JP6771152B2 - Additive liquid supply mechanism and fine bubble generator equipped with it - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an additive liquid supply mechanism and a fine bubble generator including the mechanism.

Conventionally, a fine bubble generator that dissolves air in a liquid and then turns it into fine bubbles has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

The fine bubble generator of Patent Document 1 mixes a liquid and air in a tank to dissolve the air in the liquid, and then takes the liquid out of the tank to reduce the pressure to generate fine bubbles.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2010-75919

However, in recent years, it is required to further improve the convenience of the user who uses the fine bubble generator. In the configuration as in Patent Document 1, although the bubbles can be miniaturized, it is not assumed that other substances will be miniaturized, and it can be said that there is still room for improvement from the viewpoint of user convenience. ..

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a fine bubble generator and an additive liquid supply mechanism used therein, which can improve the convenience of the user in solving the above problems.

In order to achieve the above object, the additive liquid supply mechanism of the present invention sucks the liquid in the bathtub from the suction port provided on the wall surface of the bathtub and discharges the sucked liquid from the discharge port provided on the wall surface. In this case, it is an additive liquid supply mechanism for supplying the additive liquid into the circulation flow path extending from the suction port to the discharge port or the bathtub, and forms a storage space for storing the additive liquid. The additive liquid storage case is provided with at least two openings communicating the storage space with the outside, and the at least two openings are fixed so as to face the circulation flow path or the bathtub. In the state where the storage case is fixed, the two openings are arranged so that their height positions are different from each other.

Further, the fine bubble generator of the present invention includes the additive liquid supply mechanism, a mixing unit provided in the circulation flow path, which mixes air with the liquid sucked from the suction port and dissolves the air in the liquid, and the circulation flow. The additive liquid storage case of the additive liquid supply mechanism, which is a fine bubble generator provided in the path and includes a micronized portion for micronizing the air dissolved in the liquid in the mixing portion, is the circulation. The additive liquid is fixed so as to be supplied to the miniaturized portion in the flow path, the upstream side of the miniaturized portion, or the inside of the bathtub.

According to the additive liquid supply mechanism of the present invention and the fine bubble generator provided therewith, the convenience of the user can be improved.

Schematic diagram of the fine bubble generator according to the embodiment Schematic diagram of the fine bubble generator Perspective view of additive liquid supply mechanism and joint An exploded perspective view of the additive liquid supply mechanism An exploded perspective view of the additive liquid supply mechanism Perspective view of the back side of the outer cover Perspective view of the front side of the inner cover Cross-sectional view showing the mounting state of the outer cover and the inner cover Perspective view of the back side of the outer case Perspective view of the front side of the inner case Cross-sectional view showing the mounting state of the outer case and the inner case Perspective view of the back side of the inner cover Perspective view of the front side of the inner case Cross-sectional view showing the mounting state of the inner cover and the inner case Perspective view showing the mounting state of the inner cover and the inner case Front view of outer case Front view of inner cover Front view of outer cover Front view of the additive liquid supply mechanism showing the outflow state of the additive liquid Front view of the additive liquid supply mechanism showing the storage state of the additive liquid Rear view of outer case Rear view of oil packing Rear view of inner case Rear view of the additive liquid supply mechanism showing the storage state of the additive liquid Rear view of the additive liquid supply mechanism showing the outflow state of the additive liquid Rear view of inner cover Front view of cover holder Cross-sectional view showing the mounting state of the inner cover and the cover holder Cross-sectional view showing a state in which the additive liquid supply device is attached to the cover holder. An exploded perspective view of the joint Perspective view of the joint Front view of joint Sectional drawing which shows the state which the additive liquid supply mechanism and a joint are attached to the wall surface of a bathtub Schematic diagram for explaining the flow of the liquid and the additive liquid in the fine bubble generator (state in which the additive liquid storage case is attached) Rear view of inner case Sectional view to explain the distance between the inner case and the cover holder Sectional view to explain the distance between the inner case and the cover holder

Hereinafter, embodiments according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
1 and 2 are diagrams showing a schematic configuration of the fine bubble generator 2 according to the embodiment.

The fine bubble generator 2 is a device that decompresses a liquid in which air is dissolved to form fine bubbles, and is used, for example, provided in a bathtub 4 (FIG. 1). As shown in FIG. 1 or 2, the fine bubble generator 2 includes an additive liquid supply mechanism 6 (FIG. 2), a joint portion 8, a first nozzle 10, an air supply pipe 12, and a circulation pump 14. , An air melting tank 16 and a second nozzle 18.

The additive liquid supply mechanism 6 is a device for adding an additive liquid (for example, oil) to the liquid sucked from the bathtub 4, and in the present embodiment, the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 is attached to the wall surface 46 of the bathtub 4 and has a suction port and a discharge port of the bathtub 4. Also serves as. That is, the suction port and the discharge port are provided on the wall surface 46 of the bathtub 4. The liquid of the bathtub 4 is sucked from the suction port of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6, and the joint portion 8, the first nozzle 10, the circulation pump 14, the air melting tank 16, and the second nozzle 18 are sucked in order from the upstream side in the flow direction of the liquid. , The joint portion 8 and the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 (discharge port) are configured to flow. The fine bubble generator 2 provided with such an additive liquid supply mechanism 6 sucks the liquid in the bathtub 4 from the suction port of the bathtub 4 and extends from the suction port to the water discharge port so as to discharge the sucked liquid from the discharge port. Form a circulation flow path.

Hereinafter, each configuration of the fine bubble generator 2 will be described in order.

The joint portion 8 is a joint portion for connecting a plurality of nozzles, and in the present embodiment, the first nozzle 10 and the second nozzle 18 are connected. In the joint portion 8, the liquid sucked from the suction port of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 is supplied to the first nozzle 10 via the joint 36b, and the liquid flowing from the second nozzle 18 is the additive liquid through the joint 36a. It is supplied to the discharge port of the supply mechanism 6. The detailed configuration of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 and the joint portion 8 will be described later.

The first nozzle 10 is a nozzle connected between the joint portion 8 and the circulation pump 14, and causes the liquid from the joint portion 8 to flow toward the circulation pump 14. An air supply pipe 12 is connected in the middle of the first nozzle 10. The air supply pipe 12 is a pipe that supplies air to the liquid in the first nozzle 10. By providing the air supply pipe 12, air is mixed with the liquid in the first nozzle 10. Liquid and air are supplied to the circulation pump 14 on the downstream side in a mixed state.

The circulation pump 14 is a pump connected between the first nozzle 10 and the air melting tank 16 and generates a pressure for circulating a liquid. By providing the circulation pump 14, the liquid flows in the entire fine bubble generator 2 described above, and the liquid and air sucked from the first nozzle 10 are supplied to the air melting tank 16.

The air dissolution tank 16 is a tank for dissolving air in a liquid. The air dissolution tank 16 dissolves air (oxygen) in the liquid by applying pressure to the liquid in a state of being mixed with air.

The second nozzle 18 is a nozzle connected between the air melting tank 16 and the joint portion 8. The second nozzle 18 decompresses the liquid in which the air is dissolved in the air melting tank 16 by opening the liquid to atmospheric pressure to generate fine bubbles. In this way, the second nozzle 18 functions as a miniaturization unit. As will be described later, the joint portion 8 on the downstream side of the second nozzle 18 also functions as a miniaturization portion for converting the air dissolved in the liquid into fine bubbles.

With the above-described configuration, the fine bubble generator 2 is configured to discharge the liquid containing air that has been made into fine bubbles by the second nozzle 18 and the joint portion 8 toward the bathtub 4.

Next, the configurations of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 and the joint portion 8 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 to 15.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view in which the additive liquid supply mechanism 6, the cover holder 32, and the joint 8 are arranged in the order in which they are attached to each other. FIG. 4A is an exploded perspective view of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 and the cover holder 32 from the surface side, and FIG. 4B is an exploded perspective view from the opposite side of FIG. 4A. As shown in FIG. 3, the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 is attached to the joint portion 8 via the cover holder 32.

As shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 includes a cover 20 and an additive liquid storage case 22. The cover 20 is a cover exposed to the bathtub 4. As shown in FIG. 4A, the cover 20 is formed with a suction port 48 and a discharge port 50. The additive liquid storage case 22 is an additive liquid storage unit that stores the additive liquid to be added to the liquid sucked from the suction port 48 of the cover 20. The additive liquid storage case 22 is used by being attached to the back side of the cover 20.

The cover 20 includes an outer cover 24 on the front side and an inner cover 26 on the back side. The outer cover 24 is a cover having a discharge port 50 formed at the center thereof and a suction port 48 formed at a side surface thereof. The outer cover 24 has a substantially circular outer shape when viewed along the discharge direction A of the liquid discharged from the discharge port 50, like the other constituent members of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6. The inner cover 26 is a back cover that fits into the outer cover 24. An opening 26a is formed in the central portion of the inner cover 26, and an opening 26k is formed in the side surface thereof. The discharge port 50 of the outer cover 24 and the opening 26a of the inner cover 26 face each other, and the suction port 48 and the opening 26k are fitted so as to face each other.

The mounting relationship between the outer cover 24 and the inner cover 26 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5A-5C. 5A is a perspective view of the back surface side of the outer cover 24, FIG. 5B is a perspective view of the front surface side of the inner cover 26, and FIG. 5C is a partial cross section showing the mounting state of the outer cover 24 and the inner cover 26. It is a figure. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the outer shapes of the outer cover 24 and the inner cover 26 are both composed of a circular surface having an opening formed in the center and side surfaces extending in a direction orthogonal to the outer peripheral portion of the surface. ing.

As shown in FIG. 5A, a protruding portion 24c that projects inward in the radial direction is formed at the tip end portion (lower end portion) of the side surface 24b of the outer cover 24. As shown in FIG. 5B, a plurality of protrusions 26c projecting outward in the radial direction are provided on the side surface 26b of the inner cover 26 (in this embodiment, four positions are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction). In such a configuration, the protrusion 26c of the inner cover 26 is inserted into the protrusion 24c of the outer cover 24 while pushing the side surface 24b of the outer cover 24 outward in the radial direction. As shown in FIG. 5C, the protrusion 26c of the inner cover 26 is caught and fixed to the protrusion 24c of the outer cover 24. At this time, the protrusion 26c of the inner cover 26 is hooked on the portion of the side surface 24b of the outer cover 24 that protrudes inward in the radial direction, and is fixed at a position that does not rotate in the circumferential direction. In this fixed state, the discharge port 50 and the opening 26a communicate with each other, and the suction port 48 and the opening 26k communicate with each other.

Returning to FIGS. 4A and 4B, the additive liquid storage case 22 includes an outer case 28, an oil packing 29, and an inner case 30. The oil packing 29 is arranged between the outer case 28 and the inner case 30. By attaching the outer case 28 and the inner case 30 to each other, a storage space for storing the additive liquid is formed inside. Both the outer case 28 and the inner case 30 are annular members through which the central portion in the radial direction penetrates, and a storage space for storing the additive liquid is formed in the annular portion. The storage space is formed in a space surrounded by the oil packing 29. The oil packing 29 has a function of forming a storage space and stopping (sealing) water so that the additive liquid in the storage space does not leak when the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 is carried and installed.

The mounting relationship between the outer case 28 and the inner case 30 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6A-6C. FIG. 6A is a rear view showing the back surface 28p (the side facing the inner case 30) of the outer case 28, and FIG. 6B is a front view showing the front surface 30h (the side facing the outer case 28) of the inner case 30. It is a figure. FIG. 6C is a partial cross-sectional view showing a mounting state of the outer case 28 and the inner case 30.

As shown in FIG. 6A, a groove 28a for arranging the oil packing 29 is provided on the back surface 28p of the outer case 28. The outer shape of the groove 28a is set to be substantially the same as the outer shape of the oil packing 29, and the oil packing 29 can be arranged and fixed in the groove 28a. The portion of the back surface 28p other than the groove 28a protrudes toward the inner case 30 from the groove 28a and is configured to come into contact with the front surface 30a of the inner case 30.

The back surface 28p of the outer case 28 is provided with a flange 28c that extends outward on the back surface side and then projects outward in the radial direction (FIGS. 6A and 6C). As shown in FIG. 6A, a plurality of notches 28b are formed at the inlet portion of the flange 28c (in this embodiment, five positions are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction). As shown in FIG. 6B, on the surface 30h side of the inner case 30, a plurality of protrusions 30b protruding inward in the radial direction are provided at the tip end portion (upper end portion) of the side surface 30a (five locations in the present embodiment). ). The plurality of protrusions 30b are provided at positions corresponding to the notches 28b of the outer case 28 described above. In such a configuration, the protrusion 30b of the inner case 30 is inserted into the notch 28b of the outer case 28 and rotated in the circumferential direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 6C, the protrusion 30b is caught by the flange 28c of the outer case 28 and fixed in the height direction. The flange 28c extends in the circumferential direction, and the outer case 28 and the inner case 30 are in a state of being relatively rotatable in the circumferential direction.

The additive liquid storage case 22 shown in FIG. 6C is attached to the cover 20 described above while maintaining a mutually rotatable state of the inner case 28 and the outer case 30. Specifically, the inner case 30 is fixed to the inner cover 26 of the cover 20, and the outer case 28 is maintained in a rotatable state without being fixed to the cover 20, and the additive liquid storage case 22 is used as the cover 20. Install.

The mounting relationship between the inner case 30 and the inner cover 26 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7A-7D. 7A is a perspective view of the back surface side of the inner cover 26, FIG. 7B is a perspective view of the front surface side of the inner case 30, and FIGS. 7C and 7D show the mounting state of the inner case 30 and the inner cover 26. It is a partial sectional view.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the back surface (the surface facing the inner case 30) 26 g of the inner cover 26 is provided with an inner edge protruding portion 26d (FIG. 4B) projecting to the back side. As shown in FIG. 7A, a flange 26e projecting outward in the radial direction is provided at the tip end portion (lower end portion) of the inner edge projecting portion 26d. As shown in FIG. 7B, the surface of the inner case 30 (the surface facing the inner cover 26) 30h is provided with an inner edge protruding portion 30c protruding to the front side. A protruding portion 30d that protrudes inward in the radial direction is provided at the tip end portion (upper end portion) of the inner edge protruding portion 30c. In such a configuration, the inner edge protruding portion 26d of the inner cover 26 and the inner edge protruding portion 30c of the inner case 30 are fitted so that the protruding portion 30d of the inner case 30 is caught by the flange 26e of the inner cover 26. As a result, as shown in FIG. 7C, the flange 26e of the inner cover 26 and the protruding portion 30d of the inner case 30 mesh with each other, so that the inner case 30 and the inner cover 26 are fixed to each other. At this time, the inner edge protruding portion 30c of the inner case 30 passes through the opening 28k (FIGS. 4A and 6A) at the center of the outer case 28 and fits into the inner edge protruding portion 26d of the inner cover 26.

As shown in FIG. 7A, the side surface 26b of the inner cover 26 is provided with a claw portion 26f protruding inward in the radial direction (one location in the present embodiment). As shown in FIG. 7B, a notch 30 g is provided on the side surface 30a of the inner case 30 (one place in the present embodiment). The notch 30 g is provided at a position corresponding to the claw portion 26f of the inner cover 26. In such a configuration, by inserting the tip of the claw portion 26f into the notch 30 g, the relative rotation of the inner case 30 and the inner cover 26 in the circumferential direction is restricted as shown in FIG. 7D. ..

The inner case 30 is fixed to the inner cover 26 of the cover 20, but the outer case 28 is arranged at intervals with respect to the side surface 26b and the back surface 26g of the inner cover 26 (not shown). The outer case 28 is in a state of being rotatable in the circumferential direction with respect to the inner case 30.

8A shows the surface 28d of the outer case 28, FIG. 8B shows the surface 26g of the inner cover 26, and FIG. 8C shows the surface 24d of the outer cover 24. As shown in FIG. 8A, a knob 28e is provided on the surface 28d of the outer case 28. The knob 28e is a protrusion that the user grips to rotate the outer case 28 in the circumferential direction with respect to the inner case 30. As shown in FIG. 8B, an opening 26h is provided on the surface 26g of the inner cover 26. As shown in FIG. 8C, an opening 24e is provided on the surface 24d of the outer cover 24. When the inner cover 26 and the outer cover 24 are fixed to each other, the openings 26h and 24e are arranged at positions facing each other. The knob portion 28e of the outer case 28 passes through the opening 26h of the inner cover 26 and the opening 24e of the outer cover 24, and is exposed to the surface 24d side of the outer cover 24.

In the present embodiment, the knob portion 28e of the outer case 28 is rotated in the circumferential direction to switch between the outflow state and the holding state (storage state) of the additive liquid stored in the storage space of the case 22. To. As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, in a state where the knob portion 28e of the outer case 28 is exposed to the outside, an outflow state in which the additive liquid flows out to the outside (FIG. 9A) and a state in which the additive liquid is stored without flowing out to the outside. The storage state (FIG. 9B) is switched.

As shown in FIG. 7B, the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 is provided with a plurality of openings 30f (52), 54, 56 communicating with the storage space in the additive liquid storage case 22. These openings 30f, 54, and 56 are switched between a state in which they are sealed by the oil packing 29 (storage state) and a state in which they are not sealed and communicate with the storage space in the oil packing 29 (outflow state).

10A is a rear view showing the back surface 28p of the outer case 28, FIG. 10B is a rear view showing the back surface 30e of the inner case 30, and FIG. 10C is a rear view showing the back surface 29a of the oil packing 29. .. 10D and 10E are rear views showing the mounting state of the outer case 28 and the inner case 30.

As shown in FIG. 10A, a protrusion 28g is provided on the back surface 28p of the outer case 28. As shown in FIG. 10B, an opening 30f (52) is provided on the back surface 30e of the inner case 30. As shown in FIGS. 10D and 10E, when the outer case 28 and the inner case 30 are attached to each other, the protrusion 28g of the outer case 28 passes through the opening 30f of the inner case 30 and the back surface 30e of the inner case 30. Exposed to the side. Since the protruding portion 28f moves integrally with the knob portion 28e provided on the surface 28d of the outer case 28, the user can confirm the outflow state and the storage state of the additive liquid from the back side as well.

FIG. 10D shows the storage state of the additive liquid, and FIG. 10E shows the outflow state of the additive liquid. In the storage state shown in FIG. 10D, the protrusion 28g of the outer case 28 is arranged on the rightmost side of the opening 30f of the inner case 30. At this time, the oil packing 29 is not exposed in the opening 30f of the inner case 30, and the back surface 28f of the outer case 28 is exposed. The opening 30f is sealed by the back surface 28f and does not communicate with the storage space in the oil packing 29. Further, the second opening 54 and the third opening 56 are arranged at positions where the outer case 28 shown in FIG. 10A faces the recess 28h recessed inward. Therefore, the second opening 54 and the third opening 56 do not communicate with the storage space in the oil packing 29, and are sealed by the back surface 28f of the outer case 28. In this way, the additive liquid does not flow out from any of the first opening 52, the second opening 54, and the third opening 56, and is stored in the storage space.

On the other hand, in the outflow state shown in FIG. 10E, the protrusion 28g of the outer case 28 has been moved to the left side in the drawing. At this time, the opening 29b of the oil packing 29 arranged in the groove 28a of the outer case 28 is exposed at the right end of the opening 30f of the inner case 30. The opening 29b (FIG. 10B) communicates with the storage space in the oil packing 29 and becomes the first opening 52. The second opening 54 and the third opening 56 are arranged so as to face the other openings 29c and 29d (FIG. 10B) of the oil packing 29, respectively. Since the openings 29c and 29d communicate with the storage space in the oil packing 29, the second opening 54 and the third opening 56 communicate with the storage space through these openings 29c and 29d. In this way, the additive liquid in the storage space in the oil packing 29 can flow in and out from any of the first opening 52, the second opening 54, and the third opening 56.

When the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 including the cover 20 and the additive liquid storage case 22 having the above-mentioned attachment relationship is attached to the cover holder 32 as shown in FIG. 3, the inner cover 26 is attached to the cover holder 32.

The mounting relationship between the inner cover 26 and the cover holder 32 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11A-11C. 11A is a rear view showing the back surface 26g of the inner cover 26, FIG. 11B is a front view showing the front surface 32a of the cover holder 32, and FIG. 11C shows the mounting state of the inner cover 26 and the cover holder 32. It is a partial sectional view.

As shown in FIG. 11A, on the back surface 26g side of the inner cover 26, a plurality of protrusions 26i protruding inward in the radial direction are provided at the tip end portion (lower end portion) of the side surface 26b (in the present embodiment, the circumferential direction). 4 places with an interval). As shown in FIG. 11B, the surface 32a of the cover holder 32 is provided with a plurality of flanges 32c that protrude toward the surface and then protrude outward in the radial direction. A plurality of notches 32b are provided at the inlet portions of the plurality of flanges 32c (in the present embodiment, four locations are spaced apart from each other in the circumferential direction). The plurality of notches 32b are provided at positions corresponding to the plurality of protrusions 26i of the inner cover 26. In such a configuration, the protrusion 26i of the inner cover 26 is inserted into the notch 32b of the cover holder 32 and rotated in the circumferential direction. As a result, as shown in FIG. 11C, the protrusion 26i is caught by the flange 32c and fixed.

FIG. 12 shows a cross section of the additive liquid supply device 6 attached to the cover holder 32. As shown on the left side of FIG. 12, the inner case 30 is arranged to be open with respect to the cover holder 32, and a liquid flow path is formed between them. This flow path is a suction flow path through which the liquid sucked from the suction port 48 passes, and the additive liquid in the storage space S passes through the openings 52, 54, 56 of the inner case 30 facing the suction flow path. Configured to be supplyable.

Next, the configuration of the joint portion 8 and the mounting relationship between the joint portion 8 and the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13-15. 13 shows an exploded perspective view of the joint portion 8, FIG. 14A shows a perspective view of the joint portion 8, and FIG. 14B shows a front view of the joint portion 8. In FIGS. 14A and 14B, the cover holder 32 is not shown. FIG. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of a state in which the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 is attached to the joint portion 8 via the cover holder 32.

As shown in FIG. 13, the joint portion 8 includes a joint main body 34, a plurality of joints 36a, 36b, 36c (FIGS. 14A and 14B), a mesh holder 38, a miniaturization nozzle 39, and a suction flow path forming member. A 40, a U packing 44, and an O-ring 60 are provided.

The joint main body 34 is a main body portion that supports a plurality of joints 36a-36c and the like. Both a suction flow path and a discharge flow path, which are liquid flow paths, are formed in the joint body 34.

The joints 36a-36c are a plurality of joints connected to the joint body 34. As shown in FIG. 1, the joint 36a is connected to the second nozzle 18, the joint 36b is connected to the first nozzle 10, and the joint 36c is not used. The joint 36a connected to the second nozzle 18 communicates with the tubular portion 34a formed in a tubular shape as shown in FIGS. 13 and 15. The tubular portion 34a constitutes a discharge flow path together with the mesh holder 38 and the miniaturization nozzle 39. On the other hand, the joint 36b (and the joint 36c) connected to the first nozzle 10 is connected to the internal space (the space outside the mesh holder 38 and the miniaturization nozzle 39) partitioned by the suction flow path forming member 40. It constitutes a suction flow path.

Both the mesh holder 38 and the miniaturized nozzle 39 have a tubular shape in which a discharge flow path for discharging the liquid supplied from the second nozzle 18 via the tubular portion 34a and the joint 36a is formed inside the bathtub 4. (First tubular member). The mesh holder 38 and the miniaturization nozzle 39 are fitted and fixed to each other in the axial direction (discharge direction A), and the mesh holder 38 is arranged on the downstream side and the miniaturization nozzle 39 is arranged on the upstream side.

The mesh holder 38 passes through the opening at the center of the cover holder 32 and is arranged so as to come into contact with the back surface of the inner case 30 of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 as shown in FIG. The internal space of the mesh holder 38 communicates with the discharge port 50 formed by the outer cover 24 of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 to form a discharge flow path.

A plurality of flow paths having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the mesh holder 38 are formed in the miniaturization nozzle 39. By providing the miniaturization nozzle 39, the miniaturized bubbles flowing from the second nozzle 18 are further miniaturized. That is, the joint portion 8 including the miniaturization nozzle 39 functions as a miniaturization portion together with the second nozzle 18.

An O-ring 60 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the upstream end of the miniaturization nozzle 39. The miniaturization nozzle 39 comes into contact with the tubular portion 34a (second tubular member) via the O-ring 60. When the downstream end of the tubular portion 34a comes into contact with the O-ring 60 so as to surround it from the outside, a water blocking surface (sealing surface) is formed at the connection point between the tubular portion 34a and the miniaturization nozzle 39.

The suction flow path forming member 40 is a member that forms a suction flow path through which the liquid sucked from the suction port 48 passes. The suction flow path forming member 40 is a tubular member having a diameter larger than that of the mesh holder 38 and the miniaturization nozzle 39, and is provided on the outer side in the radial direction of the mesh holder 38 and the miniaturization nozzle 39. A suction flow path is formed between the inner wall of the suction flow path forming member 40 and the outer wall of the mesh holder 38 and the miniaturization nozzle 39.

The suction flow path forming member 40 has a protruding portion 40a that projects inward in the radial direction toward the mesh holder 38. When the protruding portion 40a comes into contact with the mesh holder 38, it functions as a guide member for guiding the axial movement of the mesh holder 38. A plurality of openings are formed in the protruding portion 40a at positions facing the suction flow path, and the liquid flowing through the suction flow path is dispersed.

The U packing 44 is arranged on the radial outer side of the suction flow path forming member 40. The U packing 44 is a member that is sandwiched between the wall surface 46 of the bathtub 4 and the suction flow path forming member 40 to seal the liquid in the bathtub 4 so as not to flow out to the outside of the wall surface 46. As shown in FIGS. 13, 14A, and 15, the outer peripheral portion of the U packing 44 on the back surface side comes into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the joint body 34. Further, the end portion of the suction flow path forming member 40 on the side opposite to the side on which the protruding portion 40a is formed comes into contact with the joint body 34 (FIG. 15) and is fixed by screw fitting as described later.

In such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 15, the suction port 48 formed in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 communicates with the suction flow path which is the internal space of the suction flow path forming member 40. On the way from the suction port 48 to the internal space of the suction flow path forming member 40, the openings (first opening 52, second opening 54, third opening 56) of the additive liquid storage case 22 by the inner case 30 are exposed. Therefore, the additive liquid in the storage space S can be supplied to the suction flow path.

The operation of making bubbles finer by the fine bubble generator 2 having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 16 shows the flow of the liquid in the operating state of the fine bubble generator 2.

Prior to use of the fine bubble generator 2, the user injects an additive liquid (for example, oil) into the storage space S in the additive liquid storage case 22. Specifically, the additive liquid is injected into the storage space S in the additive liquid storage case 22 from the opening 30f (first opening 52) of the inner case 30. After injecting the additive liquid, the knob portion 28e of the outer case 28 is rotated to move it to the storage position of the additive liquid so that the additive liquid does not flow out. In this state, the inner case 30 of the additive liquid storage case 22 is attached to and fixed to the inner cover 26 (FIG. 7A-7D) to fix the cover 20 and the additive liquid storage case 22 to each other.

Further, the joint 8 as shown in FIGS. 14A and 14B is prepared, the U packing 44 is sandwiched between the wall surface 46 of the bathtub 4, and the suction flow path forming member 40, the cover holder 32, and the joint body 34 are screw-fitted. By tightening, the U packing 44 is crushed and fixed to the wall surface 46 of the bathtub 4.

After that, the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 is attached to the cover holder 32. Specifically, the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 is attached to the cover holder 32 by fitting the protrusion 26i of the inner cover 26 to the flange 32c of the cover holder 32 (FIGS. 11A-11C) (FIG. 12).

As a result, the connection state as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 is completed. After that, the knob portion 28e of the outer case 28 is rotated to move the additive liquid from the storage position to the outflow position, so that the additive liquid in the additive liquid storage case 22 can be supplied. In this state, the fine bubble generator 2 is operated.

When the fine bubble generator 2 is operated, the circulation pump 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 operates. The operation of the circulation pump 14 creates a flow in which the liquid circulates in the fine bubble generator 2. Specifically, the liquid in the bathtub 4 is sucked from the suction port 48 formed in the outer cover 24 of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6.

As shown in FIG. 16, the liquid sucked from the suction port 48 flows through the suction flow path toward the internal space of the suction flow path forming member 40. At this time, the openings of the inner case 30 (first opening 52, second opening 54, third opening 56) are exposed in the middle of the suction flow path, and the inside of the storage space S is formed through these openings. The additive liquid flows out.

The outflow form of the additive liquid will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 17, 18A and 18B. FIG. 17 is a rear view of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6, and FIGS. 18A and 18B are partial cross-sectional views showing the distance between the inner case 30 and the cover holder 32 in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6.

As shown in FIG. 17, in the present embodiment, three openings 52, 54, and 56 are provided on the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 as openings communicating with the storage space S. The back surface 30e of the inner case 30 in the present embodiment is arranged in the vertical direction in the mounted state of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6. Further, the three openings 52, 54, 56 are not provided in a straight line on the back surface 30e of the inner case 30. In other words, a straight line X1 connecting the first opening 52 and the second opening 54, a straight line X2 connecting the second opening 54 and the third opening 56, and connecting the third opening 56 and the first opening 52. None of the straight lines X3 overlap and extend in the intersecting direction.

According to such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 17, even if the distance h2 from the water surface W at the two openings (the second opening 54 and the third opening 56 in the example of FIG. 17) is the same. , The distance h1 from the water surface W at the other opening (the first opening 52 in the example of FIG. 17) is always different. In the example shown in FIG. 17, the case where the distance h1 with respect to the first opening 52 is longer than the distance h2 with respect to the second opening 54 and the third opening 56 is shown. In this case, the head pressure of the liquid at the position in contact with the first opening 52 is higher than the head pressure of the liquid at the position in contact with the second opening 54 and the third opening 56. Therefore, the liquid enters the storage space S in the inner case 30 from the first opening 52 having a high head pressure, and the liquid flows out from the second opening 54 and the third opening 56 having a low head pressure. It will occur. In this way, since the additive liquid can be discharged only by the difference in the head pressure at the openings 52, 54, 56, it is possible to improve the convenience of the user regarding the supply of the additive liquid.

By arranging the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 so as to extend in an inclined direction from the horizontal direction (particularly in the vertical direction in this embodiment), the difference in head pressure can be increased, and the additive liquid can be more reliably applied. It can be leaked.

FIG. 17 shows an example in which the second opening 54 and the third opening 56 are arranged at the same height position, but in the configuration of the fine bubble generator 2 of the present embodiment, the inner case 30 with respect to the bathtub 4 is provided. The rotation position is arbitrary, and the height positions of the openings 52, 54, and 56 are also arbitrary. Even when the height positions of the openings 52, 54, and 56 are arbitrarily set in this way, the height from the water surface W is achieved by not arranging the openings 52, 54, 56 in a straight line on the back surface 30e of the inner case 30. At least two openings at different positions can be secured. As a result, it is possible to always secure a form in which the additive liquid flows out only by the difference in the head pressure.

In the fine bubble generator 2 of the present embodiment, in addition to the arrangement of the three openings 52, 54, and 56 described above, further measures are taken to ensure that the additive liquid flows out. Specifically, it is configured so that a speed difference occurs in the liquid in the suction flow path that flows in contact with the three openings 52, 54, and 56. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the distance between the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 forming the openings 52, 54, 56 and the facing surface 32a of the cover holder 32 facing the back surface 30e is opened. It is configured so that a speed difference occurs by making it different depending on the type.

As shown in FIG. 18A, the distance between the first portion 32b of the facing surface 32a facing the first opening 52 and the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 is defined as the distance d1. As shown in FIG. 18B, the distance between the second portion 32c facing the second opening 54 (and the third opening 56) on the facing surface 32a and the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 is defined as the distance d2.

In the present embodiment, the distance d1 corresponding to the first opening 52 is set longer than the distance d2 corresponding to the second opening 54 and the third opening 56. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of the suction flow path at the position in contact with the first opening 52 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the suction flow path at the position in contact with the second opening 54 and the third opening 56. Therefore, assuming that the flow rates of the liquid flowing in contact with the respective openings 52, 54, 56 are substantially the same, the velocity of the fluid flowing in contact with the first opening 52 is the second opening 54 and the third opening. It is slower than the velocity of the fluid flowing in contact with the opening 56. According to such a speed difference, the negative pressure on the storage space S becomes high at the second opening 54 and the third opening 56 where the fluid speed is high, and the additive liquid in the storage space S flows out to the suction flow path. It becomes easy to be done. On the other hand, in the first opening 52 where the fluid velocity is slow, the negative pressure on the storage space S becomes low, and the additive liquid in the storage space S is less likely to flow out to the suction flow path.

In this way, it is possible to form a flow in which the liquid flows into the storage space S from the first opening 52 and the liquid flows out from the second opening 54 and the third opening 56. As a result, it is possible to always secure a form in which the additive liquid flows out from the storage space S only by a configuration that causes a speed difference in the liquid in the suction flow path that flows in contact with the three openings 52, 54, 56. It is possible to improve the convenience of the user regarding the supply of the additive liquid.

In the present embodiment, while the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 is flattened, a step is provided on the facing surface 32a of the cover holder 32 from the first portion 32b and the second portion 32c to the back surface 30e of the inner case 30. The distances are different. In other words, the positions of the first portion 32b and the second portion 32c in the direction in which the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 and the facing surface 32a of the cover holder 32 face each other are different.

The additive liquid flowing out from the second opening 54 and the third opening 56 is mixed with the liquid in the suction flow path. At this time, if the additive liquid is, for example, oil and hydrophobic, it is mixed in a state separated from the liquid. After that, as shown in FIG. 16, the joints 36b and 36c pass through the internal space of the suction flow path forming member 40. After that, the liquid and the additive liquid flow to the first nozzle 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, air is injected from the air supply pipe 12, and the liquid and the additive liquid pass through the circulation pump 14 and reach the air melting tank 16. .. In the air melting tank 16, air (oxygen) is dissolved in a liquid by applying pressure. The liquid in which the air is dissolved flows to the second nozzle 18 together with the additive liquid.

In the second nozzle 18, the liquid and the additive liquid are released under atmospheric pressure and foamed under reduced pressure, so that the dissolved air is made into fine bubbles. As the bubbles become finer, the oil as an additive liquid is also dispersed, so that a liquid in which the oil is finely and evenly dispersed can be generated. When oil is used as an additive liquid, the oil acts as a lid for water when the user takes a bath, so that water cannot escape from the skin.

The liquid containing fine bubbles reaches the joint 36a of the joint portion 8. As shown in FIG. 16, the liquid containing fine bubbles and the additive liquid pass through the miniaturization nozzle 42 from the joint 36a via the tubular portion 34a. At this time, fine bubbles are further grown by passing through a plurality of holes having a small diameter by the miniaturization nozzle 42. After that, the liquid containing fine bubbles and the additive liquid pass through the discharge flow path in the mesh holder 38 and are discharged from the discharge port 50 to the bathtub 4.

As described above, the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 of the present embodiment is an additive liquid supply mechanism for supplying the additive liquid to the liquid circulation flow path in the bathtub 4. The circulation flow path sucks the liquid in the bathtub 4 from the suction port 48 provided on the wall surface 46 of the bathtub 4, and discharges the sucked liquid from the suction port 48 so as to be discharged from the discharge port 50 provided on the wall surface 46. Extend to exit 50. The additive liquid supply mechanism 6 includes an additive liquid storage case 22. The additive liquid storage case 22 is a case for forming a storage space S for storing the additive liquid, and has at least two openings 52, 54, 56 communicating the storage space S with the outside, and at least two openings. 52, 54, 56 are fixed so as to face the circulation flow path. In a state where the additive liquid storage case 22 is fixed, the height positions of the two openings (the first opening 52 and the second opening 54 or the third opening 56) of the additive liquid storage case 22 are different from each other. Placed in.

According to such a configuration, the height positions of the two openings are different, so that the liquid in contact with the openings has a head difference. Therefore, water enters the additive liquid storage case 22 from the opening with the higher head pressure (first opening 52), and water enters from the opening with the lower head pressure (second opening 54 or third opening 56). It is configured to come out. As a result, the additive liquid stored in the additive liquid storage case 22 can be easily discharged to the outside and added to the circulation flow path. In this way, when the additive liquid is added using the additive liquid supply mechanism 6, the convenience of the user can be improved.

Further, in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 of the present embodiment, the additive liquid storage case 22 has an outer surface (inner case 30) forming two openings (a first opening 52 and a second opening 54 or a third opening 56). One additional opening (second opening 54 or third opening 56) is formed on the back surface 30e) of the above. By forming at least three openings 52, 54, 56 on the outer surface in this way, the height positions of the openings 52, 54, 56 can be changed more, and the additive liquid can be more easily discharged. ..

Further, in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 of the present embodiment, the additive liquid storage case 22 is fixed so that the outer surface forming the three openings 52, 54, 56 extends from the horizontal direction in an inclined direction (vertical direction). As a result, the difference in height position between the openings 52, 54, and 56 becomes large. Therefore, a head difference is likely to occur in the liquid in contact with the openings 52, 54, and 56, and the additive liquid can be easily discharged from the additive liquid storage case 22.

Further, in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 of the present embodiment, the three openings 52, 54, and 56 are not provided in a straight line on the back surface 30e. By not providing the three openings 52, 54, and 56 in a straight line in this way, even if the fixed position of the additive liquid storage case 22 is not defined and is an arbitrary position, the openings having different height positions can be formed. It can be ensured that it occurs. As a result, the additive liquid stored in the additive liquid storage case 22 can be easily discharged to the outside, and the convenience of the user can be improved.

Further, in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 of the present embodiment, the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 is fixed at an arbitrary rotation position. Even in such a case, by not providing the three openings 52, 54, 56 in a straight line, it is possible to ensure that the openings 52, 54, 56 having different height positions are generated.

Further, in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 of the present embodiment, the openings 52, 54, 56 are closed when the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 is in the first rotation position, and the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 is in the second rotation position. Occasionally the openings 52, 54, 56 are configured to open. According to such a configuration, the storage state and the outflow state of the additive liquid can be easily switched, and the convenience of the user can be improved.

Further, in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 of the present embodiment, the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 has a circular shape. According to such a configuration, the back surface 30e can be arranged on the same plane even when the rotation position of the back surface 30e is an arbitrary position, and the relationship between the height positions of the openings 52, 54, and 56 is secured. Can be done.

Further, in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 of the present embodiment, the additive liquid storage case 22 is fixed to the suction port 48. By fixing the additive liquid storage case 22 to the suction port 48 in this way, the additive liquid is added to the most upstream side of the circulation flow path, and the additive liquid can be more mixed with the liquid in the circulation flow path. .. As a result, a liquid in which the additive liquid is more mixed can be supplied into the bathtub 4, and the desired effect of the additive liquid can be exhibited in the bathtub 4 depending on the type of the additive liquid.

Further, in the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 of the present embodiment, the additive liquid is oil. As a result, it is possible to generate a liquid having various actions by the oil.

Further, the present embodiment provides a fine bubble generator 2 including the above-mentioned additive liquid supply mechanism 6. The fine bubble generator 2 of the present embodiment includes an additive liquid supply mechanism 6, an air melting tank 16 (mixing section), a second nozzle 18, and a joint 8 (miniaturizing section). The air dissolution tank 16 is provided in the circulation flow path, and mixes air with the liquid sucked from the suction port 48 to dissolve the air in the liquid. The second nozzle 18 and the joint 8 are provided in the circulation flow path, and the air dissolved in the liquid in the air melting tank 16 is made into fine bubbles. In such a configuration, the additive liquid storage case 22 of the additive liquid supply mechanism 6 is fixed so as to supply the additive liquid to the upstream side (suction port 48) of the second nozzle 18 in the circulation flow path. In this way, by adding the additive liquid to the upstream side of the second nozzle 18 which is the miniaturization portion, the additive liquid is dispersed in the liquid as the air in the second nozzle 18 and the joint 8 is miniaturized. be able to. As a result, the liquid in which the additive liquid is more dispersed can be discharged to the bathtub 4, and the desired effect of the additive liquid can be exhibited in the bathtub 4 according to the type of the additive liquid.

Although the present invention has been described above with reference to the above-described embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the embodiment, the case where the suction port 48 is integrally formed around the discharge port 50 has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case. The discharge port 50 and the suction port 48 may be separately provided at arbitrary positions in the bathtub 4.

Further, in the embodiment, the case where the additive liquid is oil has been described, but it may be any liquid such as other hydrophobic liquids and hydrophilic alcohols.

Further, in the embodiment, the case where the inner case 30 is provided with three openings for discharging the additive liquid in the additive liquid storage case 22 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to such a case, and any configuration is possible as long as the additive liquid can be discharged. May be adopted. For example, the inner case 30 may be provided with two or four or more openings. However, when only two openings are provided, the mounting position of the inner case 30 with respect to the bathtub 4 may be fixed, and the height positions of the two openings may be set differently at the mounting position. Even in such a case, the additive liquid can flow out from the opening due to the difference in head.

Further, in the embodiment, the case where the three openings 52, 54, and 56 are all formed on the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case, and each may be formed on a different surface. ..

Further, in the embodiment, the case where the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 is arranged vertically has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case. The back surface 30e of the inner case 30 may be arranged so as to be inclined from the vertical direction.

Further, in the embodiment, the case where the back surface 30e of the inner case 30 has a circular shape has been described, but the case is not limited to such a case, and any shape may be adopted.

Further, in the embodiment, the case where the additive liquid storage case 22 is arranged in the suction port 48 and the additive liquid is supplied from the suction port 48 has been described, but not limited to such a case, the additive liquid is added to another place in the circulation flow path. It may be arranged to supply the liquid. Alternatively, the additive liquid storage case 22 may be provided at an arbitrary position in the bathtub 4 instead of being provided in the circulation flow path so as to directly supply the additive liquid to the liquid in the bathtub 4.

By appropriately combining any of the various embodiments, the effects of each can be achieved.

2 Fine bubble generator 4 Bathtub 6 Additive liquid supply mechanism 8 Joint part 10 First nozzle 12 Air supply pipe 14 Circulation pump 16 Air dissolution tank 18 Second nozzle 20 Cover 22 Additive liquid storage case (detachable member)
24 Outer cover 26 Inner cover 28 Outer case 30 Inner case 30e Back side (outer surface)
32 Cover holder (opposing member)
32a Facing surface 32b First part 32c Second part 34 Joint body 34a Cylindrical part (second tubular member)
36a, 36b, 36c fitting 38 mesh holder (first tubular member)
39 Miniaturization nozzle (first tubular member)
40 Suction flow path forming member 40a Protruding part (guide member)
44 U packing 46 Wall surface 48 Suction port 50 Discharge port 52 First opening 54 Second opening 56 Third opening 60 O-ring d1, d2 Distance

Claims (7)

A circulation flow path extending from the suction port to the discharge port so as to suck the liquid in the bathtub from the suction port provided on the wall surface of the bathtub and discharge the sucked liquid from the discharge port provided on the wall surface, or the bathtub. It is an additive liquid supply mechanism for supplying the additive liquid inside.
A case of forming a storage space for storing the additive liquid, which has at least two openings communicating the storage space with the outside, and the at least two openings are surfaced in the circulation flow path or the bathtub. Equipped with an additive liquid storage case that is fixed so that
In the state where the additive liquid storage case is fixed, the two openings are arranged so that their height positions are different .
The additive liquid storage case further forms one opening on the outer surface forming the two openings, the outer surface is fixed at an arbitrary rotation position, and the outer surface is at least 2 when the outer surface is in the first rotation position. An additive liquid supply mechanism configured such that one opening is closed and the at least two openings are opened when the outer surface is in the second rotation position . The additive liquid supply mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein the additive liquid storage case is fixed so that the outer surface forming the three openings extends from a horizontal direction in an inclined direction. The additive liquid supply mechanism according to claim 2 , wherein the three openings are not provided in a straight line on the outer surface. The additive liquid supply mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the outer surface has a circular shape. The additive liquid supply mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the additive liquid storage case is fixed to the suction port. The additive liquid supply mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the additive liquid is oil. The additive liquid supply mechanism according to any one of claims 1 to 6 .
A mixing section provided in the circulation flow path that mixes air with the liquid sucked from the suction port and dissolves the air in the liquid.
A fine bubble generator provided in the circulation flow path and provided with a micronization part for making air dissolved in a liquid in the mixing part into fine bubbles.
The additive liquid storage case of the additive liquid supply mechanism is fixed so as to supply the additive liquid to the miniaturized portion in the circulation flow path, the upstream side of the miniaturized portion, or the bathtub. Generator.

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