Suspended matter removing device

Abstract

To stabilize the intake of hot water from an intake part in a suspended matter removing device.SOLUTION: A hot water supply device includes a water intake part 11 for taking in hot water near the water surface of a bathtub, a filter 40 for filtering the hot water, and a jetting part 13 for jetting the hot water toward the water intake part, and when a pump 25 is operated, the hot water taken in from the water intake part is sucked and passed through the filter, and the hot water passed through the filter is forcibly fed to the jetting part. And an adjustment part 33 capable of discharging the excessive hot water when the hot water taken in from the water intake part is more than the hot water jetted from the jetting part. The injection part is provided near the water surface of the bathtub, and at least a part of the flow (injection flow) of the hot water injected from the injection part toward the water intake part is connected to the water surface of the bathtub.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a floating matter removal device for removing floating matter from the surface of water in a bathtub. [Background technology]

[0002] When bathing, dirt, hair, and other floating matter on the surface of the bathtub water are unhygienic and uncomfortable. Therefore, devices for removing such floating matter have been proposed. For example, the device described in Patent Document 1 is equipped with a filter and a pump (screw). When the device is floated in the water in the bathtub and the pump is operated, the water near the surface of the bathtub, along with the floating matter, is taken in from the water intake section located at the top of the device, and filtered through the filter, removing the floating matter. The water that passes through the filter is then discharged from the drain and returned to the bathtub. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2009-279378 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the device described in Patent Document 1 had a problem in that when an event occurs in which the water intake section is unable to take in enough hot water due to the shaking (waves) of the water surface in the bathtub, air is taken in from the water intake section, which can reduce the function of removing floating matter.

[0005] This invention has been made in response to the above-mentioned problems in the conventional technology, and aims to provide technology that can stabilize the intake of hot and cold water from the water intake section in a floating matter removal device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the floating matter removal device of the present invention employs the following configuration. <First aspect> A floating matter removal device for removing floating matter from the surface of bathtub water, A water intake section for taking in hot and cold water near the water surface of the bathtub; A filter for filtering hot water, A jetting unit for jetting hot and cold water toward the water intake unit; a pump that can suck the hot water taken in from the water intake section and pass it through the filter, and can also pressure-feed the hot water that has passed through the filter to the injection section; an adjusting unit that can release excess hot water when the amount of hot water taken in from the water intake unit is greater than the amount of hot water sprayed from the spray unit; Equipped with The jetting unit is provided near the water surface of the bathtub, At least a part of the jet of hot and cold water jetted from the jetting portion toward the water intake portion is connected to the water surface of the bathtub. It is characterized by:

[0007] In this first embodiment of the floating matter removal device, hot water is sprayed from a spray unit located near the water surface of the bathtub toward the water intake unit, and the spray flow flows into the water intake unit while entraining the hot water near the water surface of the bathtub, promoting the intake of hot water from the water intake unit. This makes the device less susceptible to the effects of shaking (waves) on the water surface of the bathtub, and makes it possible to stabilize the intake of hot water from the water intake unit. Furthermore, the spray flow of hot water from the spray unit collects floating matter on the surface of the bathtub toward the water intake unit, allowing the floating matter to be efficiently taken in from the water intake unit along with the hot water. Furthermore, if the amount of hot water taken in from the water intake unit exceeds the amount of hot water sprayed from the spray unit, the excess hot water is released from the adjustment unit, preventing hot water from overflowing from the water intake unit.

[0008] <Second aspect> In the floating matter removal device of the first aspect, When the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, the open surface of the water intake section that opens upward is located above the water surface of the bathtub. It is characterized by:

[0009] In this second type of floating matter removal device, the open surface of the water intake section is located above the water surface in the bathtub, making it easier to obtain a difference in head from the open surface of the water intake section to the water surface inside the water intake section compared to when it is located at the water surface in the bathtub, thereby preventing floating matter that has been taken into the inside of the water intake section along with the hot water from flowing back out.

[0010] <Third aspect> In the floating matter removal device of the second aspect, The pump is installed in a main passage connecting the water intake section and the injection section, The adjusting unit is provided at an end of a sub-passage that branches off from the main passage at a position closer to the water intake unit than the pump, When the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, the adjustment unit and the sub-passage are located below the water surface of the bathtub. It is characterized by:

[0011] When this type of floating matter removal device of the third aspect is placed in the bathtub at the start of use, hot and cold water from the bathtub flows from the adjustment unit into the pump via the secondary passage, eliminating the need for the user to fill the pump with hot and cold water through the intake unit (the so-called priming operation). Also, if the amount of hot and cold water taken in from the intake unit is less than the amount of hot and cold water sprayed from the injection unit, the adjustment unit can suck in the hot and cold water from the bathtub to replenish it, making it possible to continue spraying hot and cold water from the injection unit and encourage the intake of hot and cold water from the intake unit.

[0012] <Fourth aspect> In the floating matter removal device of the first aspect, When the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, the open surface of the water intake section that opens upward is located below the water surface of the bathtub, The pump is installed in a main passage connecting the water intake section and the injection section, The adjustment unit is provided at an end of a first sub-passage that branches off from the main passage at a position closer to the injection unit than the pump, and A second sub-passage branching off from the main passage on the water intake side of the pump is provided at an end of the second sub-passage, the second sub-passage being located below the water intake and communicating with the outside. It is characterized by:

[0013] In this fourth aspect of the floating matter removal device, the hot water near the bathtub's water surface flows into the water intake section along with the hot water sprayed from the spray section, so that the amount of hot water taken in from the water intake section exceeds the amount of hot water sprayed from the spray section, but because some of the hot water pumped by the pump is sprayed from the spray section and the excess is released from the adjustment section, the intake of hot water from the water intake section can be maintained.On the other hand, if the intake of hot water from the water intake section temporarily becomes insufficient due to shaking of the bathtub's water surface, for example, hot water from the bathtub is sucked in through the communication section to replenish the water, so that the spray of hot water from the spray section can continue and the intake of hot water from the water intake section can be promoted.

[0014] <Fifth aspect> In the floating matter removal device of the second or third aspect, a slope that rises toward the water intake section, The hot and cold water sprayed from the spray section flows down the inclined surface and reaches the water intake section. It is characterized by:

[0015] In this fifth aspect of the floating matter removal device, the hot water sprayed from the spray section and the hot water near the surface of the bathtub water that is caught in the spray flow can be guided to the water intake section by the inclined surface, making it possible to make the intake of hot water from the water intake section more stable than when there is no inclined surface.

[0016] <Sixth aspect> In the floating matter removal device of the fifth aspect, The jetting section is located below the water surface of the bathtub when the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, and is provided across the width of the inclined surface. It is characterized by:

[0017] In this sixth embodiment of the floating matter removal device, hot water is sprayed from a spray section that is installed across the width of the inclined surface, and the spray flow is directed along the entire inclined surface, thereby increasing the amount of hot water near the surface of the bathtub water that is caught in the spray flow, making it possible to efficiently take in floating matter along with the hot water from the water intake section.

[0018] <Seventh aspect> In the floating matter removal device of the fifth aspect, When the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, the lower end side of the inclined surface is located below the water surface of the bathtub, The ejection portion is shorter than the width of the inclined surface, and is located on the lower end side of the inclined surface and protrudes from the inclined surface. It is characterized by:

[0019] In this type of floating matter removal device of the seventh aspect, not only when the injection part is submerged in the water in the bathtub, but also when the top of the injection part is above the water surface due to factors such as the shaking of the water surface in the bathtub, the water near the surface of the bathtub is caught up in the injection flow of the injection part from the side of the injection part, making it possible to take in floating matter along with the water from the water intake part.

[0020] <Eighth aspect> In the floating matter removal device of any one of the fifth to seventh aspects, A plurality of the jetting portions and the inclined surfaces corresponding to the jetting portions are provided around the water intake portion. It is characterized by:

[0021] In this eighth aspect of the floating matter removal device, when placed in a bathtub, the floating matter floating on the surface of the surrounding bathtub water can be efficiently taken in from the water intake section along with the hot and cold water, with the water intake section at the center.

[0022] <Ninth Aspect> In the floating matter removal device of the eighth aspect, A partition portion is provided between the adjacent inclined surfaces. It is characterized by:

[0023] If the flow of hot water (jet flow) sprayed from the spray section or the flow of hot water caught in the jet flow from near the water surface in the bathtub deviates from the inclined surface corresponding to the spray section onto the adjacent inclined surface, the flow of hot water along that adjacent inclined surface will be obstructed, reducing the efficiency of taking in hot water and floating matter from the water intake section.In the eighth aspect of the floating matter removal device, adjacent inclined surfaces are separated by partition sections, so the flow of hot water between adjacent inclined surfaces does not interfere with each other, making it possible to more efficiently take in hot water and floating matter from the water intake section. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0024] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the floating matter removal device 1 of the present embodiment is disassembled. [Figure 2] 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper unit 10, the filter 40, and the intermediate unit 30 of the present embodiment. FIG. [Figure 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pump-forming member 34 and the impeller 21 cut along a horizontal plane. FIG. [Figure 4] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing the removal of floating matter floating on the surface of the water in a bathtub by the operation of the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment immediately after it is placed in the hot water of a bathtub when the device 1 is first used. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the injection part 13 of the present embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the upper unit 10 of the present embodiment as viewed from above. [Figure 8] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of an ejection section 13 in a flotage removal device 1 of a first modified example. FIG. [Figure 9]10 is an enlarged perspective view of an upper unit 10 in a floating matter removing device 1 of a second modified example. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing how floating matter floating on the water surface of a bathtub is removed by operation of the floating matter removal device 1 of the second modified example. [Figure 11] 10 is an explanatory diagram showing another example of an upper unit 10 in which the open surface of the water intake section 11 is positioned above the water surface of the bathtub when the floating matter removal device 1 is placed in the bathtub. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0025] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the disassembled state of the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment. The floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment, which is used in a bathtub, is roughly composed of an upper unit 10 located at the top, a lower unit 20 located at the bottom, and an intermediate unit 30 located between them, and is disassembled. First, the upper unit 10 has a water intake section 11 for taking in hot and cold water near the water surface of the bathtub, and multiple float sections 12 (three in this embodiment) are provided at equal intervals around the upwardly open water intake section 11, generating buoyancy that causes the floating matter removal device 1 to float in the water in the bathtub. Then, a cover plate 17 is attached to cover the water intake section 11 and the float sections 12 from above. In addition, a spray section 13 is provided between the float sections 12 for spraying hot and cold water toward the water intake section 11, as described below.

[0026] A mortar-shaped recess 31 capable of temporarily storing hot and cold water taken in from the water intake section 11 is provided on the upper surface of the intermediate unit 30, and a bottom hole 31a formed in the bottom surface of the recess 31 is connected to the suction side of a pump, which will be described later. A filter 40 is attached to cover the top of the recess 31, and the hot and cold water taken in from the water intake section 11 is filtered by passing through the filter 40. By separating the upper unit 10 and the intermediate unit 30, the filter 40 can be removed from the intermediate unit 30 and cleaned.

[0027] Additionally, the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate unit 30 has a plurality of (three in this embodiment) equally spaced openings 33 that communicate with the recess 31 and allow hot and cold water to be let in and out. Furthermore, the intermediate unit 30 has a plurality of (three in this embodiment) equally spaced pressure-feeding passages 37 surrounding the recess 31 that send hot and cold water discharged from the built-in pump to the spray unit 13.

[0028] An impeller 21 that constitutes the pump is installed on the upper surface of the lower unit 20, and a motor 22 that drives this impeller 21 is incorporated into the lower unit 20. Although not shown, the lower unit 20 also incorporates a battery that supplies power to the motor 22, a power receiving coil for wirelessly charging the battery, and the like. Note that a dry cell battery may be used as the power source instead of a battery.

[0029] Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper unit 10, filter 40, and intermediate unit 30 of this embodiment. Fig. 2 shows the upper unit 10, filter 40, and intermediate unit 30 cut along a vertical plane passing through the center of the water intake section 11. As shown in the figure, the float section 12 of the upper unit 10 of this embodiment has a space 12a with an open top, and buoyancy is ensured by the air within this space 12a. A cover plate 17 is attached to cover the top of the float section 12, preventing hot and cold water from entering the space 12a.

[0030] In addition, an inclined surface 14 is provided between the float sections 12, rising from the outer periphery of the upper unit 10 towards the central water intake section 11. The jet section 13 is located on the lower end side of the inclined surface 14 and protrudes from the inclined surface 14. As will be described in more detail later, the hot water jetted from the jet section 13 reaches the water intake section 11 by flowing down the inclined surface 14.

[0031] In the intermediate unit 30, a plurality of (three in this embodiment) communication passages 32 are formed at equal intervals around the recess 31, connecting the open portion 33 that opens on the outer peripheral surface to the inner recess 31. The communication passages 32 and the pressure-feeding passages 37 are alternately arranged around the recess 31, and the recess 31 and the communication passages 32 are covered from above by a filter 40.

[0032] The filter 40 is configured by pasting a fine mesh 40b onto the upper surface of a lattice-shaped frame 40a, and has a circular portion 41 that covers the upper part of the recess 31 and a sector-shaped portion 42 that covers the upper part of the communicating passage 32. In addition, below the circular portion 41 of the filter 40 of this embodiment, a circular plate 43 formed in a substantially circular shape is provided substantially parallel to the frame 40a, and the outer diameter of this circular plate 43 is smaller than the outer diameter of the circular portion 41 and larger than the inner diameter of the bottom hole 31a.

[0033] In addition, a pump forming member 34 is fitted into the intermediate unit 30 from below. The pump forming member 34 is provided with a pump chamber 35 that houses the impeller 21 described above, and a suction hole 35a formed in the upper surface of the pump chamber 35 is connected to the bottom hole 31a of the recess 31. A discharge passage 36 extends from the peripheral surface of the pump chamber 35 and is connected to a pressure-feed passage 37. Although not shown, a packing made of an elastic material such as rubber is interposed between the intermediate unit 30 and the pump forming member 34 to ensure watertightness. The pump forming member 34 is fixed to the intermediate unit 30 using screws or the like (not shown).

[0034] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the pump-forming member 34 and impeller 21 cut along a horizontal plane. The impeller 21, housed in the pump chamber 35, has multiple blades 21a arranged radially about the rotation axis. The pump chamber 35 and impeller 21 together constitute the pump 25 of this embodiment. When the impeller 21 rotates, centrifugal force causes the hot and cold water in the pump chamber 35 to flow from the inside to the outside of the impeller 21, discharging the hot and cold water into the discharge passage 36 extending from the circumferential surface of the pump chamber 35. Accordingly, the hot and cold water in the recess 31 is drawn into the pump chamber 35 through the bottom hole 31a and the suction hole 35a. The hot and cold water discharged from the pump chamber 35 by the rotation of the impeller 21 is then supplied to the pumping passage 37 through the discharge passage 36, as indicated by the bold arrow in the figure.

[0035] Figure 4 is an explanatory diagram showing how floating matter floating on the water surface of a bathtub is removed by the operation of the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment. Figure 4 shows a cross section of the floating matter removal device 1 cut along a vertical plane passing through the center of the water intake section 11. The dashed-dotted line in the figure represents the water surface, and the diamonds and rectangles in the figure schematically represent floating matter such as dirt and hair floating on the water surface of the bathtub. Note that the inside of the floating matter removal device 1 shown in the figure has already been filled with a sufficient amount of hot water from the bathtub.

[0036] The floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment is designed to float in the water in the bathtub due to the buoyancy of the float part 12, and while floating in the water in the bathtub, the open surface of the water intake part 11, which opens upward, is located above the water surface of the bathtub. Also, in the example shown, the jet part 13, which is located on the lower end side of the inclined surface 14, is located below the water surface of the bathtub.

[0037] As described above, when impeller 21 housed in pump chamber 35 is rotated by motor 22, hot water discharged into discharge passage 36 passes through pressure passage 37 and is sprayed from jet 13 towards water intake 11, as shown by the thick arrow in the figure, and flows down inclined surface 14 into water intake 11. At this time, around the flow of hot water sprayed from jet 13 (hereinafter referred to as the jet flow), pressure decreases with the flow rate of the jet, creating negative pressure, and because the jet flow is connected to the water surface in the bathtub, the hot water near the water surface in the bathtub is caught up in the jet flow together with floating objects, as shown by the dashed arrow in the figure, and flows down inclined surface 14 into water intake 11.

[0038] The hot water taken in from the water intake section 11 is then sucked into the pump chamber 35 through the bottom hole 31a of the recess 31, and suspended matter is removed as it passes through the filter 40. In this embodiment, the recess 31, the pump chamber 35, the discharge passage 36, and the pressure-feed passage 37 correspond to the "main passage" of the present invention.

[0039] In addition, in this embodiment, a circular plate 43 with an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the bottom hole 31a is installed below the filter 40, covering the top of the bottom hole 31a. As a result, the flow of hot water that has passed through the filter 40 flows around the outside of the circular plate 43 and is sucked into the pump chamber 35 through the bottom hole 31a, so even if a vortex occurs above the filter 40, the vortex can be prevented from reaching the bottom hole 31a. As a result, it is possible to prevent air from being mixed into the pump chamber 35 by the vortex, which would otherwise cause a decrease in the pressure of the hot water discharged from the pump chamber 35.

[0040] Furthermore, in the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment, in addition to the hot water sprayed from the spray section 13, the hot water near the water surface of the bathtub that is caught up in the spray flow flows in from the water intake section 11, which tends to cause the amount of hot water taken in from the water intake section 11 to be excessive compared to the amount of hot water sprayed from the spray section 13. However, an open section 33 is provided at the end of the communication passage 32 branching off from the recess 31, and the excess hot water is released to the outside from the open section 33 as shown by the two-dot chain arrow in the figure, so it is possible to prevent the water level inside the water intake section 11 from becoming higher than the water level in the bathtub. The communication passage 32 of this embodiment corresponds to the "sub-passage" of the present invention, and the open section 33 of this embodiment corresponds to the "adjustment section" of the present invention.

[0041] On the other hand, Figure 5 is an explanatory diagram showing the state of the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment immediately after it has been floated in the water of the bathtub when the device 1 is first used. Like Figure 4, Figure 5 shows a cross section of the floating matter removal device 1 cut along a vertical plane passing through the center of the water intake part 11. Immediately after it has been floated in the water of the bathtub, the floating matter removal device 1 has not yet taken in enough water, and the buoyancy of the air inside causes the device to float overall, so that the spray part 13 is located above the water surface of the bathtub.

[0042] In the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment, the communication passage 32 branching off from the recess 31 and the open end 33 are positioned below the water surface of the bathtub immediately after the device is placed in the bathtub, and as shown by the dashed-dotted arrow in the figure, the hot water in the bathtub flows from the open end 33 through the communication passage 32 into the recess 31, and is then supplied to the pump chamber 35 through the bottom hole 31a and the suction hole 35a. The hot water supplied to the pump chamber 35 is discharged into the discharge passage 36 by the rotation of the impeller 21, and is sprayed from the injection section 13 toward the water intake section 11 through the pressure-feeding passage 37, thereby promoting the intake of hot water from the water intake section 11. As a result, the floating matter removal device 1 can be quickly moved to its normal position (the state shown in FIG. 4) where the injection section 13 is below the water surface of the bathtub.

[0043] Furthermore, not only when the floating matter removal device 1 is first used, but also during use, the intake of hot and cold water from the water intake section 11 may be insufficient due to the influence of the swaying (waves) of the water surface in the bathtub, causing the entire floating matter removal device 1 to float as the water level inside the water intake section 11 drops. Even in this case, hot and cold water from the bathtub can be sucked in and replenished from the open section 33, so that the injection of hot and cold water from the injection section 13 can continue, encouraging the intake of hot and cold water from the water intake section 11, thereby enabling the floating matter removal device 1 to quickly return to its normal position (the state shown in Figure 4). Furthermore, the injection section 13 of this embodiment is capable of drawing in hot and cold water near the surface of the bathtub with its jet flow, even when its upper part is above the water surface of the bathtub.

[0044] Figure 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the jetting portion 13 of this embodiment. First, Figure 6(a) shows a cross section of the jetting portion 13 and the inclined surface 14 cut by a vertical plane passing through the center of the water intake portion 11. As mentioned above, the jetting portion 13 is located on the lower end side of the inclined surface 14 and protrudes from the inclined surface 14. In the example shown, the upper part of the jetting portion 13 protrudes above the water surface of the bathtub, and the jet of hot and cold water from the jetting portion 13 is unlikely to overflow above the jetting portion 13 and be drawn in by the jet of hot and cold water, so only a small amount of hot and cold water is drawn in by the jet of hot and cold water from above the jetting portion 13.

[0045] On the other hand, Figure 6(b) shows the state of the jet unit 13 as seen from the front, facing the inclined surface 14. As shown in the figure, the jet unit 13 of this embodiment is shorter than the width of the inclined surface 14, and is positioned approximately in the center of the left and right sides of the inclined surface 14. As a result, even if the top of the jet unit 13 is above the water surface in the bathtub, hot and cold water near the water surface in the bathtub is caught up in the jet of hot and cold water from the jet unit 13 on both sides of the jet unit 13 that protrudes from the inclined surface 14.

[0046] 7 is a plan view of the upper unit 10 of this embodiment, viewed from above. As shown in the figure, the upper unit 10 is provided with multiple (three in this embodiment) jetting sections 13 and inclined surfaces 14 surrounding the water intake section 11. This allows floating objects floating on the water surface around the floating object removal device 1 placed in the bathtub to be efficiently taken in from the water intake section 11 along with the hot and cold water. Furthermore, since the adjacent inclined surfaces 14 are separated by the float section 12, the jet of hot and cold water from the jetting section 13 and the flow of hot and cold water caught in the jet from near the water surface of the bathtub can be prevented from diverging from the inclined surface 14 corresponding to the jetting section 13 to the adjacent inclined surface 14. The float section 12 in this embodiment corresponds to the "partition section" of the present invention.

[0047] As explained above, the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment is equipped with a water intake section 11 for taking in hot and cold water near the water surface of the bathtub, and a jet section 13 for spraying the hot and cold water toward the water intake section 11. When the pump 25 is operated (rotating the impeller 21 in the pump chamber 35), the hot and cold water taken in from the water intake section 11 is sucked in and passes through the filter 40, and the hot and cold water that has passed through the filter 40 is pressure-fed to the jet section 13. The device also has an opening section 33 that can release excess hot and cold water when the amount of hot and cold water taken in from the water intake section 11 is greater than the amount sprayed from the jet section 13. The jet section 13 is located near the water surface of the bathtub, and the flow of hot and cold water sprayed from the jet section 13 toward the water intake section 11 (jet flow) is connected to the water surface of the bathtub.

[0048] In the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment, hot water is sprayed from the spray unit 13 located near the water surface of the bathtub toward the water intake unit 11, and the spray flow flows into the water intake unit 11 while entraining the hot water near the water surface of the bathtub, promoting the intake of hot water from the water intake unit 11. This makes the device less susceptible to the effects of shaking (waves) on the water surface of the bathtub, and enables the intake of hot water from the water intake unit 11 to be stabilized. Furthermore, the spray flow of hot water from the spray unit 13 collects floating matter on the surface of the bathtub toward the water intake unit 11, allowing the floating matter to be efficiently taken in from the water intake unit 11 along with the hot water. Furthermore, if the amount of hot water taken in from the water intake unit 11 exceeds the amount of hot water sprayed from the spray unit 13, the excess hot water is released from the open section 33, preventing the hot water from overflowing from the water intake unit 11.

[0049] In particular, in the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment, when placed in a bathtub and floating in the hot and cold water, the open face of the water intake section 11, which opens upward, is located above the water surface of the bathtub. By positioning the open face of the water intake section 11 above the water surface of the bathtub in this way, it is easier to obtain a difference in head from the open face of the water intake section 11 to the water surface inside the water intake section 11 compared to when the open face is located at the water surface of the bathtub, and this makes it possible to prevent floating matter that has been taken into the inside of the water intake section 11 together with the hot and cold water from flowing back out.

[0050] Furthermore, in the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment, an open section 33 is provided at the end of a communication passage 32 branching off from a recess 31 that temporarily stores the hot water taken in from the water intake section 11. When the floating matter removal device 1 is floating in the hot water in the bathtub, the communication passage 32 and the open section 33 are located below the water surface in the bathtub. As a result, when the floating matter removal device 1 is floated in the hot water in the bathtub at the start of use, the hot water in the bathtub flows from the open section 33 through the communication passage 32 into the recess 31 and is supplied to the pump chamber 35. This eliminates the need for the user to fill the water in the water intake section 11 with hot water and supply it to the pump chamber 35 (the so-called priming operation). Furthermore, when the amount of hot water taken in from the water intake section 11 is less than the amount of hot water sprayed from the spray section 13, the hot water in the bathtub can be sucked in from the open section 33 to replenish the water. This allows the spraying of hot water from the spray section 13 to continue, facilitating the intake of hot water from the water intake section 11.

[0051] Furthermore, the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment is provided with an inclined surface 14 that rises toward the water intake section 11, so that the hot and cold water sprayed from the jet section 13 reaches the water intake section 11 by flowing down the inclined surface 14. In this way, the hot and cold water sprayed from the jet section 13 and the hot and cold water near the surface of the bathtub that is caught in the spray flow can be guided to the water intake section 11 by the inclined surface 14, making it possible to more stably take in hot and cold water from the water intake section 11 than if the inclined surface 14 were not present.

[0052] In addition, in the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment, when placed in a bathtub and floating in the water, the lower end of the inclined surface 14 is located below the water surface of the bathtub, and the jetting portion 13 is shorter than the width of the inclined surface 14 and is located at the lower end of the inclined surface 14, protruding from the inclined surface 14. In this way, not only when the jetting portion 13 is submerged in the water in the bathtub, but also when the upper part of the jetting portion 13 is above the water surface due to the influence of the water surface shaking in the bathtub, the water near the water surface in the bathtub is caught in the jet flow of the jetting portion 13 from the side of the jetting portion 13, making it possible to take in floating matter from the water intake portion 11 along with the water.

[0053] Furthermore, in the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment, a plurality of jetting sections 13 and inclined surfaces 14 corresponding to the jetting sections 13 are provided surrounding the water intake section 11. This makes it possible to efficiently take in floating matter floating on the water surface of the surrounding bathtub together with the hot and cold water from the water intake section 11, with the water intake section 11 of the floating matter removal device 1 placed in the bathtub as the center.

[0054] Furthermore, if the flow of hot water (jet flow) sprayed from the spray section 13 or the flow of hot water caught in the jet flow from near the water surface in the bathtub deviates from the inclined surface 14 corresponding to the spray section 13 to the adjacent inclined surface 14, the flow of hot water along the adjacent inclined surface 14 will be obstructed, reducing the efficiency of taking in hot water and floating matter from the water intake section 11. In the floating matter removal device 1 of this embodiment, the float section 12 separates adjacent inclined surfaces 14, and the flow of hot water does not interfere with that of adjacent inclined surfaces 14, making it possible to more efficiently take in hot water and floating matter from the water intake section 11.

[0055] The floating matter removal device 1 of the present embodiment described above also has the following modified examples. The following describes the modified examples, focusing on the differences from the above embodiment. In the description of the modified examples, the same components as those in the above embodiment are given the same reference numerals and will not be described again.

[0056] Fig. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the jetting unit 13 in the floating matter removal device 1 of the first modified example. First, Fig. 8(a) shows the jetting unit 13 as seen from the front facing the inclined surface 14. As shown in the figure, the jetting unit 13 of the first modified example is provided across the width of the inclined surface 14.

[0057] 8(b) shows a cross section of the jetting portion 13 and the inclined surface 14 cut by a vertical plane passing through the center of the water intake portion 11. The floating matter removal device 1 of the first modified example is placed in a bathtub and floats on the water in the bathtub, with the jetting portion 13 positioned below the water surface of the bathtub. Therefore, when hot water is sprayed from the jetting portion 13, the hot water near the water surface in the bathtub, which is located above the jetting portion 13, is mainly caught up in the spray flow, and hot water also passes over the jetting portion 13 and is caught up from behind the jetting portion 13 in the direction of water spray (to the left in the figure).

[0058] In this way, in the floating matter removal device 1 of the first variant, hot water is sprayed from the spray section 13 provided across the width of the inclined surface 14, and by directing the spray flow along the entire inclined surface 14, the amount of hot water near the surface of the bathtub water that is caught up in the spray flow can be increased, making it possible to efficiently take in floating matter along with the hot water from the water intake section 11.

[0059] FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper unit 10 in the floating matter removal device 1 of the second modified example. FIG. 9 shows the upper unit 10 cut along a vertical plane passing through the center of the water intake section 11. The upper unit 10 of the above-described embodiment was provided with an inclined surface 14 between the float sections 12, which sloped upward from the outer periphery of the upper unit 10 toward the central water intake section 11 (see FIG. 2). In contrast, the floating matter removal device 1 of the second modified example has an approximately horizontal flat surface 15 between the float sections 12, which extends from the outer periphery of the upper unit 10 to the central water intake section 11. The jet section 13 is located on the outer periphery of the flat surface 15 and protrudes upward from the flat surface 15.

[0060] Fig. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing how floating matter floating on the water surface of a bathtub is removed by operation of the floating matter removal device 1 of the second modified example. Like Fig. 4, Fig. 10 shows a cross section of the floating matter removal device 1 cut along a vertical plane passing through the center of the water intake section 11. The floating matter removal device 1 of the second modified example is adapted to float on the water in the bathtub by the buoyancy of the float section 12, and in the illustrated example, the open surface of the water intake section 11 that opens upward, the flat surface 15 surrounding the water intake section 11, and the jet section 13 are all located below the water surface of the bathtub.

[0061] When impeller 21 housed in pump chamber 35 rotates, some of the hot water discharged into discharge passage 36 passes through pressure passage 37 and is sprayed from injection section 13 towards water intake section 11, as shown by the thick arrow in the figure, and flows into water intake section 11 along flat surface 15. At this time, around the flow of hot water (jet flow) sprayed from injection section 13, negative pressure is generated as the pressure decreases with the flow rate of the spray, and because the jet flow is along the surface of the water in the bathtub, the hot water near the surface of the water in the bathtub is caught up in the jet flow together with floating objects, as shown by the dashed arrow in the figure, and flows into water intake section 11.

[0062] In this way, the hot water taken in from the water intake section 11 is sucked into the pump chamber 35 through the bottom hole 31a of the recess 31, and floating matter is removed as it passes through the filter 40. In the floating matter removal device 1 of the second modified example, the amount of hot water taken in from the water intake section 11 is greater than the amount of hot water sprayed from the spray section 13. However, since a discharge section 39 is provided at the end of the branch passage 38 branching off from the discharge passage 36, the hot water discharged from the pump chamber 35 to the discharge passage 36 is discharged to the outside from the discharge section 39, except for the portion supplied to the spray section 13, thereby ensuring a sufficient head from the water surface in the bathtub to the water surface inside the water intake section 11. The recess 31, pump chamber 35, discharge passage 36, and pressure-feed passage 37 in the second modified example correspond to the "main passage" in this invention. The branch passage 38 in the second modified example corresponds to the "first sub-passage" in this invention, and the discharge section 39 in the second modified example corresponds to the "adjustment section" in this invention.

[0063] On the other hand, if the flat surface 15 or the open surface of the water intake section 11 rises above the water surface in the bathtub due to the influence of factors such as shaking (waves) on the water surface in the bathtub, causing a temporary shortage of hot water intake from the water intake section 11, the hot water in the bathtub can be replenished by sucking it in through the open section 33 at the end of the communication passage 32 branching off from the recess 31, and so by continuing to spray hot water from the spray section 13, it is possible to promote the intake of hot water from the water intake section 11. The communication passage 32 of the second modified example corresponds to the "second sub-passage" of the present invention, and the open section 33 of the second modified example corresponds to the "communicating section" of the present invention.

[0064] In this second modified floating matter removal device 1, as in the previously described embodiment, hot water is sprayed from the spray section 13 toward the water intake section 11, and the spray flow flows into the water intake section 11 while entraining the hot water near the water surface of the bathtub, thereby facilitating the intake of hot water from the water intake section 11, making it less susceptible to the effects of shaking (waves) on the water surface of the bathtub and enabling the intake of hot water from the water intake section 11 to be stabilized. In addition, the spray flow of hot water from the spray section 13 causes floating matter on the surface of the bathtub water to gather toward the water intake section 11, so that the floating matter can be efficiently taken in from the water intake section 11 along with the hot water.

[0065] In the floating matter removal device 1 of the second variant, hot water near the water surface in the bathtub flows into the water intake section 11 along with the hot water sprayed from the spray section 13, so that the amount of hot water taken in by the water intake section 11 exceeds the amount of hot water sprayed from the spray section 13. However, because some of the hot water discharged from the pump chamber 35 is sprayed from the spray section 13 and the excess hot water is released from the discharge section 39, the difference in head from the water surface in the bathtub to the water surface inside the water intake section 11 is secured, and the intake of hot water from the water intake section 11 can be maintained. On the other hand, if the intake of hot water from the water intake section 11 temporarily falls short due to shaking (waves) on the water surface in the bathtub, hot water from the bathtub is sucked in through the open section 33 to replenish the water, so that it is possible to continue spraying hot water from the spray section 13 and encourage the intake of hot water from the water intake section 11.

[0066] The above describes the embodiment and modified examples of the floating matter removal device 1, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment and modified examples, and can be implemented in various forms within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

[0067] For example, in the floating matter removal device 1 of the above-described embodiment, the open surface of the water intake section 11 is located above the water level when the device is placed in the bathtub, and the device is provided with an inclined surface 14 that rises toward the water intake section 11. However, instead of the inclined surface 14, as shown in FIG. 11 , the upper unit 10 may be provided with a substantially horizontal flat surface 15 extending from the outer periphery to the center, and a cylindrical inner wall surface 16 that extends substantially vertically upward from the inner periphery of the flat surface 15, with the open surface of the water intake section 11 being provided at the upper end of the inner wall surface 16, so that the open surface of the water intake section 11 is located above the water level when the floating matter removal device 1 is placed in the bathtub. In addition, the jet section 13 located on the outer periphery of the flat surface 15 may be located below the water level, and hot or cold water jetted from the jet section 13 may flow directly into the water intake section 11 without running down the inclined surface 14. Even in this case, the jet of hot water from the jet portion 13 flows into the water intake portion 11 while drawing in the hot water near the water surface of the bathtub, thereby promoting the intake of hot water from the water intake portion 11.

[0068] Furthermore, if the jet unit 13 is located near the water surface of the bathtub, not only when the jet unit 13 is located below the water surface of the bathtub, but also when the jet unit 13 is above the water surface of the bathtub, the negative pressure generated around the jet unit 13 by the jet of hot water may attract the water surface of the bathtub, causing the jet of hot water from the jet unit 13 to connect with the water surface of the bathtub. If at least a portion of the flow of hot water (jet stream) jetted from the jet unit 13 connects with the water surface of the bathtub in this way, the hot water near the water surface of the bathtub will be entrained in the jet stream together with floating objects, thereby promoting the intake of hot water and floating objects from the water intake unit 11. However, if the jet unit 13 is located above the water surface of the bathtub, not only the hot water near the water surface of the bathtub but also the air will be easily entrained in the jet stream. However, if the jet unit 13 is located below the water surface of the bathtub, a greater amount of hot water will be entrained in the jet stream, making it possible to more efficiently take in the hot water near the water surface of the bathtub along with floating objects from the water intake unit 11.

[0069] Furthermore, the floating matter removal device 1 of the above-described embodiment floats in the water in the bathtub due to the buoyancy of the float portion 12. However, the floating matter removal device 1 is not limited to a float type that floats in the water in the bathtub, and may be fixed to the inner wall surface of the bathtub. For example, one end of a flexible stand having multiple arms and joints connecting the arms may be fixed to the floating matter removal device 1, and the other end may be fixed to the inner wall surface of the bathtub. The angle between the arms may be adjusted using the joints to align the floating matter removal device 1 vertically relative to the water surface of the bathtub, or to position the floating matter removal device 1 approximately vertically. In this case, the float portion 12 of the upper unit 10 may be omitted.

[0070] Furthermore, in the floating matter removal device 1 of the above-described embodiment, mesh 40b was provided in both the circular portion 41 and the sector-shaped portion 42 of the filter 40 (see FIG. 2). However, as long as mesh 40b is provided in at least the circular portion 41 of the filter 40, mesh 40b in sector-shaped portion 42 may be omitted. In this case, when hot water from the bathtub is sucked in through the open portion 33 and replenished, the replenished hot water passes through mesh 40b in the circular portion 41 of the filter 40, thereby removing floating matter. However, if mesh 40b is provided in sector-shaped portion 42 in addition to circular portion 41 as in the above-described embodiment, all of the hot water taken in from the water intake portion 11 will pass through mesh 40b, which is desirable for removing floating matter.

[0071] Furthermore, in the floating matter removal device 1 of the above-described embodiment, the communication passage 32 and the opening 33 were located below the water level in the bathtub when the device was placed in the bathtub. However, the communication passage 32 and the opening 33 may be located above the water level in the bathtub, as long as they are located below the open surface of the water intake 11, and excess hot and cold water taken in from the water intake 11 can be released from the opening 33. However, if the communication passage 32 and the opening 33 are located below the water level in the bathtub as in the above-described embodiment, a priming operation to supply hot and cold water from the water intake 11 to the pump chamber 35 is not required when the floating matter removal device 1 is first used. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1...floating matter removal device, 10...upper unit, 11...water intake section, 12...float portion, 12a...space, 13...injection portion, 14...Slope surface, 15...Flat surface, 16...Inner wall surface, 17...Cover plate, 20...Lower unit, 21...Impeller, 21a...wing piece, 22...motor, 25...pump, 30...intermediate unit, 31...recess, 31a...bottom hole, 32...Communication path, 33...Opening section, 33...Adjustment section, 34... pump forming member, 35... pump chamber, 35a... suction hole, 36...discharge passage, 37...pressure feed passage, 38...branch passage, 39...discharge portion, 40...filter, 40a...frame body, 40b...mesh, 41...circular portion, 42...fan-shaped portion, 43...Circular plate.

Claims

1. A floating matter removal device for removing floating matter from the surface of bathtub water, A water intake section for taking in hot and cold water near the water surface of the bathtub; A filter for filtering hot water, A jetting unit for jetting hot and cold water toward the water intake unit; a pump that can suck the hot water taken in from the water intake section and pass it through the filter, and can also pressure-feed the hot water that has passed through the filter to the injection section; an adjusting unit that can release excess hot water when the amount of hot water taken in from the water intake unit is greater than the amount of hot water sprayed from the spray unit; Equipped with The jetting unit is provided near the water surface of the bathtub, At least a part of the jet of hot and cold water jetted from the jetting portion toward the water intake portion is connected to the water surface of the bathtub. A floating matter removal device characterized by:

2. The floating matter removal device according to claim 1, When the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, the open surface of the water intake section that opens upward is located above the water surface of the bathtub. A floating matter removal device characterized by:

3. The floating matter removal device according to claim 2, The pump is installed in a main passage connecting the water intake section and the injection section, The adjusting unit is provided at an end of a sub-passage that branches off from the main passage at a position closer to the water intake unit than the pump, When the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, the adjustment unit and the sub-passage are located below the water surface of the bathtub. A floating matter removal device characterized by:

4. The floating matter removal device according to claim 1, When the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, the open surface of the water intake section that opens upward is located below the water surface of the bathtub, The pump is installed in a main passage connecting the water intake section and the injection section, The adjusting portion is provided at an end of a first sub-passage that branches off from the main passage at a position closer to the injection portion than the pump, and A second sub-passage branching off from the main passage at a position closer to the intake port than the pump is provided at an end of the second sub-passage, the second sub-passage being located below the intake port and communicating with the outside. A floating matter removal device characterized by:

5. The floating matter removal device according to claim 2 or 3, a slope that rises toward the water intake section, The hot and cold water sprayed from the spray section flows down the inclined surface and reaches the water intake section. A floating matter removal device characterized by:

6. The floating matter removal device according to claim 5, The jetting section is located below the water surface of the bathtub when the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, and is provided across the width of the inclined surface. A floating matter removal device characterized by:

7. The floating matter removal device according to claim 5, When the floating matter removal device is placed in the bathtub, the lower end side of the inclined surface is located below the water surface of the bathtub, The ejection portion is shorter than the width of the inclined surface, and is located on the lower end side of the inclined surface and protrudes from the inclined surface. A floating matter removal device characterized by:

8. The floating matter removal device according to claim 5, A plurality of the jetting portions and the inclined surfaces corresponding to the jetting portions are provided around the water intake portion. A floating matter removal device characterized by:

9. The floating matter removal device according to claim 8, A partition portion is provided between the adjacent inclined surfaces. A floating matter removal device characterized by:

Images