Fine bubble generator

Abstract

To provide a fine bubble generator capable of using water containing fine bubbles at a plurality of places.SOLUTION: The splitter fitting 33 of the present invention includes, in order from the upstream side, the UFB nozzle 78 that generates fine bubbles in the passing water, the narrow flow passage portion 92 as a flow passage through which water can pass, the main flow passage portion 93, and the hollow portion 97, in which the flow passage includes the hollow portion 97 that splits the water flowing in from the UFB nozzle 78 into a plurality of flows, the housing unit 91 that houses the UFB nozzle 78 is made of metal, and the nozzle retainer 79 made of resin is arranged on the upstream side of the UFB nozzle 78 in the housing unit 91. The UFB nozzle 78 is configured to be held in the storage part 91 via the nozzle retainer 79.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a microbubble generator. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a technique for improving the cleaning performance of a toilet bowl by generating fine bubbles in the water supplied to the bowl in, for example, a flush toilet facility. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a micro-bubble-containing water supply system in which an intake joint (3) and a discharge joint (5) are attached to a flush water supply pipe (L) that supplies flush water to a toilet bowl (10), flush water is branched from the intake joint (3), water containing fine bubbles is generated from the flush water by a UFB water generator (2) that serves as a micro-bubble-containing water generator, and the water containing fine bubbles is returned to the flush water supply pipe (L) from the discharge joint (5), and the water containing fine bubbles is used as flush water for the toilet bowl (10). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-179083 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In Patent Document 1, the flush water supply pipe (L) is first branched off at an intake joint (3), and a UFB water generator (2) is attached to the branched intake pipe (4), and the water is passed through a discharge pipe (6) and merges with the flush water supply pipe (L) from a discharge joint (5), so water containing fine bubbles could not be used for anything other than water used to flush the toilet bowl (10). In recent years, there have been toilet seat devices that supply water from sources other than a storage tank that stores water to be supplied to the toilet seat, such as configurations that discharge water to the private parts or that release water into the interior of the toilet bowl, and it has been desired to be able to use water containing fine bubbles for this water as well.

[0005] In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a micro-bubble generator that allows water containing micro-bubbles to be used in multiple locations, such as the toilet seat and the storage tank. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The micro-bubble generator of the present invention comprises, from the upstream side, a micro-bubble generating member that generates micro-bubbles in water passing through, and a flow path through which water can pass, in that order; the flow path has a branching flow path section that branches the water flowing in from the micro-bubble generating member into multiple paths; the container that contains the micro-bubble generating member is made of metal, and a resin holding means is arranged in the container upstream of the micro-bubble generating member, and the micro-bubble generating member is held in the container via the holding means. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, by branching the water containing fine bubbles at the branch flow path section, the water containing fine bubbles can be used in a plurality of locations. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view schematically illustrating an example of the configuration of a toilet seat unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toilet seat device as viewed from the bottom side. [Figure 3] FIG. 10 is a perspective view illustrating the process of attaching the main body to the toilet seat. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is an enlarged top view of the main body with the upper casing removed. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of the nozzle assembly. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the upper part of the nozzle holder. [Figure 7] FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the UFB nozzle. [Figure 9]FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the UFB nozzle. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic view of the outlet of the UFB nozzle. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional schematic view of the outlet of a modified UFB nozzle. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of the outlet portion showing the vicinity of the protrusion. [Figure 13] FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the toilet seat device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 is a water flow path diagram showing the path through which water flows in the toilet seat unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A preferred embodiment of the toilet seat device of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0010] 1 to 15 show one embodiment of a toilet seat device 10 of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows an example of the configuration of a flush toilet device 100 in a toilet room S as a flush toilet facility. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the main body 11, toilet seat 12, and toilet seat cover 13 of the toilet seat device 10 of the flush toilet device 100, viewed from below (bottom side). Reference numeral 1 denotes a toilet bowl, which has a concave bowl portion 2 with an open upper surface that receives excrement, and this bowl portion 2 forms the inner surface of the toilet bowl 1. The bowl portion 2 is the toilet bowl of the toilet bowl 1. Reference numeral 12 denotes the toilet seat, which has a central opening 12A and is approximately O-shaped in plan view. Reference numeral 13 denotes the toilet seat cover, which covers the toilet seat 12 and is configured to open and close the toilet seat 12. The main body 11 of the toilet seat device 10 is detachably fixed to the upper surface of the toilet rear portion 3 (see FIG. 3) located at the rear of the toilet bowl 1. Therefore, the flush toilet device 100 of this embodiment is configured to include a toilet seat device 10, a toilet bowl 1, and a storage tank (not shown).

[0011] The main body 11 is provided with a hollow casing 15 that forms the main body part, and this casing 15 comprises a main body underside 16 that is attached and fixed to the upper surface of the rear part 3 of the toilet 1, and a casing upper part 17 that covers the upper surface of the main body underside 16 and has an open bottom, making up an outer shell member made of synthetic resin. A toilet seat 12 and toilet seat lid 13, both made of synthetic resin, are rotatably attached to the casing 15, and as shown in Figure 1, with the toilet seat lid 13 open and the toilet seat 12 tilted towards the toilet 1, the user can sit with their buttocks on the toilet seat 12.

[0012] A plurality of convex seat legs 18 are arranged at intervals on the underside of the toilet seat 12. These legs come into direct contact with the upper surface of the toilet bowl 1 when the toilet seat 12 is tilted toward the toilet bowl 1, which is the in-use position. In this embodiment, the legs are arranged at four locations, on the front left and right and the rear left and right, as shown in FIG. 2, but this is just an example and the present invention is not limited to this. One of the seat legs 18 has a built-in mechanical seat switch 19 that serves as a seat occupancy detection means. When the seat leg 18 comes into contact with and is pressed against the toilet bowl 1, the seat switch 19 turns on, thereby detecting that the user is seated on the toilet seat 12. In this embodiment, the seat switch 19 is provided on one of the center front left and right seat legs 18 as shown in FIG. 2, but this is just an example and the present invention is not limited to this.

[0013] Reference numeral 21 denotes a main body operation unit made of synthetic resin and provided on the side of the casing 15. The main body operation unit 21 is provided with various operation buttons including flush buttons such as a butt button and a bidet button, and a stop button, and user operations are input via these operation buttons. The main body operation unit 21 is also provided with indicator lamps such as a power lamp, a deodorizing lamp, a power saving lamp, and a toilet seat lamp, and is configured to notify the user of the operating status of each part of the toilet seat device 10 depending on the display form of these indicator lamps.

[0014] A so-called movable cleaning nozzle 25 is provided at the lower front of the casing 15. The cleaning nozzle 25, which corresponds to a nozzle device, is cylindrical and extends linearly along the front-rear direction of the main body 11, and is arranged to be reciprocally movable along the front-rear direction of the main body 11. One or more water discharge sections 66 (see FIG. 5) that discharge water as a cleaning liquid are provided on the peripheral surface of the tip of the cleaning nozzle 25, and when the cleaning nozzle 25 is advanced to a position protruding from below the toilet seat 12, water is efficiently sprayed toward the private parts of a user seated on the toilet seat 12. In addition, a nozzle guard 26 that protrudes downward from the main body 11 is integrally formed on the main body underside 16, which forms the bottom of the casing 15, to protect the cleaning nozzle 25 housed within the casing 15 when the cleaning nozzle 25 is retracted to a position below the toilet seat 12. The cleaning nozzle 25 is preferably made of stainless steel to maintain cleanliness, but other materials may be used. In this embodiment, the water discharge section 66 is provided with a posterior cleansing water outlet 66a that sprays water onto a first private part of the user, and a bidet cleansing water outlet 66b that sprays water onto a second private part different from the first private part of the user, and these posterior cleansing water outlet 66a and bidet cleansing water outlet 66b are provided on the same cleansing nozzle 25. Note that the configuration of the cleansing nozzle 25 is one example, and the posterior cleansing water outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing water outlet 66b may each be provided on a dedicated cleansing nozzle 25, and multiple cleansing nozzles 25 may each be configured to be movable.

[0015] A branch fitting 33 is attached to a stop valve WV, which is installed in advance in the toilet room S as a water supply path, and which branches the water flowing in from the stop valve WV to the toilet seat 12 side and to a storage tank (not shown) side that stores water to be supplied to the toilet bowl for flushing. This branch fitting 33 is composed of a three-way joint, and each joint is connected to the stop valve WV, a tank water supply hose R that supplies water to the storage tank, and a water supply hose 32. A main water inlet 31 is provided on the rear side of the casing 15, and by connecting the water supply hose 32 to the main water inlet 31, the stop valve WV and the main water inlet 31 are connected, and water from the stop valve WV is guided from the main water inlet 31 to the toilet seat 12 via the branch fitting 33 and the water supply hose 32. Therefore, in this embodiment, the toilet seat device 10 is made up of the main body 11, the toilet seat 12, the toilet seat cover 13, the water supply hose 32, and the branch fitting 33.

[0016] As shown in FIG. 2, a mounting recess 41 is recessed upward in the main body underside 16. This mounting recess 41 has a front edge 41A that protrudes rearward so that a center portion 41T is positioned rearward compared to the left and right sides, and left and right edges 41L, 41R that extend rearward from the left and right ends of this front edge 41A. A rear opening 42 is formed between the rear ends of these left and right edges 41L, 41R. As shown in FIG. 3, a fixing plate 43 for fixing the main body 11 is fixed to the upper surface of the toilet rear section 3. The main body 11 is fixed to the toilet rear section 3 by aligning the rear opening 42 of the mounting recess 41 with this fixing plate 43 and sliding the main body 11 rearward to fit the fixing plate 43 into the mounting recess 41. Conversely, the main body 11 can be removed from the toilet rear section 3 by sliding the main body 11 forward and removing the fixing plate 43 from the mounting recess 41. In this way, the toilet rear section 3 is the mounting portion for the toilet 1 to which the main body 11 is attached.

[0017] A deodorizing device 51 is built into the casing 15 to reduce and eliminate odors inside the toilet 1. For this purpose, an air intake 52 is provided on the front lower surface of the casing 15 opposite the top surface of the toilet 1, and a deodorizing passage (not shown) is provided between this and an exhaust port 53 provided at the rear of the casing top 17, with a deodorizing fan and deodorizing unit provided along the way.

[0018] 4 shows an enlarged top view of the main body 11 with the upper casing part 17 removed. Referring to FIG. 4, the configuration of the flow path 51 through which water flowing in from the main body water inlet 31 flows will be described. The flow path 51 is mainly formed by the main body water inlet 31, a water stop mechanism 52, a pressure reducing mechanism 53, a switching valve 55, a branching section 56, a jetting section 57, a heating unit 58, a nozzle assembly 59, and an air pump 60. As will be described later, the flow path 51 has a first flow path 51-1 and a second flow path 51-2, the second flow path 51-2 has a third flow path 51-3 and a fourth flow path 51-4, and the fourth flow path 51-4 has a fifth flow path 51-5 and a sixth flow path 51-6. Specifically, the flow path 51 branches at a branch fitting 33 into a first flow path 51-1 that leads to the storage tank side and a second flow path 51-2 that leads to the toilet seat 12, and the second flow path 51-2 is arranged from the main water supply port 31 to inside the toilet seat 12 via a water supply hose 32, and branches at a branching point 56 into a third flow path 51-3 and a fourth flow path 51-4, and the fourth flow path 51-4 branches at an electromagnetic valve 95 of the nozzle assembly 59 into a fifth flow path 51-5 and a sixth flow path 51-6.

[0019] The water stop mechanism 52 starts and stops the flow of water from the main body water inlet 31 to the second flow path 51-2 inside the toilet seat 12. In this embodiment, it is configured as a solenoid valve and can be turned on and off by an electrical signal. The pressure reduction mechanism 53 reduces and stabilizes the pressure of the passing water to a predetermined pressure, such as 0.1 to 0.15 MPa, and is provided to supply water with stabilized water pressure to the second flow path 51-2. In this embodiment, the main body water inlet 31, water stop mechanism 52, and pressure reduction mechanism 53 are integrally formed into a unitized water conveyance unit 110, which is configured as the aforementioned solenoid valve. This allows the water stop mechanism 52 and pressure reduction mechanism 53 to be miniaturized and facilitates the installation and replacement of the main body water inlet 31, water stop mechanism 52, and pressure reduction mechanism 53 to the toilet body 11. Therefore, the water conveyance unit 110 also functions as a valve device. This is just one example, and the water conveying unit 110 may be configured with, for example, a motor-driven valve, i.e., an electric valve whose power source is an electric valve such as a solenoid valve or a motor-driven valve. Also, the main body water inlet 31, the water stop mechanism 52, and the pressure reduction mechanism 53 may be formed separately, or the water conveying unit 110 may be configured with only one of the water stop mechanism 52 and the pressure reduction mechanism 53.

[0020] Switching valve 55 controls the water pressure of water flowing through flow path 51-2 to a predetermined value or less, and includes inlet 55A for receiving water, outlet 55B for discharging water, overflow drain 55C, and drain pipe 55D connected to drain hole 16A provided in underside 16 of main body. When water flows into switching valve 55 from inlet 55A, if the pressure of the inflowing water is below a predetermined value, an overflow drain valve (not shown) built into switching valve 55 does not open, and the inflowing water is discharged directly from outlet 55B. On the other hand, if the pressure of the inflowing water exceeds the predetermined value, the overflow drain valve opens, and some of the water and gas that flowed into switching valve 55 is discharged from overflow drain 55C to drain pipe 55D and then discharged through drain hole 16A into bowl 2 of toilet 1. Thereafter, when the water pressure falls below a predetermined value, the overflow drain valve is closed, and the water that flowed in from inlet port 55A is again sent out directly from outlet port 55B. Switching valve 55 may be configured so that the overflow drain valve opens not only when the pressure of the water that has flowed into switching valve 55 exceeds a predetermined value, but also when the flow rate of the water exceeds a predetermined value.

[0021] Branching section 56 branches second flow path 51-2 into a third flow path 51-3 leading to jetting section 57 and a fourth flow path 51-4 leading to nozzle assembly 59, and selectively sends water that has flowed into branching section 56 to either third flow path 51-3 or fourth flow path 51-4. In this embodiment, branching section 56 is configured with a solenoid valve, and has an inlet section 56A into which water flows, a first outlet section 56B that sends water to third flow path 51-3, a second outlet section 56C that sends water to fourth flow path 51-4, and a branching section main body 56D. The branching unit main body 56D is configured to selectively open / close the first delivery port 56B or the second delivery port 56C using an electric signal, so that water flowing into the branching unit main body 56D from the inlet port 56A passes through the open first delivery port 56B or second delivery port 56C and is delivered to the third flow path 51-3 or the fourth flow path 51-4. Therefore, the branching unit 56 functions as a valve device. The branching unit 56 may be configured with an electric valve, and either the first delivery port 56B or the second delivery port 56C may be configured to open / close, or both may be configured to open / close simultaneously.

[0022] Spout portion 57 discharges water flowing in from third flow path 51-3 into bowl portion 2 of toilet 1, causing the water to adhere to the inner wall, which is the inside surface of bowl portion 2, improving the removal of dirt during toilet flushing, and also functions as a water outlet. In this embodiment, spout portion 57 has an atomization function that sprays the inflowing water as a mist M, and by atomizing the water, the mist M from spout portion 57 can be adhered to a wide area of ​​the inner wall of bowl portion 2. In this embodiment, spout portion 57 is fixed, but spout portion 57 may also be configured to oscillate so that it can spray water over an even wider area.

[0023] The heating unit 58 heats the water sent to the nozzle assembly 59 to raise the water temperature. In this embodiment, the heating unit 58 has a heater 58a (see FIG. 14), and is configured so that the heater 58a heats the water while the water passes through the heating unit 58, thereby raising the water temperature instantaneously.

[0024] FIG. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a nozzle assembly 59 according to this embodiment. Referring to FIG. 5, the configuration of the nozzle assembly 59 will be described. The nozzle assembly 59 includes a nozzle main body 62, a water supply cylinder 63, a nozzle motor 64, a water supply cylinder motor 65, and a nozzle holder 67. The nozzle main body 62 constitutes the main body of the nozzle assembly 59 and is formed in a linear cylindrical shape. A water supply cylinder storage section 62a extending linearly along the axial direction of the nozzle main body 62 is provided in the radial center of the nozzle main body 62. The nozzle main body 62 is also configured to be inclined at an angle relative to the horizontal, with the base end of the nozzle main body 62 positioned above and the tip end positioned below. Therefore, the nozzle main body 62 reciprocates along the front-to-rear direction at an angle with the base end positioned above and the tip end positioned below.

[0025] The tip surface of the nozzle main body 62 is closed. A water discharge portion 66 is provided on the peripheral surface of the tip of the nozzle main body 62, in this case, on the upper surface facing the buttocks of the user who will be resting on the toilet seat 12. In this embodiment, two water discharge portions 66 are provided: a posterior cleansing water discharge port 66a and a bidet cleansing water discharge port 66b, but the water discharge portion 66 may be provided with more than two discharge ports, or may be provided with only one. The posterior cleansing water discharge port 66a and the bidet cleansing water discharge port 66b each communicate with the tip of the water supply cylinder storage portion 62a.

[0026] As shown in Figure 5, the water supply cylinder 63 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a smaller diameter than the water supply cylinder storage section 62a, and is stored in the water supply cylinder storage section 62a so that it can move back and forth along the axial direction. Water flows through the cylindrical water supply cylinder 63, and the water supply cylinder 63 forms part of a fifth flow path 51-5, which will be described later. The tip surface of the water supply cylinder 63 is closed. A water supply port 72 is provided on the peripheral surface of the tip of the water supply cylinder 63, in this case, on the upper surface facing the buttocks of a user who will be resting on the toilet seat 15.

[0027] The nozzle motor 64 is an example of a nozzle moving means, and rotates the wheel 64a in the directions of arrows a1 and a2 to move the nozzle main body 62 back and forth in the axial direction of the nozzle assembly 59, i.e., along the front-to-rear direction of the toilet seat apparatus 10. As a result, the entire nozzle assembly 59 moves back and forth in the directions of arrows A1 and A2 along the front-to-rear direction of the toilet seat apparatus 10.

[0028] The water supply cylinder motor 65 rotates the wheel 65a in the directions of arrows b1 and b2, thereby causing the water supply cylinder 63 to reciprocate inside the nozzle main body 62 in the axial direction of the nozzle assembly 59, i.e., along the front-to-rear direction of the toilet seat device 10. As a result, inside the nozzle main body 62, the water supply cylinder 63 reciprocates in the directions of arrows B1 and B2 along the front-to-rear direction of the toilet seat device 10.

[0029] As shown in Figure 5, a movement restricting part 68 having a larger diameter than the water supply cylinder storage part 62a is provided inside the base end of the nozzle main body 62, i.e., the side opposite to the tip end. A tip side touch sensor 69 is provided on the tip side of this movement restricting part 68, and a base side touch sensor 70 is provided on the base end side of the movement restricting part 68. Meanwhile, an annular movement restricting part 71 is fixed to the base end of the water supply cylinder 63. The movement restricting part 71 is housed in the movement restricting part 68 so as to be able to move. In this embodiment, the axial length L1 of the nozzle assembly 59 in the movement restriction section 68 is formed to be approximately the same as the center-to-center length L2 of the posterior cleansing water outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing water outlet 66b, and as shown in Figure 5, when the water supply cylinder 63 is in the rearmost position, the water supply port 72 of the water supply cylinder 63 is located at the position of the posterior cleansing water outlet 66a, and when the water supply cylinder 63 is in the frontmost position, the water supply port 72 of the water supply cylinder 63 is located at the position of the bidet cleansing water outlet 66b.

[0030] The nozzle holder 67 holds the nozzle main body 62 so that it can move back and forth. As shown in FIG. 5, the nozzle holder 67 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a diameter larger than the outer periphery of the nozzle main body 62, and the nozzle main body 62 is configured to slide along an inner wall 67a of the nozzle holder 67 and move back and forth. A nozzle cleansing port 67b is provided in the inner wall 67a, and is configured to spray water onto the outer surface of the nozzle main body 62. Note that, as shown in FIG. 6, in this embodiment, the nozzle cleansing port 67b is provided at a position facing the posterior cleansing outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing outlet 66b, and in the embodiment of FIG. 5, the nozzle cleansing ports 67b are provided at positions on the inner wall 67a facing the posterior cleansing outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing outlet 66b, respectively. The length L3 between the nozzle cleansing ports 67b is formed to be substantially the same as the length L2 between the centers of the posterior cleansing outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing outlet 66b. Therefore, the water from the two nozzle cleansing ports 67b can efficiently remove dirt adhering to the periphery of the rear cleansing outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing outlet 66b. Also, like the nozzle main body 62, the nozzle holder 67 is configured to be angled obliquely with respect to the horizontal, with the base end of the nozzle main body 62 facing upward and the tip end facing downward, so that water sprayed from the nozzle cleansing port 67b flows along the inner wall 67a and the outer surface of the nozzle main body 62 toward the tip end of the nozzle main body 62 and down into the bowl 2 of the toilet 1. Note that this configuration is one example, and the number and arrangement of the nozzle cleansing ports 67b are not limited to this configuration.

[0031] The nozzle assembly 59 is formed with a fifth flow path 51-5 that connects the water supply port 72 to the water discharge port 66 via the water supply cylinder 63, and a sixth flow path 51-6 that connects to the nozzle cleaning port 67b via the nozzle holder 67. A solenoid valve 95 (see FIG. 14) branches the fourth flow path 51-4 into the fifth flow path 51-5 and the sixth flow path 51-6. Therefore, the solenoid valve 95 is configured to selectively send water flowing into the solenoid valve 95 to either the fifth flow path 51-5 or the sixth flow path 51-6 via an electric signal. Therefore, the solenoid valve 95 functions as a valve device. The solenoid valve 95 may also be configured as an electrically operated valve.

[0032] The air pump 60 injects gas into the water supply cylinder 63, causing the water flowing therein to contain air bubbles. When the water contains air bubbles due to the gas injection, the pressure inside the water supply cylinder 63 increases, which in turn increases the pressure of the water flowing through the fifth flow path 51-5, thereby increasing the force of the water discharged from the rear-cleaning water outlet 66a and the bidet-cleaning water outlet 66b. The outlet of the air pump 60 and the inside of the water supply cylinder 63 are connected via piping (not shown), which is configured to be connected approximately perpendicular to the extension direction of the water supply cylinder 63. Therefore, when the air pump 60 is operating, gas is injected from the air pump 60 from a direction approximately perpendicular to the flow of water in the water supply cylinder 63, efficiently injecting gas into the water and allowing the water to contain air bubbles. Therefore, the air pump 60 functions as a bubble-injecting means for incorporating air bubbles into the water flowing in the water supply cylinder 63.

[0033] FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a branch fitting 33 of this embodiment. Referring to FIG. 7, the branch fitting 33 is generally composed of a branch fitting main body 75 as a three-way joint, a nut 76 and a nut retainer 77 disposed on the outer periphery of a joint 75a connected to a stop valve WV of the branch fitting main body 75, a UFB nozzle 78 and a nozzle retainer 79 disposed within the joint 75a, and a resin gasket 80 disposed at the end of the joint 75a. A portion of the flow path 51 through which water flows is formed inside the branch fitting main body 75, the UFB nozzle 78, the nozzle retainer 79, and the gasket 80. As shown in FIG. 7, the branch fitting 33 of this embodiment is arranged coaxially from upstream of the flow path 51 in the order of the gasket 80, the nozzle retainer 79, the UFB nozzle 78, and the branch fitting main body 75. These components are in tight contact with each other to prevent water leakage between the components. The branch fitting 33 of this embodiment is configured by sequentially press-fitting a UFB nozzle 78 with a seal member 81 attached and a nozzle retainer 79 into a housing portion 91 formed in the branch fitting body 75, and the UFB nozzle 78 and nozzle retainer 79 are held in the housing portion 91 by connecting the fitting 75a and the stop valve WV with a nut 76 via a packing 80. This configuration makes it easy to replace the UFB nozzle 78. Note that this is just one example, and the present invention is not limited to this configuration.

[0034] First, the UFB nozzle 78 will be described. When a liquid such as water supplied from an external water source passes through the UFB nozzle 78 toward the downstream direction of the flow path 51, fine bubbles including ultrafine bubbles are generated in the liquid. Note that the UFB nozzle 78 of this embodiment is just one example, and in addition to or instead of ultrafine bubbles, the UFB nozzle 78 may also generate fine bubbles such as microbubbles (fine bubbles) or micro-nano bubbles, or may even generate ultrafine bubbles (nanobubbles). Note that in this specification, in line with general classification of bubbles by diameter, fine bubbles with a diameter of 1 μm to 100 μm will be referred to as microbubbles, and fine bubbles with a diameter of several tens of nanometers to less than 1 μm will be referred to as ultrafine bubbles, in line with general classification of bubbles by diameter.

[0035] Fine bubbles, such as microbubbles and ultrafine bubbles, are negatively charged. Therefore, they do not bond with each other but instead adsorb positively charged substances such as dirt. This reduces the surface tension of liquids containing the fine bubbles, such as water, improving cleaning effectiveness. When the fine bubbles are ultrafine, they can also adsorb odors because they are positively charged, improving deodorizing effectiveness. Furthermore, when the fine bubbles collapse on the surface of a solid, such as a contaminated surface, they generate a tiny jet stream, further improving cleaning effectiveness. For example, the calculated internal pressure of a fine bubble with a diameter of 100 nm is approximately 30 atm (30 atmospheres). Furthermore, because the specific surface area of ​​fine bubbles is very large, they also have the function of promoting fluidity and chemical reactions at the interface. When the fine bubbles collapse rapidly due to shock waves, energy is generated, generating free radicals and ozone. These free radicals and ozone attack bacteria and viruses in the water containing the fine bubbles, thereby sterilizing and disinfecting them. This effect is more pronounced as the diameter of the fine bubbles becomes smaller, and for example, ultra-fine ozone bubble water is particularly effective.

[0036] Ultrafine bubbles have a small particle size, allowing them to penetrate into intricate areas, and are effective in cleaning objects that cannot be removed by other fine bubbles such as microbubbles. Furthermore, ultrafine bubbles have nanometer-order particle sizes, which give them low buoyancy, and they are highly hydrophobic and difficult to dissolve in water, allowing them to remain in liquid for a long time.

[0037] As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the UFB nozzle 78 is formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape with steps on its outer circumferential surface. The UFB nozzle 78 has an inlet portion 85, an outlet portion 86, a hollow portion 87, and a collision portion 88. The inlet portion 85 and the outlet portion 86 are formed, for example, in a cylindrical shape. The inlet portion 85 is a portion through which water flows from the outside of the UFB nozzle 78 to the inside. Water that passes through the hollow portion 81 of the UFB lower case 76 is introduced into the UFB nozzle 78 through the inlet portion 85. The outlet portion 86 is a portion through which water flows from the inside of the UFB nozzle 78 to the outside. The inner diameter of the outlet portion 86 is smaller than the inner diameter of the inlet portion 85. The water that flows into the UFB nozzle 78 flows from the outlet portion 86 into a narrow channel portion 92 of the branch fitting main body 75, which will be described later.

[0038] The hollow portion 87 is provided inside the UFB nozzle 78, connects the inlet portion 85 and the outlet portion 86, and is formed to allow liquids such as water to pass through. The hollow portion 87 includes a throttle portion 87a and a straight portion 87b. The throttle portion 87a and the straight portion 87b are provided around the entire inner circumferential surface of the UFB nozzle 78. The throttle portion 87a is provided on the inlet side, i.e., the upstream side, of the UFB nozzle 78. The throttle portion 87a is connected to the inlet portion 85 and is provided between the inlet portion 85 and the outlet portion 86. The throttle portion 87a is formed so that the cross-sectional area, i.e., the inner diameter, of the hollow portion 87 gradually decreases from the inlet portion 85 to a portion midway along the extension direction of the UFB nozzle 78. In this embodiment, the throttle portion 87a is formed in the shape of a tapered pipe with a so-called truncated cone shape, so that the cross-sectional area, i.e., the inner diameter, of the hollow portion 87 gradually decreases continuously. The throttle portion 87a may be configured to gradually decrease in a stepped manner the cross-sectional area of ​​the hollow portion 87. The throttle portion 87a may be configured integrally with the UFB nozzle 78 or may be a separate body.

[0039] The straight portion 87b is provided downstream of the throttle portion 87a. The straight portion 87b is connected to the outlet portion 86. The straight portion 87b is formed in a cylindrical shape, a so-called straight pipe shape, in which the inner diameter does not change, that is, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path 43, i.e., the area through which liquid can pass, does not change. The inner diameter of the straight portion 87b is set to be approximately the same as the minimum inner diameter of the throttle portion 87a, and in this embodiment, the inner diameter of the straight portion 87b is set to be approximately 3 mm, for example.

[0040] The collision portion 88 is intended to generate fine bubbles in the liquid passing through the hollow portion 87 by locally reducing the cross-sectional area of ​​the hollow portion 87. The ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the collision portion 88 to the cross-sectional area of ​​the hollow portion 87 can be set to approximately 25% to 45%. As shown in FIG. 9, the collision portion 88 is located near the downstream end of the UFB nozzle 78, with at least a portion of it being provided in the straight portion 87b. The collision portion 88 is formed integrally with the UFB nozzle 78 by, for example, injection molding a synthetic resin material. Note that the collision portion 88 does not necessarily have to be formed integrally with the UFB nozzle 78, but may be formed separately.

[0041] As shown in Fig. 10, the collision portion 88 divides the hollow portion 87 into multiple portions (three in the case of Fig. 10) in the radial direction relative to the center of the hollow portion 87 along the direction in which water flows. In other words, the hollow portion 87 is divided into three hollow portions 87d as the water passes through the collision portion 88. The collision portion 88 is composed of, for example, three rod-shaped protrusions 89, which protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the straight portion 87b toward the inside of the hollow portion 87. In this embodiment, the protrusions 89 protrude from the inner circumferential surface of the straight portion 87b toward the center of the cross section of the hollow portion 87. The respective protrusions 89 are connected at their tips to form an integrated, generally Y-shape.

[0042] The multiple protrusions 89 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the cross section of the hollow portion 87. The multiple protrusions 89 are not limited to being spaced at equal intervals, but may be spaced at unequal intervals. The area of ​​the gap formed between each of the protrusions 89 is the minimum cross-sectional area through which water can pass in the micro-bubble generating means 54. The multiple protrusions 89 may be four or more, as shown in FIG. 11 . That is, the multiple protrusions 89 may partition the hollow portion 87 into four or more sections. In the example of FIG. 11 , the multiple protrusions 89 form the collision section 88 as a whole in a substantially cross shape, for example. In this case, the hollow portion 87 is configured to be partitioned into four hollow portions 87b when passing through the collision section 60.

[0043] As shown in Figure 12, the protruding portion 89 has an upstream wall portion 89a, an expanded diameter portion 89b, and a downstream wall portion 89c. The upstream wall portion 89a forms the upstream end of the protruding portion 89. The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the upstream wall portion 89a is formed, for example, into a so-called bullet-shaped curved surface that is convex in the opposite direction to the direction of water flow through the hollow portion 87, i.e., toward the upstream side. The longitudinal direction refers to the direction along the direction of water flow through the hollow portion 87. The width direction refers to the direction perpendicular to the direction along the direction of water flow through the hollow portion 87.

[0044] The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the upstream wall portion 89a may be a triangle that is pointed toward the upstream side. The expanded diameter portion 89b is connected to the upstream wall portion 89a and is formed so as to expand in a substantially linear manner from the upstream side to the downstream side. The expanded diameter portion 89b is not limited to a linear expansion, but may also be configured so as to expand in a curved manner. In other words, the cross-sectional shape of the protruding portion 89 is smaller on the upstream side than on the downstream side in the direction of water flow within the hollow portion 87. The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the protruding portion 89 changes smoothly in the direction of water flow within the hollow portion 87.

[0045] The downstream wall portion 89c is connected to the expanded diameter portion 89b and constitutes the downstream end portion of the protrusion 89. The longitudinal cross-sectional shape of the downstream wall portion 89c is formed, for example, in a substantially rectangular shape. The downstream end face of the downstream wall portion 89c is located on the same plane as the downstream end face of the UFB nozzle 78. In other words, the downstream surface of the protrusion 89 is configured to be flush with the downstream surface of the UFB nozzle 78. Furthermore, when considering only the shape of the downstream end portion of the protrusion 89, the longitudinal dimension of the downstream wall portion 89c is smaller than the width dimension of the downstream wall portion 89c.

[0046] Here, if the longitudinal dimension L4 of the protruding portion 89 in the cross section is made smaller than the widthwise dimension W of the protruding portion 89, the angle of the surface at which the expanded diameter portion 89b faces the water flowing in the hollow portion 87 becomes large, and the flow resistance of the protruding portion 89 to the water flowing in the hollow portion 87 increases, which may result in a decrease in the flow rate. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 12, the longitudinal dimension L4 of the protruding portion 89 in the cross section is configured to be larger than the widthwise dimension W, which reduces the flow resistance of the protruding portion 89 to the water flowing in the hollow portion 87 and increases the flow rate. In this embodiment, the ratio of the longitudinal dimension L4 to the widthwise dimension W of the protrusion 89 is set to, for example, approximately 3:2, and the longitudinal dimension L4 of the protrusion 89 is set to, for example, approximately 0.7 mm to 1.1 mm, and the widthwise dimension W of the protrusion 89 is set to, for example, approximately 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm, but this is just one example and the present invention is not limited to this.

[0047] When water flows into the upstream side of the UFB nozzle 78, the cross-sectional area of ​​the flow path is narrowed at the throttle section 87a, which is formed so as to gradually reduce the inner diameter, and this narrowing causes the flow velocity to increase and cavitation due to reduced pressure based on the so-called Bernoulli's principle of fluid mechanics. Then, the high-speed flow collides with the collision section 88, generating shear force and negative pressure in a negative pressure region of, for example, -1.0 MPa or less near the downstream end face of the collision section 88, generating fine bubbles. As a result, the UFB nozzle 78 separates a large amount of air dissolved in the water passing through the UFB nozzle 78 as fine bubbles, thereby supplying fine-bubble water containing a larger amount of fine bubbles than before passing through the UFB nozzle 78.

[0048] 7, branch fitting main body 75 is made of metal and formed in a generally T-shape, and includes a generally cylindrical fitting 75a that connects to stop valve WV, a generally cylindrical fitting 75b that extends generally in a straight line relative to fitting 75a and connects to tank water supply hose R, a generally cylindrical fitting 75c that extends generally perpendicular to fitting 75a and connects to water supply hose 32, and a hollow main body 75d to which fittings 75a, 75b, and 75c are connected. Fitting 75a has an accommodating section 91 that accommodates UFB nozzle 78 and nozzle retainer 79, a narrow flow path section 92 that is part of flow path 51 and communicates with hollow section 87 of UFB nozzle 78, a main flow path section 93 that is part of flow path 51 and communicates with narrow flow path section 92, and a groove 94 for nut retainer 77. Joint 75b is part of flow path 51 and has flow path 51-1 that guides water to tank water supply hose R. Joint 75c is part of flow path 51 and has flow path 51-2 that guides water to water supply hose 32. Main body 75d is part of flow path 51 and has a hollow portion 97 that communicates with main flow path portion 93, flow paths 51-1, and flow paths 51-2 and guides water that flows in from main flow path portion 93 to flow paths 51-1 and 51-2.

[0049] The accommodation portion 91 accommodates the UFB nozzle 78 and the nozzle retainer 79 to form the flow path 51, and is formed in approximately the same shape as the outer shape of the UFB nozzle 78 and the nozzle retainer 79 when they are aligned coaxially so that the UFB nozzle 78 and the nozzle retainer 79 fit together. A seal member 81 is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the UFB nozzle 78 and the inner peripheral surface of the accommodation portion 91. The seal member 81 is formed, for example, by an O-ring made of synthetic resin. The seal member 81 is pressed by the outer peripheral surface of the UFB nozzle 78 and the inner peripheral surface of the accommodation portion 91, connecting the UFB nozzle 78 and the accommodation portion 91 in a watertight state.

[0050] The narrow channel portion 92 is formed between the storage portion 91 and the main channel portion 93, and guides water that flows in from the outlet portion 86 of the UFB nozzle 78 to the main channel portion 93, and is formed to communicate with the storage portion 91 and the main channel portion 93. In this embodiment, the narrow channel portion 92 is formed in a cylindrical shape with a cross-sectional shape that is approximately the same as the hollow portion 87 in the straight portion 87b of the UFB nozzle 78, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0051] The main flow path portion 93 guides water that has flowed in from the narrow flow path portion 92 to a hollow portion 97 within the main body portion 75d. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the main flow path portion 93 is formed to be approximately the same as the cross-sectional areas of the hollow portion 97, flow path 51-1 that is part of flow path 51 and formed at joint 75b, and flow path 51-2 that is part of flow path 51 and formed at joint 75c, so that water is smoothly guided from the main flow path portion 93 to the hollow portion 97, flow path 51-1, and flow path 51-2. The cross-sectional area of ​​the main flow path portion 93 is also formed to be larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow flow path portion 92. When water that has flowed into the main flow path portion 93 from the narrow flow path portion 92 flows downstream of the flow path 51, the pressure around the water is reduced to a negative pressure, causing gas dissolved in the water to turn into fine bubbles due to cavitation. The fine bubbles dissolved in the water are further subdivided, generating fine bubbles in the water and increasing the number of fine bubbles.

[0052] In this embodiment, the length L of the narrow flow path portion 92 SThe length L from the outlet of the narrow flow passage portion 92 to the branching at the hollow portion 97 in the main body portion 75d M That is, the length (L S <L M ) is formed. This ensures a sufficient length of the flow path until the fine bubbles generated in the collision section 88 of the UFB nozzle 78 or the main flow path section 93 branch off in the hollow section 97, thereby suppressing the occurrence of a difference in flow rate between the amount of water led to the flow path 51-1 and the amount of water led to the flow path 51-2.

[0053] The groove 94 is formed on the outer periphery of the joint 75a and is adapted to fit the nut retainer 77. In this embodiment, the groove 94 is formed in a concave shape, with the groove width being approximately the same as the diameter of the nut retainer 77 and the groove depth being approximately the same as the radius of the nut retainer 77, but this is just an example. The groove 94 has a length L from the groove 94 to the connection point between the joint 75a and the main body 75d on the outer periphery of the joint 75a. J The height of the nut 76 is L N The nut stopper 77 is provided at a position such that it is longer than the groove 94, and the nut stopper 77 can be fitted into the groove 94 when the joint 75a is inserted all the way into the nut 76.

[0054] In this embodiment, a UFB nozzle 78 serving as a microbubble generating means is provided in a branch fitting 33 attached to a stop valve WV. Because the branch fitting 33 does not have a pressure-reducing mechanism, high water pressure is applied to the hollow portion 87 of the UFB nozzle 78. However, it was difficult to mold the collision portion 88 inside the branch fitting 33 by making the entire branch fitting 33 out of metal. Therefore, in this embodiment, the branch fitting 33 is made of metal and a metal housing portion 91 is disposed outside the UFB nozzle 78, suppressing deformation of the UFB nozzle 78 and improving its strength and durability. Furthermore, metal parts such as the branch fitting 33 are extracted straight from a mold during manufacturing, which poses a challenge in creating a shape that allows the UFB nozzle 78 to be retained within the housing portion 91. Therefore, in this embodiment, the UFB nozzle 78 is retained within the housing portion 91 by a nozzle retainer 79.

[0055] 13 is a perspective view of the nozzle retainer 79. Referring to this figure, the nozzle retainer 79 holds the UFB nozzle 78 in the housing portion 91 and is made of a resin such as polyacetal (POM) or polypropylene (PP). The nozzle retainer 79 is mainly composed of a ring-shaped retainer body 79-1 and a plurality of protrusions 79-2, 79-2, ... that protrude outward from the outer periphery of the retainer body 79-1, and has a hollow portion 96 that is part of the flow path 51 in the center of the retainer body 79-1.

[0056] The retaining body 79-1 contacts the end of the UFB nozzle 78 near the inlet 85 to retain the UFB nozzle 78 in the housing 91. The retaining body 79-1 in this embodiment is formed to have approximately the same outer diameter as the inlet 85. The protrusions 79-2, 79-2..., fit into the inner periphery of the housing 91 to retain the nozzle retainer 79 in the housing 91. The protrusion 79-2 in this embodiment is wedge-shaped, with its upstream side higher than its downstream side relative to the flow path 51. The height of the upstream side of the protrusion 79-2 is slightly greater than the distance from the outer periphery of the retaining body 79-1 to the inner periphery of the housing 91. This configuration facilitates press-fitting the nozzle retainer 79 into the housing 91 and also facilitates fitting of the protrusions 79-2, 79-2..., into the inner periphery of the housing 91. The hollow portion 96 is configured to have a larger cross-sectional area than the hollow portion 87 on the inlet portion 85 side so as not to obstruct the flow of water from the stop valve WV. Alternatively, instead of providing the protrusions 79-2, 79-2..., the retaining body 79-1 may be formed in a truncated cone shape with a hollow portion 96 in the center, with the downstream side of the retaining body 79-1 having approximately the same outer diameter as the inlet portion 85 of the UFB nozzle 78 and the upstream side of the retaining body 79-1 having an outer diameter slightly larger than the inner circumference of the storage portion 91, so that the outer circumference of the retaining body 79-1 fits into the inner circumference of the storage portion 91.

[0057] The packing 80 is sandwiched between the joint 75a of the branch fitting body 75 and the stop valve WV to seal the gap between the joint 75a and the stop valve WV, and in this embodiment the packing 80 is made of resin and is formed in a circular ring shape with approximately the same outer diameter as the end of the joint 75a. The inner diameter of the packing 80, like the hollow portion 96, is configured to have a larger cross-sectional area than the hollow portion 87 on the inlet 85 side of the UFB nozzle 78 so as not to impede the flow of water from the stop valve WV.

[0058] Nut retainer 77 engages with the inner periphery of one end of nut 76 when nut 76 is positioned at the end of joint 75a, preventing nut 76 from coming off joint 75a. Nut retainer 77 in this embodiment is made of metal such as SUS, has a circular cross section and is formed into a roughly C-shape in plan view, and is attached to joint 75a by fitting into groove 94.

[0059] The nut 76 connects the fitting 75a and the stop valve WV. In this embodiment, the nut 76 is made of metal, but this is just one example. The nut 76 is generally cylindrical, and its inner surface is formed with a female thread 76-1 that can be threaded onto the threaded portion of the stop valve WV. One end of the inner surface is provided with an engagement portion 76-2 that engages with a nut retainer 77. A gasket 80 is then placed at the end of the fitting 75a, and the fitting of the stop valve WV is abutted against the other side of the gasket 80, and the nut 76 is threaded onto the threaded portion of the stop valve WV, thereby connecting the stop valve WV and the fitting 75a and attaching the branch fitting 33 to the stop valve WV.

[0060] Next, the electrical configuration of the toilet seat apparatus 10 will be described with reference to Figure 14. Reference numeral 101 denotes a control unit that electrically controls each part of the toilet seat apparatus 10, and is composed of a microcomputer, storage means 102 such as a readable and writable memory that stores various information and data, clock means 103 that measures time and duration, and drive elements for each part. The input port of the control unit 101 is electrically connected to the main body operation unit 21, the seating sensor 19, the distal end touch sensor 69 and the proximal end touch sensor 70 of the nozzle assembly 59, and toilet seat lid open / close detection means 104. The output port of the control unit 101 is electrically connected to the water stop mechanism 52, the branching unit 56, the heater 58a of the heating unit 58, the air pump 60, the nozzle motor 64 of the nozzle assembly 59, the water supply cylinder motor 65, and the solenoid valve 95.

[0061] The toilet seat cover open / close detection means 104 detects whether the toilet seat cover 13 is open or closed, and is provided on the toilet seat cover 13 near an axis that is rotatably attached to the toilet seat 12. The toilet seat cover open / close detection means 104 may be of any detection type, such as optical, mechanical, or magnetic, as long as it can output a detection signal corresponding to whether the toilet seat cover 13 is open or closed.

[0062] Control unit 101 has the function of receiving detection signals from seating sensor 19, toilet seat lid open / close detection means 104, tip-side touch sensor 69, and base-side touch sensor 70, as well as operation signals from main body operation unit 21, and outputting control signals to water stop mechanism 52, branching unit 56, heater 58a, air pump 60, nozzle motor 64, water supply cylinder motor 65, and solenoid valve 95 at predetermined timing based on the timing of timing means 103. These functions are realized by control unit 101 reading programs and settings stored in storage means 102, which serves as a storage medium.

[0063] 15 is a water flow path diagram showing the main paths along which water flows in the flush toilet device 100 of this embodiment. With reference to this diagram, the operation of the toilet seat device 10 will be described in detail, particularly with regard to the flow path 51, which is the path of water within the toilet seat device 10.

[0064] Water flowing into the branch fitting 33 from the stop valve WV flows into the hollow portion 87 of the UFB nozzle 78 via the packing 80 and the hollow portion 96 of the nozzle retainer 79. When water flows into the upstream side of the hollow portion 87 of the UFB nozzle 78, the flow path cross-sectional area is narrowed by the throttle portion 87a, which is formed to gradually reduce the inner diameter. This narrows the flow path cross-sectional area, which is based on the so-called Bernoulli's principle of fluid dynamics. This increases the water flow velocity and reduces the pressure around the water, resulting in cavitation. The shear force generated when the high-speed water impinges on the collision portion 88, along with the negative pressure generated in a negative pressure region (e.g., −1.0 MPa or less) near the downstream end face of the collision portion 88, breaks down the gas contained in the water and generates fine bubbles. As a result, the UFB nozzle 78 precipitates a large amount of dissolved air in the water passing through the UFB nozzle 78 as fine bubbles, thereby discharging water containing a larger amount of fine bubbles than before passing through the UFB nozzle 78. In this embodiment, for example, when water with a water pressure of 0.15 MPa flows into the UFB nozzle 78, the water passing through the UFB nozzle 78 is doped with UFB for 10 minutes. 5 / ml or more.

[0065] Water flowing out of the UFB nozzle 78 flows into the main flow path portion 93 through the narrow flow path portion 92 of the branch fitting main body 75. When water flows into the main flow path portion 93, the pressure around the water is reduced to a negative pressure, causing the fine bubbles dissolved in the water to be further broken down by cavitation, and the gas dissolved in the water also becomes fine bubbles due to cavitation. When water flows from the main flow path portion 93 into the hollow portion 97 of the main body portion 75d, the water branches into flow paths 51-1 and 51-2 in the hollow portion 97. Therefore, the hollow portion 97 functions as a branch flow path portion that branches the water flowing in from the main flow path portion 93 into multiple paths.

[0066] Water guided to flow path 51-1 flows from joint 75b through tank water supply hose R, into the storage tank, and is stored therein. In this way, in the flush toilet device 100 of this embodiment, water containing fine bubbles is supplied to the storage tank, and therefore the toilet 1 can be flushed using water containing fine bubbles, improving the cleaning performance inside the toilet 1. Furthermore, water guided to flow path 51-2 passes from joint 75c through water supply hose 32 and is supplied to the main body water inlet 31.

[0067] First, the operation of the toilet seat device 10 when the toilet seat lid 13 is closed will be explained. When the control unit 101 determines, based on the settings stored in the memory means 102 and the timing signal from the timing means 103, that a predetermined time, for example one hour, has passed since the last time mist M was sprayed and no water has been sprayed from the spraying unit 57, the control unit 101 controls the branching unit 56 to open the first delivery unit 56B, and also controls the water stop mechanism 52 to start the flow of water into the flow path 51-2 within the toilet seat device 10.

[0068] Water that flows into flow path 51-2 in toilet seat apparatus 10 passes through water stop mechanism 52 and flows into pressure-reducing mechanism 53. As it passes through pressure-reducing mechanism 53, the water pressure drops to a predetermined pressure and stabilizes at that predetermined pressure. Then, water flows at the predetermined pressure from inlet 55A into switching valve 55. If the water pressure in switching valve 55 is below a predetermined value, the inflowing water flows out from outlet 55B and into branching portion 56. On the other hand, if the water pressure in switching valve 55 exceeds a predetermined value, for example, due to a blockage in flow path 51 between switching valve 55 and branching portion 56, the overflow drain valve opens, and some of the water and gas that flowed into switching valve 55 flows from overflow drain portion 55C through drain pipe 55D into drain hole 16A and is discharged into bowl 2 of toilet 1.

[0069] Water that flows from inlet 56A of branch 56 into branch body 56D flows through open first outlet 56B into third flow path 51-3. Thereafter, water that flows through third flow path 51-3 into outlet 57 is converted into atomized mist M by outlet 57 and sprayed into bowl 2 of toilet 1. By releasing water containing fine bubbles into bowl 2 in this way, the inner wall of bowl 2 is wetted, making it less likely for dirt to adhere to the inner wall; further, water containing fine bubbles improves the cleaning effect and can be used to sterilize and disinfect, so the inner wall of bowl 2 can be kept clean.

[0070] Thereafter, when the control unit 101 determines, based on the settings stored in the storage means 102 and the timing signal from the timing means 103, that water has flowed into the flow path 51-2 for a predetermined period of time, such as one minute, it controls the water stop mechanism 52 to stop the flow of water into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat apparatus 10, and also controls the branch unit 56 to close the first delivery unit 56B. When water stops flowing into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat apparatus 10 from the main body water inlet 31, water stops flowing through the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat apparatus 10, and the spraying of the mist M from the spray unit 57 also stops. Thus, in this embodiment, based on the settings stored in the storage means 102, the mist M is sprayed from the spray unit 57 into the bowl portion 2 for a predetermined period of time a predetermined number of times every predetermined period. In addition, the method of spraying mist M from the spraying section 57, such as setting the interval for spraying the mist M, setting the specified number of times, and setting the specified time for spraying the mist M, may be configured so that the user can set it, for example, using the main body operating section 21.

[0071] Furthermore, when the control unit 101 determines based on the settings stored in the memory means 102 and the timing signal of the timing means 103 that water has not been sprayed from the nozzle cleaning port 67b for a predetermined period of time, such as one hour, it controls the branching unit 56 to open the second delivery unit 56C, controls the solenoid valve 95 to select the fourth flow path 51-4, and controls the water stop mechanism 52 to start the flow of water into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10.

[0072] Water that flows into flow path 51-2 in toilet seat apparatus 10 passes through water stop mechanism 52, pressure reduction mechanism 53, and switching valve 55 in this order, flows from inlet 56A of branch 56 into branch body 56D, and flows out through open second outlet 56C into fourth flow path 51-4. This water then passes through heating unit 58, but is not heated at this time because heater 58a is OFF and not energized. After passing through heating unit 58, the water flows into nozzle assembly 59 along fourth flow path 51-4.

[0073] Water that flows into the solenoid valve 95 of the nozzle assembly 59 flows into the selected sixth flow path 51-6, and the water that flows through the sixth flow path 51-6 into the nozzle cleansing outlet 67b is sprayed from the nozzle cleansing outlet 67b toward the posterior cleansing outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing outlet 66b, flows along the inner wall 67a and the outer surface of the nozzle main body 62 toward the tip of the nozzle main body 62, and falls into the bowl 2 of the toilet 1. In this way, water containing fine bubbles is sprayed toward the posterior cleansing outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing outlet 66b, efficiently removing dirt adhering to the posterior cleansing outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing outlet 66b. Note that the nozzle main body 62 may be moved back and forth at this time to spray water containing fine bubbles onto the outer surface of the nozzle main body 62, thereby removing dirt from a wide area on the outer surface of the nozzle main body 62.

[0074] Thereafter, when the control unit 101 determines, based on the settings stored in the storage means 102 and the timing signal from the timing means 103, that water has been flowing into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat apparatus 10 for a predetermined period of time, such as one minute, it controls the water stop mechanism 52 to stop the flow of water into the flow path 51, and also controls the branch unit 56 to close the second delivery unit 56C. When water stops flowing from the main body water supply port 31 into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat apparatus 10, water stops flowing through the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat apparatus 10, and water spraying from the nozzle cleansing outlet 67b also stops. Thus, in this embodiment, based on the settings stored in the storage means 102, water is sprayed from the nozzle cleansing outlet 67b to the posterior cleansing outlet 66a and the bidet cleansing outlet 66b for a predetermined period of time a predetermined number of times every predetermined period. The user may be able to set the predetermined number of times for each predetermined period of time for spraying water and the predetermined time for spraying water from the nozzle cleaning port 67b, for example, via the main body operation unit 21.

[0075] Next, the operation of the toilet seat device 10 when the toilet seat lid 13 is open will be described. When the control unit 101 determines that the toilet seat lid 13 has changed from a closed state to an open state based on a detection signal from the toilet seat lid open / close detection means 104, the control unit 101 controls the branch unit 56 to open the first outlet unit 56B and also controls the water stop mechanism 52 to start the flow of water into the flow path 51-2 within the toilet seat device 10. As described above, the water that flows into the flow path 51-2 within the toilet seat device 10 passes through the water stop mechanism 52, pressure reduction mechanism 53, fine bubble generation means 54, switching valve 55, and branch unit 56 in that order, and then flows through the third flow path 51-3 into the jetting unit 57, where it is converted into atomized mist M and sprayed into the bowl portion 2 of the toilet 1. In this way, water containing fine bubbles is released into the bowl portion 2 in advance to wet the inner wall of the bowl portion 2, making it less likely for dirt to adhere to the inner wall.

[0076] Thereafter, when the control unit 101 determines, based on the settings stored in the storage unit 102 and the timing signal from the timing unit 103, that water has been flowing into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10 for a predetermined period of time, such as one minute, it controls the water stop mechanism 52 to stop the flow of water into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10, and also controls the branch unit 56 to close the first delivery unit 56B. When water stops flowing from the main body water supply port 31 into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10, water stops flowing in the flow path 51, and the spraying of the mist M from the spray unit 57 also stops.

[0077] When the user sits on the toilet seat 12, the toilet seat legs 18 come into contact with and are pressed into the toilet bowl 1, turning on the seat switch 19. When the control unit 101 receives a signal from the seat switch 19 that has turned on, it controls the heater 58a of the heating unit 58 to be energized.

[0078] When the user selects, for example, the "butt button" on the main body operation unit 21, an operation signal from the main body operation unit 21 is sent to the control unit 101. Upon receiving this operation signal, the control unit 101 drives and controls the nozzle motor 64 so that the nozzle main body 62 advances to a set position, and drives and controls the water supply cylinder motor 65 so that the water supply cylinder 63 advances until it reaches the retracted position and the base-end touch sensor 70 turns ON. The control unit 101 then controls the branch unit 56 to open the second delivery unit 56C and controls the solenoid valve 95 to select the fifth flow path 51-5. Thereafter, when the control unit 101 determines that the nozzle main body 62 has advanced to the set position and that the water supply cylinder 63 has retracted to the retracted position based on the detection signal from the base-end touch sensor 70, it controls the water stop mechanism 52 to start the inflow of water into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat apparatus 10 and also controls the air pump 60 to operate.

[0079] Water flowing into flow path 51-2 in toilet seat apparatus 10 passes through water stop mechanism 52, pressure reduction mechanism 53, and switching valve 55 in this order, flows from inlet 56A of branch 56 into branch body 56D, and then flows through open second outlet 56C into fourth flow path 51-4. When this water flows into heating unit 58, heater 58a is energized and ON, so that heater 58a heats the water as it passes through heating unit 58, instantly raising the water temperature. The output setting of heater 58a may be configured to be user-configurable, for example, via main body operation unit 21, allowing the user to adjust the water temperature after heating by heater 58a. After passing through heating unit 58, water flows into nozzle assembly 59 along fourth flow path 51-4.

[0080] The water that flows into the solenoid valve 95 of the nozzle assembly 59 flows into the selected fifth flow path 51-5 and into the water supply cylinder 63. If the setting is such that the force of the water discharged from the posterior cleansing outlet 66a is increased, gas such as air is discharged from the air pump 60 into the water supply cylinder 63. This gas is then injected into the water flowing in the water supply cylinder 63, causing the water to contain more air bubbles, increasing the water pressure and thereby increasing the water force. In this way, the force of the water discharged from the water discharger 66 can be adjusted. The water force is adjusted by the control unit 101 controlling the air pump 60. Alternatively, the water force may be set by the user via, for example, the main body operation unit 21. Alternatively, the control unit 101 may be configured to repeatedly turn the air pump 60 on and off at short intervals to perform rhythmic cleansing, automatically repeating, at short intervals, a soft water flow with a gentle impact, consisting of water only without injected air, and a water flow with increased force due to the injection of air.

[0081] In addition, since the water supply cylinder 63 is in the retracted position and the position of the water supply port 72 of the water supply cylinder 63 is at the position of the posterior washing water outlet 66a of the water outlet section 66, water that has passed through the water supply cylinder 63 is discharged from the posterior washing water outlet 66a via the water supply port 72.

[0082] Thereafter, when the control unit 101 determines, based on the settings stored in the storage unit 102 and the timing signal from the timing unit 103, that water has been flowing into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10 for a predetermined time, it controls the air pump 60 to turn off, controls the water stop mechanism 52 to stop the flow of water into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10, and controls the branch unit 56 to close the second delivery unit 56C. When water stops flowing from the main body water inlet 31 into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10, water stops flowing through the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10, and water discharge from the posterior cleansing water discharge outlet 66a also stops. Then, the control unit 101 drives and controls the nozzle motor 64 to retract the tip of the nozzle main body 62 to the storage position, which is a position near the nozzle holder 67.

[0083] Furthermore, when the user selects, for example, the "bidet button" on the main body operation unit 21, an operation signal from the main body operation unit 21 is sent to the control unit 101. Upon receiving this operation signal, the control unit 101 drives and controls the nozzle motor 64 so that the nozzle main body 62 advances to a set position, and also drives and controls the water supply cylinder motor 65 so that the water supply cylinder 63 advances until it reaches the advanced position and the tip-side touch sensor 69 turns ON. The control unit 101 then controls the branch unit 56 to open the second delivery unit 56C and controls the solenoid valve 95 to select the fifth flow path 51-5. Thereafter, when the control unit 101 determines that the nozzle main body 62 has advanced to the set position and that the water supply cylinder 63 has advanced to the advanced position based on the detection signal from the tip-side touch sensor 69, it controls the water stop mechanism 52 to start the inflow of water into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat apparatus 10.

[0084] Water that flows into flow path 51-2 in toilet seat apparatus 10 passes through water stop mechanism 52, pressure reduction mechanism 53, and switching valve 55 in this order, flows from inlet 56A of branch 56 into branch body 56D, and then flows through the opened second outlet 56C into fourth flow path 51-4. When this water flows into heating unit 58, heater 58a is energized and ON, so that heater 58a heats the water as it passes through heating unit 58, instantly raising the water temperature. The water that has passed through heating unit 58 flows into nozzle assembly 59 along fourth flow path 51-4.

[0085] The water that flows into the solenoid valve 95 of the nozzle assembly 59 flows into the selected fifth flow path 51-5 and into the water supply cylinder 63. If the water pressure from the bidet flush outlet 66b is set to be increased, the air pump 60 discharges gas such as air into the water supply cylinder 63. The gas is injected into the water flowing through the water supply cylinder 63, causing the water to contain more air bubbles, increasing the water pressure and thereby increasing the water pressure. The water pressure is adjusted by the control unit 101 controlling the air pump 60. Alternatively, the water pressure may be set by the user via the main unit operation unit 21. Alternatively, the control unit 101 may control the air pump 60 to repeatedly turn on and off in short cycles, thereby performing a rhythmic flush that automatically and repeatedly alternates between a soft, gentle water flow without injected air and a more powerful water flow with injected air.

[0086] In addition, since the water supply cylinder 63 is in the forward position and the water supply port 72 of the water supply cylinder 63 is located at the position of the bidet flush water outlet 66b of the water outlet 66, water that has passed through the water supply cylinder 63 is discharged from the bidet flush water outlet 66b via the water supply port 72.

[0087] Thereafter, when the control unit 101 determines, based on the settings stored in the storage unit 102 and the timing signal from the timing unit 103, that water has been flowing into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10 for a predetermined time, it controls the air pump 60 to turn off, controls the water stop mechanism 52 to stop the flow of water into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10, and controls the branch unit 56 to close the second delivery unit 56C. When water stops flowing into the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10 from the main body water inlet 31, water stops flowing through the flow path 51-2 in the toilet seat device 10, and water discharge from the bidet flush water discharge outlet 66b also stops. Then, the control unit 101 drives and controls the nozzle motor 64 to retract the tip of the nozzle main body 62 to the storage position, which is a position near the nozzle holder 67.

[0088] As described above, the branch fitting 33 as the micro-bubble generator of this embodiment includes the UFB nozzle 78 as a first flow path member and the branch fitting body 75 as a second flow path member. The UFB nozzle 78 has a hollow portion 87 as a first flow path through which water can pass, and a collision portion 88 as micro-bubble generating means for generating micro-bubbles in the passing water. The branch fitting body 75 has a housing portion 91 that houses the UFB nozzle 78 and a collision portion 88 that communicates with the housing portion 91 and through which water can pass. The branch fitting body 75 has a thin flow path portion 92 as a second flow path through which water can pass, a main flow path portion 93, and a hollow portion 97, and the branch fitting body 75 has a thin flow path portion 92 that communicates with the hollow portion 87, a main flow path portion 93 that has a cross-sectional area larger than that of the thin flow path portion 92, and the hollow portion 97 as a branch flow path portion that branches water flowing in from the main flow path portion 93 into multiple paths, and the branch fitting body 75 is made of metal.

[0089] With this configuration, water containing microbubbles can be branched at the hollow portion 97, allowing the water containing microbubbles to be used in multiple locations, such as the toilet seat device 10 and the storage tank. Furthermore, because the branch fitting body 75 is made of metal, even if the branch fitting 33 is installed in a location where high-pressure water flows in, such as when connected to a stop valve WV, the branch fitting 33 can easily incorporate microbubbles into the water. In addition to generating microbubbles in the water at the collision portion 88, when water flows from the narrow channel portion 92 into the main channel portion 93, the microbubbles dissolved in the water are further broken down by cavitation, and the gas dissolved in the water is further transformed into microbubbles by cavitation, thereby increasing the number of microbubbles contained in the water.

[0090] In addition, the branch fitting 33 of this embodiment is configured to include a nozzle stopper 79 as a holding means for holding the UFB nozzle 78 in the storage section 91, so that even if the branch fitting main body 75 is made of metal, the UFB nozzle 78 can be held within the storage section 91.

[0091] In addition, in the branch fitting 33 of this embodiment, the nozzle retainer 79 has a hollow portion 96 as a third flow path through which water can pass, and the hollow portion 96 is configured to have a larger cross-sectional area than the hollow portion 87 of the UFB nozzle 78, so that it does not obstruct the flow of water from upstream.

[0092] In addition, in the branch fitting 33 of this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the internal space of the accommodating section 91 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow flow path section 92, and the outer periphery of the nozzle retainer 79 may be fitted into the inner periphery of the accommodating section 96, and by pressing the nozzle retainer 79 into the accommodating section 96, the UFB nozzle 78 can be held within the accommodating section 91 by the nozzle retainer 79.

[0093] In addition, in the branch fitting 33 of this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the internal space of the accommodating section 91 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the narrow flow path section 92, and the nozzle retainer 79 is configured to have multiple protrusions 79-2, 79-2, etc. that fit into the accommodating section 91, and by pressing the nozzle retainer 79 into the accommodating section 96, the nozzle retainer 79 can hold the UFB nozzle 78 within the accommodating section 91.

[0094] In the branch fitting 33 of this embodiment, the length L S The length L from the connection between the narrow flow path portion 92 and the main flow path portion 93 to the center of the branched flow path in the main body portion 75d M This structure is shorter than the above, ensuring the length of the flow path until the fine bubbles generated in the collision section 88 of the UFB nozzle 78 and the main flow path section 93 branch off in the hollow section 97, thereby suppressing the occurrence of a flow rate difference between the amount of water led to flow path 51-1 and the amount of water led to flow path 51-2.

[0095] Furthermore, in the branch fitting 33 of this embodiment, the branch fitting 33 is a three-way joint, and the storage section 91 is provided in the joint 75a connected to the stop valve WV side as the water supply source, and by supplying high-pressure water to the UFB nozzle 78, a larger amount of air dissolved in the water is precipitated as fine bubbles, generating more fine bubbles and increasing the concentration of fine bubbles. Furthermore, by branching the water containing fine bubbles at the hollow section 97, the water containing fine bubbles can be used in multiple locations, namely the toilet seat device 10 and the storage tank.

[0096] In addition, the toilet seat device 10 of this embodiment is equipped with a branch fitting 33, and is configured to have a main body 11 as a toilet seat provided with a spray section 57 and a water discharge section 66 as a discharge section for discharging water to the outside, so that water containing fine bubbles can be used in the main body 11 of the toilet seat device 10.

[0097] Furthermore, the toilet seat device 10 of this embodiment has a nozzle assembly 59 as a nozzle provided with a water outlet 66 for the spray portion 57 or the water discharge portion 66 to spray water onto the private parts, and the spray portion 57 as a water discharge port for releasing water into the interior of the toilet bowl 1, and the main body 11 is configured to have a branch portion 56 that branches the water flowing in from the branch fitting 33 to the nozzle assembly 59 or the spray portion 57, so that the water containing fine bubbles can be used to clean the interior of the toilet bowl 1 or to clean the private parts.

[0098] Furthermore, in the toilet seat device 10 of this embodiment, the main body 11 may be configured to have a UFB nozzle 78 as a fine bubble generating means, which can further subdivide the fine bubbles contained in the water ejected from the water outlet 66 and the fine bubbles contained in the mist M ejected from the ejection portion 57, and can also increase the concentration of the fine bubbles.

[0099] As described above, the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. For example, the main body 11 may be configured to have a UFB nozzle 78 as a microbubble generating means, or for example, the UFB nozzle 78 may be provided in the second flow path 51-2 of the toilet seat device 10, which can further subdivide the microbubbles contained in the water discharged from the water discharger 66 and the mist M sprayed from the spraying portion 57, and can also increase the concentration of the microbubbles. Furthermore, the parts and numerical values ​​used in this embodiment may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0100] 33 Branch fitting (microbubble generator) 78 UFB nozzle (microbubble generating component) 79 Nozzle retainer (retaining means) 79-1 Stopper body (body) 79-2 Protrusion 91 Storage unit 92 Narrow channel section (channel) 93 Main flow path section (flow path) 97 Hollow section (flow path, branch flow path section)

Claims

1. The device has, from the upstream side, in this order: a microbubble generating member that generates microbubbles in the water passing through; and a flow path through which the water can pass; The flow path has a branch flow path portion that branches the water flowing in from the fine bubble generating member into multiple paths, a housing portion for housing the fine bubble generating member is formed of metal, and a resin holding means is arranged in the housing portion on the upstream side of the fine bubble generating member; The fine-bubble generator is characterized in that the fine-bubble generating member is held in the container via the holding means.

2. 2. The micro-bubble generator according to claim 1, wherein the holding means has a main body formed in a circular ring shape and a plurality of protrusions that protrude outward from the outer periphery of the main body and fit into the inner periphery of the storage portion.

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