Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.

Sanyo Electric Techno Clean Co., Ltd.

Takara Belmont Corporation

Sanyo Electric Techno Create Co., Ltd.

Masaru Noro

Takenari Yuki

Hideaki Matsunaga

Masafumi Nishino

Katsuhito Nakagawa

Tomo Nishimura

Tatsuhiko Yoshii

Masatsugu Ito

Tetsunari Hamada

Mitsuru Naganawa

Kenji Mitsunari

Shigeru Yamao

Minoru Yonemoto

Koichi Hatsuda

Toyoki Minamimoto

Tetsuo Sakane

A spiral double-tube structure including an inner tube for introducing a solvent vapor resulting from vaporization within a distillation still and an outer tube which a coolant gas cooled by an outdoor machine is passed through is disposed in a buffer tank; the solvent vapor is directly cooled from the surrounding area by the coolant gas with a large temperature difference and thus condensed into a liquid state; by means of an ejector, the liquid is mixed with the solvent suctioned from the buffer tank and returned into the buffer tank; since the solvent in the buffer tank is also directly cooled by the coolant gas, the cooling efficiency is high; accordingly, both the solvent vapor generated from the distillation still and the solvent in the buffer tank for reducing the pressure inside the distillation still can be efficiently cooled without using cooling water, and downsizing of the apparatus can also be attained.

Distillation apparatus

A vaporized solvent emitted from the laundry in the drum during the drying process is condensed within an air passage. From this passage a liquid mixture (solvent and water) is guided to a first liquid storage tankthrough a liquid mixture line. An air relief pipeis connected to an intermediate point of this line so that air coming from the air passage is released through an activated carbon filterto the outside. The outlet endof the liquid mixture lineis immersed in the solvent in the upper layer within the first liquid storage tank. Due to the hydraulic pressure acting on the outlet end, the air tends to flow toward the air relief pipe. This reduces the current pressure of the air coming from the air passage and alleviates its influence within the first liquid storage tank, so that a vertical motion of the interface between the solvent and water due to the current pressure is suppressed. Thus, unwanted matter gathering around the interface is prevented from sticking to a filter, and the solvent is prevented from being discharged.

Dry-cleaning machine

There is a demand for an automatic shampoo machine used in beauty solons and the like which dispenses with an all-purpose chair to be prepared separately and has a better appearance and an improved feeling of use. In an automatic shampoo machine, a seatfor seating a person to be shampooed thereon during shampooing and a basinfor receiving the person's head for the shampooing are supported by a common housing. The housingaccommodates and supports spout meansfor spouting warm water automatically in the basin. Since the seatis integrated in the automatic shampoo machine, the need for separately preparing a chair is obviated and the automatic shampoo machinehas an improved appearance. By using a space below the seateffectively, functional components of the spout meanssuch as a warm water reservoir tankare disposed in the space and the components can more flexibly be laid out. Aback-restof the seatis arranged to incline so that the person's face is naturally oriented vertically upward, thereby alleviating a burden on the neck of the person. A seating portionof the seatis adjustable in height, thereby making it possible to properly position the person's neck in the basin, accommodating the variations in sitting height.

Automatic shampoo machine

An automatic shampoo machine used in beauty salons and the like, having improved operability and including a manual finish hair rinsing operation. A basin is provided with a hand shower and a hand shower valve to be operated by an operator standing behind, a hood for covering and uncovering the top of the basin and an open/close unit for opening/closing and moving the hood. The open/close unit guides the hood to a closing position, a first opening position and a second opening position. In the first position the hood is in an upright state behind the basin, and in the second position the hood is positioned on the left side of the basin. In the second position, the hood uncovers the rear side of the basin, whereby the operator can perform operations from the rear side of the basin without the hood interfering.

A bathtubis supported by a movable unitthat vertically moves by the driving power of a motor and by rollersrunning on a guide slope. When not used, the bathtubis stored under a tankin a close to upright position, so that the bathing aid occupies only a small space when not used. To use the bathing aid, the movable unitis lowered and, accordingly, the rollersroll down the guide slope. With this motion, the bathtubchanges its orientation from a position where the open top of the bathtubis directed obliquely forward to a position where the open top is directed almost upward. The bathtubis automatically driven by the electrical driving power of the motor; the caregiver has only to make some key operations. Thus, the workload on the caregiver is significantly reduced.

Bathing aid

A bathing aid is designed to reduce the workload on the caregiver in bathing the physically challenged, elderly or similar persons requiring nursing care. The bathing aid is provided with an upward-opening cover for covering the open top of the bathtub except for an opening for allowing the bather to stick their head through. The cover is supported by arms urged upward by gas springs. The upward-opening cover allows the caregiver to stand whichever side of the bathtub and opens or closes the cover without difficulty. Furthermore, the cover's upward-opening structure is advantageous for reducing the installation space because it does not require the additional side space that would be necessary if the cover is constructed to open sideward.

In an automatic shampoo machine a recess is formed in a side wall of a basin to ensure water passage to the nape of the neck of a person being shampooed. A plurality of neck support members each including a bent wire arrangement is provided in a spaced relation in the recess. With the neck resting on top portions of the neck support members, the nape of the neck is rinsed by water sprayed from a stationary nape rinsing nozzle, and movable lower nozzles, through the recess. A pad for receiving the neck resting thereon is releasably attached on a peripheral portion of the basin to prevent fatigue of the neck and splashing of rinse water. Thus, the person can have his hair and nape washed in a comfortable posture.

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Moriguchi, Japan

Masaru Noro