EP4588415A1

EP4588415A1 - A casing system for a control box of smart toilets

Info

Publication number: EP4588415A1
Application number: EP24178535.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cong DAI; Jiahao Yang; Feng He
Original assignee: Geberit International AG
Current assignee: Geberit International AG
Priority date: 2024-01-17
Filing date: 2024-05-28
Publication date: 2025-07-23
Also published as: CN221760839U

Abstract

The present invention relates to a casing system for a control box of smart toilets, which comprises a cover plate provided with a trigger element. The control box comprises a box, which comprises an adaptation unit adapting to the contour of the cover plate. The adaptation unit is provided with a sensor corresponding to the trigger element. The box is provided with a control panel. The input of the control panel is connected to the sensor. The output of the control panel is connected to a solenoid valve and/or relay. In an embodiment of the present application, the cover plate comprises a trigger element that can adapt to the water tank of the smart toilet and thus triggers a sensor to provide a sensor signal to the control panel. This approach can not only make the cover plate cover all components in the control box to further enhance the water resistance of the control box, but also prevent all components from being damaged easily from the outside, making the appearance concise as a whole.

Description

Field of Technology

The present invention relates to the field of smart home, and particularly relates to a casing system for a control box of smart toilets and a method of operation of the casing system.

Background Technology

Traditional toilet cover designs focus primarily on decorative and practical aspects, such as to prevent water from splashing, etc. However, in the smart toilet application scenarios, traditional cover plates cannot meet the demand for more functions, such as interaction with a control system, etc. There exists a need for achieving intelligent interaction between a cover plate and a control system to improve a user experience.

Content of Invention

This is solved according to the invention with a casing system for a control box of smart toilets according to claim 1 and a method of operating a casing system for a control box according to claim 13. The system mates with a sensor on the control box through a sensor trigger element on the cover plate, thus achieves the control by a control panel triggered based on the cover plate to drive the solenoid valve and/or switch on/off of the main power.
To achieve the above purpose, embodiments of the present invention provide a casing system for the control box of smart toilets, which comprises a cover plate provided with a trigger element. The control box comprises a box, which comprises an adaptation unit adapting to the contour of the cover plate. The adaptation unit is provided with a sensor corresponding to the trigger element. The box is provided with a control panel. The input of the control panel is connected to the sensor. The output of the control panel is connected to a solenoid valve and/or relay.
Optionally, the trigger element is a magnetic element, and the sensor can be a magnetic induction sensor; and/or the trigger element can be a down-pressing element, and the sensor can be a pressure sensor.
Optionally, the cover may comprise a first portion of a snap-fit structure, and the adaptation unit comprises a second portion of the snap-fit structure. The first portion and the second portion can be joined to form the snap-fit structure.
Optionally, the first portion is provided in combination with the down-pressing element; the sensor forms part of the second portion.
Optionally, the first portion is provided in combination with the magnetic element; the magnetic induction sensor is formed below the second portion.
Optionally, the adaptation unit comprises a platform that is at a first horizontal position and provides the second portion of the snap-fit structure, and a groove that is at a second horizontal position higher than the first horizontal position and adapts to the plate-like body of the cover.
Optionally, a water-proof structure is provided between the cover and the adaptation unit.
Preferably, the solenoid valve is connected to the water supply pipeline of the smart toilet.
Optionally, the relay is connected to the power supply circuit of the smart toilet.
Optionally, after the cover mates with the adaptation unit of the control box, the trigger element will trigger the sensor and the sensor will send a sensor signal to the control panel.
Optionally, the control panel is configured to send a first control signal to the solenoid valve, and/or send a second control signal to the relay, based on the sensor signal. For example, the first control signal is a signal controlling the opening of the solenoid valve, and the second signal is a signal controlling the startup of the relay.
Optionally, the control panel may also comprise a third control signal sent to a remote controller. The third control signal is a control signal requesting to mate with the remote controller.
The beneficial effects of the present application are:
In some embodiments of the present application, the cover plate comprises a trigger element that can adapt to the water tank of the smart toilet and thus triggers a sensor to provide a sensor signal to the control panel. This approach can not only make the cover plate cover all components in the control box to further enhance the water resistance of the control box, but also prevent all components from being damaged easily from the outside, making the appearance concise as a whole. In some embodiments of the present application, the provision of another snap-fit structure may further enhance the firmness of the cover plate. Moreover, the combination of the trigger element or the sensor with the snap-fit structure improves the accuracy of match-in-sensor and avoids the mismatch between the sensor and the trigger element. In some embodiments of the present application, the control panel provides a control signal for the solenoid valve of a water supply pipeline and/or for the relay of a power supply pipeline only after closing the cover, which can achieve the effect of preventing the solenoid valve and relay, etc. from operating improperly during servicing. In some embodiments of the present application, sending a matching control signal to a remote controller after closing the cover helps to save energy for such a remote controller and prevents it from being activated mistakenly when servicing a smart toilet.

Description of Drawings

FIG. 1: a schematic diagram of the casing system for the control box of smart toilets according to an embodiment of the present application;
FIG. 2: a structural schematic diagram of the cover plate of the casing system for the control box according to the embodiment of the present application;
FIG. 3: a top view of the control box not installed with the cover plate of the casing system for the control box according to the embodiment of the present application;
FIG. 4: a side view of the snap-fit structure of the casing system for the control box according to the embodiment of the present application; and
FIG. 5: a top view of the control box installed with the cover plate of the casing system for the control box according to the embodiment of the present application.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

A detailed description is further made to the present invention below in combination with the drawings.
Other embodiments of the present invention will readily come to mind to those skilled in the art upon considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. The present application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present invention that follow the general principles of the present invention and include common knowledge or conventional technical means in the art that are not disclosed in the present disclosure.
It should be understood that while the terms "first", "second", etc. may be used herein to describe individual units, such units should not be limited by these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish one unit from another. For example, without deviating from the scope of exemplary embodiments, a first portion may be referred to as a second portion, and similarly a second portion may be referred to as a first portion. The term "and/or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more associated items lists.
The terms as used herein are intended to describe specific embodiments only and are not intended to limit exemplary embodiments. Unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form "a", "one" as used herein is also intended to include the plural. It should also be understood that the terms "including" and/or "comprising" as used herein provide for the presence of the stated features, integers, steps, operations, units, and/or components, and do not preclude the presence of, or the addition of, one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, units, components and/or combinations thereof.
Other embodiments of the present invention will readily come to mind to those skilled in the art upon considering the specification and practicing the invention disclosed herein. The present application is intended to cover any variations, uses or adaptations of the present invention that follow the general principles of the present invention and include common knowledge or conventional technical means in the art that are not disclosed in the present disclosure.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 5, a smart toilet generally comprises a control box 20 provided with power and water lines as well as controls, and a toilet body 50 for users to stand, squat and sit. Some embodiments of the present application provide a casing system for the control box of smart toilets, as shown in FIGS 1, 2 and 3, which comprises a cover plate 10 provided with a trigger element 101. The control box 20 comprises a box 21. The box 21 comprises an adaptation unit 201 adapting to the contour of the cover 10. A sensor 22 corresponding to the trigger element 101 is provided inside the adaptation unit 201. A control panel 23 is provided inside the box 21. The input of the control panel 23 is connected to the sensor 22. The output of the control panel 23 is connected to the solenoid valve 24 on the water supply pipeline and/or the relay 25 on the power supply pipeline of a smart toilet. The power supply circuit may be a power supply circuit for the electrical element of a toilet seat.
The control panel said herein may be a typical embedded system or a typical single-chip system provided with a microcontroller, memory and I/O port.
The trigger element 101 may be a magnetic element, and the sensor 22 is a magnetic induction sensor accordingly. When the magnetic element approaches to the magnetic induction sensor, the magnetic induction sensor will generate a sensor signal. The magnetic element may be a permanent magnet or an electromagnet, for example, the magnetic induction sensor may be a Hall sensor, a magnetoresistive sensor or a reed switch, etc. Alternatively or additionally, the trigger element 101 may also be a down-pressing element, and the sensor 22 is a pressure sensor accordingly. When the down-pressing element presses the pressure sensor, the pressure sensor will generate a sensor signal. The pressure sensor may be a piezoresistive sensor, a hydraulic pressure sensor or an electric contact pressure sensor.
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover plate 10 and the adaptation unit 201 of the box can be connected through a snap-fit structure 30. Notably, the cover plate 10 may comprise the first portion 301 of the snap-fit structure 30, the adaptation unit 201 comprises the second portion 302 of the snap-fit structure 30. The first portion 301 and the second portion 302 are joined to form the snap-fit structure.
In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the first portion 301 is provided with the trigger element discretely; accordingly, the sensor is provided with the second portion 302 discretely. After the first portion 301 joins the second portion 302, the trigger element will trigger the sensor.
In other embodiments, the first portion 301 is provided in combination with the down-pressing element; accordingly, the pressure sensor forms part of the second portion 302. For example, the first portion may be a claw, and the down-pressing element may be provided between the claw. The second portion may be a protrusion complementary to said claw structure, and the pressure sensor may be provided on the protrusion. Therefore, after the claw joins the protrusion, the down-pressing element will also trigger the pressure sensor to generate a sensor signal. It should be understood that the positional relationship of the claw and the protrusion described above are interchangeable, i.e., the first portion is the protrusion and the second portion is the claw.
In other embodiments, alternatively or additionally, the first portion 301 is provided in combination with the trigger element 101, that is the magnetic element, as shown in FIG. 4; the sensor 22, that is, the magnetic induction sensor is formed below the second portion 302. Based on the above embodiment, the magnetic element, for example, a magnetic sheet can be provided on the claw, and the magnetic induction sensor can be provided below the second portion 302.
The above-mentioned cover plate can be made of a material having a certain strength, such as a metals, alloys or synthetic materials, and more specifically, stainless steel, aluminum alloy, or polyethylene, polypropylene, phenolic resin and the like. The first portion or the second portion of the snap-fit structure on it can be made of the same material.
Although the structure of the cover plate 10 supplied can already provide better water resistance for the control box of smart toilets, to further improve water resistance, it is also possible to provide a water-proof structure between the cover plate 10 and the adaptation unit 201.
Wherein, after the cover plate 10 mates with the adaptation unit 201 of the control box 20, the trigger element 101 will trigger the sensor 22, and the sensor 22 will send a sensor signal to the control panel 23. The sensor signal will be sent to the control panel 23.
The solenoid valve 24 is connected to the water supply pipeline of the smart toilet for controlling the connection/disconnection of the water supply pipeline. The control panel 23 sends a control signal to the solenoid valve 24 for controlling the startup and shutdown of the solenoid valve. For example, the control panel can start the solenoid valve 24 according to the sensor signal received. When failing to receive a sensor signal for a period of time, it is possible to turn off the solenoid valve 24.
The relay 25 is connected to the power supply circuit of the smart toilet for controlling the connection/disconnection of the power supply circuit. The control panel 23 sends a control signal to the relay 25 for controlling the startup and shutdown of the relay 25. For example, the control panel can start the relay 25 according to the sensor signal received. When failing to receive a sensor signal for a period of time, it is possible to turn off the relay 25.
In the variant embodiments of the present application, the control panel 23 may also provide a control signal for remote controllers to the transceiver 26, thus to send a control signal for remote controller to the remote controller 40 from the transceiver 26. The control signal for remote controller may be a control signal requesting to mate with the remote controller 40. Based on such a control signal, the remote controller 40 can enter the setup mode.
In some embodiments, the second portion 302 of the snap-fit structure can be provided on the platform 2011 of the adaptation unit 201 that is at the first horizontal position. The adaptation unit 201 may also comprise the groove 2012 that is at the second horizontal position higher than the first horizontal position and adapts to the plate-like body of the cover plate 10. Therefore, the cover 10 can make its plate-like body cooperate to flush with the upper surface of the control box in the groove 2012, as shown in FIG. 5. When the cover 10 makes its plate-like body to cooperate in the groove 2012, the second portion 302 of the snap-fit structure can adapt to the first portion 301 of the snap-fit structure that extends from the plate-like body.
In the structure of the above-mentioned adaptation unit 201 having the platform 2011 and the groove 2012, it is possible to provide, for example, a magnetic induction sensor at the position of the groove 2012, and provide, for example, a pressure sensor at the position of the platform 2011, with the pressure sensor of the cover provided in combination with the second portion of the snap-fit structure, for example, to provide the pressure sensor inside the second portion; accordingly, to provide a magnetic element at a position close to the edge of the cover plate 10 and adown-pressing element in the middle. The down-pressing element is provided in combination with the first portion of the snap-fit structure, for example, to be provided inside the first portion, or as part of the first portion. Then when placing the cover plate near the groove 2012, for example, to place it falsely on the groove, it is possible to generate a first sensor signal and send it to the control panel 23. When continuing pressing the cover plate to make it enter the groove 2012, and the first portion joins the second portion of the snap-fit structure, the down-pressing element will trigger the pressure sensor to generate a second sensor signal. Accordingly, the control panel 23 can, for example, based on the first sensor signal, send the first control signal to the solenoid valve 24 on the water supply pipeline; send the second control signal to the relay 25 on the power supply circuit, and send the third control signal to the transceiver based on the second sensor signal.
After receiving the sensor signal, the control panel will process it through an internal microcontroller, generate the control signal controlling to enable water supply of the solenoid valve, control the relay to start the supply of the main power, and/or control the availability of the remote controller 40. When servicing the smart toilet, or when the smart toilet is not used for a long period, it is possible to remove the cover plate 10. Now the magnetic element is uncoupled with the magnetic induction element. The control panel receives the signaling changes from the sensor, thus can drive the solenoid valve to disable water supply based on such changes, and disconnect the main power.
Some embodiments of the present invention are advantageous in that interaction between the cover and the control system is achieved by means of simple pressure and/or magnetic induction mode, so as to reduce the use of exposed switches and thus improve the water resistance of the smart toilet, which is particularly important in bathrooms without dry and wet zoning.
It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise structure that has been described above and illustrated in the drawings, and that various modifications and changes may be made without deviating from its scope.
The prior description of disclosed embodiments are provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without deviating from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but rather to conform to the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
In addition, while advantages associated with some embodiments of the technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and it is unnecessary for all embodiments to inevitably exhibit such advantages in order to fall into the scope of this technology. Therefore, the present disclosure and the associated technologies may include other embodiments that are not expressly shown or described herein. Therefore, the present disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Reference numerals

10: cover plate
20: control box
21: box
22: sensor
23: control panel
24: solenoid valve
25: relay
26: transceiver
40: remote controller
50: toilet body
101: trigger element
201: adaptation unit
301: first portion
302: second portion
2011: platform
2012: groove

Claims

Casing system for a control box (20) of smart toilets, the casing system comprising:
a cover plate (10) provided with a trigger element (101); and

the control box (20) comprising a box (21), wherein the box (21) comprises an adaptation unit (201) being configured to adapt to a contour of the cover plate (10), wherein the adaptation unit (201) is provided with a sensor (22) corresponding to the trigger element (101), and wherein the box (21) is provided with a control panel (23) having an input and an output, wherein the input of the control panel (23) is connected to the sensor (22) and the output of the control panel (23) is connected to a solenoid valve (24) and/or a relay (25).
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to claim 1, wherein the cover plate (10) comprises a first portion (301) of a snap-fit structure and the adaptation unit (201) comprises a second portion (302) of the snap-fit structure, and wherein the first portion (301) and the second portion (302) are joined to form the snap-fit structure.
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the trigger element (101) is a magnetic element and the sensor (22) is a magnetic induction sensor.
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to claims 2 and 3, wherein the first portion (301) is provided with the magnetic element, and wherein the magnetic induction sensor is formed below the second portion (302).
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the trigger element (101) is a down-pressing element and the sensor (22) is a pressure sensor.
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to claims 2 and 5, wherein the first portion (301) is provided with the down-pressing element, and wherein the pressure sensor forms at least part of the second portion (302).
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the solenoid valve (24) is connected to a water supply pipeline of the smart toilet and/or wherein the relay (25) is connected to a power supply circuit of the smart toilet.
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to claim 1, wherein the adaptation unit (201) comprises
a platform (2011) being at a first horizontal position, wherein the platform (2011) provides a second portion (302) of a snap-fit structure;

and a groove (2012) being at a second horizontal position, wherein the second horizontal position is higher than the first horizontal position, and wherein the grove is configured to adapt to a plate-like body of the cover plate (10).
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to claim 8, wherein a pressure sensor is provided at the platform (2011) and a down-pressing element is provided at a position where the cover plate (10) corresponds to the pressure sensor.
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to claim 9, wherein the pressure sensor is provided with the second portion (302), and the down-pressing element is provided with the first portion (301).
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to any of claim 8 to 10, wherein a magnetic induction sensor is provided with the groove (2012) and a magnetic element is provided at a respective edge position of the cover plate (10).
Casing system for the control box (20) of smart toilets according to claim 1, the trigger element (101) being configured to triggering the sensor (22) after the cover mates with the adaptation unit (201);
the sensor (22) being configured to sending a sensor signal to the control panel (23); the control panel (23) being configured to sending a first control signal to the solenoid valve (24) and/or sending a second control signal to the relay (25), wherein the sending is performed based on the sensor signal.
Method of operating a casing system for a control box (20) of smart toilets, especially according to claim 1, the method comprising in the following order:
mating the cover with the adaptation unit (201);

triggering, by the trigger element (101), the sensor (22);

sending, by the sensor (22), a sensor signal to a control panel (23); and

sending, by the control panel (23), a first control signal to a solenoid valve (24) and/or a second control signal to a relay (25), wherein the sending is performed based on the sensor signal.
Method of operating the casing system for the control box (20) according to claim 13, wherein the first control signal is a signal controlling an opening of the solenoid valve (24), and the second signal is a signal controlling a startup of the relay (25).
Method of operating the casing system for the control box (20) according to claim 13 or 14, further comprising:
sending, by the control panel (23), a third control signal to a remote controller (40), wherein the third control signal is a control signal requesting to mate with the remote controller (40).