Hot spring water supply system

Abstract

To provide a hot spring water supply system that supplies hot spring water to a purchaser's point of use located at a location distant from its collection site.SOLUTION: A hot spring water supply system collects hot spring water, a vehicle 10 transports it to a purchaser's location by the vehicle, a tank 11 divides and stores the hot spring water into small parts, the tank 11 that stores the hot spring water is transported from the vehicle 10 to a purchaser's house, at the purchaser's location, and the hot spring water is supplied from the tank 11 to a bathtub B at the purchaser's point of use H.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a system for supplying hot spring water to a consumer's point of use located away from the site where the water is collected. [Background technology]

[0002] Hot spring water, which is warm water that springs from the ground, is said to have medicinal properties as well as fatigue relief and beauty benefits due to the ingredients it contains.

[0003] For this reason, people want to use hot spring water when bathing, but to do so, they have to go to a hotel or public bath in the hot spring area. In this case, it would be possible to lay a hot spring water supply pipe to the home, but there are distance restrictions in areas where this is possible, and there is also the problem of hot spring scale depositing on the home pipes, which requires regular maintenance.

[0004] As a means to solve the above problems, it has been proposed to store hot spring water in storage tanks installed within the city and sell the hot spring water in the storage tank by weight (Patent Document 1), or to prepare a vehicle equipped with a hot spring water storage tank and a bathtub connected to it, and to have the vehicle move to the vicinity of the consumer's own point of use so that the consumer can take a bath there (Patent Document 2).

[0005] It was also publicly known to transport hot spring water by tanker truck to lodging facilities and public baths located far from the hot spring source. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 10-228581 [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration Publication No. 3072479 DISCLOSURE OF THEINVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the former known invention, the hot spring water sold by weight is stored in a tank brought by the purchaser and transported to the point of use, such as the purchaser's home, but there is a problem that a means of transporting the heavy tank is required. Also, since the hot spring water is generally transported by the purchaser in a plastic container, it cools extremely during transport and needs to be heated before bathing. In this case, if a circulating water heater is used in the bathtub, the hot spring scale will precipitate and damage the water heater.

[0008] In addition, in the former known invention, the bath is taken in a vehicle rather than in a bath at home, making it difficult to relax during the bath. In particular, elderly people who seek the medical benefits of hot springs are often physically disabled, and therefore have difficulty bathing anywhere other than their own home.

[0009] On the other hand, transporting hot spring water by tanker truck was intended for hotels and public baths, and was not familiar to individual buyers. In this case, there was no way to know if the hot spring water was diluted by adding hot water on the way.

[0010] The present invention was created in consideration of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and has as its object to easily supply hot spring water to a consumer's point of use, which may be located away from the source of the water. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] That is, the hot spring water supply system of the present invention is as follows: A means for collecting the hot spring water and transporting it to the purchaser's location by vehicle; A method for dividing hot spring water into small portions and storing them in tanks; A means for transporting the tank containing the hot spring water from a vehicle to the purchaser's point of use at the purchaser's location; The hot spring water is supplied from the tank to the bathtub at the customer's place of use.

[0012] In this case, the "location of the purchaser" refers to the public road, parking lot, parking space, etc., near the building where the bathtub to which the purchaser wishes to supply hot spring water is located. Also, the "point of use of the purchaser" refers to the individual units in a detached house, an apartment building, a medical facility, a nursing home, a resort facility, or a guest room in a lodging facility, etc., where the bathtub to which the purchaser wishes to supply hot spring water is located.

[0013] The invention described in claim 2 is characterized in that in the hot spring water supply system, a means for insulating or heating, or a means for insulating and heating, is provided for the hot spring water being transported.

[0014] The invention described in claim 3 is characterized in that in the hot spring water supply system, the hot spring water is divided into small portions according to the amount purchased by each purchaser at the collection site and stored in tanks, the tanks are transported by vehicle to the purchaser's location, and the water is then transported from the vehicle to the purchaser's point of use.

[0015] The invention described in claim 4 is characterized in that in the hot spring water supply system, a carrying cart is used as a means for transporting the tank from the vehicle to the purchaser's point of use.

[0016] The invention described in claim 5 is characterized in that in the hot spring water supply system, the purchaser is able to view information about the hot spring water being transported via a network.

[0017] In addition, the invention described in claim 6 is characterized in that, in the hot spring water supply system, the information about the hot spring water includes the weight or volume of the hot spring water.

[0018] The invention described in claim 7 is characterized in that in the hot spring water supply system, the information about the hot spring water includes the temperature of the hot spring water.

[0019] Moreover, the invention described in claim 8 is characterized in that in the hot spring water supply system, the information about the hot spring water includes the current location of the hot spring water. Effect of the Invention

[0020] In the hot spring water supply system of the present invention, the collected hot spring water is transported by vehicle to the purchaser's location, then divided into portions and stored in tanks, which are then transported to the purchaser's point of use. At the purchaser's point of use, the hot spring water is supplied from the tank to the bathtub at the purchaser's point of use, allowing the purchaser to enjoy a hot spring bath in the comfort of their own home.

[0021] In addition, if the hot spring water is transported as in the invention described in claim 2 and insulated or heated, or if a means for insulating and heating is provided, the purchaser does not need to heat the water when bathing, and hot spring scale will not precipitate and damage the circulating water heater installed next to the bathtub.

[0022] In addition, as in the invention described in claim 3, if the hot spring water is divided into portions according to the amount purchased by each purchaser at the collection site and stored in tanks, and the tanks are transported by vehicle to the purchaser's location and then transported from the vehicle to the purchaser's point of use, the purchaser can secure his or her own exclusive hot spring water at the collection site.

[0023] In the above case, if the invention described in claim 5 allows the purchaser to view information about the hot spring water during transportation via a network, the purchaser can track the information about his or her own hot spring water and purchase the hot spring water with peace of mind.

[0024] In other words, if the information about the hot spring water includes the weight or volume of the hot spring water, as in the invention described in claim 6, if someone fraudulently adds hot water to the hot spring water to dilute it, it will be possible for the purchaser to discover this.

[0025] In addition, if the information about the hot spring water includes the temperature of the hot spring water as in claim 7, or if the information about the hot spring water includes the current location of the hot spring water as in claim 8, this, combined with knowing the weight or volume, will make it easier to discover the fraud. Also, the arrival time of the hot spring water can be predicted along with the temperature of the hot spring water when it arrives, and notified to the purchaser.

[0026] Furthermore, if the tank is transported from the vehicle to the purchaser's point of use using a carry cart, as in the invention described in claim 4, the tank can be easily transported not only when the purchaser's point of use is a detached house, but also when the purchaser's point of use is an apartment building, medical facility, nursing home, or resort facility.

[0027] As described above, according to the present invention, hot spring water can be easily supplied to the purchaser's point of use, which may be located away from the place where the water was collected, so that the purchaser can enjoy a hot spring bath in the comfort of their own home, which is useful not only for the general public but also for the elderly and physically disabled in particular.

[0028] In addition, since the hot spring water is divided into small portions and stored in tanks and transported to the purchaser's point of use, it can be sent to others as a gift, in addition to being used at home. Furthermore, even in accommodation facilities and resorts, it is possible to provide hot springs individually only in the rooms of guests who wish to take a hot spring bath, without having to provide hot spring facilities throughout the entire building. Also, in medical facilities and nursing care facilities, it is possible to provide temporary hot spring baths for those who wish to benefit from the medical effects of hot springs.

[0029] Furthermore, in the present invention, the hot spring is not supplied to the consumer's point of use through a water supply pipe laid from the source, but is instead divided into small portions and stored in a tank, so the source of the hot spring is not fixed. Therefore, depending on the household, hot springs in various locations can be enjoyed according to the season or mood, and when the medical effects of hot springs are to be enjoyed in medical or nursing facilities, the source of the hot spring can be selected according to the subject's constitution and symptoms. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a hot spring water supply system according to the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 13 is a side view of a vehicle that collects hot spring water and transports it to the buyer's location. [Diagram 3] FIG. 13 is a side view of a carry cart that transports the tank containing hot spring water from the vehicle to the customer's point of use. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THEINVENTION

[0031] Hereinafter, a specific embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a block diagram of a hot spring water supply system of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a management center for executing the service of the supply system.

[0032] The management control center is connected to the Internet N and includes, for example, the following elements: (1) A customer's request to purchase hot spring water, Payment of fees, Delivery slip issuance instructions, A payment management server that handles the above. (2) The customer's address, name, contact information, age, health condition, and whether or not they have any allergies to specific substances. A customer database that contains customer information such as: (3) A collection operation server that issues collection instructions to the hot spring collection site. (4) A transportation operation server that issues transportation instructions to transportation companies. (5) Hot spring water during transportation Current location, Weight or volume, temperature, Estimated arrival time, Expected temperature upon arrival A hot spring water management server that manages hot spring water data such as the above. (6) The hot spring water for which a purchase reservation has been made, collection process, The transportation process, Current data, A notification server that provides on-demand notifications to subscribers such as:

[0033] In the figure, reference numeral 2 denotes an operator terminal such as a personal computer used by the hot spring water supplier to operate the management center N, reference numeral 4 denotes a purchaser terminal consisting of a mobile terminal such as a smartphone which a purchaser who accesses the management center N uses on a browser to make hot spring water purchase reservations, make payments, and track the status of the hot spring water during transport, and reference numeral 3 denotes a transporter terminal consisting of a mobile terminal such as a smartphone for transmitting the status of the hot spring water during transport to the hot spring water management server, and each is connected to the management center 1 via the Internet N.

[0034] In the present invention, (1) A certain amount of collected hot spring water is divided into smaller portions and stored in tanks on the way to the purchaser's location. (2) When hot spring water is divided into portions at the collection site according to the amount purchased by each purchaser and stored in tanks, Two methods are envisaged, but ultimately the hot spring water will be divided into small portions, stored in tanks and transported by vehicle.

[0035] In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes the tank in which the hot spring water is divided and stored. In this embodiment, the tank 11 has a heat insulating structure to keep the hot spring water warm, and is also provided with a heating device such as an electric heater to maintain a constant temperature, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0036] On the other hand, in this embodiment, the tank 11 has A GPS device for detecting the current location; A sensor S1 for detecting the weight or volume of the stored hot spring water; A sensor S2 for detecting the temperature of the stored hot spring water; The data detected by these sensors is transmitted to the transporter terminal 3 held by the transporter via a wireless communication module such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connected to the sensors, and is then transmitted from the transporter terminal to the hot spring water management server in the management control center 1. Note that the volume of the hot spring water is detected by the water level in the tank 11.

[0037] The hot spring water is divided into small portions and stored in tank 11, which is transported by vehicle 10 to the location of the purchaser, and then unloaded from the vehicle and transported to the purchaser's usage point H, where the hot water is supplied from the tank to bathtub B. As a means for supplying hot water, it is possible to use a pump to pressure-feed the hot spring water into bathtub B via a hose extended from tank 11.

[0038] In the drawing, reference numeral 12 denotes a wheeled carry cart used as a means for transporting the tank 11 from the vehicle 10 to the purchaser's point of use. This carry cart 12 may be equipped with an electric assist device, a braking mechanism, and a power source for the pump. [Explanation of symbols]

[0039] N Internet H Purchaser's point of use B. Bathtub S1 Sensor S2 Sensor 1. Management Center 2. Operator terminal 3. Carrier terminal 4. Purchaser terminal 10 Vehicles 11. Tank 12 Carry Cart

Claims

[Claim 1] The hot spring water is divided into small portions according to the amount of purchase by each purchaser and stored in a tank. The tank containing the hot spring water is then loaded onto a vehicle and transported to the purchaser's home. The temperature, weight, or volume of the hot spring water stored in the tank during transportation is detected by a sensor, and this information is sent to a hot spring water management server in a management center connected via the Internet to manage the hot spring water data. This hot spring water purchasing system enables a purchaser to view the temperature, weight or volume of hot spring water being transported by using a purchaser terminal connected to a hot spring water management server at a management center via the Internet.

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