JP7637593B2 - Water sprinkler system - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a sprinkler device equipped with an electrically powered drive unit, and in particular to a sprinkler device that has a built-in power source that supplies power to the drive unit.

This type of water sprinkler is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1, which was previously proposed by the applicant. The water sprinkler device (name of invention: shower head) in Patent Document 1 includes a shower body that sprays hot and cold water supplied through a hose, and a power storage unit (power supply unit) that stores electricity. The shower body includes a stem portion that is held by the user, and a head portion that is disposed at the tip of the stem portion. The head portion has a spray plate from which hot and cold water is sprayed at one end, and a mounting portion for mounting the power storage unit is formed at the other end of the head portion that faces the spray plate. The power of the power storage unit is supplied to an electrolysis unit (drive unit) that is disposed in a water channel formed in the stem portion and electrolyzes the hot and cold water flowing through the water channel, and a light source unit (drive unit) that is disposed inside the head portion and uses light to notify the operating state of the electrolysis unit and the remaining power of the power storage unit, etc.

JP 2020-103864 A

The showerhead in Patent Document 1 has a built-in power storage unit for supplying power to the drive unit, so there is no need for a power cable or the like extending from the showerhead, and it can be handled in the same way as a normal showerhead. However, in the showerhead in Patent Document 1, the power storage unit is provided in the head unit along with the drive unit, so the size of the head unit is inevitably large. In addition, the weight of the power storage unit forms the center of gravity in the head unit, which is located at the tip of the stem unit that serves as a handle, so the showerhead feels heavy when in use. As a result, the large size of the head unit and the position of the center of gravity of the showerhead make it difficult to use.

The object of the present invention is to provide a watering device with a built-in power supply that supplies electricity to the drive unit, which is compact, does not feel heavy, and can be handled more easily.

The water sprinkler device of the present invention comprises a head portion 2 having a water sprinkler section 5, a grip portion 3 extending from the head portion 2 to form a handle, a drive portion 7 provided on the head portion 2 and/or the grip portion 3 and driven by electricity, and a power supply body 8 having a battery 71 and supplying power to the drive portion 7, and is characterized in that the power supply body 8 is provided inside the grip portion 3.

The grip section 3 is provided with a hollow cylindrical grip case 55 having a hollow section 66, and a power supply 8 and a socket 98 for fixing the power supply 8 are arranged within the hollow section 66 of the grip case 55. The power supply 8 and the socket 98 are connected by a power supply section 113 on the power supply 8 side and a power receiving section 122 on the socket 98 side. Between the cylindrical inner surface of the grip case 55 and the power supply 8, a water passage 58 communicating with the water spray section 5 is formed in a circular shape surrounding the power supply 8.

The inner tube surface of the grip case 55 is formed into a cylindrical surface, and the outer circumferential surface of the power supply 8 is formed into a cylindrical surface. The power supply 8 is disposed in the grip case 55 with the central axis C2 of the power supply 8 coinciding with the central axis C1 of the hollow portion 66.

The outer peripheral surface of the socket 98 is formed into a cylindrical shape, and a water passage 58 that communicates with the water spray unit 5 is formed in a circular shape between the inner cylindrical surface of the grip case 55 and the outer peripheral surface of the socket 98. The socket 98 is disposed in the grip case 55 with the central axis C3 of the socket 98 and the central axis C1 of the hollow portion 66 coinciding.

The power supply unit 8 includes a power supply section 113, a battery module 72 in which a battery 71 is hermetically enclosed, and a module case 73 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening and housing the battery module 72 inside. The module case 73 is configured to be detachable from the socket 98.

The power supply unit 113 has a power supply terminal 115 that outputs power from the battery 71, and the power receiving unit 122 has a power receiving terminal 124 that receives the power output from the power supply terminal 115. The power supply terminal 115 and the power receiving terminal 124 are connected by fixing the socket 98 and the power source 8 with a screw structure.

The grip case 55 includes a base tube 64 that is integral with the head portion 2, and a grip tube 65 that is detachably connected to the base tube 64, and a socket 98 is provided on the base tube 64. An attachment indicator 137 is provided between the base tube 64 and/or the socket 98 and the module case 73 to indicate the start position of screwing the module case 73 into the socket 98.

The power supply terminal 115 is provided on the power supply terminal installation surface 114 of the power supply unit 113, and the power receiving terminal 124 is provided on the power receiving terminal installation surface 123 of the power receiving unit 122. When the power supply unit 8 is fixed to the socket 98, the power supply terminal installation surface 114 is configured to approach the power receiving terminal installation surface 123. A convex portion 133 that protrudes toward the other is formed on one of the power supply terminal installation surface 114 and the power receiving terminal installation surface 123, and a concave portion 134 that receives the convex portion 133 is formed on the remaining other surface.

The battery module 72 includes a bottomed, cylindrical module body 81 that houses the battery 71, and a module lid 82 that closes the opening of the module body 81. The module body 81 and the module lid 82 are integrated with each other by a sealing ring 83 that is fitted around the outside of both the module body 81 and the module lid 82.

The battery module 72 and the module case 73 are configured to be relatively slidable in the direction of the central axis C2 of the power source 8. Between the battery module 72 and the module case 73, a biasing means 74 is provided to bias the battery module 72 toward the power receiving unit 122.

The power receiving terminal 124 has a terminal pin 127 that protrudes from the power receiving terminal installation surface 123, and the power supply terminal 115 has a terminal base 118 that forms the bottom of a recess 116 formed in the power supply terminal installation surface 114. The battery module 72 and the module case 73 are configured to be rotatable together, and when the module case 73 is fixed to the socket 98 by screwing it, the terminal pin 127 falls into and engages with the recess 116 due to the biasing force of the biasing means 74, so that the terminal pin 127 and the terminal base 118 come into contact with each other.

The socket 98 is disposed downstream of the water passage 58, and the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73 is disposed upstream of the water passage 58. The cross-sectional area of the water passage 58 at the upstream end of the water passage of the module case 73 is formed to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73.

The socket 98 is disposed downstream of the water passage 58, and the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73 is disposed upstream of the water passage 58. A water receiving recess 145 is provided on the outer surface of the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73, recessed in the thickness direction of the case bottom wall 144.

A functional cartridge 160, which is a functional part 159 that adds functional ingredients to the water flowing through the water passage 58 or removes impurities contained in the water flowing through the water passage 58, is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73.

An electrode unit 161, which is a functional part 159 that electrolyzes the water flowing through the water passage 58, is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73.

The grip case 55 includes a base tube 64 that is integral with the head unit 2, and a grip tube 65 that is detachably connected to the base tube 64, and a socket 98 is provided on the base tube 64. The grip tube 65 includes a receiving portion 165 that receives the functional portion 159, and the functional portion 159 is clamped and held between the module case 73 and the receiving portion 165.

As in the present invention, when a power supply 8 that supplies power to the drive unit 7 is provided inside the grip unit 3, the head unit 2 can be prevented from becoming larger and the sprinkler device can be made more compact than conventional sprinkler devices (shower heads) in which a power storage unit is attached to the head unit. In addition, the center of gravity of the sprinkler device can be located in the grip unit 3, which serves as the handle, preventing it from becoming heavy to hold. As described above, according to the present invention, the sprinkler device can be made compact and further prevents it from becoming heavy due to the center of gravity, resulting in a sprinkler device that is easy to handle and has excellent usability.

If a water passage 58 that communicates with the water sprinkler unit 5 is formed in a circular shape surrounding the power supply 8 between the cylindrical inner surface of the grip case 55 of the grip unit 3 and the power supply unit 8, a gap that is the water passage 58 can be provided between the power supply unit 8 and the grip case 55. With this, even if the water sprinkler device is dropped and the grip case 55 is subjected to a drop impact, for example, the drop impact can be absorbed by the gap that is the water passage 58 and the drop impact can be prevented from directly acting on the power supply unit 8, preventing damage to the battery 71 and improving the safety of the water sprinkler device.

When the inner tube surface of the grip case 55 is formed into a cylindrical surface, the outer circumferential surface of the power source 8 is formed into a cylindrical surface, and the central axis C2 of the power source 8 and the central axis C1 of the hollow portion 66 are aligned, and the power source 8 is placed inside the grip case 55, the water passage width of the water passage 58 formed between the inner tube surface of the hollow portion 66 and the outer circumferential surface of the power source 8 can be made uniform around the entire circumference of the power source 8, so that the water pressure acting on the outer circumferential surface of the power source 8 can be made uniform. This prevents the power source 8 from being damaged by excessive water pressure acting on a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the power source 8.

If the outer peripheral surface of the socket 98 is formed into a cylindrical surface and the water passage 58 communicating with the water sprinkler unit 5 is formed in a circular shape between the cylindrical inner surface of the grip case 55 and the outer peripheral surface of the socket 98, a gap formed by the water passage 58 can be provided between the socket 98 and the grip case 55. With this, even if the water sprinkler device is dropped and a drop impact acts on the grip case 55, the drop impact can be absorbed by the gap formed by the water passage 58, and the drop impact can be prevented from directly acting on the socket 98 and the power source 8 fixed to the socket 98. Therefore, damage to the battery 71, the power supply unit 113, and the power receiving unit 122 can be effectively prevented, and the safety of the water sprinkler device can be further improved.
In addition, when the socket 98 is arranged in the grip case 55 with the central axis C3 of the socket 98 and the central axis C1 of the hollow portion 66 coinciding, as described above, the water passage width of the water passage 58 formed between the cylindrical inner surface of the hollow portion 66 and the socket 98 can be made equal around the entire circumference of the socket 98, thereby equalizing the water pressure acting on the outer peripheral surface of the socket 98, thereby preventing damage to the socket 98 due to excessive water pressure acting on a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the socket 98.

When the power source 8 is composed of a battery module 72 in which a battery 71 is sealed and a module case 73 that houses the battery module 72, and the module case 73 is configured to be detachable from the socket 98, the battery 71 can be protected doubly by being housed in the module case 73 in addition to being enclosed as the battery module 72. This makes it possible to more reliably prevent the battery 71 from being damaged even in the event that the grip case 55 is subjected to a collision or drop impact. In addition, when the battery 71 needs to be replaced or charged, it is possible to replace it with a new battery module 72 or charge the battery 71 simply by removing and attaching the module case 73, making it easy to replace or charge the battery 71.

The power supply unit 113 can be configured to include a power supply terminal 115 that outputs power from the battery 71, and the power receiving unit 122 can be configured to include a power receiving terminal 124 that receives power output from the power supply terminal 115, and the power supply terminal 115 and the power receiving terminal 124 can be connected by fixing the socket 98 and the power source 8 with a screw structure. This allows the terminals 115 and 124 to be connected by the simple operation of simply screwing the module case 73 into the socket 98, so that the operation of connecting the terminals 115 and 124 can be omitted, and the connection work for the terminals 115 and 124 can be performed easily with less effort.

The grip case 55 is provided with a base tube 64 that is integral with the head portion 2, and a grip tube 65 that is detachably connected to the base tube 64. A socket 98 is provided on the base tube 64. If an attachment indicator 137 is provided between the base tube 64 and/or the socket 98 and the module case 73, indicating the start position of screwing the module case 73 into the socket 98, the start position of screwing can be visually recognized when screwing the module case 73 into the socket 98, and the power supply 8 can be fixed to the socket 98 more quickly and accurately.

The power supply terminal 115 is provided on the power supply terminal installation surface 114 of the power supply unit 113, and the power receiving terminal 124 is provided on the power receiving terminal installation surface 123 of the power receiving unit 122. When the power supply body 8 is fixed to the socket 98, the power supply terminal installation surface 114 is configured to approach the power receiving terminal installation surface 123. A convex portion 133 protruding toward the other is formed on either the power supply terminal installation surface 114 or the power receiving terminal installation surface 123, and a concave portion 134 that receives the convex portion 133 is formed on the remaining other surface. With this, when the power supply unit 8 is fixed to the socket 98, the convex portion 133 and the concave portion 134 can bring the power supply terminal installation surface 114 and the power receiving terminal installation surface 123 into close proximity while being positioned in the screwing direction, so that the power supply terminal 115 provided on the power supply terminal installation surface 114 and the power receiving terminal 124 provided on the power receiving terminal installation surface 123 can be brought into more accurate contact, and a current flow state can be more reliably established.

The battery module 72 includes a bottomed cylindrical module body 81 that houses the battery 71, and a module lid 82 that closes the opening of the module body 81, and the module body 81 and the module lid 82 are integrated with a sealing ring 83 that is fitted to the outside of both 81 and 82. By attaching the sealing ring 83 to the module body 81 and the module lid 82 from the outside, the three 81, 82, and 83 can be integrated, so that the battery module 72 can be assembled easily and quickly. Note that, for example, if the module body 81 and the module lid 82 are integrated by thermal welding, a welding device must be prepared, and further, if the thickness of the cylindrical part of the module body 81 is relatively thin, welding of the two 81 and 82 may not be performed properly, resulting in gaps.

The battery module 72 and the module case 73 are configured to be relatively slidable in the direction of the central axis C2 of the power source 8, and a biasing means 74 for biasing the battery module 72 toward the power receiving section 122 is provided between the battery module 72 and the module case 73. The biasing force of the biasing means 74 presses the power supply terminal 115 against the power receiving terminal 124, thereby more reliably establishing a contact state. This makes it possible to prevent sparks from occurring due to poor contact between the terminals 115 and 124.

The power receiving terminal 124 has a terminal pin 127 protruding from the power receiving terminal installation surface 123, the power supply terminal 115 has a terminal seat 118 forming the bottom of the recess 116 formed in the power supply terminal installation surface 114, and the battery module 72 and the module case 73 are configured to be rotatable together, and when the module case 73 is fixed to the socket 98 by screwing, the terminal pin 127 falls into the recess 116 due to the biasing force of the biasing means 74 and engages with the terminal pin 127, so that the terminal pin 127 and the terminal seat 118 come into contact with each other. This allows the user to recognize that the two terminals 115 and 124 have come into contact with each other by the sound and vibration generated when the terminal pin 127 falls into the recess 116 and engages, so that the contact state between the two terminals 115 and 124 can be more reliably established and the occurrence of poor contact between the two terminals 115 and 124 can be suppressed.

When the socket 98 is disposed downstream of the water passage 58, and the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73 is disposed upstream of the water passage 58, and the cross-sectional area of the water passage 58 at the upstream end of the water passage of the module case 73 is formed to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73, flow resistance is generated in the reduced cross-sectional area of the water passage 58, and this flow resistance can press the power supply unit 8 toward the socket 98, thereby firmly fixing the power supply unit 8 to the socket 98. As a result, power can be properly exchanged between the power supply unit 113 and the power receiving unit 122.

When the socket 98 is disposed downstream of the water passage 58, the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73 is disposed upstream of the water passage 58, and a water receiving recess 134 is provided on the outer surface of the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73, recessed in the thickness direction of the case bottom wall 144, the force of the water flowing through the water passage 58 can be received by the water receiving recess 134, and the force of the water can be used to press the power supply unit 8 toward the socket 98, making it possible to more firmly fix the power supply unit 8 to the socket 98. As a result, power can be exchanged more appropriately from the power supply unit 113 to the power receiving unit 122.

If a functional cartridge 160, which is a functional part 159 that adds functional ingredients to the water flowing through the water passage 58 or removes impurities contained in the water flowing through the water passage 58, is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73, water that does not contain impurities can be discharged from the sprinkler part 5, or water that contains functional ingredients can be discharged from the sprinkler part 5. In addition, if a functional cartridge 160 is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73, it is possible to prevent the head part 2 from becoming larger or the center of gravity from shifting toward the head part 2, despite the provision of the cartridge 160. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the provision of the functional part 159 from deteriorating the usability of the sprinkler device.

When an electrode unit 161, which is a functional part 159 that electrolyzes the water flowing through the water passage 58, is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73, water in which hydrogen and oxygen are dissolved can be discharged from the sprinkler unit 5. In addition, when an electrode unit 161 is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73, it is possible to prevent the head unit 2 from becoming larger and the center of gravity from shifting toward the head unit 2, despite the provision of the unit 161. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the provision of the functional part 159 from deteriorating the usability of the sprinkler device.

If the grip tube 65 is provided with a receiving portion 165 that receives the functional part 159 and the functional part 159 is clamped and held between the module case 73 and the receiving portion 165, the functional part 159 can be accurately held in the grip tube 65 simply by attaching the grip tube 65 to the base tube 64. This eliminates the need to provide a separate structure for holding the functional part 159, and prevents the cost of the sprinkler device from increasing due to the provision of the functional part 159.

1 is a vertical sectional side view of an entire sprinkler device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a front view showing the entire water sprinkler device. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a power supply unit and a power receiving unit. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line CC in FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded side view of the battery module. FIG. 2 is a front view showing the power supply unit separated from the socket and disassembled. FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional side view showing the state in which the power supply unit is separated from the socket. 11 is a front view showing a state in which the grip tube is separated from the base tube. FIG. 2 is an exploded plan view showing a state in which a head cover and a head block are separated from a head case. FIG. 11 is a front view showing a state in which the head block has been separated and the head block and the head cover have been inverted. FIG. FIG. 11 is a vertical sectional front view showing a sprinkler device according to a second embodiment of the present invention, in which a functional unit consisting of a functional cartridge is mounted on a shower head. FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing a water sprinkler device according to a third embodiment of the present invention, illustrating a state in which a functional part consisting of an electrode unit is mounted on a shower head.

(First embodiment) Figures 1 to 13 show a first embodiment in which the sprinkler device according to the present invention is applied to a shower head. In this embodiment, the front, back, left, right, and up and down refer to the crossed arrows shown in Figures 1 and 2 and the indications of front, back, left, right, and up and down written near each arrow. In Figure 2, the shower head 1 has a barrel-shaped head part 2 and a grip part 3 that extends downward from the head part 2 to form a handle, and a water supply hose 4 is connected to the lower end of the grip part 3. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a group of sprinkler holes (sprinkler part) 5 and a massage body 6 are arranged on the front of the head part 2, and a drive unit (drive part) 7 that drives the massage body 6 is provided inside the head part 2. The drive unit 7 is driven by electricity, and a power source 8 that supplies power to the drive unit 7 is provided inside the grip part 3.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the head section 2 includes a cup-shaped head case 11 with a front opening, a head block 12 that is disposed at the front opening of the head case 11 and has watering holes 5 and a massage body 6, and a ring-shaped cylindrical head cover 13 that is detachably attached to the head case 11 and holds the head block 12. The drive unit 7 is provided in the internal space surrounded by the head case 11 and the head block 12, and includes a motor 16 that is driven by power supplied from the power source 8, a reduction mechanism 17 that reduces the rotational power of the motor 16 and branches it for output, and a drive case 18 that houses the motor 16 and the reduction mechanism 17.

12 and 13, the reduction mechanism 17 includes a reducer 19 to which the main shaft of the motor 16 is connected and which reduces and outputs the rotation of the motor 16, a driving gear 21 connected to the main shaft of the reducer 19, an intermediate gear 22 which is driven to rotate by the driving gear 21, a pair of left and right branch gears 23, 23 which branch the rotational power of the intermediate gear 22 into two systems, and four driven gears 24 which are driven to rotate by the branch gear 23. The intermediate gear 22 is integrally provided with the left branch gear 23, and each branch gear 23 drives two driven gears 24. An output shaft 25 is integrally provided with each driven gear 24 and configured to rotate together, and the reduced rotational power of the motor 16 is output from each output shaft 25. In FIG. 13, when the driving gear 21 rotates clockwise, the upper and lower output shafts 25 arranged on the left side of the head unit 2 rotate clockwise, and the upper and lower output shafts 25 arranged on the right side of the head unit 2 rotate counterclockwise.

As shown in FIG. 4, the drive case 18 includes a front case 28 and a rear case 29 that are fitted together from the front and rear, and the motor 16 and the reduction mechanism 17 including the gears are housed inside these two cases 28 and 29. The motor 16 and the reduction gear 19 are housed and held inside a cylindrical motor cylinder 30 formed in the rear case 29, and each gear 21 to 24 is rotatably supported by a gear frame 31 provided between the front and rear cases 28 and 29. The tip of each output shaft 25 protrudes from the front case 28 to the front of the drive case 18. Between the front case 28 and each output shaft 25, a seal ring 32 is provided to prevent hot and cold water (cold water) from entering the inside of the drive case 18, and the seal ring 32 is held by a press frame 33 fixed to the front surface of the front case 28. The drive case 18 has the rear case 29 fixed to the head case 11 with screws 34.

As shown in Figures 4 and 12, the head block 12 comprises a disk-shaped block base 36 that is flat from front to back and serves as the base of the head block 12; a cylindrical bottomed sprinkler plate 37 that covers the front and all sides of the block base 36 and has numerous sprinkler holes 5 and an opening on the rear; and a ring-shaped support plate 38 that is fixed to the front of the sprinkler plate 37 and supports the massage body 6. These three components (block base 36, sprinkler plate 37, support plate 38) are firmly integrated and fixed with four screws 39 that are screwed forward from the rear of the block base 36 (see Figure 13).

As shown in Fig. 4, the massage body 6 includes a ring portion 41 having a U-shaped cross section that opens backward, a fixed massage body 42 in the form of a solid conical column protruding from the front of the ring portion 41, and a movable massage body 43 in the form of a cylinder with a bottom, and the entire massage body 6 is made of a flexible rubber material. The fixed massage body 42 and the movable massage body 43 are arranged at equal angular intervals on a circle centered on the central axis of the head block 12 in the front-rear direction when viewed from the front, and four fixed massage bodies 42 and four movable massage bodies 43 are arranged alternately (see Fig. 2). Five cylindrical stimulating protrusions 44 are protruding from the tip of each movable massage body 43. The support plate 38 is placed inside the ring portion 41, and the two (support plate 38, ring portion 41) are integrated together, and the three (block base 36, sprinkler plate 37, support plate 38) are integrated together when the support plate 38 and ring portion 41 are housed in a circular mounting recess 45 formed in the front surface of the sprinkler plate 37.

As shown in FIG. 2, a group of water sprinkler holes 5 are provided on the inside and outside of the mounting recess 45 formed as a recess in the front wall of the water sprinkler plate 37. The water sprinkler holes 5 on the inside of the mounting recess 45 are arranged at equal intervals on a double concentric circle, and the water sprinkler holes 5 on the outside of the mounting recess 45 are also arranged at equal intervals on a double concentric circle. Among the water sprinkler holes 5 on the outside of the mounting recess 45, the water sprinkler holes 5 located in the portion where the water sprinkler plate 37 and the movable massage body 43 overlap in a front view when the movable massage body 43 performs a massage operation are omitted. This makes it possible to prevent the hot water discharged from the water sprinkler holes 5 from colliding with the movable massage body 43, and therefore to prevent the hot water from being diffused in an unintended direction. As shown in FIG. 4, the front surface of the water sprinkler plate 37 on which the water sprinkler holes 5 are provided and the front surface of the ring portion 41 are smoothly continuous, and the front surface of the head portion 2 formed by these two (water sprinkler plate 37, ring portion 41) is formed as a partial spherical shell shape that is curved forward convexly as a whole.

The movable massage body 43 is driven by the output shaft 25 of the drive unit 7 via the operating shaft 48. As shown in FIG. 4, the operating shaft 48 is provided with a connecting shaft 49 formed in a hollow cylindrical shape into which the output shaft 25 is inserted, and an operating arm 50 formed in a L-shape, and the connecting shaft 49 and the operating arm 50 are integrated by a connecting screw 51 so that they can rotate together. The operating shaft 48 is supported by the connecting shaft 49 rotatably on the block base 36, and the tip portion of the operating arm 50 inclined with respect to the central axis of the connecting shaft 49 is inserted into the movable massage body 43. The tip of the output shaft 25 is formed in a cross shaft shape, and the hollow part of the connecting shaft 49 is formed with a cross hole corresponding to the cross shaft of the output shaft 25, and the rotational power of the output shaft 25 is transmitted to the operating shaft 48 by engaging these cross shafts and cross holes. When the operating shaft 48 is rotated by the output shaft 25, the tip of the operating arm 50, which is inclined relative to the central axis of the connecting shaft 49, is driven to trace a rotational trajectory when viewed from the front of the shower head, and the movable massage body 43 is also operated by the operating arm 50 to trace a rotational trajectory.

As shown in Figures 12 and 13, four bayonet grooves 52 are formed at equal intervals on the front outer periphery of the head case 11, and four bayonet claws 53 are formed at equal intervals on the rear inner periphery of the head cover 13, corresponding to the bayonet grooves 52. The head cover 13 is attached to the head case 11 or separated from the head case 11 by engaging and disengaging these bayonet grooves 52 and bayonet claws 53.

As shown in FIG. 1, the grip section 3 includes a hollow cylindrical grip case 55, and the lower peripheral wall of the head case 11 to which the grip case 55 is connected is provided with a water supply port 56 for allowing water supplied from an external water source to flow into the head section 2. A water supply passage 57 leading from the water supply port 56 to the water spray holes 5 is formed inside the head section 2, and a water passage 58 leading from the water supply hose 4 to the water supply port 56 is formed inside the grip section 3. As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 4, the water supply passage 57 is partitioned between the front case 28 and the head block 12, and the head case 11 and the head cover 13 in the front half of the head section 2, and includes a main water supply passage 59 for supplying hot water to a group of water spray holes 5 arranged on the outside of the massage body 6, and a sub-water supply passage 60 for supplying hot water to a group of water spray holes 5 arranged on the inside of the massage body 6, which is partitioned in the block base 36. The main water supply passage 59 and the sub water supply passage 60 communicate with each other through a connecting water passage 61 formed to penetrate the block base 36 from left to right (see FIG. 13). Water supplied from the water supply port 56 to the inside of the head section 2 reaches the water spray holes 5 via the water supply passage 57 and is discharged forward from each water spray hole 5. The rear end side of the main water supply passage 59 is partitioned in a watertight manner by a watertight packing 62 arranged between the head case 11 and the drive case 18 (front case 28), preventing water from entering the rear half of the interior of the head section 2.

As shown in FIG. 1, a water passage 58 is formed in the hollow portion 66 of the grip case 55, which communicates with the water supply port 56 and the water supply passage 57 and the water sprinkler hole 5. The grip case 55 includes a base tube 64 formed integrally with the head case 11 (head part 2), and a grip tube 65 detachably connected to the base tube 64. The end of the water supply hose 4 is connected to the lower end of the grip tube 65, which is formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape, by a screw structure. The inner diameter cross section of the grip case 55 is formed in a circular shape, and the outer diameter cross section is also formed in a circular shape. As shown in FIG. 11, four bayonet grooves 67 are formed at equal intervals on the upper outer peripheral edge of the grip tube 65, and four bayonet claws 68 are formed at equal intervals corresponding to the bayonet grooves 67 on the lower inner peripheral edge of the base tube 64. The grip tube 65 is attached to the base tube 64 or separated from the base tube 64 by engaging and disengaging the bayonet grooves 67 and bayonet claws 68. When the grip tube 65 is separated from the base tube 64, the power supply 8 provided in the hollow portion 66 of the grip case 55 can be exposed. In FIG. 5 etc., the reference numeral 69 denotes a packing that watertightly seals the connection between the base tube 64 and the grip tube 65.

3 and 9, the power supply unit 8 is composed of a battery module 72 in which a battery 71 is sealed and a module case 73 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with an opening at the top and accommodating the battery module 72 inside, and the module case 73 is configured to be detachable from the socket 98. The battery module 72 and the module case 73 can slide relative to each other in the direction of the central axis C2 of the power supply unit 8, and a biasing means 74 is provided between the two (battery module 72, module case 73) to bias the battery module 72 upward toward the opening side. The biasing means 74 is composed of a contact body 75 that contacts the battery module 72 and a coil spring 76 that applies a biasing force to the contact body 75. The contact body 75 is held in place so as not to be separated from the module case 73 by a hook claw 77 formed to protrude outward from the lower end of the contact body 75 and hooked on a restricting step 78 formed to protrude inward from the inner lower part of the module case 73.

As shown in FIG. 8, the battery module 72 is composed of a battery 71, which is a secondary battery with an integrated charging circuit, a module body 81 formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape with an upper opening (opening) and housing the battery 71 inside, a module lid 82 that closes the upper opening of the module body 81, and a sealing ring 83 that integrates both of these (module body 81, module lid 82). The sealing ring 83 is equipped with a ring body 86 formed in an annular shape that fits around the module body 81, and four locking claws 87 that extend upward from the ring body 86.

A locking tube 88 with a larger diameter than the module body 81 is integrally provided on the opening edge (upper edge) of the module body 81, and the locking tube 88 in a portion corresponding to the locking claw 87 is partially cut out to form a locking slit 89. The module lid 82 also includes a large diameter lid portion 90 that covers the upper part of the locking tube 88, a small diameter lid portion 91 that is integrally formed on the lower side of the large diameter lid portion 90 and enters the inside of the locking tube 88, and a plug portion 92 that is integrally formed on the lower side of the small diameter lid portion 91 and enters the module body 81. Four locking steps 93 that engage with the locking claws 87 are formed on the peripheral surface of the small diameter lid portion 91 and protrude outward in correspondence with the locking slits 89.

To assemble the battery module 72, the battery 71 is inserted into the module body 81, and the module lid 82 is fitted into the upper opening of the module body 81 so that the plug portion 92 is inserted into the module body 81. Next, the sealing ring 83 is inserted from below the module body 81 so as to fit over the module body 81, and the locking slit 89 and the locking claw 87 are aligned, and the locking claw 87 is locked into the locking step 93. In this state, the locking tube 88 is sandwiched between the large diameter lid portion 90 and the ring body 86 from above and below, and the module lid 82 and the sealing ring 83 are immovably integrated with the module body 81. The positive and negative poles of the battery 71 are connected in advance to the power supply portion 113 (described later) by lead wires. In FIG. 8, the symbol 94 denotes a packing that provides a watertight seal between the module body 81 and the plug portion 92, and the battery 71 is sandwiched vertically between the plug portion 92 and the bottom wall of the module body 81.

9 and 10, a cylindrical socket fixing tube 97 is provided inside the base tube 64, and the grip section 3 of the base tube 64 is configured as a double tube. A socket 98 to which the module case 73 of the power supply unit 8 is fixed is provided at the lower end of the socket fixing tube 97. The socket 98 includes a disk-shaped socket base 99, a socket tube 100 extending downward from the periphery of the socket base 99, and a cylindrical fixed shaft 101 extending upward from the upper surface of the socket base 99. The socket 98 is fixed to the socket fixing tube 97 by screwing a screw 103 into a screw boss 102 formed inside the socket fixing tube 97 with the fixed shaft 101 inserted into the socket fixing tube 97 and the upper peripheral portion of the socket base 99 abutting the lower end surface of the socket fixing tube 97. The power supply unit 8 is configured to be detachable from the socket 98 by a screw-fitting structure.

The socket tube 100 is formed in a stepped tube shape with a small-diameter base end tube portion 106 that continues downward from the periphery of the socket base 99 and a large-diameter tip tube portion 107 that continues downward from the base end tube portion 106. A female thread portion 108 consisting of a single thread that constitutes a screw structure is engraved on the upper inner surface of the base end tube portion 106. A male thread portion 109 consisting of a single thread that constitutes a screw structure together with the female thread portion 108 is engraved on the upper outer surface of the module case 73. The module case 73 is fixed to the socket 98 by screwing the male thread portion 109 into the female thread portion 108. At this time, the upper end of the tube of the module case 73 abuts on the step portion between the base end tube portion 106 and the tip tube portion 107, thereby defining the screwing limit of the module case 73 into the socket 98. In Figures 3 and 10, reference numeral 110 denotes a packing that seals the space between the socket 98 and the module case 73 in a watertight manner.

3, 6 and 7, the hollow portion 66 of the grip case 55 has a cylindrical inner surface, and the outer peripheral surface of the module case 73 constituting the power source 8 and the outer peripheral surface of the socket 98 are formed into cylindrical surfaces. In addition, the central axis C1 of the hollow portion 66 of the grip case 55, the central axis C2 of the power source 8, and the central axis C3 of the socket 98 are arranged along the extension direction of the grip part 3, and each component (grip case 55, power source 8, socket 98) is arranged with the respective central axes C1, C2, and C3 coinciding. As a result, the water passage 58 between the grip case 55 and the power source 8 and between the grip case 55 and the power source 8 is formed in a circular shape, and the water passage width in the radial direction is equal around the entire circumference of the power source 8 and the socket 98. In addition, the water passage 58 is also circular between the base tube 64 and the socket fixing tube 97.

As shown in Figures 3 and 10, a power supply section 113 is provided on the module lid 82 of the battery module 72 (power source 8). The power supply section 113 has a power supply terminal installation surface 114 that is formed of a surface perpendicular to the flow direction of the water passage 58, and a pair of power supply terminals 115 that output power from the battery 71 are provided on the power supply terminal installation surface 114. The upper surface of the module lid 82 serves as the power supply terminal installation surface 114, and recesses 116 are formed on the power supply terminal installation surface 114 at positions that are point symmetrical with respect to the central axis C2 of the power source 8, and power supply terminals 115 are provided in each of the recesses 116.

The power supply terminal 115 has a shaft portion 117, part of which is a screw shaft, and a terminal base 118 with a drum-shaped cross section that is formed integrally with the upper end of the shaft portion 117, and the upper surface of the terminal base 118 forms the bottom of the recess 116. The power supply terminal 115 is fixed to the module lid 82 in a state in which the module lid 82 is sandwiched from above and below by the terminal base 118 and a nut 119 that is screwed onto the screw shaft portion of the shaft portion 117. Although not shown, the positive pole of the battery 71 is connected to one power supply terminal 115 by a lead wire, and the negative pole of the battery 71 is connected to the other power supply terminal 115 by a lead wire.

As shown in Figures 3 and 10, a power receiving section 122 is provided on the socket base 99 of the socket 98 so as to face the power supply section 113. The power receiving section 122 has a power receiving terminal installation surface 123 that faces the power supply terminal installation surface 114 when the module case 73 is screwed and attached to the socket 98, and a pair of power receiving terminals 124 that receive power output from the power supply terminal 115 are provided on the power receiving terminal installation surface 123. The lower surface of the socket base 99 serves as the power receiving terminal installation surface 123, and the pair of power receiving terminals 124 are each arranged at positions that are point symmetrical with respect to the central axis C3 of the socket 98.

The power receiving terminal 124 includes a shaft portion 125, part of which is a screw shaft, a flange portion 126 with a drum-shaped cross section formed integrally with the lower end of the shaft portion 125, and a terminal pin 127 extending downward from the flange portion 126. The power receiving terminal 124 is fixed to the socket 98 in a state in which the socket base 99 is sandwiched from above and below by the flange portion 126 and a nut 128 screwed onto the screw shaft portion of the shaft portion 125, and the tip (lower end) of the terminal pin 127 protrudes downward from the power receiving terminal installation surface 123. Although not shown, a lead wire is connected to each power receiving terminal 124, and the lead wire is wired inside the head portion 2 to supply power to the motor 16, etc.

As shown in Figures 7 and 9, two rails 131 extending parallel to the central axis C2 of the power source 8 are formed to protrude inward on the rear side of the inner surface of the module case 73. In addition, guide grooves 132 that guide the rails 131 are formed as recesses on the rear side of the outer surface of the battery module 72. The battery module 72 can be accommodated inside the module case 73 with its guide grooves 132 aligned with the rails 131 of the module case 73. The battery module 72 and the module case 73 can slide relative to each other, and can rotate together due to the engagement between the rails 131 and the guide grooves 132.

Between the battery module 72 and the socket 98, a positioning structure is provided to prevent the central axes C2 and C3 of the battery module 72 (power source 8) and the socket 98 from being misaligned when the module case 73 is screwed in. The positioning structure is provided on either the power supply terminal installation surface 114 or the power receiving terminal installation surface 123, and is composed of a convex portion 133 that protrudes toward the other, and a concave portion 134 that is provided on the remaining other surface and receives the convex portion 133. The convex portion 133 is composed of a pair of partially annular protrusions at the front and rear, and the concave portion 134 is composed of an annular concave. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the convex portion 133 is provided on the power receiving terminal installation surface 123, and the concave portion 134 is provided on the power supply terminal installation surface 114. When the module case 73 is screwed into the socket 98, the convex portion 133 enters the concave portion 134, thereby restricting the central axis C2 from being misaligned in a direction perpendicular to the coaxial line C2.

Since the female threaded body 108 and the male threaded body 109 provided between the socket 98 and the module case 73 are composed of a single thread, the female and male threaded bodies 108 and 109 have one screw-in start position. In order to clarify this screw-in start position, an installation index body 137 is provided. The installation index body 137 consists of a reference mark 138 protruding from the front of the outer surface of the base tube 64 and a start mark 139 protruding from the front of the outer surface of the module case 73. When the power supply body 8 is separated from the socket 98, the start mark 139 is aligned with the reference mark 138, and the upper end of the module case 73 is inserted into the socket tube 100, so that the start end of the female threaded body 108 and the start end of the male threaded body 109 are arranged adjacent to each other. In this state, when the module case 73 is rotated clockwise, the female and male threaded bodies 108 and 109 immediately start screwing together without rotating the module case 73 unnecessarily. The reference mark 138 can also be formed on the socket 98.

The reference mark 138 of the mounting indicator 137 also serves as a grip indicator that indicates the engagement/disengagement state between the bayonet groove 67 provided in the base tube 64 and the bayonet claw 68 provided in the grip tube 65. The grip indicator is composed of the reference mark 138, and a release mark 140 and a lock mark 141 that are protruding from the front of the outer surface of the grip tube 65. The right side of the marks on the front surface of the grip tube 65 is the release mark 140. When the release mark 140 matches the reference mark 138, the bayonet claw 68 is out of the bayonet groove 67, and the grip tube 65 can be inserted and removed in the vertical direction relative to the base tube 64. The left side is the lock mark 141. When the lock mark 141 matches the reference mark 138, the bayonet groove 67 and the bayonet claw 68 are engaged, and the grip tube 65 is fixed to the base tube 64.

As shown in FIG. 3, in the case bottom wall 144 portion of the module case 73 arranged on the upstream side of the water passage 58, the cross-sectional area of the circular water passage 58 is formed to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of the cylindrical water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73. In addition, a water receiving recess 145 is formed on the outer surface of the case bottom wall 144, recessed in the thickness direction of the case bottom wall 144. With these structures, when hot and cold water is supplied to the water passage 58 with the power supply unit 8 fixed in the hollow portion 66 of the grip case 55, flow resistance occurs in the reduced cross-sectional area, and the module case 73 receives the force of the hot and cold water flowing through the water passage 58 at the water receiving recess 145. Therefore, due to the generation of the flow resistance caused by the supply of hot and cold water and the reception of the force of the hot and cold water, a pressing force acting on the socket 98 side is generated on the power supply unit 8.

The water passage 58 upstream of the power source 8, i.e., the water passage 58 in the area between the bottom wall of the grip tube 65 and the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73, is a cylindrical water passage, and four rib walls 146 are formed at equal intervals on the inner surface of the water passage and protrude inward. When the grip tube 65 is attached to the base tube 64, the upper ends of the rib walls 146 abut against the case bottom wall 144, restricting the downward movement of the power source 8.

A power switch 148 for controlling the operating state of the drive unit 7 is provided on the rear surface of the head unit 2. The power switch 148 is equipped with a tactile switch body 149 and an operation button 150 for pressing the switch body 149, and the switch body 149 is mounted on a control board 151 for controlling the operation of the drive unit 7. When the operation button 150 is pressed while the drive unit 7 is stopped, the control board 151 energizes the motor 16, and the movable massage body 43 of the massage body 6 is operated to perform a massage operation. The motor 16 is first driven in a weak mode (low rotation speed) for providing a weak massage stimulus, and when the operation button 150 is pressed again, the motor 16 is driven in a strong mode (high rotation speed) for providing a strong massage stimulus. When the operation button 150 is pressed in the strong mode, the control board 151 stops the motor 16. After that, each time the operation button 150 is pressed, the control board 151 repeatedly controls the motor 16 to switch between low mode, high mode, and stopped.

When hot water is supplied to the shower head 1 from an external water source, it is discharged from the numerous water spray holes 5 via the water passage 58, water supply port 56, and water supply passage 57. The massage action described above can be performed regardless of whether hot water is being discharged or not. When hot water is not being supplied from the external water source, the fixed massage body 42 and the movable massage body 43 can be applied to the head while the massage body 6 is performing a massage action, thereby providing a massage stimulus to the scalp, etc. When hot water is being supplied from the external water source, a massage stimulus can be provided to the scalp, etc. while washing away detergent, etc. adhering to the hair. The operation of the movable massage body 43 can assist in washing away detergent, etc. adhering to the hair.

The battery 71, whose power has been consumed by the drive unit 7, is separated from the shower head 1 and charged. When removing the power supply 8 from the shower head 1 in the state shown in FIG. 2, first, while the head case 11 is supported, the grip tube 65 is rotated counterclockwise to align the release mark 140 with the reference mark 138, thereby releasing the engagement between the bayonet groove 67 and the bayonet claw 68. In this state, the grip tube 65 is slid downward to separate the grip tube 65 from the base tube 64. Next, while the head case 11 is fixed, the module case 73 is rotated counterclockwise to release the screwed state between the female threaded body 108 and the male threaded body 109, thereby separating the power supply 8 from the socket 98, and the battery module 72 can be removed by pulling it out of the module case 73. The battery module 72 can be removed by attaching the removed battery module 72 to a charger (not shown).

To attach the power supply 8 after charging the battery module 72, first align the rail 131 with the guide groove 132 and then insert the battery module 72 into the cylindrical interior of the module case 73. Next, align the reference mark 138 with the starting mark 139 and insert the cylindrical end of the module case 73 on the male threaded body 109 side into the cylindrical socket tube 100 (see Figures 9 and 10). At this time, the lower end of the battery module 72 abuts against the abutment body 75 and is raised by the biasing force of the coil spring 76, so that the convex portion 133 of the socket 98 slightly penetrates into the concave portion 134 of the battery module 72. When the module case 73 is rotated clockwise from this state, the male and female threaded bodies 108 and 109 start to screw together. In other words, by aligning the reference mark 138 and the start mark 139, the start end of the female threaded body 108 and the start end of the male threaded body 109 can be arranged adjacent to each other, so that the male and female threaded bodies 108 and 109 can start to screw together when the module case 73 is rotated.

When the module case 73 is further rotated clockwise, the male and female threaded bodies 108 and 109 are screwed together, and the battery module 72 rotates together with the module case 73 and rises, bringing the power supply terminal installation surface 114 and the power receiving terminal installation surface 123 closer together. When the male and female threaded bodies 108 and 109 are screwed together to a certain extent, the power supply terminal installation surface 114 or the upper surface of the terminal seat 118 of the power supply terminal 115 is received by the tip of the terminal pin 127, and the battery module 72 is pressed against the terminal pin 127 by the biasing force of the coil spring 76. When the module case 73 is then rotated clockwise and the upper end of the tube of the module case 73 abuts against the step between the base end tube portion 106 and the tip end tube portion 107, the screwing of the module case 73 to the socket 98 is completed, and the power source 8 is fixed to the socket 98. At this time, the battery module 72 rotates, causing the terminal pin 127 to repeatedly drop into the recess 116 and climb up onto the power supply terminal installation surface 114 several times, and when the power supply unit 8 is fixed, the terminal pin 127 drops into the recess 116 and both terminals 115 and 124 are connected. When the power supply unit 8 is fixed to the socket 98, the terminal pin 127 drops into the recess 116, and the sound and vibration at this time allow the user to recognize that both terminals 115 and 124 are connected. In addition, the terminal pin 127 drops into and engages with the recess 116, restricting the rotation of the module case 73 via the battery module 72.

Once the power supply 8 has been secured to the socket 98, the reference mark 138 and the release mark 140 are aligned so that the power supply 8 is housed inside the grip tube 65, and the grip tube 65 is inserted into the base tube 64 from below (see FIG. 11). Furthermore, while the head case 11 is still fixed, the grip tube 65 is rotated clockwise to align the reference mark 138 with the lock mark 141, thereby engaging the bayonet groove 67 with the bayonet claw 68, and mounting of the grip tube 65 to the base tube 64 is completed.

When using the shower head 1, limescale and the like may build up in the hot and cold water channels, including the water supply channel 57, causing the hot and cold water to flow poorly from the water spray holes 5, so it is preferable to clean the hot and cold water channels regularly. When removing the head block 12 from the shower head 1 in the state shown in FIG. 2, first rotate the head cover 13 attached to the head case 11 counterclockwise (counterclockwise when viewed from the front). This disengages the bayonet claws 53 from the bayonet grooves 52, so that the head cover 13 can be separated from the head case 11 to the front side. In addition, by separating the head cover 13, the head block 12 is released from the head case 11, so that the head block 12 can be removed forward from the head case 11. After removing the head block 12, the head block 12, the head cover 13, and the inside of the head case 11 can be cleaned to remove limescale and the like that has built up thereon. After cleaning, the output shaft 25 and the operating shaft 48 are aligned, the head block 12 is inserted from front to rear into the head case 11, and then the head cover 13 is placed over the front of the head case 11 and rotated to the right (clockwise when viewed from the front), so that the bayonet claws 53 and the bayonet grooves 52 engage, allowing the head cover 13 to be attached to the head case 11. Attaching the head cover 13 establishes the retention of the head block 12 to the head case 11.

To facilitate the attachment and detachment of the head cover 13, the head section 2, like the grip section 3, is provided with a head indicator that indicates the engagement and detachment state between the bayonet groove 52 provided in the head case 11 and the bayonet claw 53 provided in the head cover 13. As shown in Figs. 2 and 12, the head indicator is composed of a reference mark 154 protruding from the upper outer surface of the head case 11, and a release mark 155 and a lock mark 156 protruding from the upper outer surface of the head cover 13. The right side of the marks on the upper surface of the head cover 13 is the release mark 155, and when the release mark 155 matches the reference mark 154, the head cover 13 can be inserted and removed in the front-rear direction relative to the head case 11. The left side is the lock mark 156, and when the lock mark 156 matches the reference mark 154, the bayonet groove 52 and the bayonet claw 53 engage with each other to fix the head cover 13 to the head case 11.

As described above, in the showerhead 1 of this embodiment, a power supply 8 that supplies power to the drive unit 7 is provided inside the grip portion 3, so compared to conventional showerheads in which a power storage unit is attached to the head portion, the size of the head portion 2 is prevented from becoming large, and the showerhead 1 can be made more compact. In addition, the center of gravity of the showerhead 1 can be located in the grip portion 3, which serves as a handle, so that it is prevented from becoming heavy to hold. As described above, according to this embodiment, the showerhead 1 can be made compact, and further, the position of the center of gravity can be prevented from causing it to become heavy, so that a showerhead 1 that is easy to handle and has excellent usability can be obtained.

Between the cylindrical inner surface of the grip case 55 of the grip portion 3 and the power source 8, a water passage 58 that communicates with the water sprinkler hole 5 is formed in a circular shape that surrounds the power source 8, so that a gap that is the water passage 58 can be provided between the power source 8 and the grip case 55. As a result, even if the water sprinkler device is dropped and the grip case 55 is subjected to a drop impact, the drop impact can be prevented from directly acting on the power source 8, preventing damage to the battery 71 and improving the safety of the water sprinkler device.

The power supply unit 8, whose outer peripheral surface is formed into a cylindrical shape, is placed in the grip case 55, whose inner tube surface is formed into a cylindrical shape, with the central axis C2 of the power supply unit 8 and the central axis C1 of the hollow section 66 coinciding. This makes it possible to equalize the water passage width of the water passage 58 formed between the inner tube surface of the hollow section 66 and the outer peripheral surface of the power supply unit 8 all around the power supply unit 8, thereby making the water pressure acting on the outer peripheral surface of the power supply unit 8 uniform. This makes it possible to prevent damage to the power supply unit 8 due to excessive water pressure acting on a portion of the outer peripheral surface of the power supply unit 8.

The water passage 58 communicating with the water sprinkler hole 5 is formed in a circular shape between the cylindrical inner surface of the grip case 55 and the outer peripheral surface of the socket 98, so that a gap formed by the water passage 58 can be provided between the socket 98 and the grip case 55. This makes it possible to prevent the drop impact acting on the grip case 55 when the water sprinkler device is dropped from directly acting on the socket 98 and the power source body 8 fixed to the socket 98, so that the safety of the water sprinkler device can be further improved by effectively preventing damage to the battery 71, the power supply unit 113, and the power receiving unit 122. In addition, the socket 98, whose outer peripheral surface is formed into a cylindrical surface, is disposed in the grip case 55 with the central axis C3 of the socket 98 and the central axis C1 of the hollow portion 66 coinciding, so that the water passage width of the water passage 58 formed between the cylindrical inner surface of the hollow portion 66 and the socket 98 can be made uniform around the entire circumference of the socket 98, as described above, and the water pressure acting on the outer peripheral surface of the socket 98 can be equalized. This prevents damage to the socket 98 caused by excessive water pressure acting on a portion of the outer periphery of the socket 98.

The power supply 8 is composed of a battery module 72 in which a battery 71 is hermetically enclosed, and a module case 73 that houses the battery module 72. The module case 73 is configured to be detachable from the socket 98. In addition to being enclosed as a battery module 72, the battery 71 can be doubly protected by being housed in the module case 73, and damage to the battery 71 can be prevented as much as possible. Furthermore, when the battery 71 needs to be replaced or charged, it is possible to replace it with a new battery module 72 or charge the battery 71 simply by removing and attaching the module case 73, making it easy to replace or charge the battery 71.

The power supply terminal 115 and the power receiving terminal 124 are connected by fixing the socket 98 and the power supply unit 8 with a screw structure, so that the terminals 115 and 124 can be connected by a simple operation of simply screwing the module case 73 into the socket 98. Therefore, the operation of separately connecting the terminals 115 and 124 is omitted, and the work of connecting the terminals 115 and 124 can be performed easily with little effort.

Between the base tube 64 and/or socket 98 and the module case 73, an attachment indicator 137 is provided that indicates the start position of screwing the module case 73 into the socket 98. This allows the start position of screwing to be visually recognized when screwing the module case 73 into the socket 98, and allows the power supply 8 to be fixed to the socket 98 quickly and accurately.

The power supply terminal 115 is provided on the power supply terminal installation surface 114 of the power supply unit 113, and the power receiving terminal 124 is provided on the power receiving terminal installation surface 123 of the power receiving unit 122. When the power supply unit 8 is fixed to the socket 98, the power supply terminal installation surface 114 approaches the power receiving terminal installation surface 123. In addition, a convex portion 133 that protrudes toward the other side is formed on the power receiving terminal installation surface 123, and a concave portion 134 that receives the convex portion 133 is formed on the power supply terminal installation surface 114. According to this, when the power supply unit 8 is fixed to the socket 98, the power supply terminal installation surface 114 and the power receiving terminal installation surface 123 can be brought close to each other while being positioned in the screwing direction by the convex portion 133 and the concave portion 134, so that the power supply terminal 115 provided on the power supply terminal installation surface 114 and the power receiving terminal 124 provided on the power receiving terminal installation surface 123 can be accurately brought into contact with each other, and a current flow state can be more reliably established.

The battery module 72 includes a bottomed, cylindrical module body 81 that houses the battery 71, and a module lid 82 that closes the opening of the module body 81. The module body 81 and the module lid 82 are integrated with a sealing ring 83 that is fitted onto the outside of both the module body 81 and the module lid 82. By attaching the sealing ring 83 to the module body 81 and the module lid 82 from the outside, the three components 81, 82, and 83 can be integrated, and the battery module 72 can be assembled easily and quickly.

The battery module 72 and the module case 73 are configured to be relatively slidable in the direction of the central axis C2 of the power source 8, and a biasing means 74 is provided between the battery module 72 and the module case 73 to bias the battery module 72 toward the power receiving section 122. This allows the biasing force of the biasing means 74 to press the power supply terminal 115 against the power receiving terminal 124, more reliably establishing a contact state. This prevents sparks from occurring due to poor contact between the terminals 115 and 124.

The battery module 72 and the module case 73 are configured to be rotatable together, and when the module case 73 is screwed into the socket 98, the biasing force of the biasing means 74 causes the terminal pin 127 to fall into and engage with the recess 116, bringing the terminal pin 127 into contact with the terminal seat 118. This allows the user to recognize that the two terminals 115 and 124 have come into contact by the sound and vibration produced when the terminal pin 127 falls into and engages with the recess 116, and thus ensures that the two terminals 115 and 124 are in contact with each other, thereby preventing the occurrence of poor contact between the two terminals 115 and 124.

The socket 98 is disposed downstream of the water passage 58, the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73 is disposed upstream of the water passage 58, and the cross-sectional area of the water passage 58 at the upstream end of the water passage of the module case 73 is formed to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73. This creates flow resistance in the reduced cross-sectional area of the water passage 58, which presses the power supply 8 toward the socket 98, making it possible to more firmly fix the power supply 8 to the socket 98. Furthermore, by making the fixation of the power supply 8 more firmly in this way, it is possible to more appropriately transfer power between the power supply unit 113 and the power receiving unit 122.

The socket 98 is disposed downstream of the water passage 58, the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73 is disposed upstream of the water passage 58, and a water receiving recess 134 is provided on the outer surface of the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73, recessed in the thickness direction of the case bottom wall 144. This allows the force of the water flowing through the water passage 58 to be received by the water receiving recess 134, which can press the power supply unit 8 toward the socket 98, thereby firmly fixing the power supply unit 8 to the socket 98. Furthermore, by firmly fixing the power supply unit 8 in this way, the exchange of power between the power supply unit 113 and the power receiving unit 122 can be made more appropriate.

(Second embodiment) FIG. 14 shows a second embodiment in which the sprinkler device according to the present invention is applied to a shower head. In the shower head 1 of the second embodiment, a functional part 159 is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the power source 8. FIG. 14 shows a state in which a functional cartridge 160 for removing impurities is provided as the functional part 159. This functional cartridge 160 includes a hollow cylindrical cartridge body 162 serving as a base, and a removal filter 163 provided inside the hollow cylinder of the cartridge body 162. Hot water that flows into the hollow cylindrical part of the cartridge body 162 and passes through the removal filter 163 to remove impurities is discharged into the water passage 58 from a discharge port 164 opened in the upper peripheral wall of the cartridge body 162. The bottom wall of the grip cylinder 65 is a receiving wall (receiving part) 165 that receives the functional part 159, and the cartridge body 162 of the functional cartridge 160 is held vertically between the case bottom wall 144 of the module case 73 and the receiving wall 165. Additionally, the rib wall 146 supports the periphery of the cartridge body 162. This allows the functional cartridge 160 to be fixed inside the grip case 55 by attaching the grip tube 65 to the base tube 64 with the functional cartridge 160 inserted inside the grip tube 65.

As described above, the functional cartridge 160, which is the functional part 159 that removes impurities contained in the water flowing through the water passage 58, is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73, so that impurity-free water can be discharged from the water spray holes 5. In addition, the functional cartridge 160 is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73, so that the head unit 2 can be prevented from becoming larger and the center of gravity can be prevented from shifting toward the head unit 2. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the usability of the showerhead 1 from being deteriorated due to the provision of the functional part 159.

The functional part 159 is sandwiched and held between the module case 73 and the receiving wall 165, so that the functional part 159 can be accurately held in the grip tube 65 simply by attaching the grip tube 65 to the base tube 64. This eliminates the need for a dedicated structure for holding the functional part 159, and prevents the increase in cost of the showerhead 1 due to the provision of the functional part 159. Otherwise, the same configurations, structures, and members as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and their description is omitted. This also applies to the following embodiments.

The removal filter 163 can be made of materials such as activated carbon, hollow fiber membrane, ceramic balls, and calcium sulfite. The functional cartridge 160 can also add functional components to the water flowing through the water passage 58, and examples of the functional components to be added include vitamin C and components that exhibit moisturizing properties.

(Third embodiment) Figure 15 shows a third embodiment in which the water sprinkler device according to the present invention is applied to a shower head. The shower head 1 of this third embodiment differs from the previous second embodiment in that the functional part 159 is composed of an electrode unit 161 that electrolyzes the water flowing through the water passage 58 to generate hydrogen and oxygen gas. As shown in Figure 15, the electrode unit 161 includes a hollow cylindrical electrode case 168 that serves as a base, an electrode body 169 provided inside the hollow cylinder of the electrode case 168, and support legs 170 that extend in the vertical direction from the upper and lower ends of the electrode case 168, and the electrode body 169 is driven by power supplied from the battery 71 of the power supply 8. A portion of the hot water that flows into the hollow cylindrical part of the electrode case 168 from the lower opening and passes through the electrode body 169 is electrolyzed into hydrogen and oxygen gas, and is released together with the hot water from the upper opening. Some of the hydrogen and oxygen gases dissolve in the hot water and are sent to the water spray hole 5 in a dissolved state. At this time, the dissolution of hydrogen and oxygen into the hot water can be promoted in the area of increased flow resistance of the water passage 58 caused by the power supply 8.

As described above, by providing the electrode unit 161, which is the functional part 159 that electrolyzes the water flowing through the water passage 58, in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73, water in which hydrogen and oxygen are dissolved can be discharged from the spray holes 5. In addition, since the electrode unit 161 is provided in the water passage 58 upstream of the module case 73, it is possible to prevent the head unit 2 from becoming larger and the center of gravity from shifting toward the head unit 2. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the usability of the showerhead 1 from deteriorating due to the provision of the functional part 159.

In addition to the above, the module case 73 can be omitted, and in this case, a male screw portion 109 is formed on the upper peripheral surface of the battery module 72. The outer diameter cross section of the grip case 55 is formed in a circular shape, but it can be formed in an elliptical or polygonal shape, and the inner diameter cross section can also be formed in an elliptical or polygonal shape. In addition to charging the battery 71 by separating the power source 8, a contactless charging method can be adopted. In this case, the power receiving part of the contactless charging device is arranged inside the power source 8, and the power supply part of the contactless charging device is arranged on the shower hook that holds the shower head 1 on the wall. The battery 71 may also be a primary battery that can be replaced each time. A flow sensor is provided in the hot water flow path, and when the flow sensor detects the flow of hot water, the drive unit 7 is automatically driven. In this case, the power switch 148 can be omitted. The drive unit 7 of the shower head 1 is not limited to one that drives the massage body 6, but can also be configured as a lighting device that irradiates light in the direction of hot water discharge. In this case, illumination by the light irradiated from the lighting device can be enjoyed during showering. The sprinkler device of the present invention can be used as a sprinkler that sprinkles water on floor surfaces other than as a shower head. When the sprinkler device is used as a sprinkler, the drive unit 7 can be used as a hypochlorous water generator that electrolyzes water to which salt has been added to generate water containing hypochlorous acid, and can be used as a sprinkler for washing floor surfaces, etc. with hypochlorous water.

1 shower head 2 head part 3 grip part 5 water spray part (water spray hole)
7 Drive section (drive unit)
[0043] 8 Power supply unit 55 Grip case 58 Water passage 64 Base tube 65 Grip tube 66 Hollow portion 71 Battery 72 Battery module 73 Module case 74 Pressurizing means 81 Module body 82 Module cover 83 Sealing ring 98 Socket 113 Power supply unit 114 Power supply terminal installation surface 115 Power supply terminal 116 Recess 118 Terminal base 122 Power receiving unit 123 Power receiving terminal installation surface 124 Power receiving terminal 127 Terminal pin 133 Convex portion 134 Recess 137 Mounting indicator body 144 Case bottom wall 145 Water receiving recess 159 Functional portion 160 Functional cartridge 161 Electrode unit 165 Receiving portion C1 Central axis C2 of hollow portion Central axis C3 of power supply unit Central axis of socket

Claims (15)

A head portion (2) having a water spray portion (5);
A grip portion (3) extending from the head portion (2) to form a handle;
a drive unit (7) provided in the head unit (2) and/or the grip unit (3) and driven by electricity;
A power supply unit (8) having a battery (71) and supplying power to the drive unit (7);
Equipped with
A power source (8) is provided inside the grip portion (3) ,
The grip portion (3) is provided with a hollow cylindrical grip case (55) having a hollow portion (66),
A power source (8) and a socket (98) for fixing the power source (8) are disposed in the hollow portion (66) of the grip case (55),
The power source (8) and the socket (98) are connected by a power supply section (113) on the power source (8) side and a power receiving section (122) on the socket (98) side.
This sprinkling device is characterized in that a water passage (58) communicating with the sprinkling section (5) is formed in a circular shape surrounding the power supply body (8) between the cylindrical inner surface of the grip case (55) and the power supply body (8) . The inner cylindrical surface of the grip case (55) is formed into a cylindrical surface, and the outer peripheral surface of the power source body (8) is formed into a cylindrical surface,
The sprinkler device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply body (8) is arranged in the grip case (55) with the central axis (C2) of the power supply body (8) coinciding with the central axis (C1) of the hollow portion (66) . The outer peripheral surface of the socket (98) is formed into a cylindrical shape, and a water passage (58) communicating with the water spray section (5) is formed in a circumferential shape between the cylindrical inner surface of the grip case (55) and the outer peripheral surface of the socket (98);
A sprinkler device as described in claim 1 or 2 , wherein the socket (98) is arranged in the grip case (55) with the central axis (C3) of the socket (98) coinciding with the central axis (C1) of the hollow portion (66). The power source (8) includes a power supply section (113), a battery module (72) in which a battery (71) is hermetically enclosed, and a module case (73) formed in a bottomed cylindrical shape having an opening and accommodating the battery module (72) therein;
4. The water sprinkler system according to claim 1 , wherein the module case (73) is configured to be detachable from the socket (98) . The power supply unit (113) includes a power supply terminal (115) that outputs power from the battery (71), and the power receiving unit (122) includes a power receiving terminal (124) that receives the power output from the power supply terminal (115);
5. The water sprinkler system according to claim 4 , wherein the power supply terminal (115) and the power receiving terminal (124) are connected by fixing the socket (98) and the power source (8) with a screw structure . The grip case (55) includes a base tube (64) that is integral with the head portion (2) and a grip tube (65) that is detachably connected to the base tube (64), and a socket (98) is provided in the base tube (64);
The sprinkler device according to claim 5, wherein an installation index body (137) is provided between the base tube (64) and/or the socket (98) and the module case (73) to indicate the start position of screwing the module case (73) into the socket ( 98 ). the power supply terminal (115) is provided on a power supply terminal installation surface (114) of the power supply unit (113), the power receiving terminal (124) is provided on a power receiving terminal installation surface (123) of the power receiving unit (122), and the power supply terminal installation surface (114) is configured to approach the power receiving terminal installation surface (123) when the power source body (8) is fixed to the socket (98);
A sprinkler device as described in claim 5, wherein a convex portion (133) protruding toward the other is formed on one of the power supply terminal installation surface (114) and the power receiving terminal installation surface (123), and a concave portion (134) for receiving the convex portion (133) is formed on the remaining other surface . The battery module (72) includes a bottomed cylindrical module body (81) that houses the battery (71) and a module lid (82) that closes an opening of the module body (81);
5. The water sprinkler system according to claim 4 , wherein the module body (81) and the module lid (82) are integrated with a sealing ring (83) fitted onto the exterior of both the module body (81, 82) . The battery module (72) and the module case (73) are configured to be relatively slidable in the direction of the central axis (C2) of the power source (8),
6. The water sprinkler system according to claim 5 , further comprising a biasing means (74) disposed between the battery module (72) and the module case (73) for biasing the battery module (72) toward the power receiving portion (122) . The power receiving terminal (124) has a terminal pin (127) protruding from the power receiving terminal installation surface (123),
The power supply terminal (115) has a terminal base (118) that forms the bottom of a recess (116) formed on the power supply terminal installation surface (114),
The battery module (72) and the module case (73) are configured to be rotatable together,
The sprinkler device according to claim 9, wherein when the module case (73) is screwed into the socket (98) to fix it, the biasing force of the biasing means (74) causes the terminal pin (127) to drop into and engage with the recess (116), thereby bringing the terminal pin (127) into contact with the terminal base (118) . A socket (98) is disposed on the downstream side of the water passage (58), and a case bottom wall (144) of the module case (73) is disposed on the upstream side of the water passage (58);
A sprinkler device as described in claim 4, wherein the cross-sectional area of the water passage (58) at the upstream end portion of the water passage of the module case (73) is formed to be smaller than the cross-sectional area of the water passage (58) upstream of the module case ( 73 ). A socket (98) is disposed on the downstream side of the water passage (58), and a case bottom wall (144) of the module case (73) is disposed on the upstream side of the water passage (58);
5. The water sprinkler system according to claim 4 , wherein a water receiving recess (145) is provided on an outer surface of a case bottom wall (144) of the module case (73) so as to be recessed in the thickness direction of the case bottom wall (144). A sprinkler device as described in claim 4, wherein a functional cartridge (160) which is a functional part (159) for adding functional components to the water flowing through the water passage (58) or removing impurities contained in the water flowing through the water passage (58) is provided in the water passage (58) upstream of the module case (73). The sprinkler device according to claim 4 , wherein an electrode unit (161), which is a functional part (159) that electrolyzes water flowing through the water passage (58), is provided in the water passage (58) upstream of the module case (73). The grip case (55) includes a base tube (64) that is integral with the head portion (2) and a grip tube (65) that is detachably connected to the base tube (64), and a socket (98) is provided in the base tube (64);
The grip tube (65) has a receiving portion (165) that receives the functional portion (159),
The water sprinkler device according to claim 13 or 14 , wherein the functional portion (159) is sandwiched and held between the module case (73) and the receiving portion (165) .

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