JP2008237489A - Toilet seat device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toilet seat device which proves more comfortable to sit on. <P>SOLUTION: The toilet seat 4 has a base member 50 as a rigid body provided with a cavity 58 in the interior, a portion on which a user sits, a cover member 40 on which a user sits, formed of a material softer than the material of the base member 50, and covering at least the top face 52a of the base member 50 and detachably attached to the base member 50, and an electric heater 56 arranged in the cavity 58. The cover member 40 is formed of a foamed polyethylene foamed by a factor of 5 to 30. The surface temperature of the cover member 40 is controlled to about 30°C on condition that the ambient temperature is 20°C. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a toilet seat device.

A known toilet seat device is described in Patent Document 1 described later. The toilet seat device includes a base member (toilet seat housing) having a cavity therein, a portion on which a user is seated, a covering member that covers at least an upper surface of the base member and is detachably attached to the base member. And a heater disposed in the cavity. The covering member is made of a foamed resin (such as a foamed urethane resin) that is softer than the material of the base member and has elasticity.
JP 2006-197962 A

  In the above-mentioned thing, although a covering member is a site | part which a user's buttocks etc. contact directly, there is no concrete reference about the appropriate value of the surface temperature of a covering member. For this reason, although foam resin is used as a material for the covering member, a practical surface temperature setting utilizing the high heat insulation property of the soft and porous material called foam resin has not been sufficiently proposed, There was room for further study in terms of realizing an excellent sitting comfort.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat device that is more comfortable to sit on.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the technical means taken in the present invention are, as described in claim 1, a base member that is provided with a cavity and is a rigid body, and a portion on which a user sits. A covering member that is formed of a material softer than the material of the base member, covers at least an upper surface of the base member, and is detachably attached to the base member; and a heater disposed in the cavity; The covering member is formed of a foamed polyethylene resin having a foaming ratio of 5 to 30 times, and the surface temperature of the covering member is controlled to about 30 ° C. under a condition where the ambient temperature is 20 ° C. It is a configuration.

  Preferably, as described in claim 2, the surface temperature of the base member may be maintained at about 45 ° C. or less.

  Preferably, as described in claim 3, the thermal conductivity of the covering member is 0.005 to 0.05 W / mK.

  Preferably, as described in claim 4, the average thickness of the covering member is about 10 mm.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the surface temperature of the covering member is suitably set by taking advantage of the high heat insulation property of the foamed polyethylene resin, and the surface temperature of the covering member is about 30 under the condition that the ambient temperature is 20 ° C. Since it is controlled at ° C., a toilet seat device that is more comfortable for the user and more comfortable to sit can be realized.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, since the surface temperature of the base member is maintained at about 45 ° C. or less, the user inadvertently touches the surface of the base member when the covering member is removed for cleaning or the like. Even if touched or mistakenly seated, the user's safety is maintained.

  According to the third and fourth aspects of the present invention, since the covering member has physical characteristics suitable for controlling the surface temperature of the covering member, the surface temperature of the covering member can be controlled more efficiently.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  In FIGS. 1 to 3, 1 is a toilet bowl, 2 is a local body washing device, 21 is a rear device storage portion, 21a is an upper cover of the rear device storage portion, and 21b is a lower cover of the rear device storage portion. 3 is a toilet lid, 4 is a toilet seat, and is attached to the rear apparatus storage part 21 so that rotation is possible.

  In FIG. 4, an electric control board unit 211 that performs electric control of the toilet seat 4, a hot water cleaning nozzle 212, a hot water supply system unit 213, and a seating detection unit 214 are provided on the lower cover 21 b of the rear device storage unit 21.

  In FIG. 5, the toilet seat 4 (toilet seat device) includes a covering member 40 and a base member 50 to which the covering member 40 is attached. The covering member 40 includes a flat surface portion 41, a side surface portion 42, and a plurality of protrusions 43 provided on the lower surface of the flat surface portion 41. The covering member 40 is a portion on which a user is seated, and covers at least the upper surface 52 a of the base member 50. The covering member 40 is formed of a foamed polyethylene resin that is softer than the material of the base member 50. The expansion ratio of the expanded polyethylene resin is set to 5 to 30 times based on the experimental data shown in FIG. A component having antibacterial action and a flame retardant component are added to the material of the foamed polyethylene resin of the covering member 40 to ensure cleanliness and safety. The covering member 40 has elasticity and can be elastically deformed as the user is seated. In the covering member 40, the flat surface portion 41 and the side surface portion 42 have substantially the same thickness, and the average thickness is in the range of 8 mm to 15 mm (about 10 mm). It has also been experimentally obtained that the thermal conductivity of the covering member 40 made of foamed polyethylene resin having the above physical properties is in the range of 0.03 to 0.05 W / mK.

  The base member 50 is a rigid body and is configured by combining an upper member 52 and a lower member 51 made of resin, and a cavity 58 is provided therein. An electric heater 56 for heating is provided in the cavity 58. The heating electric heater 56 is fixed to the back surface of the upper member 52 with double-sided tape or the like. The heating electric heater 56 is provided with a cord-shaped heater wire 561. A plurality of fitting holes 523 are formed on the upper surface 52 a of the upper member 52 at positions corresponding to the plurality of protrusions 43 of the covering member 40. A plurality of the protrusions 43 and the fitting holes 523 are arranged in an arc shape or a horseshoe shape substantially symmetrically. In particular, the rear half of the peripheral region of the central opening 57 of the toilet seat 4 is often a place where the user's buttocks and thighs come into contact with each other. Since it is a part that is easily lifted off from 50, it is important that the mounting and fixing projection 43 and the fitting hole 523 are appropriately arranged in this region.

  Further, the heater wire 561 of the heating electric heater 56 is disposed so as to be as close as possible to the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 527 formed on the back side of the fitting hole 523 while avoiding the plurality of fitting holes 523 described above. ing. Thereby, the surface temperature by the heating electric heater 56 of the fixed fitting portion formed by the fitting hole 523 of the base member 50 and the projection 43 of the covering member 40 fitted thereto is higher than that of other portions. The rate of decline is minimized. In addition, the region where these buttocks contact is also a region where heating by the electric heater 56 for heating is necessary in winter, and is a region where both the function of both the prevention prevention fixing mechanism of the covering member 40 and the heating as uniform as possible are necessary. Yes, this structure can be established.

  6 and 7, the base member 50 has a configuration in which an upper member 52 and a lower member 51 are combined, and a heater wire 561 of a heating electric heater 56 is fixed to an aluminum sheet 562 for heat transfer therein. In this state, it is bonded to the lower surface of the upper member 52. Further, a heat insulating material 55 is mounted between the lower member 51 and the heater wire 561 to prevent the heat radiation toward the lower surface by the heater wire 561. Furthermore, the covering member 40 is mounted with the flat surface portion 41 and the side surface portion 42 corresponding to the shape of the surface (the upper surface 52a and the side surface 52b) of the upper member 52 of the base member 50, and the protrusion 43 of the flat surface portion 41 corresponds to the upper side. The small protrusions 42a and 42b are fitted into the corresponding concave portions 521a and 521b on the lower surface portions on both sides of the upper member 52 on the lower surface portions on both sides of the side surface portion 42. Thus, the covering member 40 is prevented from floating from the surface of the upper member 52. The flat surface portion 41 of the covering member 40 is provided with a seating surface 41 a on which a user is seated and a contact surface 41 b in contact with the upper surface 52 a of the upper member 52. In the flat portion 41 of the covering member 40, the contact surface 41b is provided on the back side of the seating surface 41a.

  In FIG. 8, the boss upper part 522 suspended from the lower surface of the central part of the upper member 52 of the base member 50 and the corresponding boss lower part 511 of the lower member 51 penetrate the lower member 51 with fastening screws 53, and both members are fastened. ing.

  In addition, a rubber leg 54 is attached to the fastening portion of the fastening screw 53 from the lower surface side of the lower member 51 in accordance with the position, and covers the fastening screw 53 so that the fastening screw 53 cannot be seen from the outside. It has become. This improves the appearance of the base member 50. Further, the rubber leg 54 has two assembling projections 541 and is fixed in a watertight manner through two corresponding rubber leg fitting holes 512 of the lower member 51.

  Although not shown, a water-tight wire-like packing is disposed on the combination of the inner periphery and the outer periphery of the upper member 52 and the lower member 51 of the base member 50, and the entire base member 50 is arranged. The watertightness is maintained.

  Here, the inventors of the present application applied the rated voltage to the heating electric heater 56 in the state shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 with the covering member 40 formed of a foamed polyethylene resin attached to the base member 50. When AC100V is energized and the surface temperature of the covering member 40 stabilizes after a predetermined time, the covering member 40 is actually seated on the covering member 40 by a method equivalent to the actual use state and is most preferable as a heating toilet seat. The surface temperature of was measured. As a result, when the ambient temperature was 20 ° C. (a typical ambient temperature in the spring and autumn seasons requiring a heated toilet seat), the temperature was 28.5 to 31.5 ° C. (about 30 ° C.). Moreover, the result that the surface temperature of the upper member 52 of the base member 50 to which the covering member 40 is attached at this time is 42.5 to 44.5 ° C. (about 45 ° C.) was obtained.

  Next, assuming the winter season in the same manner, only the ambient temperature was changed to 5 ° C., and the surface temperature of the covering member 40 was measured, and the temperature was 22-24 ° C. Therefore, as a result of confirming whether or not it can be said that the temperature as the heating toilet seat is in an appropriate range by actually sitting the same subject as described above, it was recognized that more than 90% of the subjects were in the appropriate temperature range. .

  Based on the above consideration, in the toilet seat device 4 of the present embodiment, the covering member 40 is formed of a foamed polyethylene resin having a foaming ratio of 5 to 30 times, and the surface temperature of the covering member 40 is a condition where the ambient temperature is 20 ° C. At about 30 ° C. At this time, the surface temperature of the base member 50 is maintained at about 45 ° C. or lower. The thermal conductivity of the covering member 40 is in the range of 0.005 to 0.1 W / mK, and the average thickness of the covering member 40 is set to about 10 mm.

  According to the present embodiment, the surface temperature of the covering member 40 is suitably set by taking advantage of the high heat insulation property of the foamed polyethylene resin, and the surface temperature of the covering member 40 is about 30 ° C. under the condition that the ambient temperature is 20 ° C. Since it is controlled, it is possible to realize the toilet seat device 4 that is more comfortable for the user and more comfortable to sit on.

  Moreover, the performance as a heating toilet seat was able to be satisfied at the temperature of about 30 degreeC lower than about 40 degreeC which is the general surface temperature of the conventional hard resin toilet seat on the conditions whose ambient temperature is 20 degreeC. Therefore, it is possible to provide a heating toilet seat having a high temperature safety and a user-friendly temperature that is not too hot for the user.

  Further, the surface temperature of the heat-insulating soft foamed polyethylene resin covering member 40 is lower than about 40 ° C. which is a general surface temperature of a conventional hard resin toilet seat, and about 30 lower than the human body temperature. Because it was able to satisfy the performance as a heated toilet seat at a temperature of ℃ (ambient temperature 20 ℃), even if elderly people or people with weak skin sit on the toilet seat for a long time, low temperature burns etc. occur A heated toilet seat with no fear can be provided.

  Further, since the surface temperature of the base member 50 is maintained at about 45 ° C. or less, when the covering member 40 is removed for cleaning or the like, the user may accidentally touch the surface of the base member 50 or sit down by mistake. Even if this happens, the user's safety is maintained. Since the toilet seat is a product that the user uses by directly touching the skin such as the buttocks, it is very important to maintain safety.

  Further, since the foamed polyethylene resin coating member 40 has suitable physical characteristics (thermal conductivity, average thickness) by controlling the surface temperature of the coating member 40, the surface temperature of the coating member 40 can be controlled more efficiently. .

The figure of the common toilet apparatus provided with the toilet seat 4 which concerns on this invention. The figure of the common toilet apparatus provided with the toilet seat 4 which concerns on this invention. The figure of the common toilet apparatus provided with the toilet seat 4 which concerns on this invention. The figure of the common toilet apparatus provided with the toilet seat 4 which concerns on this invention. The exploded perspective view of the toilet seat 4. FIG. Sectional drawing which follows the AA line in FIG. Sectional drawing which follows the BB line in FIG. Sectional drawing which follows the CC line | wire in FIG. The figure which shows the experimental data which concern on the setting of the expansion ratio of the foaming polyethylene resin which is the material of the coating | coated member 40. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

4 Toilet seat (toilet seat device)
40 Cover member 50 Base member 52a Top surface 56 Heating electric heater (heater)
58 cavity

Claims (4)

A base member which is hollow and has a rigid body;
A covering member that is a part on which a user is seated, is formed of a material softer than the material of the base member, covers at least the upper surface of the base member, and is detachably attached to the base member;
A heater disposed in the cavity;
A toilet seat device comprising:
The covering member is formed of a foamed polyethylene resin having an expansion ratio of 5 to 30 times, and the surface temperature of the covering member is controlled to about 30 ° C under a condition where the ambient temperature is 20 ° C.   The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein a surface temperature of the base member is maintained at about 45 ° C. or less.   The toilet seat device according to claim 2, wherein the covering member has a thermal conductivity of 0.005 to 0.1 W / mK.   The toilet seat device according to claim 3, wherein an average thickness of the covering member is about 10 mm.

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