JP2005090192A - Toilet equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To eliminate erroneous detection as the movement of the human body, even if there is the movement including lifting of a water level of wash water inside a cleaning tank, in toilet equipment having a Doppler sensor as a human body detecting sensor, and having the cleaning tank. <P>SOLUTION: In this toilet equipment, the cleaning tank 20 is arranged on the rear upper side of a toilet bowl body; the Doppler sensor 54 as the human body detecting sensor is arranged forward in a front side position of the cleaning tank 20; and a control part controls operation of various apparatuses based on detection of the human body by the Doppler sensor 54. A radio wave cutoff layer 62 for cutting off the transmission of a radio wave, is arranged between the Doppler sensor 54 and the inside of the cleaning tank 20. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a toilet facility including a Doppler sensor as a human body detection sensor, and more particularly to a toilet facility including a cleaning tank for storing toilet flushing water.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, it has been widely performed to detect the presence or absence of a user in a toilet facility with a human body detection sensor and to control the operation of various devices by a control unit based on the detection.
For example, when the user is detected, the toilet lid is automatically opened, after the user leaves the detection area after use, the flushing water is automatically flowed, or the toilet seat and the toilet lid are automatically closed. Has been done.

  Conventionally, an infrared sensor is mainly used as a human body detection sensor in such toilet facilities, and detects a user based on reception of reflected light reflected by the user when the user enters the detection area. I was doing.

  However, since this infrared sensor detects the presence or absence of a user based on the amount of reflected light, it can only determine whether there is a user in the detection area. In some cases, the behavior cannot be detected, and the device malfunctions based on the erroneous detection.

  In addition, when using this infrared sensor, it is necessary to provide a translucent window at a predetermined location and embed the infrared sensor so as to face the window. There is a problem that the degree of freedom of the toilet bowl and other designs is limited.

In recent years, it has been proposed to use a Doppler sensor for user detection in toilet facilities (for example, Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2, Patent Document 3, Patent Document 4, Patent Document 5, Patent 5 Document 6, Patent document 7).
In the case of a Doppler sensor, it is possible to install it in a concealed state inside a resin product or wooden product through which radio waves are transmitted.

  By the way, as a toilet facility, a washing tank for storing toilet flushing water is installed on the upper rear side of the toilet bowl body, and when washing the toilet bowl, the washing water in the washing tank is dropped on the toilet bowl body side and this is vigorously moved inside the toilet bowl body A type of sink and flushing toilet is widely used.

  However, those equipped with a Doppler sensor as a human body detection sensor are usually arranged facing forward in the front position of the washing tank so that the Doppler sensor detects a user approaching or leaving the toilet. In other words, although the transmission wave from the Doppler sensor is arranged to radiate forward, the transmission wave (radio wave) from the Doppler sensor is radiated slightly backward, and the transmission radiated to the rear. There is a possibility that the movement inside the washing tank may be picked up by the wave and the reflected wave reflected inside the washing tank, which is a problem.

That is, at the time of toilet flushing, the water level of the wash water inside the wash tank drops due to its discharge, and the water level rises due to the subsequent water supply.
Furthermore, the water supply mechanism moves as the water level falls and rises. For example, the float at the ball tap moves down or rises, and the lever for supplying and stopping the water at the ball tap moves up and down accordingly.
It is feared that these movements are picked up by the Doppler sensor and erroneously detected as movements of the human body, and based on this, the control unit causes various devices to malfunction.

  The existence of such a problem is not recognized in the conventional toilet facilities, and therefore, no countermeasure has been proposed for this.

JP 2001-305220 A JP 2002-71824 A JP 2002-70119 A JP 2003-21677 A JP 2002-285624 A JP 2001-311773 A JP 2001-231716 A

  Against the background of such circumstances, the toilet facility of the present invention is equipped with a Doppler sensor as a human body detection sensor and equipped with a washing tank. The object of the present invention is to provide a toilet facility that does not erroneously detect the movement of a human body and can appropriately control the operation of various devices.

  Thus, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a washing tank for storing the flushing water of the toilet bowl is installed on the upper rear side of the toilet bowl body, and a Doppler sensor as a human body detection sensor is disposed forwardly at a front side position of the washing tank. In addition, in a toilet facility that controls the operation of various devices in the control unit based on human body detection by the Doppler sensor, a radio wave blocking layer that blocks transmission of radio waves from the Doppler sensor toward the inside of the cleaning tank is provided. It is characterized by that.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the radio wave blocking layer is provided directly on the cleaning tank.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the radio wave blocking layer is provided directly on the Doppler sensor and on its rear surface.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a washing tank for storing toilet flush water is installed on the rear upper side of the toilet body, and a Doppler sensor as a human body detection sensor is disposed forwardly at a front side position of the washing tank. In the toilet equipment that controls the operation of various devices in the control unit based on the human body detection by the sensor, the Doppler sensor is used in the control unit while the water level of the cleaning water in the cleaning tank varies based on toilet cleaning. The detection by is substantially stopped.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the control unit substantially detects the Doppler sensor from the input of a signal indicating the start of cleaning to the input of a signal indicating that the cleaning tank is full. It is characterized by stopping at.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the control unit substantially stops the detection by the Doppler sensor until a predetermined set time elapses after an input of a signal indicating the start of cleaning. And

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, the detection by the Doppler sensor according to any one of the fourth to sixth aspects, wherein the operation of the Doppler sensor is stopped or the sensitivity is lowered or the detection signal from the Doppler sensor is invalidated in the control unit. Is substantially stopped.

Effects and effects of the invention

As described above, the present invention is provided with the radio wave blocking layer that blocks the transmission of radio waves from the Doppler sensor arranged at the front side of the cleaning tank to the inside of the cleaning tank. When the water level drops or rises in the cleaning tank or when the water supply mechanism such as a ball tap moves, the Doppler sensor picks up this movement and prevents it from being mistaken for human movement. can do.
This makes it possible to appropriately control the operation of various devices based on human body detection by the Doppler sensor.

In this case, the radio wave blocking layer can be disposed at a position between the Doppler sensor and the cleaning tank.
Alternatively, the radio wave blocking layer can be provided directly on the cleaning tank (claim 2).
In this case, a radio wave blocking material such as a radio wave absorber or a shield material (radio wave reflecting material) can be applied to the cleaning tank. In addition, the radio wave blocking material can be simultaneously molded when the washing tank is molded.
Thus, it is possible to easily provide a radio wave blocking layer.

Further, in these cases, the radio wave blocking layer can be provided so as to cover at least the front surface of the cleaning tank.
By doing so, it is possible to prevent the radio wave radiated backward from the Doppler sensor from being transmitted to the inside of the cleaning tank and picking up the movement inside the washing tank.

However, this radio wave blocking layer can be further provided so as to cover the entire outer peripheral surface including the side surface and rear surface of the cleaning tank.
In this way, it is possible to more reliably prevent radio waves from going back and forth between the Doppler sensor and the inside of the cleaning tank.

On the other hand, the radio wave blocking layer may be provided directly on the Doppler sensor and on its rear surface.
The Doppler sensor is a source of radio waves. Therefore, according to the third aspect, radiation of radio waves to the rear of the source can be prevented.
In this case, the radio wave blocking layer can be provided on the rear surface of the sensor casing.
In this case, the radio wave shielding material can be applied to the sensor casing or the like. Further, the radio wave blocking material can be simultaneously molded when the sensor casing is molded.
Thus, it is possible to easily provide a radio wave blocking layer.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the detection by the Doppler sensor is substantially stopped in the control unit while the level of the cleaning water in the cleaning tank varies based on toilet cleaning.
This also solves the problem that the Doppler sensor picks up the movement in the washing tank during the toilet flushing and erroneously detects the movement of the human body.

  In addition, the water supply mechanism such as the ball tap inside the cleaning tank stops moving when the water level rises and becomes full after the water level drops due to the discharge of the cleaning water, so that the detection by the Doppler sensor is practical while the water level fluctuates. The problem that the Doppler sensor picks up the movement of the water supply mechanism and the like can be solved by stopping the operation.

In this case, the detection by the Doppler sensor can be stopped from the input of the signal indicating the start of cleaning to the input of the signal indicating that the cleaning tank is full.
Alternatively, the detection can be stopped until a predetermined set time elapses from the input of a signal indicating the start of cleaning (Claim 6).
Since the time until the inside of the cleaning tank is full again after the discharge of the cleaning water is known in advance, erroneous detection can be prevented by stopping detection by the Doppler sensor during that time.
Further, in this case, it is not necessary to detect the fluctuation of the water level in the cleaning tank or the stop of the water level with a sensor or the like, and the control in the control unit becomes easy.

  In these cases, the detection by the Doppler sensor can be substantially stopped by stopping the operation of the Doppler sensor or reducing the sensitivity in the control unit or invalidating the detection signal from the Doppler sensor. 7).

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
In FIG. 1, 10 is a toilet facility in the toilet room 12, 14 is a toilet bowl body, and 16 and 18 are a toilet seat and a toilet lid which can be opened and closed, respectively.
A cleaning tank 20 for storing cleaning water for the toilet shown in FIG. 2 is installed on the upper rear side of the toilet body 14.
The washing tank 20 is covered with a tank cover 22 from the outside. Here, the tank cover 22 is made of resin.

The toilet facility 10 in this example is equipped with a local cleaning device that showers local washing water from the cleaning nozzle 24 to clean the human body part, and various devices such as a toilet lid opening / closing motor and a toilet seat opening / closing on the wall W. A remote controller 26 for remotely operating various devices such as a motor, a shower valve, a toilet seat heater, a deodorizing fan, and a hot water heater is attached.
The remote control 26 is also provided with a cleaning switch 26a for operating the toilet cleaning mechanism 25 shown in FIG. 3 to perform toilet cleaning.

As shown in FIG. 3, a drain port 28 is provided at the bottom of the cleaning tank 20, and the drain port 28 is opened and closed by a float valve 30 in the toilet bowl cleaning mechanism 25.
The float valve 30 is connected to an L-shaped action rod 32 by a chain 34, and the float valve 30 is lifted by the rotation of the action rod 32.
The drain port 28 is opened when the float valve 30 is lifted upward, and discharges the cleaning water in the cleaning tank 20 downward.

An operation lever 36 for manual operation and a drive motor 38 are connected to the distal end portion of the action rod 32 on the outside of the tank case 22.
The action rod 32 is rotated by a manual rotation operation of the operation lever 36 or driven by a drive motor 38.
Here, the drive motor 38 and the action rod 32 are operatively connected via a gear. That is, the driving force of the driving motor 38 is transmitted to the action rod 32 through the gear.

  In FIG. 3, reference numeral 40 denotes a ball tap as a water supply mechanism provided in the cleaning tank 20, and a water discharge port 44 for discharging water sent through the water supply pipe 42 into the cleaning tank 20, and water to the water discharge port 44. And a float 48 that moves up and down in conjunction with raising and lowering the water level of the water (washing water) inside the washing tank 20.

A lever 50 extends from the float 48, and the tip of the lever 50 is rotatable about the axis.
The lever 50 is connected to the valve body in the valve portion 46, and the valve body is opened when the float 48 is lowered, while the valve body is closed when the float 48 is raised.
That is, when the float 48 is lowered, water supply is started from the water outlet 44, and when the float 48 is raised, water supply from the water outlet 44 is stopped.
Reference numeral 52 denotes an overflow pipe.

  The toilet facility 10 in this example also has a function of automatically opening and closing the toilet lid 18 and closing the toilet seat 16 based on human body detection, that is, user detection, and the inside of the tank cover 22 is hidden. A control board (control unit) 57 on which a Doppler sensor 54 for detecting a user and a microcomputer 56 for controlling the operation of various devices based on signals from the Doppler sensor 54 is mounted is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the Doppler sensor 54 is disposed at the front side position of the inner washing tank 20 surrounded by the tank cover 22, and the beam of the transmitted wave (radio wave) to be emitted from this is viewed from the toilet. The mounting direction is selected so as to face the front.

The Doppler sensor 54 is a so-called Doppler in which a transmission wave (high-frequency radio wave of about 10 GHz) is sent to a detection target, that is, a user, and the frequency of a reflected wave from the user changes when the user is moving. As shown in FIG. 2, the sensor element 58, a sensor substrate 59 on which a signal processing circuit for processing a signal from the sensor element 58 is mounted, and a resin-made user are detected. And a sensor casing 60.
The sensor element 58 and the sensor substrate 59 are accommodated in the sensor casing 60.

As shown in FIG. 2, the Doppler sensor 54 radiates its transmission wave (radio wave) toward the front, but a part thereof is also radiated backward.
Therefore, in this embodiment, the radio wave blocking layer 62 for preventing the transmission wave radiated backward from the Doppler sensor 54 from passing through the cleaning tank 20 at a position between the Doppler sensor 54 and the cleaning tank 20. Is provided.

  Here, the radio wave blocking layer 62 has a function of blocking radio wave transmission by absorbing or reflecting the radio wave, and has a thin plate shape. The entire front surface of the cleaning tank 20 is separated by a slight gap. It is arranged to cover.

In addition, the radio wave blocking layer 62 having a thin plate shape can be provided so as to entirely cover the outer peripheral surface including the side surface and the rear surface of the cleaning tank 20 as indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG.
In this way, it is possible to more reliably block radio waves from traveling between the Doppler sensor 54 and the inside of the cleaning tank 20.

The radio wave blocking layer 62 can be configured by adhering a conductive metal foil to a predetermined base material or plating the conductive metal, or the entire radio wave blocking layer 62 can be made of conductive metal or the like. It can be configured by using a mesh. In addition, it may be configured with a radio wave absorber such as ferrite.
The same applies to the following radio wave blocking layer 62.

  According to this embodiment, even when the cleaning water level drops or rises inside the cleaning tank 20 or when the ball tap 40 moves during the toilet cleaning, the transmission wave (radio wave) from the Doppler sensor 54 radiates backward. Thus, it is possible to prevent the movement inside the cleaning tank 20 from being picked up and erroneously detected as the movement of the human body, whereby various devices can be appropriately operated based on the human body detection of the Doppler sensor 54.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the present invention.
In this embodiment, a radio wave blocking layer 62 is provided so as to directly cover the entire front surface of the cleaning tank 20 by coating a radio wave absorber or a shielding material (radio wave reflecting material) on the front surface of the cleaning tank 20. It is an example.
In this embodiment as well, it is possible to provide the radio wave blocking layer 62 so as to cover the entire outer peripheral surface including the side surface and the rear surface of the cleaning tank 20 as indicated by a two-dot chain line in the figure.

FIG. 5 shows still another embodiment of the present invention. Here, a radio wave blocking layer 62 is provided directly on the rear surface of the sensor casing 60 of the Doppler sensor 54 so as to cover the entire surface thereof.
According to this embodiment, it is possible to prevent the transmission wave from being emitted backward in the Doppler sensor 54 that is a generation source of the transmission wave (radio wave).

Although the radio wave blocking layer 62 is provided on the rear surface of the sensor casing 60 here, it may be provided so as to cover the entire rear portion of the sensor casing 60 from the front side inside the sensor casing 60 in some cases.
Alternatively, the radio wave blocking layer 62 can be provided on the outer surface side or the inner surface side of the sensor casing 60 so as to cover the entire outer peripheral surface excluding the front surface, and further the entire sensor casing 60 (the entire surface excluding the front surface portion). It is also possible to configure the antenna with a radio wave absorbing material or a shielding material (radio wave reflecting material).

  Next, FIGS. 6 and 7 are examples in which detection by the Doppler sensor 54 is substantially stopped in the microcomputer 56 while the water level of the cleaning water inside the cleaning tank 20 varies based on toilet cleaning.

  Specifically, in the example of FIG. 6, the Doppler sensor 54 is stopped by input of a cleaning signal at the start of cleaning to the microcomputer 56, and then the microcomputer 56 is filled with water indicating that the cleaning tank 20 is full. When a signal is input, the Doppler sensor 54 starts operating again at that timing.

Here, as the cleaning signal, for example, a signal generated when the user operates the cleaning switch 26a in the remote control 26 can be used as the cleaning signal, or the drive start of the drive motor 38 is taken out as a signal, It can also be a cleaning signal.
Alternatively, the rotational motion of the working rod 32 can be detected by a sensor and the signal can be used as a cleaning signal, or the lowering of the cleaning water level in the cleaning tank 20 can be detected by a liquid level sensor or the like and taken out as a signal. Can also be used as a cleaning signal.
It is possible to extract the cleaning signal by various other means.

On the other hand, as the full water signal, the water level in the cleaning tank 20 can be detected by a liquid level sensor or the like, and when the water surface position becomes the full water position, it can be taken out as a signal and used as a full water signal. Alternatively, when the float 48 or the lever 50 in the ball tap 40 reaches the raised position, this can be detected by a limit switch, a photoelectric switch, or the like, and this can be taken out as a signal to be a full signal.
It is possible to take out a full signal by various other means.

Here, the operation of the Doppler sensor 54 is stopped during the period from the cleaning signal to the full water signal. However, the sensitivity of the Doppler sensor 54 may be lowered during this period to substantially stop detection by the Doppler sensor 54. While the Doppler sensor 54 itself can be operated as usual, the detection signal from the Doppler sensor 54 is invalidated on the microcomputer 56 side during this period, so that the detection by the Doppler sensor 54 is substantially stopped. It is also possible to make it.
This also applies to the following embodiment shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment as well, it is possible to solve the problem that the Doppler sensor 54 picks up the movement inside the washing tank 20 (falling or rising of the water level of the washing water or the movement of the ball tap 40) during the toilet bowl cleaning and erroneously detects the movement of the human body. Can do.

Next, the example of FIG. 7 is the same as the example of FIG. 6 in that the operation of the Doppler sensor 54 is stopped by the cleaning signal, but here the Doppler sensor 54 is operated again after a predetermined time T has elapsed. I'm trying to get started.
This set time T is set based on the time required until the water is filled again after the cleaning water in the cleaning tank 20 is discharged.
Even in this case, it is possible to prevent the Doppler sensor 54 from picking up the movement inside the cleaning tank 20 during toilet cleaning and erroneously detecting the movement of the human body.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, these are merely examples, and the present invention can be configured in various modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

It is a figure which shows the toilet installation of one Embodiment of this invention. It is a plane sectional view showing a washing tank and a peripheral part in the embodiment. It is front sectional drawing which shows the inside of the washing tank in the embodiment. It is a figure equivalent to FIG. 2 in other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure equivalent to FIG. 2 in further another embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the principal part of other embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the principal part of other embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Toilet equipment 14 Toilet bowl body 20 Wash tank 54 Doppler sensor 56 Microcomputer 57 Control board (control part)
62 Radio wave blocking layer T Set time

Claims (7)

A cleaning tank for storing toilet flushing water is installed on the rear upper side of the toilet body, and a Doppler sensor as a human body detection sensor is disposed forward in the front position of the cleaning tank, based on human body detection by the Doppler sensor, In toilet facilities that control the operation of various devices in the control unit,
A toilet facility comprising a radio wave blocking layer that blocks transmission of radio waves from the Doppler sensor toward the inside of the cleaning tank.   The toilet facility according to claim 1, wherein the radio wave blocking layer is provided directly on the cleaning tank.   The toilet facility according to claim 1, wherein the radio wave blocking layer is provided directly on the Doppler sensor and on a rear surface thereof. A cleaning tank for storing toilet flushing water is installed on the rear upper side of the toilet body, and a Doppler sensor as a human body detection sensor is disposed forward in the front position of the cleaning tank, based on human body detection by the Doppler sensor, In toilet facilities that control the operation of various devices in the control unit,
A toilet facility characterized in that the control unit substantially stops detection by the Doppler sensor while the water level of the cleaning water in the cleaning tank varies based on toilet cleaning.   5. The control unit according to claim 4, wherein the control unit substantially stops detection by the Doppler sensor from an input of a signal indicating the start of cleaning to an input of a signal indicating that the cleaning tank is full. Toilet facilities.   5. The toilet equipment according to claim 4, wherein the control unit substantially stops detection by the Doppler sensor until a predetermined set time elapses after an input of a signal indicating the start of cleaning.   7. The detection by the Doppler sensor is substantially stopped by stopping the operation of the Doppler sensor or reducing the sensitivity or invalidating the detection signal from the Doppler sensor in the control unit according to claim 4. Toilet equipment featuring.

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