 33f4 is 0.7 mm below the bottom of the Y ring, the flange thickness from surface 33f4 to bottom surface 33e is 2.4 - 0.7 = 1.7 mm. If the outer diameter of a Y-ring is φ25 mm, the circumference is 78.5, but when the flange is sheared, stress is concentrated at the base, φ25, and it is sheared as a cylindrical surface. The shear cross-sectional area is 78.5 x 1.7 ≒ 134 mm^2. If the allowable shear stress is 15N / mm^2, the load capacity is 134 x 15 = 2010N

[0038] However, when tightening the screws of part 35, it is possible that the torque will be 60 cNm or more, and in that case, the internal compressive force may reach 2500 N due to the thrust of the screw, and it can be said that a flange thickness of 1.7 mm is not strong enough. Therefore, the best improvement measure is option A. The total height of the "Y-branch pipe switching type shower faucet" shown in Figure 8 is often large, at 27±3 mm, which causes the downward projection height from the raw water outlet to be even larger.

[0039] In the case of a shower faucet (non-branched straight pipe shutter switching mechanism) type like that in Patent Document 2, the structure can be established with a protrusion of about 18 mm below the raw water outlet, as shown in Figure 10. Furthermore, as in Patent Document 3, it was known that for a type that simply requires a shower cap to be attached, the structure would be viable with a protrusion of less than 10 mm below the raw water outlet. Therefore, the provisional target dimension for the overhang height acceptable to users was considered to be "approximately 20 mm below the raw water outlet." If the overhang dimension were to be 28 mm, the shower switching faucet's outlet would move downward by more than 10 mm compared to the previous model, which would cause users to feel uncomfortable.

[0040] When pouring into a large bottle, you have to tilt the bottle, and large vegetables can hit the shower faucet, which can be inconvenient and annoying in everyday use. The structure of the shower faucet of the present invention attached to a mixer is shown in Figure 9. As in Figure 8, the bottom of the Y-ring, against which the ring-shaped cylindrical opening of the switching ring 32 rotates and slides, is located 1 mm below the raw water outlet, but there is a 2.2 mm gap between the top of the showerhead and the raw water outlet, and the total height of the showerhead is only 19.2 mm (approximately 8 mm smaller than the conventional Y-branch type shower faucet (Figure 8)) (total height is 21.4 mm). The shower faucet outlet was located 21.4 mm below the raw water outlet. This was due to the height of the bottom surface of the Y-ring on which the switching ring 32 rotates and slides. The height of the bottom surface 33e of the connecting member 33 is set 2.4 mm lower (0.8 mm higher than the conventional one), The main advantage is that the height of the top surface of the rotating ring 32 can be lowered by 1.2 mm (4.3 mm lower than before).

[0041] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a waterway switching member in a shower switching faucet. To attach O-rings 34b1, 34b1 so as to surround the openings of the communication ports 34b, 34b, grooves 34b2 are formed corresponding to the attachment positions of the O-rings 34b1, 34b1. An inner wall 34b3 and an outer wall 34b4 are formed on the inside and outside of the groove 34b2, respectively. Typically, such inner and outer walls are formed continuously to fit the shape of the O-ring. However, in this embodiment, the outer wall 34b4 is not formed continuously by cutting out the outer periphery of the waterway switching member 34.

[0042] If the outer wall 34b4 is present on the outer periphery of the waterway switching member 34, the outer shape of the top surface of the waterway switching member 34 will be large. To form the gourd-shaped recess 33e2 while abutting against the bottom surface 33e of the connecting member 33 while keeping the size large, the connecting member 33 must be enlarged. Furthermore, to maintain the size of the connecting member 33, the waterway switching member 34 must be made smaller, which would mean reducing the opening diameter of the communication ports 34b, 34b, thereby reducing the flow rate. That is, by cutting out the outer wall 34b4 at the outer periphery of the waterway switching member 34, it is possible to prevent the size of the connecting member 33 from increasing and the opening diameter of the communication ports 34b, 34b from becoming small.

[0043] FIG. 7 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of a shower switching faucet according to a modified example. The connecting member 33 and water channel switching member 34 are housed within the water discharge cap 35 and the switching ring 32, and the shower water is discharged from the hole 35b1 in the ring-shaped portion 35b of the water discharge cap 35. In the flow path leading to the ring-shaped portion 35b, when water pressure is applied, water is discharged from the hole 35b1 to perform the shower water discharge, but when water pressure is no longer applied, water comes out of the hole 35b1 due to gravity alone. At this time, without a so-called air hole, it would be difficult for water to come out, and the phenomenon could result in water leaking out little by little indefinitely.

[0044] In particular, when considering use with electrolytic hypochlorous water containing chlorine, it is preferable to take measures assuming that the water will continue to drip for a long time. For this reason, it is recommended to fit a protective cover to the water discharge cap 35 to catch and store the dripping water after use. However, when the shower faucet is restarted, the electrolyzed hypochlorous acid water that has accumulated inside the protective cover must be disposed of. Also, if the electrolyzed hypochlorous acid water is left inside the shower faucet for a long time, impurities may accumulate and the corrosion of the internal resin may accelerate.

[0045] In this embodiment, air holes 32b that communicate between the inside and outside in the lateral direction are formed in part of the switching ring 32, and inward-facing check valves 32c are formed in these air holes 32b. Specifically, the diameter of the round air holes 32b decreases toward the outside, and a ball 32c1 that fits into the air holes 32b is inserted, and an obstacle wall 32c2 is formed to prevent this ball 32c1 from falling inward.

[0046] In this way, when water pressure is applied, ball 32c1 tries to be pushed outward within air hole 32b, closing air hole 32b, preventing water from leaking out of air hole 32b. On the other hand, when water pressure is not applied, if water remains in ring-shaped portion 35b, it tries to fall out of hole 35b1. At this time, negative pressure is generated, but ball 32c1 immediately moves inward within air hole 32b, opening air hole 32b. As a result, the remaining water immediately falls out, preventing a situation in which water gradually leaks out. Furthermore, ball 32c1 hits obstacle wall 32c2 and does not escape from air hole 32b.

[0047] The inward check valve 32c allows inward flow but blocks outward flow. Various check valve structures can be used. To prevent the ball from becoming difficult to move due to chlorides, a convex shape that protrudes from the outside of the showerhead can be added to the ball 32c1 or the conical sealing part. If the ball becomes stuck and water cannot drain, the convex part can be pressed with a finger like a push button to allow water to drain. Furthermore, the check valve can be formed as part of the spout cap 35.

[0048] It goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. - Applying mutually replaceable components and configurations disclosed in the above embodiments by appropriately changing their combinations. Although not disclosed in the above embodiments, members and configurations that are publicly known and can be mutually substituted for the members and configurations disclosed in the above embodiments may be appropriately substituted, and their combinations may be changed and applied. Although not disclosed in the above embodiments, members and configurations may be substituted by those skilled in the art based on publicly known techniques as substitutes for the members and configurations disclosed in the above embodiments, and the combinations may be changed and applied. is disclosed as an embodiment of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0049] 10...Shower switching faucet, 20...Mixer body, 30...Shower switching mechanism, 31...Fixing member, 31a...Female screw, 31c...Cylindrical portion, 31d...Engagement cylinder, 31d1...Inclined surface, 32...Switching ring, 32a...Inclined cylinder portion, 32a1...Upper locking surface, 32a2...Lower locking surface, 32b...Air hole, 32c...Check valve, 32c1...Ball, 32c2...Obstacle wall, 33...Connecting member, 33a...Male screw, 33e...bottom surface, 33e1...opening, 33e2...recess, 33f...engaging cylindrical portion, 33f4...upper flat surface, 33f5...lower flat surface, 34...waterway switching member, 34a...ceiling, 34b...communicating port, 34b1...O-ring, 34b2...groove, 34b3...inner wall, 34b4...outer wall, 34d...engaging protrusion, 35...water discharge cap, 35a...cylinder, 35b...ring-shaped portion, 35b1...hole, 36...switching mechanism.

Claims

1. A shower switching faucet that can switch between shower spout and straight spout, a fixing member for the cylindrical body connected to the upstream side of the waterway; a connecting member that is detachably connected to the inner circumferential surface of the fixing member to form a water channel; A water channel switching member that contacts the lower side of the connecting member and switches the water channel depending on the rotation position; a water spouting cap that is cup-shaped and opens upward, has a cylindrical body in the center for straight water spouting, and has a ring-shaped portion around its periphery with many holes for shower water spouting, and spouts either straight water or shower water depending on the water channel switched by the water channel switching member; a switching ring that is formed in a roughly ring shape, that is screwed onto the water spouting cap with the connecting member and the water channel switching member placed on the water spouting cap, and that accommodates the connecting member and the water channel switching member so that they can rotate relatively; the fixing member has a first inclined surface formed on an inner peripheral corner of the lower open end of the cylindrical body, the first inclined surface widening downward; the switching ring has an inner peripheral edge portion that extends obliquely upward along the first inclined surface to form an inclined cylindrical portion, A shower switching faucet characterized in that the first inclined surface and the inclined cylindrical portion overlap in a horizontal plane.

2. Below the connecting member, a flat ring-shaped upper flat surface having a small diameter and a flat ring-shaped lower flat surface having a large diameter and located below the upper flat surface; The inner circumferential surface of the inclined cylindrical portion of the switching ring is a ring-shaped upper engagement surface facing the upper flat surface from above; a ring-shaped lower locking surface facing the lower flat surface from above, The shower switching faucet according to claim 1, characterized in that the switching ring is supported by the connecting member, with the upper engaging surface abutting the upper flat surface from above and the lower engaging surface abutting the lower flat surface from above.

3. The shower switching faucet described in claim 1, characterized in that the upper part of the connecting member is formed with a small diameter that can be inserted into the ring-shaped opening of the switching ring, and the lower part is formed with a large diameter that cannot be inserted into the ring-shaped opening of the switching ring.

4. the connecting member is formed in a generally cylindrical shape and has a flat bottom surface facing downward, and an opening is formed in the bottom surface at a predetermined position around the axis; The water channel switching member has a communication port formed on an upper surface facing the bottom surface that can move in an arc shape when rotated, and forms a first water channel when the communication port faces the opening, and forms a second water channel when the communication port does not face the opening, A shower switching faucet as described in claim 1, characterized in that an O-ring is placed on the opening edge of the communication port, and an outer wall is provided that surrounds and supports the O-ring, and the outer wall is cut out at the outer periphery of the waterway switching member.

5. The shower switching faucet according to claim 1, characterized in that the water outlet cap and the switching ring have air holes that connect the inside and outside, and the air holes have check valves that face inward.

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