GB2172802A - Apparatus for washing parts of human body - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus for washing parts of the human body is constructed by an external cylinder (1) attached to a toilet bowl (4), an intermediate cylinder (2) and a cylindrical nozzle (3) for spraying warm water. These three cylinders are telescopically received within each other. Between the external cylinder and the intermediate cylinder, a first coiled spring (6) is provided so as to be able to project and retract the intermediate cylinder from and into the external cylinder. Between the intermediate cylinder and the nozzle, a second coiled spring (7) is provided so as to be able to project and retract the nozzle from and into the intermediate cylinder. The nozzle has a loaded valve which is closed by a third coiled spring (8). When the pressure of the warm water is exerted upon the apparatus, the intermediate cylinder and the nozzle will project from the external cylinder against the resilient force of the first through third coiled springs, and when the pressure thereof is released, these cylinders are retracted to their initial positions in the external cylinder. The invention provides a shorter external cylinder than is usual and avoids exposure of the conduit to corrosion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for washing parts of human body The present invention relates to an apparatus for washing certain parts of a human body, this apparatus having a retractable type wash nozzle which may be incorporated in a water-flushed toilet bowl or the like.

This washing apparatus was developed to wash certain parts of the human body, such as the anal region and a genitalia region, by spraying warm water at a moderate temperature for washing those parts.

A conventional washing apparatus of this type has a nozzle axially and slidably received in an external cylinder and is attached to a toilet bowl in such a manner that the nozzle projects from the inner surface of the bowl. Manual operation of a lever causes warm washing water to flow into the external cylinder, and the nozzle is extended by the pressure of the warm washing water to a predetermined position (a position directly below or slightly behind the parts concerned of a person sitting on the seat of a toilet). After the nozzle has reached the predetermined position, warm washing water is sprayed from spray holes in the nozzle. The conventional washing apparatus of this type is constructed so that the nozzle has a predetermined length corresponding to the extension stroke thereof and is fully accommodated in the external cylinder.The length of the external cylinder is not less than 30 cm, and hence only limited styles of toilet bowls are capable of being equipped with such a long external cylinder, i.e., the washing apparatus in the nonuse condition.

When such a long external cylinder is used in a standard sized toilet bowl, the rear portion of the external cylinder must unduly project behind the toilet bowl. In such a case, a conduit for supplying warm washing water is exposed outside the toilet bowl, and this conduit is corroded by chloride gas contained in the ambient air or by materials used for cleaning the toilet, and thus the life of the conduit is shortened.

According to the present invention there is disclosed an apparatus for washing parts of the human body comprising: an external cylinder adapted to be attached to a toilet bowl so as to project inside the toilet bowl; an intermediate cylinder slidably received in said external cylinder and having a first loading member so as to be able to project and retract said intermediate cylinder from and into said external cylinder; a nozzle for washing said parts slidably received in said intermediate cylinder and having a second loading member able to project and retract said nozzle from and into said intermediate cylinder; a supply hole for supplying warm washing water therethrough formed in the rear end of said external cylinder; a connecting hole formed in the rear end of said intermediate cylinder so as to communicate with the supply hole of said external cylinder;; a plurality of channels formed in the rear end of said nozzle so as to communicate with the connecting hole ofsaid intermediate cylinder; a loaded valve for opening and closing the channels according to pressure of the warm washing water within said intermediate cylinder attached to the rear end of said nozzle; and a third loading member provided on said loaded valve for maintaining said channels of said nozzle in a normally-closed state, the resilient force of said third loading member being higher than the resilient forces of said first and second loading members.

Preferably the first loading member is interposed between the rear end of said intermediate cylinder and the front end of said external cylinder, and said second loading member is interposed between the rear end of said nozzle and the front end of said intermediate cylinder.

It is an advantage of the present invention to provide an apparatus for washing parts of the human body, in which the length of the external cylinder can be considerably shortened in comparison with that of the conventional apparatus.

It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide an apparatus for washing parts of the human body, in which the conduit for supplying warm washing water is not exposed outside the toilet bowl and, hence, the conduit is not corroded by chlorine gas in the ambient air or by toilet cleaning materials.

Particular embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals are used to designate similar parts throughout the several views, in which: Fig. lisa cross-sectional side elevation of an apparatusforwashing parts of the human body, according to the present invention; and, Figs. 2a, 2b, and 2c are cross-sectional side elevations illustrating the manner of operation of the apparatus of the present invention.

Figure 1 is a cross-sectional side elevation of an apparatusforwashing parts ofthe human body, according to the present invention (hereinafter termed "washing apparatus"). As illustrated in Fig.

1, the washing apparatus comprises an external cylinder 1, an intermediate cylinder 2, and a nozzle 3.

The external cylinder 1 comprises a cylindrical body 12 open at each end, a front nut 10 engaging a threaded inner circumference of the front end of the cylindrical body 12, a rear nut 11 fixingly engaging a threaded outer circumference of the front end of the cylindrical body 12, and a pipe joint 13 screwed on the rear end of the cylindrical body 12. A guide hole 10a is formed through the front nut 10 to form a part having an inside diameter smaller than that of the cylindrical body 12, for slidably guiding an intermediate cylinder 2. The pipe joint 13 includes an externally threaded end 13b which engages a conduit, not shown, connected to a low tank or a pump, and a supply hole 1 3a for supplying warm washing water therethrough is formed through the pipe joint 13.

The intermediate cylinder 2 is received slidably within the external cylinder 1 and comprises a cylindrical body 20 open at each end, a cap 21 attached to the front end of the cylindrical body 20 and a sliding member 22 screwed on the rear end of the cylindrical body 20. A guide hole 21 a is formed through the cap 21 to form a part having an inside diameter smaller than that of the cylindrical body 20, for slidably guiding a nozzle 3. The sliding member 22 has an outside diameter greater than that of the cylindrical body 20 and ciosely fitting the inner surface of the external cylinder 1. A connecting hole 22a communicating with the supply hole 13a of the external cylinder 1 is formed through the sliding member 22.

The nozzle 3 is received slidably in the intermediate cylinder 2 and comprises a cylindrical body 30 having closed front end and a sliding member 31 screwed on the rear end of the cylindrical body 30. A spray holes 30a directed upward of a toilet bowl 4 is formed in the circumference of the front end of the cylindrical body 30. The sliding member 31 has an outside diameter greater than that of the cylindrical body 30 and closely fitting the inner surface of the intermediate cylinder 2. Channels 31a communicating with the connecting hole 22a of the intermediate cylinder 2 are formed through the sliding member 31.The sliding member 31 is provided with a loaded valve 5 for closing the channels 31 a.

The loaded valve 5 consists of a circular diskshaped valve element 5a and a valve stem 5b extending from the valve element 5a. As a result, the loaded valve 5 has a T-shape cross-section. The loaded valve 5 is extended through an axial hole formed in the sliding member 31 and is loaded with an extendable loading member 6. As mentioned above, normally, the loading member 5 keeps the channels 31a of the nozzle 3 closed and is adapted to open or close the channels 31a according to the level ofthe liquid pressure prevailing within the intermediate cylinder 2.

The intermediate cylinder 2 is received in the external cylinder, so as to be extended from or retracted into the external cylinder 1, by a loading member 7 interposed between the front end of the sliding member 22 on the intermediate cylinder 2 and the rear end of the front nut 10on the external cylinder 1. The nozzle 3 is received in the intermediate cylinder 2 so as to be extended from or retracted into the intermediate cylinder 2, by a further loading member 8 interposed between the front end of the sliding member 31 on the nozzle 3 and the rear end of the cap 21 on the intermediate cylinder 2. These loading members 6,7, and 8 are preferably formed in the shape of a coiled spring.

The extension stroke of the intermediate cylinder 2 is regulated by the abutment of an outer shoulder 20a formed in the lower part and near the rear end of the cylindrical body 20 of the intermediate cylinder 2 upon an inner shoulder 1 0b formed in the lower part of the front nut 10 of the external cylinder 1. The extension stroke of the nozzles 3 received in the intermediate cylinder 2 is regulated by the abutment of an outer shoulder 30b formed in the lower part and near the rear end of the cylindrical body 30 of the nozzle 3 upon an outer shoulder 21b formed in the lower part of the cap 21 of the intermediate cylinder 2.The resilient force of the loading member 6 for the loaded valve 5 of the nozzle 3 is higher than the respective resilient forces of the loading members 7 and 8, and the resilient force of the loading member 8 is higher than that of the loading member 7. The washing apparatus thus constructed is mounted on the toilet bowl 4 by clamping the wall of the toilet bowl 4 between the front nut 10 and the rear nut 11 of the external cylinder with suitable annular packings 14 and 15 therebetween, so that the intermediate cylinder 2 and the nozzle 3 will extend toward the inner portion of the toilet bowl 4.

As is clear from the above description, since the nozzle 3 and the intermediate cylinder 2 are received telescopically in the external cylinder 1, the length of the external cylinder 1, i.e., the entire length of the washing apparatus, is approximately a half of the extension strobe of the extendable parts (the nozzle 3 and the intermediate cylinder 2). Thus the washing apparatus according to the present invention has a compact construction and can be incorporated into various styles of toilet bowls.

Furthermore, the conduit for supplying warm washing water is not exposed outside the toilet bowl 4, and thus the conduit cannot be corroded by chlorine gas.

Still further, the project and retract operations of the present washing apparatus may be effected by the pressure of the warm washing water, resulting in a simple construction and easy and reliable operation ofthe apparatus, in comparison with the conventional apparatus.

The manner of operation of the washing apparatus of the present invention will be described in connection with Fig. 1, and with Figs. 2a, 2b, and 2c which illustrate the steps of operation of the apparatus.

In Fig. 1, when a lever or the like is operated, warm washing water at a high pressure is supplied to the supply hole 13a of the external cylinder 1 and the connecting hole 22a of the intermediate cylinder 2. Consequently, since the resilient force of the loading member 8 is higher than that of the loading member 7, first the loading member7 is compressed and the intermediate cylinder 2 extends as illustrated in Fig. 2a. As warm washing water is supplied continuously thereafter, the loading member 8 is compressed by the liquid pressure prevailing within the external cylinder 1 and the nozzle 3 extends as illustrated in Fig. 2b. As warm washing water is further supplied continuously, the liquid pressure prevailing within the external cylinder 1 and the intermediate cylinder 2 rises to compress the loading member 6 of the loaded valve 5, and the channels 31a of the nozzle 3 are opened as illustrated in Fig. 2c. Consequently, warm washing water at a predetermined pressure is sprayed from the spray hole 30a of the nozzle 3 to wash the above-mentioned parts of the human body. Upon the completion of washing these parts, the supply of warm washing water to the supply hole 13a of the external cylinder 1 is stopped by another operation of the lever, or the like.Warm washing water remaining within the external cylinder 1 and the intermediate cylinder 2 is then allowed to naturally through a not shown drain hole provided in the vicinity of the supply hole 13a, and a clearance between the cylinders, so that the loading member6 of the loaded valve 5, the loading member 8, and then the loading member 7, are restored to their original positions and the intermediate cylinder 2 and the nozzle 3 are retracted into the external cylinder 1.

The difference between the load member 7 and the loading member 8 in resilient force may be decided optionally. When the resilient force of the loading member 7 is higher than that of the loading 8, which is contrary to the relationship between the loading members 7 and 8 in resilient force in the embodiment stated in the foregoing description, the nozzle 3 is extended and retracted before the intermediate cylinder 2. If the resilient force of the loading member 7 is equal to that of the loading member 8, the intermediate cylinder 2 and the nozzle 3 extend and retract simultaneously.

The extension stroke of the intermediate cylinder 2 or the nozzle 3 can be adjusted by increasing the number of windings of the loading member 7 or the loading member 8 or by inserting a collar, not shown, having an appropriate thickness, into the space where the loading member 7 or 8 is provided.

If the conduit, not shown, for supplying warm washing water to the supply hole 13a of the external cylinder 1 is provided with a branch, and the opening end of the branch is disposed opposite to the upper portion of the washing apparatus, the respective circumferences of the intermediate cylinder 2 and the nozzle 3 can be cleaned by the drain which is discharged as the intermediate cylinder 2 and the nozzle 3 retract. Thus the constitution and the morphology of the washing apparatus of the present invention may be modified in accordance with the mode of application thereof.

Claims (6)

1. An apparatus for washing parts of the human body comprising: an external cylinder adapted to be attached to a toilet bowl so as to project inside the toilet bowl; an intermediate cylinder slidably received in said external cylinder and having a first loading member so as to be able to project and retract said intermediate cylinder from and into said external cylinder; a nozzle for washing said parts slidably received in said intermediate cylinder and having a second loading member able to project and retract said nozzle from and intd said intermediate cylinder; a supply hole for supplying warm washing water therethrough formed in the rear end of said external cylinder; a connecting hole formed in the rear end of said intermediate cylinder so as to communicate with the supply hole of said external cylinder;; a plurality of channels formed in the rear end of said nozzle so as to communicate with the connecting hole of said intermediate cylinder; a loaded valve for opening and closing the channels according to pressure of the warm washing water within said intermediate cylinder attached to the rear end of said nozzle; and a third loading member provided on said loaded valve for maintaining said channels of said nozzle in a normally-closed state, the resilient force of said third loading member being higher than the resilient forces of said first and second loading members.

2. The apparatus of Claim 1, wherein said first loading member is interposed between the rear end of said intermediate'cylinder and the front end of said external cylinder, and said second loading member is interposed between the rear end of said nozzle and the front end of said intermediate cylinder.

3. The apparatus of either of claims 1 and 2, wherein the resilient force of the loading member is higher than that of the loading member.

4. The apparatus of either of Claims 1 and 2, wherein the resilient force of the loading member is lower than that of the loading member.

5. The apparatus of either of Claims 1 and 2, wherein the resilient force of the loading member is equal to that of the loading member.

6. Apparatus as herein before described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.