JP2002143040A - Air conditioner for toilet - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a compact and efficient air conditioner for a toilet. SOLUTION: When seating on a toilet seat 36 is detected when a temperature in a toilet room is a high temperature above a prescribed temperature, a thermoelectric conversion element 46 is energized and blowers 48 and 50 are put into operation. As a result, air taken from an air intake port 44 is cooled by a cryogenic surface 46a and cold air is blown off from a blowoff port 40. Cool feeling is obtained by hitting cold air blown off from the blowoff port 40 on the head, the nape and the upper shoulder of a toilet stool user. In the thermoelectric conversion element 46, heat is moved from the cryogenic surface 46a side to a heat radiating surface 46b side, the heat is conveyed to air and hot air is blown off from an air exhaust port 54. Since the hot air is not so high temperature and air quantity is little, the temperature within the toilet room is hardly raised. Therefore, a person sitting on the toilet seat has only cool feeling by entirely blowing cold air. When the toilet stool user stands up from the toilet seat 36, energizing to the thermoelectric conversion element 46 is stopped and also the blowers 48 and 50 are stopped.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toilet air conditioner capable of blowing cold air toward a toilet user.
In particular, it relates to a toilet air conditioner provided with a thermoelectric conversion element such as a Peltier element.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Toilet air conditioners that use thermoelectric conversion elements such as Peltier elements are available as toilet air conditioners that can be made more compact than air conditioners that use a compression / expansion cycle of a refrigerant like air conditioners. JP-A-6-34151,
It is described in JP-A-7-327869 and JP-A-9-21159.

In this thermoelectric conversion element, it is necessary to release the heat transferred from the cold surface to the heat radiating surface from the heat radiating surface.

In JP-A-6-34151, heat is released to water in a low tank of a toilet. JP-A-7-
In Japanese Patent No. 327869 and JP-A-9-21159, heat is released to tap water, and the tap water is discharged to a toilet.

[0005]

In the case where heat is released from the water in the low tank, when the water in the low tank becomes warm, the cooling efficiency is extremely reduced. If heat is dissipated to the tap water and the tap water is discarded in the toilet, the tap water is wasted at all.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a compact and efficient toilet air conditioner.

[0007]

According to the present invention, there is provided a toilet air conditioner comprising: a cool air outlet for blowing cool air toward a toilet user; a first duct connected to the cool air outlet; Thermoelectric conversion element in which a cooling surface is disposed in a duct, a first blower for ventilating the first duct, and a heat radiation surface of the thermoelectric conversion element are disposed inside, and a ventilation port is provided in a toilet room. And a blower for ventilating the second duct.

In the toilet air conditioner of the present invention, since the cool air is blown out from the outlet to the toilet user, a cool feeling can be given to the toilet user. In general, since the toilet user stays in the toilet room for a short time, a considerable cool feeling can be obtained only by blowing cold air onto the face and neck. If cold air is blown on the face and neck, only a small amount of cold air is required, and energy consumption is low.

In this toilet air conditioner, the heat exhausted during cooling is exhausted to the air in the toilet room, but the amount of heat exhausted is small, so that the temperature in the toilet room hardly rises, and the user of the toilet bowl is practically used. Only the cool sensation of the cold wind is felt.

In the present invention, it is possible to provide an air heater in the second duct to perform a heating operation in the toilet room.

[0011] In this case, the ventilation opening is a hot air outlet for foot heating. And means for switching between a cooling operation in which the first and second blowers are driven to energize the thermoelectric conversion element and the air heater is de-energized, and a heating operation in which the second blower is driven to energize the air heater. Is preferably provided.

With this configuration, during the cooling operation, the heating operation is performed using the blower that operates as a radiating fan, so that the efficiency of using the electric energy is high.

In the present invention, the ventilation opening may also serve as an air outlet for drying hands and an air intake. And
The first and second blowers are driven, the thermoelectric conversion element is energized, the air heater is de-energized, the cooling air is blown out from the cool air outlet and air is taken in from the vent, and the second blower is operated. It is driven in the direction opposite to that of the cooling operation,
It is also possible to perform a manual drying operation by installing a unit that switches between a manual drying operation in which the air heater is energized and a warm air is blown from the ventilation opening.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a Western-style toilet equipped with a hand-washing / drying device according to an embodiment, and FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the hand-washing / drying device.

This Western-style toilet equipment is referred to as a console-type Western-style toilet equipment provided with a low tank cover that covers the low tank. A low tank 13 (not shown in FIG. 1 for clarity) is provided. Water is supplied into the low tank 13 through a water stopcock 14, a supply pipe 16, and a ball tap 18. A float valve 20 is provided at a water outlet at the bottom of the low tank.

The float valve 20 is lifted up by a cleaning handle 22 or an electric device 23 attached to the low tank cover 12 through a ball chain 24, and
The water inside is discharged to the toilet bowl of the Western-style toilet 10. When almost all the water in the low tank 13 is discharged, the float valve 20
Is seated, and water is stored in the low tank 13 again. When the water level in the low tank 13 drops, the floating ball 26 connected to the ball tap 18 moves downward, the ball tap 18 is opened, and water is injected from the ball tap 18 into the low tank.

A hose 28 branches off from the ball tap 18, and water is supplied from the hose 28 to a hand-washing spout 30 via an electromagnetic valve 28v.

The upper surface of the low tank cover 12 is a detachable hand-washing bowl 32, from which the hand-washing spout 30 is erected. When the solenoid valve 28v opens, water discharge starts from the water discharge port 56 of the hand-washing water discharge device 30,
When the electromagnetic valve 28v closes, the water discharge from the water discharge port 56 stops. Hands can be washed while spouting water from the hand washing spout 30.

A drain 32a is provided at the bottom of the basin 32, and water falling into the basin 32 is drained by the drain 3a.
It falls into the raw tank 13 from 2a.

In this embodiment, the water discharged from the ball tap 18 into the low tank 13 is stored in a flexible service tank 34, and the fresh water in the service tank 34 is washed with a warm water washing device for a human hip (not shown). ). When the inside of the service tank 34 becomes full, the water overflowing from the service tank 34 is stored in the low tank 13.

A toilet seat 36 is provided on the front side of the low tank cover 12.
And a toilet lid 38 are attached so as to be rotatable in the vertical direction.

The hand-washing bowl 32 is provided with a blow-out port 40 so that the cool air sent through the duct 42 can be blown out. The outlet 40 is provided on the front surface of the rear wall of the lavatory bowl 32 and blows wind forward. The head, neck, or upper shoulder of a person sitting on the toilet seat 36 is located in front of the outlet 40 in the blowing direction.

The duct 42 extends vertically in the low tank cover 12. An air inlet 44 is opened in the middle of the duct 42 in the height direction.
Inside the thermoelectric conversion element 46 adjacent to the air intake 44
Is provided. The thermoelectric conversion element 46 has a cooling surface 46a composed of a number of heat receiving fins projecting upward.
And a heat radiating surface 46b composed of a number of heat radiating fins projecting downward.

A first blower 48 is provided above the thermoelectric conversion element 46, and a second blower 50 is provided below the thermoelectric conversion element 46. An air heater 52 is provided below the second blower 50. The lower end of the duct 42 is a ventilation opening (warm air outlet) 54 that opens downward from the bottom surface of the low tank cover 12.

In addition to a proximity sensor 58 for detecting a hand inserted below the spout 56 of the hand-washing spout 30, a temperature sensor (not shown) for detecting the temperature of a toilet room and a toilet 36 are provided. There are provided various switches such as a seating sensor for detecting the seating of the user and a switch for operating the hot water cleaning device. The proximity sensor 58 may be a touch-type capacitance sensor or a simple switch other than the infrared sensor.

In the hand-washing / drying apparatus configured as described above, when seating on the toilet seat 36 is detected when the temperature in the toilet room is higher than a predetermined temperature, the thermoelectric conversion element 46 is energized and the blowers 48, 48 50 is activated. Thereby, the air taken in from the air inlet 44 is cooled by the cooling surface 46 a, and the cool air is blown out from the outlet 40. The cool air blown out from the outlet 40 hits the head, neck, upper shoulder, and the like of the toilet user, thereby providing a cool feeling.

In the thermoelectric conversion element 46, the cooling / heating surface 46
The heat is transferred from the side a to the heat radiating surface 46b, and this heat is transmitted to the air, and the warm air is blown out from the exhaust port 54. Since the temperature of the hot air is not so high and the amount of the air is small, the temperature in the toilet room hardly increases. Therefore, the seat occupant of the toilet seat exclusively enjoys the cool feeling by blowing the cold air.

When the toilet user rises from the toilet seat 36, the power supply to the thermoelectric conversion element 46 is stopped and the blower 4
8.50 also stops.

When seating on the toilet seat 36 is detected when the temperature in the toilet room is lower than a preset temperature,
When the blower 50 operates, the air heater 52 is energized, and warm air is blown out from the exhaust port 54. As a result, the heating of the toilet user is performed.

FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a low tank provided with a toilet air conditioner according to another embodiment.

In this embodiment, a duct 62 connected to the cool air outlet 40 and a duct 64 connected to the hand washing and drying outlet 60 are provided.

A thermoelectric conversion element 46 is provided at an intermediate portion of the ducts 62 and 64, and a cooling / heating surface 46a of the thermoelectric conversion element 46 is provided.
Faces the inside of the duct 62, and the heat radiation surface 46 b faces the inside of the duct 64.

A blower 66 is provided below the thermoelectric conversion element 46 of the duct 62. The lower end of the duct 62 is open into the low tank cover 12.

An air heater 68 and a blower 70 are provided below the thermoelectric conversion element 46 in the duct 64. This blower 70 is capable of reversing the blowing direction. The lower end of the duct 64 communicates with the hot air outlet 54 on the bottom surface of the low tank cover 12.

In addition to the spout 56 and the drying outlet 60, the hand washing spout 30 has a sensor 58a for detecting a hand inserted below the drying outlet 60, and a sensor 58a inserted below the spout 56. And a sensor 58b for detecting the released hand. Note that the drying outlet 60 is disposed forward of the water outlet 56.

In the toilet air conditioner thus configured, when it is detected that the toilet seat is seated when the temperature is high, the thermoelectric conversion element 46 is energized and the blowers 66,
70 is activated. In this case, the blower 70 operates to take in air from the drying outlet 60 and blow it out from the hot air outlet 54. No power is supplied to the air heater 68. Thereby, the cool air blows out from the outlet 40. When the toilet user rises from the toilet seat, the cold air blowing operation stops.

When a hand is inserted below the hand-washing spout 30, the spouting starts from the spout 56 when the hand is detected by both the sensors 58 a and 58 b. Subsequently, when the hand retreats a little and only the sensor 58a detects the hand, the water discharge from the water discharge port 56 stops, and instead, the warm air blows out from the drying outlet 60. In this case, the air heater 68 is energized, and the blower 70 operates so as to take in air from the hot air outlet 70 and blow out air from the drying outlet 60.
In this case, no electricity is supplied to the thermoelectric conversion element 46. However, the blower 66 may be inverted to take in air from the cool air outlet 40, supply electricity to the thermoelectric conversion element 46, and heat the air in the duct 64 by the thermoelectric conversion element 46.

When the sensor 58a stops detecting the hand, the hand drying operation is stopped.

When seating on the toilet seat is detected when the temperature in the toilet room is low, the air heater 68 is energized, and the blower 70 takes in air from the drying outlet 60 and outputs warm air from the warm air outlet 54. It operates to blow out, and the toilet user's foot is heated.

When the toilet user rises from the toilet seat, the foot heating operation is stopped. Thereafter, the spouting and drying operations when the hand is put out below the hand-washing spout 30 are the same as those when the temperature is high.

[0041]

As described above, according to the toilet air conditioner of the present invention, it is possible to perform a cooling operation for giving a sufficient cool feeling to a toilet user with a relatively simple configuration, and also to perform a heating operation such as a foot heating operation. It is possible. According to the present invention, it is also possible to carry out drying by warm air of the hands.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a Western-style toilet equipped with a toilet air conditioner according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of the Western style toilet of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Western-style toilet bowl 12 Low tank cover 18 Ball tap 22 Washing handle 30 Hand washing spout 32 Hand washing bowl 40 Cold air outlet 42 Duct 44 Air intake 46 Thermoelectric conversion element 46a Cold surface 46b Heat radiating surface 50 Blower 52 Air heater 54 Hot air outlet 56 Outlet 58, 58a, 58b Sensor 60 Drying outlet 62, 64 Duct 66, 70 Blower 68 Air heater

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cold air outlet for blowing cold air toward a toilet user, a first duct connected to the cold air outlet, and a thermoelectric conversion element having a cold surface disposed in the first duct. A first blower for ventilating the first duct, a second duct in which a heat radiation surface of the thermoelectric conversion element is disposed inside, and a ventilation opening facing a toilet room; And a blower for ventilating the second duct. 2. The air conditioner for a toilet according to claim 1, wherein an air heater is provided in the second duct. 3. The air blower according to claim 2, wherein the air vent is a warm air outlet for heating the foot, drives the first and second blowers, energizes the thermoelectric conversion element, and deactivates the air heater. A means for switching between a cooling operation to be performed and a heating operation for driving the second blower and energizing the air heater. 4. The thermoelectric conversion element according to claim 2, wherein the ventilation port doubles as an air outlet for drying hands and an air intake, and drives the first and second blowers to supply electricity to the thermoelectric conversion element. The air heater is de-energized, a cooling operation in which cool air is blown out from the cool air outlet and air is taken in from the ventilation opening, and the second blower is driven in a direction opposite to that in the cooling operation, and the air heater is driven. An air conditioner for a toilet, comprising: means for switching between a current drying mode and a manual drying mode in which warm air is blown from the ventilation port.