Sauna device

To provide a sauna device having a small number of components without any special heat source, operable at a low running cost, and capable of turning a sauna room into a high humidity space with low noise. The sauna device has a heating/humidifying unit for heating/humidifying air, a ventilating unit for exhausting the air in the sauna room, and a control unit for controlling the heating/humidifying unit and the ventilating unit. The heating/humidifying unit has a heating section for heating the air through a circulation blowing section for circulating the air in the sauna room and a humidifying section for humidifying the heated air having passed through the heating section. The humidified air is blown out into the sauna room through the humidifying section. A bent portion where the air-blowing duct through which the humidified air having passed through the humidifying section passes is bent is provided.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a sauna device used in order to turn a sauna room such as a bathroom into a sauna space under a moderate-high-temperature and high-humidity atmosphere.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, mist device which is installed on the ceiling of a bathroom to turn the bathroom into a sauna room has been known as an exemplary type of a sauna device.

As for sauna, there is a dry sauna for making a high-temperature and low-humidity environment in which an inside temperature is about 100° C. and a relative humidity is about 10%, or a steam sauna for making a moderate-high-temperature and high humidity environment in which an inside temperature is about 40 to 50° C. and a relative humidity is about 70% or more. Recently, attention has been focused on a sauna device which is installed in a bathroom, a shower room, or the like thereby allowing the bathroom or the shower room itself to be used as a sauna room, and various steam sauna devices have been proposed.

FIG. 25is a main-part sectional view schematically illustrating an inner structure according to an example of a known sauna device.

As shown inFIG. 25, a sauna device includes blower device105, which is installed on ceiling101of a bathroom, and is adapted to take air within the bathroom from air inlet103by use of blower fan102and send the air to the inside of the bathroom from blowing port104. The sauna device also includes steam generating device108, which is provided on blower device105, and is adapted to allow steam heater107to generate steam by heating water supplied via water-supply pipe106and eject the steam from nozzle109in the bathroom. As for documentary information of the related art, for example, Patent Document 1 has been known.

In the known sauna device, since there is used a method of performing humidification by allowing steam heater107to heat water, water at room temperature is heated from room temperature to a certain temperature, and is vaporized and humidified by being injected from nozzle109. However, in order to turn a space within the bathroom into a moderate-high-temperature sauna space of a temperature of 40 to 50° C. and a relative humidity of 70 to 100%, it is required that the hot water to be injected from nozzle109have a temperature of 50° C. or more. Since there is used a method of direct injection from nozzle109into the bathroom, in order for a sauna user to take a sauna without an uncomfortable feeling, an injection temperature of 50 to 70° C. is preferable for bodily sensation though the bodily sensation also depends on the temperature in the bathroom at that time, and it is also required that the hot water to be injected have a temperature of 50° C. or more even in view of bodily sensation. Accordingly, a large heat amount is required to heat water at room temperature to the temperature of 50 to 60° C., and a huge amount of energy is required to be supplied. Specifically, a large amount of electricity is required to heat water by use of steam heater107, and construction for treating high current should be performed. In order to increase the inside temperature of the bathroom by use of only the hot water injected from nozzle109, a huge amount of injection water is required, and as a result, more energy is required to be supplied.

In order to warm the inside of the bathroom effectively, another known sauna device shown inFIG. 26is configured to be used in combination with hot-air heater110. However, there are needed two heaters such as hot-air heater110for heating air and steam heater107for heating water, and thus a huge amount of energy is required to be supplied. As described above, in such known devices, water is turned into hot water by using electricity when a special heat source such as a water heater is not used. Thus, there are problems that a large amount of energy is required for inputting and high running cost is required in order to drive the sauna device. Accordingly, it is required to reduce running cost, that is, electric power consumption, or to shorten a time period until taking a bath after starting to drive the sauna device by early start.

There is also a problem that the device is undesirable in bodily sensation since the hot water ejected from nozzle109is directly sprayed into the bathroom and comes into contact with the sauna user's body.

Since droplets come into contact with the body, there is a problem that it is hard to read a book in the bathroom and it is hard to wash the user's body while driving the sauna device. Thus, it is required to provide a space free from restriction in action such as reading even in the sauna room.

FIG. 27is a view illustrating an internal structure of a sauna device disclosed as a spray device, according to another example of such a known sauna device.

In the spray device of the known type, spray nozzle201is disposed in a fan duct in which an anterior end portion is bent in a spray direction and a spray orifice is formed on the anterior end. In the spray device for ejecting a spray liquid from spray nozzle201and blowing it from the spray orifice, there is known a configuration in which first air blowing port202is formed on an upper border of a spray orifice and second air blowing port203is formed on a lower border of the spray orifice so as to blow air from the first and second air blowing port and eject spray liquid from the spray orifice.

As for documentary information of the related art, for example, Patent Document 2 has been known.

In the spray device disclosed in Patent Document 2, to bend a sound propagation direction and to provide a curved pipe on a blowing port are considered as means for reducing the spray noise. However, in the sauna device used in bathroom, not only the spray noise but also air-blower noise such as wind noise generated from a fan motor are echoed in the bathroom, thereby causing uncomfortable feeling.

When a user relaxes in the sauna space and reads a book with glasses, large humidified air particles easily adhere to the user's body, temperature humidity distribution is inappropriate, glasses are fogged, and dew condensation water drops on the book, thereby causing uncomfortable feeling.

At the time of drying clothes, drying marks may occur, thereby causing uncomfortable feeling.

FIG. 28is a side sectional view illustrating a mist functional sauna device used in a bathroom, according to another example of such a known sauna device.

As shown inFIG. 28, such a type of the sauna device includes heated-air-blowing section302which blows air heated by heating section301for heating air, humidifying section303, humidified-air-blowing section304which blows air humidified by the means of humidifying section303, suction port305, and blowing port306. The sauna device is adapted to merge the heated air from heated-air-blowing section302with the humidified air from humidified-air-blowing section304just before blowing port306, and blow the heated and humidified air from blowing port306. The sauna device uses a configuration in which humidifying section303breaks up the hot water for humidification by contacting the hot water to a blade which is rotated by a motor. As for documentary information of the related art, for example, Patent Document 3 has been known.

In the known sauna device, heated-air-blowing section302and humidified-air-blowing section304are separated, and two air ducts are required. Since a large number of components are required, its structure becomes complicated, and its product weight becomes heavy. Thus, there are problems that maintenance is difficult and product cost is high, and so reduction in the number of components is required.

There is also a problem that the drive sound is noisy because of the motor sound and the sound generated when the blade breaks up water. Thus, reduction in drive sound is required.

FIGS. 29 and 30are a side configuration view illustrating a bathroom heating/drying device as another example of such a known sauna device and a perspective view illustrating a circulation unit thereof, respectively.

The known bathroom heating/drying device is configured as shown in the drawing. In the device, circulation unit311is integrally formed of circulation motor307, circulation blower fan308, circulation component309, and heat exchanger310using hot water to perform heating. The unit is mounted on external casing312. Circulation part315has suction opening313and transpiration opening314formed on the lower side thereof. Circulation part315is provided with circulation-part partition plate116which separates suction opening313and transpiration opening314. As for documentary information of the related art, for example, Patent Document 4 has been known.

This bathroom heating device is configured such that circulation unit311is disposed on the substantially center of the device, and is communicated with transpiration opening314through a substantially straight ventilation flue. Hence, the humidifying section should be provided in the ventilation flue when the mist function is added. However, there is a problem that to provide the humidifying section in the ventilation flue is difficult in view of space. Thus, it is required that installation of the humidifying section becomes easier.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made in order to solve the problems mentioned above, and its object is to provide a sauna device capable of being driven with low energy consumption and at a low running cost without any special heat source such as a water heater for spraying hot water, and capable of blowing humidified air into the bathroom under a condition where a particle size of droplets in the humidified air blown from the sauna device is infinitesimal.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the sauna device is configured as follows in order to achieve the above-mentioned object. The sauna device includes: a heating/humidifying unit for heating/humidifying air; a ventilating unit for exhausting the air in the sauna room; and a control unit for controlling the heating/humidifying unit and the ventilating unit. The heating/humidifying unit has a heating section for heating the air through a circulation blowing section for circulating the air in the sauna room and a humidifying section for humidifying the heated air having passed through the heating section. The humidified air is blown out into the sauna room through the humidifying section. Specifically, since air heated by the heating section for heating air is humidified by the humidifying section, it is not necessary to heat water by use of hot water. Since the humidifying section is able to blow heated and humidified air from the blowing port to the sauna room without connecting a heat source such as a water heater for supplying hot water, construction becomes easy. Since it is not necessary to heat water, it is possible to provide a low-running-cost sauna device. As another means, a vapor-liquid separation unit for separating large droplets having a predetermined size or more and micro droplets is provided on the leeward of the water breakup portion. By use of this means, the sauna device having the following effect is obtained. The large droplets in the humidified air, in which large droplets and micro droplets entering into the vapor-liquid separation unit are mixed, are collected by impacting on a wall surface or an end face of the vapor-liquid separation unit. On the other hand, micro droplets pass through the wall surface or the end face of the vapor-liquid separation unit without impact, and the blown humidified air includes only micro droplets. Specifically, the inside of the sauna room can be turned into a clear (transparent) and high-humidity space by the humidified air containing the micro droplets blown from the sauna device. Therefore, it is possible to provide a sauna device which creates a sauna space having advantages that restriction in action caused by driving the sauna device is small while humid feeling is obtained, a user can read a book, and so on.

Next, it is another object of the invention to provide a sauna device free from uncomfortable feeling caused by spray noise and air-blower noise of a fan motor in use.

According to another aspect of the invention, the sauna device described in the first aspect is, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, additionally configured such that the air-blowing duct for passing the humidified air having passed through the humidifying section has a bent portion. Thereby, midfrequency sound is cut by the bent portion, and thus it is possible to supply low-noise heated and humidified air from the blowing port to the inside of the sauna room.

It is another object of the invention to provide a sauna device capable of achieving high temperature, high humidification, and low noise with a small number of components.

According to a second aspect of the invention, the sauna device is configured as follows in order to achieve the above-mentioned object. The sauna device includes: a circulation blowing unit for circulating air in a bathroom; an air heating unit for heating air; a humidifying unit for humidifying air; and a ventilation flue for blowing air, which have passed through the air heating unit, from a blowing port through the humidifying unit to a sauna room, by use of the circulation blowing unit. The circulation blowing unit communicates with the blowing port through the ventilation flue having an inverse-L shape. Thereby, it is possible to supply high-temperature and high-humidity air to the sauna room, and it is possible to embody the sauna device with a small number of components by disposing the humidifying section in the air circulation duct. Therefore, it is possible to achieve reduction in weight of main body and reduction in cost. The fan motor used in the humidifying section becomes unnecessary as compared with the known techniques, and thus a low-noise sauna device is obtained.

According to another aspect of the invention, the sauna device described in the first aspect is, in order to achieve the object mentioned above, additionally configured such that the air heating unit is disposed on the outside of a casing forming the ventilation flue. Thereby, it is possible to increase a size of the air heating section in that the air heating section is provided free from an air duct area of the blowing side of the blower, and a sauna device is obtained, which is able to supply a large amount of high-temperature and high-humidity air.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS AND SIGNS

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As shown inFIG. 2, device main body3constituting a sauna device is provided in space2inside the ceiling of sauna room1such as a bathroom. Opening4formed on the bottom of device main body3communicates with sauna room1through ceiling opening5. Feed-water inlet33and drain outlet27of device main body3are connected with water supply pipe6for supplying water to device main body3and drainpipe7for draining water from device main body3. When the inside of sauna room1or device main body3is heated and humidified, tap water is sent to device main body3through water supply pipe6, a part of tap water supplied from water supply pipe6is used for humidification, and water not used for humidification is drained from drainpipe7. Opening4has suction port16and blowing port17, thereby suctioning and blowing air as indicated by the arrow.

As shown inFIG. 1, device main body3is formed in a box shape having one opening surface. Inside, there are built-in heating/humidifying unit8for heating/humidifying air and control unit9(seeFIG. 3). Outside, there are provided ventilating unit10for exhausting air of sauna room1to the outdoors and damper11for controlling an opening shape which communicates ventilating unit10with device main body3. Heating/humidifying unit8includes circulation blowing section12for circulating and blowing air of sauna room1, heating section13for heating the air being circulated, and humidifying section14for humidifying the air being circulated. Control unit9shown inFIG. 3is electrically connected to ventilating unit10, damper11, circulation blowing section12, heating section13, and humidifying section14, and controls the respective operations of those.

On a position adjacent to sauna room1, panel15is disposed. Panel15has suction port16and blowing port17. By driving circulation blower fan18provided in circulation blowing section12, the air in sauna room1is suctioned into device main body3via suction port16, and is sent to heating section13of heating/humidifying unit8via circulation blowing section12.

Heating section13includes electric heater19. The air supplied by circulation blowing section12passes through the inside of electric heater19, and is heated. Electric heater19is formed of heater element (not shown in the drawings) and thermally-conductive fin (not shown in the drawings). The thermally-conductive fin has a constant width in an air flow direction in order to effectively transfer the heat of electric heater19to the air flow. Thus, the air flow is rectified by the width of the thermally-conductive fin when passing electric heater19. Electric heater19is provided in humidifying-section air circulation duct20having a substantially rectangular tube shape configured to connect from heating section13to humidifying section14, and is mounted to have an angle at which the upper part thereof is the lead in the air flow direction. Specifically, electric heater19is mounted to have an angle at which the rectified air flow is concentrated on injection-water impact surface22on which the injection water of nozzle21provided on the upper part of humidifying section14is impacted. Accordingly, the air flow sent by circulation blowing section12is curved toward the bottom and is rectified by passing electric heater19. Since electric heater19heats the air flow to 80° C. or more, the air at 80° C. or so is sent to injection-water impact surface22.

Humidifying section14has nozzle21as water breakup portion23and injection-water impact surface22. On the downstream side of the air flow, vapor-liquid separation unit24and reservoir section25for temporarily storing water are formed.

Nozzle21is connected to nozzle supply pipe26, and nozzle supply pipe26is directly connected to an aqueduct by feed-water inlet33. Therefore, the water at room temperature is supplied to nozzle21via nozzle supply pipe26, and is injected from nozzle21. Nozzle21is a hollow cone type for injecting water droplets in a substantially cone shape where the droplets are concentrated on a surface thereof. Specifically, the supply water swirls in a spiral shape inside nozzle21, and is injected from a jet orifice of nozzle21. Since air gets involved therein when the water swirls, injection amount may be smaller than that of other nozzle types with respect to an identical water pressure. Since a diameter of the nozzle orifice can be increased, it is effective to blocking caused by scales and the like. Since an injection speed is high, injection particle size is small. The injection water injected from nozzle21is further micronized by impacting on injection-water impact surface22located on the lower side thereof. The micronized droplets are merged by circulation blowing section12with the air flow which is heated to 80° C. or more by electric heater19, thereby generating humidified air. At this time, the injection water impacting on injection-water impact surface22includes a lot of micro droplets, and thus the water is injected as water at room temperature. However, since the water is broken up into micro droplets, the surface area thereof increases, and thus the area thereof in contact with the heated air flow increases. Hence, some droplets vaporize, and some droplets are carried by the air flow, and is guided to vapor-liquid separation unit24installed on the downstream side. By micronizing droplets as described above, the droplets tend to vaporize. Thereby, it becomes possible to sufficiently increase humidification performance by use of the water at room temperature.FIG. 6shows an example of a rise in temperature and humidity in sauna room1when Embodiment 1 is employed. It can be seen fromFIG. 6that the inside of sauna room1is changed with time into a state of sufficient temperature and humidity.

In Embodiment 1, water is micronized by use of the injection water injected from water spray nozzle21. However, gas-liquid mixture injected from two fluid nozzles may be used, and there is no difference in the action and effect.

As shown inFIGS. 1,4, and5, among the injected droplets merged with the heated air, some large droplets having a diameter of 1 μm or more fall on the lower surface of humidifying-section air circulation duct20, but some droplets enter vapor-liquid separation unit24. Vapor-liquid separation unit24has a shape in which thin and linear stainless wires are randomly weaved. The humidified air is obtained by merging the heated air with the droplets, which are generated by impacting on injection-water impact surface22. When the humidified air passes thorough the stainless wires of vapor-liquid separation unit24, the large droplets impact and adhere on the stainless wires and repeatedly adhere thereto. Thereby, the size of the adhered droplet increases, and thus the adhered droplet falls by its own weight into reservoir section25provided on the lower side. On the other hand, micro droplets having a diameter of 1 μm or less pass through gaps of the stainless wires of vapor-liquid separation unit24without impact, and are blown from blowing port17to sauna room1.

Reservoir section25for temporarily storing water is provided on the lower part of vapor-liquid separation unit24, and temporarily stores the large droplets collected from vapor-liquid separation unit24. Reservoir section25is disposed to have a falling gradient steeper than that of injection-water impact surface22downwardly inclined from electric heater19, and a part of the bottom face of reservoir section25is formed to have a falling gradient. The bottom face of reservoir section25is formed to have a falling gradient with respect to drain outlet27, and the water stored in reservoir section25or the hot water is easily discharged through drain outlet27to the outside of device main body3.

As shown inFIG. 5, reservoir section25includes reservoir-section circulation flow passage28disposed in a passage of the air flow supplied by circulation blowing section12and outer airflow-passage reservoir portion29disposed outside of the passage of the air flow, and drain outlet27is provided on outer airflow-passage reservoir portion29. If drain outlet27is provided in reservoir-section circulation flow passage28, air flow by circulation blowing section12also flows into drain outlet27, and causes disturbed flow by encountering with air and water in the vicinity of drain outlet27of reservoir section25(seeFIG. 4), and thus it becomes difficult to drain water. That is the reason why the above-mentioned configuration is employed. Drain outlet27has a diameter enough to satisfactorily discharge the water injected from nozzle21. Some water injected from nozzle21is retained in reservoir section25, but is discharged from drain outlet27to the outside of device main body3after a certain period of time. The water discharged from drain outlet27is generally introduced into a drainage channel and the like by constructing drainpipe7having a natural falling gradient. However, since device main body3is installed in space2inside the ceiling of the bathroom as sauna room1, a convex part such as a rib may be formed on a border inside the ceiling of the bathroom, drainpipe7connected to drain outlet27of device main body3may be upwardly inclined by the border outside the bathroom as sauna room1, and drainpipe27may be partially inclined upward as R increases when the pipe is made of resin and curved at the corner. Because of the construction disturbance mentioned above, water may not be drained out. It is the same in the case where drainpipe7is choked by scales and the like. Hence, a part of reservoir section25is provided with a float switch as overflow sensing portion30. Overflow sensing portion30is provided in outer airflow-passage reservoir portion29. When a storage capacity of reservoir section25reaches a certain value or more, the overflow sensing portion senses that the stored water is full, and then sends a signal to control unit9electrically connected thereto. Control unit9receives the detection signal of full capacity and sends a signal to an electromagnet valve (not shown in the drawings) as a water-supply opening/closing portion to close the water-supply valve, thereby stopping water supply. In this manner, the control unit stops injection from nozzle21, and sends a signal to a remote control (not shown in the drawings) to display an alert sign. Since overflow sensing portion30is provided in outer airflow-passage reservoir portion29, a surface of the stored water is not waved by air flow, and thus it is possible to sense a full state of the water capacity with high precision. On the other hand, since reservoir section25stores a constant amount of water, some droplets blown by circulation blowing section12and micronized by water breakup portion23come into contact with the stored water surface, and are introduced into vapor-liquid separation unit24. When air comes into contact with the stored water surface of reservoir section25, dry air is humidified, humidified air is sent to vapor-liquid separation unit24, and humidified air including large droplets is absorbed in reservoir section25as the large droplets come into contact with the water surface. Hence, humidified air flow entering vapor-liquid separation unit24is sent as humidified air of which some large droplets are removed.

The humidified air passing vapor-liquid separation unit24is turned into humidified air including only micro droplets, and is supplied from blowing port17to sauna room1. However, since the blown air itself is heated by electric heater19, micro droplets blown from blowing port17are diffused in sauna room1with dew condensation suppressed. Specifically, since the micro droplets of the humidified air spread inside the bathroom as sauna room1in a micronized state, it is possible to provide sauna room1as a space free from concern about water droplets for a user. Therefore, it is possible to read a book in sauna room1, and to widen an available range of sauna room1. Since water breakup portion23micronizes water droplets by impact of water, it is possible to blow air including negative ions into sauna room1on the basis of Lenard Effect.

As shown inFIG. 5, a wall surface in the vicinity of reservoir section25of humidifying section14is provided with suction inlet31. The reason why suction inlet31is provided is as follows. Though water supply pipe6and drainpipe7are constructed when device main body3is installed in space2in the ceiling of sauna room1, drainpipe7may be not formed by natural falling gradient. In this case, the injection water injected from nozzle21is not discharged, and overflow sensing portion30senses the full state of the water capacity of reservoir section25, thereby stopping the injection of nozzle21. Hence, drainpipe7should be formed by a falling gradient. Meanwhile, since panel15is mounted at the last of construction, panel15is not mounted in the course of construction. Under this situation, device main body3is installed in space2inside the ceiling, and water supply pipe6and drainpipe7are connected. In this state, the outside of humidifying section14can be checked from the inside of device main body3, that is, suction inlet31can be checked. When drainpipe7is constructed at the last, it is possible to easily check suction inlet31by detaching panel15. When a small amount of water is supplied from suction inlet31into humidifying section14in the state where suction inlet31is checkable, the supplied water falls into reservoir section25, and is introduced into drain outlet27. The supply water introduced into drain outlet27is discharged from an opening side of drainpipe7when drainpipe7connected thereto has a falling gradient. Thereby, it is possible to apparently check that drainpipe7is constructed to have a falling gradient. On the other hand, when drainpipe7is constructed to have a rising gradient, overflow sensing portion30is able to sense the overflow stream before water is discharged from the opening portion of drainpipe7. Alternatively, when a power is not supplied, it is possible to check disturbance in construction of drainpipe7by overflow from device main body3. By providing suction inlet31near drain outlet27, it is possible to check the construction state of drainpipe7without wetting the inside of humidifying section14. Thus, it is possible to suppress the growth of bacteria caused by the residual of the supply water from suction inlet31.

Meanwhile, after the checking of drainpipe7at construction is terminated, stopper32is mounted on suction inlet31to block suction inlet31. Since stopper32blocks suction inlet31of humidifying section14, leakage of the humidified air from suction inlet31does not occur. Therefore, it is possible to prevent droplet falling accompanied with a droplet adhering to the inside of the device main body caused by the leakage or deterioration in humidification capacity caused by leakage of humidification components.

Hereinafter, Embodiment 2 will be described. The same components as those of Embodiment 1 will be referenced by the same reference signs and numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

As shown inFIG. 7A, heating section13includes electric heater19. The air supplied by circulation blowing section12passes through the inside of electric heater19, and is heated. Electric heater19is formed of heater element (not shown in the drawings) and thermally-conductive fin (not shown in the drawings). The thermally-conductive fin has a constant width in an air flow direction in order to effectively transfer the heat of electric heater19to the air flow. Thus, the air flow is rectified by the width of the thermally-conductive fin when passing electric heater19. On the other hand, humidifying section14has nozzle21as water breakup portion23and injection-water impact surface22. On the downstream side of the air flow, vapor-liquid separation unit24and reservoir section25for temporarily storing water are formed. Nozzle21is connected to nozzle supply pipe26, and nozzle supply pipe26is directly connected to an aqueduct by feed-water inlet33. As shown inFIG. 7B, the pipe is configured to be connected to nozzle21while having a serpentine shape in heated space34on the leeward of electric heater19.

In this configuration, the water at room temperature supplied from feed-water inlet33is supplied through nozzle supply pipe26, but the outer surface of nozzle supply pipe26is being in contact with the heated air heated to 80° C. or more by electric heater19when the supplied water at room temperature passes through heated space34. Therefore, heat is exchanged through the outer surface of nozzle supply pipe26. Accordingly, the supplied water at room temperature is turned into hot water before nozzle21by being heated through nozzle supply pipe26disposed in heated space34, and the hot water is injected from nozzle21. As an area of the outer surface of nozzle supply pipe26becomes larger in a part thereof located in heated space34, and as a diameter of nozzle supply pipe26becomes smaller, an obtained amount of heat increases. As a flow rate of the water at room temperature flowing in nozzle supply pipe26becomes slower, a temperature of the supply water supplied to nozzle21increases. If sufficient temperature can be supplied to the supply water, it is not necessary for nozzle supply pipe26to have a serpentine shape in heated space34.

Since the injection water injected from nozzle21is turned into hot water, the injection water impacting on injection-water impact surface22is also hot water. The injection water impacting on injection-water impact surface22is further micronized, and the micronized droplets are merged by circulation blowing section12with the air flow which is heated to 80° C. or more by electric heater19, thereby generating humidified air. At this time, the injection water impacting on injection-water impact surface22includes a lot of micro droplets. Thus, when the injection water is water at room temperature, some heated air supplied from electric heater19releases latent heat at the time of vaporization of the micro droplets, thereby lowering a temperature thereof. In contrast, when the injection water is hot water, it is possible to reduce a decrease rate of temperature of the heated air, and it is possible to turn the humidified air supplied from blowing port17into high-humidity and high-temperature air. Additionally, it is possible to increase humidification performance.

The installation form of a sauna device in a sauna room is similar to that of Embodiment 1 as shown inFIG. 2. The same components as those of Embodiment 1 will be referenced by the same reference signs and numerals, and description thereof will be omitted.

FIG. 8is a side configuration view illustrating a configuration of the sauna device of the embodiment. Here, a part for blowing air from the humidifying section to blowing port17is referred to as air-blowing duct35.FIG. 9is a schematic sectional view illustrating an air duct including air-blowing duct35and humidifying-section air circulation duct20shown inFIG. 8.

As shown inFIG. 9, bent portion36is not connected in a continuous curve shape but connected in a rectilinear shape in a section of the wall, and thus the noise generated from the fan motor impacts on the upper wall surface of bent portion36, and reflects toward a side opposite to the transpiration side thereof. Hence, it becomes easy to cut sound. When a sound-absorbing material is attached to a curved surface, the sound-absorbing material tends to be taken off by elasticity thereof, and it is difficult to secure a space therefor. However, in this embodiment, the bent portion is formed as rectilinear surfaces, and thus it is easy to secure a space covered with sound-absorbing material37having a sound insulation effect.

The humidified air impacts on the upper wall surface of bent portion36or on sound-absorbing material37on the upper wall surface, and moisture is adhered to the wall surfaces, thereby removing the moisture. A falling direction of the removed water and a blowing direction are changed by the bent portion. Droplets are minutely separated by energy of impact on the wall surface or sound-absorbing material37.

The same components as those of Embodiments 1 to 3 will be referenced by the same reference signs and numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown inFIG. 10, rib38is provided on the outer periphery of bent portion36, and the humidified air impacts on the upper wall surface of bent portion36, and moisture is adhered to the wall surfaces, thereby removing the moisture. The moisture adhered to the wall surface runs down along the wall surface, reaches rib38of bent portion36, and then drops on the outside of the air duct. The air in which moisture is removed is blown in a direction changed at bent portion36. When rib38of the outer periphery is formed in a groove shape as shown inFIG. 11, as described above, the moisture adhered to the wall surface runs down along the wall surface and drops from the end face of rib38, the droplets enter droplet-collecting grove40, and then are naturally dried in the groove or are discharged out of the air duct along the groove.

The same components as those of Embodiments 1 to 4 will be referenced by the same reference signs and numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown inFIG. 12, bent portion36and bent portion41, that is, two bent portions are provided, and the air duct is formed in a substantially S shape as shown in the drawing. Thereby, the noise generated from the fan motor impacts on the upper wall surface of first bent portion36, and reflects toward a side opposite to the blowing side thereof, and thus it becomes easy to cut sound. The noise passing through bent portion36impacts on the lower wall surface of bent portion41, and similarly, the noise reflects toward a side opposite to the blowing port thereof, thereby obtaining higher sound insulation effect.

The humidified air impacts on the upper wall surface of bent portion36, and moisture is adhered to the wall surfaces, thereby removing the moisture. A falling direction of the removed water and a blowing direction are changed by the bent portion. Additionally, the humidified air passing through bent portion36impacts on the lower wall surface of bent portion41, and moisture is adhered to the wall surfaces, thereby removing the moisture and changing the blowing direction. Even in any one of bent portion36and bent portion41, droplets are minutely separated by energy impacting on the wall surface.

The same components as those of Embodiments 1 to 5 will be referenced by the same reference signs and numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

FIGS. 13 and 14are perspective views illustrating a blowing port and a wind-direction changing plate of a sauna device according to Embodiment 6, respectively.FIGS. 15A to 15Care views illustrating the wind-direction changing plate according to Embodiment 6 as viewed from three side.

As shown inFIGS. 13,14, and15A to15C, wind-direction changing plate42has shafts on the right and left in a longitudinal direction. The one shaft is rotatably inserted into the hole in the air duct, and the other shaft is concentrically fixed to a shaft of step motor43. Step motor43supporting the one shaft of wind-direction changing plate42is optionally rotated by remote control, thereby changing a direction of blowing the humidified air. The blade shape is formed by two blades, external blade45and internal blade46. Rib44located on the center of a plurality of ribs44supporting the two blades is formed straightly, and Ribs44apart from each other in the right and left direction are formed to gradually decrease the size of R shape of the surface as distance from the center increases. Wind passing through the blade shape spreads in the right and left direction by following the R shape. By setting a transverse size of internal blade46equal to or less than ⅓ of external blade45, a pressure loss caused by impact of air flow against internal blade46is reduced, and thus a blowing wind speed and a sufficient amount of the air flow following external blade45are secured.

FIGS. 16 and 18are a schematic side view illustrating an air-blowing duct of the sauna device according to Embodiment 6 and a schematic front view illustrating the sauna device as viewed from an opening of the bottom, respectively.FIG. 17shows a section taken along line A-A shown inFIG. 16.

The internal air duct to the blowing port is restricted in a longitudinal direction to secure spaces of control unit9and overflow sensing portion30described in Embodiment 1. However, in the vicinity of the blowing opening, the spaces of the control unit and the overflow sensing portion become unnecessary. Accordingly, blowing port17is changed from an air duct shape from the vicinity of the opening thereto to extend in the longitudinal direction, thereby widening the opening. Then, the extended opening space houses wind-direction changing plate42. The shape of internal blade46is adjusted to the longitudinal size of the unextended opening, and the shape of external blade45is adjusted to the longitudinal size of the extended opening. Specifically, the shape of wind-direction changing plate42is formed as a shape wider than air-blowing duct35. The wind blown from the upstream of the air duct is blown to the bathroom space along external blade45while spreading to the right and left along ribs44. Hence, temperature and humidity distribution in a direction perpendicular to the blowing direction is improved.

By extending the opening in the longitudinal direction of blowing port17, the longitudinal size of blowing port17can be superposed on the extension of the longitudinal size of suction opening47having a wide opening size, thereby enhancing design freedom.

FIGS. 19 and 20are a perspective view illustrating a wind-direction changing plate of a sauna device and a schematic sectional view illustrating an air-blowing duct according to Embodiment 7, respectively.

The same components as those of Embodiments 1 to 6 will be referenced by the same reference signs and numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Wind-direction changing plate48has wing49formed at a certain angle on an end face of internal blade46. Wing49enables to narrow the inside of the blowing opening during change. Thereby, an air-blowing area of blowing port17is changeable by hanging wing49, and thus it is possible to change a wind speed strength. For example, when the wing is adjusted to be superposed on the extension of the bent portion as shown inFIG. 20, a frictional resistance of air in the air duct decreases, and a wind speed increases. The air flow along wing49impacts on external blade45, and is blown to the bathroom space along external blade45. With respect to the variable position of wind-direction changing plate48of when the center of the washing place of the bathroom is set as the target, the position of the wing is designed to be an extension of the bent portion as described above. Thereby, it is possible to secure a wind speed capable of reaching the bottom, and temperature and humidity distribution in the bathroom, particularly, distribution in an up and down direction in the bathroom is improved.

As shown inFIGS. 21 and 22, a sauna device according to the embodiment includes: circulation blowing unit56for circulating air in sauna room51such as a bathroom; air heating unit57for performing heat exchange by use of hot water supplied from water heater52and heating air; humidifying unit58for humidifying air; and ventilation flue61for suctioning air of sauna room51from suction port59, passing the air through air heating unit57, and blowing the air from blowing port60through the humidifying unit to the sauna room51, by use of circulation blowing unit56. A main body53of the sauna device is formed such that circulation blowing unit56communicates with the blowing port60through ventilation flue61having an inverse-L shape.

As humidifying unit58, ejecting port62for ejecting water supplied from water supply pipe54is provided on horizontal ventilation flue portion63which is substantially horizontal in ventilation flue61formed in the inverse-L shape. Lower surface64of horizontal ventilation flue portion63is provided to have a falling gradient from blower blowing port66of circulation blowing unit56. Reservoir section67is provided on an end portion of horizontal ventilation flue portion63, and draining path68capable of draining water from reservoir section67to the outside is provided. The water drained from draining path68is generally introduced into a drainage channel and the like by drainpipe55.

Air heating unit57is disposed on the outside of casing69forming ventilation flue61, and is formed in a substantially L shape or angular U shape to surround casing69.

As shown inFIG. 23, a motor part of the sauna device is configured such that motor70used in circulation blowing unit56is provided outside of the ventilation flue, and opening71is provided on a part covering an upper part of motor70.

In the configuration, the sauna device according to the embodiment includes circulation blowing unit56for circulating air in sauna room51; air heating unit57for heating air; humidifying unit58for humidifying air; and ventilation flue61for passing the air through air heating unit57, and blowing the air from blowing port60through humidifying unit58to the sauna room51, by use of circulation blowing unit56. Circulation blowing unit56communicates with the blowing port60through ventilation flue61having an inverse-L shape. Therefore, it is possible to increase a length of ventilation flue61from circulation blowing unit56to blowing port60, and to increase humidified space. Accordingly, it is possible to increase humidification performance, and the humidifying air-blowing unit used in the known sauna device becomes unnecessary. It is possible to dispose blowing port60to be closer to the center of the bathroom as sauna room51, and it is possible to set a long distance from blowing port60to the fan motor of circulation blowing unit56which is a noise source.

With the configurations, the sauna device according to the embodiment is operable to supply high-temperature and high-humidity air to whole sauna room51, and can be embodied with a small number of components by disposing humidifying unit58in the air circulation duct. Therefore, it is possible to achieve reduction in weight of main body and reduction in cost. The fan motor used in humidifying unit58becomes unnecessary as compared with the known techniques, and thus it is possible to achieve reduction in noise.

Ejecting port62is provided on substantially horizontal ventilation flue portion63of ventilation flue61formed in the substantially inverse-L shape. Therefore, when the humidified air is turned into droplets by contacting the wall surface of ventilation flue61, first the droplets are collected in the bottom of ventilation flue61. Thus, the droplets hardly fall directly from blowing port60to sauna room51, and a user hardly has uncomfortable feeling caused by the droplets falling from blowing port60.

Lower surface64of horizontal ventilation flue portion63is provided to have a falling gradient from blower blowing port66of circulation blowing unit56, reservoir section67is provided on an end portion of the horizontal ventilation flue portion63, and draining path68capable of draining water from reservoir section67to the outside is provided. Therefore, when the humidified air is turned into droplets by contacting the wall surface of ventilation flue61, the droplets are introduced through ventilation flue61of which lower surface64has a falling gradient into reservoir section67, and are discharged to the outside through draining path68. Accordingly, moisture does not pool in ventilation flue61, and thus mould, bacteria, and the like hardly occurs.

Air heating unit57is disposed on the outside of casing69forming ventilation flue61. Therefore, air heating unit57can be formed to be large, and it is possible to decrease a heating ability and an air-blowing resistance. When air heating unit57is disposed in ventilation flue61, a size of ventilation flue61is restricted by a size of circulation blowing unit56, and thus a size of air heating unit57is restricted. However, since air heating unit57can be provided regardless of an air duct area of blower blowing port66side, it is possible to increase the size of air heating unit57, and it is possible to supply a large amount of high-temperature and high humidity air.

Air heating unit57is formed in a substantially L shape or angular U shape to surround casing69. Therefore, air heating unit57can be effectively disposed, and the heating area can be increased. Thereby, it is possible to heat air in air heating unit57having a large size, and it is possible to increase a humidification amount and a heat amount. Thus, it is possible to shorten a starting time of the sauna device.

Motor70used in circulation blowing unit56is provided outside of ventilation flue61, and opening71is provided on a part covering an upper part of motor70. When the air heated by air heating unit57passes through circulation blowing unit56, a frame is formed in a concave shape according to a shape of motor70such that motor70is not exposed directly to hot air, and is installed outside of ventilation flue61. Thereby, it is possible to suppress rise in temperature of motor70. By installing opening71, motor70or an ambient space thereof is configured not to be filled with a heat, and thus it is possible to suppress rise in temperature of motor70, and it is possible to improve durability of motor70.

The same components as those of Embodiment 8 will be referenced by the same reference signs and numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

As shown inFIG. 24, humidifying unit72is provided with nozzle73for injecting water and water breakup section75, which includes nozzle73and injection-water impact surface74, for humidifying air by impacting the water injected from nozzle73on injection-water impact surface74. Vapor-liquid separation unit78for separating large droplets and micro droplets is provided on the leeward of water breakup portion75. A predetermined size of droplets collected by vapor-liquid separation unit78is 10 μm or more. Nozzle supply pipe76for supplying water to nozzle73is provided to be heated by water heating section77.

The collected large droplets are introduced into drain outlet79through reservoir section83which is formed on the lower part of vapor-liquid separation unit78to store fallen water. Reservoir section83is provided outside of air flow passage81of humidifying-unit ventilation flue80. Overflow sensing portion82for sensing overflow stream of reservoir section83is provided outside of air flow passage81of reservoir section83.

In the configuration, humidifying unit72is provided with water breakup section75for humidifying air by impacting the water injected from nozzle73on injection-water impact surface74. Therefore, the injected droplets are micronized by a strength of impact caused by injection from nozzle73and wall surface impact, and become droplets having a size at which the droplets are easily vaporized, and the droplets micronized by water breakup section75are generated. Hence, humidification amount increases, and start temperature rapidly increases.

Water heating section77is configured to be provided on the upstream side of nozzle73. Therefore, cold water supplied to nozzle can be heated by exchanging heat with hot water flowing through water heating section77, and hot water can be injected from nozzle73. Thereby, it is possible to increase a humidification amount and a heat amount, and thus it is possible to shorten a starting time of the sauna device.

Vapor-liquid separation unit78for separating large droplets and micro droplets is provided on the leeward of water breakup portion75. Therefore, the large droplets in the humidified air, in which large droplets and micro droplets entering into vapor-liquid separation unit78are mixed, are collected by impacting on a wall surface or an end face of vapor-liquid separation unit78. On the other hand, micro droplets pass through the wall surface or the end face of vapor-liquid separation unit78without impact, and the blown humidified air includes only micro droplets. The inside of sauna room51can be turned into a clear and high-humidity space by the humidified air containing the blown micro droplets. Therefore, it is possible to create a sauna space having advantages that restriction in action caused by driving the sauna device is small while humid feeling is obtained, a user can read a book, and so on.

The size of droplets to be collected by vapor-liquid separation unit78is configured to be 10 μm or more. Therefore, a user can not feel droplet adhesion, and can use the device for a long time.

The collected large droplets are introduced into drain outlet79through reservoir section83which is formed on the lower part of vapor-liquid separation unit78to store fallen water. Therefore, the large droplets impacting on the end face or the wall surface of vapor-liquid separation unit78fall, are introduced into reservoir section83installed on the lower side. Meanwhile, since reservoir section83has drain outlet79, the stored water can be drained from drain outlet22to the outside. Accordingly, the collected large droplets do not pool in ventilation flue61and are discharged to the outside, and thus mould, bacteria, and the like hardly occurs.

Reservoir section83is provided outside of air flow passage81of humidifying-unit ventilation flue80. Overflow sensing portion82for sensing overflow stream of reservoir section83is provided outside of air flow passage81of reservoir section83. Reservoir capacity can be kept at a constant level or a certain level or less, and overflow sensing portion82is disposed in reservoir section83out of the air flow passage out of humidifying-unit air circulation duct. Hence, a surface of the stored water is hardly waved, and it is possible to sense a water level with high precision. Thereby, it is possible to suppress overflow stream in the device.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

In the coldest section in Hokkaido, humidification is essential during winter heating. Thus, by properly setting control temperature and humidity, the device is also applicable to an air-conditioning device integrally formed of a heating device and a humidifying device.