JP3958470B2 - Shower equipment - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a shower apparatus, and more particularly, to a shower apparatus provided with a pilot valve for opening and closing a main valve.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a shower head is provided with a hand operation unit, and the hand operation unit is operated to perform shower water discharge and water stoppage from a shower water discharge hole in the shower head.
[0003]
FIG. 5 shows an example. In the figure, reference numeral 200 denotes a valve unit, which is provided with a main valve 204 for opening and closing the main water channel 202 and a back pressure chamber 206 for pressing the main valve 204 in the valve closing direction.
Here, the back pressure chamber 206 communicates with the upstream portion of the main valve 204 in the main water channel 202 through the communication hole 224.
[0004]
A shower hose 208 extends from the valve unit 200, and a shower head 210 is connected to the tip of the shower hose 208.
The shower head 210 is provided with a pilot valve 214 that opens and closes a pilot water channel 212 communicating with the back pressure chamber 206, and a hand operation unit 216 that opens and closes the pilot valve.
The pilot water channel 212 is formed inside the tube 218 extending from the valve unit 200.
[0005]
The hand operating section 216 has a shaft 220, and when the hand operating section 216 is pushed rightward in the figure, the ball 221 is pushed downward by the shaft 220, whereby the pilot valve 214 is opened.
Then, the water in the pilot water channel 212 flows into the main water channel 202 through the through hole 222, and the pressure in the back pressure chamber 206 decreases.
As a result, the main valve 204 is opened upward in the figure by the pressure of the main water channel 202, the water in the main water channel 202 is supplied to the shower head 210, and shower water is discharged from a shower water discharge hole at the upper end (not shown).
[0006]
By the way, as a means for discharging the purified water from which tap water has been removed from the shower head 210, conventionally, a purification cartridge is disposed on the primary side of the shower hose 208, that is, on the upstream side. Through the shower head, and as shown in FIG. 6, a purification cartridge 228 is installed in the water spray member 226 in the shower head 210 as shown in FIG. There is a thing which made it discharge water from 230.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the former case, the shower hose 208 and the shower head 210 are filled with clean water that does not contain chlorine when the water is stopped, and soot and germs easily propagate on the inner surface of the shower hose 208 and the shower head 210. is there.
On the other hand, in the latter case, there is a problem that the shower head 210 is large and heavy, and the usability is deteriorated.
[0008]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The shower apparatus of the present invention has been devised to solve such problems.
Thus, according to the first aspect of the present invention, (a) a main valve that opens and closes the main water channel and (b) an upstream portion from the main valve of the main water channel through the communication hole, and the pressure generated inside A back pressure chamber that presses the main valve in the valve closing direction; (c) a pilot water channel that communicates with the back pressure chamber and a downstream portion of the main water channel from the main valve; and (d) a pilot valve that opens and closes the pilot water channel ( (E) an operation unit that opens and closes the pilot valve; and (f) a shower water discharge unit that discharges water from the main water channel, the main valve is opened by opening the pilot valve, and the pilot water channel In the shower device that joins the water in the main water channel to the shower water discharge unit, a cartridge chamber is provided in communication with the upstream portion of the pilot water channel from the pilot valve, and the pilot chamber is provided with the pilot chamber. In the waterway Characterized in that accommodating the medicine cartridge supplies.
[0009]
According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the shower device according to the first aspect, the cartridge chamber is provided with a lid that can be opened and closed, and the drug cartridge can be detached by opening and closing the lid. It is characterized by.
[0010]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the shower device according to any one of the first and second aspects, the cartridge chamber is provided adjacent to the back pressure chamber of the main valve.
[0011]
[Operation and effect of the invention]
As described above, the shower apparatus according to the first aspect is the one in which the cartridge chamber is provided in a state communicating with the pilot water channel and the upstream portion of the pilot valve and the drug cartridge is accommodated therein. When a chemical cartridge is used, the dechlorinating agent dissolves into the pilot water channel from the chemical cartridge, and the tap water in the pilot water channel becomes water having the dechlorinating agent.
Therefore, when the pilot valve is opened by the operation unit, the tap water in the pilot channel containing the dechlorinating agent flows out to the main channel and merges with the tap water in the main channel. A dechlorinating agent is supplied.
Thereby, chlorine in the tap water in the main water channel is removed by the dechlorinating agent, and the water becomes purified water and is discharged from the shower water discharge unit.
[0012]
According to the present invention, it is possible to purify the tap water in the immediate vicinity of the shower water discharger, and therefore, the portion reaching the shower head, that is, the inside of the shower hose and most of the shower head, It can be filled or circulated with the contained tap water (raw water).
Therefore, it is possible to solve the problem that buds and germs grow in the shower hose and the shower head.
[0013]
In this case, the cartridge chamber can be provided adjacent to the back pressure chamber of the main valve.
This main valve is usually arranged upstream of the shower head. Therefore, by providing a cartridge chamber adjacent to the back pressure chamber of the main valve, tap water containing chlorine is contained in the entire shower hose. Can be filled or distributed.
[0014]
The cartridge chamber can be provided with a lid that can be opened and closed (claim 2).
In this way, when the function of the medicine cartridge deteriorates due to long-term use, it can be easily replaced with a new medicine cartridge.
In the present invention, examples of the dechlorination agent include calcium sulfite and vitamin C.
[0015]
In the present invention, various drug cartridges other than the dechlorinating agent can be accommodated in the cartridge chamber.
For example, a medicine cartridge for supplying a fragrance into the pilot water channel, a medicine cartridge for supplying a cosmetic agent into the pilot water channel, and a medicine cartridge for supplying a moisturizing agent or other various medicines into the pilot water channel may be stored. it can.
[0016]
Thus, for example, if a medicine cartridge for supplying a fragrance is stored, fragrance can be imparted to the shower water, and the shower water can be used as a lotion by storing a medicine cartridge for cosmetics. Can do.
Various functions can be imparted to the shower water by storing a medicine cartridge for supplying various other components.
[0017]
【Example】
Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
1 and 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a shower head, and 12 denotes a valve unit, to which each end of a shower hose 14 is connected.
The shower head 10 includes a head main body 16 and a water spray member 18 provided at the tip thereof, and performs shower water discharge from a large number of shower water discharge holes (shower water discharge portions) 20 of the water spray member 18.
The head main body 16 is provided with a hand operating portion 22 at a position close to the shower water discharge hole 20.
[0018]
The valve unit 12 has a body 24 as shown in FIG. 2, a main valve 28 comprising a piston valve for opening and closing the main water passage 26 therein, and a closing direction of the main valve 28 (FIG. 2). A back pressure chamber 30 that presses in the middle and upward direction is provided.
[0019]
Here, the main valve 28 is provided with a communication hole 32 for communicating the upstream portion of the main valve 28 in the main water channel 26 with the back pressure chamber 30. When the main water channel 26 is closed by the main valve 28, the main valve 28 is closed. The water pressure in the water channel 26 is guided to the back pressure chamber 30.
[0020]
In the shower head 10, a pilot valve 34 is disposed in the valve case 36 on the main water channel 26, and one end side (lower end side in the figure) communicates with the back pressure chamber 30 by the pilot valve 34. The pilot water channel 40 whose other end side (upper end side) communicates with the main water channel 26 through the through hole 38 is opened and closed.
Here, the pilot water channel 40 is formed inside a tube 42 extending from the valve unit 12.
[0021]
The hand operating part 22 is a part for opening and closing the pilot valve 34, and has a pair of left and right input parts 44 and a shaft 46 connecting them.
In this example, when the hand operating portion 22 is pushed rightward in the figure, the pilot valve 34 is pushed downward via the ball 48 and the pilot water channel 40 is opened.
On the other hand, when the hand operating section 22 is pushed in the leftward direction in the drawing to the state shown in FIG. 2, the pilot valve 34 is pushed upward in the drawing and the pilot water channel 40 is closed.
[0022]
Inside the valve unit 12, a cartridge chamber 50 is provided adjacent to the back pressure chamber 30 and communicating with the back pressure chamber 30, and a drug for eluting the dechlorinating agent into the pilot water channel 40 there. A cartridge 52 is accommodated.
The cartridge chamber 50 can be opened and closed by a cap (lid) 54. The cap 54 is screwed to the other side.
[0023]
Next, the operation of the shower apparatus of this example will be described with reference to FIGS.
In the shower apparatus of this example, when the pilot valve 34 is in the closed state as shown in FIG. 2, the main valve 28 is closed by the pressure from the back pressure chamber 30.
[0024]
In this state, when the hand operating section 22 is pushed rightward in the drawing as shown in FIG. 3, the pilot valve 34 is pushed downward to open, and the water inside the pilot water channel 40 passes through the through hole 38 to the main water channel. To 26. As a result, the pressure inside the back pressure chamber 30 is weakened, and the main valve 28 is opened downward in the figure by the pressure from the main water channel 26.
Here, the main water channel 26 is opened, tap water is supplied to the shower head 10, and then shower water is discharged from the shower water discharge hole 20 at the tip.
[0025]
Next, when the hand operating section 22 is pushed again in the left direction in the figure, the pilot valve 34 is pushed upward to close, and the pilot water channel 40 is closed. Then, the pressure inside the back pressure chamber 30 increases, and the main valve 28 is pushed upward in the figure to perform the valve closing operation.
Thereby, supply of the tap water to the shower head 10 stops, and the shower water discharge from the shower water discharge hole 20 stops.
[0026]
In the case of the shower device of this example, the dechlorinating agent held in the medicine cartridge 52 is supplied into the pilot water channel 40 under the state shown in FIG. 2, that is, the state where the pilot valve 34 and the main valve 28 are closed. The tap water in the pilot water channel 40 becomes water containing a dechlorinating agent.
[0027]
Therefore, when the pilot valve 34 is subsequently opened, the water in the pilot water channel 40 containing the dechlorinating agent flows into the main water channel 26, and the main water channel 26 that has flowed into the shower head 10 by opening the main valve 28 there. The shower water is discharged from the shower water discharge hole 20 by merging with the tap water inside.
At this time, the tap water discharged from the shower water discharge hole 20 is dechlorinated by the dechlorinating agent flowing out from the pilot water channel 40 and becomes purified water and is discharged from the shower water discharge hole 20.
[0028]
Next, when the hand operation unit 22 is closed again to stop the flow, the dechlorinating agent elutes again from the drug cartridge 52 into the tap water in the pilot water channel 40, and the tap water in the pilot water channel 40 is again dechlorinated. It will contain a lot.
[0029]
Even during the shower water discharge, part of the tap water flowing from the inlet 56 of the valve unit 12 flows into the cartridge chamber 50 and then flows into the pilot water channel 40, so the shower water discharge continues. Then, the dechlorinating agent from the medicine cartridge 52 is continuously supplied into the main water channel 26 inside the shower head 10.
[0030]
According to this example, it is possible to purify the tap water in the immediate vicinity of the shower water discharge hole 20, and therefore, the part reaching the shower water discharge hole 20, that is, the inside of the shower hose 14 and most of the shower head 10. The inside can be filled or circulated with tap water (raw water) containing chlorine.
Therefore, it is possible to solve the problem that buds and germs grow in the shower hose 14 and the shower head 10.
[0031]
Further, since the main valve 28 is disposed upstream of the shower head 10, the cartridge chamber 50 is provided adjacent to the back pressure chamber 30 of the main valve 28 as in this example, so that the interior of the shower hose 14 is increased. It is possible to fill or distribute tap water containing chlorine as a whole.
[0032]
In this example, a cap 54 is provided in the cartridge chamber 50, and when the function of the drug cartridge 52 deteriorates due to long-term use, it can be easily replaced with a new drug cartridge by opening and closing the cap.
[0033]
Although the embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail above, this is merely an example, and the present invention can be applied to various shower devices other than the above examples, and various modifications are made without departing from the gist thereof. Can be configured.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a shower apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of the shower device of FIG. 1. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing one action state of the shower device of the same embodiment.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an operation state different from that of FIG. 3 of the shower apparatus of the same embodiment.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a main part of an example of a conventional shower device.
FIG. 6 is a view showing an example of a shower head provided with a purification cartridge inside a watering member.
[Explanation of symbols]
20 Shower spout (shower spout)
22 Hand operating section 26 Main water channel 28 Main valve 30 Back pressure chamber 32 Communication hole 34 Pilot valve 40 Pilot water channel 50 Cartridge chamber 52 Drug cartridge 54 Cap (lid)

Claims (3)

(B) A main valve that opens and closes the main water channel and (b) a back that communicates with the upstream portion of the main water channel through the communication hole and presses the main valve in the valve closing direction by the pressure generated inside. A pressure chamber, (c) a pilot water channel communicating with the back pressure chamber and a downstream portion of the main water channel from the main valve, (d) a pilot valve for opening / closing the pilot water channel, and (e) an operation for opening / closing the pilot valve And (f) a shower water discharger for discharging water from the main water channel, the main valve is opened by opening the pilot valve, and the water in the pilot water channel is converted into water in the main water channel In the shower device that joins and leads to the shower water discharge unit,
A shower apparatus, wherein a cartridge chamber is provided in a state communicating with an upstream portion of the pilot water channel from the pilot valve, and a chemical cartridge for supplying a predetermined component into the pilot water channel is accommodated in the cartridge chamber. 2. The shower device according to claim 1, wherein a lid that can be opened and closed is provided in the cartridge chamber, and the medicine cartridge is detachable by opening and closing the lid. The shower apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge chamber is provided adjacent to a back pressure chamber of the main valve.

Images