JP2002000511A - Device for detecting disconnection of douche and air dryer for attachment to toilet seat - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a device for detecting disconnection of douche and air dryer for attachment to a toilet seat capable of sufficiently detecting a disconnected state of a circuit part of a heater of the toilet seat. SOLUTION: A current sensor 24 of the device 2 for detecting disconnection detects current flowing on the heater 11. A microcomputer 27 recognizes a current waveform detected thereby, and the disconnection of the circuit part of the heater is detected by the current waveform recognized thereby.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a disconnection detecting device for a toilet seat for washing with hot water.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A heater or the like for warming a toilet seat, for example, is wired inside the warm water washing toilet seat.

[0003]

However, in such a warm water flush toilet seat, disconnection or half-breakage may occur in the wiring portion of the heater due to, for example, deterioration of durability due to opening and closing of the toilet seat. Therefore, it is necessary to detect the disconnection state of the wiring portion of such a heater. The purpose of the present invention is
An object of the present invention is to provide a disconnection detecting device for a hot water flush toilet seat that can suitably detect a disconnection state of a wiring portion of a heater of the warm water flush toilet seat.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a current detecting means for detecting a current flowing through a heater, and a current detecting means for recognizing a waveform of the detected current. The gist of the present invention is to include a waveform recognition unit and a disconnection state determination unit that determines a disconnection state based on the recognized current waveform.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the hot water flush toilet seat disconnection detecting device according to the first aspect, the disconnection state determining means determines the disconnection state based on a delay in rising of the recognized current waveform. The point is to do.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the disconnection detecting apparatus for a hot water flush toilet seat according to the first aspect, there is provided reference signal generating means for generating a reference signal in synchronization with a power supply voltage, and the disconnection state determining means is provided. The gist of the invention is that a disconnection state is determined based on a delay in rising of the recognized current waveform with respect to the reference signal.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for detecting a disconnection of a warm water flush toilet seat according to any one of the first to third aspects, the disconnection state determining means determines the magnitude of the amplitude of the recognized current waveform. The gist is to judge the disconnection state based on.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for detecting a disconnection of a warm water flush toilet seat according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the disconnection state judging means includes a time change of the amplitude of the recognized current waveform. The gist is to judge the disconnection state based on.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the apparatus for detecting a disconnection of a warm water flush toilet seat according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the disconnection state judging means detects the high frequency component noise of the recognized current waveform. The gist is to judge a disconnection state based on the state.

(Action) When the broken line of the wiring portion of the heater of the hot water flush toilet seat is in direct contact, or when tracking occurs due to the presence of an insulator during the broken line, the current flowing through the heater Have been confirmed by the applicants to exhibit remarkable characteristics.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater of the hot water flush toilet seat is suitably detected based on the recognized current waveform. A break has occurred in the wiring portion of the heater of the warm water flush toilet seat, and if the broken wire directly contacts in such a state, the current waveform will show an irregular rise in accordance with the contact. According to the second or third aspect of the present invention, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater is detected based on the recognized delay in the rise of the current waveform.

[0012] If the wiring portion of the heater of the warm water flush toilet seat is broken and tracking occurs in such a state, the above-described recognized current waveform shows a decrease in amplitude due to an increase in resistance during this time. According to the invention described in claim 4,
The disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater is detected based on the magnitude of the amplitude of the recognized current waveform.

If the wiring of the heater of the warm water flush toilet seat is broken and tracking occurs in such a state, for example, the current waveform of the recognized current waveform is changed due to a temporal change in the resistance value due to a change in the water content. The amplitude shows a time change. According to the fifth aspect of the invention, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater is detected based on the temporal change in the amplitude of the recognized current waveform.

If the wiring of the heater of the hot water flush toilet seat is broken and tracking occurs in such a state, the recognized current waveform shows a predetermined high frequency component noise. According to the invention described in claim 6, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater is detected based on the recognized high frequency component noise of the current waveform.

[0015]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a hot water flush toilet seat to which the present embodiment is applied. As shown in the figure, the warm water flush toilet seat includes a warm water flush toilet seat body 1 and a disconnection detecting device 2.

The toilet seat body 1 is connected to a power outlet AC via a disconnection detecting device 2. The hot water flush toilet seat body 1 is, for example, wired inside the toilet seat to heat the toilet seat, and is connected in series with the heater 11 to perform bidirectional switching based on a control signal from a microcomputer (microcomputer) 12. And a triac 13. The temperature of the toilet seat of the hot water flush toilet seat body 1 is appropriately controlled based on a control signal from the microcomputer 12 corresponding to the operation at that time, and is heated by the heater 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, the disconnection detecting device 2 is separate from the hot water flush toilet seat main body 1 and has a substantially block shape. In the disconnection detecting device 2, the power plug of the warm water flush toilet seat body 1 is inserted into an outlet 2a that is exposed on one side (the right side in FIG. 2), and the plug 2b protruding from the other side is connected to the power outlet AC. The toilet seat body 1 and the power outlet AC
And is to be connected.

As shown in FIG. 1, the disconnection detecting device 2 includes a rectifier 21, a power supply circuit 22, a zero cross circuit 23, a current sensor 24, a relay circuit 25, a display lamp 26, a microcomputer 27, It has.

The rectifier 21 performs, for example, full-wave rectification on the AC component from the power outlet AC, as shown in FIG. 3 (a), whose output signal (current waveform) A is shown. Note that a rectifier for half-wave rectifying an AC component from the power outlet AC may be used. The output signal A is provided as a drive power supply for the microcomputer 27 via the power supply circuit 22. The output signal A is also output to the zero cross circuit 23. This zero-crossing circuit 23 has the configuration shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the output signal B generates a pulse which rises in synchronization with the zero cross of the output signal A. The output signal B serves as a reference signal synchronized with the output signal A, that is, the AC component from the power outlet AC. The output signal B is output to the microcomputer 27 and is used as a reference signal synchronized with an AC component from the power outlet AC.

The current sensor 24 is a sensor for monitoring a current flowing through the hot water flush toilet seat body 1, and is a ZCT.
(Zero phase current transformer) 24a and an amplifier circuit 24b. As shown in FIG. 3C, an output signal (voltage) C based on the detection current of the current sensor 24 (ZCT 24a) is
The output signal C has the same waveform as the output signal A in synchronization with the output signal B when the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the warm water flush toilet seat body 1 is normal without any abnormality such as disconnection. . The amplitude of the output signal C has a substantially stable amplitude value V1 regardless of the passage of time. The output signal C is output to the microcomputer 27.

The relay circuit 25 controls connection / disconnection between the hot water flush toilet seat body 1 and the power outlet AC. The relay circuit 25 includes a grounded-emitter type transistor 25a that performs a switching operation based on a control signal from the microcomputer 27, and a non-energized closing contact 2 that is energized by driving an excitation coil 25b based on the operation.
5c.

The display lamp 26 is connected to the microcomputer 27
The lighting operation is performed based on the control signal from the controller. Microcomputer 2
Reference numeral 7 recognizes the waveform of the output signal C and detects an abnormality such as disconnection of the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the warm water flush toilet seat body 1 in a manner described later. The microcomputer 27 controls the control signal to the transistor 25a of the relay circuit 25 in accordance with the result of the normal / abnormal detection, so that the non-energized closing contact 25c
, That is, connection / disconnection between the warm water flush toilet seat body 1 and the power outlet AC. When an abnormality is detected, the microcomputer 27 operates the display lamp 26.
To turn on the display lamp 26 to notify the user of the abnormal state.

Here, it is assumed that the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the warm water flush toilet seat body 1 is disconnected at the position F as shown in FIG. In such a state, if the broken line comes into direct contact, for example, as shown in FIG.
That is, an output signal C that is not synchronized with the output signal B is detected. For example, an output signal C that rises with a delay of time T1 from the original synchronization timing is detected. The microcomputer 27 detects such a time delay (phase shift) by comparing the recognized rising of the output signal C with the rising of the output signal B. And the microcomputer 27
When such a time delay is detected, each time is counted as an abnormality is detected.

Further, the heater 1 of the warm water flush toilet seat body 1
It is assumed that one wiring portion is disconnected at a position F as shown in FIG. 5 and an insulator I containing moisture such as urine exists between the disconnection. At this time, when tracking occurs at this position F, for example, FIG.
As shown in (b), the amplitude of the output signal C is increased due to the increase in the resistance value at the position F due to the insulator I, and the amplitude value V in the normal state
It shows an amplitude value reduced from one. The microcomputer 27 detects such a decrease in the amplitude by comparing the recognized amplitude value of the output signal C with a predetermined threshold value V2. The microcomputer 27 counts each time when such a decrease in the amplitude is detected, in addition to the above, as that an abnormality has been detected.

Similarly, when tracking occurs at the position F, for example, as shown in FIG.
The amplitude of the output signal C gradually decreases with the passage of time due to the time variation of the resistance value at the position F due to the drying of the moisture, or conversely, the resistance value at the position F due to the absorption of moisture by the insulator I. Due to the time variation, the amplitude may exhibit a characteristic that gradually increases with time.
The microcomputer 27 stores the waveform of the output signal C recognized last time, and compares the amplitude value of the output signal C recognized last time with the amplitude value of the output signal C recognized this time to obtain such an amplitude. The time change (gradual decrease / gradual increase) of is detected. The microcomputer 27 counts each time when such a temporal change in the amplitude is detected at a predetermined level or more, in addition to the above, as an abnormality is detected.

When tracking occurs in a state where the carbonization of the insulator I at the position F has progressed, for example, FIG.
, The output signal C shows a unique peak P. The peak P corresponds to a high-frequency component noise unique to a spark generated by tracking. The microcomputer 27 detects such unique high-frequency component noise based on the recognized waveform of the output signal C. The microcomputer 27 counts each time such an inherent high-frequency component noise is detected, in addition to the above, whenever an abnormality is detected.

As described above, the microcomputer 27 counts each time any of the above abnormalities is detected.
Then, the microcomputer 27 performs, for example, a predetermined period (for example, 1
If an abnormality equal to or more than a predetermined number of times (e.g., 5 times) is detected (counted) within 0 seconds), the connection between the hot water flush toilet seat body 1 and the power outlet AC is cut off via the relay circuit 25. I do. Then, the microcomputer 27 turns on the display lamp 26 and notifies the user of the abnormal state.

As described in detail above, according to the present embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. (1) In the present embodiment, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the warm water flush toilet seat main body 1 can be suitably detected based on the recognized waveform of the output signal C.

(2) In the present embodiment, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the hot water flush toilet seat main body 1 can be detected based on the time delay (phase shift) of the recognized output signal C with respect to the output signal B. .

(3) In the present embodiment, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the warm water flush toilet seat body 1 can be detected based on the reduction in the amplitude of the recognized output signal C. (4) In the present embodiment, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the warm water flush toilet seat main body 1 can be detected based on the temporal change in the amplitude of the recognized output signal C.

(5) In the present embodiment, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the hot water flush toilet seat main body 1 can be detected based on the predetermined high frequency component noise (peak P) of the recognized output signal C.

(6) In the present embodiment, when the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the hot water flush toilet seat body 1 is detected, the hot water flush toilet seat body 1 and the power outlet AC are connected via the relay circuit 25. The connection between was cut off. Therefore, safety can be improved.

(7) In this embodiment, when the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the hot water flush toilet seat body 1 is detected, the display lamp 26 is turned on to notify the user of the disconnection state. I made it. Therefore, the user can take quick action such as notifying the repair center.

(8) In the present embodiment, since the disconnection detecting device 2 is separate from the hot water washing toilet seat body 1, the design change of the hot water cleaning toilet seat body 1 due to the provision of the disconnection detecting device 2 is avoided. can do.

The embodiment of the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, but may be modified as follows. Even if such a change is made, the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained.

In the above embodiment, the output signal B is generated in the zero cross circuit 23, and the time delay (phase shift) of the output signal C recognized based on the output signal B is detected. On the other hand, for example, such a circuit section may be omitted, and the time delay (phase shift) may be directly detected from the expected rising timing of the output signal C. In this case, the circuit configuration can be particularly simplified.

In the above embodiment, the disconnection detecting device 2 is provided separately from the hot water flush toilet seat body 1. On the other hand, the circuit section of the disconnection detecting device 2 is
A configuration may be adopted such that it is integrally incorporated in the inside of the device.
In this case, the number of parts can be particularly reduced.

In the above embodiment, the case where the disconnection of the wiring portion of the heater 11 for warming the toilet seat is detected has been described. On the other hand, for example, the warm water flush toilet seat body 1
In the above, a disconnection of a wiring portion of a heater for generating hot water or hot air may be detected.

In the above embodiment, the time delay (phase shift) of the recognized output signal C with respect to the output signal B,
The heater 1 of the warm water flush toilet seat body 1 is based on one of the reduction and time change of the amplitude of the recognized output signal C and a predetermined high frequency component noise (peak P) of the recognized output signal C.
The disconnection state of the wiring portion of No. 1 was detected. On the other hand, the time delay (phase shift) of the recognized output signal C with respect to the output signal B, the reduction and time change of the amplitude of the recognized output signal C, the predetermined high-frequency component noise of the recognized output signal C ( The disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater 11 of the hot water flush toilet seat body 1 may be detected based on only one of the peaks P) or any combination thereof.

Next, technical ideas other than the claims that can be grasped from the above embodiments will be described below together with their effects. (B) In the disconnection detecting device for a warm water flush toilet seat according to any one of claims 1 to 6, when the disconnection state determining unit determines that the disconnection state is detected, the power supply disconnecting unit that disconnects power to the heater. A disconnection detecting device for a warm water flush toilet seat, comprising: According to the configuration, since the power supply to the heater is cut off when the disconnection is determined, the safety is improved.

(B) A disconnection detecting device for a warm water flush toilet seat according to any one of claims 1 to 6 and the above (a) is provided separately from a body of the warm water flush toilet seat. Disconnection detection device. According to this configuration, since the disconnection detection device is separate from the hot water flush toilet seat body, a design change or the like of the hot water flush toilet body associated with the provision of the device is avoided.

[0042]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, the disconnection state of the wiring portion of the heater of the hot water flush toilet seat can be suitably detected based on the recognized current waveform. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exemplary perspective view showing the external shape of the embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a time chart showing each output signal of the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an example of a disconnection state of a wiring portion of a heater.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a disconnection state of a wiring portion of a heater.

FIG. 6 is a time chart showing output signals when a wiring portion of a heater is in a disconnected state.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Disconnection detection device 11 Heater 24 Current sensor 27 Microcomputer

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2D037 AD03 2D038 KA07 5G004 AA01 AB02 BA05 CA02 DA01 DC06 DC14 FA01 5G042 AA02 AA15

Claims (6)

[Claims] A current detection unit configured to detect a current flowing through the heater; a current waveform recognition unit configured to recognize a waveform of the detected current; and a disconnection state determination unit configured to determine a disconnection state based on the recognized current waveform. And a disconnection detecting device for a warm water flush toilet seat. 2. The disconnection detecting device for a hot water flush toilet seat according to claim 1, wherein the disconnection state determination means determines the disconnection state based on a delay in rising of the recognized current waveform. Disconnection detection device for flush toilet seat. 3. The disconnection detecting apparatus for a hot water flush toilet seat according to claim 1, further comprising: a reference signal generating unit that generates a reference signal in synchronization with a power supply voltage; A disconnection detecting device for a warm water flush toilet seat, wherein a disconnection state is determined based on a recognized delay in rising of a current waveform. 4. The disconnection detecting device for a hot water flush toilet seat according to claim 1, wherein the disconnection state determination unit determines the disconnection state based on the amplitude of the recognized current waveform. A disconnection detecting device for a warm water flush toilet seat. 5. The disconnection detecting device for a hot water flush toilet seat according to claim 1, wherein the disconnection state determination unit determines the disconnection state based on a temporal change in the amplitude of the recognized current waveform. A disconnection detecting device for a warm water flush toilet seat. 6. The disconnection detection device for a hot water flush toilet seat according to claim 1, wherein the disconnection state determination unit determines the disconnection state based on the high frequency component noise of the recognized current waveform. A disconnection detecting device for a warm water flush toilet seat.