JP2001190451A - Warming stool seat system and its producing method - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a structure capable of molding a thin-walled stool seat body without using welding such as vibration welding or ultrasonic welding when welding the seat body with a stool seat bottom plate. SOLUTION: In this warming stool seat system whose inside is filled with foamed resins, the stool seat body and the stool seat bottom plate are provided with projections or holes for preventing disengagement from the foamed resins.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure of a heating toilet seat device installed on a toilet and a method of manufacturing the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional heating toilet seat device, a heater is attached to the back surface of a downwardly open U-shaped toilet seat body having an open bottom.
A flat toilet seat bottom plate is welded to the lower end of the toilet seat body by vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like. Therefore, the inside of the heating toilet seat has a hollow structure, and the air therein has served as a heat insulating material for preventing the heat of the heater from being dissipated from the toilet seat bottom plate side. Since this structure is very simple and can secure a certain level of performance as a heating toilet seat, such a structure is widely used.

On the other hand, air generates convection in the internal space when the heater generates heat, and heat is newly generated due to the influence of the convection. Therefore, as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 53-68149, a proposal has been made to improve the heat insulating property by filling the hollow portion with a heat insulating material such as urethane foam. According to this structure, the heat dissipation to the lower side of the heater can be suppressed by the heat insulating material, and there is no convection of the air.

[0004]

However, in the conventional heating toilet seat device, since the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate are integrated by vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like, the lower end of the toilet seat body which is a welding surface is provided. A resin thickness of at least about 5 mm was required. On the other hand, the seating surface of the toilet seat body should be made as thin as possible in order to improve the heat transfer speed and conductivity from the heater. As a result, when the toilet seat body is formed, a difference in shrinkage occurs due to uneven thickness of the resin between the seating surface and the lower end portion, which may cause deformation. This tendency is particularly noticeable when the thickness of the resin on the seating surface of the toilet seat body is made thin, making it difficult to improve the heat transfer speed and conductivity from the heater.

In the structure disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 53-68149, a step of filling urethane foam or the like is required in addition to a step of vibration welding or ultrasonic welding. Practical application on both sides was very difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to firmly integrate a toilet seat body and a toilet seat bottom plate without using a welding method such as vibration welding or ultrasonic welding. It is an object of the present invention to provide a heating toilet seat device that can be manufactured at low cost by improving the heat transfer speed and the thermal conductivity by reducing the thickness of the device, and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a heater is disposed in an interior space formed by a toilet seat body and a toilet seat bottom plate, and a foamed resin is provided in the interior space. In the heating toilet seat device integrally molded by filling with, the at least one of the toilet seat main body and the toilet seat bottom plate is provided with a means for preventing detachment from the foamed resin.

If the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate are configured to be securely fixed to the foamed resin filled in the toilet seat, it is not necessary to further perform vibration welding, ultrasonic welding, or the like between the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate.

In the present invention, at least one of the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate is provided with means for preventing the foamed resin from coming off, so that the welding of the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate can be omitted. Therefore, the lower end of the toilet seat main body, which had to be thick in order to prevent deformation at the time of welding, can be made to have the same wall pressure as the vicinity of the seating portion, thereby preventing deformation due to uneven wall thickness. Can be. In addition, since the strength of the toilet seat portion can be improved by the foamed resin, the resin thickness of the toilet seat portion can be reduced, and the heat of the heater can be transferred to the toilet seat surface more quickly.

The detachment preventing means may be a projection projecting toward the inside of the toilet seat device and having a large-diameter head, or a recess or a small hole into which a part of the foamed resin may enter. preferable. According to the former configuration, the large-diameter head protrudes into the foamed resin and the toilet seat body or the toilet seat bottom plate and the foamed resin are unlikely to come off, so that the toilet seat body or the toilet seat bottom plate and the foamed resin are firmly connected with a simple structure. Can be integrated. As the example of the head, various shapes such as a hook shape, a T-shape, an inverted conical shape, and a screw shape can be adopted in a sectional view. On the other hand, according to the latter configuration, the foamed resin penetrates into the recesses and small holes, so that the foamed resin is integrated with a part of the toilet seat body or the toilet seat bottom plate. it can.

Further, the invention according to claim 4 is characterized in that part or all of the constituent members of the detachment preventing means are formed of a material having a different coefficient of thermal expansion from that of the foamed resin. From the viewpoint of protecting the global environment and preventing the depletion of resources, it is essential to design products or components so that they can be completely or partially recycled, and heating toilet seats are no exception.

In the present invention, the foamed resin hardly changes in shape or volume even when the temperature is raised, whereas the resin used for the toilet seat body and the bottom plate is thermoplastic and expands when the temperature is raised. By utilizing the properties, the temperature can be raised during recycling, and the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate can be easily detached from the foamed resin. As a detachment preventing means for realizing this, it is preferable to integrally provide a concave portion or a convex portion on the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate.

The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that at least one of the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate is provided with a positioning means for the toilet seat body. For a relatively large resin molded product such as a toilet seat, it is very difficult to completely prevent distortion during molding. Therefore, when forming the heating toilet seat,
Displacement due to distortion of one or both of the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate may occur, resulting in poor appearance, and the possibility that the foamed resin may leak to the outside through the gap.

In the present invention, the toilet seat body positioning means provided on at least one of the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate allows the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate to be properly positioned without being affected by distortion during molding. It can be arranged, and the appearance defect and leakage of the foamed resin can be reliably prevented. The positioning means is preferably a groove in which a part of the end of the toilet seat body or the toilet seat bottom plate is fitted, or a protrusion with which this end abuts. With this configuration, positioning during integral molding can be performed easily and reliably, and the magnitude of distortion can be easily determined visually or the like, so that defective products are excluded from the molding process before filling with the foamed resin. And manufacturing efficiency can be improved.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, a seal member for preventing leakage of the foamed resin is mounted on the projection of the positioning means.

If there is a gap between the toilet seat body and the bottom plate when the foamed resin foams, the foamed resin leaks from the gap, and the amount of foamed resin required to fill the space inside the toilet seat is insufficient. Not only will it disappear, but it will also be poor in appearance. To avoid this, for example,
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-70375 proposes that a sealing material is mounted between the toilet seat body and the bottom plate so that the foamed resin does not leak. According to this publication, a single convex rib is provided on the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion of one of the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate, and the concave shape that fits the convex rib is provided on the other inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion. A structure is provided in which a groove is provided and a sealing material is mounted in the groove. With this structure,
Certainly, it can prevent water from entering from outside, and can be applied to prevent leakage of foamed resin. However,
Since the toilet seat body is sealed by pressing it against the toilet seat bottom plate, pressure for pressing is naturally required, and a mechanism for strongly fitting the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate is required, and the structure of the toilet seat is limited. . Further, it is conceivable that a clearance is formed between the toilet seat main body and the toilet seat bottom plate due to the molding tolerance of the toilet seat, which causes a problem in appearance.

In the present invention, the problem of the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-70375 is solved by mounting a sealing material for preventing the leakage of the foamed resin on the projection of the positioning means. However, it is possible to realize a structure that reliably prevents leakage of the foamed resin and also prevents water from entering from the outside.

The invention according to claim 10 is characterized in that the thickness of the toilet seat body near the seating surface is 2 mm or less.

The seat thickness of the seat surface of the toilet seat made of PP resin or ABS resin, which is hollow inside the toilet seat and is generally used as resin of the toilet seat, needs to be 3 mm or more from the viewpoint of strength. Therefore, it takes a considerable amount of time for the heat of the heater to be transmitted to the toilet seat seating surface (toilet seat body surface). As a result, the heating toilet seat must be constantly energized. It was wasting power.

In the present invention, by filling the hollow portion of the toilet seat with a foamed resin, the strength of the toilet seat can be enhanced, and the resin thickness of the toilet seat seating surface can be reduced. As a result, the heat of the heater can be transferred to the toilet seat surface in a short time, a system can be configured to be energized only when used, and wasteful power consumption can be prevented.

An eleventh aspect of the present invention is characterized in that a small amount of foreign matter is mixed in the internal space. With this configuration, the amount of the foamed resin to be filled in the internal space can be reduced, which can contribute to cost reduction. The amount of contaminants
It can be adjusted as appropriate mainly in relation to the volume and weight of the foamed resin. The type of foreign matter is not particularly limited, and for example, a used toilet seat body or the like can be recycled and used.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the method for manufacturing a heating toilet seat device, the toilet seat body is formed of resin or the like into a shape whose lower side is opened, and foaming is performed with the open side of the toilet seat body facing upward. Place the heater in the receiving jig for molding, place the heater, fill the open side of the toilet seat body with the foamed resin material, place the toilet seat bottom plate on the toilet seat body, form a cavity, and use the holding jig. The toilet seat bottom plate is held down, the foamed resin material is foamed, and the toilet seat body, the heater, and the toilet seat bottom plate are integrally formed via the foamed resin.

The foamed resin has a time from filling to foaming,
The foaming state changes depending on the pressure and the like received from the surroundings. Insufficient foaming reduces the strength and causes breakage and failure. Further, if the foaming pressure applied to the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate becomes uneven, the toilet seat may be deformed.

In the present invention, when the foamed resin is filled into the toilet seat, the foamed resin can be filled evenly with the toilet seat bottom plate opened, so that the foamed resin is less likely to be unevenly foamed. As a result, it is possible to stably supply a product having good strength and appearance.

According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the above-mentioned method for manufacturing a heating toilet seat device, wherein the toilet seat body is formed of resin or the like into a shape whose lower part is opened, and foaming is performed with the toilet seat body opening side up. Place the heater on the molding jig, place the heater, place the toilet seat bottom plate on the toilet seat body to form a cavity, hold down the toilet seat bottom plate with the holding jig, and place the receiving jig or holding jig on it. A cavity is filled with a foamed resin material from any of the resin filling holes provided therein, and the foamed resin material is foamed to integrally mold the toilet seat body, the heater, and the toilet seat bottom plate with the foamed resin interposed therebetween.

A foamed resin material having a high foaming rate has an advantage that uneven foaming is unlikely to occur. However, if the toilet seat bottom plate and the holding jig are closed after the foamed resin material is filled, foaming proceeds during that time. There is a risk that it will.

In the present invention, since the resin filling hole is provided in either the receiving jig or the holding jig, and the toilet seat bottom plate and the holding jig are closed, the foamed resin material can be filled in the cavity. Using a fast foaming resin, it is possible to realize a molding method free from foaming spots.

According to a fourteenth aspect of the present invention, a small amount of foreign matter is mixed when the cavity is filled with the foamed resin material. When filling the inside of the toilet seat with the foamed resin, the foamed resin for the volume inside the toilet seat is required, and a considerable amount of raw material is consumed.However, in fact, it is sufficient if the foamed resin is evenly filled. It is not necessary to fill only with resin.

In the present invention, when filling the foamed resin, for example, by mixing foreign matters such as collected waste material of the heating toilet seat, the raw material of the foamed resin can be reduced and the waste material can be treated at the same time. it can. In addition, since the toilet seat needs to be opened and closed at the time of men's use, cleaning, etc., it is preferable that the foreign material to be mixed is equivalent to or lighter than the foamed resin in consideration of operability and the like.

[0030]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1A and 1B are views showing the structure of an embodiment according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is an overall perspective view of a heating toilet seat device, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a main portion taken along line AA ′ of FIG. In the figure, 1 is a heating toilet seat device, 2 is a toilet seat body, 3 is a toilet seat bottom plate, 30 is a projection as a means for preventing detachment, 30a is a head of the projection, 4 is a foamed resin, and 5 is a heater.

Foam resin 4 filled in toilet seat body 2
Has a protruding portion 2a protruding inward, so that the toilet seat body 2 and the foamed resin 4 do not come off without particularly performing an adhesive treatment. On the other hand, the toilet seat bottom plate 3 is integrated with the foamed resin 4 by the head 30 a of the projection 30. As a result, since the toilet seat body 2 and the toilet seat bottom plate 3 are fixed to the foamed resin,
It is as if they were welded, and there is no need to weld the toilet seat body 2 and the toilet seat bottom plate 3. Further, when performing vibration welding or ultrasonic welding, the welding surface of the toilet seat body 2 must be made thick. If the seating surface of the toilet seat is made thin in this state, the balance of the resin thickness is lost and deformation is caused. But
According to the structure of the present invention, it is not necessary to increase the thickness for welding, and even if the seating surface is reduced in thickness, there is no risk of deformation. The toilet seat body 2 may be provided with a projection having a large diameter head, and the end of the toilet seat bottom plate 3 may be projected inward to form a projection, or the projection may be formed on both the toilet seat body 2 and the toilet seat bottom plate 3. May be provided.

Further, if hard urethane foam is used for the foamed resin 4, the strength of receiving a load when a person sits on the toilet seat is increased, so that compared to the current toilet seat without the foamed resin 4, the toilet seat main body is used. 2 can be made thinner. At this time, as described above, in the structure of the present invention, even if the toilet seat body is made thin, the amount of deformation can be kept low, so that the heat of the heater can be quickly transferred to the toilet seat surface by the thin structure. As a result, the heating toilet seat 1
Even if the power is turned on, the function can be sufficiently performed, so that an energy-saving heating toilet seat that is turned on only when used can be realized.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views showing a main part of a second embodiment according to the present invention. FIG. 2A shows a structure for preventing detachment, and FIG. 2B shows a structure for controlling the peeling strength so as to enable recycling. This is an example. 10 in the figure is the toilet seat body,
10a is a projection of the toilet seat body, 10b, 10c, 11b are chamfered portions, 10d is a recess for preventing the toilet seat body from coming off, 11 is a toilet seat bottom plate, 11a is a projection of the toilet seat bottom plate, and 11c is a projection 11a.
11d is a recess for preventing the toilet seat bottom plate from coming off, 12 is a toilet seat body 10 and a toilet seat bottom plate 11
13 is a sealing material, 14 is a foamed resin, 15
Indicates a gap between the toilet seat body or the toilet seat bottom plate and the foamed resin, respectively.

When the toilet seat body 10 and the toilet seat bottom plate 11 are to be joined, if the projection 11a is not attached to the toilet seat bottom plate 11, the position of the toilet seat body 10 may not be specified. That is, if there is no pressing from the inside of the toilet seat, the body of the toilet seat is shifted inward, and a step is formed in the joint portion 12, and the appearance is deteriorated. Then, since the position of the toilet seat main body 10 can be specified by the projection 11a, such a problem can be solved.

When the toilet seat body 10 is to be fitted between the projection 11a of the toilet seat bottom plate and the joint portion 12, if there is a dimensional error, the corners hit each other, making it difficult to enter. Therefore, the portions that are in contact with each other when they are fitted, that is, the portions corresponding to 10b and 11b, are chamfered, so that they can be fitted smoothly. In this embodiment, the projection 11a is provided with a through-hole 11c, and the foamed resin flows into the hole and is integrated to prevent detachment.

Further, in the case of foam molding, the toilet seat body 1
Since 0 and the toilet seat bottom plate 11 are not bonded, there is a possibility that the foamed resin leaks from the joint portion to the outside due to the foaming pressure. Therefore, leakage of the foamed resin can be prevented by arranging the sealing material 13 in the gap formed by the chamfered portion 10c of the toilet seat body 10. The sealing member 13 also has a function of preventing water from entering from outside after molding. Furthermore, if the position of the sealing material is attached to the portion where the projection 11a and the toilet seat main body 10 are in contact with each other as shown in FIG. 2B, it is possible to prevent a gap from being formed in the joint 12 between the toilet seat main body and the toilet seat bottom plate. .

In the two embodiments described above,
Although the toilet seat bodies 2 and 10 are fitted inside the toilet seat bottom plates 3 and 11, it goes without saying that this may be reversed. In short, it suffices if the joining surfaces of the two are substantially flush and the appearance is good.

Further, in the case of the structure (b), when the entire toilet seat is heated, the toilet seat body 10 and the toilet seat bottom plate 11 expand because they are made of a thermoplastic resin. On the other hand, since the foamed resin 14 hardly expands, the toilet seat body 10 and the toilet seat bottom plate 11
A gap 15 is created between the resin and the foamed resin. As a result, the detachment preventing recesses 10d and 11d are not caught, and the toilet seat body 10, the toilet seat bottom plate 11, and the foamed resin 1
The toilet seat 4 can be easily removed, and as a result, the toilet seat body 10 and the toilet seat bottom plate 11 also come off, and the parts can be separated. Therefore, each part can be separated and recycled.

Next, the manufacturing method will be described. FIG. 3 is a main part side view showing an example of the manufacturing method according to the present invention,
(A) shows a state where the toilet seat bottom plate is opened, and (b) shows a state where it is closed. In the figure, 20 is a toilet seat body, 21 is a toilet seat bottom plate, 22 is a receiving jig of the toilet seat body, 23 is a holding jig of the toilet seat bottom plate, 24
Indicates a foamed resin.

First, although illustration and description are omitted, the toilet seat body 20 and the toilet seat bottom plate 21 which have been formed in the previous process are set on the respective jigs 22 and 23. At this time, the jigs 22 and 23 are moved by the foaming pressure to the toilet seat body 20.
In addition, the toilet seat bottom plate 21 is in close contact with each other so as not to be deformed, and the jig can prevent deformation. A heater (not shown) is placed on the open side (upper side) of the toilet seat body 20.

Next, the toilet seat body 20 is filled with the foamed resin 24 with the holding jig 23 opened. In the method of this embodiment, a foamed resin that requires some time to start foaming is used. At this time, in order to reduce the raw material of the foamed resin, a waste material may be mixed. As the waste material to be mixed, a part of the toilet seat main body 10, the toilet seat bottom plate 11, and the foamed resin 14 after the above-described decomposition treatment can be used. Next, as shown in FIG. 3B, the holding jig 23 is closed, and this state is maintained until the foamed resin has reacted. Finally, the holding jig 23 is opened, and the heating toilet seat device in which the toilet seat body 20, the heater (not shown), and the toilet seat bottom plate 21 are integrated is taken out. In the case of using this manufacturing method, since the foamed resin can be evenly filled in the toilet seat body, it is difficult to form the foamed resin foam, and as a result, it is possible to solve the problem that the strength is locally reduced.

When a foaming resin having a high foaming rate is used, if the foaming resin is filled with the holding jig 23 open, the foaming proceeds before the holding jig 23 is closed. May overflow. In this case, this problem is solved by opening the injection port for filling the foamed resin in at least one of the holding jig 23 and the receiving jig 22, closing the holding jig 23, and then filling the foamed resin. it can. According to this method, the foamed resin is exposed on a part of the surface of the molded product, and the appearance may be deteriorated. It is preferable to determine in consideration of the position where it is difficult to attach.

According to the present invention, it is not necessary to employ a method such as vibration welding or ultrasonic welding between the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate. As a result, the toilet seat body can be formed into a thin wall and the temperature rises. A fast heating toilet seat device can be provided. Also, it becomes easier to recycle.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1A and 1B are views showing a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1A is an overall perspective view, and FIG.

FIGS. 2A and 2B are enlarged cross-sectional views of a main part showing the second embodiment, wherein FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a detachment prevention structure, and FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a production method according to the present invention,
(A) shows a state where the jig is opened, and (b) shows a state where the jig is closed.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... heating toilet seat device, 2, 10, 20 ... toilet seat body, 3, 1
1, 21 ... toilet seat bottom plate, 30 ... projection as a means for preventing detachment, 4, 24 ... foamed resin, 5 ... heater, 11c ... through hole as a means for preventing detachment, 14 ... foamed resin, 22 ... jig for receiving a toilet seat body, 23 ... toilet seat bottom plate holding jig

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A heating toilet seat device in which a heater is disposed in an interior space formed by a toilet seat body and a toilet seat bottom plate, and the interior space is filled with a foamed resin to be integrally formed. A heating toilet seat device provided with at least one of means for preventing the foamed resin from coming off. 2. The heating toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the detachment prevention means is a projection projecting inward and having a large diameter head. 3. The heating toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the detachment prevention means is a concave portion or a small hole into which a part of the foamed resin enters. 4. The heating toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein a part or all of the constituent members of the detachment prevention means are formed of a material having a different thermal expansion coefficient from that of the foamed resin. 5. The heating toilet seat device according to claim 4, wherein the detachment prevention means is a concave portion into which a part of the foamed resin enters. 6. The heating toilet seat device according to claim 4, wherein the detachment preventing means is a projection in which a part of the toilet seat body and a part of the toilet seat bottom plate enter into a foamed resin. 7. The heating toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the toilet seat body and the toilet seat bottom plate is provided with a toilet seat body positioning means. 8. The heating device according to claim 7, wherein the positioning means is a groove into which a part of an end of the toilet seat body or the toilet seat bottom plate is fitted, or a protrusion to which this end abuts. Toilet seat device. 9. The heating toilet seat device according to claim 8, wherein a sealing material for preventing leakage of the foamed resin is mounted on the projection of the positioning means. 10. The heating toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the toilet seat body near the seating surface is 2 mm or less. 11. The heating toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein a small amount of foreign matter is mixed in the internal space. 12. The method for manufacturing a heating toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the toilet seat body is formed of a resin or the like into a shape having a lower part opened, and the open side of the toilet seat body is turned up. In addition to placing the heater in the receiving jig for foam molding, placing the heater, filling the open side of the toilet seat body with the foamed resin material, placing the toilet seat bottom plate on the toilet seat body to form a cavity, A method for manufacturing a heating toilet seat device, characterized in that a toilet seat bottom plate is pressed with a tool, a foamed resin material is foamed, and a toilet seat body, a heater and a toilet seat bottom plate are integrally formed via a foamed resin. 13. The method for manufacturing a heating toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the toilet seat body is formed with a resin or the like into a shape whose lower side is opened, and the open side of the toilet seat body is turned upward. And place the heater on it, place the heater on it, place the toilet seat bottom plate on the toilet seat body to form a cavity, hold down the toilet seat bottom plate with the holding jig, and place the receiving jig or holding jig. Heating characterized by filling a cavity with a foamed resin material from a resin filling hole provided in any of the components, foaming the foamed resin material, and integrally forming the toilet seat body, the heater, and the toilet seat bottom plate via the foamed resin. Manufacturing method of toilet seat device. 14. The method for manufacturing a heating toilet seat device according to claim 12, wherein a small amount of foreign matter is mixed when the cavity is filled with the foamed resin material.