JP2005211106A - Toilet seat lifter - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toilet seat lifter which can reduce the burden by electrically lifting or lowering the toilet seat unit while eliminating a possible breakage of the toilet seat unit under the overloading in the lifting or lowering of the toilet seat unit with a drive mechanism for the electric operation. <P>SOLUTION: In the toilet seat lifter 1, the rotary drive force of a stepping motor 7 is transmitted to a right slider 51 through a deceleration ring train 70, an output pinion 80 and a rack 53 to lift or lower a mobile plate 6 with the toilet seat unit linked thereto. A ratchet mechanism 79 is so arranged as to shut down the link between the stepping motor 7 and the mobile plate 6 against the overloading as working thereon in the lifting or lowering of the mobile plate 6. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a toilet seat lifting and lowering device for lifting and lowering a toilet seat of a Western-style toilet.

In a Western-style toilet, the toilet seat and toilet lid rotate around the back, resulting in a prone posture and a standing posture. For this reason, even if it is going to clean the back of the toilet bowl upper surface, only a very narrow gap is left between the toilet bowl main body and the toilet seat, and even if it is desired to clean that part, the hands are not put in. In view of this, a toilet seat lifting and lowering device has been devised that allows the toilet seat unit to be manually lifted from the toilet body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-8-177104

  However, in the configuration in which the toilet seat unit is manually raised and lowered as in the conventional toilet seat lifting device, the operation of raising and lowering the toilet seat unit by a human hand in a narrow space called a toilet must be performed in an unnatural posture. It is a hard work.

  In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to reduce the burden by electrically moving the toilet seat unit up or down, and when the drive mechanism for electrically driving the toilet seat unit raises or lowers the toilet seat unit. An object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat lifting / lowering device that is not likely to be damaged by overload.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the present invention, a toilet seat having a fixed member fixed to the toilet body side of a Western-style toilet, a movable member to which a toilet seat unit is attached, and a guide mechanism for guiding the movable member in the vertical direction. The elevating device includes a drive mechanism capable of electrically raising or lowering the movable member with respect to the fixed member, the drive mechanism including a drive source coupled to drive the movable member, and the movable member. A torque limiter that cuts off the connection between the drive source and the movable member against an overload applied when the vehicle is raised or lowered is provided.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that a motor is used as the driving source, and a load that can be transmitted by the driving force of the motor is larger than the overload that is blocked by the torque limiter. If comprised in this way, the motor (a DC motor is included) which can transmit the load larger than an overload can be used. Therefore, a margin can be given to the driving force of the motor, and the degree of freedom in design can be expanded. For example, the drive speed of the movable member can be increased by reducing the gears of the reduction gear train or reducing the number of teeth. In addition, since the torque limiter functions before the rotor steps out due to overload, it is possible to prevent the drive mechanism from being damaged by the inertia force of the rotor caused by stepping out due to overload and rotating at high speed.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the torque limiter cuts off the connection between the drive source and the operating member against an overload applied in a direction in which the movable member is lowered. With this configuration, when the operator sits on the toilet seat, if the switch is operated by mistake to raise the toilet seat unit, or when the toilet seat unit is being raised or lowered, When a strong force is applied, the drive mechanism can be prevented from being damaged.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that the torque limiter is constituted by a ratchet mechanism. With this configuration, a torque limiter having a relatively large torque value can be configured with a small number of parts in a small space.

  In the present invention, it is preferable that a motor is used as the driving source, and a reduction gear train that transmits the driving force of the motor to the movable member is transmitted. If comprised in this way, a toilet seat unit can be raised at a moderate speed. In addition, when the lifted toilet seat unit is manually lowered, the load generated in response to the reduction gear ratio of the reduction gear train has a moderate resistance with the motor detent torque, and the toilet seat unit descends slowly. Can be prevented from violently colliding with the toilet body. Therefore, even if the damper mechanism is not provided, the toilet seat unit and the toilet body are not damaged.

  In the present invention, a stepping motor is preferably used as the motor. With this configuration, when the lifted toilet seat unit is manually lowered, the detent torque of the stepping motor acts as a drag force. Accordingly, when the lifted toilet seat unit is lowered, the toilet seat unit slowly descends, so that the toilet seat unit and the toilet body are not damaged without providing a damper mechanism.

  In the present invention, a drive mechanism is configured to electrically lift or lower the movable member to which the toilet seat unit is attached. Therefore, when cleaning the back of the toilet body or the lower surface of the toilet seat, the toilet seat unit is lifted or pushed down by hand. There is no need. Therefore, the burden at the time of cleaning a western style toilet can be reduced. In addition, since the torque limiter that cuts off the connection between the drive source and the movable member against an overload applied when the movable member is raised or lowered, the drive mechanism can be prevented from being damaged.

  Hereinafter, an example of a toilet seat lifting / lowering apparatus to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Composition of toilet unit)
1 (a) and 1 (b) are explanatory diagrams showing a state in which the toilet seat is lowered and an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the toilet seat is lifted from the toilet body in the western toilet unit using the toilet seat lifting / lowering apparatus to which the present invention is applied. It is.

  As shown in FIG. 1 (a), a Western-style toilet unit of this embodiment includes a Western-style toilet body 11, a toilet seat 12 that is opened and closed on the toilet body 11, and a toilet lid 13 that is opened and closed on the toilet seat 12. The toilet seat 12 and the toilet lid 13 are rotated around the back to assume a prone posture and a standing posture. Here, the toilet seat 12 and the toilet lid 13 are integrated as a toilet seat unit 10, and the toilet seat unit 10 relaxes the speed when the toilet seat 12 and the toilet lid 13 are flattened by their own weight as necessary. There is a case in which an electric device for electrically opening and closing the damper device and the toilet lid is incorporated.

  In any of these cases, the western toilet unit of this embodiment has the toilet seat 12 (toilet seat unit 10) lifted from the toilet body 11 as shown in FIG. An electric toilet seat lifting / lowering device 1 that can be cleaned is configured.

(Configuration of toilet seat lifting device)
2 (a), (b), (c) and (d) are a plan view and a front view of a toilet seat lifting / lowering device to which the present invention is applied, and a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA 'in FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line BB ′ in FIG. 3A and 3B are a front view showing a state in which the movable plate and the left slider are removed from the toilet seat lifting apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line CC ′ of FIG. is there.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 (a) to 2 (d) and FIGS. 3 (a) and 3 (b), the toilet seat lifting / lowering device 1 of the present embodiment is a fixed surface to the upper surface portion of the toilet body 11 (see FIG. 1). A fixed plate 2 (fixed member) 21, an inverted L-shaped stopper plate 3 fixed to the upper end portion of the vertical surface 22 bent upward at the rear end of the fixed plate 2, and a horizontal position of the stopper plate 3. A cylindrical right guide shaft 41 and a left guide shaft 42 (guide mechanism) are provided between the portion 31 and the fixed surface 21 of the fixed plate 2.

  The left and right guide shafts 41 and 42 support a right slider 51 and a left slider 52 that can slide up and down along the guide shafts 41 and 42, respectively. A movable plate 6 (movable member) is attached so as to cover. The right slider 51 and the left slider 52 have a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and have bearing portions 511 and 521 into which the guide shafts 41 and 42 are inserted, respectively.

  Here, the toilet seat unit 10 is fixed to the upper surface 60 of the movable plate 6. For this reason, when the left and right sliders 51 and 52 move up and down along the guide shafts 41 and 42, the toilet seat unit 10 fixed to the movable plate 6 also moves up and down integrally.

  In the toilet seat lifting / lowering apparatus 1 of this embodiment, an electric drive mechanism 5 that drives the right slider 51 in the vertical direction is configured with respect to the right slider 51, and the right slider 51 is moved up and down by the drive mechanism 5. When driven, the left slider 52, the movable plate 6, and the toilet seat unit 10 also move up and down.

  As such a drive mechanism 5, in this embodiment, first, a rack 53 is formed on the left surface of the right slider 51 over the entire range in the vertical direction.

  In this embodiment, in the space between the left and right guide shafts 41, 42, a stepping motor 7 that can be rotated in both forward and reverse directions as a drive source of the drive mechanism 5, and the driving force of the stepping motor 7 Is arranged, and the output pinion 80 of this reduction gear train meshes with the rack 53 of the right slider 51. The stepping motor 7 is disposed directly below the stopper plate 3, and the output pinion 80 is disposed at a substantially central position in the height direction of the toilet seat lifting / lowering device 1.

  The stepping motor 7 is a so-called PM type stepping motor, and as shown in FIG. 3B, the outer surface of the rotor 76 and the outer surface of the magnet 75a including a ring-shaped magnet 75a whose outer peripheral surface is multipolarly magnetized in the circumferential direction. Is provided with a stator 77 facing the front. The stator 77 has two drive coils arranged along the optical axis direction. Each drive coil is sandwiched between the outer stator core and the inner stator core from both sides in the optical axis direction, and the outer stator core and the inner stator core are formed with a plurality of pole teeth arranged alternately along the inner peripheral surface of the drive coil. Yes.

  The reduction gear train 70 includes a first reduction gear 71 that includes a large-diameter gear that meshes with a pinion 74 a provided in the rotor 76, and a second reduction gear that includes a large-diameter gear that meshes with the first reduction gear 71. 72, a third reduction gear 73 having a large diameter gear meshing with the small diameter gear of the second reduction gear 72, and an output gear having a large diameter gear 81 meshing with the small diameter gear of the third reduction gear 73 8, an output pinion 80 is formed at one end of the output gear 8, and the output pinion 80 meshes with the rack 53 of the right slider 51. As the right slider 51 moves up and down, the left slider 52 and the movable plate 6 attached to cover the front and upper surfaces of the left slider 52 and the right slider 51 are driven.

(Configuration of toilet seat unit position detection means)
As shown in FIG. 3B, the output gear 8 has a small-diameter gear 82 at the end opposite to the output pinion 80 with a large-diameter gear 81 interposed therebetween. The sensor gear 15 that meshes with the small-diameter gear 82 is disposed. The end of the rotation shaft 105 of the sensor gear 15 protrudes from the vertical surface 22 of the fixed plate 2 to the back side. The protruding end portion has a D-shaped cross-section, and a D-shaped hole in the rotary portion of the potentiometer 14 is fitted therein. For this reason, when the rotating shaft 105 of the sensor gear 15 rotates, the rotary portion of the potentiometer 14 rotates integrally.

  Here, while the output pinion 80 drives the entire range of the rack 53 of the right slider 51, the sensor gear 15 is configured with the number of teeth so that the rotation is accommodated in less than one rotation. For this reason, the potentiometer 14 outputs a signal corresponding to the angular position of the rotation shaft (rotary part) of the sensor gear 15, so that the vertical position of the right slider 51, that is, the lift position of the toilet seat unit 5 can be detected. it can.

(Stopper configuration)
As shown in FIGS. 2 (c) and 2 (d), square holes 55 are opened on the back sides of the left and right sliders 51, 52 at portions facing the vertical surface 22 of the fixed plate 2. In each of these square holes 55, an engagement member 95 is disposed so as to be able to advance and retreat in the horizontal direction, and in the back thereof, a spring 96 that biases the engagement member 95 toward the vertical surface 22 of the fixed plate 2. Is arranged. On the other hand, on the vertical surface 22 of the fixed plate 2, the tip of the engaging member 95 is positioned below the line through which the engaging member 95 passes when the left and right sliders 51 and 52 are moved up and down. The lower concave portion 97 that enters is formed on the left and right, while the upper concave portion 98 into which the distal end portion of the engaging member 95 enters is formed on the left and right.

  For this reason, the engagement members 95 and the springs 96 on the left and right sliders 51 and 52 side, and the lower recess 97 on the vertical surface 22 side of the fixed plate 2 are left and right when the toilet seat 12 (toilet seat unit) is lowered. It functions as a first stopper 91 that defines the holding position of the sliders 51 and 52. Further, the left and right sliders 51, 52 side engaging member 95 and spring 96, and the upper recess 98 on the vertical surface 22 side of the fixed plate 2 are the left and right sliders 51 when the toilet seat 12 (toilet seat unit) is raised. , 52 functions as a second stopper 92 that defines the holding position. In both the first stopper 91 and the second stopper 92, a click feeling is generated when the engaging member 95 is engaged with the lower concave portion 97 and the upper concave portion 98.

(Configuration of rotor)
4A and 4B are a plan view showing a rotor of a stepping motor used in the toilet seat lifting apparatus to which the present invention is applied, and a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line DD 'in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the rotor 76 includes a magnet 75a, a magnet rotating body 75 that is rotatably supported by a fixed shaft 78, and a pinion that is rotatably supported by the magnet rotating body 75 and includes a pinion 74a. The rotating body 74 is constituted.

  As shown in FIG. 4B, the magnet rotating body 75 includes an outer cylindrical portion 75b having a magnet 75a fixed to the outer wall and an uneven tooth portion 75e formed on the inner wall, and an inner side of the outer cylindrical portion 75b. And an inner cylindrical portion 75c whose inner wall slides with the fixed shaft 78 (see FIG. 3B), and a connecting portion 75d that integrally connects the inner cylindrical portion 75c and the outer cylindrical portion 75b. It is configured.

  On the other hand, the pinion rotating body 74 has a cylindrical portion 74b whose inner wall slides with the outer wall of the inner cylindrical portion 75c of the magnet rotating body 75. The pinion 74a is formed on the upper side of the outer wall of the cylindrical portion 74b, and From the side, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), a ratchet arm 74c extending so as to curve along the outer wall is formed to project in the V direction. The tip end of the ratchet arm 74 c is a claw portion 74 d that engages with a tooth portion 75 e formed on the inner wall of the outer cylinder portion 75 b of the magnet rotating body 75. Accordingly, the claw portion 74d is in contact with the tooth portion 75e while being urged in the radial direction by the ratchet arm 74c. That is, in this embodiment, the ratchet mechanism 79 as a torque limiter is constituted by the ratchet arm 74c and the tooth portion 75e. In the case of this embodiment, the load that can be transmitted by the driving force of the stepping motor 7 is configured to be larger than the overload that is blocked by the ratchet mechanism 79. As described above, in this embodiment, the ratchet mechanism 79 is used as the torque limiter. However, the present invention is not necessarily limited to the ratchet mechanism 79, and various torque limiters can be used.

(Explanation of toilet seat lifting and lowering)
5 (a) and 5 (b) are an explanatory diagram showing a state in which the movable member on which the toilet seat unit is mounted is in the lowest position and an explanatory diagram in which the movable member is in the uppermost position in the toilet seat lifting / lowering apparatus to which the present invention is applied. It is. 5A and 5B correspond to a cross section taken along the line AA ′ in FIG.

  The toilet seat lifting / lowering device 1 of this embodiment is used in a state where the fixed plate 2 is fixed to the upper surface portion of the toilet body 11 (see FIG. 1), while the toilet seat unit 10 is attached to the upper surface 60 of the movable plate 6.

  Before starting cleaning or the like, as shown in FIG. 5A, the toilet seat 12 is on the upper surface of the toilet body 11, and the toilet seat unit 10 and the movable plate 6 are in the lowest position. In this state, the distal end portion of the engaging member 95 engages with the lower concave portion 97 of the vertical surface 22 of the fixed plate 2 and functions as the first stopper 91. Therefore, in this lowest position, the toilet seat unit 10 does not rise carelessly due to the engaging force of the first stopper 91, the detent torque of the stepping motor 7, and the dead weight of the toilet seat unit 10. In this state, the potentiometer 14 outputs that the toilet seat unit 10 is at the lowest position.

  From this state, when the toilet seat unit 10 is to be lifted to start cleaning, when a predetermined switch operation is performed, the stepping motor 7 rotates in the positive direction for a predetermined number of steps or for a predetermined time. As a result, the rotational kinetic force of the stepping motor 7 is transmitted to the output pinion 80 via the speed reduction wheel train 70, and the output pinion 80 ascends the right slider 51 via the rack 53 as shown in FIG. Let Accordingly, the engagement with the first stopper 91 is released, and the left slider 52, the movable plate 6, and the toilet seat unit 10 are raised integrally with the right slider 51.

  Then, until the toilet seat unit 10 is raised until the engagement with the second stopper 92 is performed, the stepping motor 7 stops. In the meantime, the small gear 82 of the output gear 8 rotates the sensor gear 15 and the output of the potentiometer 14 changes, so that it can be detected from the output that the toilet seat unit 10 has been raised to a predetermined position. Further, the fact that the toilet seat unit 10 has been raised to a predetermined position can be notified by a click sound generated by the second stopper 92. Furthermore, when the toilet seat unit 10 is stopped at the uppermost position, the toilet seat unit 10 does not fall by its own weight due to the engaging force of the second stopper 92 and the detent torque of the stepping motor 7.

  On the other hand, when cleaning is completed and the toilet seat unit 10 is to be lowered, if the predetermined switch operation is performed in the state shown in FIG. 5B, the stepping motor 7 reverses the predetermined number of steps or for a predetermined time. Rotate in the direction. As a result, the rotational kinetic force of the stepping motor 7 is transmitted to the output pinion 80 via the reduction gear train 70, and the output pinion 80 moves the right slider 51 via the rack 53 as shown in FIG. Lower. Therefore, the engagement with the second stopper 92 is released, and the left slider 52, the movable plate 6, and the toilet seat unit 10 are lowered integrally with the right slider 51.

  Then, until the toilet seat unit 10 is lowered until the engagement with the first stopper 91 is performed, the stepping motor 7 stops. In the meantime, the small gear 82 of the output gear 8 reversely rotates the sensor gear 15 and the output of the potentiometer 14 changes, so that it can be detected from the output that the toilet seat unit 10 has been lowered to a predetermined position. . Further, the fact that the toilet seat unit 10 has been lowered to a predetermined position can be notified by a click sound generated by the first stopper 91.

(Description of ratchet mechanism operation)
In this embodiment, the ratchet mechanism 79 is applied when an overload is applied in the direction in which the toilet seat unit 10 is lowered during the driving regardless of whether the stepping motor 7 is driven in the forward or reverse direction. As a result, the connection between the stepping motor 7 and the toilet seat unit 10 is cut off. That is, in this embodiment, when the toilet seat unit 10 is floated, the magnet rotating body 75 is rotated in the V direction shown in FIG. 4A, so that the claw portion 74d of the pinion rotating body 74 is in the circumferential direction of the tooth portion 75e. The pinion rotating body 74 is brought into contact with the wall portion 75f side of the magnet and is rotated following the magnet rotating body 75. Here, when a load is applied to the toilet seat unit 10, the contact pressure between the claw portion 74d and the wall portion 75f of the tooth portion 75e increases. Although the engagement between the two is maintained until the maximum contact pressure at which the engagement between the two can be maintained is reached, in the case of this embodiment, the transmission that can be transmitted by the driving force of the stepping motor 7 is blocked by the ratchet mechanism 79. Therefore, before the stepping motor steps out, the maximum contact pressure that can maintain the engagement between the two exceeds the maximum contact pressure. As a result, the ratchet arm 74c extending in the V direction is bent inward, and the claw portion 75d gets over the wall portion 75f. That is, when an overload exceeding the maximum contact pressure is applied to the toilet seat unit 10, the ratchet mechanism 79 provided between the pinion rotating body 74 and the magnet rotating body 75 functions, and the rotation of the magnet rotating body 75 is maintained. However, the pinion rotating body 74 cannot follow the rotation of the magnet rotating body 75 and the connection between the stepping motor 7 and the toilet seat unit 10 is cut off.

(Effect of this embodiment)
As described above, in the toilet seat lifting / lowering device 1 of the present embodiment, the drive mechanism 5 is configured to electrically lift and lower the movable plate 6 to which the toilet seat unit 10 is attached. When cleaning the back, there is no need to lift or depress the toilet seat unit 10 by hand. Therefore, the burden at the time of cleaning a western style toilet can be reduced. Further, when the ratchet mechanism 79 raises or lowers the movable plate 6, the connection between the stepping motor 7 and the movable plate 6 against the overload in the direction in which the movable plate 6 is lowered is cut off. When the user sits on the seat, the operator switches the toilet seat unit 10 by mistake, or when the toilet seat unit 10 is raised or lowered, an excessive force may cause the user to sit on the toilet seat 12 accidentally. When added, the drive mechanism can be prevented from being damaged.

  Further, since the load that can be transmitted by the driving force of the stepping motor 7 is configured to be larger than the overload that is blocked by the ratchet mechanism 79, the stepping motor 7 that can transmit a load larger than the overload is used. Can do. Therefore, the drive speed of the movable plate 6 can be increased by reducing the gears of the reduction gear train 70 or reducing the number of teeth. In addition, since the ratchet mechanism 79 functions before the magnet rotating body 75 steps out, the inertia force of the magnet rotating body 75 caused by stepping out and rotating at high speed due to an overload is caused between the gears of the reduction wheel train 70. Breakage such as disengagement and missing teeth can be prevented.

(Other embodiments)
In addition, although the toilet seat unit 10 of the said embodiment is comprised so that it may descend | fall automatically using the stepper motor 7, the toilet seat unit 10 may be lowered manually. That is, in the above-described embodiment, the stepping motor 7 and the output pinion 80 are connected by the reduction gear train 70. Therefore, even when the toilet seat unit 10 is manually lowered, the load generated corresponding to the reduction ratio of the reduction gear train 70 has an appropriate resistance together with the detent torque of the stepping motor 7 and the toilet seat unit 10 is slowly Since it falls, it can prevent that the toilet seat unit 10 collides with the toilet body 11 vigorously. Therefore, even if a damper mechanism is not provided, the toilet seat unit 10 and the toilet body 11 are not damaged.

  In the ratchet mechanism 79 of the above-described embodiment, when the movable plate 6 is raised or lowered, the connection between the stepping motor 7 and the movable plate 6 is cut off due to an overload applied in the direction in which the movable plate 6 is lowered. However, when the movable plate 6 is raised or lowered, the connection between the stepping motor 7 and the movable plate 6 is cut off against an overload in the direction of raising the movable plate 6. Also good. At this time, as in the above-described embodiment, when an overload is applied in the direction in which the toilet seat unit 10 is lowered, in the case where the pinion rotating body 74 rotates in the W direction, the ratchet arm 74c On the other hand, it is necessary to project in the W direction. With this configuration, the drive mechanism can be prevented from being damaged when an excessive force that erroneously lifts the toilet seat 12 is applied while the toilet seat unit 10 is being raised or lowered.

  Furthermore, the ratchet mechanism 79 is movable with the stepping motor 7 to both the overload applied in the direction in which the movable plate 6 is lowered and the overload applied in the direction in which the movable plate 6 is raised when the movable plate 6 is raised or lowered. You may comprise so that the connection with the plate 6 may be interrupted | blocked. For example, when the ratchet mechanism 79 of the above-described embodiment is used, the movable plate 6 is formed by forming a wall portion 75g of the tooth portion 75e with an inclined surface opposite to the inclined surface of the wall portion 75f in the circumferential direction. It is possible to release the claw portion 74d to the inside even with an overload in the direction of raising the height. As a result, it is possible to cut off the connection between the stepping motor 7 and the movable plate 6 with respect to both the overload in the direction in which the movable plate 6 is lowered and the overload in the direction in which the movable plate 6 is raised.

(A), (b) is explanatory drawing which shows the state which raised the toilet seat, and the state which raised the toilet seat from the toilet body main body in the western style toilet unit using the toilet seat raising / lowering apparatus to which this invention is applied, respectively. . (A), (b), (c), (d) is a plan view, a front view, a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line AA ′ of FIG. It is a schematic sectional drawing in the BB 'line of 2 (a). (A), (b) is the front view of the state which removed the movable plate and the left side slider from the toilet seat raising / lowering apparatus to which this invention is applied, and the schematic sectional drawing in the C-C 'line | wire of Fig.3 (a). (A), (b) is a top view which shows the rotor of the stepping motor used for the toilet seat raising / lowering apparatus to which this invention is applied, and a schematic sectional drawing in the D-D 'line | wire of Fig.4 (a). (A), (b) is explanatory drawing which shows the state in which the movable member which mounted the toilet seat unit is in the lowest position, and explanatory drawing which has a movable member in the highest position in the toilet seat raising / lowering apparatus to which this invention is applied. .

Explanation of symbols

1 Toilet seat elevating device 2 Fixing plate (fixing member)
3 Stopper plate 5 Drive mechanism 6 Movable plate (movable member)
7 Stepping motor (drive source)
8 Output gear 10 Toilet seat unit 11 Toilet bowl body 12 Toilet seat 41, 42 Guide shaft (guide mechanism)
51 Right slider 52 Left slider 53 Rack 70 Reduction gear train 71, 72, 73 Reduction gear 74 Pinion rotating body 74a Pinion 75 Magnet rotating body 75a Magnet 76 Rotor 77 Stator 78 Fixed shaft 79 Ratchet mechanism (torque limiter)
80 output pinion 91 first stopper 92 second stopper

Claims (6)

In a toilet seat lifting apparatus having a fixed member fixed to the toilet body side of a Western-style toilet, a movable member to which a toilet seat unit is attached, and a guide mechanism for guiding the movable member in the vertical direction,
A drive mechanism capable of electrically raising or lowering the movable member with respect to the fixed member;
The drive mechanism includes a drive source coupled to be able to drive the movable member, and a torque limiter that blocks coupling of the drive source and the movable member against an overload applied when the movable member is raised or lowered. A toilet seat lifting and lowering device characterized by comprising:   2. The toilet seat lifting / lowering apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a motor is used as the driving source, and a load that can be transmitted by the driving force of the motor is larger than the overload that is blocked by the torque limiter.   The toilet seat lifting / lowering device according to claim 1, wherein the torque limiter cuts off the connection between the driving source and the movable member against an overload in a direction in which the movable member is lowered.   4. The toilet seat lifting / lowering device according to claim 1, wherein the torque limiter is constituted by a ratchet mechanism.   The toilet seat lifting / lowering device according to claim 2, further comprising: a reduction gear train that uses a motor as the drive source and decelerates and transmits the drive force of the motor to the movable member. 6. The toilet seat lifting / lowering device according to claim 2, wherein a stepping motor is used as the motor.

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