JP2010264156A - Toilet seat device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve comfort by suppressing a damp and sticky feeling when seated, to save energy and to improve the safety. <P>SOLUTION: The toilet seat device includes a body 200 mounted on a toilet bowl 700, a toilet seat 400 incorporating a toilet seat heater 450, and control means 90. The toilet seat 400 is formed by joining an upper toilet seat casing 410, which is formed of metal and has a seated surface 411, to a lower toilet seat casing 420, includes an exterior member 430 covering the seated surface 411, and is formed with projections 431 and recesses 432 on the surface of the exterior member 430. The user's buttocks seated on the toilet seat 400 abuts on the projections 431 and does not abut on at least parts of the recesses 432 so as to reduce the contact area of the seated surface 411 with the buttocks and suppress the damp and sticky feeling when seated, thereby improving the comfort, and so as to reduce the heat transfer from the seated surface 411 to the user's buttocks, thereby saving the energy and improving the safety. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a toilet seat structure of a toilet seat device.

  Conventionally, the toilet seat of this type of toilet seat device is composed of an upper case made of aluminum and a lower case made of synthetic resin, and a basic structure in which a cavity is formed inside by joining the outer peripheral edge and the inner peripheral edge of each. The surface of the upper case made of aluminum is provided with a surface decorative layer by painting to give an anti-corrosion effect and an appearance image effect, and the upper case has an alumite treatment or a resin film attached to the back surface. Insulation performance is given (for example, refer to patent documents 1).

  FIG. 25 shows a sectional view of the upper case of the toilet seat in the conventional toilet seat device described in Patent Document 1. As shown in the figure, a decorative layer 2 is provided on the surface of the upper case 1 made of aluminum, and an alumite layer 3 is formed on the back surface of the upper case 1. A linear heater 4 is attached to the upper case 1.

JP 2008-036064 A

  However, in the conventional configuration, the cosmetic treatment applied to the surface of the upper case made of metal is performed by painting. In general, the surface of the coating is finished in a flat state, and even when the surface is uneven, only small granular unevenness is imparted. When sitting on a toilet seat having such a surface state, the entire surface of the user's buttocks is in close contact with the toilet seat, and the user may feel sticky and feel uncomfortable. In particular, discomfort increases when sweating in the summer.

  Also, when the toilet seat surface is flat or small, the toilet room is dry when the user is seated on the toilet seat, or when the user's buttocks skin is dry. In addition, the user's buttocks tend to slip sideways, and the seating position may not be determined when seated.

  Also, in the case of a momentary heating electric seat that instantaneously raises the temperature of the toilet seat immediately before the user is seated, the toilet seat and the entire buttocks of the user are in close contact with each other in the temperature rising process immediately after the user is seated on the toilet seat. In this case, since the heat of the toilet seat is transmitted to the user's buttocks, the rate of temperature increase of the toilet seat is slow, and the time until the comfortable temperature is reached may be long.

  Even after the toilet seat reaches the set temperature, the heat of the toilet seat is transmitted to the user's buttocks, so it consumes a lot of power energy to heat the toilet seat and must be predicted when seated abnormally for a long time. It had the problem of controlling low-temperature burns.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a comfortable toilet seat device by improving the feeling of use of the toilet seat and improving energy saving and safety.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a toilet seat device according to the present invention includes a main body placed on a toilet bowl, a toilet seat pivotally supported on the main body and incorporating a toilet seat heater, and control means for controlling the toilet seat heater. The toilet seat includes a substantially annular upper toilet seat casing having a seating surface formed of metal and a substantially annular lower toilet seat casing joined at the inner and outer peripheral edges, and covers at least the seating surface of the upper toilet seat casing. It is provided with a member, and a convex part and a concave part are formed on the surface of the exterior member, and the convex part located below the collar part of the user seated on the toilet seat is in contact with the collar part, and at least part of the concave part is not in contact with the collar part. It is characterized by.

  As a result, the contact area between the seating surface of the toilet seat and the user's buttocks is reduced, suppressing the sticky feeling when seated, and the seating position misalignment in the seated state due to some depression of the buttocks in the recess. It is possible to improve comfort and to improve energy saving and safety by reducing heat transfer from the seating surface to the user's buttocks. It becomes.

  The toilet seat device of the present invention can improve the comfort, energy saving, and safety of the toilet seat.

The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the state which installed the toilet seat apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention on the toilet bowl. The perspective view which shows the external appearance of the toilet seat in Embodiment 1 of this invention 1 is an exploded perspective view of a toilet seat according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. AA sectional view of the toilet seat shown in FIG. The schematic diagram which shows the cross section of the structure of the laminate film in Embodiment 1 of this invention The schematic diagram which shows the cross section of the 2nd structure of the laminate film in Embodiment 1 of this invention. The schematic diagram which shows the state which the user sat down on the toilet seat apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention. The schematic diagram which shows the detail in the seating state in Embodiment 1 of this invention The top view of the toilet seat using the laminate film of the 2nd composition in Embodiment 1 of the present invention Top view of the toilet seat using the laminate film having the third configuration according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The top view of the toilet seat using the laminate film of the 4th composition in Embodiment 1 of the present invention The schematic diagram which shows the attachment method of the laminate film of the toilet seat in Embodiment 1 of this invention Sectional drawing of the toilet seat of another structure in Embodiment 1 of this invention Sectional drawing of the toilet seat of another structure in Embodiment 1 of this invention The bottom view which shows the state which attached the toilet seat heater to the upper toilet seat casing of the toilet seat in Embodiment 1 of this invention Plan view of toilet seat heater according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention The bottom view which shows the detail of the B section shown in FIG. EE sectional view shown in FIG. FF sectional view shown in FIG. The bottom view which shows the detail of the C section shown in FIG. GG sectional view shown in FIG. HH sectional view shown in FIG. The schematic diagram which shows the structure of the toilet seat apparatus in Embodiment 1 of this invention. The graph which shows the example of a drive of the toilet seat heater in Embodiment 1 of this invention, and the change of the surface temperature of a toilet seat Sectional view of the upper case of the toilet seat of a conventional toilet seat device

  A first invention includes a main body placed on a toilet, a toilet seat pivotally supported on the main body and having a built-in toilet seat heater, and control means for controlling the toilet seat heater, wherein the toilet seat is made of metal A substantially annular upper toilet seat casing having a seating surface and a substantially annular lower toilet seat casing joined at an inner periphery and an outer periphery, and an exterior member that covers at least the seating surface of the upper toilet seat casing, A convex part and a concave part are formed on the surface of the member, the convex part located below the collar part of the user seated on the toilet seat abuts on the collar part, and at least a part of the concave part does not abut on the collar part It is characterized by.

  As a result, the contact area between the seating surface of the toilet seat and the user's buttocks is reduced, and it is possible to improve comfort by suppressing the sticky feeling when sitting, and from the seating surface to the user's buttocks It is possible to reduce the heat transfer of the battery, thereby improving energy saving and safety.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first aspect of the invention, at least a part of the concave portion is formed by surrounding the convex portion. The recessed portion is sealed with the user's buttocks leaving a space inside, and the air flow is blocked, so the space in the recessed portion provides a high heat insulating effect, which can further improve the energy saving effect and safety. it can.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in particular, in the first aspect of the invention, at least a part of the convex portion and the concave portion is substantially parallel and is formed in a substantially straight shape from the front portion to the rear portion of the toilet seat.

  Thereby, in a state where the user is seated, the user's buttocks slightly falls into the recess, so that the seating position can be prevented from being shifted in the seated state, and comfort is improved.

  In a fourth aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to third aspects of the invention, the exterior member is configured to cover a joint portion between the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing.

  Accordingly, it is not necessary to separately perform a waterproofing process for the joint portion between the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing, the waterproofness of the toilet seat can be improved, and the labor and cost of assembling can be reduced.

  In a fifth invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fourth inventions, the exterior member is formed of a resin material.

  As a result, the processability of the exterior member is improved, and the convex portion and the concave portion can be easily formed, and the conformity with the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing is improved, and the close contact with the seating surface is improved. Therefore, the heat transfer performance between the seating surface and the exterior member and the waterproof performance of the joint portion can be improved.

  According to a sixth invention, in particular, in the invention of 5, the exterior member is formed of a sheet-like resin material that expands and contracts when heated.

Thereby, the exterior member does not need to be molded in advance according to the shapes of the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing, and after the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing are assembled, the exterior member is covered with the exterior member and heated. Since it is molded along the shape of the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing, it is possible to save the trouble of molding the exterior member alone and to improve the adhesion between the exterior member and the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing, The heat transfer performance between the seating surface and the exterior member and the waterproof performance of the joint can be further improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the appearance of the toilet seat device according to the present embodiment in a state where it is installed on a toilet bowl.

<1> Configuration of Toilet Seat Device As shown in FIG. 1, the toilet seat device 100 includes a main body 200, a toilet lid 300, a toilet seat 400, a remote controller 500, and a human body detection sensor 600, and the main body 200, the toilet lid 300, and the toilet seat 400. Is integrally formed and installed on the upper surface of the toilet bowl 700.

  A toilet lid 300 and a toilet seat 400 are attached to the main body 200 via a toilet seat toilet lid rotation mechanism (not shown) so as to be electrically opened and closed. In the state where the toilet lid 300 is opened as shown in FIG. 1, the toilet lid 300 stands so as to be positioned at the rearmost part of the toilet seat device 100. When the toilet lid 300 is closed, the upper surface of the toilet seat 400 is concealed.

  The main body 200 includes a cleaning mechanism including a cleaning water supply mechanism (not shown), a heat exchanger (not shown), a cleaning nozzle 201, a drying unit (not shown), a control unit 90, and the like. Built in.

  A seating sensor 202 is installed at the front corner of the main body 200. The seating sensor 202 is a reflective infrared sensor, and detects the presence of a user on the toilet seat 400 by detecting infrared light reflected from the human body. In addition, an operation unit 203 is provided on a side portion of the main body 200 so that main functions of the toilet seat device can be operated.

  Further, the washing water supply mechanism and the heat exchanger are connected to the washing nozzle 201, and the washing water supplied from the water pipe is supplied to the washing nozzle with hot water heated by the heat exchanger. The washing water is spouted toward the side to wash the user's local area. The cleaning nozzle 201 is provided with a butt cleaning nozzle part for cleaning the butt and a bidet nozzle part for cleaning a female part.

  Further, the drying unit can blow the warm air toward the local area wetted by the washing water and dry the local area.

  Note that the cleaning mechanism and the drying unit are not essential components of the toilet seat device, and may be a toilet seat device that does not include these components.

  The remote controller 500 is provided with a plurality of operation switches. The remote controller 500 is attached to a place such as a wall surface of a toilet room that can be operated by a user seated on the toilet seat 400 and operates each function of the toilet seat device 100.

The human body detection sensor 600 is attached to a wall surface of a toilet room. The human body detection sensor 600 is a reflective infrared sensor, and detects that a user has entered the toilet room by detecting infrared light reflected from the human body.

  The control unit of the main body 200 controls the operation of each unit of the toilet seat device 100 based on signals transmitted from the remote controller 500, the human body detection sensor 600, and the seating sensor 202.

  When there is no user in the toilet room, the toilet seat device 100 of the present invention stops energizing the toilet seat heater or keeps the temperature low at about 20 ° C. When the user enters the toilet room, a signal from the human body detection sensor 600 is received, and the toilet seat heater is energized. The toilet seat heater is a very high output heater of about 800W, and the toilet seat seating surface is kept at an appropriate temperature of about 40 ° C for about 6 to 10 seconds after the user enters the toilet room and sits on the toilet seat. Warm up to. After the toilet seat reaches an appropriate temperature, the energization of the toilet seat heater is lowered to a low wattage of about 50 W to maintain the appropriate temperature. When the user gets out of the toilet room, the energization to the toilet seat heater is stopped or the temperature is kept at a low temperature of about 20 degrees. That is, the toilet seat device greatly reduces the power when there is no user in the toilet room.

<2> Configuration of Toilet Seat 400 FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toilet seat 400 in an assembled state, and FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the toilet seat 400. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the toilet seat 400 includes a substantially elliptical annular upper toilet seat casing 410 mainly formed of an aluminum alloy, and a substantially horseshoe-shaped toilet seat heater 450 adhered to the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410. As a main component, a substantially elliptical annular lower toilet seat casing 420 formed mainly of PP resin, and a laminate film 430 made of a synthetic resin film as an exterior member covering a part of the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 It is configured.

  Hereinafter, the front side viewed from the seated user is defined as the front portion of the toilet seat 400, and the rear side viewed from the seated user is defined as the rear portion of the toilet seat 400.

  The upper toilet seat casing 410 is formed by pressing an aluminum alloy plate having a thickness of about 1 mm by pressing or the like, and an insulating PET film 490 is bonded to the back surface.

  The upper toilet seat casing 410 has a curved portion 412 formed continuously at the rear portion of a substantially elliptical annular seating surface 411. The seating surface 411 forms an upwardly convex curved surface having an inclination in which the outer peripheral portion is higher than the inner peripheral portion.

  The lower toilet seat casing 420 is a molded product mainly using PP resin, and is composed of a main body portion 421 whose planar shape is substantially the same as that of the upper toilet seat casing 410 and arm portions 422 that protrude obliquely upward on both sides of the main body portion 421. Has been.

  A toilet seat heater 450 is adhered to the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410 that has been subjected to insulation treatment, and the toilet seat 400 combined with the lower toilet seat casing 420 has an arm portion 422 at the rear portion as shown in FIG. Is pivotally supported by being coupled to a toilet seat toilet lid rotating mechanism (not shown) of the main body 200.

As shown in FIG. 4, the joining edge 410b formed by bending the outer peripheral edge 410a of the upper toilet seat casing 410 is engaged with the claw 420b formed on the outer peripheral edge 420a of the lower toilet seat casing 420, and the inner peripheral edge of the upper toilet seat casing 410 The joint edge 410d formed by bending 410c is engaged with a claw 420d formed on the inner peripheral edge 420c of the lower toilet seat casing 420, whereby the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 are coupled to each other, and the outer peripheral portion has a joint portion. 400a and a joint 400b are formed on the inner periphery.

  Then, the entire upper toilet seat casing 410 including the annular seating surface 411 and the bent portion 412 at the rear thereof, the outer peripheral joint portion 400a and the inner peripheral joint portion 400b to which the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 are coupled, It is completely covered with a laminate film 430 formed integrally as an exterior member.

<3> Configuration of Laminate Film FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the laminate film 430. The laminate film 430 is formed in a three-layer structure using PET as a film base material. The adhesive layer 430a as the first layer uses an acrylic adhesive as a material and has a thickness of 2 μm to 30 μm. The film base 430b, which is the second layer laminated on the adhesive layer 430a, uses PET as a material and has a thickness of 100 μm to 150 μm. The surface layer 430c laminated on the film base material 430b of the second layer uses PET as a material and has a thickness of 20 μm to 500 μm.

  The adhesive layer 430a and the film base 430b are fixed by the adhesive force of the adhesive layer 430a, and the film base 430b and the surface layer 430c are softened and fixed by applying heat.

  The laminate film 430 is adhered to the upper toilet seat casing 410 by an adhesive layer 430a as a first layer, and the film base material 430b as a second layer is a layer for providing design properties, and is printed in a single color or a plurality of colors. It is possible to apply various patterns. The surface layer 430c, which is the third layer, is a protective layer for preventing damage to the film base 430b and preventing the printing portion from being deteriorated by a detergent used in the toilet, and by using a transparent material, The design can be further improved by adding depth.

  As a result, the seating surface 411 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the bent portion 412 at the rear portion thereof are covered with the integrally formed laminate film 430, so that it is not necessary to apply cosmetic treatment to the surface, and the upper toilet seat Since the outer peripheral joint portion 400a and the inner peripheral joint portion 400b of the casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 are also covered with the laminate film 430, it is not necessary to perform waterproofing separately, and the processing steps of the upper toilet seat casing 410 can be reduced. The assembly process of the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 can also be reduced.

  Further, by forming the upper toilet seat casing 410 mainly from an aluminum alloy, the thermal conductivity of the seating surface 411 and the bent portion 412 at the rear portion can be improved, and the upper toilet seat casing 410 having an insulating treatment on the back surface can be improved. With the heat of the toilet seat heater 450 adhered to the back surface, the temperature of the seating surface 411 and the bent portion 412 at the rear thereof can be raised within a short time.

<3-1> Other Configurations of Laminate Film Since the laminate film 430 is formed of a PET resin film with a film base 430b and a surface layer 430c, its surface can be molded flat as shown in FIG. Needless to say, it is possible to mold the surface with irregularities, and by forming irregularities on the surface, the seating function of the toilet seat 400 can be improved.

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a cross-section of the second configuration, which is another configuration of the laminate film, and is an example in which the convex portion 431 and the concave portion 432 are formed on the surface layer 430c which is the third layer of the laminate film 430. . In this concavo-convex shape, the convex portion 431 has a height of 20 μm to 50 μm, a width of 0.5 mm to 1 mm, and a concave portion 432 having a width of 0.5 mm to 1 mm. As shown in FIG. 9, the concave and convex shape is formed in an annular shape on the seating surface 411 with a shape similar to the inner peripheral edge 410 c of the upper toilet seat casing 410, and the concave portion 432 is surrounded by the inner and outer convex portions 431. Yes.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a user is seated on the seating surface 11 having a concavo-convex shape, and FIG. 8 is a detailed schematic diagram of the user's buttocks and the laminate film 430.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the user sits on the toilet seat 400, the user's buttocks abut against the convex portion 431 of the surface layer 430 c of the laminate film 430, but not the concave portion 432.

  In this way, by forming an uneven shape on the surface of the laminate film 430, the contact area between the toilet seat 400 and the user's buttocks decreases, and a sticky feeling when the user is seated on the toilet seat 400 is suppressed. It is possible to improve comfort, and in particular, high effects can be exhibited especially in the summer when sweating.

  Further, the heat from the toilet seat heater 450 adhesively fixed to the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410 can be prevented from being absorbed by the user's buttocks, and heat transfer to the user's buttocks can be reduced, thus saving energy. In addition to improving the effect, it is effective against low-temperature burns that are a concern when sitting for a long time, and safety is improved.

  In particular, as shown in FIG. 9, the concave and convex shape is formed in an annular shape and the concave portion 432 is surrounded by the inner and outer convex portions 431, so that when the user is seated, the space of the concave portion 432 is Since it becomes a sealed state by the collar part, internal air does not move to the outside, the release of heat can be suppressed, and the energy saving effect can be further improved.

  FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a third configuration, which is another configuration of the laminate film, in which a circular concave portion 432 having a diameter of about 0.5 mm and a depth of 50 μm is formed on substantially the entire surface of the laminate film 430 surface layer 430c. However, the other part is a convex part 431.

  Also in this case, the concave portion 432 is independently surrounded by the convex portion 431, and the same operation and effect as the example of the concave and convex shape shown in FIG. 9 can be obtained. In particular, the concave portion 432 is independently surrounded. Thus, even when the seating position is shifted or when a user with a small buttocks such as a child is seated, the energy saving effect can be surely exhibited.

FIG. 11 is a plan view showing a fourth configuration, which is another configuration of the laminate fill,
As shown in the figure, the height of the convex portion 431 is 20 μm to 50 μm, the width is 0.5 mm to 1 mm, and the width of the concave portion 432 is 0.5 mm to 1 mm in the front-rear direction of the substantially entire surface of the laminate film 430 surface layer 430c. Is formed by molding the uneven shape.

  Also in this case, the same operation and effect as the above two concavo-convex shape examples can be obtained. By forming the concavo-convex shape in a substantially straight line in the front-rear direction, the seating position can be shifted while the user is seated. Since it can reduce, it can use more comfortably and can further improve energy saving property and safety.

<4> Fixing method of laminate film The laminate film is mainly formed of a PET resin film, and is easily stretched and deformed by applying heat. As a method of closely fixing the laminate film 430 along the shape of the toilet seat 400, as shown in FIG. 12, a seating surface 411 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 and a bent portion 412 at the rear thereof are formed in a molding apparatus (not shown). Then, a flat laminate film 430 of a size that completely covers the outer peripheral joint portion 400a and the inner peripheral joint portion 400b between the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 is disposed so that the adhesive layer 430a is the lower surface. The toilet seat 400 in a state where the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 are coupled is disposed below the laminate film 430.

  Heat is applied to the laminate film 430 so that the laminate film 430 can be easily stretched and deformed, and the toilet seat 400 in which the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 are coupled to the laminate film 430 is attached to the laminate film 430 with the adhesive layer 430a as the lower surface. Press against the laminate film 430 from below.

  Thus, the laminate film 430 extends and deforms along the shape of the toilet seat 400, and the outer peripheral joint portion between the seating surface 411 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the bent portion 412 at the rear thereof, and the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420. 400 a and inner peripheral joint 400 b are completely covered with laminate 430. In this state, the inside of the molding apparatus (not shown) is evacuated, so that the laminate film 430 along the shape of the toilet seat 400 is firmly fixed to the toilet seat 400.

  After the laminating film 430 is tightly fixed, unnecessary portions of the outer peripheral end 430d and the inner peripheral end 430e of the laminate sheet 430 are cut into a predetermined shape.

  This saves the trouble of molding the laminate film 430 alone, which is an exterior member, and the laminate film 430 becomes an exterior member in close contact with the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420, and the seating surface 411 and the bent portion 412 at the rear portion thereof. In addition, the outer peripheral joint 400a and the inner peripheral joint 400b can be waterproofed.

  Furthermore, the adhesive layer 430a of the laminate film 430 ensures the adhesion of the laminate film 430 to the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420, and ensures the heat transfer performance of the seating surface 411 and the bent portion 412. be able to.

  In addition, the heat application of the laminate film in this embodiment is less than the heat resistant temperature of the lower toilet seat casing 420 mainly molded with PP resin when the lower toilet seat casing 420 and the upper toilet seat casing 410 are in contact with the laminate film 430. In addition, it is necessary to set the temperature transmitted to the temperature fuse 450R, which is an overheat prevention device disposed mainly on the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410 formed mainly of an aluminum alloy plate, to be equal to or lower than the operating temperature of the temperature fuse 450R. .

<4-1> Another Fixing Method of Laminate Film After the laminate film 430 is closely fixed, it is essential in this embodiment that the outer peripheral end 430d and the inner peripheral end 430e of the laminate film 430 are cut. However, another method capable of performing this treatment more easily and obtaining an appearance with high designability will be described below.

  As shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, a groove-like concave portion that accommodates the outer peripheral end portion 430 d and the inner peripheral end portion 430 e of the laminate film 430 below the outer peripheral joint portion 400 a and the inner peripheral joint portion 400 b of the toilet seat 400. Is formed.

In FIG. 13, in consideration of the thickness of the laminate film 430, a step 420e is formed on the outer peripheral edge 420a of the lower toilet seat casing 420, and a step 420f is formed on the inner peripheral edge 420c. And 410d and stepped portions 420e and 420f form groove-shaped concave portions over the entire circumference in the outer peripheral joint portion 400a and the inner peripheral joint portion 400b.

  By applying heat, the outer peripheral end 430d of the laminate film 430 molded and closely fixed in accordance with the shapes of the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 is a step between the joint edge 410a of the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing. The inner peripheral edge 430e of the laminate film 430 is cut into the concave upper part formed by the joint edge 410b of the upper toilet seat casing and the step part 420f of the lower toilet seat casing. Cut internally.

  FIG. 14 shows another method for forming a groove-shaped concave portion. A V-shaped groove portion 420g is formed on the outer peripheral edge 420a of the lower toilet seat casing 420, and a V-shaped portion is formed on the inner peripheral edge 420c of the lower toilet seat casing 420. The groove portions 420h are respectively molded.

  The outer peripheral edge 430d of the laminate film 430 is cut inside the groove 420g formed on the outer peripheral edge 420a of the lower toilet seat casing, and the inner peripheral edge 430e of the laminate film 430 is the inner peripheral edge of the lower toilet seat casing. A cutting process is performed inside the groove 420h molded into 420b.

  Accordingly, in any case shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 14, the outer peripheral end 430d and the cut portion of the inner peripheral end 430e, which are the ends of the laminate fill 430, are accommodated in the concave portion, thereby improving the design. The outer peripheral end portion 430d and the inner peripheral end portion 430e, which are the end portions of the laminate film 430, do not protrude from the outer peripheral edge 420a and the inner peripheral edge 420c of the lower toilet seat casing 420. When cleaning, the laminate film 430 can be prevented from being peeled off from the lower toilet seat casing 420 or torn. Further, the adhesion of the laminate film 430 to the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 can be improved, and the durability of the laminate film 430 itself and the waterproof performance of the toilet seat 400 can be improved.

  In this embodiment, the upper toilet seat casing 410 uses an aluminum alloy plate. However, a plate material such as a copper alloy plate or a stainless alloy plate or a metal having good heat conductivity such as a magnesium alloy molded product may be used. Good.

  Moreover, although the PET resin film is used as a means for ensuring the insulating performance on the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410, a PP resin film or a polyester resin film may be attached, or an insulating property such as polyester powder coating is provided. Paint may be applied.

  The laminate film 430 includes an adhesive layer 430a, a film base 430b, and a surface layer 430c. The film base 430b has design properties, but the surface layer 430c may have design properties. The material 430b and the surface layer 430c may be integrated into a single layer. In addition, although an acrylic adhesive is used for the adhesive layer 430a, a urethane adhesive may be used, or an adhesive may be used instead of the adhesive.

Further, in the present embodiment, the toilet seat exterior member is configured to be stretched and deformed by heating a sheet-like laminate film, but is not limited thereto, and is molded into a predetermined shape in advance. The resin molded product may be fixed to the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing with an adhesive or an adhesive. It is also possible to implement the structure in which the exterior member is molded from an elastic material such as rubber, and is covered with the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing and fixed using the elasticity of the exterior member. Since it can be attached and detached, replacement in the case of contamination or deterioration, change of design, and the like can be easily performed.

<5> Configuration of Toilet Seat Heater FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the toilet seat heater attached to the upper toilet seat casing, and FIG. 16 is a plan view of the toilet seat heater.

  As shown in FIG. 15, a toilet seat heater 450 is adhesively fixed to almost the entire back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410, and a thermostat 450Q and a temperature fuse 450R are provided on the rear surface of the toilet seat heater 450 as an overheat prevention device. It is installed. Further, on the side surface, the first thermistor 401a and the second thermistor 401b for detecting the toilet seat temperature for feedback control of the toilet seat heater 450 based on the temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 are provided on the surface side of the metal foil 453. It is pasted on.

  A ground wire 480 for ensuring safety is connected to the outer periphery of the upper toilet seat casing 410.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the toilet seat heater 450 is formed in a substantially horseshoe shape in which a part of the front portion is cut off. The toilet seat heater 450 has a basic configuration in which a linear heater 460 is arranged in a meandering shape between two metal foils 451 and 453 made of aluminum.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the linear heater 460 has an upper toilet seat in the region from the central part SE3 of the metal foil to the one end SE1 of the metal foil and the region from the central part SE3 of the metal foil to the other end SE2 of the metal foil. It is arranged in a meandering shape that meanders in the left-right direction according to the shape of the casing 410. The linear heater 460 is disposed such that the meandering bent portion is positioned in the vicinity of the outer side and the inner side of the upper toilet seat casing 410.

  Specifically, the linear heater 460 extends from one side of the rear portion of the toilet seat heater 450 to the vicinity of one end SE1 of the metal foils 451 and 453, thereby forming a first series L1 meandering shape. The Further, the linear heater 460 meanders from the vicinity of one end SE1 of the metal foils 451 and 453 to the left and right, and passes through the vicinity of the central portion SE3 of the metal foils 451 and 453, and the other end SE2 of the metal foils 451 and 453. A meandering shape of the second series L2 is formed by extending to the vicinity of. Further, the linear heater 460 extends from the vicinity of the other end part SE2 of the metal foils 451 and 453 to the one side of the rear part of the toilet seat heater 450 through the vicinity of the central part SE3 of the metal foils 451 and 453, thereby the first series. A meandering shape of L1 is formed.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the meandering linear heater 460 of the first series L1 and the meandering linear heater 460 of the second series L2 are arranged substantially in parallel. The meandering linear heaters 460 of the first series L1 and the second series L2 are continuous from the heater start end portion 460a to the heater end portion 460b.

  The heater start end portion 460a and the heater end portion 460b of the linear heater 460 are respectively connected to lead wires 470 drawn from one side of the rear portion of the toilet seat 400 through connection terminals.

In this example, the linear heater 460 has a meandering shape in which a bent portion is positioned in the vicinity of the inner side of the toilet seat heater 450 and in the vicinity of the outer side. Thereby, the space | interval between bending parts is short. Therefore, since the length change resulting from thermal expansion and thermal contraction is small, even if the linear heater 460 expands and contracts, the strain due to expansion and contraction is absorbed and buffered at the bending portion. As a result, the stress resulting from the thermal expansion and contraction of the linear heater 460 is reduced, and damage due to long-term use can be suppressed.

  In addition, since the thermal expansion and contraction of the linear heater 460 is small, the adhesion to the metal foils 451 and 453 can be maintained well for a long period. Thereby, heating of the toilet seat heater 450 can be performed efficiently and reliably.

  Moreover, the length of a bending part and the space | interval between bending parts can be adjusted arbitrarily. Thereby, the heating distribution of the toilet seat heater 450 can be adjusted.

  For example, the length of the bent portion and the interval between the bent portions are adjusted such that the heating density in the vicinity of the outer side and the inner side of the toilet seat heater 450 is higher than the heating density in the central portion of the toilet seat heater 450. Thereby, the uniform heating temperature can be maintained in the entire region of the toilet seat heater 450.

  Further, the direction of the current in the meandering linear heater 460 of the first series L1 is opposite to the direction of the current in the meandering linear heater 460 of the second series L2. As a result, the electromagnetic waves generated from the linear heaters 460 cancel each other. As a result, generation of noise is prevented.

  In addition, a temperature detecting portion in which the linear heater 460 meanders at a high density is formed at the rear portion of the toilet seat heater 450, and a return type thermostat 450Q using a bimetal for preventing overheating is provided in the temperature detecting portion. When the toilet seat heater 450 reaches an unexpected abnormal temperature, the return-type thermostat 450Q is opened to temporarily stop energization.

  Further, a temperature shoe 450R is installed at the rear of the toilet seat heater 450 as a backup function of the thermostat 450Q.

  The thermal fuse 450R is sealed with a tube for waterproofing and insulation, and is temporarily fixed with an adhesive tape to the rear part of the toilet seat heater 450. On the other hand, a temperature fuse fixing tool formed of a spring material is provided in the lower toilet seat casing 420 of the toilet seat 400, and the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 are assembled, whereby the temperature fuse 450R is made elastic by the elasticity of the temperature fuse fixing tool. The temperature can be accurately detected by being in close contact with the heater 450.

  When the toilet seat heater 450 reaches an unexpected abnormal temperature, the return-type thermostat 450Q is opened to temporarily stop energization. In addition, when the reset thermostat 450Q breaks down and the toilet seat heater 450 tries to reach a dangerous temperature, the non-reset type thermal fuse 450Q is blown to completely cut off the power supply.

<6> Thermistor Mounting Structure FIG. 17 shows the details of part B of FIG. 18 shows an EE sectional view of FIG. 17, and FIG. 19 shows an FF sectional view of FIG.

  An insulating PET film 490 is attached to the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410. A toilet seat 450 having a configuration in which a linear heater 460 disposed in a meandering manner is sandwiched between two metal foils 451 and 453 made of aluminum is adhesively fixed thereon.

  Then, a toilet seat temperature detection for feedback control of the toilet seat heater 450 based on the temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 at a position where the linear heater 460 does not overlap between the linear heaters 460 arranged in a meandering shape. The first thermistor 401 a is disposed and is held against the surface of the metal foil 453 via the first holding member 440.

  The first holding member 440 is formed of a stainless steel plate having a spring property of 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm, and the first thermistor is formed on both sides thereof as shown in FIGS. The linear heater 460 disposed on both sides of the 401a is held by the metal foil 453, and the element portion of the first thermistor 401a is held by the concave-shaped portion 440a formed at the center thereof. It is stopped at 453.

  Insertion convex portions 440b are formed at both ends of the first holding member 440 for joining to the lower toilet seat casing 420, and are inserted into insertion holes 410e provided in the joining edges 410b on the outer peripheral portion of the upper toilet seat casing 410. It is inserted and fixed in an insertion hole 410e provided in the peripheral joining edge 410d.

  With the above configuration, the first thermistor 401a and the linear heater 460 disposed on both sides of the first thermistor 401a are held and fixed at predetermined positions by the first holding member 440, and the first holding member Since the holding member 440 connects the element portion of the thermistor 401 a and the linear heater 460, the heat applied to the first thermistor 401 a is added to the heat of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 and the linear toilet seat heater 460. In the state where the heat is applied and the temperature of the seating surface 411 is rapidly increased in a short time, it is possible to correct the response delay of the first thermistor 401a.

  FIG. 20 shows the details of part C of FIG. FIG. 21 shows a GG section of FIG. 20, and FIG. 22 shows a HH section of FIG.

  Toilet seat temperature detection second feedback control is performed based on the temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 at a position where the linear heater 460 of the linear heater 460 arranged in a meandering shape does not overlap. The thermistor 401b is disposed and held on the surface of the metal foil 453 via the second holding member 440.

  The second holding member 440 is formed of a stainless steel plate having a spring property of 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm. As shown in FIGS. 20, 21, and 22, the second holding member 440 is provided on both sides of the second thermistor 401 b. The shape of the linear heater 460 disposed through the metal foil 453 is not contact-interfered, and the element portion of the second thermistor 401b is pressed by the concave portion 441a formed at the center of the second holding member 440. is doing.

  Insertion convex portions 441b are formed at both ends of the second holding member 440 for joining to the lower toilet seat casing 420, and an insertion hole 410g provided on the joining edge 410b of the outer periphery of the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the inner periphery It is inserted and fixed in the insertion hole 410h provided in the joint edge 410d.

  With the above configuration, the second thermistor 401b is held and fixed by the second holding member 440 at a position where the second thermistor 401b is less likely to be in contact with the linear heaters 460 disposed on both sides. Detects only the temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400, and can accurately detect the temperature of the seating surface 411 in a stable state.

As described above, by adopting the thermistor mounting structure according to the present embodiment, the first thermistor 401a for toilet seat temperature detection is used as the first holding member 440, and the second thermistor 401b is used as the second holding member. Since the holding members 440 are respectively held only by the upper toilet seat casing 410, it is possible to attach the upper toilet seat casing alone and to visually check the attached state during the assembly process. The mounting error of the second thermistor 401b can be reduced, the detection accuracy of the temperature detecting means can be improved, and the visual confirmation can be made in advance, thereby improving the productivity.

  Further, the heat applied to the first thermistor 401a adds the heat of the linear toilet seat heater 460 in addition to the heat of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400, and the temperature of the seating surface 411 is rapidly increased in a short time. In the warming state, it is possible to correct the response delay of the first thermistor 401a. Further, since the second thermistor 401b detects the temperature of only the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400, it is possible to accurately detect the temperature of the seating surface 411 in a stable state. By selecting the first thermistor 401a and the second thermistor 401b, more accurate temperature control becomes possible.

  In this embodiment, a holding member formed of a stainless steel plate is used as a holding means for the first thermistor 401a and the second thermistor 401b for detecting the toilet seat temperature, but the first thermistor 401a is provided on both sides. Attached and fixed with a metal foil of aluminum having a high thermal conductivity so as to straddle the linear heater 460 disposed on the metal foil 453, and held by the first holding member 440 via the metal foil. Alternatively, the first holding member 440 may be formed of a metal wire such as a wire. Further, the second holding member 440 for holding the second thermistor 401b is a linear heater in which the second holding member 440 and the second thermistor 401b are disposed on both sides with the metal foil 453 interposed therebetween. You may use what was shape | molded with metal wires, such as a wire, in the shape which does not contact-contact 460.

<7> Configuration of Drive System of Toilet Seat Heater FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the drive system of the toilet seat heater 450. As shown in the figure, the main body 200 includes a control unit 90, a temperature measurement unit 401, a heater driving unit 402, a toilet seat temperature adjustment lamp RA1, and a seating sensor 610. The toilet seat 400 includes a toilet seat heater 450, a first thermistor 401a, and a second thermistor 401b. The control unit includes a microcomputer as a main component, a determination unit for determining a user's entrance and the temperature of the toilet seat 400, a timer unit 403 having a timer function, a storage unit 404 for storing various information, and a toilet seat heater 450 A status detection unit 405 for determining the usage progress status of the heater, an energization rate switching circuit 406 for controlling the operation of the heater driving unit 402, and the like.

  The temperature measuring unit 401 of the main body 200 is connected to a first thermistor 401 a and a second thermistor 401 b installed on the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400. Accordingly, the temperature measurement unit 401 measures the temperature of the toilet seat 400 based on the signals output from the first thermistor 401a and the second thermistor 401b. Hereinafter, the temperature of the toilet seat 400 measured by the temperature measurement unit 401 through the first thermistor 401a and the second thermistor 401b is referred to as a measured temperature value.

  The heater driving unit 402 of the main body 200 is connected to the toilet seat heater 450 of the toilet seat 400. As a result, the heater driving unit 402 drives the toilet seat heater 450.

  In the present embodiment, the toilet seat device 100 operates as follows. At the time of initial setting, the temperature of the toilet seat 400 is adjusted to about 18 ° C., for example, by controlling the heater driving unit 402 by the control unit 90. The temperature of the toilet seat at this time is based on the measured value of the second thermistor 401b. The temperature at this time is referred to as a standby temperature.

  Here, when the user operates the toilet seat temperature adjustment switch of the remote controller 500, the toilet seat set temperature is transmitted to the control unit 90. The control unit 90 stores the toilet seat set temperature received from the remote controller 500 in the storage unit 404.

  When the user enters the toilet room, the entry detection sensor 600 detects the entry of the user. As a result, a user entry detection signal is transmitted to the control unit 90.

  Next, the operation during normal use will be described. The determination unit 620 of the control unit 90 detects entry of the user into the toilet room based on an entry detection signal from the entry detection sensor 600. Therefore, the determination unit 620 selects a specific heater control pattern related to the driving of the toilet seat heater 450 based on the measured temperature value of the toilet seat 400 and the toilet seat set temperature stored in the storage unit 404.

  The energization rate switching circuit 406 controls the operation of the heater driving unit 402 based on the selected heater control pattern and time information obtained by the time measuring unit 403.

  Accordingly, the toilet seat heater 450 is driven by the heater driving unit 402, and the temperature of the toilet seat 400 is instantaneously increased to the toilet seat set temperature.

  In addition, the usage status of the toilet seat heater 450 is detected by the status detection unit 405.

<8> Energization Pattern of Toilet Seat Heater Driving control of the toilet seat heater 450 is performed by changing the electric power for driving the toilet seat heater 450 into three.

  For example, when the temperature of the toilet seat 400 is raised at the first temperature gradient, the heater driving unit 402 in FIG. 23 drives the toilet seat heater 450 with power of about 1200 W (1200 W drive).

  The resistance value of the toilet seat heater 450 is 0.833 Ω / m, and the total length is 10 m. Therefore, the resistance value of the toilet seat heater 450 is 8.33Ω. When AC 100 V is applied to the toilet seat heater 450 having this resistance value, power of (100 V × 100 V) ÷ 8.33Ω = 1200 W is generated. That is, 1200 W of electric power is generated by passing a current through the toilet seat heater 450 over the entire period of the AC power supply.

  When the temperature of the toilet seat 400 is raised at a second temperature gradient that is slightly gentler than the first temperature gradient, the heater drive unit 402 drives the toilet seat heater 450 with about 600 W of power (600 W drive).

  Furthermore, when the temperature of the toilet seat 400 is kept constant, the heater driving unit 402 drives the toilet seat heater 450 with a power of about 50 W (low power driving). Note that low power driving refers to driving the toilet seat heater 450 with sufficiently low power (for example, power in the range of 0 W to 50 W) compared to 1200 W driving and 600 W driving.

  Switching between 1200 W driving, 600 W driving, and low power driving is performed by phase control in which the energization rate switching circuit 406 of the control unit 90 controls energization from the heater driving unit 402 to the toilet seat heater 450.

  An AC current is supplied to the heater driving unit 402 from a power supply circuit (not shown). Therefore, the heater drive unit 402 causes the alternating current supplied based on the energization control signal supplied from the energization rate switching circuit 406 to flow through the toilet seat heater 450.

  FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating a driving example of the toilet seat heater 450 and a change in the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400.

In FIG. 24, a graph showing the relationship between the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 and time and a graph showing the relationship between the energization rate and time when driving the toilet seat heater 450 are shown. The horizontal axis of these two graphs is a common time axis.

  In this example, it is assumed that the user turns on the heating function in advance and sets the toilet seat set temperature high (38 ° C.).

  When the room temperature is lower than 18 ° C., which is the standby temperature, such as in winter, the control unit 90 adjusts the temperature of the toilet seat 400 to 18 ° C. As described above, the controller 90 controls the toilet seat heater 450 so that the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 is constant at 18 ° C. during the waiting period D1 until the user's entrance is detected by the entrance detection sensor 600. Low power drive is performed. The temperature of the toilet seat at this time is based on the measured value of the second thermistor 401b.

  When the entry detection sensor 600 detects entry of the user at time t1, the control unit 90 performs 600 W drive during the preset inrush current reduction period D2. This 600 W drive is performed in order to sufficiently reduce the inrush current. In this case, the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 is raised with a slightly gentle second temperature gradient.

  Thereafter, the control unit 90 starts 1200 W driving of the toilet seat heater 450 at time t2 after the rush current reduction period D2 has elapsed, and continues 1200 W driving of the toilet seat heater 450 during the preset first temperature rising period D3. To do. In this case, the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 is increased with the first temperature gradient described above.

  Here, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 is rapidly increased. The 1200 W drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is performed until the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 reaches a predetermined temperature (for example, 30 ° C.). This predetermined temperature is not a temperature sufficiently raised to the heating temperature, and even if it is lower than that, the lowest limit temperature at which the user does not feel uncomfortable when seated (this temperature is referred to as the limit temperature) If it is. This limit temperature has been found to be about 29 ° C. by subject experiments conducted by the inventors.

  Thus, in the first temperature raising period D3, the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 is quickly raised to a predetermined temperature by 1200 W driving. Thus, the user can sit on the toilet seat 400 without feeling that the toilet seat 400 is cold.

  Further, when the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 is rapidly increased, an overshoot occurs in the temperature change. However, in this embodiment, when the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 reaches a predetermined temperature, the 1200 W drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is switched to the 600 W drive. Therefore, even when the change in the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 overshoots, the surface temperature does not exceed the toilet seat set temperature. As a result, the user is prevented from feeling the toilet seat 400 hot when seated.

  Therefore, the control unit 90 starts 600 W driving of the toilet seat heater 450 at time t3 after the first heating period D3 has elapsed, and continues 600 W driving of the toilet seat heater 450 during the second heating period D4. . In this case, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 is increased by the above-described second temperature gradient.

  The 600 W drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is performed until the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 reaches the toilet seat set temperature (38 ° C.), and when the measured value of the first thermistor 401a reaches the toilet seat set temperature, the 600 W drive is performed. To switch to the next drive. The temperature of the toilet seat during the temperature increase period D2 to the temperature increase period D4 is based on the measurement value of the first thermistor 401a, and the toilet seat temperature thereafter is based on the measurement value of the second thermistor 401b.

  The second temperature gradient is gentler than the first temperature gradient. This prevents a large overshoot from occurring in the change in the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400.

  The controller 90 starts low-power driving of the toilet seat heater 450 at time t4 after the elapse of the second temperature rising period D4, and continues low-power driving of the toilet seat heater 450 during the first maintenance period D5. Thereby, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 becomes constant at the toilet seat set temperature.

  When the seating sensor 290 detects that the user is seated on the toilet seat 400 at time t5, the controller 90 reduces the energization rate of the low-power drive, and the surface of the toilet seat 400 during the first seating period D6. The low-power drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is continued so that the temperature maintains the toilet seat set temperature. In the present embodiment, the first seating period D6 is set to about 10 minutes.

  In addition, at time t6 after the first seating period D6 has elapsed, the control unit 90 further reduces the energization rate of the low power drive, and the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 during the second seating period D7 The low-power drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is continued so as to decrease to a temperature (36 ° C.) slightly lower than the toilet seat set temperature. In the present embodiment, the second seating period D7 is set to about 2 minutes.

  At time t7 after the second seating period D7 has elapsed, the control unit 90 further reduces the energization rate of the low power drive, and the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 during the second maintenance period D8 is The low-power driving of the toilet seat heater 450 is continued so as to be constant at a temperature (36 ° C.) slightly lower than the set temperature. In the following description, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 that is maintained constant in the second maintenance period D8, that is, a temperature slightly lower than the toilet seat set temperature is referred to as a maintenance temperature.

  Thus, in this example, after the user sits on the toilet seat 400, the control unit 90 gradually reduces the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400. This prevents the user from getting burned at low temperatures.

  When it is detected by the seating sensor 290 that the user has left the toilet seat 400 at time t8, the control unit 90 stops driving the toilet seat heater 450 during the stop period D9. As a result, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 decreases.

  At time t9 when the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 reaches 18 ° C., the control unit 90 starts low-power driving of the toilet seat heater 450 again, and during the standby period D10, the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 becomes constant at 18 ° C. Low power driving of the toilet seat heater 450 is maintained.

  Thus, when the temperature gradient becomes gradually gentle, the overshoot caused by the temperature change of the toilet seat 400 can be sufficiently reduced.

  In addition, the measured value of the first thermistor 401a is used during the temperature raising operation of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400, and the measured value of the second thermistor 401b is used during the warming and standby, so that the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 is used. In the temperature raising operation for rapidly raising the temperature, the response delay of the first thermistor 401a can be corrected, the overshoot at the time of temperature rise can be suppressed, and the temperature of the seating surface 411 is stabilized. A more stable temperature measurement value can be obtained during the heat retention and standby operation.

In this embodiment, after the user is seated on the toilet seat 400, the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 is gradually decreased by adjusting the electric power used to drive the toilet seat heater 450. However, the toilet seat heater 450 is used for driving. The user may stop when sitting on the toilet seat 400. Even in this case,
It prevents the user from getting burned at low temperature.

  As described above, in this example, it has been described that the driving of the toilet seat heater 450 is stopped when it is detected that the user has left the toilet seat 400 at time t8. However, the driving of the toilet seat heater 450 is stopped. It may be performed after a certain time (for example, 1 minute) has elapsed from time t8 when it is detected that the user has left the toilet seat 400. In this case, the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 does not decrease even when the user once leaves the toilet seat 400 and again feels comfortable and sits on the toilet seat 400 again. Thus, the user can comfortably sit on the toilet seat 400.

  As described above, since the toilet seat device according to the present invention can improve the seating feeling and achieve an energy saving effect, it can be applied to other uses such as a seating and warming device.

90 Control unit (control means)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Toilet seat apparatus 200 Main body 400 Toilet seat 400a Joint part 400b Joint part 410 Upper toilet seat casing 410a Outer periphery 410c Inner periphery 411 Seating surface 420 Lower toilet seat casing 420a Outer periphery 420c Inner periphery 430 Laminate film (exterior member)
431 Convex part 432 Concave part 450 Toilet seat heater 700 Toilet

Claims (6)

A main body placed on the toilet bowl, a toilet seat pivotally supported on the main body and incorporating a toilet seat heater, and a control means for controlling the toilet seat heater,
The toilet seat is formed by joining a substantially annular upper toilet seat casing having a seating surface formed of metal and a substantially annular lower toilet seat casing at an inner peripheral edge and an outer peripheral edge,
An exterior member covering at least the seating surface of the upper toilet seat casing;
A convex part and a concave part are formed on the surface of the exterior member, the convex part located below the collar part of the user seated on the toilet seat abuts on the collar part, and at least a part of the concave part abuts on the collar part A toilet seat device characterized by not. The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the concave portion is formed by being surrounded by the convex portion. The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein at least a part of the convex portion and the concave portion is formed substantially in a straight line from the front portion to the rear portion of the toilet seat in a substantially parallel manner. The toilet seat device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the exterior member covers a joint portion between the upper toilet seat casing and the lower toilet seat casing. The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the exterior member is formed of a resin material. The toilet seat device according to claim 5, wherein the exterior member is formed of a sheet-like resin material that expands and contracts when heated.