JP2006034365A - Toilet seat device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toilet seat device capable of reducing the cost by reducing the number of components and improving the usability by miniaturization. <P>SOLUTION: This toilet seat device reduces the speed of the driving force of a motor 1 via a speed reducing mechanism, transmits the driving force to a toilet seat and a toilet lid via output shafts 13 and 14, and electrically opens/closes the toilet seat and the toilet lid. This device is provided with a differential gear mechanism 4 selectively transmitting the driving force to the rotating shaft of the toilet seat or the rotating shaft of the toilet lid and operating it, the rotating shaft of the toilet seat and the rotating shaft of the toilet lid are driven via respectively different driving force transmitting systems, and when the opening/closing of either of the toilet seat or the toilet lid is restricted, the other is opened/closed. This device is further provided with a rotation detecting means detecting rotation physical quantities such as rotating angles of the respective rotating shaft driving mechanisms of the toilet seat and the toilet. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a toilet seat device, and in particular, the driving force of a motor is decelerated via a speed reduction mechanism, and the driving force is transmitted to the toilet seat and the toilet lid via an output shaft so that the toilet seat and the toilet lid can be electrically opened and closed. It is related with the toilet seat apparatus.

  The toilet seat apparatus as described above has a toilet seat 201 and a toilet lid 202 as shown in FIG. 8, for example, and has been conventionally disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-219076, as shown in FIG. 2. Description of the Related Art A motor including an electric opening / closing unit 100 configured to include a motor 101, reduction gears 102 to 105 corresponding to a reduction mechanism, and an output gear 106 is known.

9A is a plan view of the electric opening / closing unit 100, FIG. 9B is a side view of the electric opening / closing unit 100, and the driving force of the motor 101 is transmitted through reduction gears 102 to 105 as shown in FIG. Are transmitted to the output gear 106 and further transmitted to an output shaft 107 attached to the output gear 106. One end of the output shaft 107 is attached to the toilet seat 201 or the toilet lid 202, and a mechanism for electrically opening and closing the toilet seat 201 and the toilet lid 202 by rotating the motor 101 in the forward direction or the reverse direction. It has become.
JP 2002-219076 A

  However, in the case of the above configuration, it is necessary to provide the electric opening / closing unit 100 in each of the toilet seat 201 and the toilet lid 202, and there is a problem that the toilet seat device 200 is increased in size or increased in cost. In order to cope with this, it is conceivable to use a differential mechanism to have one motor, but in that case, when the toilet seat 201 and the toilet lid 202 are manually opened and closed, from either one to the other side. It is assumed that problems such as the handling force being transmitted and pinching the hand will occur, and there are concerns about usability problems.

  The present invention is intended to solve the problems of such a conventional configuration, and it is possible to reduce the cost by reducing the number of parts, and to realize a toilet seat device that is compact and easy to use. It is intended to do.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention reduces the driving force of the motor via the speed reduction mechanism and transmits the driving force to the toilet seat and the toilet lid via the output shaft to electrically drive the toilet seat and the toilet lid. And a differential gear mechanism that selectively transmits the driving force to the rotating shaft of the toilet seat and the rotating shaft of the toilet lid, and operates the rotary shaft of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. When the opening and closing of either the toilet seat or the toilet lid is restricted by being driven through different driving force transmission systems, the other is opened and closed, and the toilet seat and the toilet lid are rotated. A rotation detection means for detecting a rotation physical quantity such as a rotation angle of the shaft drive mechanism is provided.

  Further, the second problem solving means uses the rotation physical quantity detection as rotation information related to the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. In the rotation information, the position angle is set to a predetermined angle during the opening operation of the toilet lid. The rotation speed of the motor is increased when the opening angle of the toilet seat has changed from the closing operation direction to the opening operation direction.

  Further, the third problem solving means uses the rotation physical quantity detection as rotation information related to the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. In the rotation information, the position angle reaches a predetermined angle during the closing operation of the toilet seat. The rotation speed of the motor is increased when the opening angle of the toilet lid has previously changed from the opening operation direction to the closing operation direction.

  The operation of the first problem solving means is as follows. In other words, a differential gear mechanism is provided that selectively transmits the driving force of the motor to the rotating shaft of the toilet seat and the rotating shaft of the toilet lid, and the rotating shaft of the toilet seat and the rotating shaft of the toilet lid are transmitted differently. In the configuration driven through the system, when the opening / closing of either the toilet seat or the toilet lid is restricted, the other is opened / closed, and the rotation shaft driving mechanism of each of the toilet seat and the toilet lid is rotated. By detecting the rotation physical quantity such as the rotation angle, there is no need to separately provide a transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the rotation shaft of the toilet seat and the toilet lid, and the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid Therefore, a toilet seat device that can be reduced in cost by reducing the number of components and that is easy to control the driving force of the motor can be realized.

  In addition, the second problem solving means has an effect that rotation physical quantity detection is rotation information related to the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid, and the position angle is a predetermined angle during the opening operation of the toilet lid. When the opening angle of the toilet seat is changed from the closing operation direction to the opening operation direction before reaching the position of the toilet seat, the rotation speed of the motor is increased, so that the toilet lid is operated in the closing direction by the operation of the toilet seat. This suppresses overload on the motor and gear mechanism.

  In addition, the third problem solving means operates by detecting rotation physical quantity detection as rotation information related to the opening angle of the toilet seat and toilet lid. In the rotation information, the position angle is set to a predetermined angle during the closing operation of the toilet seat. When the opening angle of the toilet lid has changed from the opening operation direction to the closing operation direction, the rotation speed of the motor is increased so that the toilet seat can be operated in the closing direction by operating the toilet lid. This suppresses overloading of the motor and the gear mechanism.

  As described above, the toilet seat device of the present invention does not require a separate transmission mechanism for transmitting the driving force of the motor to the toilet seat and the rotary shaft of the toilet lid, and the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid can be grasped. As a result, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced, and a toilet seat device that is compact and easy to use can be realized.

  In addition, since the operation of the toilet seat or the toilet lid in the closing direction of the other of the toilet seat or the toilet lid is suppressed, an overload on the motor and the gear mechanism is suppressed.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of a toilet seat device of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  This toilet seat device decelerates the driving force of the motor via the speed reduction mechanism and transmits the driving force to the toilet seat and the toilet lid via the output shafts 13 and 14 as described in the background art section. A toilet seat device that can electrically open and close the toilet seat and the toilet lid, and includes a differential gear mechanism 4 that selectively transmits the driving force to the rotating shaft of the toilet seat and the rotating shaft of the toilet lid, and operates. The rotation axis of the toilet seat and the rotation axis of the toilet lid are driven through different driving force transmission systems to restrict the opening and closing of either the toilet seat or the toilet lid, and the other is opened and closed, and Rotation detecting means for detecting a rotation physical quantity such as a rotation angle of the rotation shaft driving mechanism of each of the toilet seat and the toilet lid is provided.

  The rotation physical quantity detection is rotation information related to the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. In the rotation information, the opening angle of the toilet seat is set during the opening operation of the toilet lid and before the position angle reaches a predetermined angle. The rotational speed of the motor is also increased when there is a state change from the closing operation direction to the opening operation direction. Further, the rotation physical quantity detection is rotation information related to the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. In the rotation information, the opening angle of the toilet lid is set during the closing operation of the toilet seat and before the position angle reaches a predetermined angle. The rotation speed of the motor is also increased when there is a state change from the opening operation direction to the closing operation direction.

  Specifically, FIG. 1 shows an electric opening / closing unit that is a main part of the toilet seat device, 1 is a motor that electrically drives the toilet seat and the toilet lid, and intermediate gears 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, toilet seat side output gear 7, toilet lid side output gear 10, and differential gear mechanism 4 disposed between the intermediate gears 3, 5, 8, and the casings 11, 12 shown in FIG. 2. Decorated in.

  The intermediate gears 5 and 8 are provided with angle sensors 24 and 25 corresponding to rotation detecting means for detecting the rotation angle of the toilet seat or the toilet lid, respectively, and the toilet seat side output gear 7 and the toilet lid side output gear. 10, a toilet seat-side output shaft 13 and a toilet lid-side output shaft 14 are attached to the toilet seat and the toilet lid, respectively. The toilet seat-side output shaft 13 and the toilet lid-side output shaft 14 are connected to each other. Thus, the toilet seat and the toilet lid similar to the toilet seat 201 and the toilet lid 202 described in the background art section are electrically opened and closed.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 4, the differential gear mechanism 4 is provided with a differential case 15 having gears on its outer periphery, and bevel gears 16 and 17 disposed facing the inside thereof, and further, To engage with the bevel gears 16, 17, there are provided a toilet lid side differential gear 18, a toilet seat side differential gear 19, and a case holder 20 in which a bevel gear and a spur gear are integrated, and these gears and the above-described differential. The case 15 rotates coaxially.

  That is, as shown in the figure, when a driving force for rotating the differential case 15 in the A direction is transmitted, the driving force is transmitted to the toilet lid side differential gear 18 and the toilet seat side differential gear 19 through the bevel gears 16 and 17. However, at this time, for example, if the opening / closing of the toilet seat is restricted, the load on the toilet seat side differential gear 19 is increased, and the bevel gears 16 and 17 are bevel gears with respect to the differential case 15 while rotating in the A direction with respect to the shaft. 16 rotates in the C direction, and the bevel gear 17 rotates in the opposite D direction. As a result, the toilet lid side differential gear 18 rotates in the A direction. Further, if the opening / closing of the toilet lid is restricted, the load on the toilet lid side differential gear 18 is increased, and the toilet lid side differential gear 18 is stationary. At this time, the toilet seat side differential gear 19 is rotated.

  The angle sensors 24 and 25 detect the rotation angles of the intermediate gears 5 and 8 corresponding to the drive mechanisms of the toilet seat side output shaft 13 and the toilet lid side output shaft 14 which are the rotation shafts of the toilet seat and the toilet lid, respectively. . In this toilet seat apparatus, as shown in FIG. 5, the rotation angle detection result is input to a control circuit C mainly composed of a microcomputer as rotation information relating to the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. Then, the motor 1 provided in the electric opening / closing unit is controlled.

  Specifically, in the control based on the procedure shown in the schematic flowchart shown in FIG. 6, first, when a change in the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid is detected (S1), the operation mode (state) of the toilet seat and the toilet lid is changed. A determination of the current operation state, such as either the opening operation direction or the closing operation direction, is made (S2). Next, based on the determination result, calculation processing for motor control is performed based on the processing mode table shown in FIG. 7 (S3), and the motor 1 is controlled as described later (S4).

  The operation of the above configuration will be described below with reference to FIG. When the toilet lid 202 and the toilet seat 201 are both closed, the toilet lid-side output gear 10 is easily rotated because the load in the opening direction of the toilet lid 202 is spring-biased by the biasing spring 23. . In this state, when the motor 1 is driven in a direction to open the toilet lid 202 and the toilet seat 201, the toilet lid 202 starts to open while the toilet seat 201 remains stationary. Thereafter, when the toilet lid 202 reaches the open state, the toilet seat 201 is then driven. Further, in the state where both the toilet lid 202 and the toilet seat 201 are open, the toilet lid output gear 10 is difficult to move because of the load by the biasing spring 23. When the motor 1 is driven in the closed state in this state, the toilet seat 201 starts the closing operation while the toilet lid 202 remains stationary. Thereafter, when the toilet seat 201 reaches the closed state, the toilet lid 202 starts to move.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 7 (a), when the toilet seat 201 and the toilet lid 202 are manually operated, the opening angle of the toilet seat 201 is changed by manual operation from the previously known operating state of the motor 1. It is detected that there has been a state change from the closing operation direction to the opening operation direction and that the opening angle of the toilet lid 202 has been changed from the opening operation direction to the closing operation direction. The lid 202 is driven, and the rotational speed and direction of the motor 1 are controlled as shown in FIG. As described above, since the opening angles of the toilet seat 201 and the toilet lid 202 can be grasped, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced, and the toilet seat device can be downsized and can easily control the driving force of the motor. It is realized.

  Specifically, in the rotation information by the angle sensors 24 and 25, it is detected that the toilet seat 201 has been operated. For example, during the opening operation of the toilet lid 202, the toilet seat before the position angle reaches a predetermined angle. When the opening angle of the motor 1 changes from the closing operation direction to the opening operation direction, the rotation speed of the motor 1 is increased, whereby the operation of the toilet lid 202 in the closing direction is suppressed by the operation of the toilet seat 201. In addition, in the rotation information, it is detected that the toilet lid 202 has been operated, and conversely, the opening angle of the toilet lid 202 is during the closing operation of the toilet seat 201 and before the position angle reaches a predetermined angle. When the state changes from the opening operation direction to the closing operation direction, the rotation speed of the motor 1 is increased, so that the operation of the toilet seat 201 in the closing direction is suppressed by the operation of the toilet lid 202. , Motor 1 and gear Is the effect is exhibited that overloading of the mechanism is suppressed.

  Therefore, according to the toilet seat device described above, the differential gear mechanism 4 that selectively transmits the driving force of the motor 1 to the rotating shaft of the toilet seat and the rotating shaft of the toilet lid and operates is provided. The angle sensor corresponding to the rotation detecting means is configured such that when the opening / closing of either the toilet seat or the toilet lid is restricted, the other is opened / closed in a configuration in which the rotation shaft is driven through different driving force transmission systems. Rotation physical quantities such as the rotation angles of the rotary shaft drive mechanisms of the toilet seat and the toilet lid are detected via 24 and 25 to transmit the driving force of the motor 1 to the rotary shafts of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. Since there is no need to provide a separate transmission mechanism and the opening angle of the toilet seat and toilet lid can be grasped, the number of parts can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. Is Next, it hereinafter, is achieved good toilet seat apparatus usability miniaturized with a small number of parts.

  Then, the rotation physical quantity detection is used as rotation information related to the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. In the rotation information, the opening angle of the toilet seat is closed before the position angle reaches a predetermined angle during the opening operation of the toilet lid. The rotational speed of the motor is increased when there is a state change from the operation direction to the opening operation direction, or during the closing operation of the toilet seat and before the position angle reaches a predetermined angle, Since the rotational speed of the motor is increased when the opening angle changes from the opening operation direction to the closing operation direction, the operation of one of the toilet seat or the toilet lid causes the other closing direction of the toilet seat or the toilet lid. This suppresses the overload on the motor 1 and the gear mechanism.

  It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it is obvious that each embodiment can be appropriately changed within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. For example, in this embodiment, a bevel gear is used as a differential mechanism. Although what was used was used, you may use other differential mechanisms, such as a planetary gear.

The top view which shows the gear arrangement of the electric opening / closing unit used for the toilet seat apparatus which shows 1st embodiment of this invention. The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the electric opening / closing unit used for the toilet seat apparatus It is sectional drawing which shows the gear structure of the electric opening / closing unit used for the toilet seat apparatus, (a) Toilet seat side gear block diagram, (b) is a toilet lid side gear block diagram Explanatory drawing of the differential gear mechanism in the electric switching unit used for the toilet seat device Block diagram showing the signal system of the toilet seat device Schematic flowchart showing the control procedure of the toilet seat device An example of the control state of the toilet seat device is shown, (a) is a list of operation modes, (b) is an explanatory diagram of motor control conditions. Explanatory drawing of toilet seat and toilet lid operation used for toilet seat device Explanatory drawing of the electric opening and closing unit used for the conventional toilet seat device

Explanation of symbols

1 Motor 4 Differential gear mechanism 13 Toilet seat side output shaft (output shaft)
14 Toilet lid side output shaft (output shaft)
24, 25 Angle sensor (rotation detection means)

Claims (3)

A toilet seat device that decelerates the driving force of the motor via a speed reduction mechanism and transmits the driving force to the toilet seat and the toilet lid via an output shaft so that the toilet seat and the toilet lid can be opened and closed electrically.
A differential gear mechanism that selectively transmits and operates the driving force between the rotating shaft of the toilet seat and the rotating shaft of the toilet lid, and the rotating shaft of the toilet seat and the rotating shaft of the toilet lid pass through different driving force transmission systems. When it is driven to limit the opening / closing of either the toilet seat or the toilet lid, the other is opened / closed, and the rotation physical quantity such as the rotation angle of the rotation shaft drive mechanism of each toilet seat and toilet lid is detected. A toilet seat device provided with rotation detection means.   The rotation physical quantity detection is rotation information related to the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. In the rotation information, the opening angle of the toilet seat is closed before the position angle reaches a predetermined angle during the opening operation of the toilet lid. The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the rotational speed of the motor is increased when there is a state change from the direction to the opening operation direction.   The rotation physical quantity detection is rotation information related to the opening angle of the toilet seat and the toilet lid. In the rotation information, the opening angle of the toilet lid is opened before the position angle reaches a predetermined angle during the closing operation of the toilet seat. 2. The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the rotational speed of the motor is increased when there is a state change from the direction to the closing operation direction.

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