JP2024095517A - Shower device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a shower device that allows a user to continue to take a shower in a relaxed state for a long time.SOLUTION: The present invention provides a shower device (1) fixed to enable a user to be showered from above with shower spouting water, the shower device comprising: a shower head main body (4), and a plurality of nozzle units (10) provided in the shower head main body at intervals so as to form the shower spouting water surrounding a head of the user standing below the shower head main body, in which each nozzle unit is configured so that the spouted hot water falls while spreading downward.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a shower device, and in particular to a shower device that is fixed so that shower water is sprayed from above on the user.

JP 2022-15192 A (Patent Document 1) describes a shower device. This shower device is disk-shaped and is attached to the ceiling when used. The disk-shaped shower device has a number of nozzle holes arranged in a circular pattern around its periphery, and hot and cold water is sprayed in a line from each nozzle.

JP 2022-15192 A

The inventors of this case have developed a shower device that not only allows the user to wash their body, but also allows the user to enjoy the time spent in the shower in a relaxed state as the shower water falls from above, thereby recovering from fatigue and relieving stress. In the shower device described in Patent Document 1, the spray holes are arranged in a row around the periphery of the disk-shaped shower head, so the shower water is unlikely to splash directly onto the face of a user standing below the center of the shower head. This means that the user is relatively unlikely to feel short of breath while taking a shower, and can continue showering for a long time.

However, in the shower device described in Patent Document 1, water is sprayed in a line from each nozzle that is spaced apart on a circumference, so the area of the water that hits the body of the shower user is small, and the user's body cannot be fully enveloped in the sprayed hot water. This causes the problem that when the temperature in the bathroom is low, the user is affected by the outside temperature, feels cold while showering, and is unable to continue showering for long periods of time.

In response to this, the shower device described in Patent Document 1 is designed to envelop the user's body in hot water by significantly increasing the number of spray holes or spraying a film of water all around the user. However, when shower water is sprayed in this way, the area around the user's head is covered by the shower water, and the hot air from the water traps around the head, causing the user to feel hot and short of breath. This creates the problem that it is difficult for the user to continue showering for long periods of time in a relaxed state.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a shower device that allows the user to shower for long periods of time in a relaxed state.

To solve the above problems, the present invention provides a shower device that is fixed so as to shower water onto the user from above, and is characterized by having a shower head body and a number of spray sections that are spaced apart on the shower head body so as to form a shower water jet that surrounds the head of a user standing below the shower head body, and each spray section is configured so that the sprayed hot and cold water falls while spreading downward.

According to the present invention configured in this way, the shower device is fixed so that the shower water is sprayed from above on the user, so the user can take a shower without holding the shower head body with his or her hands. In addition, since multiple spray parts are provided at intervals on the shower head body, there are gaps between the hot water sprayed from each spray part near the shower head body, which prevents hot air from building up in the space surrounded by the shower water. This prevents users who take a long shower from feeling hot or short of breath. In addition, the hot water sprayed from each spray part spreads as it falls, so that it hits a wide area on the body of the user standing below the shower head body, and the hot water that hits it spreads even further on the surface of the body, so that the body can be fully enveloped by the hot water. As a result, even in low temperature conditions, the user taking a shower is less likely to feel cold and can continue to shower for a long time.

In the present invention, preferably, each spray section is configured so that the hot and cold water discharged from each spray section joins together at a position where the water has fallen a predetermined distance from each spray section, forming a water film around the user's body.

According to the present invention configured in this way, the hot water discharged from each spray section joins together at a position a predetermined distance from each spray section, so that up to the position where the hot water joins, ventilation is ensured inside and outside the space surrounded by the shower water discharge, and hot air can be prevented from building up. In addition, below the position where the discharged hot water joins, the user's body can be fully enveloped in hot water, allowing the user's body to be sufficiently warmed.

In the present invention, preferably, each water spray section is oriented so that the space surrounded by the sprayed hot and cold water narrows downward.

According to the present invention configured in this way, the space surrounded by the discharged hot water narrows toward the bottom, so sufficient ventilation can be ensured in the upper part of the space surrounded by the hot water. On the other hand, the space becomes smaller in the lower part of the space surrounded by the hot water, so it is easier to ensure heat retention within the space, and a relatively small amount of hot water can be used to envelop the user, allowing the user to be sufficiently warmed while saving water.

In the present invention, the showerhead body is preferably configured in an annular shape.

According to the present invention configured in this way, the shower head body is configured in an annular shape, so air in the space surrounded by the shower water flows out through the inside of the shower head body, preventing hot air from building up in the space surrounded by the shower water.

In the present invention, each water spray section is preferably configured so that the discharged hot water vibrates back and forth in a sinusoidal manner, so that the discharged hot water falls while spreading downward.

With this configuration, the present invention can fully envelop the user's body with hot and cold water even when the spacing between adjacent spray sections is wide, allowing water to be saved while maintaining the force of the water spray.

The shower device of the present invention allows the user to shower for long periods of time in a relaxed state.

1 is a perspective view showing a shower apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention installed in a shower cubicle. FIG. FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the shower head body of the shower apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a fluid element provided in the shower apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VV in FIG. 3. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a user taking a shower using water discharged from the shower head body of the shower apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing an entire nozzle according to a modified example of the spray unit provided in the shower apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in FIG. 7. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in FIG. 7. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which a user is taking a shower with water discharged from a shower apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which a user is taking a shower with water discharged from a shower apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a state in which a user is taking a shower with water discharged from a shower apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a shower apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a state in which an upper member of the shower head body has been removed in a shower device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a shower head body provided in a shower apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. An exploded perspective view showing the mounting structure of the spray unit in a shower apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Next, a shower apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
1 is a perspective view showing a shower device according to a first embodiment of the present invention installed in a shower cubicle, and FIG 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a shower head body of the shower device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shower device 1 of this embodiment is fixed to the side wall surface 2a of the shower cubicle 2. The shower device 1 also has a shower head body 4 and a support member 6 for attaching the shower head body 4 to the side wall surface 2a.

The showerhead body 4 is an overall elliptical ring-shaped member, with multiple water spray parts spaced apart along this elliptical ring.
The support member 6 is attached to the upper part of the side wall surface 2a so as to extend generally horizontally, and is configured to support the showerhead body 4 at a predetermined height. Furthermore, a water supply passage (not shown) is provided inside the support member 6, and hot and cold water supplied through this water supply passage flows into the showerhead body 4 and is sprayed from each spray section.

In this embodiment, the shower head body 4 is fixed to the side wall surface 2a via a support member 6 extending from the side wall surface 2a, but the shower head body may be fixed to the ceiling surface via a support member extending from the ceiling surface. Alternatively, a columnar structure may be erected from the floor surface of a shower room or the like, and the shower head body 4 may be fixed to a relatively high position above the user using this structure. The shower head body may also be fixed directly to the side wall surface or ceiling surface without using a support member. In this specification, the term "shower head body fixed to a side wall surface or ceiling surface" includes a mode in which the shower head body is fixed via a support member and a mode in which the shower head body is fixed directly to the side wall surface or ceiling surface.

When the shower device 1 is in use, water is sprayed from each spray section, showering the user standing below the shower head body 4 from above. In addition, because the spray sections are provided along the annular shower head body 4, each spray section creates a shower of water that surrounds the head of the user standing below the shower head body 4. In other words, as seen from the user standing below the shower head body 4, the sprayed water hits the user's body from the front, back, left and right sides, and the user's head is surrounded by the shower water.

Next, the internal structure of the showerhead body 4 will be described with reference to FIG.
As described above, the showerhead body 4 is configured in an elliptical ring shape as a whole. A water supply passage 4a that extends along the ring shape is provided inside this showerhead body 4. Hot and cold water supplied through a water supply path (not shown) formed inside the support member 6 flows into the water supply passage 4a inside the showerhead body 4 and is supplied to the entire showerhead body 4.

The shower head body 4 is further provided with multiple sprinkler attachment recesses 4b at predetermined intervals along the water supply passage 4a. These sprinkler attachment recesses 4b are cylindrical depressions extending vertically, formed to communicate with the water supply passage 4a, and open toward the underside of the shower head body 4. In other words, hot and cold water flowing through the water supply passage 4a of the shower head body 4 flows into the sprinkler attachment recesses 4b.

In addition, a sprinkler unit holding member 8 is fitted into each of the sprinkler unit mounting recesses 4b. The sprinkler unit holding member 8 is a cylindrical member and is watertightly attached in each of the sprinkler unit mounting recesses 4b. Furthermore, a fluid element 10, which is a sprinkler unit, is held inside each of the sprinkler unit holding members 8. This fluid element 10 is held by the sprinkler unit holding member 8 so that hot and cold water is discharged from the underside of the sprinkler unit holding member 8. The fluid element 10 is held by the sprinkler unit holding member 8 facing diagonally downward, and the fluid element 10 discharges hot and cold water diagonally downward toward the center of the elliptical showerhead body 4. The sprinkler unit holding member 8 is configured to be freely attached and detached to the sprinkler unit mounting recesses 4b.

Next, the configuration of the fluid element 10, which is a water spray unit provided in the shower device 1, will be described with reference to FIGS.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a fluid element provided in the shower apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line IV-IV in Fig. 3, and Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in Fig. 3.

As shown in FIG. 3, the fluid element 10 is a generally thin rectangular parallelepiped member with a rectangular water outlet 10a at its front end and a flange 10b at its rear end. In addition, a groove 10c is provided parallel to the flange 10b so as to go around the entire periphery of the fluid element 10. An O-ring (not shown) is fitted into this groove 10c to ensure watertightness between the sprinkler unit holding member 8.

4, a passage having a rectangular cross section is formed in the interior of the fluid element 10 so as to penetrate in the longitudinal direction. From the upstream side, the passage is formed as a water supply passage 12a, a vortex passage 12b, and a flow straightening passage 12c.
The water supply passage 12a is a straight passage that extends from the inlet 10d on the back side of the fluid element 10 and has a constant rectangular cross-sectional area.
The vortex passage 12b is a passage with a rectangular cross section that is provided downstream of the water supply passage 12a so as to be continuous with the water supply passage 12a (without any step). That is, the downstream end of the water supply passage 12a and the upstream end of the vortex passage 12b have the same dimensions and shape. A pair of opposing wall surfaces (both side wall surfaces) of the vortex passage 12b are tapered so that the flow path cross-sectional area decreases downstream over the entire vortex passage 12b. That is, the vortex passage 12b is tapered toward the downstream side, and gradually narrows in width.

The straightening passage 12c is a rectangular cross-sectional passage provided downstream to communicate with the vortex passage 12b, and is formed in a straight line with a constant cross-sectional area. The straightening passage 12c straightens the hot and cold water containing vortexes guided by the vortex passage 12b, and discharges it from the water outlet 10a. The flow path cross-sectional area of the straightening passage 12c is configured to be smaller than the flow path cross-sectional area of the downstream end of the vortex passage 12b, and a step 14 is formed between the vortex passage 12b and the straightening passage 12c. The step wall surface, which is the surface of the step 14, is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the vortex passage 12b.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, the wall surfaces (ceiling and floor surfaces) facing each other in the height direction of the water supply passage 12a, the vortex passage 12b, and the straightening passage 12c are all provided on the same plane. In other words, the heights of the water supply passage 12a, the vortex passage 12b, and the straightening passage 12c are all the same and constant.

Next, a hot and cold water collision section 16 is formed at the downstream end of the water supply passage 12a (near the connection between the water supply passage 12a and the vortex passage 12b), and this hot and cold water collision section 16 is arranged so as to block a part of the flow path cross section of the water supply passage 12a. This hot and cold water collision section 16 is a triangular prism-shaped section that extends to connect the wall surfaces (ceiling surface and floor surface) that face each other in the height direction of the water supply passage 12a, and is arranged in an island shape in the center of the width direction of the water supply passage 12a. The cross section of the hot and cold water collision section 16 is formed in the shape of an isosceles triangle, and is arranged so that its hypotenuse is perpendicular to the central axis of the water supply passage 12a, and the apex angle of the isosceles triangle is arranged so that it faces downstream.

By providing this hot and cold water collision section 16, a Karman vortex is generated downstream, and the hot and cold water discharged from the water outlet 10a vibrates back and forth. That is, the hot and cold water supplied from the water supply passage (not shown) of the support member 6 flows into the water supply passage 4a (Figure 2) in the shower head body 4, and then flows into the inlet 10d of each fluid element 10 held by the spray section holding member 8. The hot and cold water that flows into the water supply passage 12a from the inlet 10d of each fluid element 10 collides with the hot and cold water collision section 16, which is provided to block part of the flow path. As a result, a vortex street of Karman vortices that rotate in opposite directions is formed downstream of the hot and cold water collision section 16. The Karman vortex formed by this hot and cold water collision section 16 grows while being guided by the tapered vortex street passage 12b, and reaches the straightening passage 12c.

The hot water that flows into the straightening passage 12c downstream of the vortex street passage 12b is straightened here. The hot water that passes through this straightening passage 12c and is discharged from the water outlet 10a is bent based on the flow velocity distribution at the water outlet 10a, and the discharge direction changes as the part with high flow velocity moves up and down in FIG. 4. That is, when the part with high flow velocity is located at the upper end of the water outlet 10a in FIG. 4, the hot water is sprayed downward, and when the part with high flow velocity is located at the lower end of the water outlet 10a, the hot water is sprayed upward. In this way, by alternately generating Karman vortices downstream of the hot water collision section 16, a flow velocity distribution is generated at the water outlet 10a, and the jet is deflected. In addition, because the position of the part with high flow velocity moves back and forth due to the progression of the vortex street, the sprayed hot water also vibrates back and forth in a sinusoidal wave shape within a predetermined vibration plane (a plane parallel to the paper surface in FIG. 4).

As shown in FIG. 2, in this embodiment, each fluid element 10 is attached facing diagonally downward, so that hot water discharged from the water outlet 10a of the fluid element 10 falls while spreading out in a fan shape within a predetermined vibration plane. In other words, the hot water discharged from the water outlet 10a of the fluid element 10 vibrates back and forth in a sinusoidal wave, so that the trajectory of the water discharged per certain time spreads out in a fan shape. Also, in this embodiment, each fluid element 10 is attached to the shower head body 4 so that its vibration plane faces the tangential direction (circumferential direction) of the elliptical shower head body 4. As a result, a cylindrical shower water discharge with an elliptical cross section is formed below the shower head body 4 as a whole, and the head of a user standing below the shower head body 4 is surrounded by the shower water discharge.

It is preferable that the hot water discharged from the water outlet 10a of the fluid element 10 spreads downward at an angle of about 10° or more. If the water spread is too large, the amount of water that falls without landing on the body of the user standing below the shower head body 4 increases and water saving decreases. On the other hand, if the water spread is too small, the area that falls on the user's body becomes small, and the number of fluid elements 10 required to wrap the user's body increases, resulting in water saving decreases. Therefore, the spread angle α (Figure 4) of the hot water discharged from the water outlet 10a of the fluid element 10 is set to about 10° to about 45°, more preferably about 20° to about 30°. In addition, the interval between the fluid elements 10 is set to about 30 to about 200 mm, preferably about 43 to about 167 mm, because the water falls while spreading out like a fan.

Next, the operation of the shower apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a user taking a shower using water discharged from showerhead body 4 of shower device 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, the hot water discharged from the fluid element 10 provided in the shower head body 4 is discharged while vibrating back and forth in a sine wave. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the hot water discharged from each fluid element 10 falls while spreading out in a roughly fan shape. Also, as described above, each fluid element 10 is attached so as to be inclined diagonally downward toward the center of the shower head body 4 (FIG. 2). Therefore, the water discharge space S surrounded by the shower water discharged from each fluid element 10 has a shape that narrows downward. Also, in the shower device 1 of this embodiment, the hot water discharged from the fluid element 10 provided in the shower head body 4 is discharged while vibrating back and forth in a sine wave, so that even if the intervals between the fluid elements 10 are set wide, the user's body can be enveloped, and water saving effects can be obtained while maintaining the force of the water discharge.

Furthermore, each fluid element 10 is provided at a predetermined interval along the annular shower head body 4. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, in the area where the width of the hot water discharged from each fluid element 10 is not sufficiently wide (the area near the shower head body 4), there is a gap between the hot water discharged from each fluid element 10. As a result, the air in the water discharge space S surrounded by the shower water discharged from each fluid element 10 can flow out to the outside of the water discharge space S through the gap between each shower water discharge. In addition, in this embodiment, since the shower head body 4 is configured in an annular shape, the air in the water discharge space S can flow out above the shower head body 4 through the inside of the shower head body 4. Therefore, the hot air of the hot water discharged in the water discharge space S is not trapped, and the water discharge space S is maintained at a comfortable temperature.

On the other hand, the hot water discharged from each fluid element 10 falls while spreading horizontally, so the discharged hot water forms a flat fan-shaped shape as a whole. The fan-shaped hot water discharged from each fluid element 10 joins each other at a position where it has fallen a certain distance L. In addition, the flat fan-shaped hot water discharged from each fluid element 10 is directed in the tangential direction of the annular shower head body 4, so the user's head and body are surrounded by the fan-shaped hot water discharged from each fluid element 10, forming a water film around the user's body. For this reason, the part of the water discharge space S above the certain distance L below the shower head body 4 acts as a hot air release space because there is a gap between each shower water discharge. In addition, the part of the water discharge space S below the certain distance L below the shower head body 4 acts as a hot air retention space because the hot water discharged from each fluid element 10 joins and forms a water film surrounding the body. It is preferable to set the predetermined distance L so that the upper body of a relatively small user (e.g., someone about 150 cm tall) can land on the water.

In this way, the hot water discharged from each fluid element 10 falls a predetermined distance L, hits the upper half of the user's body, and forms a water film that covers the body, allowing the user's body to be sufficiently warmed by the hot water. Therefore, even if the temperature inside the shower room 2 is low, the user will not feel cold and can continue showering for a long time.

According to the shower device of the first embodiment of the present invention, the shower head body 4 is fixed to the side wall surface 2a, so the user can take a shower without holding the shower head body 4 with his/her hands. In addition, since the multiple fluid elements 10, which are the water spraying parts, are provided at intervals on the shower head body 4, there are gaps between the hot water discharged from each fluid element 10 near the shower head body 4, which prevents hot air from being trapped in the water discharge space S surrounded by the shower water discharge. This prevents a user who takes a long shower from feeling hot or short of breath. In addition, the hot water discharged from each fluid element 10 spreads as it falls, so that a wide area of the water hits the body of the user standing below the shower head body 4, and the hot water that hits the body spreads further on the surface of the body, allowing the body to be fully enveloped by the hot water. As a result, even in low temperature conditions, the user who is taking a shower is less likely to feel cold and can continue taking a long shower.

In addition, with the shower device of this embodiment, the hot and cold water discharged from each fluid element 10 joins together at a position a predetermined distance L below each fluid element 10 (Figure 6), so up to the position where the hot and cold water join, ventilation is ensured inside and outside the water discharge space S surrounded by the shower water discharge, preventing hot air from building up. In addition, below the position where the discharged hot and cold water joins, the user's body can be fully enveloped in the hot water, allowing the user's body to be sufficiently warmed.

Furthermore, with the shower device of this embodiment, the discharge space S surrounded by the discharged hot water narrows downwards, ensuring sufficient ventilation in the upper part of the discharge space S surrounded by the hot water. On the other hand, the space is smaller in the lower part of the discharge space S surrounded by the hot water, making it easier to ensure heat retention within the space and allowing the user to be sufficiently warmed.

In addition, with the shower device of this embodiment, the shower head body 4 is configured in an annular shape, so the air in the water discharge space S surrounded by the shower water flows out through the inside of the shower head body 4 to the outside, preventing hot air from building up in the water discharge space S surrounded by the shower water.

In the above-described embodiment, the water spray unit is configured with the fluid element 10, and this fluid element 10 realizes the shower discharge of hot water that spreads as it falls. In a modified example, however, the water spray unit can be configured to cause hot water to fall as it spreads, depending on the configuration of the nozzle that sprays the hot water.

Figures 7 to 9 are diagrams showing an example of a nozzle for achieving a shower discharge in which hot and cold water falls while spreading. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the entire nozzle. Figure 8 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in Figure 7, and Figure 9 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line IX-IX in Figure 7.

As shown in FIG. 7, the nozzle 18, which is the water spray part, is formed into a cylindrical shape overall and can be fitted into each water spray part mounting recess 4b of the shower head body 4 for use. As shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, a passage 18a with a circular cross section is formed along the central axis of the cylindrical nozzle 18. In addition, a dome-shaped (hemispherical) inner wall surface 18b is formed at the tip of this circular cross section passage 18a. Furthermore, a V-shaped cross section groove 18c is provided on the tip surface of the nozzle 18, and the deepest part of this groove 18c is cut out of a part of the dome-shaped inner wall surface 18b.

With this configuration, the hot water introduced by the water supply passage 4a in the shower head body 4 flows into the passage 18a of the nozzle 18, and the hot water introduced by the passage 18a flows out of the notch provided in the inner wall surface 18b to the bottom of the V-shaped cross-section groove 18c and is discharged downward (upward in Figures 7 to 9). As a result, as shown in Figure 8, the hot water W discharged from the nozzle 18 falls while spreading in a cone or elliptical cone shape. In this modified example, each nozzle 18 is attached to the shower head body 4 so that the long axis of the elliptical cone faces the tangent direction of the elliptical shower head body 4. In this modified example, the shower head body 4 is provided with a water spray section by attaching the nozzle 18 to the shower head body 4, but the water spray section can also be provided by forming a nozzle hole directly in the member that constitutes the shower head body 4.

Next, a shower apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The shower device of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the shower head body. Therefore, only the differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment will be described here, and the same configurations, actions, and effects will not be described. Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a user taking a shower with water discharged from the shower device of the second embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 10, the shower head body 20 provided in the shower device according to the second embodiment of the present invention is configured to have a rectangular ring shape. Multiple water spray parts are provided along this ring-shaped shower head body 20, and a shower water discharge is formed that surrounds the user's head. The hot and cold water discharged from each water spray part is configured to fall while spreading in a flat fan shape. In addition, each shower water discharged in a fan shape is directed parallel to each side of the shower head body 20, and merges with each other at a position that has fallen a certain distance from each water spray part, forming a water film around the user's body. Furthermore, each water spray part is attached facing diagonally downward so that each shower water discharged heads toward the center of the shower head body 20, and the water discharge space surrounded by the discharged hot and cold water is configured to narrow downward. In addition, any configuration can be adopted as the multiple water spray parts provided in the shower head body 20, such as the fluid element illustrated in FIG. 3 or the nozzle illustrated in FIG. 7.

Next, a shower apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The shower apparatus of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the shower head body. Therefore, only the differences between the third embodiment of the present invention and the first embodiment will be described here, and the same configurations, operations, and effects will not be described. Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a user taking a shower with water discharged from the shower apparatus of the third embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 11, the shower head body 30 provided in the shower device according to the third embodiment of the present invention is composed of two linear shower head bodies 30a, 30b. Along each linearly configured shower head body 30a, 30b, multiple spray sections are provided, forming a shower water discharge that surrounds the user's head. Here, the hot and cold water discharged from each spray section is configured to fall while spreading in a flat fan shape. Furthermore, the spray section provided in the center of each shower head body 30a, 30b discharges a fan-shaped shower water discharge parallel to the extension direction of each shower head body 30a, 30b. In contrast, the spray section provided near the end of each shower head body 30a, 30b discharges a fan-shaped shower water discharged at a substantially right angle to the extension direction of each shower head body 30a, 30b.

Furthermore, the spray parts provided on each shower head body 30a, 30b spray hot water diagonally downward in the direction in which the sprayed shower water approaches each other. Therefore, the spray space surrounded by the sprayed hot water is configured to narrow downward. In addition, the shower water sprayed from each spray part provided near the end of the shower head body 30a and 30b is directed to join each other at a position where it has fallen a predetermined distance. Therefore, the shower water sprayed from the two shower head bodies 30a, 30b configured in a straight line surrounds the head of the user standing between the two shower head bodies 30a, 30b. Note that any configuration can be used as the multiple spray parts provided on the shower head body 30, such as the fluid element illustrated in FIG. 3 or the nozzle illustrated in FIG. 7.

Next, a shower apparatus according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
The shower apparatus of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the shape of the shower head body. Therefore, only the differences between the fourth embodiment of the present invention and the first embodiment will be described here, and the same configurations, operations, and effects will not be described. Fig. 12 is a perspective view showing a user taking a shower with water discharged from the shower apparatus of the fourth embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 12, the shower head body 40 provided in the shower device according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention is composed of two shower head bodies 40a, 40b that extend in a curved shape. These shower head bodies 40a, 40b extend in a curved shape so that both ends approach each other, and multiple spray parts are provided along them. This forms a shower water discharge that surrounds the user's head. Here, the hot and cold water discharged from each spray part is configured to fall while spreading in a flat fan shape. Furthermore, the spray part provided in the center of each shower head body 40a, 40b discharges a fan-shaped shower water discharge that spreads in the tangential direction of the extension direction of each shower head body 40a, 40b. In contrast, the spray part provided near the end of each shower head body 40a, 40b discharges a fan-shaped shower water discharge at an angle close to a right angle to the extension direction of each shower head body 40a, 40b.

Furthermore, the spray parts provided on each shower head body 40a, 40b spray hot water diagonally downward in the direction in which the sprayed shower water approaches each other. Therefore, the spray space surrounded by the sprayed hot water is configured to narrow downward. In addition, the shower water sprayed from each spray part provided near the end of the shower head body 40a and 40b is directed to join each other at a position where it falls a predetermined distance. Therefore, the shower water sprayed from the two curved shower head bodies 40a, 40b surrounds the head of the user standing between the two shower head bodies 40a, 40b. Note that any configuration can be used as the multiple spray parts provided on the shower head body 40, such as the fluid element illustrated in FIG. 3 or the nozzle illustrated in FIG. 7.

Next, a shower apparatus according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
The shower device of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the structure for supplying hot and cold water to each spray section of the shower head body. Therefore, the following will only describe the differences between the fifth embodiment of the present invention and the first embodiment, and will omit a description of the same configurations, operations, and effects.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a shower device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 14 is a perspective view of a shower head body provided in a shower device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention with the top cover removed. Figure 15 is a cross-sectional view of a shower head body provided in a shower device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view showing the attachment structure of the water spray unit in a shower device according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 13, the shower device 51 of this embodiment is fixed to the side wall surface 2a of the shower cubicle. The shower device 51 also has a shower head body 52 and a support member 56 for attaching the shower head body 52 to the side wall surface 2a.

The shower head body 52 is an elliptical ring-shaped member as a whole, with multiple water spray sections spaced apart along the elliptical ring. The shower head body 52 is also composed of an elliptical ring-shaped portion 52a and three hot and cold water supply sections 52b that extend radially from the center of the ring-shaped portion 52a.

The annular portion 52a is an elliptical ring-shaped portion, and a number of water spray parts are provided at intervals on its underside. As described below, a water supply passage is provided inside the annular portion 52a to supply hot water to each water spray part. Meanwhile, each hot water supply part 52b extends radially from the center of the annular portion 52a, and their tips are connected to the annular portion 52a. Specifically, one hot water supply part 52b extends from the center of the annular portion 52a toward the side wall surface 2a, and two hot water supply parts 52b extend in the opposite direction to the side wall surface 2a, and the tips of each hot water supply part 52b are connected to the annular portion 52a. The lengths between the three points where the tips of each hot water supply part 52b and the annular portion 52a are connected are configured to be approximately the same.

Next, the support member 56 is a member attached so as to extend generally horizontally from the upper part of the side wall surface 2a, and is configured to support the shower head body 52 at a predetermined height. Furthermore, the support member 56 is connected to the upper surface of the shower head body 52, and the tip of the support member 56 is connected to the joint of the three hot and cold water supply parts 52b at the center of the shower head body 52. In addition, a water supply passage (not shown) is provided inside the support member 56, and hot and cold water supplied through this water supply passage flows into each hot and cold water supply part 52b of the shower head body 52 and is sprayed from each spray part provided on the underside of the annular part 52a.

In this embodiment, the shower head body 52 is rigidly attached to the tip of the support member 56, but as a modified example, a ball joint (not shown) can be provided between the support member 56 and the shower head body 52, and the shower head body 52 can be fixed to the support member 56 so that the angle can be adjusted. In this case, the ball joint (not shown) is provided between the tip of the support member 56 and the connection part of the three hot and cold water supply parts 52b, and the ball joint is located near the center of gravity of the shower head body 52. Therefore, the moment of force acting on the center of rotation of the ball joint based on gravity acting on the shower head body 52 is relatively small, and the shower head body 52 can be easily fixed to any angle position by the ball joint.

The shower head body 52 is further composed of an upper cover 53, a flow path forming member 54, and a lower cover 55. By joining the upper cover 53 and the flow path forming member 54, a water supply passage is formed for supplying hot and cold water to each spray section of the shower head body 52.

As shown in FIG. 14, the flow path forming member 54 is composed of an annular portion and three straight portions extending radially from the center of the annular portion. This annular portion constitutes part of the annular portion 52a of the shower head body 52, and each straight portion constitutes part of the hot and cold water supply portion 52b. Furthermore, an annular passage 54a extending annularly is formed in the annular portion so as to go around the annular portion 52a, and a distribution passage 54b is formed in each straight portion. In other words, the three distribution passages 54b extend radially from the center of the shower head body 52, and their tips are connected to the annular passage 54a. In this way, hot and cold water flows into the annular passage 54a from multiple locations via each distribution passage 54b.

Meanwhile, multiple communication holes 54c are provided along the annular passage 54a, and these communication holes 54c are connected to the spray part mounting recesses 54d (Fig. 15) provided on the underside of the flow path forming member 54. As a result, the annular passage 54a formed in the annular part 52a of the shower head body 52 communicates with each spray part mounting recess 54d, and hot and cold water is supplied to the fluid element 10 (Fig. 15) attached thereto.

Next, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, a number of sprinkler unit mounting recesses 54d are provided along the annular passage 54a on the underside of the flow path forming member 54. As in the first embodiment described above, each sprinkler unit mounting recess 54d is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and a sprinkler unit holding member 58 that holds the fluid element 10, which is the sprinkler unit, is removably fitted into it. The structure of the fluid element 10 is similar to that of the first embodiment described above, so a description thereof will be omitted.

The spray unit holding member 58 is an approximately cylindrical member overall, and is configured to hold the fluid element 10, which is the spray unit. The spray unit holding member 58 holds the fluid element 10 so that it is inclined at a predetermined angle relative to the central axis. This causes hot and cold water to be ejected diagonally downward from the shower head body 52. In addition, a groove 58a is provided on the outer periphery of the spray unit holding member 58, and an O-ring (not shown) is placed in this groove 58a to ensure watertightness between the spray unit holding member 58 and the spray unit mounting recess 54d.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 16, mounting grooves 58b are provided at two locations on the outer peripheral surface of the sprinkler unit holding member 58 (only one is shown in FIG. 16). Each mounting groove 58b is formed in a hook shape and is composed of an axial portion extending in the axial direction from the upper end of the sprinkler unit holding member 58 and a circumferential portion extending in the circumferential direction of the sprinkler unit holding member 58 from the lower end of this axial portion. Meanwhile, two engagement protrusions 54e are provided on the inner wall surface of the sprinkler unit mounting recess 54d at positions corresponding to the axial portions of each mounting groove 58b (only one is shown in FIG. 16).

When attaching the sprinkler unit holding member 58, first, the sprinkler unit holding member 58 is fitted into the sprinkler unit mounting recess 54d so that each engagement protrusion 54e is received in the axial portion of each mounting groove 58b. Next, the sprinkler unit holding member 58 is rotated so that each engagement protrusion 54e is received in the circumferential portion of each mounting groove 58b, and the sprinkler unit holding member 58 can be fixed to the flow path forming member 54. In this embodiment, the sprinkler unit holding member 58 is rotated until each engagement protrusion 54e abuts against the end of the circumferential portion of each mounting groove 58b, so that the fluid element 10 held by the sprinkler unit holding member 58 is configured to face in the appropriate direction.

As in the first embodiment described above, each fluid element 10 provided on the shower head body 52 is attached so that the vibration plane of the hot and cold water (a plane parallel to the paper surface of FIG. 4) faces the tangent direction of the elliptical annular portion 52a. The intervals between the fluid elements 10 are not constant, but are adjusted so that the user is comfortably enveloped in the hot and cold water sprayed from each fluid element 10. In this embodiment, the intervals between adjacent fluid elements 10 are set to about 43 mm to about 167 mm. Preferably, the intervals between the fluid elements 10 are set to about 30 mm to about 200 mm. In contrast, in a typical conventional disc-shaped overhead shower, the spray holes are uniformly provided at intervals of about 10 mm to about 30 mm throughout the entire shower head.

Next, the operation of the shower device 51 according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described.
First, when a user operates the shower unit 51 to start discharging water, the supply of hot and cold water to the shower unit 51 begins. The supplied hot and cold water passes through a water supply passage (not shown) formed inside the support member 56 and flows into the shower head body 52. The hot and cold water that flows into the shower head body 52 is branched into three at the joint of the three hot and cold water supply parts 52b. That is, the hot and cold water supplied to the shower head body 52 is distributed to the three distribution passages 54b in the hot and cold water supply part 52b, as shown by the arrows in Figure 14, and flows into the annular passage 54a from the tip of each distribution passage 54b.

The hot water that enters the annular passage 54a from the tip of each distribution passage 54b branches into two as shown by the arrows in Figure 14, and flows into the annular passage 54a in both directions, spreading throughout the entire annular passage 54a. As a result, the hot water flows into each sprinkler unit mounting recess 54d through each communication hole 54c provided along the annular passage 54a. The hot water that flows into the sprinkler unit mounting recess 54d flows into the fluid element 10 held by the sprinkler unit holding member 58 fitted into the sprinkler unit mounting recess 54d. The hot water supplied to each fluid element 10 is discharged while vibrating back and forth. The manner in which the hot water is discharged from the shower head body 52 is the same as that of the first embodiment (Figure 6) described above, so a description will be omitted.

In this embodiment, the hot and cold water supplied to the shower head body 52 is distributed to the three distribution passages 54b and then flows into the annular passage 54a. This equalizes the distance of the water supply passages that must be passed from the water supply source to each fluid element, and hot and cold water is supplied to each fluid element 10 with a relatively uniform water supply pressure. As a result, the flow rate of hot and cold water discharged from each fluid element 10 becomes more uniform, and the user's shower experience becomes more uniform.

For example, if the pressure of hot water supplied to some of the multiple fluid elements 10 is low, the hot water ejected may not oscillate back and forth at the amplitude of the design value, and the water ejected from adjacent fluid elements 10 may not overlap sufficiently. Also, if the pressure of hot water supplied to a fluid element 10 is low, the force of the ejected hot water may be weak, and the hot water may not land on the user at the angle of the design value. According to the shower device 51 of this embodiment, by distributing the hot water through the distribution passage 54b, hot water can be supplied to each fluid element 10 with a relatively uniform water supply pressure, and even if the water supply pressure is low, the shower water can be ejected at approximately the design value.

Note that Figures 10 to 12, which show the second to fourth embodiments of the present invention described above, do not show a supply path through which the supplied hot and cold water flows into the shower head body, but it is also possible to supply hot and cold water to the shower head body using a distribution passage, as in the fifth embodiment described above.

For example, in the second embodiment shown in FIG. 10, a cross-shaped distribution passage (not shown) can be provided to connect the midpoints of the long sides and the midpoints of the short sides of the showerhead body 20. In this case, it is preferable to configure the present invention so that hot and cold water supplied from the support member flows in from the intersection of the cross and passes through the distribution passage to flow in from four points of the rectangular, annular showerhead body 20. This makes the distance of the water supply passages that pass from the water supply source to each fluid element uniform, and hot and cold water can be supplied to each spray section provided in the showerhead body 20 with a relatively uniform water supply pressure.

In the third and fourth embodiments shown in Figures 11 and 12, a distribution passage (not shown) extending in the front-to-rear direction can be provided to connect the midpoints of the shower head bodies separated into two parts, front and rear. In this case, it is preferable to configure the present invention so that hot and cold water supplied from the support member flows in from the midpoint of the distribution passage, and flows through the distribution passage into the center of each shower head body. This makes the distance of the water supply passage passing from the water supply source to each fluid element uniform, and hot and cold water can be supplied to each spray section provided in the shower head body with a relatively uniform water supply pressure.

The above describes a preferred embodiment of the present invention, but various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 shower device 2 shower cubicle 2a side wall surface 4 shower head body 4a water supply passage 4b spray unit mounting recess 6 support member 8 spray unit holding member 10 fluid element (spray unit)
Description of the Reference Signs 10a Water outlet 10b Flange 10c Groove 10d Inlet 12a Water supply passage 12b Vortex passage 12c Flow straightening passage 14 Step 16 Hot and cold water collision section 18 Nozzle 18a Passage 18b Inner wall surface 18c Groove 20 Shower head body 30 Shower head body 30a, 30b Shower head body 40 Shower head body 40a, 40b Shower head body 51 Shower device 52 Shower head body 52a Annular section 52b Hot and cold water supply section 53 Upper cover 54 Flow path forming member 54a Annular passage 54b Distribution passage 54c Communication hole 54d Spray section mounting recess 54e Engagement protrusion 55 Lower cover 56 Support member 58 Spray section holding member 58a Groove 58b Mounting groove

Claims (5)

A shower device that is fixed so as to shower water onto a user from above,
The shower head body,
a plurality of water spray sections provided at intervals on the shower head body so as to form a shower spout that surrounds the head of a user standing below the shower head body;
A shower apparatus characterized in that each of the spray sections is configured so that the sprayed hot and cold water falls while spreading downward. The shower device according to claim 1, wherein the water discharged from each of the spray sections joins with each other at a position where the water has fallen a predetermined distance from each of the spray sections, forming a water film around the user's body. The shower device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the spray sections is oriented so that the space surrounded by the sprayed hot and cold water narrows downward. The shower device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the shower head body is configured in an annular shape. The shower device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein each of the spray sections is configured so that the sprayed hot water vibrates back and forth in a sine wave, so that the sprayed hot water falls while spreading downward.

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