JP2016146921A - Toilet seat device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To miniaturize a toilet seat device, even when performing detection plurally.SOLUTION: A toilet seat device, which is a toilet seat device including a toilet seat and a toilet lid journaled rotatably, also includes: a load sensor provided on the toilet seat, for measuring a load value; and a control unit for detecting seating of a user on the toilet seat and opening/closing of the toilet seat and the toilet lid by using the load value measured by the load sensor.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a toilet seat device.

  Toilet seat devices are multi-functional, and in various functions, the operation of the function according to the user's use of the toilet becomes important. For example, whether the toilet seat and the toilet lid are opened and closed, whether the user is seated on the toilet seat That is, whether a person is in the toilet booth or the like, and a detection mechanism that grasps the usage status of the product is installed in each structure.

  As a detection mechanism, a distance measuring sensor for confirming the presence of a user using infrared rays, a switch type sensor for turning on / off a switch by using, for example, weight applied during the operation of the user, and the like are generally used.

  Among such detection mechanisms, one described in Patent Document 1 below has been proposed. In the detection mechanism described in Patent Document 1 below, a load sensor is installed in the toilet seat, seating is detected, and the vacuum device of the portable toilet is activated.

JP 2014-173278 A

  However, the detection mechanism described in Patent Document 1 does not perform detection of opening / closing of the toilet seat and toilet lid. In the structure in which such detection is detected by separate sensors, the toilet seat apparatus is increased in size due to the individual installation.

  Therefore, the present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a toilet seat apparatus that can be downsized even when a plurality of detections are made.

  A toilet seat device according to a first aspect of the present invention is a toilet seat device including a toilet seat and a toilet lid that are rotatably supported, and includes a load sensor that is provided on the toilet seat and measures a load value, and the load sensor. A control unit that detects the user's seating on the toilet seat and the opening and closing of the toilet seat and the toilet lid using the measured load value is provided.

  According to this configuration, when the load sensor provided on the toilet seat measures the load value, the control unit analyzes the load value and determines whether the user is seated or whether the toilet seat and the toilet lid are opened or closed. Thus, the sensor can be integrated and downsizing can be realized.

  The toilet seat device according to a second aspect of the present invention is the toilet seat device according to the first aspect, wherein a plurality of the load sensors are provided, each load sensor is located symmetrically with respect to the center of the toilet seat, and the control unit is A control unit for determining whether the body is tilted to the left or right is provided.

  According to this configuration, by providing a plurality of load sensors, it is possible to determine whether the user has tilted his / her body to the left or right of the center of the toilet seat, and an improvement in function can be obtained.

  The toilet seat device according to a third aspect of the present invention is characterized in that, in the first aspect and the second aspect, the control unit identifies the user using the load value.

  According to this configuration, the user can be identified using the load value.

  According to the toilet seat device of the present invention, downsizing can be realized even when a plurality of detections are performed.

It is a schematic diagram which shows the toilet seat apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a graph which shows the load value of the load sensor which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the time of closing the toilet seat and toilet lid which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows the time of opening of the toilet seat and toilet lid which concern on embodiment of this invention. It is a schematic diagram which shows how to apply the force to the load sensor which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate understanding, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible in the drawings, and redundant description is omitted.

  First, a toilet seat apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a toilet seat device 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  The toilet seat device 2 is provided in a toilet device installed in a toilet room. For example, the toilet device includes a toilet 1 and a toilet seat device 2 mounted on the toilet 1. The toilet seat device 2 includes a toilet seat 3, a toilet lid 4, a load sensor 5, a toilet seat cushion 6, and a control unit 10.

  The toilet seat 3 incorporates a load sensor 5 in a downward direction, and the load sensor 5 is placed in a concealed state with the toilet seat 3 so as to cover the toilet seat cushion 6 except for the top surface. The toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 rotate with respect to the opening / closing shaft 7, and both the toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 can rotate independently.

  The toilet seat cushion 6 is formed of an elastic body such as rubber or elastomer. Although the function of the toilet seat cushion 6 is cushioning when the user is seated, since the load can be applied to the load sensor 5 by utilizing deformation of the elastic body due to the load being applied, the load sensor 5 remains hidden. Can be used to measure the load.

  The toilet seat cushion 6 not only conceals the presence of the load sensor 5 and improves design, but also has a function of protecting the load sensor 5. When the load sensor 5 is incorporated into the toilet seat 3, an opening is provided in the toilet seat 3. By using the elasticity of the toilet seat cushion 6 to provide a packing function and closing the opening, a waterproof structure can be formed. A function preferable for a certain toilet seat apparatus 2 can be obtained.

  For example, the control unit 10 includes a processor and a memory.

  FIG. 2 is a graph showing the load value of the load sensor 5.

  When the user sits on the toilet seat 3, the load sensor 5 obtains a measurement value of the load value 8a corresponding to the body weight. The control unit 10 determines the load value 8a as the load value seated by the user and detects the seating. While the toilet seat device 2 is operating, the measurement by the load sensor 5 is continued, and when the user stands up, the toilet seat device 2 detects that the user has stood up because the load value has greatly decreased. .

  After the user stands up, the load value is significantly reduced, but the load value of the load sensor 5 does not become zero because the weight 8b of the toilet seat 3 exists. A load value 8b in FIG. 2 indicates a load value in which only the toilet seat 3 is closed.

  FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 closed.

  The toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 are in a closed state, and the weight values 8c of the toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 are shown (see FIG. 2). Since the own weight 8b and the load value 8c of only the toilet seat 3 are different load values, the control unit 10 can analyze the load value and determine whether the toilet seat 3 and the toilet seat 4 are opened or closed.

  For example, when the load sensor 5 is a user who installs a toilet seat cover (not shown), the controller 10 corrects the weight of the toilet seat cover so that the toilet seat cover is installed. It is possible to correctly determine that only the toilet seat 3 is closed. Similarly, when the user installs a toilet lid cover (not shown), the controller 10 corrects the weight of the toilet lid cover so that the open / closed state of the toilet lid 4 can be correctly determined.

  Although an example of load value determination with respect to the weight of the toilet seat 3 or the toilet seat cover is given, the control unit 10 corrects the load value even when the toilet seat 3 is pressed against the toilet 1 by a motor or the like by automatic opening and closing of the toilet seat 3, The open / closed state of the toilet seat 3 can be correctly determined.

  FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing the toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 being opened.

  Since no load is applied to the load sensor 5, the load value is almost zero, and the control unit 10 can correctly determine that the toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 are open.

  By analyzing the measurement value (load value) of the load sensor 5 by the control unit 10, it is possible to determine whether the user is seated, whether the toilet seat 3 is opened or closed, and whether the toilet lid 4 is opened or closed. Therefore, the load sensor 5 can integrate the functions of the seating detection and the opening / closing detection by the load sensor 5. The method for analyzing the measured value is not particularly limited. For example, if the measured value falls within a predetermined first range, it is determined that the user is seated, and if the measured value falls within the second version, It is determined as “detection of opening / closing of toilet seat 3”, and if the measured value falls within the third range, it is determined as “detection of opening / closing of toilet seat 4”.

  If the functions can be consolidated, seating detection for detecting whether the user has seated the toilet seat 3 separately installed, opening / closing of the toilet seat 3 and opening / closing detection for detecting the opening / closing of the toilet lid 4 are integrated. It is possible to lead to a design freedom and an area for a new function.

  The sensor integration is a separate configuration of the open / close detection sensor for the toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 so far as the Hall IC, Hall IC fixing structure, magnet, magnet fixing structure and multiple parts configuration, reducing the number of parts, It can lead to many advantages such as cost reduction.

  Moreover, the load measurement by the load sensor 5 can specify a plurality of users by the load value, and may automatically set the toilet seat environment for each user by personal identification. If attention is focused on identification rather than individual identification and focusing on the use of small children, mischief or erroneous water discharge due to hot water cleaning can be automatically prevented, and this can lead to benefits in function. For example, when the control unit 10 identifies that the user is a small child, the control unit 10 may prohibit or partially restrict the setting of the toilet seat environment.

  FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing how a force is applied to the load sensor 5.

  Although the load sensor 5 is installed on the back side of the toilet seat 3, the load sensor 5 is composed of two and can perform the above-described seating detection and opening / closing detection. The two load sensors 5 are set symmetrically from the center of the toilet seat 3.

  Further, the load sensor 5 is installed particularly on the front end side of the toilet seat 3 and the load value can be reliably measured by the rotation shaft 7 and the load sensor 5 by separating the distance from the rotation shaft 7.

  A dotted line 12 indicates how the weight of the rotary shaft 7 and the seating sensor 5 is added. If the user 11 shifts the sitting direction to the left or right, the load applied to the rotary shaft 7 may be on one side, but the load sensor 5 installed on the toilet seat 3 is always subjected to a load, so seating detection is ensured. It can be performed.

  By installing the load sensors 5 symmetrically, it is possible not only to detect the seating of the user but also to determine which one the body is tilted by capturing changes in the load values of the plurality of load sensors 5. For example, the situation on the toilet seat 3 is predicted based on the change in the load value, the direction and position of the handrail to stand up is adjusted, and if there is no change in the state where the load value is biased, the user on the toilet seat 3 It can be linked to a range of functions, such as predicting a fall and sending an emergency signal.

  By configuring the load sensor 5 symmetrically with respect to the center of the toilet seat 3, not only the seating reliability of the user but also the improvement of the function can be obtained.

  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, the toilet seat device 2 has been described as being separate from the toilet 1, but may be integrated with the toilet 1.

  Moreover, although the case where there were two load sensors 5 was demonstrated, one piece or more than two pieces may be sufficient. Moreover, although the case where the load sensor 5 is installed symmetrically with respect to the center of the toilet seat 3 has been described, in the case of a single load sensor 5, it may be placed in the middle or on the left or right.

  Moreover, each element with which each embodiment mentioned above is provided can be combined as long as technically possible, and the combination of these is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it includes the features of the present invention.

1: Toilet bowl 2: Toilet seat device 3: Toilet seat 4: Toilet lid 5: Load sensor 6: Toilet seat cushion 7: Opening / closing axis 8a: Load value corresponding to body weight when the user is seated 8b: By own weight only when the toilet seat is closed Load value 8c: Load value due to dead weight when toilet seat lid is closed 10: Control unit 11: User 12: Load line

Claims (3)

A toilet seat device comprising a toilet seat and a toilet lid that are rotatably supported,
A load sensor provided on the toilet seat for measuring a load value;
Using the load value measured by the load sensor, the seating of the user on the toilet seat and the control unit for detecting the opening and closing of the toilet seat and the toilet lid,
A toilet seat device comprising: A plurality of the load sensors are provided,
Each load sensor is located symmetrically from the center of the toilet seat,
The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is provided with a control unit that determines whether the user tilts the body to the left or right. The control unit identifies the user using the load value.
The toilet seat apparatus of Claim 1 or Claim 2.

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