JPH1066656A - Hot water circulator - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To restrict the propagation of unnecessary bacteria and microorganisms in a filtration device of a hot water circulator. SOLUTION: A hot water circulator 10 for purifying bath water taken from a bath tub 32 with a filtering device 20, heating the bath water to a predetermined temperature, and then circulating the bath water to return to the bath tub 32. By the sterilizing heating means 19 provided on the side piping system, the bath water sent into the filtration device 20 can be inhabited by purifying bacteria having excellent heat resistance and growing in the filtration device 20,
It is heated to a temperature at which other unnecessary germs or microorganisms are killed, and the hot water that has flowed out of the filtration device 20 provided in the portion of the piping system on the discharge unit 24 side from the filtration device 20 is bathed or maintained at a predetermined temperature. Then, the bath water is refluxed into the bathtub 32.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hot water circulator for removing bath water in a bath tub, purifying it by the action of microorganisms, and returning the purified water to the bath tub again.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, hot water circulators, which purify hot water in a bathtub by the action of a filtering material and microorganisms, return the bathwater to the bathtub, and are always used, have been used at home.

[0003] The hot water circulator uses a pump to remove bath water from a water intake section arranged in a bath tub, from which relatively large debris such as hair, towel lint, and a portion of reds have been removed through a pre-filter. The collected bath water is passed through a sterilizer to sterilize bacteria in the bath water, and further passed through a filtration tank to adsorb ammonia, red, and fats in the bath water, and to decompose organic substances by the action of microorganisms, thereby purifying the bath. The water is heated to a required temperature by a heater and then returned to the bathtub through the discharge section. Thereby, the bath water is purified and heated without changing the bath water every day, so that the bath can be taken at any time for 24 hours, and the bath can be used very conveniently and water is saved.

[0004] The mechanism of purification of water quality of the hot water circulator is as follows. That is, coarse dust such as hair is filtered by a prefilter (for example, a hair catcher) made of urethane foam or the like.

[0005] Further, bacteria derived from the human body taking a bath are sterilized by a sterilizer that sterilizes with ultraviolet rays, ozone and the like.

[0006] Organic matter (keratinized skin such as amino acids and proteins contained in body fluids) and the like secreted from the body in the bath water are decomposed in the filtration tank and continuously purified.

Here, the principle of purifying organic matter secreted from the body in a filtration tank will be described below. That is, the filtering tank contains a natural stone such as barley stone, or a filtering material such as a granular ceramic obtained by crushing such a natural stone and sintering it in a porous state. When bath water is circulated in the filtration tank, organic substances are adsorbed on the filter medium, and microorganisms propagate. Then, the purified microorganisms, which are the propagated microorganisms, decompose organic substances such as ammonia and proteins contained in the bath water, so that the bath water is purified.

[0008]

However, in such a conventional hot water circulator, the microorganisms that propagate in the filtration tank are not only the purified bacteria, but also the germs in the bath water that could not be sterilized by the sterilizer. In some cases. In such a case,
Bath water mixed with various bacteria comes out of the filtration tank and is circulated into the bath tub.

In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to newly provide a hot water circulator capable of restricting the propagation of unnecessary bacteria and microorganisms in a filtration device.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a hot water circulator for taking bath water in a bath tub at a water supply section, purifying the bath water with a filtration device, heating the bath water to a predetermined temperature, and then discharging the hot water. A hot water circulator that circulates bath water by a pump through a piping system so as to return to a bathtub from a section, wherein a portion of the piping system closer to a water intake unit than the filtration device is provided with bath water to be sent into the filtration device, Within the temperature range where purified bacteria with excellent heat resistance that are grown in the filtration device can inhabit, and
A sterilizing heating means provided so as to be capable of heating to a temperature for killing unnecessary germs or microorganisms other than the purified bacteria, and a part of the piping system closer to the discharge part than the filtration device is discharged from the inside of the filtration device. A hot water bath or a cooling device for cooling to a predetermined temperature for keeping warm.

[0011] With the above construction, the bath water heated to a predetermined heating temperature flows into the filtration device by the heating means for sterilization, and the inside of the filtration device is heated to a required temperature, whereby useful purifying bacteria can be obtained. Unnecessary germs or microorganisms can be killed while alive, and the bath water returned to the bathtub can be kept clean. At the same time, the hot water discharged from the filtering device is cooled by the cooling device and cooled to an appropriate bathing temperature, so that hot water does not enter the bathtub, so that this heat sterilization operation can be performed even during bathing.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the hot water circulator according to the first aspect, the purifying bacterium having excellent heat resistance is a microorganism belonging to Bacillus subtilis.

With the above-mentioned structure, microorganisms belonging to Bacillus subtilis do not die even at an extremely high temperature of 100 degrees Celsius. Therefore, the inside of the filtration device is heated to a temperature of 100 degrees Celsius or less, and unnecessary bacteria and Microorganisms can be sufficiently sterilized.

[0014] According to a third aspect of the present invention, the bath water in the bath tub is taken in the water basin, the bath water is purified by the filtration device, heated to a predetermined temperature, and then returned to the bath tub from the discharge unit. A hot water circulator that circulates bath water by a pump through a piping system, and pumps a heater provided in a part of the piping system closer to a water intake unit than the filtering device and a bath water provided in a part of the piping system. By changing the flow rate to a low speed and prolonging the time for which the bath water passes through the heater, the purified water having excellent heat resistance and growing in the filter device inhabits the bath water sent into the filter device. A variable pump that is configured to be capable of heating to a temperature within a range of possible temperature and to kill unnecessary germs other than the purified bacteria, or microorganisms,
A cooling device is provided at a portion of the piping system closer to the discharge unit than the filtration device, for cooling hot water discharged from the inside of the filtration device into a bath or a predetermined temperature for keeping heat.

[0015] With the above-described configuration, even if the bath water heating capacity of the heater is not increased, the time during which the bath water stays in the heater can be reduced by adjusting the flow rate of pumping the bath water of the variable pump. By lengthening and heating the bath water to a predetermined temperature for sterilization higher than usual, and sending it into the filtration device,
Unnecessary germs and microorganisms can be sufficiently sterilized.

[0016]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A schematic configuration of an embodiment of a hot water circulator according to the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, and a hot water circulator main body 10 has a water intake section 12 for taking in bath water in a bathtub 32.
A pump 16 for pumping the bath water taken from the water intake section 12 and circulating the bath water again into the bathtub 32; an ultraviolet sterilizer 18 as a sterilizer for sterilizing bacteria in the bath water; a heater 19; A filtration tank 20 which is a filtration device containing a filtering material for purifying water, such as so-called barley stone, cristal, or porous granular ceramics; and a cooling device 22
And a discharge section 24 for returning the purified and sterilized bath water to the bathtub 32.

The pump 16 is a variable pump, and the flow rate of bath water for pumping the piping system of the hot water circulator body 10 can be changed to a required lower speed than the flow rate in a normal use state by a command from a control unit (not shown). It is configured in.

The heater 19 has a function of heating the bath water to adjust the temperature of the bath water in the bath tub 32 and a function of heating the bath water in the filtration tank 20 to a temperature equal to or higher than the appropriate bathing temperature (in the present embodiment, 1 ° C.).
(00 degree).

Further, the cooling device 22 is configured to lower the bath water heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the appropriate bathing temperature to the appropriate bathing temperature. That is, the cooling device 2
Reference numeral 2 denotes a forced air cooling system provided with an electric fan, in which a radiator plate is provided at a portion where the pipe is bent a plurality of times. It is configured to cool to about the temperature.

The water intake section 12, the pump 16,
The ultraviolet sterilizer 18, the heater 19, the filtration tank 20, the cooling device 22, and the discharge unit 24 are connected in series by a pipe 26 so that bath water is sent and circulated in these order. A water intake unit 12 and a discharge unit 24 are installed in a bathtub 32 to supply and drain water. The control unit (not shown) receives a signal from a temperature sensor (not shown) that measures the temperature of the bath water in order to maintain the temperature of the hot water in the bath tub at the set temperature. It is configured to control the degree of cooling of the device 22.

Further, the water intake section 12 of the hot water circulator body 10
A hair catcher 14 made of a material having open cells such as urethane foam is provided detachably with respect to the water intake unit 12 as a pre-filter for removing coarse dust such as hair in bath water. In addition, a purification bacterium belonging to Bacillus subtilis is previously contained in the filtration tank 20 containing the filtration material. The purifying bacteria proliferate on the surface of the filter material such as granular ceramics in the filter tank 20, the inside of the porous hole, the peripheral portion of the filter material, and other portions. As a result, organic matter secreted from the body in the bath water is decomposed and purified by the propagated purified bacteria.

The bacterium belonging to Bacillus subtilis used herein is Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 which is a bacterium belonging to Bacillus subtilis having excellent heat resistance and is harmless to the human body and capable of inhabiting and reproducing even at high temperatures. It is a bacterium that secretes powerful proteolytic enzymes.

Therefore, the bacteria belonging to Bacillus subtilis, which has been put in the filtration device in advance, degrade white matter and the like in the secretions from the body in the bath water, so that bacteria for purification can be eliminated. Even if you have n’t bred enough,
The turbidity of the bath water, which is the initial turbidity at the initial stage of the installation of the circulating filter, is prevented.

Further, the bacterium belonging to the Bacillus subtilis is an aerobic Gram-positive spore-forming bacillus, and in a dry state or at a high temperature, becomes a spore state and stops its activity, but does not die. It is.

When Bacillus subtilis ATCC6633, a bacterium belonging to Bacillus subtilis, is attached to granular ceramics, it may be attached in the form of vegetative cells or spores.
There are the following methods.

For example, a part of the granular ceramic to be put into the filtration tank 20 is immersed in a liquid containing a bacterium belonging to Bacillus subtilis, and after the bacterial cells are sufficiently adhered to the surface of the granular ceramic, drying is performed. The granular ceramic to which the bacterial cells adhere is put into the filtration tank 20.

Thus, the bacteria belonging to Bacillus subtilis can be attached to the circulation path of the hot water circulator 10 in which the bath water is circulated.

In addition, bacteria belonging to Bacillus subtilis are adhered to urethane foam of the water intake section 12, and as the bath water circulates, the cells are dissolved into the bath water and introduced into the filtration tank 20. However, here, for example, if it is porous, it may be easily attached to the filter medium.

Further, by mixing a rod-shaped fiber material such as dental cotton with bacteria belonging to Bacillus subtilis admixed in the filter medium of the filtration tank 20, the bath water is also circulated. Therefore, the bacteria start to propagate on the filter medium to which the bacteria are not attached.

As described above, by growing the bacteria on the surface of, for example, granular ceramics in the filtration device, the organic matter in the bath water can be efficiently reduced and the bath water can be purified.

Escherichia coli, staphylococci and the like among bacteria or microorganisms having no heat resistance are 45 to 50 degrees Celsius.
Death in degrees.

Next, the operation and method of use of the hot water circulator of the present embodiment configured as described above will be described.

First, in a normal use state, the pump 16 is operated, and the hair catcher 14 removes relatively large debris such as hair, towel lint, and a portion of red deposits from the water intake section 12 in the bathtub 32. The bath water is taken in and sent to the ultraviolet sterilizer 18 through the pipe 26. UV sterilizer 18
Then, the bath water is irradiated with ultraviolet rays and sterilized. The hot water circulator may be configured without providing the ultraviolet sterilizer 18. Thereafter, the bath water is sent to the heater 19 through the pipe 26 and heated to a predetermined temperature (for example, about 35 degrees Celsius to about 43 degrees Celsius) set for bathing or heat retention. Heater 19
The bath water heated in the filter tank 20
Sent to

In the filtration tank 20, the filtration tank 20
Filters, such as barley stone, cristal, and porous granular ceramics, filled therein absorb red, sweat, ammonia, color components, odor components, various bacteria, and the like in the bath water. As described above, the organic matter adsorbed on the filter medium is supplied to the filter tank 2
Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, a purifying bacterium belonging to Bacillus subtilis that grows within 0, is decomposed and purified.

The bath water filtered in the filtration tank 20 is returned from the discharge section 24 into the bath tub 32 through the cooling device 22 stopped through the pipe 26.

As described above, the bath water is circulated through the hot water circulator, whereby the bath water in the bathtub 32 is sequentially purified and maintained at a predetermined hot water temperature.

When the above-mentioned use condition is continued for a long period of time, various bacteria and the like which could not be completely sterilized by the ultraviolet sterilizer 18 flow into the filtration tank 20 and grow there. In such a case, a heat sterilization switch (not shown) of the hot water circulator is turned on. Then, according to a command from a control unit (not shown), the pump 16 is set to the slow-speed water supply operation, and the cooling device 22 is operated. And
While the bath water passes through the heater 19 at a very low speed, the bath water is heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the appropriate bathing temperature, for example, about 45 to 70 degrees Celsius and sent to the filtration tank 20.

The relationship between the speed at which the bath 16 is fed by the pump 16 and the temperature of the bath water in the filtration tank 20 is such that when a normal-capacity heater 19 mounted on this kind of hot water circulator is used. For example: That is, the pump 1
6 is 18 liters per minute (18
1 / min), the temperature of the bath water passing through the filtration tank 20 is 40 degrees Celsius, and the flow rate is 1 liter per minute (1 liter).
/ Min), the temperature of the bath water is 47 degrees Celsius, and at a flow rate of 0.5 liter per minute (0.5 l / min), the temperature of the bath water is 52 degrees Celsius. In this way, the bath water in the filtration tank 20 is heated to about 50 degrees Celsius to about 100 degrees Celsius. This state is continued for about one hour, and heat sterilization for killing germs and unnecessary microorganisms is performed. The heating temperature and the heating time for this heat sterilization can be appropriately changed and set according to the kind of various bacteria or microorganisms to be heat sterilized. In this case, the bath water can be sufficiently heated because the residence time in the heater 19 is long, but the heating power of the heater 19 may be improved only during this heating sterilization.

The hot water in the filtration tank 20 enters the cooling device 22 through the pipe 26. In the cooling device 22, the bath water heated to a temperature equal to or higher than the appropriate bathing temperature is cooled to approximately the appropriate bathing temperature.

The bath water thus cooled by the cooling device 22 is returned from the discharge section 24 into the bath tub 32. In addition, since hot water does not flow back into the bathtub 32 as described above,
Since the temperature of the bath water in the bath tub 32 can be prevented from becoming higher than a predetermined temperature, the heat sterilization of the filtration tank 20 can be performed during bathing.

After the completion of the heat sterilization operation, the pump 16
Returned to normal water supply operation by a control unit not shown,
The cooling device 22 is stopped and returns to the normal operation state.

In the present embodiment, the heater 19 and
The cooling device 22 may be composed of various devices that are generally used. In addition, the above-mentioned heat sterilization operation may be automatically performed, for example, about once a week or about once a month by a timer configured in a control unit of the hot water circulator body 10, or a sensor for detecting dirt in the bath water. And an alarm may be issued to prompt execution of the heat sterilization operation.
Further, it may be performed completely manually.

[0043]

According to the present invention, there is an excellent effect that unnecessary germs and microorganisms can be restricted from growing in a filtration device in a hot water circulator.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a conceptual configuration of an embodiment of a hot water circulator according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Hot water circulator main body 16 Pump 19 Heater (heating means for sterilization) 20 Filtration tank (filtration device) 22 Cooling device 26 Piping 32 Bathtub

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. The bath water in a bath tub is taken in a water supply unit, the bath water is purified by a filtration device, and after being heated to a predetermined temperature, the bath water is pumped through a piping system so as to return from the discharge unit to the bath tub. A hot water circulator that circulates, by means of a purification device having excellent heat-resistant properties, in which the bath water to be fed into the filtration device is increased in a portion of the piping system closer to the water intake unit than the filtration device. Sterilization heating means provided within a temperature range in which the bacteria can inhabit, and which can be heated to a temperature for killing unnecessary germs other than the purified bacteria or microorganisms, and the filtration of the piping system A hot water circulator provided with a cooling device for bathing hot water discharged from the inside of the filtering device or cooling the hot water to a predetermined temperature for keeping heat, at a portion closer to a discharge portion than the device. 2. The hot water circulator according to claim 1, wherein the purifying bacterium having excellent heat resistance is a microorganism belonging to Bacillus subtilis. 3. The bath water in the bath tub is taken in by a water supply unit, the bath water is purified by a filtration device, heated to a predetermined temperature, and then pumped through a piping system so as to return from the discharge unit to the bath tub. A hot water circulator that circulates by changing a flow rate at which a heater provided at a portion of the piping system closer to the water intake unit than the filtration device and a flow rate of pumping bath water provided at a part of the piping system to a low speed. By lengthening the time when the bath water passes through the heater, the bath water sent into the filtration device is adjusted to a temperature within a range in which purified bacteria having excellent heat resistance and growing in the filtration device can inhabit. And a variable pump configured to be able to heat to a temperature for killing unnecessary germs other than the purified bacteria or microorganisms, and a portion of the piping system closer to a discharge unit than the filtering device, the filtering device. Take hot water from inside or keep warm And a cooling device for cooling to a predetermined temperature for use.