JP2016061030A - Detector, and urinal washing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a detector for accurately determining that a drain part is jammed.SOLUTION: The detector sends out propagation waves in a predetermined direction to detect the draining state of the drain part draining water. The detector includes a doppler sensor for transmitting the propagation waves to a water sealing part provided on part of the drain part and receiving the propagation waves reflected by the water sealing face of the water sealing part to generate a doppler signal, a water supply part for supplying water toward the drain part, and a detection part for controlling the water supply part to supply the water, acquiring a time from when the water is supplied to when the amplitude strength of the doppler signal ranges to a first threshold value or smaller, and detecting that the drain part is jammed when the acquired time exceeds a second threshold value.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

  The present invention relates to a detection device and a urinal cleaning device that detect clogging of a pipe from which toilet flush water is discharged.

  Conventionally, a human body and urine flow are detected using a microwave Doppler sensor or the like. The microwave Doppler sensor is a sensor that detects the movement of an object by transmitting the microwave as a propagation wave and receiving the microwave reflected by the object.

  In addition to detecting the human body and urine flow using a microwave Doppler sensor, it detects clogging in the drainage pipe of wash water connected to the toilet, and when the pipe is clogged, There is a toilet cleaning device that prevents overflow of the generated cleaning water (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2006-299726 A

  However, in the method described in Patent Document 1, it is attempted to detect the movement of the human body and the accumulated water using two filters, that is, the human body detecting means and the accumulated water detecting means, but the passband frequency bands of these two filters overlap. Therefore, it cannot be clearly classified, and therefore, there is a drawback that a human body existing in the vicinity of the toilet bowl is erroneously detected as accumulated water when the accumulated water is detected. In addition, after the valve is opened to detect the separation of the human body, the accumulated water is detected after a predetermined time after the valve is opened. It is not unique to each toilet, but changes depending on the situation of the drainage piping of the toilet. For this reason, depending on the setting of the predetermined time, when the setting time is short, the movement of the washing water is also measured, and a correct signal cannot be detected, and when the setting time is long, the movement of the stored water approaches a stationary state, Even if there is a pipe clogging, there is a drawback that a large signal is not generated and correct pipe clogging cannot be detected.

  Then, this invention is made | formed in order to solve the subject mentioned above, and makes it one of the objectives to provide the detection apparatus and urinal washing apparatus which can detect clogging of a drainage part correctly.

  A detection device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a detection device that detects a drainage state of a drainage unit that drains water by sending a propagation wave in a predetermined direction, and is a seal provided in a part of the drainage unit. A Doppler sensor that generates a Doppler signal by transmitting a propagation wave to the water portion and receiving a propagation wave reflected by the sealing surface of the water sealing portion; and a water supply portion that supplies water toward the drainage portion; The water supply unit is controlled to supply the water, and the time from when the water is supplied until the amplitude intensity width of the Doppler signal is equal to or less than the first threshold is acquired. A detection unit that detects that the drainage unit is clogged when the threshold value is 2 or more.

  According to this configuration, the detection unit acquires the time from when the water is supplied until the amplitude intensity width of the Doppler signal is equal to or less than the first threshold, and when the acquired time is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the drainage unit Since clogging is detected, clogging of the drainage portion can be detected accurately.

  In the detection device according to the second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the Doppler sensor generates the Doppler signal by transmitting the propagation wave to the region on the human body side, and the detection unit further includes: Before controlling the water supply unit, the presence or absence of the human body is detected based on the Doppler signal, and the water supply unit is controlled when it is detected that there is no human body.

  According to this configuration, since the human body is not affected by the Doppler signal, the detection unit can more accurately acquire the time during which the amplitude intensity width of the Doppler signal is equal to or less than the first threshold value. It is possible to accurately detect clogging of the drainage part.

  In the detection device according to the third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect or the second aspect, the detection unit supplies, as the time, the amplitude intensity width of the Doppler signal after the water is supplied. The time when the frequency of the Doppler signal is below the third threshold is acquired.

  According to this configuration, the detection unit compares the amplitude of the Doppler signal with the water after supplying water as the time to be compared with the second threshold, and the frequency of the Doppler signal is equal to or less than the third threshold. Therefore, noise that may be present in the Doppler signal can be eliminated and clogging of the drainage portion can be detected more accurately than in the first mode.

  In the detection device according to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the detection unit detects that the drainage unit is clogged in the detection device of any one of the first to third aspects, to that effect. It is characterized by providing an informing part which alerts.

  According to this configuration, when the detection unit detects that the drainage unit is clogged, the notification unit notifies the fact that the drainage unit is clogged. I can know.

  In the detection device according to the fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the notification section notifies the fact after a predetermined operation.

  According to this configuration, the notifying unit notifies that after a predetermined operation is performed, so there is no need to notify that if there is no predetermined operation, and power consumption Can be suppressed.

  In the detection device according to the sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect or the fifth aspect, the notification unit changes the supply of the water supply unit to a method different from the method of flowing to the drainage unit. It is characterized by notifying by doing.

  According to this configuration, the notification unit notifies the change by changing the supply of the water supply unit to a method different from the way of washing to the drainage unit, so it is necessary to newly provide a notification unit dedicated to the notification unit. There is no.

  In the detection device according to the seventh aspect of the present invention, in any one of the detection devices according to the first aspect to the sixth aspect, the sealing portion is disposed downstream of the urinal or the hand-washing portion.

  According to this structure, a Doppler sensor can be measured with respect to the water sealing part arrange | positioned downstream of a urinal or a hand-washing part, and clogging of a drainage part can be detected correctly.

  In the urinal washing device according to the eighth aspect of the present invention, a urinal provided with a drainage unit, the detection device according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, provided in the urinal, Is provided.

  According to this configuration, the detection unit acquires a time during which the amplitude intensity width of the Doppler signal is equal to or less than the first threshold, and when the acquired time is equal to or greater than the second threshold, the urinal drainage unit is clogged. Therefore, it is possible to accurately detect clogging of the drainage part.

  According to the detection device of the present invention, the clogging of the drainage portion can be accurately determined.

It is explanatory drawing which shows the urinal washing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the Doppler signal by the wash water after a human body approaches the urinal washing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention, and retreats for small use. In the urinal washing device concerning the embodiment of the present invention, when a person does not exist near the urinal, it is a figure showing a Doppler signal when water was discharged. It is a figure which shows the difference of the Doppler signal by the shaking of the toilet bowl water surface when there is no clogging in piping with the urinal washing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of a process of the control part of the urinal washing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart of the process of the control part which continues from FIG.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted as appropriate.

  FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a urinal washing apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the urinal washing apparatus 1 functions in the following configuration. A Doppler sensor 5 is accommodated in the urinal 2 and the human body, urine and clogging are detected by the Doppler sensor 5. In the urinal 2, washing water for washing the ball portion 2 a and the trap portion 2 b flows from the water supply passage through the water supply pipe 3, the valve 4, and the spreader 2 c. The spreader 2c has a mechanism for thinly and widely spreading the water flowing through the water supply pipe 3. The wash water that has washed the ball portion 2a and the trap portion 2b as the sealed water portion flows into the drainage channel through the drain pipe 8 as a part of the drainage portion 9. In addition, the drainage part 9 may contain not only the drainage pipe 8 but the trap part 2b and a drainage channel.

  The urinal washing apparatus 1 includes a control unit 7 that receives a signal from the Doppler sensor 5 and analyzes the signal (analyzes the frequency and amplitude of the Doppler signal). And whether there is urination or clogged pipes. The control unit 7 controls the valve 4 according to its own determination result. And the detection apparatus 10 of this embodiment is comprised including the Doppler sensor 5, the control part 7, and the valve | bulb 4 which were demonstrated above. Moreover, the water supply part 11 is comprised including the water supply pipe 3, the valve | bulb 4, and the spreader 2c, for example.

  Although not explicitly shown in FIG. 1, the control unit 7 includes a storage unit that can store frequency, amplitude, time, and the like. In addition, in this embodiment, although the example which installed the control part 7 outside is shown, you may include the control part 7 in the urinal 2.

  Next, the characteristics of the Doppler signal when the human body, urine, and stored water are measured with the configuration shown in FIG. 1 will be described. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing signal changes with respect to the time axis when a person approaches the urinal 2 and urinates in the configuration of FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the amplitude intensity of the Doppler signal increases as the object approaches the Doppler sensor 5. In FIG. 2, when a person approaches the urinal 2 and starts urination, a Doppler signal having a frequency indicating a movement faster than the movement of the person appears. When the urination is finished and the person leaves the urinal 2, the control unit 7 determines that the person is leaving, opens the valve 4, and discharges the washing water. At this time, since the spreader 2c, which is a spout for the cleaning water, is located at a position very close to the Doppler sensor 5, for example, a very large signal appears in the Doppler sensor 5 and exceeds the detection range as shown in FIG. After a while, the cleaning water almost disappears from the ball portion 2a, and the cleaning water, which is a moving object, moves away from the Doppler sensor 5 in the state of moving to the trap portion 2b. Thus, it is possible to measure the shaking of the stored water for clogging detection. The shaking of the stored water shows a natural vibration peculiar to the shape of the trap portion 2b of the urinal 2 and has a low frequency of several Hz or less.

  FIG. 3 is an example of a Doppler signal obtained by measuring the vibration of the stored water surface in order to detect clogging of the drainage unit 9 in the embodiment of the present invention.

  In this embodiment, after confirming that there is no person in the vicinity of the urinal, urinal cleaning is performed, and the shaking of the reservoir surface is measured. For this reason, it is possible to measure only the shaking of the water surface without being affected by the presence of a person near the urinal.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the Doppler signal of the shaking of the stored water surface when the drainage unit 9 is not clogged and when the drainage unit 9 is clogged by the method of FIG. 3.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the cleaning water is discharged, the cleaning water moves near the Doppler sensor 5, so a large signal is generated, and after a long time after the sensing range is exceeded, the cleaning water is at a position far from the Doppler sensor 5. If it moves, it becomes the magnitude of a signal that can be sensed, and the fluctuation of the stored water can be measured. The shaking of the stored water is a natural vibration of several Hz determined by the toilet bowl shape. If the drainage section 9 is clogged, the water level of the trap section 2b rises during drainage, so that there is no clogging as shown in FIG. The signal has a larger amplitude. Further, when the drainage section 9 is clogged, the time required for drainage becomes longer. As shown in FIG. 4, the time until the signal amplitude falls below the washing water stability judgment amplitude intensity from the washing water discharge start time is measured to judge the degree of clogging of the drainage section 9.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart of processing in the control unit 7 as a detection unit that detects clogging of the drainage unit 9. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of processing in the control unit 7 continued from FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the control unit 7 sets a clogging counter K indicating the exhaust pipe clogging state to “−1” (K = −1) in step S100, and proceeds to step S101.

  In step S101, the control unit 7 confirms whether the user (especially the administrator) has performed a specific operation (predetermined operation). Here, “specific operation” means that when urinal cleaning is performed frequently, such as when urinal cleaning is repeated and urinal cleaning is repeated, the urinal cleaning may not be performed smoothly. Then, unless the specific operation is canceled, the control unit 7 shifts to a mode in which the operation such as toilet flushing is not performed according to the detection result of the Doppler sensor 5. As an example of detecting a specific operation, it is recognized that the hand is brought close to the vicinity of the Doppler sensor 5 and is stationary. In the sensor arrangement of FIG. 1, a moving body such as a person does not approach the immediate vicinity of the Doppler sensor 5 when using the normal urinal 2. When a hand is brought close to the Doppler sensor 5 in such a situation, a signal with a very large amplitude appears at a very slow frequency, and thus a specific operation can be detected. If a specific operation is detected in step S101, the process proceeds to step S200, and if there is no specific operation, the process proceeds to step S102.

  In step S200, the control unit 7 shifts to a specific mode. An example of the specific mode is a cleaning mode. In the cleaning mode, even if the movement of the human body is detected as a result of determining the signal of the Doppler sensor 5, the cleaning water is not discharged. After entering the specific mode, the control unit 7 proceeds to step S201.

  In step S201, the control unit 7 determines whether the specific mode has ended. The determination of the end of the specific mode may be determined as the end of the specific mode if the specific operation is performed again during the specific mode, or the specific mode may be ended if the specific mode is entered and a predetermined time or more elapses. The control unit 7 repeatedly executes step S201 until the specific mode is finished. If it is determined in step S201 that the specific mode is finished, the control unit 7 proceeds to step S202.

  In step S202, the control unit 7 reads the value of the clogging determination counter K stored in a storage unit (not shown), and proceeds to step S203.

  In step S <b> 203, the control unit 7 notifies that the supply of the water supply unit 11 that supplies the cleaning water toward the drainage unit 9 is changed to a method that is different from the method of flowing to the drainage unit 9. In the present embodiment, the notification is made by controlling the discharge of the washing water in accordance with the value of the clogging judgment counter K. Here, the control of water discharge is notified by the number of times of intermittently repeating water discharge and water stop. That is, the control unit 7 has not only a detection unit but also a function as a notification unit. For example, if the value of the counter K is “−1” and “0”, the number of times is set to several times including “0” or “1”, and if the value of the counter K is “1”, the counter More than the number of times when the value of K is “−1” and “0”, and when the value of K is “2”, the value of the counter K is larger than the number of times when it is “1”. When the value is “3”, the counter K is set to be more than the number of times when the value is “2”. In addition, the control part 7 may change the amount of water discharge and the time of water discharge according to the value of the judgment counter K instead of changing the frequency | count of repeating water discharge and water stop. When the notification ends, the control unit 7 returns to the normal mode for detecting the human body and urine, and returns to step S102.

  When the control unit 7 does not determine that the specific operation is performed in step S101, the control unit 7 proceeds to step S102.

  In step S102, the control unit 7 confirms whether or not the specified time has elapsed since the last detection of the clogging of the drainage unit 9, and returns to step S101 when the specified time or more has not elapsed. If the specified time has elapsed, the control unit 7 proceeds to step S103.

  In step S103, the control unit 7 confirms whether a person is in the vicinity of the urinal. If the amplitude of the Doppler signal is the same as or smaller than the normal human body detection start threshold (human body detection during movement), and if there is a Doppler signal with a signal amplitude greater than the criterion, the person will be near the urinal It is judged that it exists, and it is judged that it is not in the vicinity of the urinal otherwise. S103 is repeated until no one is present near the urinal.

  If the control unit 7 determines in step S103 that no person is present near the urinal, the process proceeds to step S104.

  In step S <b> 104, the control unit 7 controls the water supply unit 11 to discharge the cleaning water for the purpose of detecting the clogged state of the drainage unit 9.

  In step S105, the control part 7 memorize | stores the time which started washing water discharge in step S104 as time T1, and progresses to step S106.

  In step S <b> 106, the control unit 7 analyzes the frequency and amplitude of the Doppler signal obtained from the Doppler sensor 5 in order to detect the fluctuation of the accumulated water surface that occurs when the wash water is discharged in Step S <b> 104. For example, a method using an autoregressive model or a method of detecting a peak value of a signal and its occurrence time can be applied to these analyses.

In step S107, the control unit 7 uses the frequency and amplitude of the Doppler signal analyzed in step S106 to confirm that the amplitude intensity width is equal to or less than the threshold value M1 and the frequency is equal to or less than the threshold value M2, and the condition is met. If the condition is repeated, the process proceeds to step S108. Here, the amplitude is set to the threshold value M1 or less because the stagnation of the reservoir surface that occurs when the washing water is flowed is in a state of calm to some extent, and the condition that the frequency is equal to or less than the threshold value M2 Is a natural vibration and the frequency is known to be about several Hz, and using this condition, the shaking of the water surface is detected.
The “amplitude intensity width” is, for example, a value obtained by subtracting the minimum value from the maximum value of the amplitude intensity in one period of the Doppler signal. However, the “width of the amplitude intensity” may be a value obtained by subtracting the minimum value from the maximum value of the amplitude intensity in the half cycle of the Doppler signal.

  In step S108, the control part 7 memorize | stores the time which matched the conditions of step S108 as time T2, and progresses to step S109.

  Continuing to FIG. 6, in step S109, the control unit 7 obtains the wash water stabilization required time T3 by subtracting the time T1 from the time T2 (T3 = T2-T1), and proceeds to step S110.

  In step S110, the control unit 7 determines whether or not the cleaning water stabilization time T3 is equal to or greater than the threshold M3 (T3 ≧ M3?). If the threshold is equal to or greater than the threshold M3, it is determined that the exhaust pipe is clogged. If not, the process proceeds to step S111. Here, although the evaluation standard shows the increment of the washing water stabilization required time T3 as an example, the increase rate at the time T2 with respect to the time T1 may be used as the judgment standard.

  In step S114, the control unit 7 sets the clogging determination counter K to a positive value other than 0 (for example, any one of 1 to 3) according to the washing water stabilization required time T3 in step S110. The clogging determination counter K indicates that the display “−1” indicates immediately after new installation or immediately after drainage cleaning, and the display “0” indicates that the drainage section is not clogged in less than the washing water stabilization time T3. In other cases, when the clogging of the drainage is detected, the determination counter K sets several positive numerical values according to the situation. After determining drainage blockage in step S114, the process returns to step S102.

  In step S110, when the cleaning water stabilization required time T3 is less than the threshold value M3, the control unit 7 proceeds to step S111.

  In step S111, the control unit 7 checks whether or not the current clogging counter K is “−1” (K = −1?). When the clogging judgment counter K is “−1”, the control unit 7 proceeds to step S112 immediately after the urinal 2 is installed or just cleaned, and to step S116 otherwise.

  In step S112, since the control unit 7 is immediately after the urinal 2 is installed or has been cleaned, the control unit 7 stores the washing water stabilization required time T3 at this time as an initial value, and sets the clogging determination counter K to “0”. (K = 0). The meaning that the clogging determination counter K is “0” means that the urinal 2 is not immediately after installation or immediately after cleaning, but there is no urinal clogging. Thereafter, the control unit 7 returns to S102.

  In step S116, the control unit 7 confirms whether the clogging determination counter K is “0” (K = 0?). If “0”, there is no clogging in the previous drainage unit clogging detection, and clogging is also detected this time. If not, the process returns to S102 without changing the clogging determination counter K.

  On the other hand, when the clogging counter K is not “0” in step S116, the control unit 7 determines that clogging is not detected this time even though clogging has been detected until the previous time, and proceeds to step S117 to determine clogging. The counter K is set to “−1” (K = −1), and it is assumed that the clogging has been eliminated by cleaning, and the process returns to step S102.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of the technique which this application discloses was described, the technique which this application discloses is not limited above.

  For example, although the example which installed the detection apparatus 10 in the urinal 2 was shown in the said embodiment, you may install not only in the urinal 2 but in a toilet bowl, a toilet bowl, and an ostomate, for example. For example, when the detection apparatus 10 is installed in a handwasher, the microwave is transmitted so as to include a region including a standing position when the user uses the handwasher and two regions including a handwash position. In addition, for example, when the detection device 10 is installed in a toilet, a microwave as a propagation wave is generated in a region including a standing position when the user uses the toilet while standing and a seating position when the user uses the toilet. Send.

  In addition, as a notification method, the case where the notification is made by changing the supply of the water supply unit 11 to a method different from the washing method for the drainage unit 9 has been described, but the notification method is not particularly limited, For example, the notification may be made by light, sound, vibration, e-mail, or a combination thereof.

  Moreover, although the control part 7 demonstrated the case where the time T1 was subtracted from the time T2 and acquired the washing water stabilization required time T3, it started measuring time from the washing water discharge start, and a signal below the washing water stability judgment amplitude intensity | strength The washing water stabilization required time T3 may be acquired by ending the measurement when the amplitude is reached.

  The elements included in each of the embodiments described above can be combined as much as technically possible, and combinations thereof are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they include the features of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Urinal washing apparatus 2 ... Urinal 2b ... Trap part (sealing part)
5 ... Doppler sensor 7 ... Control unit (detection unit, notification unit)
9 ... Drainage section
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Detection apparatus 11 ... Water supply part K ... Judgment counter M1 ... Threshold value (1st threshold value)
M2 ... threshold (third threshold)
M3 ... threshold (second threshold)
T3: Wash water stabilization time

Claims (8)

A detection device that detects a drainage state of a drainage section that drains water by sending a propagation wave in a predetermined direction,
A Doppler sensor that generates a Doppler signal by transmitting a propagation wave to a sealing portion provided in a part of the drainage portion and receiving a propagation wave reflected by the sealing surface of the sealing portion;
A water supply section for supplying water toward the drainage section;
The water supply unit is controlled to supply the water, and the time from when the water is supplied until the amplitude intensity width of the Doppler signal becomes equal to or less than the first threshold is acquired, and the acquired time is the second A detection unit that detects that the drainage unit is clogged when a threshold value or more;
A detection device comprising: The Doppler sensor generates the Doppler signal by transmitting the propagation wave to a region on the human body side that uses the water,
The detection unit further detects the presence or absence of the human body based on the Doppler signal before controlling the water supply unit, and controls the water supply unit when it is detected that there is no human body.
The detection device according to claim 1. The detection unit obtains, as the time, a time after the water is supplied and the amplitude intensity width of the Doppler signal is equal to or less than the first threshold value, and the frequency of the Doppler signal is equal to or less than a third threshold value. ,
The detection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein When the detection unit detects that the drainage unit is clogged, a notification unit that notifies that fact,
The detection apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: The notification unit notifies the fact after a predetermined operation,
The detection device according to claim 4. The informing means informs the supply of the water supply unit by changing the method to a method different from the way of washing to the drainage unit,
The detection device according to claim 4 or 5, wherein The sealed water part is disposed on the downstream side of the urinal or the hand-washing part,
The detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein A urinal with a drain, and
The detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, provided in the urinal,
A urinal washing device comprising: