JP4620004B2 - Mist sauna equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a mist sauna device that can make a bathroom in a mist sauna state.

  Conventionally, this type of mist sauna apparatus is generally configured to spray water from a mist nozzle facing a bathroom. By the way, the particle size of the mist sprayed from the mist nozzle is not constant, and a water droplet mist having a large particle size is also sprayed from the mist nozzle. In the above conventional example, water is directly sprayed into the bathroom from the mist nozzle, so that the water droplet mist having a large particle size may hit the bather and give an uncomfortable feeling.

  In order to eliminate such problems, a mist sauna conventionally provided with a mist ventilation path, a mist fan that circulates bathroom air through the mist ventilation path, and a mist nozzle that sprays hot water in the mist ventilation path. An apparatus is also known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). According to this, mist with a large particle size cannot survive the airflow in the mist ventilation passage, and the mist in the air blown into the bathroom from the mist ventilation passage is limited to those with a substantially small particle size, which is in the form of water droplets. Can prevent the mist from hitting the bather.

  Furthermore, in the thing of patent document 1, the drain receiver which accumulates the drain water which the mist sprayed from the mist nozzle condensed in the ventilation path for mist, the drainage pump which sucks up drain water from a drain receiver, and a drain receiver A water level electrode for detecting the water level in the inside, and when a water level of a predetermined level or higher is detected by the water level electrode, the drain pump is operated to supply drain water to the mist nozzle again.

  Conventionally, as a shower device for the purpose of washing the skin of the body, one that supplies ionic water of one polarity of alkaline and acidic generated in an electrolytic cell to a shower head is known (for example, , See Patent Document 2). According to this, it is possible to eject alkaline ionic water from the shower head, and to remove fats and proteins of skin waste products by the alkali cleaning effect, and to eject acidic ionic water from the shower head, The skin surface can be sterilized. Also in the mist sauna device, ionic water of one polarity of alkaline and acidic generated in the electrolytic cell is supplied to the mist nozzle, and the cleaning effect by spraying alkaline ionic water and sterilization by spraying acidic ionic water It is desirable to obtain an effect.

By the way, when using an electrolytic cell in this way, it is desired to monitor whether or not water is appropriately electrolyzed in the electrolytic cell, and to stop spraying ionic water when an electrolysis failure occurs. In this case, a means for detecting the electrical resistance of the ionic water is arranged in the nozzle channel for supplying the ionic water generated in the electrolytic cell to the mist nozzle, and the quality of the electrolytic state is determined based on the detected electrical resistance. It is possible. However, this is not practical because the pressure loss in the nozzle channel increases due to the influence of the detection means, and further there is a risk of water leakage from the location where the detection means is installed.
JP 2000-55397 A JP-A-9-187390

  The present invention focuses on the fact that ion water sprayed from a mist nozzle condenses and accumulates in a drain receiver in a mist sauna device having a mist ventilation channel, and determines whether the electrolytic state is good without disposing a detection means in the nozzle water channel. An object of the present invention is to provide a mist sauna device with an electrolytic cell that can be discriminated.

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a mist ventilation path, a mist fan that circulates bathroom air through the mist ventilation path, a mist nozzle that sprays water into the mist ventilation path, A mist sauna device comprising a drain receiver for collecting drain water generated by condensation of mist sprayed from a mist nozzle in a mist air passage, wherein the electrolytic cell and one of alkaline and acidic generated in the electrolytic cell The nozzle water passage for supplying ion water of the polarity to the mist nozzle, a drain pump for sucking the drain water from the drain receiver, and a water level electrode for detecting the water level in the drain receiver to control the drain pump, Resistance detecting means for detecting the electrical resistance of the drain water in the inside, and whether the electrolysis state of the water in the electrolytic cell is good or not based on the electrical resistance of the drain water detected by the resistance detecting means. And a separate discriminating unit, the water level electrode is also used as a resistance detection means, characterized in Rukoto.

  According to the present invention, the ionic water generated in the electrolytic cell is sprayed into the mist ventilation passage through the nozzle water passage and the mist nozzle, and the drain water accumulated in the drain receiver also becomes ionic water. Therefore, the electrical resistance of drain water is a parameter representing the electrical resistance of ionic water generated in the electrolytic cell. Therefore, the quality of the electrolyzed state of the water in the electrolytic cell can be accurately determined based on the electrical resistance of the drain water. Even if the resistance detection means is arranged in the drain receiver, there is no problem such as an increase in pressure loss or water leakage from the location where the resistance detection means is installed, which is far more than when the resistance detection means is installed in the nozzle channel. It is practical.

In particular, as in the present invention, lever to also serves as a water level electrode resistance detecting means, it is not necessary to the resistance detection means separately provided, to reduce the number of parts can reduce the cost, it is very reasonable.

  Although it is possible to provide a tank-shaped drain receiver separate from the mist ventilation path, it is desirable to configure the drain receiver at the bottom of the mist ventilation path in order to achieve compactness and cost reduction. . In this case, if the water level electrode is simply arranged in the mist ventilation path, mist of ionic water sprayed from the mist nozzle is applied to the water level electrode, which may cause erroneous detection. On the other hand, a detection chamber surrounded by a shielding member that prevents intrusion of mist sprayed from the mist nozzle is defined in a part of the mist ventilation path, and the drain accumulated in the bottom of the mist ventilation path is formed in the shielding member. If a communication hole for aligning the water level with the water level in the detection chamber is formed and a water level electrode is arranged in the detection chamber, erroneous detection due to mist can be prevented.

  In the embodiment to be described later, what corresponds to the determination means is processing in step S5 in FIG.

  1 and 2 show a bathroom heater provided with a mist sauna device according to an embodiment of the present invention. This bathroom heater includes a box-shaped housing 1 installed on the ceiling of the bathroom. In the housing 1, there are an air inflow chamber 4 communicating with the inside of the bathroom via a suction port 3 formed in the lower cover 2 provided on the lower surface of the housing 1, and a heating ventilation path 5 communicating with the inflow chamber 4. Is provided. At the downstream end of the ventilation passage 5 for heating, there is provided a heating outlet 6 that opens downward into the bathroom, and a variable louver 6a is attached to the outlet 6.

  A heating fan 7 is interposed in the heating air passage 5. By the rotation of the heating fan 7, the air in the bathroom is sucked into the heating air passage 5 from the suction port 3 through the air inflow chamber 4, and blown out from the heating outlet 6 into the bathroom. That is, the air in the bathroom is circulated through the ventilation passage 5 for heating.

  Further, a radiator 8 is provided at a communication portion with the air inflow chamber 4 on the upstream side of the heating air passage 5. A heat medium circulation path 9 connected to a heat source machine (not shown) is connected to the radiator 8. A heating medium valve 10 is interposed in the heating medium circulation path 9, and a heating medium (water, antifreeze liquid, etc.) heated by the heat source device is supplied to the radiator 8 by opening the heating medium valve 10. Is done. When the heating medium is supplied to the radiator 8 and the heating fan 7 is operated, the air in the bathroom is sucked from the inlet 3 and heated by the radiator 8, and becomes hot air from the outlet 6 for heating. To be blown. Moreover, the blowing direction of the warm air is appropriately changed by the variable louver 6a.

  In the housing 1, there is further provided a mist air passage 11 that is located below the heating air passage 5 and communicates with the air inflow chamber 4. The mist ventilation path 11 is constituted by a duct, and a side wall portion on one side of the duct is located on a side immediately below the heating outlet 6. A mist outlet 12 at the downstream end of the mist ventilation passage 11 is opened at the upper portion of the side wall. Further, a mist fan 13 is provided at a communication portion with the air inflow chamber 4 on the upstream side of the mist ventilation path 11. The rotation of the mist fan 13 causes the air in the bathroom to circulate not only through the ventilation passage 5 for heating but also through the ventilation passage 11 for mist.

  A mist nozzle 14 for spraying water is mounted on the upper wall surface of the mist ventilation path 11 as shown in FIGS. The mist sprayed from the mist nozzle 14 into the mist air passage 11 is blown out from the mist outlet 12 on the air current generated in the mist air passage 11 by the rotation of the mist fan 13. Here, the water droplet-like mist having a large particle size does not survive the air current, but condenses on the wall surface of the mist ventilation passage 11. Therefore, the mist blown from the mist outlet 12 is limited to those having a small particle diameter. Then, the mist blown out from the mist outlet 12 rides on the warm air blown out from the heating outlet 6 into the bathroom.

  A mist unit 15 is mounted on the upper surface of the housing 1. The mist unit 15 is provided with an electrolytic cell 16 as shown in FIG. The electrolytic cell 16 is partitioned into a first and second pair of electrode chambers 16b and 16c by a diaphragm 16a, and a DC voltage is applied between a pair of electrodes (not shown) disposed in the electrode chambers 16b and 16c. As a result, alkaline ionic water (alkaline water) is generated in the first electrode chamber 16b, and acidic ionic water (acid water) is generated in the second electrode chamber 16c.

  The electrolytic water 16 is supplied with tap water through a water supply passage 17 provided with a water supply valve 18 and a filter 19 on the downstream side thereof. Moreover, the nozzle water channel 20 connected to the mist nozzle 14 and the drainage channel 21 leading to the sewage pipe of the house are provided, and the bipolar chambers 16b and 16c of the electrolytic cell 16 are connected to the nozzle water channel 20 and the drainage channel 21 via the four-way valve 22. I try to connect. The four-way valve 22 connects the first electrode chamber 16b to the nozzle channel 20 and connects the second electrode chamber 16c to the drain channel 21, and connects the second electrode chamber 16c to the nozzle channel 20 and the first electrode chamber 16c. It is possible to switch between a second connection state in which the unipolar chamber 16 b is connected to the drainage channel 21 and a third connection state in which the first and second bipolar chambers 16 b and 16 c are connected to the nozzle water channel 20.

  A liquid heat exchanger 23 and a mist valve 24 on the downstream side are interposed in the nozzle water passage 20, and the temperature of the portion of the nozzle water passage 20 between the liquid heat exchanger 23 and the mist valve 24 is further provided. There is provided a mist temperature sensor 25 for detecting. A heat medium circulation path 9 ′ branched from the heat medium circulation path 9 is connected to the liquid heat exchanger 23, and a mist heat medium valve 26 including a flow rate adjusting valve is connected to the heat medium circulation path 9 ′. It is installed. Thus, the heat medium heated by the heat source device is supplied to the liquid heat exchanger 23 by opening the mist heat medium valve 26, and the water flowing in the nozzle water channel 20 is heated by the heat of the heat medium in the liquid heat exchanger 23. It is heated and supplied as hot water to the mist nozzle 14.

  The bottom of the mist ventilation path 11 is configured as a drain receiver 27 that accumulates drain water generated by condensation of mist sprayed from the mist nozzle 14 in the mist ventilation path 11. A drain water drain passage 21 ′ connected to the drain receiver 27 and joining the drain passage 21 is provided, and a drain pump 28 is interposed in the drain passage 21 ′. Thus, drain water is sucked up from the drain receiver 27 and drained by the operation of the drain pump 28.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3, a detection chamber 29 surrounded by a box-shaped shielding member 29 a that prevents intrusion of mist sprayed from the mist nozzle 14 is defined in a part of the mist ventilation path 11. Yes. The shielding member 29 a is formed with a communication hole 29 b for aligning the water level of the drain water accumulated in the drain receiver 27 formed at the bottom of the ventilation passage 11 for mist and the water level in the detection chamber 29. In order to prevent the mist from entering the detection chamber 29 through the communication hole 29b at the start of spraying from the mist nozzle 14, the detection chamber 29 is used for mist upstream of the installation position of the mist nozzle 14 in the blowing direction. It is provided in the portion of the ventilation path 11.

  In the detection chamber 29, when the water level of the drain water rises to the lowest water level at which the drainage pump 28 can be operated, a pair of low water level electrodes 30L, 30L that touch the water surface, and the water level of the drain water from the mist outlet 12 A pair of high water level electrodes 30H and 30H that touch the water surface when the water level rises to a level slightly lower than the overflowing water level are arranged.

  The heating fan 7, the heating medium valve 10, the electrolytic cell 16, the water supply valve 18, the four-way valve 22, the mist valve 24, the mist heat medium valve 26, and the drain pump 28 are controlled by a controller 31 for a bathroom heater. Is done. The controller 31 is communicably connected to a controller for a heat source machine and a remote controller for a bathroom heater installed in the bathroom. And when the mist switch provided in the remote controller is turned on, the mist operation control by the controller 31 is executed.

  In the mist operation control, an operation command is sent to the heat source device, and the heating medium valve 10 and the mist heat medium valve 26 are opened so that the heat medium heated by the heat source device is heated with the radiator 8 and liquid heat. To the exchanger 23. When the preheating of the radiator 8 and the liquid heat exchanger 23 is completed, the heating fan 7 is rotated and the water supply valve 18 and the mist valve 24 are opened. Thereby, while warm air blows off from the heating outlet 6, hot water heated by the liquid heat exchanger 23 is supplied to the mist nozzle 14, and the hot water mist sprayed from the mist nozzle 14 rides on the warm air. Supplied to the bathroom, the bathroom becomes a hot and humid mist sauna. During the mist operation, temperature control is performed to adjust the flow rate of the heat medium supplied to the liquid heat exchanger 23 by the mist heat medium valve 26 so that the temperature detected by the mist temperature sensor 25 is maintained at the set temperature.

  In addition, as a mist operation mode by a remote controller, a combined mode in which alkaline water and acidic water are sprayed in order, an alkaline mode in which only alkaline water is sprayed, an acidic mode in which only acidic water is sprayed, and tap water are used as they are. The neutral mode to be sprayed can be selected. When the combined mode is selected, first, the four-way valve 22 is switched to the first connection state and the electrolytic cell 16 is energized. According to this, alkaline water generated in the first electrode chamber 16b of the electrolytic cell 16 is supplied to the nozzle water channel 20, and warm water mist of alkaline water is supplied to the bathroom to remove fat, protein, and the like from skin waste products. A cleaning effect is obtained. Then, the four-way valve 22 is switched to the second connection state after a predetermined time has elapsed. According to this, the acidic water produced | generated in the 2nd electrode chamber 16c of the electrolytic cell 16 is supplied to the nozzle water channel 20, the warm water mist of acidic water is supplied to a bathroom, and the sterilization effect of the skin surface is acquired. When the alkaline mode is selected, the four-way valve 22 is maintained in the first connection state, and when the acidic mode is selected, the four-way valve 22 is maintained in the second connection state. When the neutral mode is selected, the four-way valve 22 is switched to the third connection state without energizing the electrolytic cell 16, and tap water is supplied to the nozzle channel 20 as it is.

  Further, the controller 31 executes drainage / electrolysis monitoring control for monitoring the control of the drainage pump 28 and the electrolysis state of water in the electrolytic cell 16 during the mist operation. The details are as shown in FIG. 4. First, in step S1, it is determined whether or not power is supplied between the low water level electrodes 30L and 30L. When the water level of the drain water in the drain receiver 27 rises and the low water level electrodes 30L and 30L come into contact with the water surface, the low water level electrodes 30L and 30L are energized via the drain water. When power is not supplied between the low water level electrodes 30L and 30L, the drain pump 28 is stopped in step S2, and the process returns to step S1. When power is supplied, the process proceeds to step S3 to operate the drain pump 28. Drain the drain water.

  Next, in step S4, it is determined whether or not the mist operation mode is a neutral mode. If the mist operation mode is not a neutral mode, that is, ions of one polarity of alkaline and acidic generated in the electrolytic cell 16 are obtained. If it is a mode in which water is sprayed, the process proceeds to step S5, and it is determined whether or not the electrical resistance of the drain water determined from the current value flowing between the low water level electrodes 30L and 30L is within an appropriate range. Here, in the mode in which the ionic water is sprayed, the drain water accumulated in the drain receiver 27 is also ionic water, so the electrical resistance of the drain water is a parameter representing the electrical resistance of the ionic water generated in the electrolytic cell 16. Therefore, the quality of the electrolyzed state of the water in the electrolytic cell 16 can be accurately determined based on the electrical resistance of the drain water detected by the low water level electrodes 30L and 30L. Specifically, when the electrolytic cell 16 is in an overelectrolyzed state in which water is excessively electrolyzed, the electrical resistance of the drain water is smaller than the appropriate range, and the electrolytic cell 16 is in an insufficiently electrolyzed state in which water is not sufficiently electrolyzed. Sometimes the electrical resistance of the drain water is larger than the appropriate range. Therefore, when the electrical resistance of the drain water is not within the appropriate range, it is determined that the electrolytic state is defective, and a display notifying the electrolytic failure is performed by the remote controller in step S6.

  When it is in the neutral mode and when the electric resistance of the drain water is within an appropriate range, the process proceeds to step S7, and it is determined whether or not electricity is supplied between the high water level electrodes 30H and 30H. Here, the drain water level in the drain receiver 27 is not so high as to touch the high water level electrodes 30H and 30H unless a drainage failure such as an abnormality of the drainage pump 28 or a clogging of the drainage water drain 21 'occurs. Does not rise. Therefore, when power is supplied between the high water level electrodes 30H and 30H, a display notifying the drainage failure is performed by the remote controller in step S8.

  If it is not energized between the high water level electrodes 30H, 30H, it is determined in step S9 whether or not a mist operation stop command has been issued. The stop command is issued when the mist switch is turned off or when a predetermined operation set time has elapsed from the start of the mist operation. Until a stop command is issued, the process returns to step S1 and the above-described processing is repeated. When a stop command is issued, the mist operation is stopped in step S10 and the drainage pump 28 is stopped. Further, when the electrolytic failure is displayed in the step of S6 or when the defective drainage is displayed in the step of S8, the process proceeds to the step of S10 and the mist operation is stopped.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, whether the electrolysis state of the water in the electrolytic cell 16 is good or not is determined based on the electrical resistance of the drain water in the drain receiver 27, and this is displayed when an electrolysis failure occurs. And appropriate measures such as stopping mist operation can be taken. Moreover, when spraying acidic water, the oxidation reaction of the metal which comprises the nozzle water path 20 and the ventilation path 11 for mist may arise. In this case, even if the electrolytic state of the electrolytic cell 16 is normal, the electrical resistance of the drain water becomes smaller than the appropriate range due to the consumption of negative ions accompanying the metal oxidation reaction. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the oxidation of the metal which comprises the nozzle water channel 20 and the mist ventilation path 11 can also be detected indirectly.

  By the way, it is possible to provide a tank-shaped drain receiver that guides the drain water condensed in the mist ventilation passage 11 through the communication pipe. However, in order to reduce the size and the cost, as in the present embodiment. In addition, it is desirable that the drain receiver 27 is formed at the bottom of the mist ventilation path 11. However, in this case, if the water level electrodes 30L and 30H are simply arranged in the mist ventilation path 11, the mist sprayed from the mist nozzle 14 may fall on the water level electrodes 30L and 30H, thereby causing a false detection. is there. On the other hand, in this embodiment, since the water level electrodes 30L and 30H are arranged in the detection chamber 29 surrounded by the shielding member 29a, mist does not fall on the water level electrodes 30L and 30H, and erroneous detection is prevented.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described with reference to drawings, this invention is not limited to this. For example, in the above embodiment, the low water level electrode 30L provided for controlling the drainage pump 28 is also used as a resistance detection means for detecting the electrical resistance of the drain water, but a resistance detection means different from this electrode 30L is provided. Is also possible. However, it is advantageous to use the low water level electrode 30L also as the resistance detection means because the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

  In the above embodiment, the four-way valve 22 is used to selectively supply alkaline water, acidic water, and tap water to the nozzle water channel 20, but the four-way valve 22 is omitted and the alkaline water and acidic water are omitted. Only one of the two may be supplied to the nozzle water channel 20. Furthermore, in the said embodiment, although the mist sauna apparatus is integrated in the bathroom heater, this invention is applicable similarly to the mist sauna apparatus provided separately from the bathroom heater.

The perspective view seen from the slanting lower part of the bathroom heater which comprises the mist sauna apparatus of embodiment of this invention. Explanatory sectional drawing of the bathroom heater cut | disconnected by the II-II line | wire of FIG. Sectional drawing of the ventilation path for mist cut | disconnected by the III-III line of FIG. The flowchart which shows the content of the waste_water | drain and electrolysis monitoring control which the controller for bathroom heaters performs.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Mist ventilation path, 13 ... Mist fan, 14 ... Mist nozzle, 16 ... Electrolyzer, 20 ... Nozzle water path, 27 ... Drain receptacle, 28 ... Drain pump, 29 ... Detection chamber, 29a ... Shielding member, 29b ... Communication hole, 30L ... low water level electrode (resistance detection means), 31 ... controller.

Claims (2)

A mist ventilation path, a mist fan that circulates bathroom air through the mist ventilation path, a mist nozzle that sprays water in the mist ventilation path, and a mist sprayed from the mist nozzle A mist sauna device comprising a drain receiver for collecting drain water generated by condensation within the interior;
An electrolyzer, a nozzle channel for supplying ionized water of one of alkaline and acidic generated in the electrolyzer to the mist nozzle, a drain pump for sucking drain water from the drain receiver, and a drain for controlling the drain pump A water level electrode for detecting the water level in the receiver ,
Resistance detection means for detecting the electrical resistance of the drain water in the drain receiver, and discrimination means for determining the quality of the electrolysis state of the water in the electrolytic cell based on the electrical resistance of the drain water detected by the resistance detection means. Prepared ,
Mist sauna apparatus water level electrode and said Rukoto also serves as a resistance detection means. The mist sauna device according to claim 1 , wherein the drain receiver is configured at the bottom of the ventilation passage for mist.
A detection chamber surrounded by a shielding member that prevents intrusion of mist sprayed from the mist nozzle is defined in a part of the mist ventilation path, and the level of drain water collected at the bottom of the mist ventilation path in the shielding member And a water level in the detection chamber are formed, and the water level electrode is arranged in the detection chamber.

Images