JP2014227799A - Warm water washing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a warm water washing device for supplying warm water for washing a private part of a human body at a low cost which can achieve effective energy saving while allowing the warm water washing device to be comfortably used immediately after seated.SOLUTION: A warm water washing device includes: warm water generation means for heating washing water; human body detection means; water temperature specifying means capable of specifying a temperature of the washing water; heating means; a heated part to be heated to a constant temperature by the heating means; and a control part. In a usage mode which is effected while a presence of a human body is detected, the washing water is heated to a set temperature specified by the water temperature specifying means. In a standby mode which is effected while the presence of the human body is not detected, the washing water is heated to a standby temperature which is the same as or lower than the set temperature. The standby temperature is determined according to an environmental temperature which is estimated based on a number of times when the control part switches an on/off state of the heating means per unit time or a length of time when the heating means is in an off state.

Description

  The present invention relates to a warm water cleaning apparatus for supplying warm water for local body cleaning.

  In the hot water washing apparatus provided for toilet body washing in the toilet bowl, the presence of the human body is detected and hot water heated to a predetermined temperature is supplied, but in order to reduce the power consumption in the unused time, the standby mode is May be provided. The following temperature control method for cleaning water has been disclosed in order to achieve comfortable use while reducing power consumption in the standby mode.

  In Patent Document 1, when it is detected by a seating detection sensor that a human body is seated on a toilet seat in a state where warm water heating means for heating warm water sprayed to a local part of the human body is maintained in a non-energized state, warm water heating is performed. A configuration is disclosed in which the means is returned to the energized state. Patent Document 2 discloses a second control temperature that is lower than the first control temperature when the presence or absence of a person is detected or estimated when the presence or absence of a person is detected or estimated. The structure which controls the temperature of warm water so that it may become temperature is disclosed.

  Further, although different from the heating mechanism for the local cleaning water, the so-called heating toilet seat device provided with a heating element is provided with a temperature detection means for detecting the temperature in the toilet room, and the user is provided according to the temperature in the toilet room detected by the temperature detection means. Patent Document 3 discloses a configuration for changing the energization to the heating element in the standby state where the seating intention on the toilet seat is not detected.

Japanese Patent No. 4639577 JP 2000-104315 A JP 2010-110623 A

  According to the configuration of Patent Document 1, when there is a certain amount of time until the user performs the local cleaning after sitting, the user can supply hot water that has already been heated to an appropriate temperature to the local cleaning. When performing local cleaning immediately after sitting, cold water will be supplied, giving the user unpleasant feeling. On the other hand, according to the configuration of Patent Document 2, since the water temperature is controlled to the second control temperature even when the local cleaning is not performed, even if the local cleaning is performed immediately after sitting, the temperature is lower than the second control temperature. Although the hot water is not supplied, the second control temperature is set as a parameter independent of the first control temperature. Therefore, the second control temperature is appropriately selected in relation to the first control temperature. Otherwise, the second control temperature is too low, causing discomfort to the user during local cleaning immediately after sitting, or conversely, the second control temperature is too high, and a high power saving effect cannot be obtained. The problem arises.

  Moreover, the structure of the above-mentioned Patent Document 3 is provided with temperature detecting means for detecting the temperature (environmental temperature) in the toilet room by diverting the toilet seat heating rather than heating the toilet seat, and is detected by the temperature detecting means. Depending on the ambient temperature, it is conceivable to determine the temperature of the local washing water during standby. If the temperature of the cleaning water during standby is set higher as the environmental temperature is lower, even when local cleaning is performed immediately after sitting, it is possible to provide a comfortable use with respect to the water temperature. However, in such a configuration, it is necessary to provide a temperature detection unit specialized for measuring the environmental temperature, which increases the manufacturing cost of the hot water cleaning apparatus.

  The problem to be solved by the present invention is a hot water cleaning apparatus that supplies hot water for cleaning a human body part, and a hot water cleaning apparatus that can achieve effective power saving while enabling comfortable use even immediately after sitting. It is to supply at low cost.

  In order to solve the above-described problems, a hot water cleaning apparatus according to the present invention includes a hot water generating unit that heats cleaning water supplied for local body cleaning, a human body detecting unit that detects the presence of a human body, and a temperature of the cleaning water. Water temperature designating means capable of designating, a heating means, a heated part heated by the heating means, and a control part, wherein the control part controls the output of the hot water generating means The temperature of the cleaning water is adjusted with the heating means on and off to maintain the heated portion at a constant temperature, and when the human body detection means detects the presence of a human body, the use mode is When the human body detecting means does not detect the presence of the human body, the standby mode is executed. In the use mode, the cleaning water is heated to the set temperature specified by the water temperature specifying means, and the standby mode The cleaning water is heated to a standby temperature that is equal to or lower than the set temperature, and the standby temperature is determined by the number of times the control unit switches the on / off state of the heating unit per unit time, or the heating unit The gist is that it is determined according to the environmental temperature estimated based on the length of time to be in the off state.

  Here, it is preferable that the heated portion is a toilet seat, and the heating means is a toilet seat heater for heating the toilet seat.

  Alternatively, it is preferable that the heated portion is the cleaning water stored in a hot water tank, and the heating means is the hot water generating means provided in the hot water tank.

  Further, there are at least two set temperatures that can be specified by the water temperature specifying means, the environmental temperature is equal to or higher than a reference environmental temperature, and a standard standby temperature provided between the lowest set temperature and the highest set temperature. The standby temperature is equal to the standard standby temperature, the environmental temperature is equal to or higher than the reference environmental temperature, and the water temperature designating unit is configured to use the standard standby temperature. When the set temperature is less than the specified temperature, and when the ambient temperature is less than the reference ambient temperature, the standby temperature is preferably equal to the designated set temperature.

  In the hot water cleaning apparatus according to the present invention, the lower the environmental temperature is, the more easily heat is released from the heated part, so the heating means is frequently switched on and off to keep the temperature of the heated means constant. In addition, the time during which the heating means is turned off is shortened. Therefore, the environmental temperature can be estimated with high accuracy based on the switching frequency of the on / off state of the heating means or the length of time during which the heating unit is turned off. The temperature of water that does not feel uncomfortable even when it comes into contact with the human body depends on the environmental temperature, but depending on the environmental temperature estimated in this way, the user feels uncomfortable the temperature of the cleaning water in standby mode. If the temperature is not necessary and sufficient, even if the cleaning water is used for local body cleaning immediately after the presence of the user is detected by the human body detection means, the user can use the cleaning water comfortably with respect to the water temperature. . At the same time, high power saving efficiency in the standby mode can be achieved. Since the warm water cleaning device estimates the environmental temperature without providing a sensor for measuring the environmental temperature, it reduces the manufacturing cost required for the sensor and improves the comfort of use and the power saving efficiency. It is possible to achieve both.

  Here, according to the configuration in which the heated portion is a toilet seat and the heating means is a toilet seat heater that heats the toilet seat, the toilet seat is exposed to the environment in the toilet room, so the amount of heat radiation is affected by the environmental temperature. It is easy to receive. Therefore, the switching frequency of the on / off state of the toilet seat heater for maintaining the toilet seat at a constant temperature and the length of time in the off state sensitively reflect the environmental temperature. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the environmental temperature with high accuracy, and based on the environmental temperature, it is possible to effectively increase the comfort of using the hot water cleaning device and the power saving efficiency.

  Alternatively, according to the configuration in which the heated portion is the cleaning water stored in the hot water tank, and the heating means is the hot water generating means provided in the hot water tank, the toilet seat that can be heated is not provided. Alternatively, even when the heating function is not used, it is possible to estimate the ambient temperature and set the standby temperature based on the estimated ambient temperature.

  Moreover, there are at least two set temperatures that can be specified by the water temperature specifying means, the environmental temperature is equal to or higher than the reference environmental temperature, and is higher than the standard standby temperature provided between the lowest set temperature and the highest set temperature. When the set temperature is specified by the water temperature specifying means, the standby temperature is equal to the standard standby temperature, the environment temperature is equal to or higher than the reference environment temperature, and the water temperature specifying means specifies a set temperature lower than the standard standby temperature. And if the ambient temperature is lower than the reference ambient temperature, the configuration in which the standby temperature is equal to the specified set temperature further improves the power saving efficiency and / or comfort of use depending on the ambient temperature Can be made. In other words, when the ambient temperature is higher than the reference ambient temperature and it is difficult to feel that cold water is cold even when it comes into contact with the human body, in the standby mode, the cleaning water is reduced to the lower of the standard standby temperature and the set temperature. When the cleaning water is used immediately after the presence of the human body is detected, the cleaning water, which is significantly cooler than the user intended, touches the user's body and causes discomfort. While preventing this, high power saving efficiency can be achieved. On the other hand, when the ambient temperature is below the reference ambient temperature and low temperature water is likely to be uncomfortable due to contact with the human body, the presence of the human body can be ensured by heating the cleaning water to the set temperature even in the standby mode. When cleaning water is used immediately after detection, it is possible to highly prevent the low temperature cleaning water from coming into contact with the user's human body and causing discomfort.

It is a perspective view showing an example of a warm water washing toilet seat provided with a warm water washing device concerning one embodiment of the present invention. It is a block diagram which shows an example of a structure of the warm water washing | cleaning apparatus concerning one Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart explaining the water temperature control by the said warm water washing | cleaning apparatus. It is a flowchart explaining the detail of warm season control.

  Hereinafter, a hot water cleaning apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  The hot water washing apparatus 1 is an apparatus that is provided in a warm water washing toilet seat 10 as shown in FIG. 1 and supplies hot water for human body local washing. The warm water cleaning toilet seat 10 has a nozzle 2 behind the toilet seat 5, and cleans the human body part by ejecting heated cleaning water from the nozzle 2. The cleaning water supplied to the nozzle 2 is obtained from a water supply source 4 such as a public water supply, and is stored and heated in a (hot water) tank 6. Heating of the cleaning water in the tank 6 and supply of the cleaning water from the nozzle 2 are controlled by the control unit 3. The hot water cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment mainly includes components of the control unit 3, members installed in the tank 6, and the toilet seat 5 and its attached members.

  Next, based on FIG. 2, the structure of the hot water washing | cleaning apparatus 1 is demonstrated. The hot water washing apparatus 1 includes a mode selection unit 11, a water temperature control unit 12, a water temperature detection unit 13, a hot water generation unit 14, a water temperature designation unit 15, a human body detection unit 16, a heating on / off unit 17, and a heated part. 18, a heating unit 19, and a heated portion temperature measuring unit 20.

  The mode selection means 11 includes a use mode in which the cleaning water heated from the nozzle 2 is ejected while the user is seated on the toilet seat 5, and the user is not seated on the toilet seat 5 and supplies the cleaning water from the nozzle 2. One of the two operation modes of the standby mode in the state of not being selected is selected and switched to each other. The water temperature control means 12 controls the output of the hot water generation means 14 to heat the cleaning water to a predetermined temperature. The mode selection unit 11, the water temperature control unit 12, and a heating on / off unit 17 described later are included in the control unit 3. The control unit 3 is embodied by a microcomputer or the like, and in addition to the functions as the mode selection unit 11, the water temperature control unit 12, and the heating on / off unit 17, the control unit 3 controls the ejection of cleaning water from the nozzle 2. 1 and various control functions of peripheral devices can be provided.

  The water temperature detecting means 13 detects the temperature of the cleaning water and is embodied by a thermistor, a thermocouple, or the like. The hot water generating means 14 is a hot water heater that heats the cleaning water. The water temperature detecting means 13 and the hot water generating means 14 are provided inside the tank 6 filled with cleaning water.

  The water temperature designating unit 15 designates the temperature of the cleaning water supplied from the nozzle 2 in the use mode. For example, the user can select one preset temperature from a plurality of preset temperatures given using a button, dial, or the like.

  The human body detection means 16 detects the presence of a user who uses the cleaning water for local cleaning. The human body detection means 16 may use any principle, but examples thereof include an optical and electrostatic seating sensor that detects the seating on the toilet seat 5.

  The heated portion 18 is a member heated by the heating means 19. In the present embodiment, the heated portion 18 is embodied by the toilet seat 5. The heating means 19 is a member that heats the heated portion 18 and is a toilet seat heater built in the toilet seat 5 in the present embodiment. The heating means 19 is on / off controlled by the heating on / off means 17 and heats the heated portion 18 to a predetermined temperature. The heated portion temperature measuring means 20 is a member that detects the temperature of the heated portion 18. In the present embodiment, the heated portion temperature measuring means 20 is a temperature sensor such as a thermistor or a thermocouple that is built in the toilet seat 5 and measures the temperature of the toilet seat 5. is there.

  The human body detection means 16 outputs a signal indicating whether the user exists or not to the mode selection means 11. While the human body detection means 16 does not detect the presence of the user, that is, while there is no user, the mode selection means 11 selects the standby mode, and the human body detection means 16 detects the presence of the user. While the user is present, that is, while the user exists, the mode selection means 11 selects the use mode.

  The mode selected by the mode selection unit 11 is transmitted to the water temperature control unit 12. In addition to the signal from the mode selection unit 11, the water temperature control unit 12 receives signals from the water temperature designation unit 15, the water temperature detection unit 13, and the heating on / off unit 17. The hot water generating means 14 depends on the mode selected by the mode selecting means 11, the set temperature specified by the water temperature specifying means 15, and the information related to the on / off control of the heating means 19 input from the heating on / off means 17. Then, the target temperature of the cleaning water in the tank 6 is determined, and the cleaning water can be heated or held at the target temperature based on the target temperature and the actual temperature of the cleaning water detected by the water temperature detecting means 13. The output of the hot water generating means 14 is adjusted.

  The heating on / off unit 17 maintains the heated portion 18 at a constant target temperature by controlling the heating unit 19 to be turned on / off, that is, by performing control for selecting execution or stop of the output of the heating unit 19. At this time, the temperature of the heated part 18 detected by the heated part temperature measuring means 20 is transmitted to the heating on / off means 17, and the heating on / off means 17 is based on the difference between the actual temperature of the heated part 18 and the target temperature. Thus, it is selected whether the heating means 19 should be turned on or off. Note that the target temperature of the heated portion 18 may be changed according to the operation mode selected by the mode selection means 11. That is, the heating on / off means 17 may receive a signal input from the mode selection means 11 and maintain the heated portion 18 at a constant temperature different between when in the standby mode and when in the use mode. These temperatures may be selectable by the user using buttons, dials, etc., similar to the temperature of the cleaning water. Specifically, in the use mode, it is preferable that a plurality of toilet seat temperatures can be set. In the standby mode, it is preferable that the temperature is lower than at least a part of the toilet seat temperature. When the heating on / off unit 17 switches the heating unit 19 between on and off, the heating on / off unit 17 outputs the information to the water temperature control unit 12.

  The hot water washing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment has the operation mode selected by the mode selection unit 11, the set temperature specified by the water temperature specification unit 15, and the on / off control state of the heating unit 19 by the heating on / off unit 17. Based on this, the water temperature control means 12 is characterized by a method for determining the target temperature. Below, the setting method of target temperature is demonstrated.

  In the use mode, the water temperature control means 12 controls the hot water generation means 14 with the set temperature designated by the water temperature designation means 15 as a target. In the standby mode, the set temperature specified by the water temperature specifying means 15, the ambient temperature estimated based on the on / off control state of the heating means 19 by the heating on / off means 17, and a predetermined standard standby temperature. Based on this relationship, the water temperature control means 12 determines a standby temperature as shown below, and controls the hot water generation means 14 using the standby temperature as a target temperature.

  The lower the ambient temperature, that is, the temperature of the toilet room in which the warm water flush toilet seat 10 is installed, the more heat is radiated from the toilet seat 5 as the heated hand portion 18. That is, in order to maintain the heated portion 18 at a predetermined temperature, the frequency (the number of times switching is performed per unit time) of switching between the on state and the off state of the heating unit 19 by the heating on / off unit 17 is as follows. The lower the ambient temperature, the higher the temperature. Further, the total length of time during which the heating means 19 is turned off during the unit time becomes shorter as the environmental temperature is lower. Therefore, it is estimated that the environmental temperature is lower as the frequency of switching the on / off state of the heating means 19 is lower and the time during which the heating time is turned off (hereinafter sometimes referred to as “off state time”) is shorter. be able to. In this way, the water temperature control means 12 estimates the environmental temperature based on the on / off state switching frequency of the heating means 19 and / or the length of time in the off state input from the heating on / off means 17. . The environmental temperature may be estimated as a specific numerical value based on such information, and the magnitude relationship between the switching frequency of the on / off state of the reference heating means 19 and the actual switching frequency and / or the reference heating. Based on the magnitude relationship between the length of the off-state of the means 19 and the length of the actual off-state, only the height relationship between the predetermined reference environmental temperature and the actual environmental temperature may be estimated. From the viewpoint of simplicity of estimation, a configuration based on comparison with the latter reference value is preferable.

  The standard standby temperature is set between the lowest set temperature and the highest set temperature among the set temperatures that can be specified by the water temperature specifying means 15, that is, a temperature that is higher than the lowest set temperature and lower than the highest set temperature. It has been. When there are three or more set temperatures, the set temperature other than the lowest set temperature and the highest set temperature may match the standard standby temperature.

  When the environmental temperature obtained by the estimation is less than a predetermined reference environmental temperature, the cold season control is performed. In the cold season control, the water temperature control means 12 sets the set temperature designated by the water temperature designation means 15 as the standby temperature. That is, in both the standby mode and the use mode, the cleaning water in the tank 6 is heated with the set temperature specified in the water temperature specifying means 15 as a target.

  On the other hand, when the environmental temperature obtained by the estimation is equal to or higher than the reference environmental temperature, warm season control is performed. In the warm season control, when the set temperature specified by the water temperature specifying means 15 is higher than the specified standard standby temperature, the water temperature control means 12 sets the standard standby temperature as the standby temperature. In the standby mode, the hot water generating means 14 is controlled with the standard standby temperature as the target temperature, and the cleaning water in the tank 6 is heated to the standard standby temperature.

  In the warm season control, when the set temperature specified by the water temperature specifying unit 15 is equal to or lower than the standard standby temperature, the hot water generating unit 14 sets the specified set temperature as the standby temperature. That is, as in the case of performing the cold season control, the water temperature control means 12 controls the hot water generation means 14 with the designated set temperature as the target temperature in the standby mode and the use mode, and the tank 6 The cleaning water inside is heated to its set temperature.

  As specific examples, the set temperatures that can be specified by the water temperature specifying means 15 are “low” (31.5 ° C.), “low / medium” (33.5 ° C.), “medium” (35.5 ° C.), and “medium / high”. Let us consider five cases of (37.5 ° C.) and “high” (39.5 ° C.). The standard standby temperature is 36.0 ° C. located between the above “medium” and “medium-high”, and the reference environmental temperature is 10 ° C. Here, based on a known relationship established between the environmental temperature and the on / off switching frequency of the heating means 19, the state in which the human body detecting means 16 does not detect a human body continues for 2 hours, When the switching frequency of the heating means 19 in the on / off state (the total of the number of times of switching from off to on and the number of switching from on to off) is 20 times or less, the environmental temperature is determined to be equal to or higher than the reference environmental temperature, and 21 times. When it is above, it is judged that the environmental temperature is lower than the reference environmental temperature.

  Table 1 shows the target temperature in the use mode corresponding to the environmental temperature and the standard standby temperature when each set temperature is specified. The table also shows the distinction between the power plug that supplies power to the hot water cleaning apparatus 1 and the on / off state of a power switch (both not shown).

  As shown in Table 1, when both the power plug and the power switch are on, and the number of on / off switching of the heating means 19 is 20 times or less, it is determined that the environmental temperature is 10 ° C. or higher, and the warm season control is performed. Selected. On the other hand, when the number of on / off switching of the heating means 19 is 21 times or more, it is determined that the environmental temperature is less than 10 ° C., and the cold season control is selected.

  When the warm period control is selected because the number of on / off switching of the heating means 19 is 20 times or less, each set temperature selected in the use mode when a set temperature other than “OFF” is selected. Is the target temperature. If the set temperature is one of “Low”, “Low / Medium”, or “Medium”, which is lower than the standard standby temperature, the selected set temperature is set as the standby temperature. As in the case of the mode, each set temperature becomes the target temperature. On the other hand, when the set temperature is “middle high” or “high” higher than the standard standby temperature, the standard standby temperature of 36.0 ° C. is the standby temperature, that is, the target temperature in the standby mode, regardless of the set temperature. Is done.

  When the cold season control is selected because the number of on / off switching of the heating means 19 is 21 times or more, when a set temperature other than “OFF” is selected, the use mode is the use mode of the warm season control. As in the above, each selected set temperature is set as a target temperature. The standby temperature, that is, the target temperature in the standby mode is also set as each selected set temperature.

  When the power plug is off, the power plug is on and the power switch is off, and the power plug and power switch are on and the set temperature is set to “Off” Sometimes, the hot water generating means 14 is maintained in the off state, and the water temperature control is not performed.

  Next, a detailed procedure for controlling the temperature of the cleaning water in the hot water cleaning apparatus 1 will be described with reference to FIG. First, the power plug is turned on and the power switch is turned on, whereby the hot water cleaning apparatus 1 is turned on in step S1.

  Then, in step S2, it is confirmed whether or not the human body detection means 16 has detected the presence of a human body. When the detection of the human body is detected (No in step S2), the mode selection unit 11 determines that there is a user using the warm water toilet seat 10, and selects the use mode. In step S7, heat retention control is performed to maintain the temperature of the cleaning water at the set temperature Ts selected by the water temperature designating unit 15. This heat retention control is used in a conventional hot water cleaning apparatus of a type that always heats the cleaning water to a set temperature without having a standby mode, or a type that has only a single standby temperature as in Patent Document 2. It is the same as that. In step S7, the process returns to step S2 as appropriate to determine whether the presence / absence state of the human body has changed. This also applies to the case where step S7 is executed via other steps as will be described later.

  If the presence of a human body is not detected in step S2 (Yes in step S2), it is determined in step S3 whether or not a state where the presence of a human body is not detected continues for 2 hours. When the state in which the presence of the human body is not detected has not reached 2 hours (No in step S3), the mode selection unit 11 selects the use mode, transitions to step S7, and is selected by the water temperature designation unit 15. Thermal insulation control is performed to maintain the temperature of the cleaning water at the set temperature Ts.

  If it is determined in step S3 that two hours have passed without the presence of a human body (Yes in step S3), after the mode selection unit 11 selects the standby mode, in step S4, The water temperature control means 12 determines whether or not the number of on / off switching of the heating means 19 has been 20 times or less in the previous hour.

  If the number of on / off switching of the heating means 19 is 20 times or less (Yes in Step S4), it is estimated that the environmental temperature is 10 ° C. or higher in Step S5, and warm season control is executed. Details of the warm season control will be described later with reference to FIG. Also in warm season control, it returns to step S2 suitably and it is determined whether the presence / absence state of the human body has not changed.

  On the other hand, when the number of on / off switching of the heating means 19 is 21 times or more (in the case of No in step S4), the environmental temperature is estimated to be less than 10 ° C., and the cold season control is executed. That is, the set temperature Ts selected by the water temperature designating unit 15 is set as the standby temperature, and in step S7, the temperature keeping control for maintaining the temperature of the cleaning water at the set temperature Ts is performed.

  Even if the presence of a human body is not detected in step S2 (Yes in step S2), it is determined whether or not the state in which the presence of the human body is not detected is continued for 2 hours in step S3. (No in step S3), the use mode is selected, and the washing water is kept at the set temperature Ts in step S7. This is because when the hot water washing apparatus 1 is frequently used, the next user is provided with hot water heated to an appropriate temperature immediately after sitting, and is used comfortably. However, when high power saving efficiency is required, step S3 is omitted, and if the presence of a human body is not detected in step S2, step S4 is immediately executed, and after selecting warm season control or cold season control, It is good also as a structure which transfers to standby mode.

  Next, details of warm season control executed in step S5 will be described with reference to FIG. First, in step SS1, warm season control is selected and started. This is triggered by the fact that it is determined in step S4 in FIG. 3 that the number of on / off switching of the heating means 19 is 20 or less.

  Then, in step SS2, the set temperature Ts designated at that time by the water temperature designating means 15 is transmitted to the water temperature control means 12. The water temperature control means 12 determines the magnitude relationship between the set temperature Ts and the standard standby temperature Ti.

  If the set temperature Ts is higher than the standard standby temperature Ti (Ts> Ti), that is, if the set temperature is “medium / high” or “high” in the example shown in Table 1, the water temperature detecting means 13 is set to the tank in step SS3. The temperature of the cleaning water in 6 is detected.

  In step SS4, the water temperature control means 12 determines the relationship between the water temperature detected in step SS3 and the standard standby temperature Ti. If the water temperature detected in step SS3 is equal to or higher than the standard standby temperature Ti (Yes in step SS4), the process returns to step SS2.

  On the other hand, when the water temperature detected in step SS3 is not equal to or higher than the standard standby temperature Ti (in the case of No in step SS4), in step SS5, the water temperature control means 12 increases the output of the hot water generation means 14, The water temperature of the cleaning water is raised using the standard standby temperature Ti as the standby temperature.

  When the human body detection means 16 detects the presence of a human body in step SS6 (Yes in step SS6), the water temperature control means 12 changes the target temperature from the standard standby temperature Ti to a set temperature Ts higher than that in step SS7. To do. Thereby, the cleaning water in the tank 6 is heated to the set temperature Ts. When the temperature of the cleaning water reaches the set temperature Ts, heat retention control is performed to maintain the cleaning water at the set temperature Ts. This heat retention control is the same as that executed in step S7 of FIG. In step SS7, it is determined whether or not the presence / absence state of the human body is changed by the human body detection means 16 (not shown in FIG. 4, corresponding to the path from step S7 to step S2 in FIG. 3). ).

  On the other hand, if the human body detection means 16 does not detect the presence of a human body in Step SS6 (No in Step SS6), the water temperature detection means 13 detects the water temperature in Step SS8.

  Then, the relationship between the detected water temperature and the standard standby temperature Ti is determined in step SS9. If the water temperature detected in step SS8 is equal to or lower than the standard standby temperature Ti (Yes in step SS9), the cleaning water is heated to the standard standby temperature Ti and maintained at the standard standby temperature Ti in step SS10. Standby heat insulation control is performed. This standby heat retention control is the same as the heat retention control in step SS7, and differs only in that the temperature is maintained at the standard standby temperature Ti instead of the set temperature Ts. Also in step SS10, it is determined whether or not the presence / absence state of the human body has changed by the human body detection unit 16 as appropriate (not shown in FIG. 4, corresponding to the path from step S7 to step S2 in FIG. 3). .

  When the water temperature detected in step SS8 is not equal to or lower than the standard standby temperature Ti (in the case of No in step SS9), the process returns to step SS2.

  When it is determined in step SS2 that the set temperature Ts is equal to or lower than the standard standby temperature Ti (Ts ≦ Ti), that is, in the example shown in Table 1, the set temperature Ts is one of “low”, “medium low”, and “medium”. If it is, in step SS11, the water temperature detecting means 13 detects the water temperature of the cleaning water.

  In step SS12, the water temperature control means 12 determines the relationship between the water temperature detected in step SS11 and the set temperature Ts. If the water temperature detected in step SS11 is equal to or higher than the set temperature Ts (Yes in step SS12), the process returns to step SS2.

  On the other hand, when the water temperature detected in step SS11 is not equal to or higher than the set temperature Ts (in the case of No in step SS12), in step SS13, the water temperature control means 12 sets the target temperature as the set temperature Ts, and in step SS7. Similarly, heat retention control at the set temperature Ts is performed. That is, if it is determined in step SS2 that Ts ≦ Ti, the water temperature is maintained so as not to fall below Ts regardless of whether or not a human body is detected. In step SS13 as well, it is determined whether or not the presence / absence state of the human body has changed by the human body detection means 16 as appropriate (not shown in FIG. 4, on the path from step S7 to step S2 in FIG. 3). Equivalent).

  As described above, the environmental temperature is estimated, and the standard standby temperature defined for the temperature between the lowest set temperature and the highest set temperature is specified in relation to the reference ambient temperature. By controlling the heating temperature of the cleaning water in the standby mode based on the relationship between the three set temperatures, the user can comfortably wash the cleaning water locally while obtaining the power saving effect in the standby mode. Can be used. Since the user normally uses the warm water cleaning device 1 assuming that cleaning water heated to a set temperature is supplied, even when performing local cleaning immediately after seating, the temperature is much higher than the set temperature. When cleaning water with a low temperature comes into contact with the body, it causes discomfort. In addition, when the environmental temperature is relatively high, it is difficult to feel discomfort even when relatively low temperature water contacts the human body, but when the environmental temperature is relatively low, low temperature water has contacted the human body. In this case, the discomfort felt by the user increases. In addition, when the environmental temperature is low, the temperature of the water obtained from the water supply source 4 is low, and heat radiation from the heated cleaning water is likely to occur, so the temperature of the cleaning water is likely to fluctuate and the cleaning water is kept at a constant temperature. Hard to hold. This is also a factor that makes the user feel uncomfortable with respect to the water temperature.

  In the warm water washing apparatus 1, when the environmental temperature is relatively high and is equal to or higher than the reference environmental temperature, the warm season control is executed, and the standard standby temperature or the set temperature is set as the standby temperature according to the set temperature. In the standby mode, the cleaning water is heated to the standby temperature. When the set temperature is higher than the standard standby temperature, even if the user performs the local cleaning immediately after sitting on the toilet seat 5 and shifting from the standby mode to the use mode, it is heated to at least the standard standby temperature from the beginning. Therefore, the user does not feel uncomfortable because cold water having a temperature significantly lower than the set temperature comes into contact with the body. On the other hand, when the set temperature is lower than the standard standby temperature, warm water heated to that set temperature is supplied from the beginning, so that the user's body comes in contact with cleaning water at the expected temperature, and There is no discomfort regarding the water temperature. In the warm season control of the hot water washing apparatus 1, the temperature is significantly lower than that assumed by the user when used immediately after sitting, whether the set temperature is higher than the standard standby temperature or lower than the set temperature. The cleaning water does not cause discomfort due to contact with the body and can be used comfortably. Many users sit on the toilet seat 5 and use the hot water washing device 1 to perform local washing after the toilet. For the purpose of promoting convenience, etc., the user should use the hot water washing device 1 immediately after sitting. The above-mentioned hot water cleaning apparatus 1 that supplies cleaning water heated to a water temperature that does not cause discomfort immediately after sitting provides particularly high comfort in such use.

  In the warm season control, the temperature of the cleaning water in the standby mode is determined by the relationship with the selected set temperature, thereby enabling comfortable use with respect to the above-described temperature, Therefore, the cleaning water in the standby mode can be heated to a necessary and sufficient temperature to efficiently save power. If the cleaning water is heated to a constant standard standby temperature regardless of the set temperature in the standby mode, it is difficult to achieve both such comfortable use and power saving efficiency. If the standard standby temperature, which is a constant value, is higher than some or all of the set temperatures, the cleaning water is heated at the standard standby temperature that is higher than the set temperature in standby mode. The amount will increase. In addition, when the standard standby temperature, which is a constant value, is lower than all the set temperatures, the power saving efficiency is increased, but when the set temperature is relatively high, the temperature is supplied immediately after shifting to the use mode. The discrepancy between the cleaning water and the set temperature becomes large, and the discomfort given to the user who assumes that the cleaning water having a temperature not significantly different from the set temperature is supplied.

  On the other hand, in the hot water cleaning apparatus 1, when the environmental temperature is relatively low and lower than the reference environmental temperature, the set temperature is set to the standby temperature by the cold season control, and the cleaning is performed in both the standby mode and the use mode. The water is maintained in a state heated to the set temperature. Thereby, even when the user is seated on the toilet seat 5 and performs local cleaning immediately after shifting from the standby mode to the use mode, the cleaning water at the temperature as expected by the user comes into contact with the human body from the beginning, Discomfort to the user regarding the water temperature is prevented. In addition, as described above, when the environmental temperature is low, it becomes difficult to maintain the temperature of the cleaning water constant compared to the case where the environmental temperature is high, but the temperature of the cleaning water heated to the set temperature slightly varies. Even so, the unpleasant sensation given to the user who performs the local cleaning immediately after sitting is smaller than that when the cleaning water is maintained at a temperature lower than the set temperature in the standby mode.

  In the cold season control, as in the warm season control, if a standby temperature corresponding to the set temperature is selected based on the standard standby temperature, high power saving efficiency can be achieved. However, as described above, when the environmental temperature is low, when cold water contacts the human body, the discomfort given to the user due to the coldness is great. On the other hand, if warm water heated according to the set temperature assumed from the beginning of seating is supplied, the user can feel warmth and can feel comfortable. Therefore, in the cold season control, importance is placed on the comfort of use, and the cleaning water is heated to the set temperature even in the standby mode.

  Thus, particularly high power-saving efficiency can be achieved in the warm season control, and particularly high use comfort can be provided in the cold season control. Since the environmental temperature changes periodically depending on the season, the use of the hot water cleaning device 1 throughout the year can achieve a high power saving efficiency as a whole, compared with the case where the standby temperature is the same throughout the year. The comfort of use according to can be ensured.

  In the hot water washing apparatus 1, the standby temperature is determined according to the environmental temperature as described above, so that both the comfort of use and the power saving are compatible. The environmental temperature is the environmental temperature, that is, the hot water washing toilet seat. 10 is not provided with a temperature sensor such as a thermistor for measuring the temperature of the atmosphere in the space in which 10 is installed, but also includes information on on / off control of the toilet seat heater provided for heating the toilet seat 5. In addition, the ambient temperature is estimated. That is, it is possible to provide the hot water washing apparatus 1 having comfort and power saving according to the environmental temperature as described above without requiring a cost for providing a sensor specialized for measuring the environmental temperature. Can do.

  The specific standard standby temperature may be determined as appropriate in consideration of comfort in use and power saving efficiency, but it should not cause discomfort even if the cleaning water heated to the standard standby temperature suddenly contacts the human body. If it considers, it is good to set it as about 34-38 degreeC on the basis of a human body temperature, for example. More preferably, the temperature is set to 36 ° C. If the temperature is set to 36 ° C., the washing water heated to the standard standby temperature does not feel cold and uncomfortable when it comes into contact with the human body.

  The standard standby temperature may be a fixed value or a variable value. When the change is possible, the standard standby temperature may be set manually by the user, or the standard standby temperature may be automatically set. If the user can set the standard standby temperature, the standard standby temperature can be selected according to each user's preference of water temperature and the degree of power saving intention, so comfortable use and / or power saving efficiency can be used for each user. Can be achieved in a form suitable for a person. For example, if the warm water washing apparatus 1 includes an air temperature sensor and automatically sets the standard standby temperature according to the air temperature, and the standard standby temperature is increased as the air temperature is lower, the air temperature is relatively high even in the warm season. Even when the temperature is low, it is possible to avoid the cold cleaning water from coming into contact with the body and to use the warm water cleaning apparatus 1 comfortably. On the other hand, when the temperature is high even during the warm season, it is difficult to feel uncomfortable even if the cleaning water having a low temperature contacts the human body. Therefore, by increasing the standard standby temperature, high power saving efficiency can be achieved.

  The specific reference environmental temperature may be appropriately determined in consideration of the climate of the area where the warm water washing toilet seat 10 is used. For example, the reference environment temperature may be set so that the temperature of the toilet room is lower than the reference environment temperature in winter and the temperature of the toilet room is higher than the reference environment temperature from spring to autumn. In Japan, 10 ° C. can be preferably exemplified as such a reference environmental temperature. In this case, in a typical Japanese house, the cold season control is executed when the room temperature falls below the reference environment temperature in winter, and the warm season control is executed because the room temperature is above the reference environment temperature from spring to autumn. Is done. In this way, by using the cold season control only in winter in the four seasons, and using the warm season control with high power saving efficiency in other periods, it is possible to increase the power saving efficiency when viewed throughout the year. it can. Based on the on / off switching frequency of the heating means 19 and the length of time in the off state, the switching frequency that becomes a threshold when judging the level relationship between the reference environmental temperature and the actual environmental temperature (in the example of Table 1 is 1 hour). 20 times) and the length of the off state may be determined as appropriate so that it can be accurately determined whether the actual environmental temperature is higher or lower than the desired reference environmental temperature by performing a test or the like in advance. . In addition, since the switching frequency and the length of the off state that are threshold values also depend on the heating set temperature of the toilet seat 5, this threshold value is preferably determined for each heating set temperature of the toilet seat 5.

  In the warm water cleaning apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, immediately after the transition from the standby mode to the use mode in the warm season control (the initial stage of step SS7 in FIG. 4), the cleaning water is changed from the standard standby temperature to a set temperature higher than that. When heating the water, it is necessary to increase the temperature of the cleaning water in a short period of time, so it is necessary to increase the output of the hot water generating means 14, but the other time, that is, the cold season control is performed. Since the warm water generating means 14 is only used to keep the water temperature constant while the washing water is kept at a constant temperature in the standby mode and the use mode of the warm season control, Only a relatively small output is required for the hot water generating means 14. As the hot water generating means 14, one using a power source obtained by converting an alternating current into a direct current, such as a commercial power source, is generally used. However, when converting from alternating current to direct current, half wave control (half wave rectification) and full wave control (all (Wave rectification) is preferably used in combination. In other words, half-wave control is performed during cold season control or while the cleaning water is kept at a constant temperature in the standby mode and use mode of the warm season control, and the standby mode is changed to the use mode in the warm season control. It is sufficient to perform full-wave control only while the temperature is raised from the standard standby temperature to a set temperature higher than that immediately after the transition. By using full-wave control, the cleaning water can be heated quickly, so that the cleaning water can be heated to the set temperature at an early stage, and the comfort of using the hot water cleaning apparatus 1 is further improved. On the other hand, by using half-wave control when the output of the hot water generation means 14 is small, at least energy loss related to the current after rectification can be suppressed, and power saving efficiency can be increased.

  In the embodiment described above, the temperature of the toilet seat 5 is estimated based on the information on the on / off control of the toilet seat heater, with the toilet seat 5 that can be heated as the heated portion and the toilet seat heater that heats the toilet seat 5 as the heating means 19. It was broken. As another embodiment, the cleaning water itself stored in the tank 6 is used as the heated portion 18, and the hot water generating means (hot water heater) 14 installed in the tank 6 is used as the heating means 19 to estimate the environmental temperature. The configuration can be shown. In this case, the water temperature detecting means 13 also serves as the heated portion temperature measuring means 20, and the water temperature control means 12 serves as the heating on / off means 17.

  The cleaning water is heated in the tank 6 and is maintained at a constant temperature except while the target temperature is changed. The cleaning water is in contact with the atmosphere in the environment where the warm water cleaning toilet seat 10 is installed through the outer wall of the tank 6 and the casing in which the tank 6 is stored. The lower the environmental temperature, the greater the degree of heat radiation from the cleaning water. Therefore, the lower the environmental temperature, the higher the frequency of on / off switching of the hot water generating means 14, and the shorter the time in the off state. Moreover, since the temperature of the water supplied to the tank 6 from the water supply source 4 becomes low when the environmental temperature is low, the lower the environmental temperature is, the more frequently the hot water generating means 14 is switched on and off. It becomes a factor to shorten a certain time. Using these phenomena, the environmental temperature can be estimated based on the on / off switching frequency of the hot water generation means 14 and the length of time in the off state, and can be used for selection of cold season control and warm season control. More specifically, the water temperature control means 12 controls the environment based on the frequency with which the hot water generation means 14 is turned on or off or the length of time when the water is turned off while performing control to keep the cleaning water at a constant temperature. The temperature is estimated, one of the cold season control and the warm season control is selected, and subsequently, the output control of the water temperature control means 12 is performed based on the selected control method.

  The toilet seat 5 is directly exposed to the environment where the hot water cleaning toilet seat 10 is installed, and is more sensitive to changes in environmental temperature than cleaning water that is in contact with the external environment only through the outer wall and casing of the tank 6. Therefore, in the point that the environmental temperature can be accurately estimated and the control method can be selected based on the temperature, the heatable toilet seat 5 is the heated portion 18, and the toilet seat heater is the heating means 19. This is superior to the second embodiment in which the cleaning water in the tank 6 is the heated portion 18 and the hot water generating means 14 is the heating means 19. On the other hand, the first embodiment cannot be used when the toilet seat 5 does not have the heating function or when the toilet seat heating function is turned off by the user's selection or the like. . The second embodiment is excellent in that it can be used even in such a case.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention was described in detail, this invention is not limited to the said Example at all, A various change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention. In the above embodiment, the cold season control or the warm season control is alternatively adopted according to the environmental temperature, and the standby temperature is determined by a different method in each control method. It can be set as the structure which employ | adopts the standby temperature which becomes so high that it becomes low. As described above, there are various specific methods for reflecting the estimated environmental temperature in the standby temperature. However, when the environmental temperature is low, the cleaning in the standby mode is performed more than when the environmental temperature is high. If the temperature of the irrigation water is not lowered, discomfort given to the user regarding the water temperature of the rinsing water can be reduced. Moreover, if the cleaning water in the standby mode is not heated excessively beyond a level that does not cause discomfort to the user according to the environmental temperature, it is possible to contribute to an improvement in power saving efficiency.

  In the above embodiment, when the temperature specifying means selects the setting of “OFF”, or when the power switch is turned off, the output of the hot water generating means 14 is turned off, and the cleaning water is turned off. However, in such a state, in order to prevent freezing of the cleaning water, for example, the cleaning water may be heated to 10 ° C.

  In the above-described embodiment, the standby temperature for washing water for local cleaning is determined based on the estimated value of the environmental temperature. However, the same idea applies to the determination of the standby temperature for toilet seat heating. Can do. That is, the standby temperature of the toilet seat 5 in the standby mode may be determined by estimating the environmental temperature based on the on / off switching frequency of the toilet seat heater itself and the hot water generating means (hot water heater) 14 and the length of time of the OFF state.

  In the above embodiment, the environmental temperature is estimated based on the switching frequency of the on / off state of the heating means that is controlled to be turned on or off, or the length of time that the heating unit is turned off. Applying the idea of estimating the ambient temperature based on the phenomenon that heat dissipation from the heated part is promoted as the ambient temperature is lower, even when using heating means that control the amount and adjust the output can do. That is, it may be estimated that the environmental temperature is lower as the energization amount per unit time is larger.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hot water washing | cleaning apparatus 3 Control part 5 Toilet seat 6 Tank 11 Mode selection means 12 Water temperature control means 13 Water temperature detection means 14 Hot water generation means 15 Water temperature designation means 16 Human body detection means 17 Heating on / off means 18 Heated part 19 Heating means 20 Heated part Temperature measuring means

Claims (4)

Hot water generating means for heating cleaning water supplied for local body cleaning, human body detecting means for detecting the presence of a human body, water temperature specifying means capable of specifying the temperature of the cleaning water, heating means, A heated portion heated by the heating means, and a control unit,
The controller adjusts the water temperature of the cleaning water by controlling the output of the hot water generating means, and maintains the heated portion at a constant temperature by controlling the heating means on and off, and the human body detecting means When the presence of a human body is detected, the use mode is executed, and when the human body detection means does not detect the presence of a human body, a standby mode is executed,
In the use mode, the cleaning water is heated to a set temperature specified by the water temperature specifying means, and in the standby mode, the cleaning water is heated to a standby temperature equal to or lower than the set temperature,
The standby temperature is determined according to the number of times that the control unit switches the on / off state of the heating unit per unit time or the environmental temperature estimated based on the length of time for which the heating unit is turned off. A hot water cleaning device characterized by having   The hot water cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the heated portion is a toilet seat, and the heating means is a toilet seat heater for heating the toilet seat.   The hot water cleaning according to claim 1, wherein the heated portion is the cleaning water stored in a hot water tank, and the heating means is the hot water generating means provided in the hot water tank. apparatus. There are at least two preset temperatures that can be designated by the water temperature designation means,
When the ambient temperature is equal to or higher than a reference ambient temperature and the water temperature designating unit designates a set temperature higher than a standard standby temperature provided between the lowest set temperature and the highest set temperature, the standby The temperature is equal to the standard standby temperature,
When the environmental temperature is equal to or higher than the reference environmental temperature and the water temperature designating unit designates a set temperature lower than the standard standby temperature, and when the environmental temperature is lower than the reference environmental temperature, the standby The hot water cleaning apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the temperature is equal to the designated set temperature.

Images