Drainage device

Abstract

To provide a drainage device that can clean the piping of the control unit. [Solution] The drainage device 40 includes a drainage pipe 50 that discharges wastewater from the drain port 31 of the tank body 30, an operation unit pipe 70 that guides wastewater flowing in from the operation unit 62 to the drainage pipe 50, and a cleaning water generation unit 90 that generates cleaning water having a cleaning effect. The cleaning water generated by the cleaning water generation unit 90 is supplied from the operation unit pipe 70 through the cleaning water supply unit 612, thereby enabling cleaning of the operation unit pipe 70 and the drainage pipe 50.

Description

[[Technical Field]]

[0001] The present invention relates to a drainage device for discharging drainage from tank bodies such as bathtubs, bowls of washstands and kitchen sinks to sewers. [[Background Art]]

[0002] There is known a drainage device that remotely opens and closes a plug lid attached to a drainage outlet of a tank body such as a bathtub, a bowl of a washstand, or a kitchen sink. In the drainage device described in Patent Document 1, an operation unit is disposed on an edge of a tank body which is a bathtub, and the operation unit and the plug lid are connected by a transmission part (a release wire). The drainage device has a structure in which when the operation unit is pushed, the transmission part transmits the operation to the plug lid, and the drainage outlet is opened and closed by lifting and lowering the plug lid. Further, the transmission part is disposed inside a flexible cylindrical guide part (a guide tube), and guides drainage or the like flowing in from the operation unit to a continuous drainage pipe from the drainage outlet. [[Prior Art Documents]] [[Patent Documents]]

[0003] [[Patent Document 1]] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2016-172961 [[Summary of the Invention]] [[Problem to be Solved by the Invention]]

[0004] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, an operation unit pipe is configured to guide drainage or the like that has flowed into the operation unit by the guide part or the like to the drainage pipe. However, dirt may adhere to the inside of the operation unit pipe or mold may grow due to the inflowing drainage, dust, hair and the like in the drainage. Such dirt and mold may cause problems related to failure, malfunction, odor, hygiene and the like of the drainage device, so cleaning of the operation unit pipe is required. Further, when a large amount of drainage is discharged from a bathtub, the drainage may flow backward from the drainage outlet side to the guide part. In this case as well, problems such as device failure may occur due to the backward-flowing drainage or the like. However, cleaning the control unit piping was difficult. For example, in the drainage device described in Patent Document 1, the control unit is attached to one end of the control unit piping, and the transmission unit and other components are located inside the guide unit, making it impossible to clean them with a brush or the like. Furthermore, the transmission unit and guide unit and other components cannot be attached or detached without removing the apron attached to the side of the tank body, making it difficult to remove the components for cleaning.

[0005] Based on the above-mentioned prior art, the present invention aims to provide a drainage device that can clean the piping of the operating section that guides the wastewater flowing in from the operating section. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A drainage device according to one aspect of the present invention includes a drainage pipe for discharging wastewater from the drain port of a tank body, A stopper cover for opening and closing the aforementioned drain port, The operating unit for operating the stopper cover, A support unit is provided inside which the operating unit is arranged to be able to move back and forth, A transmission unit that transmits the operation applied to the operating unit to the stopper cap, The transmission unit includes an induction unit located inside, A washing water generating unit that generates washing water having a washing action, The operating section piping includes the support section and the guide section, and guides the wastewater flowing in from the operating section to the drainage piping, The drainage device is characterized by comprising a washing water supply unit connected to the aforementioned operating unit piping and supplying washing water. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, the drainage device makes it possible to clean the operating section piping that guides the wastewater flowing in from the operating section. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view illustrating the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of the drainage device. [Figure 3] It is a cross-sectional view showing the operating device. [Figure 4] It is a schematic diagram showing Modification 1. [Figure 5] It is a schematic diagram showing Modification 2. [Figure 6] It is a schematic diagram showing Modification 3. [Figure 7] It is a schematic diagram showing Modification 4. [Figure 8] It is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a drainage device provided with an atmosphere opening part. [Figure 9] It is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a drainage device provided with a vacuum breaker. [Figure 10] It is a cross-sectional view showing the vacuum breaker in a state where the check valve is closed. [Figure 11] It is a cross-sectional view showing the vacuum breaker in a state where the check valve is open. [Figure 12] It is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a drainage device in which the atmosphere opening part is provided above the upper edge of the tank body. [Figure 13] It is a cross-sectional view showing the vicinity of a drainage device in which the vacuum breaker is provided above the upper edge of the tank body. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0009] The drainage device according to a first aspect of the present invention includes: a drainage pipe that discharges wastewater from a drain port of a tank body; a plug lid that opens and closes the drain port; an operation part that operates the plug lid; a support part in which the operation part is reciprocatably disposed; a transmission part that transmits an operation applied to the operation part to the plug lid; a guide part in which the transmission part is disposed; a wash water generation part that generates wash water having a cleaning action; an operation part pipe that includes the support part and the guide part and guides wastewater flowing in from the operation part to the drainage pipe; A drainage device, comprising: a washing water supply unit connected to said operation unit piping and configured to supply washing water.

[0010] According to the first aspect, the operation unit piping and the drainage piping can be washed.

[0011] The drainage device according to the second aspect of the present invention, wherein said washing water supply unit: The drainage device according to the first aspect, characterized in that the washing water is supplied such that the washing water abuts over the entire circumference of the inner side surface of said operation unit piping.

[0012] According to the second aspect, the washing water can wash over the entire circumference of the inner side surface of the operation unit piping.

[0013] The drainage device according to the third aspect of the present invention, wherein said washing water supply unit: The drainage device according to the second aspect, characterized in that the washing water is supplied in an atomized state toward the inner circumference of said operation unit piping.

[0014] According to the third aspect, the washing water can be brought into contact over the entire circumference of the inner side surface of the operation unit piping.

[0015] The drainage device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, wherein said washing water supply unit: The drainage device according to the second aspect, characterized in that the washing water is supplied from a plurality of locations of said operation unit piping.

[0016] According to the fourth aspect, the washing water can be brought into contact over the entire circumference of the inner side surface of the operation unit piping.

[0017] The drainage device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, wherein said drainage piping: The drainage device according to the second aspect, characterized by comprising a guide portion that guides the flow of washing water.

[0018] According to the fifth aspect, the washing water can be brought into contact over the entire circumference of the inner side surface of the operation unit piping.

[0019] A drainage device according to a sixth aspect of the present invention is the drainage device according to the first aspect, characterized in that it is provided with a backflow prevention structure having an atmospheric vent between the operating section piping and the washing water generation section.

[0020] A drainage device according to a seventh aspect of the present invention is a drainage device according to the first aspect, characterized in that it is provided with a backflow prevention structure having a backflow prevention valve between the operation unit piping and the washing water generation unit to prevent backflow of drainage from the operation unit piping to the washing water generation unit.

[0021] According to the sixth and seventh embodiments, it is possible to prevent wastewater that has backflowed from the cleaning water supply unit from backflowing into the water supply piping, such as the cleaning water supply unit.

[0022] The drainage device according to the eighth aspect of the present invention is the drainage device according to the sixth or seventh aspect, characterized in that the backflow prevention structure is positioned higher than the edge of the tank body.

[0023] According to the eighth aspect, a drainage system can be made in which wastewater that has flowed back into the backflow prevention structure is less likely to reach it.

[0024] Embodiments of the drainage device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The embodiments described below are comprehensive or specific examples, and the numerical values, shapes, materials, components and their arrangement / position, connection configurations, procedures, etc., are examples only and do not limit the present invention. Furthermore, among the configurations in the following embodiments, those not described in separate sections can be modified as needed.

[0025] (First Embodiment) In the first embodiment, the drainage device 40 is attached to the tank 30 located in the bathroom 10, as shown in Figure 1, and cleans the drainage pipe 50 that is continuous with the drain outlet 31, and the control unit pipe 70 that guides the wastewater flowing in from the control unit 62 to the drainage pipe 50.

[0026] [1.Bathroom] Bathroom 10 is equipped with a waterproof pan 20, a bathtub 30, and an apron 33.

[0027] The waterproof pan 20 consists of a bathtub pan 21 and a washing area pan 22, and below it is a drain trap 54 consisting of a drainer 541 and a trap body 542. The drain trap 54 also forms part of the drain piping 50. The bathtub pan 21 forms the floor surface on which the tank body 30 is placed, and a drainer 541 is attached to it for draining water from the tank body 30 and the bathtub pan 21. The washing area pan 22 forms the floor surface of the washing area where body washing, hair washing, etc., are performed, and a trap body 542 is attached to it for draining the wastewater from the washing area pan 22.

[0028] The tank body 30 is a bathtub with an open top, and as shown in Figure 2, a drain member 51 constituting a drain outlet 31 is attached to the bottom surface. In addition, an operating section 62 of the drainage device 40 is attached to the upper edge 32 of the tank body 30.

[0029] The apron 33 is attached to the side of the tub 30 on the washing area side and is a panel that covers the area from the upper edge 32 of the tub 30 to the floor of the washing area. The apron 33 is removable and can be attached or detached as needed for cleaning and maintenance.

[0030] [2. Drainage device] The drainage system 40 comprises a drainage pipe 50, an operating device 60, a wash water supply unit 612, a solenoid valve 82, a sensor 86, a control unit 88, and a wash water generation unit 90. The operating device 60 also includes an operating unit pipe 70 that guides the wastewater flowing in from the operating unit 62 to the drainage pipe 50. The drainage device 40 is supplied with tap water from a branch pipe 94 that branches off from a water supply pipe that supplies tap water to a faucet (not shown), etc., and generates cleaning water with a cleaning effect from this tap water. Although not shown in Figure 2, a portion of the branch pipe 94 extends above the overflow surface of the tank body 30.

[0031] The drainage piping 50 includes a drain outlet member 51, a drain trap 54, and piping further downstream of the drain trap 54, forming a drainage channel that discharges wastewater from the drain outlet 31 to the sewer side. In addition, piping that continues to the sewer side is connected to the downstream side of the drain trap 54.

[0032] The drain outlet member 51 is a cylindrical member that forms a drain outlet 31 when attached to the bottom surface of the tank body 30. It has a flange-shaped structure extending outward from its upper end, and a male thread is formed on its side for screwing into the nut member 52. The nut member 52 has a U-shape in cross-section with an internal thread, and screws into the drain member 51 on the back surface of the tank body 30, thereby fixing the drain member 51 to the bottom surface of the tank body 30. In addition, a bellows packing 53 is attached to the lower end of the nut member 52. The bellows packing 53 has its upper end attached to the nut member 52 and its lower end connected to the drainer 541, thereby allowing the wastewater discharged from the drain port 31 to flow into the drainer 541.

[0033] The drain trap 54 discharges wastewater from the tank body 30, the bathtub pan 21, and the washing area pan 22. The drain trap 54 also has a water seal forming section 55 that stores wastewater inside and forms a water seal.

[0034] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the drainer 541 is a roughly L-shaped pipe in cross-section, with openings on the top and sides. The top opening is fixed to the bathtub pan 21, and a drain cover 546 is installed inside. The side opening is connected to the trap body 542. The drain cover 546 is cylindrical and has an opening to which the bellows packing 53 and the guide section 65 are connected, and a bathtub pan drain 211 for discharging drainage from the bathtub pan 21. The bathtub pan drain 211 is an opening for discharging condensation water etc. that has formed on the back surface of the tank body 30, and a float valve is installed to prevent backflow of drainage from the drain trap 54 side.

[0035] The trap body 542 is box-shaped with an open top and is attached to the washing area pan 22 to form the washing area pan drain 221. The trap body 542 also has a branch pipe 543 on its side that connects to the drainer 541, and an outlet 544 that discharges wastewater overflowing from the water seal forming section 55 to the sewer side, and a water seal wall 545 is erected on the bottom to store the water seal.

[0036] The drain trap 54 prevents backflow of odors, pests, etc. from the downstream side by forming a water seal with the wastewater stored from the drainer 541 to the water seal wall 545 of the trap body 542.

[0037] The operating device 60 includes a support section 61, an operating section 62, a locking mechanism 63, a transmission section 64, a guide section 65, and a stopper cover 66, and remotely opens and closes the drain port 31. The operating device 60 also includes an operating section pipe 70 that guides the wastewater flowing in from the operating section 62 to the drain pipe 50.

[0038] The support portion 61 is cylindrical with a flange formed at its upper end. The flange abuts against the periphery of an opening formed in the upper edge 32 of the tank body 30, and the support portion 61 is fixed to the tank body 30 by screwing it into a nut located on the back surface of the tank body 30. Inside the support portion 61 are an operating portion 62 and a locking mechanism 63, and a guide portion 65 is connected to its lower end. Furthermore, on the side of the support portion 61, there is a connection portion 611 to which a branch pipe 94 is connected, and a cleaning water supply portion 612 for supplying cleaning water. As shown in Figure 3, the connecting portion 611 is cylindrical, extending outward from the side of the support portion 61, and the end of the branch pipe 94 is connected inside it. The inside of the connecting portion 611 is in communication with the drainage channel formed inside the support portion 61 via the cleaning water supply portion 612. The cleaning water supply unit 612 has an opening that connects the inside and outside of the support unit 61, and its inner diameter is smaller than the inner diameter of the connecting unit 611.

[0039] The operating section 62 is cylindrical and positioned on the upper edge 32 of the tank body 30, and is arranged inside the support section 61 so as to be able to reciprocate vertically. The upper surface of the operating section 62 is exposed inside the bathroom 10 and can be pushed by the user, and the locking shaft 631 of the locking mechanism 63 is fitted to the lower surface of the operating section 62.

[0040] The locking mechanism 63 has a rotating gear and a fixed gear (not shown) arranged inside, and a locking shaft 631 extending upward. When the locking shaft 631 is pushed down and displaced by a predetermined amount, the rotating gear and the fixed gear mesh, and the lowered position of the locking shaft 631 is maintained. When the locking shaft 631 is pushed down again, the meshing between the rotating gear and the fixed gear is released, and the locking mechanism 63 is propelled upward by a spring. In this way, the locking mechanism 63 is configured so that the position of the locking shaft 631 is switched each time the locking shaft 631 is pushed down.

[0041] The transmission unit 64 is a power transmission member consisting of an outer tube made of resin and a metal inner wire slidably arranged inside the outer tube. One end of the transmission unit 64 is connected to the locking mechanism 63 and the other end is connected to the stopper cap 66, and the inner wire slides inside the outer tube in conjunction with the displacement of the locking shaft 631.

[0042] The guide section 65 is a flexible hose member made of rubber, silicone, or the like, with one end connected to the support section 61 and the other end connected to the drain cover 546. A transmission section 64 is also located inside the guide section 65.

[0043] The stopper cover 66 is a disc-shaped member that closes the drain port 31, and a packing is fitted to its outer circumference. When the stopper cover 66 is in the lowered position, the packing contacts the periphery of the drain port 31, thereby closing the drain port 31. When the operating part 62 is operated and the stopper cover 66 is raised, the drain port 31 opens and the hot water in the tank body 30 is discharged.

[0044] The above-described operating device 60, with its support section 61 and guide section 65, constitutes the operating section piping 70 that guides the wastewater flowing in from the operating section 62 to the drainage pipe 50. That is, when wastewater flows in between the operating section 62 and the support section 61, the wastewater passes through the support section 61 and flows to the guide section 65. As described above, the end of the guide section 65 is connected to the drain cover 546, and the wastewater flowing through the guide section 65 is guided through the drain cover 546 to the drainer 541 (drainage pipe 50).

[0045] The solenoid valve 82 is positioned in the middle of the branch pipe 94 and opens and closes the branch pipe 94 based on a control signal from the control unit 88. When the solenoid valve 82 opens the branch pipe 94, cleaning water is supplied from the cleaning water supply unit 612 to the inside of the operation unit pipe 70 (support unit 61). On the other hand, when the solenoid valve 82 closes the branch pipe 94, the supply of cleaning water from the cleaning water supply unit 612 to the operation unit pipe 70 is stopped.

[0046] Sensor 86 is a flow sensor located downstream of the solenoid valve 82 and detects the flow rate of the cleaning water in the branch pipe 94. When the branch pipe 94 is open by the solenoid valve 82, sensor 86 outputs an error signal if the flow rate of the cleaning water deviates from a set threshold.

[0047] When a switch (not shown) is operated by the user, the control unit 88 outputs a control signal to the solenoid valve 82 and executes a cleaning mode to clean the inside of the drain pipe. In addition, when an error signal is output from the sensor 86, the control unit 88 outputs a control signal to the solenoid valve 82 in accordance with the error signal and displays the error details on a display unit (not shown).

[0048] The cleaning water generation unit 90 generates cleaning water with a cleaning effect from tap water passing through the branch pipe 94. The cleaning water generated by the cleaning water generation unit 90 can be structured in various ways, including adding chemicals to the tap water to impart a cleaning effect, generating ozone water or hypochlorous acid water from the tap water to impart a cleaning effect, or mixing in microbubbles or nanobubbles to impart a cleaning effect. The method by which cleaning water is generated in the drainage device 40 is not limited and is appropriately selected according to the tank 30 to which the drainage device 40 is installed. Furthermore, various structures may be used in combination.

[0049] [3. Operation of the drainage system] First, the opening and closing operation of the drain port 31 according to this embodiment will be described.

[0050] When a pushing operation is applied to the operating part 62 of the operating device 60, the operating part 62 is displaced downward, pushing down the lock shaft 631. The inner wire of the transmission part 64 slides inside the outer tube toward the plug cover 66 in conjunction with the downwardly displaced lock shaft 631, thereby pushing the plug cover 66 upward from below. As a result, the plug cover 66 rises, and the drain port 31 opens. At this time, the rotating gear and the stationary gear in the lock mechanism 63 mesh, and the positions of the operating part 62, lock shaft 631, plug cover 66, etc. are maintained, thereby maintaining the open state of the drain port 31. When the operating section 62 is pushed again from the open state of the drain port 31, the engagement between the rotating gear and the stationary gear is released, the lock shaft 631 rises due to the biasing force of the spring, and the inner wire slides toward the operating section 62, causing the stopper cover 66 to descend. At this time, the packing fitted around the stopper cover 66 comes into contact with the periphery of the drain port 31, thereby closing the drain port 31.

[0051] Next, we will explain the cleaning operation using the drainage device 40.

[0052] First, when a user operates a switch (not shown), the control unit 88 switches to cleaning mode. At this time, the solenoid valve 82 opens the branch pipe 94, and tap water flows into the cleaning water generation unit 90 through the branch pipe 94. The cleaning water generation unit 90 imparts a cleaning effect to the tap water and generates cleaning water. The generated cleaning water is supplied from the cleaning water supply unit 612 toward the inner surface of the support unit 61. At this time, as shown by the arrows in Figure 3, the cleaning water supplied from the cleaning water supply unit 612 comes into contact with the inner surface of the support unit 61, some of which flows along the inner surface of the support unit 61, and some of which bounces back from the inner surface of the support unit 61 and flows toward the upper surface or another inner surface. In this way, the supplied cleaning water comes into contact with the entire circumference of the inner surface of the support unit 61.

[0053] Furthermore, the cleaning water only needs to be supplied at a flow rate and pressure sufficient to contact the inner circumferential surface of the support portion 61, in order to remove dirt through the applied cleaning action and prevent dirt from adhering. In this embodiment, the appropriate flow rate and pressure of the cleaning water for the above cleaning are set in advance, and cleaning water is generated by operating a switch (not shown), and cleaning water at an appropriate flow rate and pressure is supplied from the cleaning water supply portion 612 into the operation portion piping 70, after which the solenoid valve 82 automatically closes the branch pipe 94.

[0054] The cleaning water that has passed through the support section 61 flows into the drain trap 54 (drain pipe 50) via the guide section 65 and is discharged to the sewer side. At this time, the water seal stored in the water seal forming section 66 is replaced by the cleaning water, and the cleaning water comes into contact with the entire inner surface of the drain trap 54. In addition, dirt tends to accumulate particularly on the water surface of the water seal inside the drain trap 54, but the water level rises temporarily due to the inflow of cleaning water, so that the cleaning water also comes into contact with the vicinity of the water surface of the water seal and can be cleaned.

[0055] The cleaning water discharged from the drain trap 54 is then discharged into the sewer system, coming into contact with the downstream piping.

[0056] [4. Effects] In the drainage device 40 described above, the control unit piping 70 can be cleaned by supplying cleaning water from the support portion 61 that constitutes the control unit piping 70. Furthermore, since the cleaning water that has flowed through the control unit piping 70 merges with the drainage pipe 50, the drainage device 40 of the present invention can also clean the drainage pipe 50 with the cleaning water.

[0057] Furthermore, since the cleaning water is supplied from the control panel piping 70, there is no risk of the cleaning water coming into contact with the user. Therefore, consideration of the effects of the cleaning water's components and concentration on the human body is unnecessary, making it possible to improve cleaning performance by adjusting the components and concentration.

[0058] [5. Variant] The following describes some modifications of the present invention. In each modification, the same reference numerals are used for components that are the same as those in the drainage device 40 according to the above embodiment, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0059] [5-1. Variation 1] As shown in Figure 4, the drainage device 40A has a different configuration of the control unit piping 70A compared to the drainage device 40. Specifically, in the drainage device 40A, a spray nozzle (not shown) is attached to the cleaning water supply unit 612A, and the cleaning water that passes through this spray nozzle is supplied in a mist-like manner toward the inner surface of the support unit 61A. As a result, in the modified example 1, the cleaning water comes into contact with the entire circumference of the inner surface of the control unit piping 70A. Alternatively, a nozzle with multiple holes may be attached instead of the spray nozzle.

[0060] [5-2. Variation 2] As shown in Figure 5, the drainage device 40B has a different configuration of the operating section piping 70B compared to the drainage device 40. Specifically, in the drainage device 40, the cleaning water was supplied from one location, but in the drainage device 40B, two cleaning water supply locations 612B are formed on the support section 61B, and the cleaning water supplied from each cleaning water supply location 612B causes the cleaning water to come into contact with the entire inner surface of the operating section piping 70B. Note that there may be three or more cleaning water supply locations 612B, and there are no limitations on where they are formed.

[0061] [5-3. Modified Example 3] As shown in Figure 6, the drainage device 40C has a different configuration of support section 61C compared to the drainage device 40. Specifically, the support section 61C has a guide section 67C that guides the cleaning water. The cleaning water supplied from the cleaning water supply section 612C is guided by the flow of the guide section 67C, so that the cleaning water comes into contact with the entire inner surface of the operating section piping 70C.

[0062] [5-4. Modification 4] As shown in Figure 7, the drainage device 40D has a different location for the cleaning water supply unit 612D compared to the drainage device 40. Specifically, the guide unit 65D has the cleaning water supply unit 612D, and cleaning water is supplied from the guide unit 65.

[0063] [6. Structure to prevent backflow] In the first embodiment, the flow path from the branch pipe 94 connected to the water supply pipe to the washing water supply unit 612 is the water supply side pipe through which tap water passes. On the other hand, the control unit piping 70 is connected to the drainage piping 50, and is a drainage piping through which drainage consisting of hot and cold water that has entered the support unit 61, drainage that occurs when the drain port 31 of the tank body 30 is opened and the hot and cold water in the tank body 30 flows back into the control unit piping 70 via the drain trap 54, and drainage resulting from the inflow of cleaning water into the control unit piping 70 passes. In the first embodiment, the water supply piping and the drainage piping are directly connected at the connection part 611, and there is a risk that the drainage passing through the operation part piping 70 may flow back into the water supply piping from the cleaning water supply part 612. Therefore, a backflow prevention structure may be employed to prevent wastewater passing through the control unit piping 70 from flowing back into the wash water generation unit 90 or the water supply piping upstream of it. The following describes an embodiment of the first embodiment that incorporates the first backflow prevention structure and the second backflow prevention structure. Note that descriptions of the same configuration and operation as the first embodiment are omitted.

[0064] [6-1. Second Embodiment] Below, a second embodiment, which employs the first backflow prevention structure in the first embodiment, will be described with reference to the drawings. In the second embodiment, which employs the first backflow prevention structure shown in Figure 8, an atmospheric vent 100, described below, is provided in the piping between the connection part 611 and the washing water generation part 90. As shown in Figure 8, the atmospheric vent section 100 consists of a discharge section 101, which is a pipe connected to the water supply piping and discharges water, and a water receiving section 102, which is open at the top and has piping at its bottom that communicates with the connection section 611. The discharge section 101 is located above the water receiving section 102 and is positioned at a predetermined distance perpendicular to the overflow surface of the water receiving section 102, such that overflow water and splashes from the water receiving section 102 do not reach it. In this embodiment, the piping on the water discharge section 101 side of the atmospheric vent section 100 is connected to the piping from the cleaning water generation section 90, and the water receiving section 102 is connected to the piping leading to the connection section 611. In this way, a section of the piping flow path between the connection section 611 and the cleaning water generation section 90 is configured to be open to the atmosphere (outside), and this is called the atmospheric opening section 100.

[0065] The cleaning operation is performed according to the procedure described in paragraph 0052, and the solenoid valve 82 opens the branch pipe 94, allowing tap water to be supplied from the branch pipe 94. The tap water passes through the sensor 86 and becomes cleaning water that has been given a cleaning effect by the cleaning water generation unit 90. The cleaning water generated in the cleaning water generation unit 90 is discharged from the discharge unit 101 via piping, flows into the water receiving unit 102 below the discharge unit 101, and is supplied from the cleaning water supply unit 612 via the connection unit 611 to the operation unit piping 70, cleaning the inside of the operation unit piping 70, etc.

[0066] Sensor 86 measures the amount of tap water passing through and notifies the control unit 88. When the control unit 88 determines from the sensor 86's measurement that enough tap water has passed through to clean the operating unit piping 70, it closes the solenoid valve 82. Even when the solenoid valve 82 is closed, the force of the cleaning water flowing through the discharge unit 101 does not stop instantly. The piping upstream of the discharge unit 101 becomes negative pressure due to the amount of cleaning water discharged, but since the discharge unit 101 is open to the atmosphere, air is drawn in from the discharge unit 101 and the negative pressure is relieved.

[0067] Furthermore, if backflow of wastewater occurs in the control section piping 70, etc., and flows into the water receiving section 102 via the connection section 611, the top of the water receiving section 102 is open and open to the atmosphere (outside), so the backflowing wastewater flows from the overflow surface of the water receiving section 102 onto the bathtub pan 21 and is drained without any problems from the bathtub pan drain outlet 211. Also, as mentioned above, the water discharge section 101 is at a predetermined distance perpendicular to the overflow surface of the water receiving section 102, so the wastewater that overflows from the water receiving section 102 does not reach the water discharge section 101. For this reason, the water supply piping upstream of the water discharge section 101 is not contaminated by the wastewater. In this way, it is possible to prevent wastewater passing through the control unit piping 70 from flowing back into the cleaning water generation unit 90 or the water supply piping upstream of it.

[0068] [6-2. Third Embodiment] Below, a third embodiment, which incorporates the second backflow prevention structure into the first embodiment, will be described with reference to the drawings. In the third embodiment, which employs the second backflow prevention structure shown in Figure 9, a vacuum breaker 110 having a backflow prevention valve 111 is connected to the piping between the connection part 611 and the washing water generation part 90. As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the vacuum breaker 110 consists of a main pipe section 113 equipped with a backflow prevention valve 111 and a branch pipe section 114 that branches off from the main pipe section 113 and is equipped with an intake valve 112.

[0069] A backflow prevention valve 111 is located inside the main pipe section 113. This backflow prevention valve 111 opens when the pressure on the upstream side is higher than that on the downstream side, allowing fluid to pass from upstream to downstream, and closes when the pressure on the upstream side is lower than that on the downstream side, preventing backflow of fluid from downstream to upstream. In this embodiment, the upstream side of the main pipe section 113 is connected to the piping on the side of the washing water generation section 90, and the downstream side is connected to the piping on the side of the connection section 611.

[0070] The branch pipe section 114 is in communication with the space downstream of the backflow prevention valve 111 of the main pipe section 113 (the space downstream of the point of blockage when the backflow prevention valve 111 is blocked), and an intake valve 112 is provided at the end of the branch pipe section 114. This intake valve 112 closes when there is positive pressure inside the branch pipe section 114 to prevent fluid (washing water, drainage, etc.) inside the branch pipe section 114 from flowing out of the piping, and opens when there is negative pressure inside the branch pipe section 114 to allow air to enter the branch pipe section 114 from outside the piping and relieve the negative pressure inside the branch pipe section 114.

[0071] Furthermore, the check valve 111 and the intake valve 112 are configured to interlock, so that when the check valve 111 is opened, the intake valve 112 is closed, and when the check valve 111 is opened, the intake valve 112 is closed.

[0072] When there is no water flow from the washing water generation unit 90, the vacuum breaker 110 is stopped with the backflow prevention valve 111 closed and the intake valve 112 open, as shown in Figure 10.

[0073] As described in paragraph 0052, the cleaning operation is performed, the solenoid valve 82 opens the branch pipe 94, and the tap water passes through the branch pipe 94 and the cleaning water generation unit 90 to the vacuum breaker 110 as cleaning water. As shown in Figure 11, the pressure on the upstream side of the main pipe section 113 increases due to the cleaning water, causing the backflow prevention valve 111 to open and the cleaning water to pass through the backflow prevention valve 111 and be supplied from the cleaning water supply unit 612 to the control unit piping 70, cleaning the inside of the control unit piping 70 and other parts. Inside the vacuum breaker 110, the intake valve 112 closes when the backflow prevention valve 111 opens, so the cleaning water does not leak out of the piping.

[0074] As described in paragraph 0053, once the supply of cleaning water from the cleaning water supply unit 612 to the operating unit piping 70 is complete, the solenoid valve 82 automatically closes the branch pipe 94. Even when the solenoid valve 82 closes, the flow of cleaning water does not stop instantly, and cleaning water is continuously supplied from the cleaning water supply unit 612, so a negative pressure state is created downstream of the solenoid valve 82. The closer to the solenoid valve 82, that is, the further upstream, the stronger the negative pressure is, so the backflow prevention valve 111 of the vacuum breaker 110 closes due to the negative pressure on the upstream side. When the backflow prevention valve 111 closes, the linked intake valve 112 opens, and air is vented from the branch pipe section 114 of the vacuum breaker 110 into the main pipe section 113. Due to the blockage of the solenoid valve 82, the pipe downstream of the branch pipe 94, which was under negative pressure, is relieved by the airflow from the intake valve 112 in the pipe downstream of the check valve 111. All of the cleaning water in the pipe is then naturally supplied to the control pipe 70 from the cleaning water supply unit 612. In this way, the system returns to the state shown in Figure 10, described in paragraph 0072, where the check valve 111 is closed and the intake valve 112 is open and stopped.

[0075] Furthermore, if backflow of wastewater occurs in the control unit piping 70, etc., and wastewater flows into the vacuum breaker 110 via the cleaning water supply unit 612 or the connection unit 611, the backflow prevention valve 111 is closed, so the wastewater is blocked by the backflow prevention valve 111 and does not flow back further upstream into the water supply piping. The wastewater blocked by the backflow prevention valve 111 flows from the main pipe section 113 to the branch pipe section 114 of the vacuum breaker 110, and may overflow from the intake valve 112 into the piping. In this case, the overflowing wastewater flows onto the bathtub pan 21 and is drained without any problems from the bathtub pan drain outlet 211. In this way, it is possible to prevent wastewater passing through the control unit piping 70 from flowing back into the cleaning water generation unit 90 or the water supply piping upstream of it.

[0076] [6-3. Modified Examples of Backflow Prevention Structures] As described in the above backflow prevention structure, there are approximately two cases in which wastewater flows back from the control unit piping 70 to the wash water generation unit 90. 1. When wastewater flowing into the support section 61 passes through the operation section piping 70, it flows back from the cleaning water supply section 612 to the cleaning water generation section 90. 2. When the drain port 31 is opened while the tank body 30 is filled with hot water to a position higher than the washing water supply unit 612, such as the upper edge 32, the wastewater flows back through the operation unit piping 70 to a position close to the water surface in the tank body 30 via the drain trap 54 to which the drain port 31 is connected, and at that time the wastewater flows back from the washing water supply unit 612 to the washing water generation unit 90. In either case, as shown in the embodiments in Figures 8 and 9, a backflow prevention structure can be adopted to prevent backflowing wastewater from reaching the washing water generation unit 90. However, when backflow occurs, the water receiving unit 102 and the intake valve 112 are exposed to the backflowing wastewater. Since the wastewater contains sand, hair, etc., repeated exposure of the backflow prevention structure to the wastewater may cause clogging of the piping or malfunction. For this reason, it is desirable to design the structure so that backflowing wastewater does not reach the backflow prevention structure as much as possible.

[0077] As a method to prevent wastewater from backflowing to the backflow prevention structure, one method is to form a part of the tank body 30 at a position higher than the upper edge 32, as shown in the embodiments in Figures 12 and 13, and to arrange the backflow prevention structure there. In the embodiment shown in Figure 12, a first backflow prevention structure having an atmospheric vent 100 is positioned higher than the upper edge 32 of the tank body 30, and in the embodiment shown in Figure 13, a second backflow prevention structure having a backflow prevention valve 111 is positioned higher than the upper edge 32 of the tank body 30. Since the inflow of wastewater from the support portion 61 located at the upper edge 32 of the tank body 30 and the backflow of wastewater from the drain port 31 of the tank body 30 do not exceed the upper edge 32 of the hot water stored in the tank body 30, this configuration prevents backflow wastewater from reaching the backflow prevention structure.

[0078] [7. Other variations] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and within the scope of the spirit of the invention, various modifications that a person skilled in the art could conceive of may be applied to the above embodiments, or forms constructed by combining components from different embodiments may also be included within the scope of one or more embodiments.

[0079] For example, in the above embodiment, the tank was a bathtub, but it could also be a washbasin bowl or a kitchen sink.

[0080] Furthermore, the cleaning water supply unit may be located anywhere within the flow path of the operating unit piping. Also, the cleaning water supply unit may be integrated with the support unit and guide unit or be a separate unit, and a separate component may be added between the support unit and guide unit, with the separate component having the cleaning water supply unit.

[0081] In the above embodiment, the support portion was a separate component from the tank body, but it may also be integrally formed from the upper edge of the tank body.

[0082] In the above embodiment, the drain trap was a water-sealing type drain trap having a water-sealing section, but it may also be a non-water-sealing type drain trap using a backflow prevention valve or the like. Furthermore, the shape of the water-sealing type drain trap is not limited to the S-type drain trap; it can be a bowl-shaped drain trap, an odor-proof pipe-type drain trap, a bottle-shaped drain trap, a drum-shaped drain trap, etc.

[0083] Furthermore, in the above embodiment, the cleaning water was generated by supplying tap water from a branch pipe that branched off from the water supply pipe. However, the cleaning water does not necessarily have to be generated from tap water; for example, the user may directly store the cleaning water in a tank or the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 10 Bathroom 20 Waterproof trays 21 Bathtub pan 211 Bathtub drain 22 Washing area pan 221 Drain in the washing area pan 30 Tank body 31 Drain 32 Upper edge 33 Apron 40, 40A, 40B, 40C, 40D drainage equipment 50 Drainage piping 51 Drainage outlet component 52 Nut Components 53 Bellows packing 54 Drain trap 541 Drainer 542 Trap body 543 Branch pipe 544 Outlet 545 Water seal wall 546 Drain Plate 55 Water seal formation part 60 Operating device 61 Support part 611 Connection part 612, 612A, 612B, 612C, 612D Washing water supply unit 62 Operation section 63 Locking mechanism 631 Locking shaft 64 Transmission section 65, 65D induction part 66 Bottle lid 67C Guide Section 70, 70A, 70B, 70C, 70D Operation section piping 82 Solenoid valve 86 Sensors 88 Control Unit 90 Washing water generation unit 94 Branch piping 100 Atmospheric vent 101 Water outlet 102 Water receiving section 110 Vacuum breaker 111 Check valve 112 Intake valve 113 Main pipe section 114 Branch pipe section

Claims

1. A drainage pipe that discharges wastewater from the drain outlet of the tank body, A stopper cover for opening and closing the aforementioned drain port, The operating unit for operating the stopper cover, A support unit is provided inside which the operating unit is arranged to be able to move back and forth, A transmission unit that transmits the operation applied to the operating unit to the stopper cap, The transmission unit includes an induction unit located inside, A washing water generating unit that generates washing water having a washing action, The operating section piping includes the support section and the guide section, and guides the wastewater flowing in from the operating section to the drainage piping, A drainage device characterized by comprising a washing water supply unit connected to the aforementioned operating unit piping and supplying washing water.

2. The aforementioned washing water supply unit is The drainage device according to claim 1, characterized in that cleaning water is supplied so as to come into contact with the entire inner surface of the operating section piping.

3. The aforementioned washing water supply unit is The drainage device according to claim 2, characterized in that cleaning water is supplied in a mist form toward the inner circumference of the operating section piping.

4. The aforementioned washing water supply unit is The drainage device according to claim 2, characterized in that cleaning water is supplied from multiple locations in the operating section piping.

5. The aforementioned drainage pipe is The drainage device according to claim 2, characterized in that it has a guide section for guiding the flow of washing water.

6. The drainage device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is provided with a backflow prevention structure having an atmospheric vent between the operating section piping and the washing water generation section.

7. The drainage device according to claim 1, further characterized in that it is provided with a backflow prevention structure having a backflow prevention valve between the operating section piping and the washing water generation section to prevent backflow of drainage from the operating section piping to the washing water generation section.

8. The drainage device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the backflow prevention structure is positioned higher than the edge of the tank body.

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