JP7569754B2 - Washing machine hose and shower hose equipped with a microbubble water generator - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a washing machine hose and a shower hose equipped with a microbubble water generator to incorporate more microbubbles into tap water.

In this application, "fine bubbles" refers to both microbubbles with a bubble diameter of 1 to 100 micrometers (μm) and ultrafine bubbles with a bubble diameter of 1 to 999 nanometers (nm). Therefore, fine bubble water in water refers to bubble water that contains a large amount of microbubbles and ultrafine bubbles.

The term "tap water" used in this application not only refers to public "tap water" operated primarily by waterworks bureaus of local governments, water utility companies commissioned by local governments, and third-sector waterworks entities, but also includes water supplied by companies and organizations within a specific area, for example, for business or industrial use, and also includes groundwater, river water, spring water, purified water, etc.

It is known that when water containing a large amount of microscopic bubbles is used for washing machine water, the fine particles of powder or liquid detergent (and bleach) attach to the surface of the microscopic bubbles in the water and penetrate finely between the fibers of the clothes, greatly improving the cleaning power. Furthermore, the washing water foams well and the detergent does not form lumps, so it washes away cleanly during rinsing.

When water containing a large amount of fine bubbles is used for shower water, the bubble water, which is smaller than the diameter of the pores on the human face or skin, penetrates the skin surface comfortably, and just like the wash water described above, the fine particles of solid soap, liquid soap or shampoo are attached to the surface of the fine bubbles in the water and penetrate finely into the skin cells and pores, improving the cleaning power. What's more, the soap, soap or shampoo is rinsed off more easily and the water drains more easily, resulting in a significantly improved feel when using the product.

In addition, when water containing a large amount of microscopic bubbles is used for washing dishes, it has been confirmed that the water drains better and cleanly washes away oily stains. For this reason, drinking water containing a large amount of microscopic bubbles is effectively used for a variety of purposes, including bathing, beauty, health, laundry, and washing dishes.

In addition, when tap water contains a large amount of microscopic bubbles, the oxygen in the bubbles kills the bacteria contained in the water (particularly effective against anaerobic bacteria) and is also known to have the effect of inactivating viruses in the water.

For this reason, methods for artificially incorporating many fine air bubbles into water have been known, such as the high-speed shear method, the pressurized collapse method, and the cavitation method, but most of these use a mechanism for sucking in air from the outside or forcibly injecting it, such as an aspirator method.

As an example of such prior art, for example, Patent Document 1 discloses a microbubble generator that generates microbubbles by causing cavitation within a casing of a mixed fluid consisting of a liquid accelerated by an acceleration means and a gas (bubbles with a diameter of about a few millimeters) introduced into a casing by a gas-liquid mixing means.

Patent Document 2 also discloses a microbubble generator having a first nozzle on the water inlet side, the cross-sectional area of which perpendicular to its central axis gradually decreases from the inlet to the outlet, a second nozzle on the water outlet side, which is connected to the outlet of the first nozzle via a communication passage and the cross-sectional area of which perpendicular to its central axis gradually increases from the inlet to the outlet, and a gap or side chamber that opens only to the communication passage.

The microbubble generator in Patent Document 2 generates microbubbles from dissolved air in water using the cavitation method, without the need to draw in air from the outside.

JP 2007-21343 A JP 2009-136864 A

However, the microbubble generator described in Patent Document 1 is a gas-liquid mixing type that accelerates water stored in a tank, and unlike simple types that are directly connected to a water supply, the device is large in size. In addition, it requires a water flow acceleration mechanism, a cavitation mechanism, etc., making the structure complex, large in size, and expensive, and is not suitable for use with tap water in general households.

On the other hand, the microbubble generator in Patent Document 2 is directly connected to a water supply system and is suitable for use with tap water in ordinary households. However, since the water flow that expands suddenly in the connecting passage with a side chamber in the device is reduced in pressure by throttling with the second nozzle, it can be used in places where the water supply pressure is significantly higher than normal. However, it cannot supply a sufficient amount of water for use in ordinary households that receive water at normal water supply pressure.

Therefore, in the microbubble generator according to Patent Document 2, there is the inconvenience of having to adjust the width size of the side chamber in the axial flow direction in the device depending on the water supply pressure situation at any given time. Furthermore, the microbubble generator requires an adjustment mechanism, making the overall nozzle structure complex.

In view of the problems associated with conventional microbubble generators as described above, the present invention aims to provide a washing machine hose and a shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator that is directly connected to a water supply pipe for household tap water, does not require a mechanism for introducing air from the outside, and can effectively generate ultra-fine bubbles with a simple structure despite fluctuations in the water supply pressure from the water pipe.

For this reason, the present invention provides, as a first aspect thereof, a water supply hose for a washing machine that is directly connected to an adapter attached to a water faucet, the hose comprising: a connection part that can be detachably connected to the adapter; a fine bubble water generator that is connected to the connection part and that reduces the size of bubbles contained in tap water ; and a hose connection part that is connected to a water supply port of the washing machine ;
The fine bubble water generator is composed of a water intake mechanism that takes in tap water and a water supply mechanism that releases fine bubble water , the water intake mechanism having a disk member that is arranged in a vertical plane relative to the inflow direction of the tap water and whose outer circumferential surface is fitted along the inner diameter of the connection portion , the peripheral edge of the disk member having a plurality of notches for supplying tap water to the water supply mechanism , the notches being inclined relative to the direction of the water flow axis of the tap water, and the inner surface of the disk member having a plurality of grooves formed in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the tap water flows so as to collide with the direction in which the tap water flows,
the water supply mechanism receives tap water flowing out from the plurality of notches in the water intake mechanism into a conical inner surface thereof, the diameter of the conical inner surface gradually decreasing along the water flow direction, and thereafter forms a cylindrical water channel having a constant water channel diameter;
The present invention is characterized by having a second water passage formed so that tap water flowing out of the first water passage collides with a collision surface of a cylindrical member formed perpendicular to the water flow direction and flows into a gap provided on the periphery of the cylindrical member .

Here, a sphere is provided on the inner wall of the adapter, and the connection part has a through hole formed on the outer periphery into which the sphere fits, and the connection part is connected to the water faucet by placing the adapter over the connection part and fitting the sphere into the through hole.

Furthermore, in a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a shower hose having at least one end detachably connected to a shower head or a water faucet via a connecting fitting, the shower hose including a fine bubble water generator for finely reducing bubbles contained in tap water, the fine bubble water generator including a water intake mechanism for taking in tap water and a water supply mechanism for discharging fine bubble water,
The water intake mechanism is disposed in a vertical plane relative to the inflow direction of tap water, and has a disk member whose outer circumferential surface is fitted along the inner diameter of a tap attachment portion connected to the tap , and a plurality of notches are formed on the periphery of the disk member for supplying tap water to the water supply mechanism, the notches being inclined relative to the direction of the water flow axis of the tap water, and a plurality of grooves are formed on the inner surface of the disk member in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the tap water flows so as to collide with the direction in which the tap water flows,
the water supply mechanism receives tap water flowing out from the plurality of notches in the water intake mechanism into a conical inner surface thereof, the diameter of the conical inner surface gradually decreasing along the water flow direction, and thereafter forms a cylindrical water channel having a constant water channel diameter;
The present invention is characterized by having a second water passage formed so that tap water flowing out of the first water passage collides with a collision surface of a cylindrical member formed perpendicular to the water flow direction and flows into a gap provided on the periphery of the cylindrical member.

In this way, the water intake mechanism of the micro-bubble water generator placed in the washing machine water supply hose or shower hose has its water intake surface arranged vertically to the water flow direction supplied from the water supply pipe, and its outer circumferential surface is fitted along the inner diameter of the water pipe. A plurality of notches are formed in the disk member for supplying tap water to the water supply mechanism, and the notches are arranged so that the direction in which the tap water flows is inclined relative to the axial direction of the water supply pipe, and the inner surface of the notches is formed in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the tap water flows so that the tap water supplied from the water supply pipe continuously collides with the notches at an increased water supply speed and water pressure, causing the air in the tap water to be broken down into small pieces.

The notches provided in the water intake mechanism are arranged in the same circumferential direction of the disc member so as to be inclined toward the adjacent notches with respect to the axial direction of the water supply pipe.

Furthermore, the notches are arranged in the same circumferential direction of the disc member so that they are inclined toward the adjacent notch with respect to the axial direction of the front water supply pipe, changing the flow of tap water, so that the tap water flowing out to the downstream water supply mechanism becomes a strong swirling water current.

Then, after this swirling water flow hits the conical inner surface of the water supply mechanism at a large angle (e.g., 60 degrees) relative to the vertical, the diameter of the conical inner surface gradually decreases, causing the flow velocity and water pressure to increase again.

Then, a first water passage is formed, which forms a cylindrical water passage with a constant water passage diameter, and the tap water flowing out of the first water passage collides with the collision surface of a cylindrical member formed perpendicular to the water flow direction and flows into a gap provided on the periphery of the cylindrical member. Here, the surface of the cylindrical member in the second water passage and the inner surface of the water passage surrounding the cylindrical member are formed with threaded irregularities, so that the tap water is once again crushed into powder and the air bubbles contained in the tap water are made finer.

Here, the inclination angle of the notch provided in the water intake mechanism with respect to the axial direction of the water supply pipe is in the range of 15 to 20 degrees, and is optimally about 17 degrees.

The notch provided in the water intake mechanism is composed of a pair of linear side walls and a bottom wall sandwiched between the side walls, and the groove is formed continuously from the tip of one of the side walls through the bottom wall to the tip of the other side wall.

In addition, the bottom wall has an arc shape with its center recessed toward the center of the disk member.

The grooves are formed in a mountain shape with both sides slanting downward from a central peak, with the angle of the mountain ranging from 40 to 80 degrees.

Furthermore, in the water supply mechanism, the surface of the impact surface with which the tap water flowing out of the first water passage impacts is formed with a flat tip or a cone-shaped tip that protrudes toward the first water passage.

If the tip is formed on a flat surface, the water flow will collide directly with the flat surface, and if the tip is formed in a cone shape, it will flow into the second water passage without reducing the flow rate. Therefore, when the supply pressure of tap water is high, the surface of the collision surface with which the tap water flowing out of the first water passage collides in the water supply mechanism should be formed in a flat surface, and when the supply pressure of tap water is low, the surface of the collision surface should be formed in a cone shape.

The roughly cone-shaped member that forms the first water passage that constitutes the water supply mechanism should preferably be adjustable back and forth in the direction of the water flow. This allows the distance to be adjusted to suit the supply pressure of tap water.

The member having the collision surface that forms the second water passage constituting the water supply mechanism may be provided so that it can be moved back and forth relative to the outlet surface of the first water passage. This allows the distance to be set to an appropriate value for the supply pressure of tap water.

In addition, the outer diameter of the water passage pipe surrounding the surface of the cylindrical member in the second water passage and the cylindrical member is smaller than the diameter of the water pipe. This allows the micro-bubble water generator to fit within the outer shape of the water pipe, and increases the flow rate of tap water through the internal passage of the micro-bubble water generator.

In the above-mentioned fine bubble water generator, in the water intake mechanism installed on the tap water receiving side, tap water supplied by water pressure creates turbulence as it passes through the notch, and the tap water discharged from the water intake mechanism at an angle to the axial direction of the water supply pipe passes through the notch. In the water supply mechanism, the tap water from the water intake mechanism swirls around the inner wall, increasing its flow rate as it proceeds downstream, and with the flow rate increased, the air bubbles in the tap water are further crushed and dissolved, making it possible to generate microbubble water or ultra-fine bubble water with a simple structure.

Therefore, in the washing machine water supply hose according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the detergent particles are attached to the surface of the many fine bubbles generated by the fine bubble water generator and penetrate finely between the fibers of the laundry, which greatly improves the cleaning power, makes it possible to produce washing machine water that foams well and allows the detergent to flow away cleanly during rinsing.

And in the shower hose according to the second embodiment of the present invention, many of the microscopic bubbles in the shower water are smaller than the diameter of the pores on the human face and skin, so the bubble water penetrates the skin surface comfortably, and the fine particles of solid soap, liquid soap or shampoo are attached to the surface of the microscopic bubbles in the water and penetrate finely into the skin cells and pores, improving the cleaning power and improving the rinsing flow of the soap, soap or shampoo, making it possible to produce shower water that feels good when used.

FIG. 2 shows a side cross-sectional view of a fine bubble water generator disposed in the washing machine water supply hose or the shower hose. 1A shows an external perspective view of the fine bubble water generator from the upstream side, and FIG. 1B shows an external perspective view of the fine bubble water generator from the downstream side. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a disk member that constitutes the water intake mechanism of the fine bubble water generator. Part (a) shows a front view of the tap water inlet side of the water intake mechanism of the fine bubble water generator, part (b) shows a side cross-sectional view from the right of the water intake mechanism in part (a), and part (c) shows a plan cross-sectional view of the water intake part from above in part (a). 4(c) shows a front view of the water intake mechanism as viewed from the direction of arrow A in FIG. 13 is a side cross-sectional view of a cutout portion of a disk member in the water intake mechanism. FIG. Part (a) shows a schematic diagram for explaining the water flow in the water supply mechanism part 20 that constitutes the fine bubble water generator, and parts (b) and (C) show assembled configuration diagrams of the water supply mechanism part 20. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a water supply hose for a washing machine according to a first embodiment of the present invention; A side view of the fine bubble water generating unit is shown. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the washing machine water supply hose in a state where a connector of a fine bubble water generating unit is connected to a water faucet via an adapter. FIG. 2 is a side view of the fine bubble water generating unit, showing a part of the joint in cross section. An explanatory diagram showing how to attach this washing machine hose with fine bubble water generation function to a water faucet and a washing machine is shown. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of a water intake plate of a water supply hose for a washing machine, the water intake plate having an opening adjustment mechanism for varying the opening area of the water intake hole. FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a typical household shower facility, relating to a shower hose according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The external appearance of this shower hose with fine bubble water generator is shown below. An explanatory diagram of the state in which this shower hose with fine bubble water generator is installed between a shower head and a shower hose is shown. FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a shower hose with a fine bubble water generator according to the present invention is attached between a water supply faucet and a shower hose.

Below, we will first explain in detail the micro-bubble water generator that is installed in this washing machine water supply hose or this shower hose, and then we will explain in detail the washing machine water supply hose and this shower hose equipped with this micro-bubble water generator, with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of the configuration of a fine bubble water generator 1 according to the present invention, which is placed, for example, between the water supply pipes at the base that supply water from a waterworks bureau or an elevated water tank to the home.

Figure 1 shows a side cross-sectional view of the configuration of a fine bubble water generator 1 according to the present invention, which is placed, for example, between the water supply pipes at the base that supply water from a waterworks bureau or an elevated water tank to the home.

This fine bubble water generator 1 is composed of a water intake mechanism 10 and a water supply mechanism 20.
A water supply pipe (not shown) for supplying water from a water supply pipe, an elevated water tank, or the like is connected to the left side surface of the water intake mechanism section 10 shown in FIG.

In the embodiment of the micro-bubble water generator 1 shown in Figure 1, the outer periphery of the water intake mechanism 10 is threaded (e.g., male thread cut) 14 for connecting to a water supply pipe (not shown). The inner periphery of the water supply pipe to be connected to this is threaded (e.g., female thread cut) that joins with the thread cut 14 on the outer periphery of the water intake mechanism, and the micro-mechanism generator 1 is connected to the water supply pipe by rotating it in a specified direction via waterproof tape, waterproof packing 17, etc.

The water intake mechanism 10 has a water intake surface 16, and tap water flows into the water intake mechanism 10 through this water intake surface 16. Inside the water intake mechanism 10, a disk member 13 is provided that is arranged in a vertical plane relative to the inflow direction of the tap water, and the outer periphery of the disk member 13 is fitted along the inner diameter of the water pipe member 15 via a packing 17 to prevent water leakage.

The disk member 13 has multiple notches 11 (four notched through holes in the example of FIG. 3) for circulating tap water supplied from an external water supply pipe, and these multiple notches 11 are provided so that the direction in which the tap water flows is inclined with respect to the axial direction of the water supply pipe. The inner surface of the notches 13 has multiple grooves 12 (see FIG. 3) formed in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the tap water flows so as to collide with the direction in which the tap water flows.

Here, each of the multiple notches 11 in the disk member 13 provided in the water intake mechanism 10 is provided so as to be inclined toward the adjacent notch 11 in the same circumferential direction of the disk member 13 with respect to the axial direction of the water supply pipe.

The notch 11 provided in the water intake mechanism 10 is composed of a pair of linear side walls and a bottom wall sandwiched between the side walls, and the groove 12 is formed continuously from the tip of one of the side walls through the bottom wall to the tip of the other side wall.

The inclination angle of the notch 11 provided in the water intake mechanism 10 with respect to the axial direction of the water supply pipe is in the range of 15 to 20 degrees, and although it varies depending on the water pressure, it is about 17 degrees for the water pressure of tap water supplied to a normal home.

The notches 11 are arranged in the same circumferential direction of the disc member 13 so as to be inclined toward the adjacent notches 11 in the axial direction of the water supply pipe, changing the flow of tap water. As a result, the tap water flowing out to the downstream water supply mechanism 20 becomes a strong swirling water current.

Furthermore, multiple grooves 12 (see Figure 3) are formed on the inner surface of the notch 11 in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the tap water flows, so that air bubbles contained in the water passing through this notch 11 are crushed.

The swirling water flow passing through the notch 11 while crushing the air bubbles contained in the water hits the conical inner surface 22 of the water supply mechanism 20 at a large angle to the vertical direction, and then the diameter of the conical inner surface 20 gradually decreases toward the downstream side, again increasing the flow rate and water pressure of the tap water.

The tap water flows into the first water passage 30, which forms a cylindrical water passage 29 with a constant water passage diameter, and the tap water that flows out of this first water passage 30 collides with the collision surface of the cylindrical member 25, which is formed perpendicular to the water flow direction, and flows into the gap provided on the periphery of the cylindrical member 25.

Here, a threaded irregularity 29 is formed on the surface of the cylindrical member 25 in the second water passage 31 formed by this gap and on the outer circumferential side surface of the second water passage surrounding the cylindrical member 25. This again breaks up the air bubbles in the tap water, further reducing the size of the air bubbles contained in the tap water.

In addition, in the water supply mechanism 21, the impact surface 28 of the cylinder 25 with which the tap water flowing out of the first water passage 30 impacts is formed with a flat tip or a cone shape with its apex protruding in the direction of the flowing water.

If the tip is formed on a flat surface, the water flow will collide directly with the flat surface, and if the tip is formed in a cone shape, it will flow into the second water passage 31 without reducing the flow rate. Therefore, when the supply pressure of tap water is high, the surface of the collision surface with which the tap water flowing out of the first water passage 30 collides in the water supply mechanism unit 20 should be formed in a flat surface, and when the supply pressure of tap water is low, the surface of the collision surface should be formed in a cone shape.

The roughly cone-shaped member that forms the first water passage 30 that constitutes the water supply mechanism should be arranged so that it can be moved back and forth in the direction of the water flow. This allows the distance to be adjusted to suit the supply pressure of tap water.

The member having the collision surface that forms the second water passage constituting the water supply mechanism may be provided so that it can be moved back and forth relative to the outlet surface of the first water passage 30. This allows the distance to be set to an appropriate value for the supply pressure of tap water.

In addition, the outer diameter of the water passage pipe 32 surrounding the surface of the cylindrical member 25 and the cylindrical member 24 in the second water passage 31 is smaller than the diameter of the water supply pipe. This allows the micro-bubble water generator 1 to fit within the outer shape of the water supply pipe, and increases the flow rate of tap water through the internal passage of the micro-bubble water generator 1.

In the water supply mechanism 20, tap water flowing out from the multiple notches 11 in the water intake mechanism 10 is received by the conical inner surface 22, and the inner diameter of this inner surface 22 gradually decreases along the water flow direction, forming a first water passage 30 that forms a cylindrical water passage 29 with a constant water passage diameter, and a second water passage 31 that is formed so that the tap water flowing out from this first water passage 30 collides with the collision surface of a cylindrical member 25 formed perpendicular to the water flow direction and flows into a gap provided on the periphery of the cylindrical member 25.

Furthermore, the surface of the cylindrical member 25 in the second water passage 31 and the surface of the water passage surrounding this cylindrical member 25 are formed with threaded projections and recesses, which breaks down the air bubbles in the tap water into micro- or nano-sized particles.

In this way, the water intake mechanism 10 constituting the micro-bubble water generator 1 has its water intake surface 16 arranged vertically to the water flow direction supplied from the water supply pipe, and its outer periphery is fitted along the inner diameter of the water pipe, and a plurality of notches 11 are formed in the disk member 13 for supplying tap water to the water supply mechanism 20 side. The notches 11 are arranged so that the direction in which the tap water flows is inclined relative to the water flow direction, and a plurality of grooves 12 are formed on the inner surface of the notches 11 in a direction approximately perpendicular to the direction in which the tap water flows so that they collide with the tap water. Therefore, the tap water supplied from the water supply pipe continuously collides with the notches 11 at an increased water supply speed and water pressure, and the tap water is supplied from the water supply surface 33 of the water supply mechanism 20 to each water supply point in the home in a state in which the air in the tap water is finely broken down.

Part (a) of Figure 2 shows an external perspective view of this fine bubble water generator from the upstream side, and part (b) shows an external perspective view of this fine bubble water generator from the downstream side.

In FIG. 2(a), the cylindrical body 21 of the micro-bubble water generator 1 has, for example, a male thread 14 formed on the outer periphery of the water receiving surface 16 side that is connected to the water supply pipe, and is inserted into the water supply pipe (not shown) and connected by screwing. In this case, a female thread is provided on the inner periphery of the water supply pipe.

In part (b) of FIG. 2, a second water passage 31 is formed between the cylindrical body 25 constituting the water supply mechanism 20 described above and the water passage pipe 24 surrounding this cylindrical body 25, and the outer diameter of the finely divided bubble water from this second water passage 31 is smaller than the diameter of the water supply pipe. This allows the fine bubble water generator 1 to be contained within the outer shape of the water supply pipe, and increases the flow rate of tap water flowing through the internal passage of the fine bubble water generator 1.

In the water supply mechanism 20, the tap water flowing out from the above-mentioned multiple notches 11 in the water intake mechanism 10 is received by the conical inner surface 22, and the inner diameter of this inner surface 22 gradually decreases along the water flow direction. After that, the first water passage 30 forms a cylindrical water passage 29 with a constant water passage diameter. The tap water that flows out through this first water passage 30 collides with the collision surface 28 of the cylindrical member 25 formed perpendicular to the water flow direction, and the second water passage 31 is formed so that it flows into the gap provided on the periphery of the cylindrical member 25. From the second water passage 31, water containing a large amount of fine bubbles is supplied to the home through the water supply surface 34 to the water supply pipe (not shown).

Figure 3 shows an external perspective view of the disc member 11 constituting the water intake mechanism 10, part (a) of Figure 4 shows a front view of the disc member 11 as viewed from the water supply pipe side of the disc member 11, part (b) of Figure 4 shows a side view of the disc member 11 as viewed from the right side shown in Figure 4(a), part (c) of Figure 4 shows a plan view from above of the disc member 11 in Figure 4(a), and part (c) of Figure 4 shows a front view of the disc member 11 as viewed from the direction of arrow A in Figure 4(c).

In the water intake mechanism 10, the disk member 11 has a suitable thickness, and is made of a member having a diameter (R) of 13.5 mm and a thickness (T) of 5 to 10 mm, for example, and the cylindrical body 21 shown in FIG. 2 is fitted into the water supply pipe and held in place by screwing or gluing, etc.

Here, multiple notches 11, for example four, are formed at equal intervals around the circumference of the disk member 11.

The notch 11 is made up of a pair of side walls 11b, 11c and a bottom wall 11a sandwiched between the side walls, and the bottom wall 11a is recessed in an arc shape toward the center of the disc member. The notch 11 is provided so that the direction C through which the tap water flows is inclined with respect to the axial direction W of the water supply pipe. In this case, the inclination angle P of the direction C through which the tap water flows in the notch 11 with respect to the axial direction W of the water supply pipe is preferably in the range of 15 degrees to 20 degrees, and optimally 17 degrees.

The notches 11 are arranged so that they are inclined at approximately 17 degrees toward the adjacent notches 11 in the same circumferential direction of the disc member 13. Therefore, when tap water flowing along the axial direction W of the water supply pipe passes through the notches 11, the water flow is deflected in the direction C as shown in parts (b) and (c) of Figure 4.

Although not shown, this water flow deflection also occurs at the other two notches 11. As the tap water passes through the water intake section 10, it is deflected to the left in the axial direction W of the water supply pipe 2 at each notch 11 and flows out, causing the tap water to swirl counterclockwise in the axial direction W and flow downstream toward the water supply mechanism section 20.

Furthermore, the notch 11 has multiple threaded grooves 12 that run continuously from both side walls 11b, 11c to the bottom wall 11a in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the direction C in which tap water flows through the notch 11.

Figure 6 shows the notch 11 in the disk member 13 as seen from the side of the water intake section 10, with the groove 12 formed in a mountain shape with both sides slanting downward from the central apex. The angle Q of the mountain (the opening angle of both slopes of the mountain) is, for example, 60 degrees, the pitch between the peaks of the mountain is 1.1 mm, and the width of the peak of the mountain is approximately 0.1 mm.

By providing such a groove 12, the inner surface of the notch 11 is formed with an uneven or conical shape in the direction in which the tap water collides, causing turbulence in the flow of tap water. As a result, the overall flow of water is deflected 17 degrees to the left as described above.

The tap water flowing into this micro-bubble water generator 1 is deflected from the axial direction W by passing through the notch 11 in the inlet water intake section and flows into the first water passage 30 formed by the conical inner surfaces 22, 29 of the water supply mechanism section 20.

In the first water passage 30, the deflected flow of tap water hits the inner wall of the first water passage 30 at an angle, and while swirling in a spiral, the tap water collides with the surface (flat surface or conical top surface as shown in Figure 1) formed on the head of the cylindrical member 25 in the water supply mechanism 20 and proceeds toward the second water passage 31.

As the diameter of the first water passage gradually narrows, the water speeds up and collides with the surface (flat or conical top surface) formed at the head of the cylindrical member 25, and is simultaneously dispersed before flowing into the second water passage 31, causing a sudden drop in pressure and the boiling phenomenon that generates countless tiny cavitation bubbles in the tap water. In addition, the water that has entered the second water passage hits the unevenness formed on the walls 24, 29 of the second water passage, causing turbulence that separates the air dissolved in the water, which causes cavitation bubbles to be generated even more effectively.

The lower limit of typical tap water pressure is 1.5 kgf/ ^cm2 to 3 kgf/ ^cm2 (0.15 MPa0.3), and the nozzle 6 uses only this tap water pressure to turn the air contained in tap water supplied to a typical home into water containing fine bubbles formed by cavitation. The ideal tap water pressure in this case is 2.0 to 4.0 kgf/ ^cm2 (0.2 to 0.39 MPa).

In the above embodiment, the maximum diameter of the first water passage 30 may be larger than the maximum diameter of the second water passage 31, or may be configured with the same diameter. In addition, the relationship between the pressure of the tap water blown out from the first water passage 30 and the pressure drop due to diffusion in the second water passage 31 is adjusted so as to generate appropriate cavitation bubbles.

This microbubble water generator 1 is directly connected to the water supply supplied to an ordinary household, and the air contained in the tap water is converted into microbubbles or ultrafine bubbles by cavitation using only the pressure of the tap water. The microbubble water generator 1 is placed downstream of the water meter, and the average piping distance from the water meter to the faucet is about 15 meters. In this case, it is impossible to see the ultrafine bubbles with the naked eye, but by using a laser pointer in a dark place to shine a laser on the water being treated and detect the reflected light from the bubbles, it is possible to confirm that ultrafine bubbles are being formed even at the end of the 15-meter piping.

In addition, in this microbubble water generator, the member that forms the roughly conical water passage that forms the first water passage 30 that constitutes the water supply mechanism 10 is arranged so that it can be moved back and forth in the water flow direction, so that the distance can be adjusted to suit the supply pressure of tap water.

Furthermore, the cylindrical member 25 having a collision surface that forms the second water passage 31 in the water supply mechanism 20 is arranged so that it can be moved back and forth relative to the outlet surface of the first water passage 30, making it possible to set the distance appropriate to the supply pressure of tap water.

Part (a) of Figure 7 shows a schematic diagram for explaining the water flow in the water supply mechanism 20 that constitutes this micro-bubble water generator.

As shown in FIG. 7(a), tap water supplied from the water supply pipe passes through the notch 11 provided in the disk 13 of the water intake mechanism 10, hits the inner conical inner surface 22 forming the first water passage 30 at a predetermined angle, and exits the cylindrical surface 28 while gradually narrowing its flow diameter. It hits the first water passage side surface 28 (the conical protruding surface in FIG. 7(a)) of the cylindrical member forming the second water passage 31 and is guided to the cylindrical second water passage 32, passes through the uneven grooves 12 on the second water passage surface at an increased flow rate, and is supplied from the water supply surface 33 to the water supply pipe in the home with the air bubbles in the tap water finely broken down.

Parts (b) and (C) of Figure 7 show the assembled configuration of the water supply mechanism 20, and the cylindrical member 25 can be easily assembled by screwing it into the inner tube 32 of the water supply mechanism 20.

In this way, in the fine bubble water generator placed in the washing machine water supply hose or shower hose, in the water intake mechanism 10 provided on the tap water receiving side, tap water supplied by water pressure creates turbulence as it passes through the notch, and the tap water released at an angle to the axial direction of the water supply pipe passes through the notch. In the water supply mechanism 20, the tap water from the water intake mechanism 10 swirls around the inner wall, increasing its flow rate as it proceeds downstream, and with the flow rate increased, the air bubbles in the tap water are further crushed and dissolved, making it possible to generate microbubble water or ultra-fine bubble water with a simple structure.

Next, we will explain in detail the washing machine water supply hose 41 according to the first embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with the above-mentioned fine bubble water generator.

Figure 8 shows the overall configuration of a washing machine water supply hose 41 equipped with a fine bubble water generator. As shown in Figure 8, the washing machine water supply hose 41 with a fine bubble water generator is composed of a hose 44, a fine bubble water generator 43 attached to the water intake end of the hose 44, a coupler 45 that is placed over the water intake end of the fine bubble water generator 43, and a washing machine side connection part 45 that is attached to the drain end of the washing machine hose 44.

Figure 9 shows a side view of the fine bubble water generating unit 43. The fine bubble water generating unit 43 is a functional component that is integral with a connector 46 for connecting to a water faucet 55 (Figure 10) and a hose connector 48 for connecting to a hose 44. By combining the fine bubble water generating unit 43 with the hose 44, the hose 44 can be made to easily supply fine bubble water to a washing machine, as will become clear from the following explanation.

Figure 10 shows a cross-sectional view of a hose for supplying water to a washing machine, with the connector of the micro-bubble water generator 43 connected to a water faucet 55 via an adapter 49.

As shown in Figures 10 and 11, the connector 46 is detachably fitted with an adapter 49 that is attached to a water faucet 55. When the adapter 49 is connected, the tip of the adapter 49 engages with a protrusion 46a that protrudes from the rear end (downstream side) of the connector 46. The tip of the connector 46 has four radial through holes 46b that are equally spaced around the circumference.

The through hole 46b serves as a receiving portion for the sphere 49a incorporated in the adapter 49. Four of these spheres 49a are provided at equal intervals around the circumference on the inside of the adapter 49, and when fitting the joint part 46 into the adapter 49, the spheres 49a are inserted until they fit into the through holes 46b, and the joint part 46 and the adapter 49 are connected with a single touch. A recess 46c is formed around the tap water inlet of the joint part 46 into which a ring-shaped packing fits.

The adapter 49 is provided with, for example, two to four screws 51 for fixing to the water faucet 55 at the upper end, and is fixed to the water faucet 55 by tightening the screws through a screw guide 52 radially against the side of the water faucet 55. A cylindrical packing 53 made of rubber or the like is incorporated inside the adapter 49, and the upper end of the packing 53 is pressed against the tip of the water faucet 55 to prevent water leakage. The lower end of the packing 53 is pressed against the upper end of the connector 46 of the fine bubble water generator 43 fitted inside the adapter 49.

The coupler 45 is a bottomed tubular member made of a flexible material, and a hole is formed at the bottom with a diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the protrusion 46a provided around the joint 46. When the microbubble water generator 43 is fitted into this hole, it engages with the protrusion 46a and covers the joint 46.

A locking arm 54 is integrally formed and extends from the side of the coupler 45. A hook 54a is formed at the tip of the locking arm 54, and by engaging with a flange 56 formed on the outer periphery of the adapter 49, the connection between the adapter 49 and the coupling part 46 will not easily come off. When removing the fine-bubble water generating unit 43 from the adapter 49, the locking arm 54 is spread outward from the state shown in the figure to release the lock, the fine-bubble water generating unit 43 is pulled out of the adapter 49, and the through hole 46b of the coupling part 46 is released from the engagement with the sphere 49a.

Figure 12 shows an explanatory diagram of how to attach this washing machine hose with microbubble water generation function to a water faucet and a washing machine.

As shown in FIG. 12, the washing machine side connection part 45 is connected to the water inlet 67 of the washing machine 66. The water inlet 67 is formed of a cylinder that protrudes from the bottom surface of the water supply part that is recessed from the main body surface of the washing machine 66, and has a male thread 67a formed on the outer periphery. The washing machine side connection part 45 is connected to the washing machine 66 by screwing the female thread 47a cut on the inner periphery into the male thread 627a of the water inlet 67 of the washing machine 66.

Figure 13 shows an external perspective view of the water intake plate of the washing machine water supply hose 41, which is equipped with an opening adjustment mechanism that changes the opening area of the water intake hole.

In the present washing machine water supply hose 41, air contained in tap water supplied to a general household can be used to effectively generate fine bubbles by cavitation. When directly connected to a water supply, the lower limit of general tap water pressure is 1.5 kgf/ ^cm2 to 3 kgf/ ^cm2 (0.15 to 0.3 MPa), and the nozzle section 22 can turn the air contained in tap water supplied to a general household into tap water containing fine bubbles by cavitation using only this tap water pressure. In this case, the tap water pressure is preferably 2.0 to 4.0 kgf/ ^cm2 (0.2 to 0.39 MPa).

In addition, in this washing machine water supply hose 41, a larger number of fine air bubbles can be generated depending on the supply pressure and flow rate of tap water. As shown in FIG. 13, it is also possible to provide a variable orifice 68, which is an opening adjustment mechanism, on the water intake surface side 16 (FIG. 1) of the water intake mechanism 10. This variable orifice 68 is an orifice that has an iris diaphragm mechanism and is configured to be able to change the opening area of the water intake hole 60 in the water intake mechanism 10. Iris diaphragm mechanisms are commonly known in camera lens apertures, etc.

By providing such a variable orifice 68, when the tap water supply pressure is low, the opening area of the water intake hole 60 can be increased to increase the amount of tap water inflow, and when the tap water supply pressure is high, the opening area of the water intake hole 60 can be reduced to decrease the amount of tap water inflow.

Next, we will provide a detailed explanation of the shower hose 70 according to the second embodiment of the present invention, which is equipped with the above-mentioned fine bubble water generator.

Figure 14 shows a diagram of a typical household shower facility, relating to a shower hose 70 according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

Figure 14 shows an external perspective view of a shower hose 70 with a fine bubble water generator, which is configured with a shower head attachment section 75 that can be detachably connected to the shower head 71 at both ends of a flexible hose section 72, and a water supply tap attachment section 74 that can be detachably connected to a water supply tap 77, and the fine bubble generator 75 is disposed inside the hose 72.

Figure 15 shows an external view of the hose section 72 of the shower hose 70 with a fine bubble water generator.

In Figures 14 and 15, the shower head attachment part 75 and the water supply faucet attachment part 74 each have a female thread that screws into the water outlet and water supply port of a cylinder with a male thread formed on the outer periphery. In other words, it has the same structure as the connecting fittings of the shower hose 70.

The shower hose 70 with micro-bubble water generator is equipped with a fitting 76 (Figure 15), which has a connection part 75 at one end that can be connected to the shower head mounting part 73.

Figure 16 shows an example of a fine bubble water generator 75 installed between a shower head 71 and a hose portion 72.

Figure 17 also shows an example in which the fine bubble water generator 75 is directly connected to the water supply tap 72.

As described above, in a fine bubble water generator incorporated in a washing machine water supply hose or a shower hose, in the water intake mechanism provided on the water receiving side, tap water supplied by water pressure creates turbulence as it passes through the notch, and the tap water discharged from the water intake mechanism at an angle to the axial direction of the water supply pipe passes through the notch. In the water supply mechanism, the tap water from the water intake mechanism swirls around the inner wall, increasing its flow rate as it proceeds downstream, and with the flow rate increased, the air bubbles in the tap water are further crushed and dissolved, making it possible to generate microbubble water and ultrafine bubble water with a simple structure.

And in the washing machine water supply hose according to the first embodiment of the present invention, the detergent particles are attached to the surface of the many fine bubbles generated by the fine bubble water generator and penetrate finely between the fibers of the laundry, which greatly improves the cleaning power, creates good foam in the wash water, and allows the detergent to flow away cleanly during rinsing.

In addition, in the shower hose according to the second embodiment of the present invention, many of the fine bubbles in the shower water are smaller than the diameter of the pores on the human face and skin, so the bubble water penetrates the skin surface comfortably, and the fine particles of solid soap, liquid soap or shampoo are attached to the surface of the fine bubbles in the water and penetrate finely into the skin cells and pores, improving cleaning power and improving the rinsing flow of soap, soap or shampoo, making it possible to supply shower water that is pleasant to use.

1 Microbubble water generating unit 10 Water intake mechanism 20 Water supply mechanism 13 Disk member constituting the water intake mechanism 11 Notch in the disk member 12 Groove on the inner peripheral surface of the notch 14 External male thread of connection with an adapter attached to a water faucet 15 Pipe of the water intake mechanism 16 Water receiving surface of the water intake mechanism 21 Outer pipe of the water supply mechanism 22 Conical slope forming a first water passage in the water supply mechanism 23 Adjustment means for adjusting the distance between the water supply mechanism and the water intake mechanism
(Thread cutting adjustment mechanism)
24: Cylinder forming the second water passage 25: Cylindrical member forming the second water passage 26: Adjustment means for adjusting the distance between the first water passage and the second water passage
(Thread cutting adjustment mechanism)
27: Inner circumferential female screw of water intake mechanism 28: Surface of cylindrical member forming second water passage on the first water passage side
(Flat or conical projection surface)
29 Groove (uneven surface) formed in second water passage
30 First water passage 31 Second water passage 32 Pipe body for forming the second water passage in the water supply mechanism 33 Water discharge surface of the water supply mechanism 41 Washing machine water supply hose equipped with a fine bubble water generating unit 43 Fine bubble water generating unit 42 Hose for washing machine (hose unit)
44 Connection part 46 Joint part 46b Through hole 49 Adapter 49a attached to water faucet Sphere 66 Washing machine 68 Opening adjustment mechanism 70 Shower hose with fine bubble water generator 71 Shower head water outlet 72 Shower hose (hose part)
74 Water faucet attachment part
75 Microbubble generator 76 Water tap

Claims (14)

A washing machine water supply hose that is directly connected to an adapter attached to a water faucet,
A connection part that is detachably connectable to the adapter;
A micro-bubble water generator connected to the connection part for micro-bubbles in tap water;
a hose connection portion to be connected to a water supply port of the washing machine;
The fine bubble water generator is composed of a water intake mechanism for taking in tap water and a water supply mechanism for discharging fine bubble water,
The water intake mechanism unit includes:
A circular plate member is disposed vertically with respect to the inflow direction of tap water, and the outer circumferential surface of the circular plate member is fitted along the inner diameter of the connecting portion,
A plurality of notches are formed on the periphery of the disk member for supplying tap water to the water supply mechanism, the notches being inclined with respect to the direction of the water flow axis of the tap water, and a plurality of grooves are formed on the inner surface of the disk member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the tap water flows so as to collide with the direction of the tap water flow;
The water supply mechanism includes:
a first water passage that receives tap water flowing out from the plurality of notches in the water intake mechanism into its conical inner surface, the diameter of the conical inner surface gradually decreasing along the water flow direction, and then forms a cylindrical water passage with a constant water passage diameter;
A second water passage formed so that tap water flowing out of the first water passage collides with a collision surface of a cylindrical member formed perpendicular to the water flow direction and flows into a gap provided on the periphery of the cylindrical member;
A water supply hose for a washing machine equipped with a fine bubble water generator, comprising: The adapter has an inner wall provided with a sphere,
2. The water supply hose for a washing machine equipped with a fine bubble water generator according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion has a through hole formed on its outer periphery into which the sphere fits, and the connecting portion is connected to the water faucet by placing the adapter over the connecting portion and fitting the sphere into the through hole. A shower hose having at least one end detachably connected to a shower head or a water faucet via a connecting fitting,
Equipped with a microbubble water generator that reduces the bubbles in tap water,
The fine bubble water generator is composed of a water intake mechanism for taking in tap water and a water supply mechanism for discharging fine bubble water,
The water intake mechanism unit includes:
A circular plate member is disposed vertically with respect to the inflow direction of tap water, and the outer circumferential surface of the circular plate member is fitted along the inner diameter of the tap attachment portion connected to the tap ,
A plurality of notches are formed on the periphery of the disk member for supplying tap water to the water supply mechanism, the notches being inclined with respect to the direction of the water flow axis of the tap water, and a plurality of grooves are formed on the inner surface of the disk member in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the tap water flows so as to collide with the direction of the tap water flow;
The water supply mechanism includes:
a first water passage that receives tap water flowing out from the plurality of notches in the water intake mechanism into its conical inner surface, the diameter of the conical inner surface gradually decreasing along the water flow direction, and then forms a cylindrical water passage with a constant water passage diameter;
A second water passage formed so that tap water flowing out of the first water passage collides with a collision surface of a cylindrical member formed perpendicular to the water flow direction and flows into a gap provided on the periphery of the cylindrical member;
A shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator, comprising: The washing machine water supply hose with the fine bubble water generator according to claim 1 or the shower hose according to claim 3, characterized in that the surface of the cylindrical member in the second water passage and the inner surface of the water passage surrounding the cylindrical member are formed with threaded projections and recesses. A washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator according to claim 4, characterized in that the notches provided in the water intake mechanism are provided so as to be inclined with respect to the direction of the water flow axis toward the adjacent notches in the same circumferential direction of the disc member. The washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator according to claim 5, characterized in that the inclination angle of the notch provided in the water intake mechanism with respect to the direction of the water flow axis is formed in the range of 15 degrees to 20 degrees, and optimally 17 degrees. The notch provided in the water intake mechanism portion is composed of a pair of linear side walls and a bottom wall sandwiched between the side walls,
7. A washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the groove is formed continuously from the tip of one of the side walls through the bottom wall to the tip of the other side wall. A washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator as described in claim 7, characterized in that the bottom wall has an arc shape with its center recessed toward the center of the disk member. A washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the groove is formed in a mountain shape with both sides slanting downward from a central peak, and the angle of the mountain is in the range of 40 degrees to 80 degrees. A washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that the surface of the impact surface with which the tap water flowing out of the first water passage impacts in the water supply mechanism has a flat tip. A washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator according to claim 1 or 3, characterized in that in the water supply mechanism, the surface of the impact surface against which the tap water flowing out of the first water passage impacts is formed in a cone shape with a tip protruding toward the first water passage. The washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator according to claim 11, characterized in that the substantially conical member that forms the first water passage constituting the water supply mechanism is arranged so that it can be moved back and forth in the water flow direction. The washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with a fine bubble water generator according to claim 12, characterized in that the member having the collision surface that forms the second water passage constituting the water supply mechanism is arranged so as to be movable back and forth relative to the outlet surface of the first water passage. The washing machine water supply hose or shower hose equipped with the fine bubble water generator according to claim 13, characterized in that the diameter of the water passage surrounding the surface of the cylindrical member in the second water passage is smaller than the diameter of the water pipe.

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