Bathing apparatus and bathing method

Abstract

The present application relates to a bathing apparatus and a bathing method. The bathing apparatus comprises: a tub (1), the tub (1) defining a bathing space (11) in which a person to be bathed is bathed; a fluid driving member (2), the fluid driving member (2) acting on a bathing fluid stored in the bathing space (11), the fluid driving member (2) being capable of driving the bathing fluid to flow in a flow direction, and the flow direction pointing toward said person, such that the bathing fluid is driven to move toward said person and come into contact with said person, wherein the flow direction in which the bathing fluid comes into contact with said person comprises at least a first flow direction and a second flow direction, and the first flow direction intersects the second flow direction; and a seat (3), which can be arranged in the tub (1) and is used for fixing said person at a fixed position in the bathing space (11).

Description

Shower machine, shower method Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of nursing and bathing, specifically to bathing machines and bathing methods. Background Technology

[0002] Bathing is an essential human activity. With the increasing aging of China's population and the shortage of young labor resources, the bathing needs of people with limited mobility, such as the elderly, are generally met by caregivers. However, this requires a lot of effort from caregivers, and the experience of those receiving bathing services also needs to be further improved.

[0003] Existing shower machine products generally use mechanical components to touch the human body, mimicking manual washing. However, due to the highly irregular shape of the human body, ordinary mechanical actions are difficult to achieve a thorough washing of all parts of the body. Moreover, these machines are complex, costly, and difficult to clean and maintain.

[0004] Therefore, there is a need for a bathing machine, a bathing method, and a method for manufacturing the bathing machine, which can achieve better bathing results and experience for people with mobility impairments, while being easy to arrange in space and easy to manufacture. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a bathing machine.

[0006] The purpose of this application is to provide a bathing method.

[0007] A bathing machine according to a first aspect of this application includes: a cylinder defining a bathing space and providing a space for a person to bathe; a fluid drive unit acting on bathing fluid stored in the bathing space, the fluid drive unit being capable of driving the bathing fluid to flow in a flow direction pointing towards the person to be bathed, such that the bathing fluid is driven to move and contact the person to be bathed in a direction toward the person to be bathed, and the flow direction in which the bathing fluid contacts the person to be bathed includes at least a first flow direction and a second flow direction, and the first flow direction and the second flow direction intersect; and a seat disposed within the cylinder for fixing the person to be bathed in a fixed position within the bathing space.

[0008] In one or more embodiments of the bathing machine, the fluid driving component includes a pulsator and / or impeller, the pulsator and / or impeller being disposed at the bottom of the cylinder, the pulsator and / or impeller being capable of driving the bathing fluid to flow around the bathing object, the flow direction of the bathing fluid in contact with the bathing object being tangential to the contact position; and a protective cover is provided between the pulsator and / or impeller and the bathing space.

[0009] In one or more embodiments of the bathing machine, the fluid driving component includes a first directional airflow nozzle and a second directional airflow nozzle; the first directional airflow nozzle is disposed at the bottom of the cylinder, and the airflow direction of the first directional airflow nozzle is from the bottom to the object being bathed, so as to drive the bathing fluid flowing along the first flow direction; the second directional airflow nozzle is disposed on the side of the cylinder, and the airflow direction of the second directional airflow nozzle is from the side to the object being bathed, so as to drive the bathing fluid flowing along the second flow direction.

[0010] In one or more embodiments of the bathing machine, the tub body includes a door panel and a side wall. The door panel is fully continuous from top to bottom in the height direction. The door panel is rotatable or can rotate up and down relative to the side wall so that the door panel can be opened or closed relative to the side wall. The door panel and / or the side wall are assembled as multiple assembly units to form the tub body.

[0011] In one or more embodiments of the bathing machine, the sidewall facing the object being bathed is an inner surface, and the inner surface has ridges that can guide the bathing fluid flowing tangentially along the inner surface toward the object being bathed.

[0012] In one or more embodiments of the bathing machine, it further includes: a top gantry assembly located at the top of the bathing space defined by the cylinder; the top gantry assembly is provided with: a first spray drying assembly, the spray direction of the first spray drying assembly being configured toward the back of the person being bathed; and / or a second spray drying assembly, the air blowing direction of the second spray drying assembly being configured toward the chest of the person being bathed.

[0013] In one or more embodiments of the shower machine, it further includes: a first shampooing device, wherein the top frame assembly has a fixed shampooing device platform and a movable lower platform, wherein the movable lower platform has a motor-driven washing and kneading cover and multiple combs on the top of the head that can swing; or it includes a second shampooing device, the second shampooing device including a helmet and a drive mechanism, the helmet being driven by the drive mechanism to move up and down reciprocally, the inner wall of the top of the helmet being provided with herringbone comb teeth. The inner wall of the rear side of the helmet is provided with horizontally arranged comb teeth.

[0014] In one or more embodiments of the shower machine, the seat further includes a mobile wheelchair having a multi-lobed seat, a chin rest, and fixed feet.

[0015] In one or more embodiments of the bathing machine, an optimal water depth measurement and control device is also included, which can detect the shoulder height of the person being bathed and output the shoulder height to control the height of the bathing fluid in the bathing space as the shoulder height.

[0016] According to a bathing method based on a second aspect of this application, using the bathing machine described in the first aspect, the method includes the following steps:

[0017] Push the person in the wheelchair into the bathing tub and secure them;

[0018] Start the first or second shampoo device to wash the head of the person being bathed;

[0019] After activating the spraying function of the first spray drying assembly and / or the second spray drying assembly, and injecting bathing fluid into the cylinder, activate the fluid drive unit to bathe the body parts of the person being bathed.

[0020] The spray function of the first spray drying component and / or the second spray drying component is activated and then switched to the air drying function to rinse and dry the entire body of the person being bathed.

[0021] Overview of the attached figures

[0022] To make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of this application more apparent and understandable, the specific embodiments of this application will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a shower machine according to an embodiment.

[0024] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the tub of a bathing machine according to an embodiment.

[0025] Figures 3 to 6 are schematic diagrams of the shampooing device of a shower machine according to one embodiment.

[0026] Figure 7 is a structural schematic diagram of the seat of a shower machine according to an embodiment.

[0027] Figure 8 is a schematic block diagram of the control module of a shower machine according to an embodiment.

[0028] Figure 9 is a schematic flowchart of a bathing method according to an embodiment.

[0029] 100-Shower Machine

[0030] 1-Cylinder Block

[0031] 11-Bathroom Space

[0032] 12-Door Panel

[0033] 13-Sidewall

[0034] 2-Fluid Driven Components

[0035] 20-Pulsator

[0036] 21-Impeller

[0037] 22-Protective Shield

[0038] 3-seat

[0039] 30-Mobile wheelchair

[0040] 31-Multi-lobed seat

[0041] 32-Chin Toe

[0042] 33-Fixed foot

[0043] 4-Top gantry assembly

[0044] 41-First Spray Drying Component

[0045] 42-Second spray drying component

[0046] 51-First shampooing device

[0047] 511-Fixed Platform

[0048] 512-Lower Platform

[0049] 513-Washing and Kneading Cover

[0050] 514 - Multiple combs on the top of the head

[0051] 52-Second shampooing device

[0052] 521-Helmet

[0053] 522-Drive Mechanism

[0054] 523 - Herringbone Comb Teeth

[0055] 6-Optimal water depth measurement and control device.

[0056] Preferred embodiments of the present invention

[0057] The embodiments of the technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are only used to more clearly illustrate the technical solution of this application and are therefore merely examples, and should not be used to limit the scope of protection of this application.

[0058] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application pertains; the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to limit the application; the terms “comprising” and “having”, and any variations thereof, in the specification, claims, and foregoing description of the drawings are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion.

[0059] In the description of the embodiments of this application, technical terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish different objects and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number, specific order, or primary and secondary relationship of the indicated technical features. In the description of the embodiments of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly defined.

[0060] In this document, the term "embodiment" means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment may be included in at least one embodiment of this application. The appearance of this phrase in various places throughout the specification does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor is it a separate or alternative embodiment mutually exclusive with other embodiments. It will be explicitly and implicitly understood by those skilled in the art that the embodiments described herein can be combined with other embodiments.

[0061] In the description of the embodiments of this application, the technical terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the embodiments of this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the embodiments of this application.

[0062] In the description of the embodiments of this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the technical terms such as "installation", "connection", "joining", and "fixing" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can also refer to mechanical connections. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in the embodiments of this application can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0063] Although the implementation scenario of the shower machine disclosed in this application is personal home care and bathing, it is not limited thereto. For example, it can be applied to care and bathing in fixed places such as hospitals, nursing homes, and bath centers, as well as care and bathing in mobile places such as trains, cruise ships, airplanes, and RVs. It is not limited thereto, and the shower machine and showering method disclosed in the embodiments can be applied to all of them.

[0064] In the following embodiments, the description of the bathing parts of the bather includes the head and body parts. Here, body parts refer to all parts of the human body except the head, including the torso and limbs.

[0065] Referring to Figures 1 to 7, in some embodiments, the shower machine 100 may include a cylinder 1, a fluid drive 2, and a seat 3.

[0066] The tank 1 defines the bathing space 11, providing a space for the person being bathed to take a bath. The meaning of the tank 1 here is similar to that in the art, that is, it is capable of holding fluid. Here it is a container for bathing fluid, such as the tank of a bathtub in the art.

[0067] Referring to Figure 2, in some embodiments, the cylinder 1 includes a door panel 12 and a side wall 13. The door panel 12 is fully continuous from top to bottom in the height direction. The door panel 12 can rotate left and right or up and down relative to the side wall 13 so that the door panel 12 can be opened or closed relative to the side wall 13. The door panel 12 and / or the side wall 13 are assembled as multiple assembly units to form the cylinder 1, thereby ensuring that the application of the shower machine is not limited by space. For example, it can be ensured that the size of each assembly unit is smaller than the existing entrance size of the user's bathroom door, that is, the application of the shower machine is not limited by the size of the family bathroom door.

[0068] The bathing tub 1 features a through-door structure that extends from top to bottom. The door can be opened by rotating left and right or by pulling it open forward and backward like a suspension bridge. This provides convenience for wheelchair users to be pushed in and out of the main tub, which is very important for people with mobility impairments.

[0069] Furthermore, the shower machine's tub body adopts a multi-plate split design, which means that it is assembled into a tub body on-site as multiple assembly units. This allows it to be installed in ordinary people's bathrooms without being restricted by the width of existing bathroom doors in thousands of households. It is also convenient to enter and exit via elevator, saving space and freight costs for inland transportation, and saving container space and sea freight costs for export transportation.

[0070] As shown in Figure 2, the side wall 13 and the door panel 12, as well as the adjacent side wall 13, are sealed with a rubber sealing gasket 15 that can run vertically through the door. The adjacent side walls 13 are connected by a bolt and nut structure 16, and can be connected to the bottom plate of the cylinder body 1 through a threaded hole 17 to optimize the sealing performance of the assembled cylinder body 1.

[0071] It is understood that the structure of cylinder 1 generally requires the installation of a water inlet and a water outlet, which is a relatively conventional structure in this field and will not be described in detail here.

[0072] The fluid drive component 2 is defined as a component that stimulates hydrodynamics, using dynamic water to flush, impact, massage, and clean the human body. The fluid drive component 2 acts on the bathing fluid stored within the bathing space 11. It drives the bathing fluid to flow in a direction pointing towards the object being bathed, ensuring the fluid is driven to contact the object in a direction that is at least a first flow direction and a second flow direction, and these two flow directions intersect. The specific means of storing the bathing fluid within the bathing space 11 is shown in Figure 9. This is controlled by the independent hose shower head 110 and the corresponding water inlet control solenoid valve 111. The water initially released by the independent hose shower head 110, and after bathing, is drained from the bathing space 11 via the drain solenoid valve and the drain pump 112.

[0073] In some embodiments, bath liquid can also be released into the bath fluid through the bath liquid release box 65 to further enhance the cleaning effect of bathing. The bath liquid can be a regular commercially available shower gel, or it can contain essential oils, herbal ingredients, etc., to further enhance the user experience.

[0074] Specifically, as shown in Figure 1, the fluid drive component 2 includes a pulsator 20 and / or an impeller 21, which are disposed at the bottom of the cylinder 1. The pulsator 20 can be understood by referring to the pulsator in a pulsator washing machine in the field of household washing machines. Its specific structure can be, for example, a disc pulsator with protruding ribs. Driven by the pulsator 20, the water flow forms a vortex that rotates clockwise and counterclockwise, driving the bathing fluid to flow around the object being bathed. The flow direction of the bathing fluid in contact with the object is tangential to the contact point. The impeller 21 is similar to a propeller impeller, forming an axial flow direction. Driven by the impeller 21, the bathing fluid can flow along the height direction (i.e., the axial direction of the impeller). It can be understood that in some embodiments, a... The impeller 20 or impeller 21 drives the fluid to achieve a certain cleaning effect. The embodiment in Figure 1 uses a scheme where both the impeller 20 and impeller 21 are simultaneously arranged. The impeller 20 and impeller 21 rotate coaxially and alternately. The advantage of this is that the impeller 20 can create a vortex that rotates clockwise and counterclockwise, while the impeller 21 creates an axial flow in the vertical direction. The inventors have found that this achieves a better bathing effect, especially for effectively cleaning body parts that are essentially parallel to the bottom surface during bathing, such as the soles of the feet, armpits, and genital areas. It can also effectively clean the chin area. In Figure 1, since the impeller 21 covers the impeller 20 at the top, the reference numerals for both point to the same position. The impeller 20 and / or impeller 21 can drive the bathing fluid to flow around the bathing object, and the flow direction of the bathing fluid in contact with the bathing object is tangential to the contact point. Furthermore, a protective cover 22 is provided between the impeller 20 and / or impeller 21 and the bathing space 11. As shown in Figure 1, a pulsator 20 and / or impeller 21 are installed at the bottom of the cylinder 1. The pulsator and impeller rotate coaxially and alternately, as shown in Figure 9. They can be driven by the same motor 23, resulting in a compact structure. By changing the flow direction and intensity of the bathing fluid, it provides efficient, thorough, and abrasion-free washing, kneading, rinsing, and massaging of the body parts of the person being bathed, without contact with hard objects. In addition, the protective cover 22 prevents possible accidental injury from the pulsator 20 and / or impeller 21. Specifically, the fully enclosed protective cover 22 for the pulsator and impeller isolates the person from possible contact with the pulsator 20 and / or impeller 21. Furthermore, the use of a dedicated seat 3 to fix the person being bathed prevents contact between the person and the protective cover 22, further improving the safety of the bathing machine 100. The structure using the pulsator 20 and / or impeller 21 is compact, and the related technology is mature and easy to implement.

[0075] It can be understood that the specific structure of the fluid drive component 2 can also include a first-direction airflow nozzle and a second-direction airflow nozzle. The first-direction airflow nozzle is located at the bottom of the cylinder 1, and the airflow direction of the first-direction airflow nozzle is from the bottom to the object being bathed, so as to drive the bathing fluid flowing along the first flow direction. The second-direction airflow nozzle is located on the side of the cylinder 1, and the airflow direction of the second-direction airflow nozzle is from the side to the object being bathed, so as to drive the bathing fluid flowing along the second flow direction. Here, the first direction and the second direction of the first-direction airflow nozzle and the second-direction airflow nozzle can be vertical and horizontal, respectively, but are not limited to these. For example, they can also be oblique. For example, under the condition of compressed air supply or air compressor device, high-pressure gas is released from the air nozzle at the bottom of the cylinder to push the water to make a continuous and powerful upward surge. An oblique air nozzle is provided on the side wall of the main cylinder to push the water to make a circular rotational motion. The two are combined alternately to achieve vertical and horizontal rinsing of the bathing water. The advantage of this is that it is safer than the impeller 21 mentioned above, but the disadvantage is that the compressed air source is not readily available.

[0076] In some embodiments, the surface of the sidewall 13 facing the bathing object is an inner surface, and the inner surface has protruding ridges 19, which can guide the bathing fluid flowing tangentially along the inner surface to flow towards the bathing object. For example, the sidewall 13 has longitudinal protruding ridges from bottom to top at certain intervals, which can reflect the water rotating at high speed along the inner wall of the tub towards the human body in the center of the tub, thereby further enhancing the strength of the contact force between the fluid and the body of the bathing object and further optimizing the bathing effect. The inventors found that the triangular cross-section of the protruding ridge 19 shown in Figure 2 has a better reinforcing effect. Semicircular, trapezoidal, and other cross-sectional structures can also be used, while the square cross-section will result in poor reinforcing effect due to the presence of a 90° angle.

[0077] Referring again to Figure 1, the shower machine 100 may further include: a top door assembly 4, located at the top of the shower space 11 defined by the tub body 1; the top door assembly 4 is provided with: a first spray drying assembly 41 and / or a second spray drying assembly 42, the spray direction and air blowing direction of both being configured to face the body part of the person being showered; it can automatically rinse and automatically dry the human body with warm air to further enhance the user experience of the person showering.

[0078] The specific structure constituting the first spray drying assembly 41 and / or the second spray drying assembly 42 can be as follows: two gate frame components are provided above the cylinder 1, with water / heated air / electrical wiring channels 403 and 404 arranged inside the gate frame components. Two motors 405 and 406 are attached to the gate frame, respectively driving two racks 407 and 408, which in turn drive two hot water / heated air rod-shaped shower heads 409 and 410 to reciprocate up and down. It can be understood that the shower heads 409 and 410 can be arranged opposite each other, with one shower head 409 corresponding to the back of the bather's body and the other shower head 410 corresponding to the chest of the bather's body. It can be understood that the specific number of shower heads in Figure 1 is only schematic description, and the specific number of shower heads on one side can be one or more. The shower heads 409 and 410 here have a rod-shaped structure. The length of the rod can be set to be at least greater than the width of the average human body. The spray holes of the shower heads 409 and 410 can switch between hot water and warm air. Specifically, as shown in Figure 9, the switching between hot water and warm air can be achieved through the water and air switching control solenoid valve 4091 and the back hot air dryer 4092 corresponding to the back spray shower head 409, and the water and air switching control solenoid valve 4101 and the chest hot air dryer 4102 corresponding to the chest spray shower head 410.

[0079] The two racks 407 and 408 can be fitted with guide posts and guide sleeves to ensure smooth up-and-down movement and avoid excessive resistance and wobbling. Furthermore, since the up-and-down movement of racks 407 and 408, as well as the lead screw mentioned below, will cause the water pipes and electrical wires to move up and down, the flexible pipes and lines corresponding to the water / heating / electrical wiring channels 403 and 404 can adopt spiral pipe, spiral wire, or drag rail structures to avoid pipe and wire tangling, knotting, and easy wear, thereby improving the reliability of the device.

[0080] Referring again to Figures 1 through 6, the shower machine may also include a shampooing device, enabling the machine to complete the entire washing process for the user's head and body. This means it can wash and dry the user from head to toe, and the user can simply pull the seat 3 out of the shower machine's tub 1 to put on clothes and leave the shower room. This further improves the efficiency of the showering process and the user's experience.

[0081] Specifically, the shampooing device may include a first shampooing device 51, a shampooing device fixed platform 511 on the top frame assembly, a movable lower platform 512, a motor-driven washing and kneading cover 513 mounted on the movable lower platform 512, and a swaying multi-comb 514 on the top of the head. The movable lower platform 512 can be driven by a motor 515. Because the human head has an extremely complex shape, hair forms a felt-like structure when wet. If low-pressure water is used, it may not be thoroughly cleaned, resulting in poor shampooing. If high-pressure water is used, there is a risk of damage to the facial features. The shampooing device provides a shampooing and drying assembly that addresses the irregular convex surface of the top of the head and the semi-cylindrical surface of the sides of the head. The multi-comb 514 (the comb teeth can be made of semi-flexible plastic material, such as silicone) driven by a motor is used to sway at acute angles to clean and dry the top of the head; the U-shaped washing and kneading cover 513 is used to clean and dry the sides of the head.

[0082] The lead screw 516 connecting the fixed platform 511 and the movable lower platform 512 can engage with the bearing gear nut composite 70, enabling the motor to drive the rotation of the gear nut on the composite. One or two guide rods restrict the lead screw from rotating, allowing it to move vertically up and down. Specifically, as shown in Figure 5, the nut composite 70 includes a lower bearing end cover 701, a fixing screw hole 702, a bearing groove 703, bearing steel balls 704, a nut with internal threads 705, and gear teeth 706 on the side. It can be understood that the structure of the upper bearing end cover is similar to that of the lower bearing end cover 701 after being reversed, so it will not be described again here. The gear nut composite is placed between the upper and lower bearing end covers, and three fixing screws are used to fix the two end covers and the gear nut composite together, forming the bearing gear nut composite. Driven by the gear at the motor output end, the internal thread 705 of the nut engages with the external thread of the traction lead screw 516, achieving vertical traction of the lead screw.

[0083] The specific operating structure can be as follows: a fixed platform 511 for the shampooing device is located between two frames. A motor 517 drives a lead screw connected to a movable lower platform 512 of the shampooing device. The motor is fixed to the lower platform 512 and drives the U-shaped washing and kneading cover 513 on the side of the head to reciprocate up and down. Hot water, shampoo, and warm air are supplied as needed in the cavity of the washing and kneading cover 513. As shown in Figure 9, this can be controlled by the water / air supply solenoid valve 63 of the washing and kneading cover 513. As shown in Figure 4A, the stroke of the washing and kneading cover 513 is between 1.5cm and 2.0cm. The inventors found that the user's head feels better within this stroke range. A motor 518 is installed and fixed to the lower platform 512 and drives multiple combs 514 on the top of the head to swing left and right at an acute angle. Hot water, shampoo, and warm air are supplied as needed in the cavity of the comb back, as shown in Figure 9. This can be controlled by the water / air supply solenoid valve 64. As shown in Figure 4B, the specific structure of the multi-comb 514 on the top of the head can include eight combs 5140. For example, if the swing angle of each comb 5140 is 50°, then the total swing angle is 400°. The inventors found that the swing angle range is from 40° to 60°, which makes the bather who is washing their hair feel better.

[0084] It can be understood that the drive mechanism is not limited to the lead screw structure shown in Figure 1, and can also be driven by pneumatic or hydraulic devices, without limitation.

[0085] The U-shaped wash and kneading cover is used on the side of the head, with semi-flexible plastic comb teeth distributed on the inner surface of the cover. The motor drives the U-shaped cover to make short-stroke up-and-down reciprocating motions to achieve the purpose of washing and drying. This completes the entire shampooing process.

[0086] Alternatively, the shampooing device can be a second shampooing device 52, which includes a helmet 521 and a drive mechanism 522. The helmet 521 can be driven by the drive mechanism 522 to move up and down reciprocally. The top inner wall of the helmet 521 is provided with herringbone comb teeth 523, and the side inner wall of the helmet 521 is provided with horizontally arranged comb teeth 524 perpendicular to the inner wall.

[0087] The specific operating structure can be as follows: a motor is fixed to the lower platform 512, and the electric helmet is driven to make short-range up-and-down reciprocating motions through the connecting rod of the drive mechanism 522 protruding from the top of the helmet 521. The connecting rod can be driven by the motor 525. The inner wall of the rear side of the helmet 521 is provided with horizontally arranged comb teeth 524 to comb the sides of the head. The inner wall of the helmet 521 top cover is provided with a large number of herringbone comb teeth 523 that are oblique to the wall. When the helmet moves downward, the herringbone comb teeth are squeezed on the two curved surfaces of the helmet and the scalp, splitting, and the lower ends of the comb teeth slide horizontally outward on the scalp. When the helmet moves upward, the lower ends of the comb teeth slide back to their original position on the scalp under the drive of elastic force. With the continuous reciprocating motion of the helmet 521, the herringbone comb teeth can complete the combing of the entire scalp like a human hand scratching the head. Referring to Figure 6, the "V"-shaped comb teeth 523 are in the first state 5231 when the helmet is not pushed down. After being pushed down, the "V"-shaped comb teeth 523 are in the second state 5232. When the helmet repeatedly makes short up-and-down movements driven by the motor, the state of the "V"-shaped comb teeth 523 changes between the first state 5231 and the second state 5232. The comb teeth repeatedly slide back and forth horizontally on the scalp, just like human fingers scratching, thus cleaning the top of the head. Meanwhile, the comb teeth 524 on the back side of the helmet move up and down with the motor. In this way, when the helmet moves up and down, the "V"-shaped comb teeth 523 can be used for horizontal washing of the hair, and the back side comb teeth 524 can be used for vertical washing of the hair. The compact structure achieves bidirectional washing of the hair.

[0088] As described above, the seat 3 can be installed inside the tub 1 to fix the person being bathed in a fixed position within the bathing space 11. As shown in Figure 7, the seat 3 may include a mobile wheelchair 30, which has a multi-segment seat 31, a chin rest 32, and fixed feet 33. The multi-segment seat 31, for example, is a two-segment seat. Here, the seat refers to a support structure that provides support for the person being bathed; it is not limited to a flat structure but can also be a curved board structure, etc. The chair is fully open and transparent, making it easier to wash private parts. The chin rest 32 can stably fix the head, making the hair washing process easier and improving the user's hair washing experience. The fixed feet 33 securely fix the wheelchair 30 after it is pushed into the bathing space 11, so that the body parts can be thoroughly washed.

[0089] Referring to Figure 8, in some embodiments, the shower machine may also include an optimal water depth measurement and control device 6, capable of detecting the shoulder height of the person being showered and outputting this shoulder height to control the shower fluid height in the shower space 11 as the shoulder height. Specifically, for example, a scale may be printed on the inner wall of the door panel 12, with corresponding Arabic numerals marked from top to bottom. A miniature camera is installed on the inner wall of the tub opposite the scale, which can capture all Arabic numerals not obscured by the person. The image is transmitted to a microcomputer controller 600 (such as a common MCU, but not limited to this). After image recognition processing, the largest number h is found. The shoulder height L is obtained by subtracting h from the total net height H of the main tub. The optimal water depth value for the person being showered can then be determined, and the water volume can be precisely controlled. For example, it can be monitored by a water level sensor 62. When the water level sensor senses that the water level corresponding to the water volume has reached the optimal water depth corresponding to the shoulder height L, the water injection is stopped. It is understandable that, for home use, the shower machine can input the optimal water depth value for one or more frequent showerers, which can be input directly via touch or voice during showering, eliminating the need for measurement each time. Furthermore, the specific form of the optimal water depth measurement and control device 6, besides the image recognition scheme mentioned above, can also employ other schemes, such as infrared recognition, like the human sitting height measurement sensor 61 shown in Figure 8; these are not limitations.

[0090] Referring to Figure 8, the electrical control components related to this application may include a microcomputer controller 600, and a main automatic temperature-controlled water outlet valve 601 and an automatic temperature-controlled air outlet valve 602, which control the motor, water / air valve, fan, etc. described above.

[0091] It can be understood that, referring to Figure 9, this application also provides a bathing method. Using the bathing machine of the above embodiments, the bathing method may include the following steps:

[0092] The person being bathed in the mobile wheelchair 30 is pushed into the tub 1 and secured.

[0093] Start the first shampoo device 51 or the second shampoo device 52 to wash the head of the person being bathed;

[0094] Activate the spraying function of the first spray drying assembly 41 and / or the second spray drying assembly 42, spray and inject bathing fluid into the cylinder 1, and then activate the fluid drive unit 2 to bathe the body parts of the person being bathed.

[0095] The spray function of the first spray drying component 41 and / or the second spray drying component 42 is activated and then switched to the drying function to rinse and dry the entire body of the person being bathed.

[0096] Specifically, it can be done in the following steps:

[0097] When the person taking a bath arrives in the bathroom in a home wheelchair, they are positioned opposite a dedicated wheelchair. This wheelchair is secured to the ground with a safety belt, eliminating the risk of slipping or tipping. A turntable is placed between the two wheelchairs. The elderly person stands on the turntable and, with the assistance of a caregiver, rotates 180 degrees to sit in the dedicated bath wheelchair. They are then pushed to the bath machine and press the start button on the control panel 14. This could also be voice-controlled or controlled via a cloud platform, rather than being limited to manual button or touch controls.

[0098] The showerheads begin discharging cold water from their pipes into the main tank until warm water comes out, at which point the drainage automatically stops. Simultaneously, the main tank drain valve discharges all cold water and closes the drain outlet. At this point, a caregiver can manually open the shower tank door, place a ramp, and push the wheelchair with the person being bathed into the tank, locking the feet by pressing the wheelchair brake. The chin rest provided with the wheelchair is then inserted to position the person's chin comfortably.

[0099] Then close the tank door and press the start button. This implies that the shower machine could also be started via voice control or cloud-based control, rather than being limited to manual button or touch control.

[0100] The machine begins by washing the top and sides of the head, then continuously dries the hair. Simultaneously, the back and chest shower heads automatically activate to moisten and warm the body. The machine automatically determines the user's height and position while seated, and after filling the water to the appropriate depth, it automatically stops filling. The fluid drive components 2, such as the impeller and pulsator, then automatically start rotating, driving the water containing bath liquid to wash and massage the body. After several minutes, the fluid drive components 2, such as the impeller and pulsator, stop rotating, and the machine automatically begins to drain wastewater.

[0101] At this point, the back and chest showerheads spray water onto the body again for rinsing, then automatically switch to warm air drying mode. Finally, the drying stops. A siren sounds, and the caregiver pulls the wheelchair back to its original position, helps the person dress, and completes the shower.

[0102] In summary, the beneficial effects of the bathing machine and bathing method described in the above embodiments include, but are not limited to: avoiding the use of complex robotic arms or other mechanical means of cleaning and scrubbing the body; instead, employing a hydrodynamic approach, utilizing dynamic water rinsing and impact to massage and clean the body, eliminating the need for mechanical contact with the bathing object and consequently eliminating the need for complex and expensive mechanical devices. This bathing machine can automatically bathe and dry the body from head to toe for ordinary people, those with mobility impairments, and children (after adding a heightening device to the wheelchair seat). It provides great convenience, safety, and efficiency for bathing, especially for the elderly, the infirm, those with mobility impairments, and others who require assistance. It makes bathing as convenient as washing a shirt in a washing machine, possessing significant social value and commercial application potential.

[0103] While this application discloses preferred embodiments as described above, it is not intended to limit the scope of this application. Any changes and modifications can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this application. Therefore, any modifications, equivalent changes, and alterations made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of this application without departing from the content of the technical solution of this application shall fall within the protection scope defined by the claims of this application.

Claims

1. A bathing machine (100), characterized in that, include: The cylinder (1) defines a bathing space (11) and provides a space for the person being bathed to take a bath; A fluid drive (2) acts on the bathing fluid stored in the bathing space (11). The fluid drive (2) can drive the bathing fluid to flow in a flow direction pointing towards the bathing object, so that the bathing fluid is driven to contact the bathing object in a moving direction toward the bathing object. The flow direction in which the bathing fluid contacts the bathing object includes at least a first flow direction and a second flow direction, and the first flow direction and the second flow direction intersect. The seat (3) can be installed inside the cylinder (1) to fix the bathing object in a fixed position in the bathing space (11).

2. The shower (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that The fluid drive component (2) includes a pulsator (20) and / or an impeller (21), which is disposed at the bottom of the cylinder (1). The pulsator (20) and / or impeller (21) can drive the bathing fluid to flow around the bathing object. The flow direction of the bathing fluid in contact with the bathing object is tangent to the contact position. Furthermore, a protective cover (22) is provided between the pulsator (20) and / or impeller (21) and the bathing space (11).

3. The bathing machine (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The fluid drive unit (2) includes a first directional airflow nozzle and a second directional airflow nozzle; the first directional airflow nozzle is disposed at the bottom of the cylinder (1), and the airflow direction of the first directional airflow nozzle is from the bottom to the object to be bathed, so as to drive the bath fluid flowing along the first flow direction; the second directional airflow nozzle is disposed at the side of the cylinder (1), and the airflow direction of the second directional airflow nozzle is from the side to the object to be bathed, so as to drive the bath fluid flowing along the second flow direction.

4. The bathing machine (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The cylinder body (1) includes a door panel (12) and a side wall (13). The door panel (12) is fully through from top to bottom in the height direction. The door panel (12) can rotate left and right or up and down relative to the side wall (13) so that the door panel (12) can be opened or closed relative to the side wall (13). The door panel (12) and / or the side wall (13) are assembled as multiple assembly units to form the cylinder body (1).

5. The bathing machine (100) as described in claim 4, characterized in that, The sidewall (13) facing the object being bathed has an inner surface with ridges that can guide the bathing fluid flowing tangentially along the inner surface toward the object being bathed.

6. The bathing machine (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: A top gantry assembly (4) is located at the top of the bathing space (11) defined by the tub body (1); the top gantry assembly (4) is provided with: A first spray drying assembly (41) is configured to spray towards the back of the person being bathed; and / or The second spray drying assembly (42) is configured to blow air towards the chest of the person being bathed.

7. The bathing machine (100) as described in claim 6, characterized in that, Also includes: A first shampooing device (51) is provided in the top frame assembly with a shampooing device fixing platform (511) and a movable lower platform (512), a motor-driven shampooing cover (513) mounted on the movable lower platform (512), and a multi-branch comb (514) capable of swinging at the top of the head; or includes The second shampooing device (52) includes a helmet (521) and a drive mechanism (522). The helmet (521) can be driven by the drive mechanism (522) to move up and down. The inner wall of the top of the helmet (521) is provided with a herringbone comb tooth (523), and the inner wall of the rear side of the helmet (521) is provided with horizontally arranged comb teeth (524).

8. The bathing machine (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Also includes: The seat (3) includes a mobile wheelchair (30) having a multi-segment seat (31), a chin rest (32), and a fixed foot (33).

9. The bathing machine (100) as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes an optimal water depth measurement and control device (6), which can detect the shoulder height of the person being bathed and output the shoulder height to control the height of the bathing fluid in the bathing space (11) as the shoulder height.

10. A bathing method, characterized in that, The bathing machine (100) as described in any one of claims 1-9 includes the following steps: The person being bathed, sitting in a mobile wheelchair (30), is pushed into the tub (1) and secured; Start the first shampoo device (51) or the second shampoo device (52) to wash the head of the person being bathed; After activating the spraying function of the first spray drying assembly (41) and / or the second spray drying assembly (42), spraying and injecting bathing fluid into the cylinder (1), activate the fluid drive unit (2) to bathe the body parts of the person being bathed. The spray function of the first spray drying assembly (41) and / or the second spray drying assembly (42) is activated and then switched to the drying function to rinse and dry the entire body of the person being bathed.

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