shower head

Abstract

The present invention provides a shower head having a mechanism for switching flow paths that can prevent sealing failures when the switching operation is performed repeatedly. [Solution] In a shower head comprising a water discharge unit and a switching mechanism, the switching mechanism comprises a switching case having multiple flow paths, and a switching valve housed within the switching case for opening and closing one flow path, the switching valve comprising a water-stopping ring, an elastic body, and a switching movable body, the elastic body being positioned between the water-stopping ring and the switching movable body, and the water-stopping ring blocking one of the flow paths.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a shower head having a mechanism for switching a flow path.

Background Art

[0002] As a shower head having a mechanism for switching a flow path, for example, there is a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-018408 (Patent Document 1). As shown in FIG. 6, this shower head has a structure in which the flow path is switched by moving a first shaft 40 in a flow path forming member 30.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, in this prior art, a step is formed by a through hole 32 of the flow path forming member 30, and when switching the flow path, the seal ring 41 attached to the first shaft 40 needs to overcome the step. Therefore, by repeatedly performing the switching operation, the seal ring 41 may wear, leading to a sealing failure.

[0005] The present invention is proposed in consideration of such problems, and an object thereof is to provide a shower head that can prevent sealing failure when repeatedly performing a switching operation in a shower head having a mechanism for switching a flow path.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following features.

[0007] (Feature Configuration 1) In a shower head comprising a water discharge unit and a switching mechanism, The switching mechanism comprises a switching case having multiple flow paths, and a switching valve housed within the switching case that opens and closes one of the flow paths. The aforementioned switching valve comprises a water-sealing ring, an elastic body, and a switching movable body. The elastic body is configured to be positioned between the water-stopping ring and the switching movable body, The aforementioned water-stopping ring blocks one of the aforementioned flow paths. It's at a single point.

[0008] (Effect 1) With this configuration, the elastic body is located inside the water-stopping ring when the flow path is switched, thus preventing seal failures during repeated switching operations. Furthermore, the elastic body is positioned inside the water-sealing ring, and the reaction force of the elastic body presses the water-sealing ring against the flow path, thereby improving the sealing performance.

[0009] (Feature Composition 2) The shower head according to the present invention is: The aforementioned water-stopping ring is made of resin. That's fine.

[0010] (Effect 2) This configuration reduces the possibility of the water-stopping ring wearing down and causing a seal failure during repeated switching operations.

[0011] (Feature Configuration 3) The shower head according to the present invention is: The aforementioned water-stopping ring is composed of multiple parts. That's fine.

[0012] (Effect 3) With such a configuration, it becomes easy to attach the water stop ring to the switching moving body. Also, when pressing the water stop ring against a plurality of flow paths, it becomes possible to press the sealing surface of the water stop ring perpendicular to the flow path.

[0013] (Characteristic Configuration 4) As the shower head according to the present invention, the water stop ring may be composed of two parts. That is also acceptable.

[0014] (Effect 4) With such a configuration, it becomes even easier to attach the water stop ring to the switching moving body.

[0015] (Characteristic Configuration 5) As the shower head according to the present invention, both ends of the water stop ring composed of two parts each have a notch, the elastic body is attached to the switching moving body, the water stop ring is fixed to the switching moving body by sandwiching the elastic body by the notch. That is also acceptable.

[0016] (Effect 5) With such a configuration, it becomes easy to attach the water stop ring to the switching moving body via the elastic body.

[0017] (Characteristic Configuration 6) As the shower head according to the present invention, a flow velocity acceleration part for accelerating the flow velocity of the fluid in the other flow path is provided on the downstream side of the switching case. That is also acceptable.

[0018] (Effect 6) With such a configuration, it is possible to increase the flow velocity of the fluid in the other flow path. When the flow velocity of the fluid in the other flow path increases, the periphery of the flow velocity acceleration part becomes negative pressure, and it becomes possible to draw in the fluid from the flow path opened and closed by the water stop ring.

[0019] (Feature configuration 7) The shower head according to the present invention is: The switching case has a cylindrical portion extending downstream from around one of the flow paths. The downstream end of the cylindrical portion narrows the other flow path. That's fine.

[0020] (Effect 7) This configuration allows for an increase in the fluid velocity in the other channels. This increase in fluid velocity creates negative pressure around the cylindrical section, drawing in fluid from the channels opened and closed by the water-sealing ring.

[0021] (Feature configuration 8) The shower head according to the present invention is: The aforementioned switching valve moves and remains in the open and closed positions of one of the aforementioned flow paths. That's fine.

[0022] (Effect 8) This configuration allows the flow path, which is opened and closed by the switching valve, to remain either open or closed. This enables the user to select the desired opening or closing state.

[0023] (Feature configuration 9) The shower head according to the present invention is: The aforementioned switching valve moves between an open position and a closed position of one of the flow paths by means of a thrust lock mechanism. That's fine.

[0024] (Effect 9) This configuration allows the switching valve to keep the flow path, which is opened and closed by the water-stopping ring, either open or closed. This enables the user to select the desired opening or closing state.

[0025] (Feature configuration 10) The shower head according to the present invention is: The shower head also includes a cartridge section. A cartridge containing the drug is detachably attached to the aforementioned cartridge section. The solution containing the drug in the cartridge passes through one of the aforementioned channels. That's fine.

[0026] (Effect 10) This configuration allows the switching mechanism to select whether or not to dissolve the drug in the fluid.

[0027] (Feature configuration 11) The shower head according to the present invention is: The aforementioned chemical is a chlorine remover. That's fine.

[0028] (Effect 11) This configuration allows for the dissolution of a more user-friendly drug into the fluid. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0029] [Figure 1] Front view of the shower head [Figure 2] Right side view of the shower head [Figure 3] Rear view of the shower head [Figure 4] Exploded view showing the main components of a shower head. [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view of the showerhead at line AA in Figure 1. [Figure 6] Exploded perspective view showing the main components of the water discharge unit. [Figure 7] Exploded perspective view showing the main components of the water discharge unit. [Figure 8] Cross-sectional view of the water discharge unit section in Figure 1 (line AA). [Figure 9] Front view of the top cover [Figure 10](a) is a right side view of the upper cover, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the upper cover of (a) along line BB. [Figure 11] (a) is a rear view of the water pipe section, and (b) is a front view of the water pipe section. [Figure 12] Perspective view of the water pipe section [Figure 13] (a) is a rear view of the switching valve, and (b) is a front view of the switching valve. [Figure 14] (a) is a rear view of the switch plate, and (b) is a front view of the switch plate. [Figure 15] (a) is a right side view of the switching plate, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the water discharge unit section of Figure 1, along line AA. [Figure 16] (a) is a rear view of the switching case, and (b) is a front view of the switching case. [Figure 17] (a) is a right side view of the switching case, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the water discharge unit section of Figure 1, along line AA. [Figure 18] (a) Rear view of the mist fountain, (b) Front view of the mist fountain, (c) Right side view of the mist fountain. [Figure 19] (a) is a rear view of the screen, and (b) is a front view of the screen. [Figure 20] (a) is a right side view of the screen, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the water discharge unit section of Figure 1, along line AA. [Figure 21] (a) is a perspective view of the screen, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the screen in Figure 19(a) along the CC line. [Figure 22] (a) is a rear view of the retaining ring, and (b) is a front view of the retaining ring. [Figure 23] (a) is a right side view of the fixing ring, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of the water discharge unit section of Figure 1, along line AA. [Figure 24] Diagram showing the connection method between the water discharge unit and the water passage pipe. [Figure 25] Exploded perspective view showing the main components of the raw water purification switching mechanism. [Figure 26] (a) is a front view of the button guide, (b) is a right side view of the button guide, and (c) is a bottom view of the button guide. [Figure 27] (a) and (b) are diagrams showing the assembly method of the switching valve, and (c) is a bottom view of the switching mechanism. [Figure 28] (a) is a plan view of the purified water switching case, (b) is a bottom view of the purified water switching case, (c) is a front view of the purified water switching case, and (d) is a right side view of the purified water switching case. [Figure 29] Cross-sectional view of the purified water switching mechanism shown in Figure 1 (line AA). [Figure 30] Cross-sectional view of the purified water switching mechanism in Figure 1, line AA, when the button is in the first position. [Figure 31] Cross-sectional view of the purified water switching mechanism in Figure 1, line AA, when the button is in the second position. [Figure 32] Diagram showing the connection method between the purified water switching mechanism and the upper water purification cartridge case (before rotation operation) [Figure 33] Diagram showing the connection method between the purified water switching mechanism and the upper water purification cartridge case (after rotation operation). [Figure 34] Diagram showing the connection method between the water discharge unit and the purified water switching mechanism, etc. [Figure 35] Diagram showing the positional relationship between the screen rotation restriction section and the purified water switching mechanism. [Figure 36] Perspective view of the water-stopping ring of the second embodiment [Figure 37] Perspective view of the water-stopping ring of the third embodiment [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0030] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Each embodiment is not independent of the others, and it is not necessary to explain them in detail, as those skilled in the art can combine them as appropriate, and the synergistic effects of such combinations can also be understood. In principle, redundant explanations between embodiments will be omitted.

[0031] Furthermore, in embodiments of the present invention, each direction is defined as follows: As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the front-to-back direction is the direction of water discharge from the spouts (mist spout 130a, shower spout 130b) in Figure 1, the up-and-down direction is the direction in which the water purification cartridge extends in Figure 1, and the left-to-right direction is the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back and up-and-down directions, as shown in Figure 1 or Figure 3. Also, the view of the shower head 100 from the front, as shown in Figure 1, is defined as the front view. Note that each direction may be redefined in different terms based on the disclosure of the entire application.

[0032] [First Embodiment] 〔overview〕 Embodiments of the shower head 100 according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figures 1 to 5, this shower head 100 is mainly composed of three structures. The first is a water discharge unit 110 that includes a screen 130 having at least a mist outlet 130a and a shower outlet 130b. The second is a purified raw water switching mechanism 140 that switches the discharge of purified water flowing into the water discharge unit 110. The third component is the water purification cartridge section 160, which houses the water purification cartridge 167 connected to the purified raw water switching mechanism 140.

[0033] The following describes the specific structure of the water discharge unit 110, the purified raw water switching mechanism 140, and the purified water cartridge unit 160.

[0034] [Water discharge unit 110] As shown in Figure 6, the water discharge unit 110 mainly consists of an upper cover 111, a water passage pipe 112, a switching valve 114, and a water discharge unit 120. The water discharge unit 120, as shown in Figure 7, mainly consists of a switching plate 122, a switching case 126, a mist compost 129, a screen 130, and a fixing ring 131.

[0035] The upper cover 111 covers the top of the shower head 100 and is connected to the water passage section 112, as shown in Figure 8.

[0036] The upper cover 111 is mainly, as shown in Figures 9 and 10, A hole 111f for the water discharge unit, provided above the upper cover 111, which receives the water discharge unit 120. A screw hole 111a is provided within the hole 111f for the water discharge unit section and for fixing the water passage pipe section 112. A button hole 111b is provided below the hole 111f for the water discharge unit, and receives the button 141 of the purified water switching mechanism 140. A gripping portion 111c is provided below the buttonhole 111b and is held by the user. A engaged portion 111e is provided inside the button hole 111b and engages with the engaging portion 142a of the button guide 142. A fitting portion 111d is provided on the inner surface of the rear side of the upper cover 111, which fits with the spring receiving portion 151e of the purified raw water switching case 151 and the positioning projection 166c of the upper purified water cartridge case 166, and restricts their circumferential rotation. It consists of.

[0037] The water passage section 112 is through which the fluid flowing out from the purified raw water switching mechanism 140 passes. As shown in Figure 8, it is connected to the upper cover 111 and also to the water discharge unit 120 (switching plate 122) via the switching valve 114.

[0038] The water passage section 112 is mainly, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, A screw hole 112a is provided on the circumference of the disc portion 112f of the water passage portion 112 and is positioned in a location corresponding to the screw hole 111a of the upper cover 111. A water passage pipe 112b is connected to the disc section 112f and through which the fluid flowing out from the purified raw water switching mechanism 140 passes. A switching valve housing section 112e is provided at the center of the front side of the disc section 112f and houses the switching valve 114. A flange receiving portion 112c is provided at the upper and lower ends of the switching valve housing portion 112e and receives the flange 122h of the switching plate 122. A restricting portion 112d is connected to the flange receiving portion 112c and is provided around the switching valve housing portion 112e, restricting the movement of the flange 122h in the front-rear direction. A spring receiving portion 112g is provided within the switching valve housing portion 112e and houses one end of the spring 113. It consists of.

[0039] The switching valve 114 switches the destination of the fluid passing through the water passage section 112. As shown in Figure 8, it is housed in the switching valve housing section 112e of the water passage section 112 and connected to the water discharge unit 120 (switching plate 122).

[0040] The switching valve 114, as shown in Figure 13, mainly, A spring projection 114a is provided on the rear side of the switching valve 114 and is connected to a spring 113 that biases the switching valve 114 toward the water discharge unit 120. A valve section 114b is provided on the back side of the spring projection 114a and switches between the first mist water flow port 122a or the first shower water flow port 122b provided on the switching plate 122. An O-ring recess 114g is provided around the valve portion 114b and accommodates an O-ring 115 for watertightly connecting the valve portion 114b to the first mist water flow port 122a or the first shower water flow port 122b. It consists of.

[0041] Next, the specific structure of the water outlet unit 120 having a mist outlet 130a and a shower outlet 130b will be described. The switching plate 122 is equipped with a first mist water flow port 122a and a first shower water flow port 122b that are connected to multiple flow paths (mist flow path M, shower flow path S). ​​As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the rear side is connected to the water passage section 112 via a switching valve 114, and the front side is connected to the switching case 126.

[0042] The switching plate 122 is mainly, as shown in Figures 14 and 15, A first mist water flow port 122a is provided in the center of the rear side of the switching plate 122 and connects the flow path formed in the water passage section 112 with the mist flow path M. A first shower water flow port 122b, which has a cylindrical shape extending to the rear side, is provided in the center of the rear side of the switching plate 122 and connects the flow path formed in the water passage section 112 with the shower flow path S. A first connecting projection 122c is provided at the upper end of the switching plate 122 and fits into the first connecting projection recess 126d of the switching case 126, thereby restricting the rotational movement of the switching plate 122 alone. A screw hole 122d is provided in the center of the switching plate 122 and communicates with a screw hole 130d provided in the screen 130, A first cylindrical portion 122g is provided on the outer circumference of the switching plate 122 and extends to the rear side. An O-ring recess 122f is provided on the front side of the first cylindrical portion 122g and houses an O-ring 123 for watertight connection between the switching plate 122 and the switching case 126. A first engaged portion 122e is provided on the rear side of the first cylindrical portion 122g and engages with the first engaging portion 131a provided on the fixing ring 131. A flange 122h is provided around the first mist water flow port 122a and the first shower water flow port 122b, and is received by the flange receiving portion 112c of the water passage pipe portion 112. It consists of.

[0043] In the first embodiment, the first mist water flow port 122a and the first shower water flow port 122b are provided in three locations each, as shown in Figure 14. However, the number can be adjusted as appropriate, taking into consideration the amount of fluid flowing into the water discharge unit 120, etc.

[0044] The switching case 126, together with the switching plate 122, forms the mist flow path M. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, its rear side is connected to the switching plate 122, and its front side is connected to the screen 130.

[0045] The switching case 126 is mainly, as shown in Figures 16 and 17, The switching case 126 is evenly distributed, and the second mist water flow port 126a (corresponding to the "discharge port") through which the fluid flowing in from the first mist water flow port 122a of the switching plate 122 passes, A mist cylindrical part 126g is provided on the front side of the second mist water flow port 126a and is housed in the mist cylindrical part housing section 130k of the screen 130. A second shower water flow port 126b (corresponding to the "discharge port") is provided in the center of the switching case 126, through which the fluid flowing in from the first shower water flow port 122b of the switching plate 122 passes. A recess 126d for the first connecting projection is provided at the upper end of the rear side of the switching case 126 and engages with the first connecting projection 122c of the switching plate 122. A second connecting projection 126c is provided at the upper end of the switching case 126 and fits into the second connecting projection recess 130c of the screen 130, thereby restricting the rotational movement of the switching case 126 alone. A second cylindrical portion 126f is provided on the outer circumference of the switching case 126 and extends to the rear side. An O-ring recess 126e is provided in the center of the second cylindrical portion 126f and houses an O-ring 127 for watertight connection between the switching case 126 and the screen 130. It consists of.

[0046] In the first embodiment, there are 18 second mist water flow ports 126a, as shown in Figure 16, but the number can be adjusted as appropriate, taking into consideration the size of the water discharge unit 120, etc.

[0047] The mist atomizer 129 (corresponding to the "swirling flow generation mechanism") is used to form a mist with small water droplets. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, its rear side is connected to the switching case 126, and its front side is housed in the mist atomizer housing section 130e of the screen 130 (corresponding to the "swirling flow generation mechanism housing section").

[0048] The mist coma 129 is mainly, as shown in Figures 18(a) to (c), A water passage hole 129a is provided inside the mist compost 129, through which fluid from the second mist water flow port 126a of the switching case 126 passes in the front-rear direction. A fitting projection 129b is provided on the back of the mist atomizer 129 and fits into the second mist water flow port 126a provided on the switching case 126 to position the mist atomizer 129. A swirling channel 129c is provided on the front of the mist compost 129 to cause the fluid that has passed through the water passage hole 129a to swirl. It consists of.

[0049] The screen 130, together with the switching case 126, forms the shower channel S. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, its rear side is connected to the switching case 126, and its side is connected to the fixing ring 131.

[0050] Screen 130, as shown in Figures 19 to 21, is mainly, Mist outlets 130a (corresponding to "outlet") are evenly distributed on the screen 130, through which the fluid flowing in from the swirling channel 129c of the mist atomizer 129 passes. Shower outlets 130b (corresponding to "outlets") are evenly distributed on the screen 130, through which the fluid flowing in from the second shower water flow port 126b of the switching case 126 passes. A recess 130c for a second connecting projection is provided at the upper end of the rear side of the screen 130 and engages with the second connecting projection 126c of the switching case 126. A screw hole 130d is provided in the center of the back side of the screen 130, communicates with the screw hole 122d of the switching plate 122, and the screw 121 is fixed to it. A mist atomizer housing section 130e is evenly distributed on the screen 130 and houses the mist atomizers 129. A mist cylinder housing section 130k is provided around the mist atomizer housing section 130e and houses the mist cylindrical section 126g of the switching case 126. A lever 130f is provided on the front side of the screen 130 for rotating the water discharge unit 120. A third cylindrical portion 130i is provided on the outer circumference of the screen 130 and extends to the rear side. A rotation restricting part 130g is provided on the rear side of the third cylindrical part 130i and, by colliding with the contact part 151h of the purified water switching mechanism 140, restricts the rotation range of the water discharge unit 120. A second engaged portion 130h is provided on the front side of the third cylindrical portion 130i and engages with a second engaging portion provided on the fixing ring 131. A protruding portion 130j is provided around the shower outlet 130b and protrudes to the rear side to straighten the fluid passing through the shower outlet 130b. It consists of.

[0051] In the first embodiment, 47 shower outlets 130b are provided, as shown in Figure 19, but the number can be adjusted as appropriate, taking into consideration the size of the water outlet unit 120, etc.

[0052] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 19(b), it is preferable that the mist outlet 130a and the shower outlet 130b are positioned in both the first region A1 and the second region A2, with the water discharge surface of the screen 130 divided into a first region A1 and a second region A2 based on the distance from the center C. The distance from the center C is not particularly limited, as long as it includes the distance of the two outlets with different water discharge patterns. By arranging them in this way, water can be evenly distributed across the entire water outlet surface from two outlets with different water flow patterns.

[0053] Furthermore, the first embodiment has a projection 130j that is provided around the shower outlet 130b and protrudes to the rear side, so that residual water can be prevented from flowing out of the shower outlet immediately after the water is stopped. In addition, the shower outlet 130b (flow path) can be made longer in the direction of water discharge, so the flow straightening effect can be enhanced.

[0054] The fixing ring 131 integrates the switching plate 122, the switching case 126, and the screen 130. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, it is positioned on the side of the switching plate 122, the switching case 126, and the screen 130, and engages with the switching plate 122 and the screen 130.

[0055] The fixing ring 131 is mainly, as shown in Figures 22 and 23, A first engaging portion 131a is provided on the back side of the side surface of the fixing ring 131 and engages with the first engaged portion 122e of the switching plate 122. A second engaging portion 131b is provided on the front side of the side of the fixing ring 131 and engages with the second engaged portion 130h of the screen 130. It consists of.

[0056] [Switching between shower and mist spray modes] The details of the switching operation between shower spray and mist spray are as follows: The mist discharge state switching mechanism operates by manipulating the lever 130f on the screen 130 to rotate the water discharge unit 120, causing the valve portion 114b of the switching valve 114 to block the first shower water flow port 122b of the switching plate 122. Therefore, the fluid from the water passage section 112 passes through the first mist water flow port 122a of the switching plate 122, the mist flow path M which is a watertight space between the switching plate 122 and the switching case 126, the second mist water flow port 126a of the switching case 126, and the mist compost 129, and is discharged from the mist outlet 130a of the screen 130.

[0057] The shower water discharge switching mechanism operates by manipulating the lever 130f on the screen 130 to rotate the water discharge unit 120, causing the valve portion 114b of the switching valve 114 to block the first mist water flow port 122a of the switching plate 122. Therefore, the fluid from the water passage section 112 passes through the first shower water flow port 122b of the switching plate 122, the second shower water flow port 126b of the switching case 126, and the shower flow path S, which is a watertight space between the switching case 126 and the screen 130, and is discharged from the shower outlet 130b of the screen 130.

[0058] In this way, the switching plate 122, the switching case 126, and the screen 130 are arranged in the direction of water discharge to form a hierarchical flow path, and the water flow in each hierarchical level is not mixed with each other. With this configuration, the arrangement of the two water outlets with different discharge patterns is not limited, so that water can be discharged evenly from the two water outlets with different discharge patterns across the entire water discharge surface.

[0059] Furthermore, by operating the lever 130f on the screen 130 to rotate the water discharge unit 120, the water discharge pattern can be switched, making it easy to switch between patterns.

[0060] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 8(b), among the spaces formed between the switching case 126 and the screen 130 (shower flow path S), the space K at the screen inlet where water flows from the switching case 126 to the screen 130 is larger than the other spaces. Therefore, by widening the space K at the inlet to the screen 130, which is the most affected by pressure loss among the shower flow path S, the pressure loss can be reduced and the reduction in water discharge volume can be mitigated.

[0061] [Assembly method for the water discharge unit 110] Next, the assembly method for the water discharge unit 110 will be explained. The assembly method for the water discharge unit 110 includes a first step of attaching the water passage pipe 112 to the upper cover 111, a second step of assembling the water discharge unit 120, and a third step of attaching the water discharge unit 120 to the water passage pipe 112 together with the switching valve 114. The order of the first and second steps is not particularly limited.

[0062] In the first step, as shown in Figures 6 and 9, first, the water passage pipe 112b of the water passage pipe section 112 is passed through the hole 111f for the water discharge unit section of the upper cover 111 towards the grip section 111c, and the screw hole 112a of the water passage pipe section 112 is positioned to communicate with the screw hole 111a of the upper cover 111. Then, the screw 117 shown in Figure 8(a) is passed through the screw hole 112a and fixed to the screw hole 111a, thereby connecting the water passage pipe section 112 and the upper cover 111.

[0063] In the second step, as shown in Figures 14 to 17, first, the switching plate 122 and the switching case 126 are connected such that the first connecting projection 122c and the recess 126d for the first connecting projection fit together. When connecting, an O-ring 123 is placed in the O-ring recess 122f provided in the first cylindrical portion 122g of the switching plate 122, and a sealing member 124 is attached around the first shower water flow port 122b, which extends to the back side of the switching case 126 and is cylindrical in shape. This creates a watertight space between the switching plate 122 and the switching case 126, and this space constitutes the mist flow path M as shown in Figure 8(a).

[0064] Next, as shown in Figures 16 to 21, the switching case 126 and the screen 130 are connected such that the second connecting projection 126c and the recess 130c for the second connecting projection fit together. When connecting, an O-ring 127 is placed in the O-ring recess 126e provided in the second cylindrical portion 126f of the switching case 126, a sealing member 125 is placed around the cylindrical screw hole 130d extending to the back side of the screen 130, and a sealing member 128 is placed around the cylindrical mist portion 126g extending to the front side of the switching case 126. This creates a watertight space between the switching case 126 and the screen 130, and this space constitutes the shower flow path S as shown in Figure 8(b). Furthermore, when connecting, the mist atomizer 129 is housed in the mist atomizer housing section 130e.

[0065] In this way, the mist cylindrical section 126g and the mist cylindrical section housing section 130k are sealed by the sealing member 128. This means that the mist outlets 130a, which become larger due to the mist atomizer 129, can be individually sealed, thus ensuring the sealing performance of the mist outlets 130a. Furthermore, because the sealing is performed by the cylindrical section, the sealing performance can be better ensured against pressure in the direction of water discharge. As a result, the arrangement of the mist outlets 130a can be selected more freely.

[0066] Furthermore, since the first cylindrical section 122g and the second cylindrical section 126f, and the second cylindrical section 126f and the third cylindrical section 130i are sealed by an elastic body, the sealing performance of the hierarchical flow path formed by the switching plate 122, the switching case 126, and the screen 130 can be ensured. In addition, because the sealing is performed by the cylindrical sections, the sealing performance can be better ensured against pressure in the discharge direction.

[0067] Next, as shown in Figures 22 and 23, the assembly of the water discharge unit 120 is completed by engaging the second engaging portion 131b of the fixing ring 131 with the second engaged portion 130h of the screen 130, while engaging the first engaging portion 131a with the first engaged portion 122e of the switching plate 122.

[0068] In this way, the switching plate 122, the switching case 126, and the screen 130 are integrated by the fixing ring 131 to form the water discharge unit 120, which simplifies the switching structure for water pattern switching, and the water discharge pattern can be switched by rotating the screen.

[0069] In the third step, as shown in Figures 6, 8(a), and 12, first, one end of the spring 113 is housed in the spring receiving portion 112g of the water passage pipe 112, and the spring projection 114a of the switching valve 114 is attached to the other end of the spring 113.

[0070] Next, as shown in Figure 8, the water passage section 112 and the water discharge unit 120 are connected so that the valve section 114b of the switching valve 114 and the first mist water flow port 122a or the first shower water flow port 122b provided on the switching plate 122 overlap. When connecting, an O-ring 115 is placed in the O-ring recess 114c of the switching valve 114, and a V-packing 116 is placed around the cylindrical switching valve housing 112e of the water passage pipe 112. This creates a watertight space between the water passage pipe 112 and the water discharge unit 120, which then forms a water channel.

[0071] To elaborate on the connection process between the water passage section 112 and the water discharge unit 120 in the third step, as shown in Figure 24(a), first, the angle of the water discharge unit 120 is adjusted so that the flange 122h of the water discharge unit 120 (switching plate 122) fits into the flange receiving section 112c of the water passage section 112.

[0072] Next, the water discharge unit 120 is rotated so that the flange 122h of the water discharge unit 120 (switching plate 122) fits into the restricting portion 112d of the water passage pipe 112. It is preferable that the amount of rotation of the water discharge unit 120 be such that the water passage pipe 112b is positioned between the two rotation restricting portions 130g, taking into account the rotation restriction of the water discharge unit 120.

[0073] Because the assembly method for the water discharge unit 110 involves these steps, the water discharge unit 110 can be assembled in a simpler process.

[0074] [Purified water switching mechanism 140] As shown in Figure 25, the purified raw water switching mechanism 140 mainly consists of a button 141, a button guide 142, a first switching sprocket 143, a purified raw water switching cover 144, a second switching sprocket 145, a switching movable body 146, a water-stopping ring 147, a spring 150, a purified raw water switching case 151, and an upper cover 111.

[0075] Button 141 is used to activate the purified water switching mechanism 140 and is connected to the button guide 142, the first switching sprocket 143, and the switching movable body 146, as shown in Figure 29.

[0076] Button 141 is mainly, as shown in Figures 25 and 29, An engaging portion 141a is provided on the outer surface of the cylindrical button 141 and engages with the button guide 142. A portion 141b is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical button 141 and engages with the engaging claw 146a of the switching movable body 146. It consists of.

[0077] The button guide 142 guides the movement of the button 141 and prevents the purified water switching mechanism 140 from coming out of the button hole 111b of the upper cover 111. As shown in Figure 29, it is connected to the button 141, the engaged portion 111e of the upper cover 111, and the engaged portion 166d of the upper water purification cartridge case 166.

[0078] The button guide 142 is mainly as shown in Figures 25, 26 and 29, An engaging portion 142a is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the cylindrical button guide 142, on the side facing the water discharge unit 110 (upper end), and engages with the engaged portion 111e of the upper cover 111. An engaged portion 142b is provided on the outer surface on the water purification cartridge portion 160 side (lower end) and engages with the engaging portion 166d of the upper water purification cartridge case 166. It consists of.

[0079] The purified water switching cover 144 constitutes the operation button mechanism described later and is connected to the purified water switching case 151, as shown in Figure 29.

[0080] The purified water switching cover 144 is mainly, as shown in Figures 25 and 29, A flange portion 144a is provided on the outer surface of the purified water switching cover 144 and engages with the first engaging portion 151d of the purified water switching case 151. An engaging claw insertion portion 144b is provided on the inside of the flange portion 144a, through which the engaging claw 146a of the switching movable body 146 is inserted. It consists of.

[0081] The switching movable body 146, together with the water-stopping ring 147 and the O-ring 148 (corresponding to the "elastic body"), constitutes a switching valve for opening and closing the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151. As shown in Figure 29, it is connected to the button 141 via the purified raw water switching cover 144 and, together with the spring 150, is housed in the purified raw water switching valve housing section 151j of the purified raw water switching case 151.

[0082] The switching mechanism 146 is mainly as shown in Figures 25, 27, and 29, The first cylindrical portion 146b is provided above the switching movable body 146. An engaging claw 146a is provided at the upper end of the first cylindrical portion 146b and engages with the engaged portion 141b of the button 141. A second cylindrical portion 146e is provided at the lower end of the first cylindrical portion 146b, and a water-sealing ring 147 is attached to it. A recess for an O-ring 146c is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the second cylindrical portion 146e to receive the O-ring 148. On the inner side of the upper end of the second cylindrical portion 146e, there is a spring projection 146d that connects to the spring 150. It consists of.

[0083] The water-stopping ring 147 is used to open and close the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151, and is attached to the switching movable body 146 via an O-ring 148, as shown in Figure 29.

[0084] The water-stopping ring 147 is mainly, as shown in Figures 25, 27, and 29, A water-stopping part 147b is provided in the circumferential center of the water-stopping ring 147 and opens and closes the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151. The water-stopping ring 147 has notches 147a into which O-rings 148 are inserted to bias the water-stopping portion 147b toward the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151, It consists of.

[0085] The notch 147a formed in the water-sealing ring 147 allows the notch 147a of the water-sealing ring 147 to fit into the O-ring 148, making it easier to attach the water-sealing ring 147 to the switching movable body 146.

[0086] The water-stopping ring 147 is composed of multiple parts, as shown in Figure 27(a). This configuration makes it easy to attach the water-stopping ring 147 to the switching movable body 146. Furthermore, when pressing the water-stopping ring 147 against multiple case-side water purification channels 151a, it becomes possible to press the water-stopping portion 147b, which is the sealing surface of the water-stopping ring 147, perpendicular to the case-side water purification channels 151a. In the first embodiment, the water-stopping ring 147 is composed of two parts, but it is not limited to two parts.

[0087] The water-stopping ring 147 can be made of resin or metal. From the viewpoint of sliding properties, wear resistance, and cost, resin is preferred, and from the viewpoint of sliding properties and wear resistance, fluororesin and POM (polyacetal resin) are more preferred.

[0088] The spring 150 constitutes the operation button mechanism, which will be described later. As shown in Figure 29, it is mounted between the spring projection 146d of the switching movable body 146 and the spring receiving portion 151e of the purified water switching case 151, and biases them in a direction that separates them from each other. In other words, the spring 150 exerts a spring force that resists the pressing operation of the button 141.

[0089] The purified raw water switching case 151 houses the switching mobile body 146 and the like, and also constitutes the purified water flow path J and the raw water flow path G. As shown in Figure 29, its upper end is connected to the lower end of the water passage section 112 via an O-ring 161, and its lower end is connected to the upper purified water cartridge case 166.

[0090] The purified water switching case 151 is mainly as shown in Figures 25, 28 to 33, Upper cylindrical section 151k provided above the purified water switching case 151, A housing section 151j for the purified water switching valve is provided below the upper cylindrical section 151k. A lower cylindrical section 151l is provided below the housing section 151j for the purified water switching valve. A contact portion 151h is provided on the outer circumference of the upper cylindrical portion 151k and, by contacting the rotation restricting portion 130g of the screen 130, restricts the rotational movement of the water discharge unit 120. A cylindrical section 151b is provided inside the upper cylindrical section 151k, through which purified water flowing out from the case-side purified water channel 151a passes. A case-side raw water channel 151c is provided between the upper cylindrical section 151k and the cylindrical section 151b, through which raw water passes. In the housing section 151j for the purified raw water switching valve, the case-side purified water flow path 151a is provided inside the cylindrical section 151b and inside the cylindrical connecting section 151m, through which purified water passes. A spring receiving part 151e is provided at the bottom of the rear side of the housing part 151j for the purified water switching valve, and receives the spring 150. A first engaging portion 151d is provided on the front side of the housing portion 151j for the purified water switching valve and engages with the flange portion 144a of the purified water switching cover 144. A cylindrical connection section 151m is provided inside the lower cylindrical section 151l, through which purified water flowing out of the water purification cartridge 167 passes. A case-side raw water channel 151c is provided between the lower cylindrical section 151l and the connecting section 151m, through which the raw water passes. A second engaging portion 151f is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the lower cylindrical portion 151l and engages with the engaged portion 166a of the upper water purification cartridge case 166. A positioning projection 151g is provided on the outer surface of the lower cylindrical portion 151l and contacts the positioning projection 166c of the upper water purification cartridge case 166. A marker 151i is provided on the outer surface of the lower cylindrical part 151l and is used when connecting to the upper water purification cartridge case 166. It consists of.

[0091] In the first embodiment, as shown in Figure 28, the spring receiving portion 151e is not shaped to fill the entire bottom rear portion of the housing 151j for the purified water switching valve. In other words, the portion of the bottom rear portion of the housing 151j for the purified water switching valve that is not provided with the spring receiving portion 151e is open. This configuration prevents pressure fluctuations within the 151j housing for the purified water switching valve from interfering with the operation of the switching mechanism.

[0092] The upper cover 111 is mainly, as shown in Figures 10 and 29, A engaged portion 111e is provided on the water discharge unit portion 110 side (upper end) of the button hole 111b and engages with the engaging portion 142a of the button guide 142. A fitted portion 111d engages with the spring receiving portion 151e of the purified water switching case 151, and restricts the circumferential movement and upward movement of the spring receiving portion 151e. It consists of.

[0093] [Switching mechanism] The housing section 151j for the purified water switching valve houses a switching mechanism consisting of a button 141, a first switching sprocket 143, a purified water switching cover 144, a second switching sprocket 145, a switching movable body 146, a water-stopping ring 147, an O-ring 148, a Y-packing 149, and a spring 150, as shown in Figures 25 and 29. Therefore, when button 141 is pressed against the spring force of spring 150, the switching mechanism switches between purified water. In addition, the second switching sprocket 145 rotates with each press of button 141 and can be held in two different positions. The switching mechanism realizes the alternate operation described later.

[0094] This switching mechanism employs a thrust lock mechanism. This thrust lock mechanism is widely used as a switching mechanism. For example, the thrust lock mechanism is also used in ballpoint pens, enabling the extension and retraction of the ballpoint pen tip. For example, this thrust lock mechanism is also employed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 3454756 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 5721679. The switching mechanism of this embodiment is similar to the mechanism described in these patent publications.

[0095] Generally, heart-shaped cam mechanisms, rotary cam mechanisms, ratchet cam mechanisms, etc., are known as operating button mechanisms for so-called alternate operation. Any of these mechanisms can be used as a switching mechanism. Any switching mechanism that enables alternate operation can be used.

[0096] The details of the alternate operation of the switching mechanism are as follows: When button 141, located in the protruding position (first position) as shown in Figure 30, is pressed, button 141 moves to the fully pressed position (maximum pressed position: third position), which is not shown. When the pressure is released, button 141 moves from this maximum pressed position (third position) to the pressed position (second position) shown in Figure 31 and remains stationary. This pressed position (second position) is maintained unless pressure is applied again. Next, when button 141, which is in the pressed-in position (second position), is pressed, button 141 moves to the maximum pressed-in position (third position). When the pressure is released, button 141 moves from this maximum pressed-in position (third position) to the popped-out position (first position) and comes to rest. Thus, each time button 141 is pressed, it alternately stops at the popped-out position (first position) and the pressed-in position (second position), and with each transition between these positions, it passes through the maximum pressed-in position (third position). The range of motion of button 141 is from the first position to the third position. The direction of movement of button 141 is in the forward and backward direction.

[0097] [Operation of the switching mechanism] The details of the operation of the switching mechanism for opening and closing the case-side water purification channel 151a are as follows. As shown in Figure 30, the closing position switching mechanism has button 141 in the popped-out position (first position). In order to move button 141 from the pressed-in position (second position) to the popped-out position (first position), it is necessary to press button 141 to the fully pressed position (third position) and then release the pressure. In the closed position, the water-stopping ring 147 is pressed against the case-side water purification channel 151a by the O-ring 148, blocking the case-side water purification channel 151a.

[0098] As shown in Figure 31, the release position switching mechanism is such that button 141 is in the pressed-in position (second position). In order to move button 141 from the popped-out position (first position) to the pressed-in position (second position), it is necessary to press button 141 to the fully pressed position (third position) and then release the pressure. In the open position, the water-stopping ring 147 is located behind the case-side water purification channel 151a, so the case-side water purification channel 151a is not blocked.

[0099] The button 141 of the switching mechanism changes position between the extended position (first position) and the pressed position (second position), and this change can notify the user of the switch between purified water and raw water. When switching between purified and unpurified water by pressing button 141, if button 141 were always in the protruding position, the user would not be able to recognize from its appearance whether the device is currently in purified water mode or unpurified water mode. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present invention, the position of button 141 is deliberately changed.

[0100] [Assembly method for the switching mechanism] Next, we will explain how to assemble the switching mechanism. Note that the assembly method for the purified water switching mechanism 140 will be explained together with the assembly method for the shower head 100, which will be described later. The assembly method for the switching mechanism is: The first step is to connect the first switching frame 143 to the button 141. The second step involves connecting the second switching frame 145 to the first switching frame 143 via the purified water switching cover 144. The third step involves connecting the button 141 to the engaging claw 146a of the switching movable body 146 via the purified water switching cover 144. The fourth step involves attaching the water-stopping ring 147 to the switching movable body 146. The fifth step involves attaching the spring 150 to the switching mobile body 146 and then housing the switching mobile body 146 in the purified water switching case 151. It has. Steps 1 through 3 are simple connection steps and therefore will not be explained. Furthermore, the order of steps 1 through 4 is not particularly limited.

[0101] In the fourth step, as shown in Figure 27(a), first, the O-ring 148 is attached to the O-ring recess 146c of the switching movable body 146. Next, as shown in Figure 27(b), the water-sealing ring 147 is attached to the outside of the O-ring 148 mounted on the switching movable body 146. Since the water-sealing ring 147 has notches 147a at both ends in the circumferential direction, it can effectively hold the O-ring 148.

[0102] Thus, in the first embodiment, the O-ring 148 is positioned between the water-stopping ring 147 and the switching movable body 146. In other words, when switching the flow path, the water-stopping ring 147, which is made of resin, directly seals the passage instead of the elastic O-ring 148. This prevents seal failures caused by wear due to sliding during the switching operation or seizing due to deterioration over time. Furthermore, the O-ring 148 is placed inside the water-stopping ring 147, and the reaction force of the O-ring 148 presses the water-stopping ring 147 against the case-side water purification channel 151a, thereby improving the sealing performance.

[0103] In the fifth step, after attaching the spring 150 to the switching movable body 146 that has gone through the fourth step, when housing the switching movable body 146 in the purified water switching case 151, as shown in Figure 29, the flange portion 144a of the purified water switching cover 144 snap-engages with the first engaging portion 151d of the purified water switching case 151. This allows the assembly worker to confirm that the switching mechanism 146 is properly stored in the purified water switching case 151 by the click sound or other sound produced when the snap engages.

[0104] [Water purification cartridge section 160] As shown in Figure 4, the water purification cartridge section 160 (corresponding to the "cartridge section") mainly consists of an upper nonwoven fabric 165, an upper water purification cartridge case 166, a water purification cartridge 167, a lid 168, a lower nonwoven fabric 169, a lower water purification cartridge case 171, a strainer 173, and a lower body 174.

[0105] The upper water purification cartridge case 166 is for housing the water purification cartridge 167, and as shown in Figures 32 and 33, its upper end is connected to the raw water purification switching case 151, and its lower end is connected to the lower water purification cartridge case 171.

[0106] The upper water filter cartridge case 166 is mainly, as shown in Figures 32 and 33, An engaged portion 166a is provided at the upper end of the upper water purification cartridge case 166 and engages with the second engaging portion 151f of the purified raw water switching case 151. A positioning projection 166c is provided at the upper end of the upper water purification cartridge case 166, which abuts against the positioning projection 151g of the raw water purification switching case 151, and whose circumferential movement is restricted by the fitted portion 111d of the upper cover 111. An engaging portion 166d is provided at the upper end of the upper water filter cartridge case 166 and engages with the engaged portion 142b of the button guide 142. It consists of.

[0107] The water purification cartridge 167 (corresponding to "cartridge") contains chemicals and is used to dissolve the chemicals in the raw water. Its upper part is housed in the upper water purification cartridge case 166, and its lower part is housed in the lower water purification cartridge case 171.

[0108] The solution containing the chemicals from the water purification cartridge 167 passes through the case-side water purification channel 151a of the raw water purification case 151, which is opened and closed by a switching mechanism. This configuration allows the switching mechanism to select whether or not to dissolve the drug in the fluid.

[0109] The water purification cartridge 167 can use chemicals such as calcium sulfite (equivalent to a "chlorine remover"), vitamin C (ascorbic acid) (equivalent to a "chlorine remover"), cleaning agents such as shampoo, soapy water, and detergents, moisturizers, perfumes, slimming agents, whitening waters, and antiperspirants as cosmetic additives. This configuration allows for the dissolution of a more user-friendly drug into the fluid.

[0110] Regarding the assembly method of the water purification cartridge section 160, it basically only involves connecting the upper nonwoven fabric 165, upper water purification cartridge case 166, water purification cartridge 167, lid 168, lower nonwoven fabric 169, lower water purification cartridge case 171, strainer 173, and lower body 174 in that order, using O-rings and gaskets, so a detailed explanation is omitted.

[0111] [How to assemble the shower head 100] Next, we will explain how to assemble the showerhead 100. The assembly instructions for the shower head 100 are as follows: The first step is to assemble the water discharge unit 110. The second step is to assemble the switching mechanism. The third step is to assemble the water purification cartridge section 160. The fourth step involves connecting the switching mechanism and the water purification cartridge section 160. The fifth step involves inserting the connected switching mechanism and the water purification cartridge section 160 into the upper cover 111 and connecting the switching mechanism to the water passage pipe section 112. The sixth step is to connect the button guide 142 to the switching mechanism. It has. Steps 1 through 3 are as previously explained, so we will omit further explanation. Furthermore, the order of steps 1 through 3 is not particularly limited.

[0112] In the fourth step, as shown in Figures 32 and 33, first, the mark 151i on the purified water switching case 151 and the mark 166b on the upper purified water cartridge case 166 are aligned, and then the two are connected. When connected, the engaged portion 166a of the upper water purification cartridge case 166 is guided by the second engaged portion 151f of the raw water purification switching case 151, expands in diameter, and then snaps into place with the upper end of the second engaged portion 151f.

[0113] Next, the upper water purification cartridge case 166 is rotated relative to the raw water purification switching case 151 until their positioning protrusions (151g, 166c) come into contact with each other. The engaged portion 166a of the upper water purification cartridge case 166 is configured such that the hole gradually becomes smaller along the direction of rotation. This allows for gradual restriction of the vertical movement of the second engaged portion 151f of the raw water purification switching case 151 (the direction in which the raw water purification switching case 151 and the upper water purification cartridge case 166 move apart) during rotation.

[0114] In the fifth step, as shown in Figure 34, the connected switching mechanism and the water purification cartridge section 160 are inserted into the upper cover 111, and the switching mechanism is connected to the water passage pipe section 112 via the O-ring 161. When inserting, pressing button 141 while performing the insertion operation prevents button 141 from colliding with the open end of the upper cover 111. The switching mechanism is inserted until the spring receiving portion 151e contacts the upper end of the fitting portion 111d of the upper cover 111. Once insertion is complete, the button 141 inserted into the upper cover 111 protrudes outward from the button hole 111b provided in the upper cover 111.

[0115] In the fifth step, when the switching mechanism is connected to the water passage section 112, as shown in Figure 29, the flow path (corresponding to the "flow velocity acceleration section R"), which is composed of the inside of the water passage section 112 and the outside of the cylindrical section 151b of the purified raw water switching case 151, is narrower than the other raw water flow paths G. This configuration allows for an increase in the fluid velocity within the narrow channel. The increased fluid velocity creates negative pressure around the channel, drawing in fluid from the case-side purified water channel 151a, which is opened and closed by the water-stopping ring 147. This ensures a sufficient supply of purified water (chemically dissolved water) relative to the raw water, resulting in the discharge of a fluid mixture of purified and raw water at a suitable concentration. Furthermore, if the chemical in the water purification cartridge 167 is a chlorine remover, purified water with sufficient chlorine removal can be discharged.

[0116] In the first step of assembling the water discharge unit 110, the water passage pipe 112b is located between two rotation restricting parts 130g provided on the screen 130. Therefore, when the purified water switching case 151, which is part of the switching mechanism, is connected to the water passage pipe 112b, the rotation restricting parts 130g are rotated by a predetermined amount in one direction and the other, causing them to come into contact with the contact part 151h. Furthermore, the two rotation restricting parts 130g are positioned so that the connection between the switching plate and the water passage pipe is not released within that predetermined range. Therefore, if the water discharge unit 120 (switching plate 122) is connected to the water passage section 112, and then the water passage section 112 is connected to the purified raw water switching case 151, the rotation range of the water discharge unit 120 (screen 130) is restricted by the rotation restricting section 130g of the purified raw water switching case, thereby preventing the connection between the water discharge unit 120 (switching plate 122) and the water passage section 112 from becoming disconnected.

[0117] In the sixth step, the button guide 142 is connected to the switching mechanism. Specifically, as shown in Figures 26 and 29, the engaging portion 142a of the button guide 142 is engaged with the engaged portion 111e of the upper cover 111, while the engaged portion 142b is engaged with the engaging portion 166d of the upper water purification cartridge case 166. When the button guide 142 is installed, the engaging portion 141a of the button 141 comes into contact with the button guide 142 when the button 141 moves in the direction of exiting the button hole 111b (forward). This configuration prevents the button guide 142 from slipping out of the button hole 111b.

[0118] Because the assembly method for shower head 100 involves these steps, it is possible to assemble shower head 100 using a simpler process.

[0119] [Second Embodiment] 〔overview〕 A second embodiment of the shower head according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment mainly in the configuration of the water-stopping ring 247. Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described further.

[0120] The water-stopping ring 247 is used to open and close the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151, and is attached to the switching movable body 146 via the O-ring 148, as shown in Figure 29.

[0121] The water-stopping ring 247 is mainly, as shown in Figure 36, A water-stopping section 247b is provided in the circumferential center of the water-stopping ring 247 and opens and closes the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151. A rib 247c is provided in the circumferential center of the water-stopping section 247b, forming a minute gap between the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151 and the water-stopping section 247b. The water-stopping ring 247 has circumferentially provided notches 247a into which an O-ring 148 fits to bias the water-stopping portion 247b toward the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151. It consists of.

[0122] In the second embodiment, since the water-stopping ring 247 is provided with ribs 247c, a minute gap can be formed between the case-side purified water channel 151a and the water-stopping part 247b. This makes it possible to keep the case-side purified water channel 151a open at all times and continuously allow a small amount of chemical to flow. In other words, it is possible to adjust the amount of purified water flowing out from the case-side purified water channel 151a. For example, when using a humectant as the chemical, the user can select the concentration of the humectant dissolved in the water that is discharged according to their preference.

[0123] [Third Embodiment] 〔overview〕 A third embodiment of the shower head according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The third embodiment differs from the first embodiment mainly in the configuration of the water-stopping ring 347. Other configurations are the same as in the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described further.

[0124] The water-stopping ring 347 is used to open and close the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151, and is attached to the switching movable body 146 via the O-ring 148, as shown in Figure 29.

[0125] The water-stopping ring 347 is mainly, as shown in Figure 37, Opening 347a to make the overall shape C, Two water-stopping sections 347b are provided in the circumferential direction of the water-stopping ring 347 at a position offset by 90 degrees from the opening 347a, and open and close the case-side purified water flow path 151a of the purified raw water switching case 151. A notch 347c is provided in the circumferential direction of the water-sealing ring 347 at a position where the water-sealing portion 347b is not provided, in order to give flexibility to the water-sealing ring 347. It consists of.

[0126] In the third embodiment, unlike the other embodiments, the water-stopping ring 347 is composed of a single part, which reduces manufacturing costs and inventory management costs, and simplifies manufacturing. Furthermore, since the water-stopping ring 347 can be attached to the switching mechanism 146 simply by spreading it open, assembly is also improved.

[0127] [Other Embodiments] In the first embodiment, the shower head 100 had one switching case 126, but the switching case may be two or more depending on the type of water discharge pattern, etc. By using two or more switching cases, it becomes possible to increase the variety of water discharge patterns, etc. [Industrial applicability]

[0128] The shower head according to the present invention can be widely applied not only to household faucets but also to faucet devices that dispense and stop the flow of fluids such as water and hot water. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0129] 100: Shower head 110: Water discharge unit 111: Top cover 111a: Screw hole 111b: Buttonhole 111c: Grip part 111d: Mated part 111e: Engaged part 111f: Hole for water discharge unit 112: Water pipe section 112a: Screw hole 112b: Water pipe 112c: Guard receiving part 112d:Regulatory Department 112e: Switching valve housing 112f: Disc section 112g: Spring receiving part 113: Spring 114: Switching valve 114a: Spring projection 114b: Valve part 114c: Recess for O-ring 114g: Recess for O-ring 115: O-ring 116: V-packing 117: Screw 120: Water discharge unit 121: Screw 122: Switching plate 122a: First mist water flow port 122b: First shower water flow port 122c: 1st connecting protrusion 122d: Screw hole 122e: First engaged part 122f: Recess for O-ring 122g: First cylindrical section 122h: Tsuba (sword guard) 123: O-ring 124: Sealing material 125: Sealing material 126: Switching Case 126a: Second mist water flow port 126b: Second shower water flow port 126c: 2nd connecting protrusion 126d: Recess for the first connecting projection 126e: Recess for O-ring 126f: Second cylindrical section 126g: Mist cylinder part 127: O-ring 128: Sealing material 129: Mistcoma 129a: Water hole 129b: Fitting protrusion 129c: Swirling flow path 130: Screen 130a: Mist outlet 130b: Shower spout 130c: Recess for second connecting projection 130d: Screw hole 130e: Mist Coma Containment Unit 130f: Lever 130g: Rotation restricting part 130h: 2nd engaged part 130i: Third cylindrical section 130j:Protrusion 130k: Mist cylinder housing 131: Fixing ring 131a: First engaging part 131b: Second engaging part 140: Purified water switching mechanism 141: Button 141a: Engagement part 141b: Engaged part 142: Button Guide 142a: Engagement part 142b: Engaged part 143: First switching frame 144: Raw water purification switch cover 144a: Flange section 144b: Engaging claw insertion part 145: Second switching frame 146: Switching Mobile Unit 146a: Engagement claw 146b: First cylindrical part 146c: Recess for O-ring 146d: Spring projection 146e: Second cylindrical section 147: Water-stopping ring 147a: Notch 147b: Water stop part 148: O-ring 149: Y packing 150: Spring 151: Purified water switching case 151a: Case-side water purification channel 151b: Cylindrical part 151c: Raw water channel on the case side 151d: First engaging part 151e: Spring receiving part 151f: Second engaging part 151g: Positioning protrusion 151h: Contact part 151i: Landmark 151j: Housing for purified water switching valve 151k: Upper cylindrical part 151l: Lower cylindrical section 151m: Connection part 160: Water filter cartridge section 161: O-ring 165: Upper non-woven fabric 166: Upper water filter cartridge case 166a: Engaged part 166b: Landmark 166c: Positioning projection 166d: Engagement part 167: Water filter cartridge 168: Lid 169: Lower nonwoven fabric 171: Lower water filter cartridge case 173: Strainer 174: Lower body 247: Water-stopping ring 247a: Notch for O-ring 247b: Water stop part 247c: Rib 347: Water-stopping ring 347a: opening 347b: Water stop part 347c: Notch A1: 1st area A2:Second area C: Center G: Raw water flow path J: Purified water flow path M: Mist channel S: Shower channel R: Flow velocity acceleration part

Claims

1. In a shower head comprising a water discharge unit and a switching mechanism, The switching mechanism comprises a switching case having multiple flow paths, and a switching valve housed within the switching case that opens and closes one of the flow paths. The aforementioned switching valve comprises a water-sealing ring, an elastic body, and a switching movable body. The elastic body is configured to be positioned between the water-stopping ring and the switching movable body, The aforementioned water-stopping ring blocks one of the aforementioned flow paths. Shower head.

2. The aforementioned water-stopping ring is made of resin. The shower head according to claim 1.

3. The aforementioned water-stopping ring is composed of multiple parts. The shower head according to claim 2.

4. The aforementioned water-stopping ring is composed of two parts. The shower head according to claim 3.

5. The water-stopping ring, which is composed of two parts, has notches at both ends. The elastic body is attached to the switching moving body, The water-stopping ring is fixed to the switching movable body by sandwiching the elastic body through the notch. The shower head according to claim 4.

6. A flow velocity acceleration unit is provided downstream of the switching case to accelerate the flow velocity of the fluid in the other flow path. The shower head according to claim 5.

7. The switching case has a cylindrical portion extending downstream from around one of the flow paths. The downstream end of the cylindrical portion narrows the other flow path. The shower head according to claim 5.

8. The switching valve moves and remains in the open and closed positions of one of the flow paths. The shower head according to claim 5.

9. The switching valve moves between an open position and a closed position of one of the flow paths by means of a thrust lock mechanism. The shower head according to claim 8.

10. The shower head also includes a cartridge section. A cartridge containing the drug is detachably attached to the aforementioned cartridge section. The solution containing the drug in the cartridge passes through one of the aforementioned channels. A shower head according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The aforementioned agent is a chlorine remover. The shower head according to claim 10.

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