JPH0528615B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a shower device used in a paid shower system installed in a gymnasium or other facilities.

[Prior Art] Paid shower facilities have been widely used in swimming pools and other physical education facilities and sports facilities. This shower equipment allows you to use the shower for a preset time by inserting coins or special coins into a coin selector provided.

Such shower equipment is equipped with an operation switch for supplying hot water or water to the shower head, and can be used within a limited time by turning it on and off. Additionally, a display is provided to notify users of the usage time, allowing the user to take a shower while taking into account the remaining time.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, with conventional equipment, if a user stops using the shower before the time limit is reached, the shower time from that time until the time limit remains. Therefore, when the next person uses it, it is necessary to use up the remaining amount first. and,
If there is not enough time, the user will have to insert a new coin or coins into the coin selector and set it again, which is very inconvenient for the user. In reality, in most cases, the previous user has only a short amount of time left, so such resetting occurs frequently.

To solve this problem, a system has been developed in which each shower facility is treated as a booth with a door for entry and exit, the opening and closing of this door is detected by a limit switch, etc., and the signal is sent to the control section of the coin selector. You can also do it. That is, it may be determined that a person has left by detecting the opening/closing operation of the door, and if the time limit for using the shower has not yet been reached, the remaining time may be automatically reset to zero.

However, although such a system is possible if it is equipped with doors, etc., it cannot be adopted in a gymnasium or the like with simple equipment. Furthermore, since a detection means for detecting the exit of a person is provided, the equipment becomes complicated, which is disadvantageous in terms of cost.

On the other hand, in addition to the usability issues mentioned above, it is also important to speed up the turnover of people using the equipment so that the flow of people does not stagnate. In particular, in equipment that is used for a limited time, if only the shower time is limited and the off time is long, the usage time from entering the room to leaving the room will be prolonged. For this reason,
For the next person to use the service, it becomes difficult to predict the waiting time, and the turnover of people becomes poor.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable the next person to use the equipment without being affected by the remaining time of the person who used it before, and to limit the usage time so that the equipment can be used efficiently. do.

[Means to solve the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the shower device of the present invention allows the shower to run within a predetermined length of shower usage time by a usage time timer based on the time of inserting a B coin or inserting a card. The shower device is equipped with a display means for displaying the remaining time of use of the shower, and calculates the remaining time of watering of the shower based on the cumulative value of the time of watering of the shower after the start of use. A shower remaining time timer is provided, and when the remaining shower watering time by the shower remaining time timer is at least equal to or shorter than the time until the time limit by the usage time timer, the control of the shower remaining time timer is ignored. The present invention is characterized by a system that executes control using the usage time timer.

[Effect]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between the shower usage time and the remaining shower time in the shower device of the present invention. The shower usage time B is the time from when a person inserts a coin into the coin selector until the shower finishes discharging water, and the remaining shower time C is the time at which the display of the time during which water can be discharged from the shower starts to be displayed.

The remaining shower time until the end of water spouting from the shower is displayed as C from the start of shower use until time A, or is displayed as a backward calculation of the elapsed time from the start of use to the end of use.
In other words, the latter display shows a decrease in time from the value of B every moment.

After time A has elapsed, the display remains at C (indicated by the horizontal dashed line in the figure) or the count continues from the start of use (indicated by the two-dot chain line in the figure).
The remaining time is gradually decreasing. Time A
is the point where the time until time B is equal to C,
There is a relationship of B-A=C. In other words, after time A when the time up to the shower usage time B becomes equal to the shower remaining time C during which water can be discharged from the shower (in other words, until the shower stops discharging water), the remaining shower time is equal to the shower usage time. It decreases with the passage of time, and when the shower usage time B is reached, the remaining shower time also becomes zero and the shower water discharging stops.

When using the shower for the first time at time D after time A, the remaining shower time becomes E as shown by the dashed line in the figure, and from then on, the remaining time becomes zero at the end of the shower use time. It continues to decrease.

In order to set the shower usage time and shower remaining time, the controller of the coin selector is equipped with a usage time timer and a remaining time timer, and controls the water discharge from the shower. and,
The flow path of the shower head is equipped with a solenoid valve that opens and closes under this timer control.

FIG. 2a is a time chart showing the operation of each timer and solenoid valve, FIG. 2b is a diagram showing changes in the remaining shower time, and FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the outline of the operation.

When you insert a coin at time T ₁ , the usage time timer will start, and the usage time will be set until time T ₅ .
Remaining time equivalent to the time that water can be discharged from the shower
T ₀ is displayed. Next, when the operating switch is turned on at time _T2 , the solenoid valve opens and water is spouted from the shower, and the remaining time _T0 begins to decrease. Then, when the operating switch is turned off at time T ₃ within the time period during which water can be discharged from the shower, the solenoid valve closes and the water stops, and the remaining shower time T ₇ is displayed. After this, even if you do not actually use the shower (corresponding to the case where you do not turn the operating switch on or off), the remaining showerable time compared to the time you used the shower earlier (T ₃ − T ₂ ), that is, T ₀ − (T ₃ − T ₂ ), the time when the shower usage time is equal to the time up to T ₅
When T ₄ is reached, the shower remaining time timer operates again. In other words, at time T ₄ , which satisfies the relationship T ₀ - (T ₃ - _{T 2} ) = T ₅ - _{T 4} , the remaining time that can be used without using the shower will decrease from the value at T ₇ . , it finally becomes zero at the same time as the shower usage time T ₅ . Note that in FIG. 2, the sum of the time from time T ₂ to time T ₃ and the time from time T ₄ to time T ₅ is, of course, equal to the initially set remaining shower time T ₀ . In addition, if the operation switch is turned on for the first time at time T ₆ , which is after time T ₄ , this time T ₆
You can only use the shower from 5 to ₅ .

In this way, in the present invention, the shower usage time is limited in advance, and the remaining shower time is controlled so as to decrease in accordance with the usage time and eventually become zero. Therefore, even if the person who was using the shower previously leaves before reaching the usage limit, the remaining time of the shower will decrease and eventually the shower will automatically return to the reset state. Therefore, the next person to use the device does not have to insert and set a coin after using up the remaining time of the person in front of him, which improves usability.

In addition, since the remaining time of the shower is zero in accordance with the limited usage time, the next person to use the shower can predict the waiting time, and the next person can use the shower without using equipment to detect when the person leaves. Since it is possible to reset people, it is also advantageous in terms of cost.

〔Example〕

Hereinafter, features of the present invention will be specifically explained with reference to embodiments shown in the drawings.

Figure 4 is a front view of the shower device of the present invention, Figure 5 is a front view of the shower device of the present invention;
The figure is a side sectional view, and FIG. 6 is a schematic front view showing the piping system.

In the figure, a shower device A includes a casing 1 embedded in a wall and a shower head 2 that is detachable from a hanger 2a. As shown in the schematic plan view of FIG.
Coin boxes 3 are provided on the walls of the booths 51 provided in the shower apparatus A, respectively, and a coin box 3 is arranged for each shower apparatus A. By inserting a coin into the coin box 3, water can be spouted from the shower device A for a certain period of time.

Inside the casing 1, a hot water mixing faucet 4 and a solenoid valve 5 connected to a water supply source and a hot water source and having an automatic temperature adjustment function are housed. Also, a hanger 2a in which a pipe 6 from a solenoid valve 5 forms a flow path.
Shower head 2 is connected to this internal flow path.
A hose 2b connected to is connected. The hot water mixing faucet 4 has a temperature adjusting handle 4a protruding from the front thereof, and by rotating the handle 4a, the temperature of the discharged water is adjusted. Further, the solenoid valve 5 is connected to a controller provided in the coin box 3, and is included in a system that opens and closes the flow path to the shower head 2 under timer control.

On the front surface of the casing 1, an operating switch 7 for opening or closing the solenoid valve 5 and a shower remaining time indicator 8 are provided. Operation switch 7
The solenoid valve 5 can be opened or closed by energizing the solenoid valve 5, and is connected to the controller of the coin box 3.
The remaining time indicator 8 digitally displays how many minutes and seconds the water remaining from the shower head 2 will run out, and is also included in the control system of the controller of the coin box 3.

FIG. 8a is a schematic perspective view of the coin box 3, and FIG. 8b is a front view.

Inside the coin box 3, a coin selector 9, a controller 10, a terminal block 10a, a transformer 10b, an earth leakage breaker 10c, etc. are provided, and these devices are connected to an external power source. The coin selector 9 is equipped with a coin slot 9a on the front, and is configured to mechanically detect coin insertion and drive the controller 10, similar to a general bending machine or the like. Further, a pilot lamp 9b for indicating that the shower device A is being used is provided. In addition, Coinbox 3
A signal line is connected to the terminal 10a of the controller 10, and a control signal from the controller 10 is inputted to the solenoid valve 5 and the remaining time indicator 8. Note that the control circuit of the controller 10 is provided with a timer control circuit that can perform the control described in FIGS. 1 and 2.

In addition, instead of a coin type, a special card type such as a telephone card can be used.
In this case, a configuration may be adopted in which a card reader or the like is built-in.

In the above configuration, when a coin is inserted through the coin slot 9a, the coin selector 9 detects this and drives the controller 10. The driving time of this controller 10 is the time in FIG.
When T ₁ is set, the usage time timer included in the controller 10 is turned on and starts measuring time.
Next, the user leaves the coin box 3, goes to the booth 51, and turns on the operation switch 7 at time _T2.
When turned on, the solenoid valve 5 opens from time _T2 , and water is spouted from the shower head 2, allowing the user to take a shower. During this time, the remaining shower time decreases as shown in FIG. 2b.

After this, as explained in FIG. 2, the time until the usage time end time _T5 is the remaining shower time _T0 - ( _T
- T ₂ ), that is, when the usage time timer detects that the relationship T ₀ - (T ₃ - _{T 2 )} = T ₅ - T ₄ has been reached, the controller 1
The remaining time timer included in 0 is turned on. By turning on the remaining time timer, the time display on the remaining time display 8, which was displayed as the remaining time _T7 , decreases with the passage of time, and displays the remaining time moment by moment.

After time _T4 , the remaining shower time decreases as shown in Figure 2b, and the remaining shower time and time
Since the time from T ₄ to T ₅ is equal, it is possible to set the remaining shower time to be zero when time T ₅ arrives. When the time _T5 is reached, both the usage time timer and the remaining time timer are turned off, and the remaining shower time also becomes zero.

As described above, after the time until the use limit time becomes equal to the remaining shower time during which water can be discharged from the shower, the remaining time timer will cause the remaining shower time to become zero according to the use limit time. Decrease. For this reason, for example, in Figure 2, the time
Even if a person turns off the operating switch 7 between T ₃ and T ₄ and leaves the room, the timer of the controller 10 continues to measure time, and the remaining shower time can be set to zero. Therefore, when the next person uses it, the new set state is restored, so there is no need for the previous person to go to the coin box 3 to put the coins in after taking a shower with the leftover coins.

Additionally, since the shower ends within a limited usage time, the next user can easily predict the waiting time. Even when the shower water is used while being turned on and off, the shower water spout time can be set to zero according to the maximum usage time, and the shower water can be prevented from being used beyond the maximum usage time. Therefore, the maximum usage time for one person can be set to a constant value, and usage conditions with good rotation can be obtained.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 9, the water supply pipe 2c can be provided in the hanger 2a separately from the flow path on the hot water mixing faucet 4 side. If the water supply pipe 2c is provided with a water stop valve 2d, only water can be supplied to the shower head 2 without using the hot/cold water mixing faucet 4, and it can be opened for free.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, in the shower device of the present invention, control is performed so that the remaining shower time during which water can be discharged from the shower becomes zero in accordance with the end time of the limited shower usage time. Therefore, even if you stop the shower midway and leave,
The remaining time of the shower will eventually reach zero, and the new initial settings will be made when the next person uses it. Therefore, the inconvenience of inserting coins after using up the remaining amount used by the previous person, which is conventional, is eliminated, and usability is improved.

Also, even if you turn on or start the shower within the limited shower usage time, the remaining shower time will be zero at the end of the usage time.
There is no need to take a long time to use the shower. Therefore, it is possible to speed up the rotation of users and eliminate long waiting times. Furthermore, since there is no need for a means to detect the exit of a person, the equipment becomes simple and it is advantageous in terms of cost.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing the relationship between shower usage time and shower remaining time in the present invention, Fig. 2 is a time chart based on timer control, Fig. 3 is a schematic block diagram, and Fig. 4 is a front view of the shower device. Figure 5 is a side sectional view, Figure 6 is a front view showing the piping system, and Figure 7 is a side sectional view.
The figure is a schematic plan view showing the arrangement of the shower device and the coin box in the shower room, FIG. 8a is a perspective view of the coin box, FIG. 8b is a front view thereof, and FIG.
The figure shows an example with a water supply pipe attached. 1...Casing, 2...Shower head, 2
a...hanger, 2b...hose, 2c...water supply pipe, 2d...stop valve, 3...coin box, 4
...Hot water mixer faucet, 4a...Handle, 5...Solenoid valve, 6...Piping, 7...Operation switch, 8...Remaining time display, 9...Coin selector, 9a...Coin slot, 9b ...Pilot lamp, 10...
...Controller, 10a...Terminal block, 10b...
Transformer, 10c...Earth leakage breaker, 50...Shower room, 51...Booth.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. The shower can be used for water sprinkling within a predetermined length of the shower usage time based on the time of coin insertion or card insertion, and is set in advance by a usage time timer. The shower device is equipped with a display means for displaying the remaining time of the shower, and includes a shower remaining time timer that calculates the remaining time of shower watering based on the cumulative value of the shower watering time after the start of use. A system that executes control by the usage time timer while ignoring the control of the shower remaining time timer when the remaining time of shower watering by the timer is at least equal to or shorter than the time until the time limit by the usage time timer. A shower device characterized by: