JP2015169030A - Human body local cleaning equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a human body local cleaning device capable of removing heat insulating materials such as bubbles and scales generated in a heater with a simple configuration. A main valve 10 for opening and closing a water supply path 11 from a water source S, a tank 20 provided on the downstream side of the main valve 10, and a pump provided on the downstream side of the tank 20 for drawing water in the tank 20 30, a cleaning nozzle 50 provided on the downstream side of the pump 30 and ejecting water to a local part of the human body, and the pump 30 is driven in a state where the main valve 10 closes the water supply passage 11. And a control means 70 for controlling the tank cleaning operation for opening the water supply channel 11. [Selection] Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a human body local cleaning device including a cleaning nozzle for cleaning a local part of a human body.

  Patent Document 1 listed below describes a human body local cleaning device provided with means (mesh) for breaking bubbles on the downstream side of the heater and on the upstream side of the hot water temperature detecting means. The following Patent Document 2 describes a human body local cleaning device that removes heat insulating materials such as bubbles and scales generated in a heater in a tank by the action of a water flow accelerated by a spiral convex portion and a spiral spring. . As described above, various methods for removing heat insulating materials such as bubbles and scales generated in a tank provided on the upstream side of the cleaning nozzle have been proposed.

JP 2010-71073 A JP 2006-38242 A

  The apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has a problem that bubbles on the heater surface cannot be destroyed. In the apparatus described in Patent Document 2, it is difficult to remove heat insulating materials such as bubbles and scales from the gap as long as there is a gap between the spiral convex portion and the heater surface, and as long as there is a spiral spring. There is a problem that the spring contacts the heater or forms a gap having a large flow resistance between the heater and easily collects heat insulating materials such as bubbles and scales.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a human body local cleaning device capable of removing heat insulating materials such as bubbles and scales generated in a heater with a simple configuration.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, the human body local cleaning device according to the present invention includes a human body local cleaning process for cleaning a human body local part and a heat insulation generated in a heater for heating water supplied from a water source separately from the human body local cleaning process. And a heater cleaning step for flushing the substance.

  It is good to provide the tank which heats the water supplied from the said water source with the said heater, and the heater washing | cleaning means which performs the said heater washing | cleaning process.

  Examples of the heat insulating material include bubbles and / or scales.

  The heater cleaning means includes a main valve that opens and closes a water supply path from the water source, a pump that is provided on the downstream side of the tank and draws water in the tank, and the main valve closes the water supply path. It is good to provide the control means which drives the said pump and controls the heater washing | cleaning operation | movement which drives the said main valve after predetermined time progress and opens the said water supply path.

  The heater cleaning means may include a control valve that is provided on the downstream side of the pump and suppresses the movement of fluid from the downstream side to the upstream side.

  The heater cleaning means supplies the water to the tank after making the inside of the tank a negative pressure, so that the dynamic pressure of water applied to the heat insulating material is the dynamic pressure generated by the water pressure of the water source. It should be increased by the amount of dynamic pressure generated by the negative pressure.

  The heater cleaning means further includes a toilet seat and detection means for detecting that the user is seated on the toilet seat, and when the detection means detects that the user is seated on the toilet seat, the heater cleaning step It is good to execute.

  The human body local cleaning apparatus according to the present invention can remove the heat insulating material generated in the heater with a simple configuration.

  If the main valve that opens and closes the water supply path from the water source and a tank that accommodates the heater, the main valve lowers the internal pressure of the tank by driving the pump with the water supply path closed, and then the water supply path By releasing the water, water from the water source vigorously flows into the tank whose internal pressure has dropped, and the heat insulating material generated in the heater is removed. That is, by controlling the opening timing of the main valve, the heat insulating material generated in the heater is removed by increasing the water pressure flowing into the tank from the water source, so that the apparatus configuration is simple.

  If the heater cleaning process is executed when it is detected that the user is seated on the toilet seat, the water remaining in the water circuit is discharged by the cleaning operation. That is, it is possible to perform a process of discharging water remaining in the water circuit, which has been conventionally performed, together with the heater cleaning process (the residual water discharging process and the heater cleaning process are performed at a time).

1 is an external view of a human body local cleaning device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a conceptual diagram of the water circuit of the human body local cleaning apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention, and the control means which controls it. It is sectional drawing of a tank (heating apparatus).

  Hereinafter, a human body local cleaning device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. A human body local cleaning apparatus 1 whose appearance is shown in FIG. 1 and an outline of a water circuit is shown in FIG. 2 is an apparatus including a cleaning nozzle 50 for cleaning a local part of a human body. 10 (main valve), tank 20, pump 30, check valve 40, detection means 60, control means 70, and toilet seat 80.

  The main valve 10 is provided at the end of the water supply path 11 connected to the water source S, and controls the supply of water from the water source S to the tank 20. The main valve 10 may be a valve capable of adjusting the flow rate of water, or may be an on-off valve (ON / OFF control valve) for controlling whether or not to supply water to the tank 20. In the present embodiment, an open / close valve is used as the main valve 10.

  The tank 20 is a member provided on the downstream side of the main valve 10 and having a storage space 201 in which a predetermined amount of water can be stored. In the present embodiment, a heater 21 for heating water sent from the water source S is provided in the storage space 201. That is, the heating apparatus 2 having the tank 20 and the heater 21 provided in the tank 20 is constructed.

  FIG. 3 is an example of such a heating device 2. A cylindrical storage space 201 is formed in the tank 20. The heater 21 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The cylindrical heater 21 is accommodated in the storage space 201 such that the columnar storage space 201 and the central axis substantially coincide with each other. A flange portion 211 is provided at one end (water source S side) end of the heater 21, and the flange portion 211 is in close contact with one opening end surface of the storage space 201. On the opposite side of the flange portion 211 to the side where the heater 21 is connected, a cylindrical connection portion 212 is provided. The connection portion 212 and the flange portion 211 form a flow path that continues to the inside of the heater 21. A joint 213 is inserted into the connection part 212. A water supply hose constituting a water channel downstream of the main valve 10 is directly or indirectly connected to the joint 213. When the water supply passage 11 is opened by the main valve 10, the water sent from the water source S flows into the heater 21 through the flow path formed by the joint 213, the connection portion 212, and the flange portion 211.

  A gap of a predetermined size exists between the inner bottom surface of the storage space 201 of the tank 20 and the other end surface of the heater 21 (the end surface opposite to the side to which the flange portion 211 is connected). Further, a gap of a predetermined size exists between the inner peripheral surface of the storage space 201 and the outer peripheral surface of the heater 21. An outlet 202 of the storage space 201 is formed on the flange portion 211 side on the inner peripheral surface of the storage space 201. The water that flows into the heater 21 passes through a gap between the inner bottom surface of the storage space 201 of the tank 20 and the other end surface of the heater 21 and makes a U-turn so as to make a U-turn and the heater 21. Flows into the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the storage space 201 and the outlet 202 of the storage space 201. The water sent from the water source S is heated while passing through the inside and outside of the heater 21. If the direction of the water flow in the tank 20 changes in this way, the flow velocity at the location where the flow direction changes is reduced, so that heat insulating materials such as bubbles and scales remain in the location. It's easy to do.

  The pump 30 is provided on the downstream side of the tank 20. The pump 30 may be anything as long as it draws water in the tank 20 (in the storage space 201) (lowers the internal pressure of the tank 20) and sends it to the downstream (washing nozzle 50) as a predetermined water pressure. Good. In this embodiment, a pulsation pump is used as the pump 30. The pulsation pump ejects from the cleaning nozzle 50 even if the water heated instantaneously in the tank 20 is reduced so that the pressure and / or thickness of the cleaning water ejected from the cleaning nozzle 50 rises and falls at a predetermined interval. This is to make the user feel a flow rate such that the flow rate of washing water is large, and to improve the comfort during local washing. As such a pulsation pump, a known one (for example, a pulsation pump described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-63989 (referred to as a pulsation valve in the publication)) can be applied, and a description of a specific structure is omitted. Instead of the pulsating pump, a gear pump that is used by gradually increasing or decreasing the rotation speed of the gear periodically may be used.

  In the present embodiment, the flow detection device 90 is provided on the upstream side of the pump 30 and the downstream side of the tank 20. The flow detection device 90 is a part of a safety device for preventing the heater 21 from emptying when the flow rate of water flowing out of the tank 20 is a predetermined amount or less.

  A check valve 40 is provided on the downstream side of the pump 30. The check valve 40 allows the flow of the fluid output from the pump 30 and blocks the flow of the opposite fluid (fluid from the downstream side to the upstream side). The check valve 40 may be integrated with the pump 30.

  A cleaning nozzle 50 is provided on the downstream side of the check valve 40. In the present embodiment, a flow rate adjusting valve and a plurality of cleaning nozzles 50 (for example, a buttocks cleaning nozzle and a bidet cleaning nozzle) are provided on the downstream side of the check valve 40 and the upstream side of the cleaning nozzle 50. In this case, a switching valve for switching the cleaning nozzle 50 for sending water is provided (in FIG. 2, these are shown as the nozzle unit 51). The water output from the pump 30 is ejected toward the local part of the human body from the ejection port of the cleaning nozzle 50 that has advanced from the original position to the predetermined position. Since a well-known nozzle can be used as the cleaning nozzle 50, a detailed description of the structure is omitted.

  The detecting means 60 is a seating sensor that detects that a person (user) who wants to add a foot is seated on the toilet seat 80 (seat portion 81). As the detection means 60, various known sensors such as an infrared sensor can be used. As long as it is possible to detect that the user is seated on the toilet seat 80, the type of sensor and the mounting position are not limited.

  The control means 70 is a control unit of a device including a microcomputer. In the present embodiment, at least opening / closing (ON / OFF) of the water supply passage 11 by the main valve 10 and ON / OFF of the pump 30 are controlled. Further, the control means 70 can recognize whether or not there is a person sitting on the toilet seat 80 (seat portion 81) by a signal sent from the detection means 60.

  The toilet seat 80 includes a seat portion 81 on which a user is seated and a main body portion 82 provided behind the seat portion 81. A housing space of a predetermined size is formed in the main body portion 82, and each of the members constituting the device is housed in the housing space. As the cleaning nozzle 50 moves forward, a part of the tip end side is exposed to the outside of the accommodation space, and cleaning water is ejected from a jet port formed on the tip end side (see FIG. 1). The toilet seat 80 may have a configuration in which the seat portion 81 rotates with respect to the main body portion 82 (a configuration in which the main body portion 82 is fixed to the toilet bowl), or a configuration in which the main body portion 82 rotates together with the seat portion 81 (seat. The configuration in which the portion 81 and the main body portion 82 are integrated may be used.

  The local cleaning apparatus according to the present embodiment having the above-described configuration can perform the following heater cleaning operation. In the present embodiment, the heater cleaning operation is executed when a user sitting on the toilet seat 80 (seat portion 81) is detected. When the control means 70 receives a signal indicating that a user sitting on the toilet seat 80 has been detected from the detection means 60, the control means 70 positions the main valve 10 in the closed position and closes the water supply channel 11 (water source S). The pump 30 is driven in a state where the supply of water from is stopped) (first step). Since the flow path on the upstream side of the tank 20 is closed, the water and air in the tank 20 are drawn by the pump 30, and the internal pressure of the tank 20 (storage space 201) gradually decreases. That is, the inside of the tank 20 becomes negative pressure. Since the check valve 40 is provided on the downstream side of the pump 30, the internal pressure of the tank 20 is maintained even if the pump 30 is stopped.

  After continuing this state for a predetermined time, the control means 70 positions the main valve 10 in the open position and opens the water supply channel 11 (second step). Then, the water from the water source S flows into the tank 20 where the internal pressure is reduced (becomes negative pressure). That is, the momentum (dynamic pressure) of water flowing from the water source S into the tank 20 (storage space 201) is reduced by driving the pump 30 while the water supply channel 11 is closed to reduce the internal pressure of the tank 20. Increase. Thereby, heat insulating substances such as bubbles and scales generated in the heater 21 (retained in the tank 20) are discharged from the outlet 202 of the storage space 201.

  As described above, the human body local cleaning device 1 according to the present embodiment controls the opening timing of the main valve 10 by the control means 70, thereby increasing the water pressure flowing from the water source S to the tank 20 and generating it in the heater 21 (tank Since the insulating material such as bubbles and scales (retained in 20) is removed, it is not necessary to add a special configuration for removing the insulating materials such as bubbles and scale, and the apparatus configuration is simple. Such removal of heat insulating materials such as bubbles and scales is particularly effective when the storage space 201 in the tank 20 is a heating space for heating water as in the present embodiment, because it leads to an improvement in heating efficiency. Further, as in the present embodiment, it is particularly effective when there is a location in the tank 20 where the direction of water flow in which heat insulating substances such as bubbles and scales are likely to stay is changed.

  In addition, when the valve which can adjust the flow volume of water is used as the main valve 10, the water supply path 11 should just be largely opened by the main valve 10 after reducing the internal pressure of the tank 20. The greater the degree of opening, the greater the momentum of water flowing into the tank 20.

  In the cleaning device having a function of adjusting the temperature of the cleaning water ejected from the cleaning nozzle 50, it is detected that the user is seated on the toilet seat 80 so that the water (cold water) remaining in the water circuit is not ejected to the local area as it is. In general, an operation of discharging the remaining water (residual water discharging operation) is executed. In addition, even if it does not have a function of adjusting the temperature of the washing water, it is considered that the old water remaining in the water circuit is discharged when it is detected that the user is seated on the toilet seat 80. It is done. In the present embodiment, the water remaining in the water circuit is discharged by the heater cleaning operation described above. That is, if the heater cleaning operation is executed, the remaining water discharging operation is automatically executed (the heater cleaning operation also serves as the remaining water discharging operation).

  With the above configuration and operation, it becomes possible to sweep away the heat insulating materials such as bubbles and scales generated in the heater 21 in the tank 20 at a stretch, and improve the heat conduction from the heater 21 to the water (reduce the heat from the heat insulating material). Thus, it is possible to prevent the heater 21 from being damaged due to a local abnormal temperature rise on the surface of the heater 21 or a thermal shock caused by subsequent contact with water. Furthermore, it becomes possible to configure the heater cleaning means with the minimum necessary components in the instant hot water supply type human body local cleaning device 1 shown in the above embodiment of the present invention, and the spiral convex portion, the spiral spring, A small, lightweight, easy to assemble and inexpensive configuration that does not require a special heater cleaning means component such as a mesh can be achieved.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described in detail, this invention is not limited to the said embodiment at all, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the check valve 40 (control valve) is provided on the downstream side of the pump 30, but the main valve is eliminated while the check valve 40 is abolished by changing the pump 30 from a pulsation pump to a gear pump. 10 and the gear pump may be configured to have a negative pressure, or the check valve 40 may be configured as an orifice (control valve) and the main valve 10 and the orifice may be configured to have a negative pressure. Also by these modifications, the internal pressure of the tank 20 can be maintained at a negative pressure from when the pump 30 is stopped until the main valve 10 is opened. In addition, it is possible to further reduce the components of the cleaning means.

1 Human body local cleaning device 10 Main valve (heater cleaning means)
11 Water supply path 20 Tank 21 Heater 30 Pump 40 Check valve (heater cleaning means, control valve)
50 Washing nozzle 60 Detection means 70 Control means 80 Toilet seat S Water source

Claims (7)

A human body part cleaning process for cleaning the human body part;
Separately from the human body local washing step, a heater washing step for sweeping away a heat insulating material generated in a heater for heating water supplied from a water source,
A human body local cleaning device. A tank for heating water supplied from the water source with the heater;
A heater cleaning means for performing the heater cleaning step;
The human body local cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:   The human body local cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the heat insulating material is a bubble and / or a scale. The heater cleaning means includes
A main valve for opening and closing a water supply channel from the water source;
A pump provided on the downstream side of the tank and for drawing water in the tank;
Control means for driving the pump with the main valve closing the water supply channel, and controlling the heater cleaning operation for opening the water supply channel by driving the main valve after a predetermined time;
The human body local cleaning apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, comprising: The heater cleaning means includes
The human body local cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, further comprising a control valve that is provided on a downstream side of the pump and suppresses movement of a fluid from the downstream side toward the upstream side. The heater cleaning means includes
By supplying water to the tank after making the inside of the tank negative pressure, the dynamic pressure generated by the negative pressure relative to the dynamic pressure generated by the water pressure of the water source is increased. The human body local cleaning device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the cleaning device is increased by a pressure. The heater cleaning means further includes a toilet seat and detection means for detecting that a user is seated on the toilet seat,
The human body local cleaning device according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the heater cleaning step is executed when the detection unit detects that a user is seated on the toilet seat.

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