Baths – closets – sinks – and spittoons – Flush closet – Bowl
Reexamination Certificate
2003-06-10
2004-09-28
Nguyen, Tuan N. (Department: 3751)
Baths, closets, sinks, and spittoons
Flush closet
Bowl
Reexamination Certificate
active
06795981
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a water jetting device for jetting supplied cleansing water from nozzle.
BACKGROUND ART
In the past, when desired to wash with a stronger water stream, it was necessary to jet a larger amount of cleansing water, or with the aim of cleansing a wider area, or to improve cleanliness feel in the case of cleansing the human body, to jet a larger amount of water from the cleansing nozzle over a wider area.
For example, with the aim of cleansing a wide area there has been proposed a method of jetting cleansing water from a cleansing nozzle in a gyrating or roughly gyrating manner, moving the cleansing nozzle per se along a predetermined path while jetting the cleansing water. With this method, as shown in
FIG. 1
, the cleansing nozzle of a human body localized cleansing device is driven by two motors and by a combination of left/right and forward/backward nozzle movements the cleansing nozzle is moved on a predetermined path.
In JP 10-193776 A and JP 2000-008452 A the kinetic energy of cleansing water pressurized by a water pump is used to turn an impeller. This impeller is integrally provided with a water jetting spout, the water jetting spout being moved on a circular path to create a gyrating jet of water.
In JP 8-246535 A, there is given an example of conically traversing a spout pipe by means of meshing of a fixed gear and a traversing gear having blades traversing by means of a stream of water.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, those in which the cleansing nozzle per se moves on a predetermined course through a combination of nozzle movements had the following problems.
By means of a combination of nozzle movements cleansing water can be jetted while gyrating or roughly gyrating, but there is a need to move the unit containing the cleansing nozzle forward/backward and left/right, and much power was needed to drive the unit. Also, driving of the unit was accompanied by vibration. Because of this, there was the problem that vibration was a source of noise. Therefore, to drive the cleansing nozzle at vibration strength of a level that does not produce a problem, driving at low speed was essential. That is, nozzle drive was thusly limited to low speed drive, and therefore there was the problem that the speed of gyration or approximate gyration of the cleansing water could not be increased to high speed, or could not be made variable from low speed to high speed.
Also, those in which the kinetic energy of pressurized cleansing water by a water pump is used to turn an impeller, and a gyrating jet of water is jetted from a water jetting spout integral with the impeller had the following problems.
Jetted water from the water jetting spout gyrates along substantially the same path as the water jetting spout. Therefore, to wash a wider area, it is necessary to increase the size of the circular path of the water jetting spout, and to a corresponding degree increase the size of water jetting spout peripheral parts in the circumference diameter direction. Therefore sliding resistance during gyration at high speed increases, high drive power is required. As a result, there was the problem that to obtain this drive power the amount of water and water pressure must be increased.
Also, those in which a spout pipe spouts cleansing water while being conically circled by means of meshing of a fixed gear and a traversing gear having blades traversing by means a stream of water had the following problems.
With this type, the traversing gear traverses under the kinetic energy of a stream of water in order so that the spout pipe traverses along the outside periphery of the fixed gear. Therefore, when spouting cleansing water, due to the action of rotational resistance of the traversing gear and fixed gear, traversing speed is rather low. Also, in the event that scale etc. in cleansing water becomes deposited on gear surfaces, greater water stream kinetic energy will be needed for traversing. Thus, there is the problem that traversing speed drops or traversing halts altogether. Further, as the energy for traversing is provided by the kinetic energy of the water stream, there is the problem that the nozzle per se must be large so that the blades provided to the traversing gear may traverse. Noise and vibration produced by meshing of the gears is also a problem.
Additionally, owing to a sliding portion provided between the nozzle body and the gyrating nozzle, dirt becomes clogged and deposited in the sliding portion in similar fashion to the traversing gear, so that stability of sliding, i.e. reliability of jetting, is lacking.
Also in some instances the user may desire to wash with a strong stream of water nevertheless produced by a low flow rate. To realize a water jet that would meet this desire, it is necessary to channel a low flow rate of cleansing water at high speed. In this respect, since low flow rate means that driving force of the traversing gear declines, traversing of the spout pipe slows, and the user may feel as if the wash point reached by the cleansing water is moving slowly. If so, then it will no longer be perceived that the washed area is being washed all at once. Therefore, in order that an entire wash area be constantly reached by cleansing water, it was necessary, while maintaining cleansing water flow speed, to gyrate the spout pipe, in other words the water jet, at a rate of speed imperceptible to the human body so that the human body has the sensory illusion of the jet of water reaching it over the entire path of gyration. In this respect, channeling cleansing water at a low flow rate means that the spout pipe can only gyrate at low speed, producing a sensation of the wash point moving in linear fashion so that it becomes difficult to create the sensory illusion described above.
It has also been proposed to use a flow element to undulate the water jet. However, this causes cleansing water to splash during jetting, causing a large amount of water that does not contribute to cleansing to be wasted, so that water could not be conserved. Additionally, owing to the design of the flow element, there was the problem that the direction of undulation and frequency of undulation are limited.
Particularly after jetting, that is, after being left exposed to the air, when pulsed using the flow element, the kinetic energy of the jet of cleansing water is consumed in oscillation of the flow element, resulting in the problem of weakening of the force of the water jet.
There is also a need for “soft cleansing of a wide area” as with bidet cleansing by females. The cleansing target of bidet cleansing is more sensitive to vibration etc., and thus where the wash point moves in linear fashion as described earlier, the stimulation produced by water reaching each wash point will be too strong. Therefore, while it is necessary to create the sensory illusion described above by more rapid oscillatory motion of the wash point, the flow element is limited in terms of frequency of undulation, thus making it impossible to realize high speed undulation of wash point.
The present invention was made in order to solve the above problems, and has as an object to propose a novel water jet system cable of cleansing a wider area without entailing nozzle drive. Additionally it is intended to enable high speed water jet motion using water power only, without using any nozzle drive device, water pump or other such drive device, and in the process to conserve energy, reduce cost, and reduce vibration and noise. Water jet reliability is improved as well.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
To solve these problems at least in part, a water jetting device of the invention is a device comprising a nozzle, for jetting from the nozzle cleansing water supplied thereto, wherein the nozzle has;
an inflow chamber into which cleansing water flows,
a water jetting body assembled in the inflow chamber, having a water jetting member comprising a cleansing water jetting spout and a chamber housed member continuous with the water jetting member and situated within the inflow chamber, the water jetting bo
Arita Kinya
Hamada Yasuo
Hatakeyama Makoto
Sato Minoru
Beyer Weaver & Thomas LLP
Nguyen Tuan N.
Toto Ltd.
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