shower head

Abstract

The present invention provides a showerhead that utilizes the flow energy of the main water supply, such as hot water or cold water, to mix the main water with chemical solutions such as body shampoo or hair shampoo to create mixed water, and that can switch between dispensing the main water and the mixed water with good responsiveness. [Solution] Each of the water outlets 3a of the showerhead 1 is directly connected to a main water discharge channel 3c through which main water such as hot water or cold water can flow, and a chemical solution discharge channel 7c through which chemical solution can flow. Furthermore, the main water discharge channel 3c is formed to surround the chemical solution discharge channel 7c, thereby drawing in and mixing the chemical solution with the negative pressure generated by the main water.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a mixing shower head that utilizes the energy of the flow of basic water such as warm water or water supplied to a shower head to mix the basic water with a chemical solution such as body shampoo or hair shampoo to form mixed water, and can switch the discharge of the basic water and the mixed water with good responsiveness.

Background Art

[0002] As a shower head that utilizes the flow rate of basic water such as warm water or water to mix a chemical solution such as body shampoo or hair shampoo to form mixed water and can switch the discharge of the basic water and the mixed water, for example, there are Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the shower head of Patent Document 1, since the distance from the mixing part to the water discharge port is long, it takes time for the remaining chemical solution to be completely discharged outside the shower head after the operation of stopping the cleaning liquid, and there is a problem of slow switching responsiveness. In addition, the pressure of the fluid filled in the flow path from the mixing part to the water discharge port becomes a resistance to the Venturi effect, and it may be difficult to take in the cleaning liquid or air.

[0005] The method described in Patent Document 2 allows for responsive switching because the confluence point of the water supply channel and the chemical supply channel is formed inside the discharge section. However, there are challenges in obtaining a large chemical suction force because the confluence point is formed in an extremely narrow area, making nozzle manufacturing difficult, and there are limitations on the arrangement and cross-sectional area of ​​the chemical supply path inside the nozzle.

[0006] Therefore, the present invention provides a shower head that efficiently utilizes the flow energy of the main water supply, such as hot water or cold water, to mix the main water with a chemical solution such as body shampoo or hair shampoo to create mixed water, and that can switch between dispensing the main water and the mixed water with good responsiveness. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The shower head of the present invention is characterized in that, at each of the water outlets, a main water discharge channel through which a main water supply can flow and a chemical solution discharge channel through which a chemical solution can flow converge and are directly connected, and the main water discharge channel is formed to surround the chemical solution discharge channel.

[0008] Furthermore, in the shower head of the present invention, it is preferable that at the confluence of the main water discharge channel and the chemical discharge channel, the cross-section of the main water discharge channel is annular, and a chemical discharge channel smaller than the cross-section of the main water discharge channel is formed on its central axis. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The present invention's mixed showerhead minimizes the amount of mixed water remaining in the showerhead because the main water and the medicated solution merge just before each outlet, resulting in excellent switching response between the main water and the mixed solution. Furthermore, because the main water flow velocity increases at the point where it merges with the medicated solution, a large negative pressure is generated at the merging point, allowing the medicated solution to be drawn in with strong force. Therefore, it is possible to use the medicated solution container directly connected to the showerhead, or to place the container at a location away from the showerhead, making it suitable for use in industries such as barber shops, nursing care, and pet care. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram of the external appearance of the shower head according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a shower head, which is the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the discharge section of a shower head, which is the first embodiment. [Figure 4] This is a schematic, enlarged cross-sectional view of the discharge section of a shower head, which is a second embodiment. [Figure 5] This is the first example of utilizing the shower head of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a second example of utilizing the shower head of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention] [Examples]

[0011] A first embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to Figures 1 to 3. Figure 1 is a schematic external view of the shower head 1, Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the shower head 1 cut by a virtual plane S passing through its center, and Figure 3 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the discharge portion B of the shower head 1.

[0012] The shower head 1 of this embodiment mixes a chemical solution Y with a base water W such as hot water or cold water to create mixed water M, and can switch between dispensing the base water W and the mixed water M. As shown in Figure 1, it has a handle 2, a discharge plate 3 having a plurality of discharge ports 3a for dispensing the base water W and the mixed water M, and a switch 4.

[0013] As shown in Figure 2, the handle section 2 is equipped with separate main water supply channels P1 and chemical supply channels P2. The main water W flowing in from the main water inlet 2a flows towards the discharge plate 3, and the chemical Y flowing in from the chemical inlet 2b flows towards the storage section 5 via the switch 4.

[0014] The switch 4 is responsible for opening and closing the chemical solution supply path P2, and is composed of a slide button 4a provided on the surface of the handle portion 2 and a cylindrical rotary valve 4b built into the handle portion 2. A through hole 4c through which the chemical solution Y flows is provided in the rotary valve 4b. Fig. 2 shows the state where the switch 4 has opened the chemical solution supply path P2. When the slide button 4a is slid to the left, the rotary valve 4b rotates clockwise, and when it is rotated 90°, the chemical solution supply path P2 is completely closed. Therefore, the opening degree of the chemical solution supply path P2 can be adjusted according to the slide amount of the slide button 4a.

[0015] The back surface of the discharge plate 3 is recessed in a cylindrical shape, and the chemical solution distribution plate 7 is fitted in the recess with an annular spacer 6 sandwiched therebetween. Also, the discharge plate 3 and the chemical solution distribution plate 7 are positioned by positioning pins 8 so that the axial centers of the plurality of discharge ports 3a and the chemical solution nozzles 7b do not shift. Further, a screw portion 3b is formed on the outer peripheral side surface of the back surface of the discharge plate 3, and the discharge plate 3 is screwed into the handle portion 2 together with the spacer 6 and the chemical solution distribution plate 7 and fixed.

[0016] With the above configuration, the base water W that has reached the back surface of the discharge plate 3 is discharged from the discharge port 3a through the base water discharge path 3c passing through the gap 6a formed by the thickness of the spacer 6. On the other hand, the chemical solution Y that has reached the storage portion 5 is diverted to the chemical solution discharge paths 7c of the plurality of chemical solution nozzles 7b by the liquid absorption force of the base water W, and then mixed with the base water W and discharged from the discharge port 3a.

[0017] Next, the flow of the base water W and the chemical solution Y in the discharge portion B will be described in detail using Fig. 3. The chemical solution nozzle 7b has a conical protrusion shape, and a chemical solution discharge path 7c is formed at its center. On the back surface of the discharge plate 3, a conical recess 3d that maintains a certain distance from the chemical solution nozzle 7b and fits with the chemical solution nozzle 7b is formed and connected to the discharge port 3a. And the cross section of the discharge port 3a is larger than the cross section of the chemical solution discharge path 7c.

[0018] The main water W flowing into the gap 6a forms a conical film-shaped water film while surrounding the chemical liquid nozzle 7b, and at the same time, while increasing the flow velocity, it flows through the main water discharge path 3c formed in the gap between the chemical liquid nozzle 7b and the recess 3d and merges at the confluence part G. Then it is discharged from the discharge port 3a to the outside of the discharge plate 3. Since the main water W merges at high speed, a large negative pressure is generated around the outlet of the chemical liquid discharge path 7c. Therefore, the chemical liquid Y in the chemical liquid discharge path 7c is sucked in the direction of the confluence part G, merges with the main water W at the confluence part G, becomes the mixed water M, and is discharged to the outside of the discharge plate 3.

[0019] By opening and closing the chemical liquid supply path P2 with the switch 4, the amount of the chemical liquid Y flowing from the chemical liquid discharge path 7c to the confluence part G can be controlled. Therefore, if the main water W is flowing through the main water discharge path 3c at a predetermined flow velocity or higher, by operating the switch 4, the discharged water from the discharge port 3a can be switched from the main water W to the mixed water M. Also, since the confluence part G is directly connected to the discharge port 3a, the amount of the mixed water M in the discharge port 3a is very small. When the discharged water is switched from the mixed water M to the main water W, the mixed water M in the discharge port 3a is instantly discharged.

Embodiment

[0020] The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. 4. The shower head 1 of this embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment except that the form of the main water discharge path 3c is different. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as in the first embodiment.

[0021] FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional schematic view of the discharge part B of the shower head 1 corresponding to FIG. 3 of the first embodiment. The chemical liquid nozzle 7b is a circular pipe firmly fitted into the chemical liquid distribution plate 7, and the inside of the pipe is the chemical liquid discharge path 7c. Also, on the back surface of the discharge plate 3, a straight part 3e having the same cross-sectional shape as the discharge port 3a connected to the discharge port 3a and a small conical recess 3d connected thereto are formed.

[0022] The outer diameter of the chemical nozzle 7b is smaller than the diameter of the straight section 3e, and the gap between the outer surface of the chemical nozzle 7b and the straight section 3e forms the main water discharge channel 3c. Therefore, the main water W that flows into the gap 6a flows at high speed through the main water discharge channel 3c towards the outlet 3a, forming a cylindrical water film that surrounds the chemical nozzle 7b. At this time, negative pressure is generated around the outlet of the chemical nozzle 7b, and the main water W is drawn in the direction of the central axis of the outlet 3a to form a confluence section G. At the same time, the chemical Y in the chemical discharge channel 7c is drawn towards the confluence section G and merges with the main water W to become mixed water M, which is then discharged to the outside of the discharge plate 3.

[0023] The switching operation between the main water W and the mixed water M using switch 4 is the same as in Example 1, and since the amount of mixed water M in outlet 3a is also small, when the discharge water is switched from mixed water M to main water W, the mixed water M in outlet 3a is discharged instantaneously.

[0024] Although two embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Due to the characteristics of the fluid, it is desirable that the cross-section of the main water discharge channel 3c is annular and the cross-section of the chemical discharge channel 7c is circular, but as long as the main water discharge channel 3c surrounds the chemical discharge channel 7c and is directly connected to the discharge port 3a, the cross-sectional shapes of these channels are not restricted and can be appropriately modified within the scope of the claims. [Industrial applicability]

[0025] The shower head 1 of the present invention does not require any other power source and can switch between the main water W and mixed water M using only the energy of the flow of the main water W. Therefore, it has economic advantages in terms of use and is easy to handle, making it suitable for a variety of applications. Figures 5 and 6 show examples of applications for the shower head 1 of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 shows an example in which a cassette-type chemical solution container 10 is detachably attached between the handle portion 2 of the shower head 1 and the shower hose 9, with (a) being an external view and (b) being a side cross-sectional view. The main water W flowing in from the shower hose 9 flows through the main water passage 10a to the main water supply passage P1. A tube 10c is inserted into the chemical solution storage section 10b, and the other end is connected to the chemical solution supply passage P2, so the chemical solution Y in the chemical solution storage section 10b is drawn out through the tube 10c by the negative pressure generated by the main water W. The cassette-type chemical solution container 10 is provided with an outside air intake port 10d with a backflow prevention valve to prevent the inside from becoming negative pressure even if the chemical solution Y in the chemical solution storage section 10b decreases.

[0027] In this example, the showerhead 1 is connected only to the main water supply source (not shown) and the shower hose 9, making it convenient for tasks such as car washing or cleaning large items while carrying the showerhead 1 around. The main water supply W and mixed water M can be switched as needed using the switch 4, allowing for efficient work.

[0028] Figure 6 shows an example where a separate chemical solution bottle 11 is prepared, and the chemical solution Y is drawn into the shower head 1 via a flexible tube 12. One end of the flexible tube 12 is immersed in the chemical solution Y of the chemical solution bottle 11, and the other end is bundled together with the shower hose 9 that supplies the main water supply W and connected to the chemical solution inlet 2b of the handle section 2. Therefore, the chemical solution Y of the chemical solution bottle 11 is drawn out by the negative pressure generated by the main water supply W.

[0029] This example of application is effective in industries such as barbering, pet care, and elderly care, where the operating range of the showerhead 1 is limited. For example, in typical hair washing, the workflow involves first soaking the hair in warm water, then taking an appropriate amount of shampoo from the shampoo bottle and washing it, followed by rinsing. During this process, it is necessary to readjust the showerhead 1 many times. By using the showerhead 1 of the present invention, some of the work can be reduced or alleviated, and there are other advantages such as reducing the amount of dirt in the workplace associated with the work. [Explanation of symbols]

[0030] 1: Shower head 2: Handle section, 2a: Main water inlet, 2b: Chemical solution inlet 3: Discharge plate, 3a: Discharge port, 3b: Screw part, 3c: Main water discharge path, Recess: 3d 3e: Straight section 4: Switch, 4a: Slide button, 4b: Rotary valve, 4c: Through hole 5: Storage section 6: Spacer, 6a: Gap 7: Chemical solution distribution plate, 7b: Chemical solution nozzle, 7c: Chemical solution discharge channel 8: Positioning pin 9: Shower hose 10: Cassette-type chemical solution container, 10a: Main water passage, 10b: Chemical solution storage section 10c: Tube, 10d: Outside air intake 11: Medicine bottle 12: Flexible Tube B: Release part G: Confluence P1: Main water supply channel, P2: Chemical solution supply channel S: Virtual plane W: Main water supply Y: Drug solution M:Mixed water

Claims

1. A shower head for use in a mixing shower device capable of switching between dispensing a main water source such as hot water or cold water, and a mixture of the main water source and a chemical solution, characterized in that each of the water outlets has a main water discharge channel through which the main water can flow and a chemical solution discharge channel through which the chemical solution can flow, which merge and are directly connected, and the main water discharge channel is formed to surround the chemical solution discharge channel.

2. The showerhead according to claim 1, characterized in that, at the confluence of the main water discharge channel and the chemical discharge channel, the cross-section of the main water discharge channel is annular, and a chemical discharge channel with a smaller cross-section than the cross-section of the main water discharge channel is formed on its central axis.

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