JP2023159492A - Electrically-driven operating device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an electrically-driven operating device that eliminates need for special measures for a lid, while effectively achieving suppression of costs related to miniaturization and manufacturing, etc. of the device.SOLUTION: An electrically-driven operating device 1 comprises: a motor 3 that can be operated by energization; and a transmission part 5 that constitutes a transmission path for driving force generated by operation of the motor 3 with respect to a lid. The transmission part 5 has a clutch mechanism 53 that comprises: an input shaft 531 that can be rotated by the driving force generated by the operation of the motor 3; and an output shaft 532 that is configured to be able to transmit the driving force generated by rotation of the input shaft 531. In transmitting the driving force from the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, the clutch mechanism 53 transmits the driving force by rotation of the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, on the other hand, in the transmission of the driving force from the output shaft 532 to the input shaft 531, the clutch mechanism is configured such that the output shaft 532 idles, preventing the driving force by the rotation of the output shaft 532 from being transmitted to the input shaft 531.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electric operating device for remotely controlling a stopper lid for opening and closing a drain provided in a tank body using electric power to switch the open/close state of the drain.

An operating device may be provided in or near a tank body (for example, a bathtub or washbowl) or in the vicinity thereof to remotely switch the open/closed state of a drain port formed at the bottom of the tank body. As an operating device, an electric operating device that can electrically switch the open/closed state of a drain port is known.

The electric operating device includes, for example, an energized operating part (motor) that can be operated by energization, and a transmission path for transmitting the driving force generated by the operation of the energized operating part to the stopper lid provided corresponding to the drain outlet. (For example, see Patent Document 1, etc.). The transmission section is constituted by, for example, a rod-shaped operating shaft that can be reciprocated, a transmission wire, or the like. Then, by the operation of the energizing operation section, a driving force is transmitted to the stopper lid side through the transmission section, so that the stopper lid moves, and as a result, the open/closed state of the drain port is switched.

Incidentally, in order to increase the output torque, the transmission section may be provided with a reduction mechanism (reduction gear) with a high reduction ratio. In such a configuration, when the energized operating part (motor) is in a stopped state, the transmission part is locked (unable to rotate) due to the influence of the deceleration mechanism, so the stopper lid moves up and the drain opening is closed. If a malfunction or power outage occurs in the device while the valve is open, the transmission part cannot be moved, and the lid may not be able to be closed.

Therefore, even if such a situation occurs, a plurality of protrusions lined up in the circumferential direction are used as transmitting parts so that the drain can be closed by moving the stopper lid downward. It has a cylindrical large diameter part with a (locked part) formed on the inner peripheral surface and a gear part on the outer periphery, and the large diameter part is in a state where the gear part can be locked with the protrusion part. and an intervening part arranged on the inner periphery, and when the load generated between the large diameter part and the intervening part exceeds a predetermined amount, the gear part rides over the protrusion part and the large diameter part rotates relative to the intervening part. A device configured as follows has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 2). By configuring the transmission part in this way, even if the electric operation of the stopper lid becomes impossible while the drain is open, the drain can be closed from the open state by pushing the stopper downward. It is possible to manually switch between states.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-82729 Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-111877

However, in the electric operating device according to Patent Document 2, the relative rotation of the large diameter portion is required to maintain the stopper lid in the raised state when the tank body is full of water (that is, when a large load is applied to the stopper lid). It is necessary to increase the rigidity of the intervening parts, etc. to prevent this from occurring easily, and increasing the rigidity of the intervening parts, etc. may result in an increase in the size of the device and an increase in manufacturing and maintenance costs. be.

In addition, if the rigidity of the interposed part is increased, when the stopper lid is pushed downward and released, the stopper lid may move slightly upward due to the return deformation of the interposed part. In order to more reliably close the drain port in a watertight manner, it may be necessary to take measures to the stopper lid, such as increasing the amount of deformation of the packing portion.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to eliminate the need for special measures for the stopper lid, and to effectively reduce the size of the device and reduce manufacturing costs. The objective is to provide an electric operating device that can

In the following, each means suitable for solving the above object will be explained in terms of sections. Note that effects specific to the corresponding means will be added as necessary.

Means 1. an energized operation part that can be operated by energization;
a transmission section that constitutes a transmission path for the driving force generated by the operation of the energizing operation section to the stopper lid side for opening and closing the drain port of the tank body,
An electric operating device capable of switching the open/closed state of the drain port by remotely controlling the stopper lid by operating the energizing operation section,
The transmission section is
a clutch mechanism comprising an input shaft rotatable by a driving force generated by the operation of the energizing operation section, and an output shaft configured to be able to transmit the driving force generated by the rotation of the input shaft;
a downstream transmission part that configures a transmission path downstream of the output shaft in the transmission path, and transmits a driving force to the stopper lid side by moving as the output shaft rotates;
In the clutch mechanism, when transmitting driving force from the input shaft to the output shaft, the driving force is transmitted by rotation of the input shaft relative to the output shaft, and the driving force is transmitted from the output shaft to the input shaft. Here, an electric operating device is characterized in that it is a bidirectional free clutch mechanism configured such that when the output shaft idles, no driving force is transmitted by the rotation of the output shaft to the input shaft.

According to the above means 1, the clutch mechanism is constituted by a bidirectional free clutch mechanism, and the output shaft is configured to idle during transmission of driving force from the output shaft to the input shaft. Therefore, when the input shaft is not rotating, the portion (for example, the output shaft, (hereinafter referred to as "upstream transmission section")), the downstream transmission section becomes movable. As a result, even if a power outage or equipment failure occurs while the drain is open, the drain can be closed by manually moving the stopper (for example, by pushing the stopper by hand) from the open state. It becomes possible to easily switch between states.

Further, according to the first means, since a bidirectional free clutch mechanism is utilized, it is possible to effectively reduce the size of the device and reduce costs related to manufacturing, etc., compared to the above-mentioned conventional technology.

Furthermore, when the stopper lid is manually moved down, it is possible to prevent the stopper lid from returning upward due to the clutch mechanism. Therefore, there is no need to take special measures for the stopper lid to accommodate the upward return movement.

Note that the "clutch mechanism" (bidirectional free clutch mechanism) according to the above means 1 has a configuration that makes the internal state of the mechanism constantly different between when the input shaft rotates and when the output shaft rotates. Due to this difference in state, when the driving force is transmitted from the input shaft to the output shaft, the driving force is transmitted by the rotation of the input shaft relative to the output shaft, while when the driving force is transmitted from the output shaft to the input shaft, the driving force is transmitted by the rotation of the input shaft with respect to the output shaft. A free type two-way clutch configured so that the shaft does not rotate and no driving force is transmitted due to the rotation of the output shaft relative to the input shaft (for example, a two-way clutch according to Japanese Patent No. 6966515 and Japanese Patent No. 4949196) clutch).

Means 2. Equipped with a manual operation part that can be moved back and forth for manual operation,
The electric operating device according to means 1, wherein the downstream transmission section is configured to be movable by both the operation of the energization operation section and the operation of the manual operation section.

2. Description of the Related Art As an electric operating device, a device is known that allows not only electric operation of a stopper lid but also manual operation of the stopper lid. In such a device, if a failure of the device or a power outage occurs, the transmission portion cannot be moved, and as a result, both electric and manual operation of the stopper lid may become impossible.

Therefore, the transmission part is configured to include a rod-shaped shaft part that is movable in accordance with the operation of a predetermined manual operation part (for example, an operation button, etc.), and a rod-shaped shaft part that can be locked or unlocked to the shaft part. There has been proposed a device including a locking communication portion that is locked to the shaft portion and transmits the driving force accompanying the operation of the energizing operation portion to the shaft portion (for example, see Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2020-111997). In an electric operating device having this transmission part, both electric and manual operation of the stopper lid is normally possible by locking the locking communication part to the shaft part, but in the event of a power outage etc. By releasing the locking of the locking communication part from the shaft part, a transmission path on the upstream side of the shaft part (on the side of the energizing action part) of the driving force generated by the operation of the energizing action part is configured. The shaft part can be moved back and forth without being affected by other parts (locking connection parts, etc.), and as a result, the stopper lid can be manually operated.

However, in order to enable manual operation of the stopper lid in the event of a power outage, etc., this electric operating device requires the work of releasing the locking connection part from the shaft, which makes it difficult for the user to use it. It is difficult to say that it is very good.

In this regard, according to the above-mentioned means 2, the clutch mechanism allows the downstream side transmission section to move without being hindered by the upstream side transmission section (for example, the output shaft, etc.), so that the stopper can There is no need to go to the trouble of performing work to enable manual operation of the lid (for example, work such as releasing the locking connection part from the shaft as described above). Therefore, usability for the user can be dramatically improved.

Further, since there is no need to use a particularly complicated structure to manually operate the stopper lid during a power outage, it is possible to effectively suppress increases in costs associated with manufacturing the device.

It is a perspective view of the electric operation device in a 1st embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the electric operating device in the first embodiment. 3 is a sectional view taken along line JJ in FIG. 2. FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line KK in FIG. 2. FIG. It is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a clutch mechanism. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal state of the clutch mechanism when the input shaft rotates. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the internal state of the clutch mechanism when the output shaft rotates. It is a sectional view of the electric operation device in a 2nd embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic side view of an operating shaft and the like in the second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a clutch mechanism in another embodiment. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line LL in FIG. 10 to show the internal state of the clutch mechanism when the input shaft rotates in another embodiment. FIG. 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line LL in FIG. 10 to show the internal state of the clutch mechanism when the output shaft rotates in another embodiment. FIG.

Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.
[First embodiment]
The electric operating device is for remotely controlling a stopper lid (not shown) provided corresponding to a drain port (not shown) of the bathtub, and opening and closing the drain port by moving the stopper lid up and down. .

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the electric operating device 1 includes a case 2, a motor 3, an outer tube 4, and a transmission section 5. In this embodiment, the motor 3 constitutes the "energization operation section".

The case 2 houses the motor 3, a part of the transmission section 5, etc., and is attached to a predetermined attachment target. The case 2 is attached to an attachment target provided, for example, on the back side of an apron that covers the sides of the bathtub, and is normally not visible to the user. The case 2 includes a motor housing section 21, a clutch housing section 22, and a rack housing section 23, which are arranged in series.

The motor accommodating portion 21 accommodates therein the motor 3, a reduction gear mechanism 51 of the transmission portion 5, which will be described later, and the like. The clutch accommodating portion 22 accommodates a clutch mechanism 53 of the transmission portion 5, which will be described later, and the like.

The rack accommodating portion 23 accommodates therein a rack portion 55 of the transmission portion 5, an end portion of the outer tube 4, etc., which will be described later. Further, a cylindrical guide tube 61 (see FIG. 4; not shown in FIG. 1, etc.) is connected to the rack accommodating portion 23. The guide tube 61 has the role of guiding the outer tube 4 from the electric operating device 1 side to the stopper lid side.

The motor 3 is a drive source for electrically opening and closing the drain port, and has a rod-shaped motor shaft 31 that rotates when energized (power supplied) from an opening/closing control device (not shown). A predetermined gear is attached to the outer periphery of the motor shaft 31. The driving force generated by the rotation of the motor shaft 31 is transmitted to the stopper lid side via the transmission section 5.

The opening/closing control device is provided with an operation panel (not shown) that is manually operated when switching the open/closed state of the drain port, and power is supplied to the motor 3 in accordance with the operation on this operation panel. motor 3 is operated. Further, the opening/closing control device is configured to receive a detection signal from a position detection sensor (not shown) for detecting the position of the lid and the transmission section 5 (for example, the rack section 55 described later). It has become. The opening/closing control device determines whether the drain port is in an open state (a state in which the faucet lid has moved upward) or a closed state (a state in which the faucet lid has moved down) based on a detection signal input from the position detection sensor. It is possible to determine whether it is one of the following.

The outer tube 4 has a long cylindrical shape and has a function of guiding an inner wire 56, which will be described later, toward the stopper lid. A flange-like flare part 41 (see FIG. 4) is provided at one end of the outer tube 4, and the flare part 41 of the outer tube 4 is sandwiched between a predetermined tube connecting part 62 and a rack accommodating part 23. Thus, it is connected to the case 2 (rack accommodating section 23).

The transmission section 5 constitutes a transmission path for the driving force generated by the operation of the motor 3 to the stopper lid side. The transmission section 5 includes, from the upstream side (motor 3 side) to the downstream side (bottle lid side), a reduction gear mechanism 51, an input shaft connection section 52, a clutch mechanism 53, an output shaft connection section 54, a rack section 55, and an inner The wires 56 are provided in this order.

The reduction gear mechanism 51 is composed of two-stage gears (two gears with different numbers of teeth are arranged along the rotational axis direction of the gears) and planetary gears, and has a relatively large reduction ratio. The rotation of the motor shaft 31 is transmitted to the input shaft connecting portion 52. Note that the configuration of the reduction gear mechanism 51 can be changed as appropriate; for example, the reduction gear mechanism 51 may be configured with only a plurality of two-stage gears.

The input shaft connecting portion 52 is a portion of the clutch mechanism 53 that is connected to an input shaft 531 (described later), and transmits the driving force from the motor 3 to the input shaft 531. The input shaft connecting portion 52 is disposed coaxially with the input shaft 531, and rotates integrally with the input shaft 531 around the same rotation axis as the rotation axis of the input shaft 531 as the reduction gear mechanism 51 operates. .

Further, annular seal members 63 and 64 made of a predetermined elastic material (eg, rubber, resin, etc.) are fitted into the outer periphery of the input shaft connecting portion 52. The sealing members 63 and 64 are in contact with the entire inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical sealing tube 65 disposed on the outer periphery of the input shaft coupling portion 52, and are in contact with the entire inner peripheral surface of the sealing tube 65. The entire circumference is in watertight contact with the inner surface of the case 2 by a predetermined fixing seal member 66. As a result, the internal spaces of the motor accommodating portion 21 and the clutch accommodating portion 22 are watertightly isolated by the seal members 63, 64, 66 and the sealing cylinder portion 65. As the seal members 63 and 64, it is preferable to use seal members having an X-shaped cross section (so-called X-rings) in order to ensure smooth rotation of the input shaft connecting portion 52.

The clutch mechanism 53 includes an input shaft 531 that can be rotated by the driving force generated by the operation of the motor 3, and an output shaft 532 that is configured to be able to transmit the driving force generated by the rotation of the input shaft 531. In the clutch mechanism 53, when the input shaft 531 rotates, the output shaft 532 rotates in the same rotation direction as the input shaft 531. A more detailed configuration of the clutch mechanism 53 will be explained later.

The output shaft connecting portion 54 is a portion connected to the output shaft 532 of the clutch mechanism 53, and transmits driving force from the output shaft 532 to the rack portion 55 by rotating. A predetermined gear 541 is formed on the outer periphery of the output shaft connecting portion 54, and the gear 541 rotates as the output shaft 532 rotates.

Further, an annular sealing member 67 made of a predetermined elastic material (for example, rubber, resin, etc.) is fitted into the outer periphery of the output shaft connecting portion 54 . It is in a state. As a result, the internal spaces of the clutch accommodating portion 22 and the rack accommodating portion 23 are watertightly isolated by the seal member 67. As a result, the internal space of the motor accommodating part 21, which should be particularly designed to suppress the infiltration of water, and the internal space of the rack accommodating part 23, where water can enter through the outer tube 4, are the internal space of the clutch accommodating part 22. The inner space of the motor accommodating portion 21 can be maintained in a watertight state more reliably. As the seal member 67, it is preferable to use one having an X-shaped cross section in order to ensure smooth rotation of the output shaft connecting portion 54.

The rack part 55 has a toothed part 551 (see FIG. 4) formed of a plurality of protrusions provided along its longitudinal direction, and the toothed part 551 is connected to the gear 541 of the output shaft connecting part 54. is engaged with. The rack portion 55 reciprocates along its own longitudinal direction as the gear 541 rotates. Further, one end portion of an inner wire 56 is fixed to the rack portion 55 by, for example, caulking or the like.

The inner wire 56 is a wire-shaped component made of, for example, a core coil or a stranded wire, and is disposed on the inner periphery of the outer tube 4 in a reciprocating manner. As the output shaft 532 rotates, the inner wire 56 moves forward (moves from the electric operating device 1 side to the stopper lid side), thereby supporting the stopper lid and connecting it to the other end of the inner wire 56. A rod-shaped support shaft (not shown) is moved upward, and the stopper lid is moved upward. On the other hand, with the rotation of the output shaft 532, the inner wire 56 moves back (moves from the stopper lid side to the electric operating device 1 side), so that the support shaft moves downward, and the stopper lid moves downward. It looks like this.

In this embodiment, the output shaft connecting portion 54, the rack portion 55, and the inner wire 56 constitute a downstream transmission portion 5A. The downstream transmission section 5A constitutes a transmission path downstream of the output shaft 532 among the transmission paths of the driving force generated by the operation of the motor 3. The downstream transmission section 5A transmits the driving force to the stopper lid side by moving (rotating or reciprocating) as the output shaft 532 rotates.

Next, the clutch mechanism 53 will be explained. The clutch mechanism 53 has a configuration in which the internal state of the mechanism is constantly different between when the input shaft 531 rotates and when the output shaft 532 rotates. 532 (forward direction transmission), the driving force is transmitted by rotation of the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, while the driving force is transmitted from the output shaft 532 to the input shaft 531 (reverse direction transmission). ), the output shaft 532 is configured to idle and no driving force is transmitted by the rotation of the output shaft 532 to the input shaft 531. The clutch mechanism 53 in this embodiment is configured by a bidirectional free clutch mechanism (free type bidirectional clutch) described in Japanese Patent No. 4949196. The details of the clutch mechanism 53 are described in Japanese Patent No. 4949196, so the configuration of the clutch mechanism 53 will be briefly described here.

In addition to the input shaft 531 and output shaft 532 described above, the clutch mechanism 53 includes a housing 533 that accommodates the components of the clutch mechanism 53 and brings the components together, as shown in FIG. The housing 533 has a cylindrical shape and is fixed to the inner surface of the clutch accommodating portion 22.

Further, a cylindrical output member 534 is rotatably arranged inside the housing 533 with a predetermined gap therebetween, and the output member 534 is fixed to the output shaft 532. On the other hand, an input member 535 having an oval cross section is fixed to the input shaft 531, and an intermediate member 536 divided into two is arranged between the output member 534 and the input member 535. A tension spring 537 (see FIGS. 6 and 7) is provided between the two intermediate members 536, and this tension spring 537 applies a biasing force to the two intermediate members 536 in a direction that causes them to approach each other. has been done. Moreover, rollers 538 inserted into wedge-shaped recesses are provided on the outer circumferential portion of the intermediate member 536, and these rollers 538 are in a state where they face the inner circumferential surface of the output member 534.

As shown in FIG. 6, when the input member 535 rotates due to the rotation of the input shaft 531, the input member 535 moves in a direction that separates the two intermediate members 536. As a result, when the input shaft 531 rotates, the roller 538 is caught between the wedge-shaped recess and the inner peripheral surface of the output member 534, and the rotation of the input member 535 is caused by the rotation of the intermediate member 536 and the roller 538. The signal is transmitted to the output member 534 and, in turn, to the output shaft 532 via. Therefore, in the driving force transmission from the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, the driving force is transmitted by the rotation of the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, regardless of whether the input shaft 531 rotates in the forward or reverse direction. .

On the other hand, even if the output member 534 rotates as the output shaft 532 rotates, as shown in FIG. 7, the two intermediate members 536 are brought closer together by the tension spring TS. is maintained at a distance from the inner circumferential surface of the Therefore, even if the output shaft 532 rotates, the rotation of the output member 534 is not transmitted to the input member 535, and the output shaft 532 simply rotates idly. Therefore, in transmitting the driving force from the output shaft 532 to the input shaft 531, regardless of whether the output shaft 532 rotates in the forward or reverse direction, the output shaft 532 idles and the output shaft 532 relative to the input shaft 531 No driving force is transmitted by the rotation of.

Next, the operation of the electric operating device 1 described above will be explained. First, when the operation panel is operated to switch the drain port from a closed state to an open state, the opening/closing control device determines that the drain port is in a closed state based on a detection signal from the position detection sensor. It is determined whether or not. Here, if it is determined that the drain port is in the open state, there is no need to switch the drain port to the open state, so the motor 3 is not energized and the motor shaft 31 is maintained in a stopped state. be done.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the drain port is not open (closed), the opening/closing control device controls the operation of the motor 3 so that the motor shaft 31 rotates in one direction. Ru. As a result, the input shaft connecting portion 52 and the input shaft 531 rotate in one direction. Further, in the driving force transmission from the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, the driving force is transmitted by the rotation of the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, so the driving force is transmitted from the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, The output shaft 532 and the output shaft connecting portion 54 rotate in one direction. As the output shaft connecting portion 54 rotates, the rack portion 55 and the inner wire 56 move forward (move from the electric operating device 1 side to the stopper lid side). As a result, the stopper lid moves upward, and the drain port is switched from the closed state to the open state. Further, the power supply to the motor 3 is stopped when the opening/closing control device determines that the drain port is in an open state based on a detection signal from the position detection sensor. In this embodiment, the lid is moved upward by resistance (frictional force) generated by the sealing member 67 or a holding mechanism (not shown) provided on the support shaft side (for example, one that generates frictional force, etc.). maintained in the state.

On the other hand, when the operation panel is operated to switch the drain port from an open state to a closed state, the opening/closing control device determines that the drain port is in a closed state based on the detection result from the position detection sensor. It is determined whether or not. Here, if it is determined that the drain port is in the closed state, there is no need to switch the drain port to the closed state, so the motor 3 is not energized and the motor shaft 31 is maintained in a stopped state. be done.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the drain port is not closed (open), the opening/closing control device controls the operation of the motor 3 so that the motor shaft 31 rotates in the other direction. Ru. As a result, the input shaft connecting portion 52 and the input shaft 531 rotate in the other direction. Further, in the driving force transmission from the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, the driving force is transmitted by the rotation of the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, so the driving force is transmitted from the input shaft 531 to the output shaft 532, The output shaft 532 and the output shaft coupling portion 54 rotate in the other direction. Then, as the output shaft connecting portion 54 rotates, the rack portion 55 and the inner wire 56 move back (move from the stopper lid side to the electric operating device 1 side). As a result, the stopper lid moves downward, and the drain port is switched from an open state to a closed state. Further, the opening/closing control device determines whether or not the drain port is in a closed state based on a detection result from the position detection sensor, and when it is determined that the drain port is in a closed state, , the power supply to the motor 3 is stopped. Regarding the energization to the motor 3, the energization to the motor 3 is stopped when the stop time of the transmission section 5 (the elapsed time after the transmission section 5 becomes unable to move any further) exceeds a predetermined time. It may be configured to stop. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the power supply to the motor 3 is simply stopped when the motor shaft 31 rotates by a certain amount.

In addition, in the above-mentioned electric operating device 1, when the drain port is in an open state (when the stopper lid is in an upwardly moved state) due to a power outage or a failure of the device, for example, the stopper using the motor 3 or the like is operated. Even if the electric operation of the lid becomes impossible, it is possible to switch the drain port from an open state to a closed state by moving the tap lid down manually (for example, by pushing the tap lid by hand). It is. That is, as described above, when transmitting the driving force from the output shaft 532 to the input shaft 531, the output shaft 532 idles and the driving force is not transmitted by the rotation of the output shaft 532 with respect to the input shaft 531. When a downward force is applied to the stopper lid by pushing it with the 532, etc.), the output shaft 532 idles, and the downstream transmission section 5A (rack section 55, inner wire 56, etc.) moves back. As a result, the drain port can be switched from the open state to the closed state by moving the stopper lid downward.

As described in detail above, according to the present embodiment, the clutch mechanism 53 is configured as a bidirectional free clutch mechanism, and when the driving force is transmitted from the output shaft 532 to the input shaft 531, the output shaft 532 is idle. is configured to do so. Therefore, when the input shaft 531 is not rotating, the portion (for example, the output shaft 532) that constitutes the transmission path of the driving force generated by the operation of the motor 3 is located upstream of the downstream transmission section 5A. The downstream transmission section 5A becomes movable without being obstructed by this. As a result, even if a power outage or equipment failure occurs while the drain port is open, it is easy to manually move the stopper lid down and switch the drain port from the open state to the closed state. becomes possible.

Further, since a bidirectional free clutch mechanism is used, it is possible to effectively reduce the size of the electric operating device 1 and reduce manufacturing costs.

Furthermore, when the stopper lid is manually moved down, it is possible to prevent the stopper lid from returning upward due to the clutch mechanism as in the prior art described above. Therefore, there is no need to take special measures for the stopper lid to accommodate the upward return movement.
[Second embodiment]
Next, a description will be given of the second embodiment, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment. As shown in FIG. 8, the electric operating device 10 according to the second embodiment includes a manual operating section 7 for manually operating the stopper lid, and a locking mechanism for locking the inner wire 56 and the like in a reciprocated state. 8 is different from the electric operating device 1 in the first embodiment. In addition, in FIG. 8, a section (mainly the left side of the figure) of a portion of the transmission section 5 located upstream of an operating shaft 57 (for example, an output shaft coupling section 54, etc.) and a case 2 corresponding to the section is shown. The cross section of the operating shaft 57 and the guide member 91 described later (mainly the cross section on the right side of the figure) is different.

In addition, in the second embodiment, a portion of the case 2 corresponding to the rack accommodating portion 23 of the first embodiment has a cylindrical shape with both ends open in order to accommodate the provision of the manual operation portion 7 and the locking mechanism 8. This is the intermediate cylindrical portion 24. The guide member 91 and the mechanism holding part 92 are connected in series to the intermediate cylinder part 24. First, the guide member 91 and mechanism holding section 92 will be explained.

The guide member 91 is attached to a predetermined attachment target (in the second embodiment, the flange portion 101 of the bathtub), and serves as an attachment portion of the electric operating device 10 to the attachment target. The guide member 91 screws a predetermined nut (not shown) into a male thread formed on its outer periphery, and sandwiches the object to be attached between the nut and a flange-shaped portion provided at one end of the guide member 91. It is attached to the object to be attached.

Further, the guide member 91 has a cylindrical shape, and has the role of guiding the reciprocating movement of the manual operation section 7 disposed on its inner periphery. Note that the attachment target to which the guide member 91 is attached is not limited to the flange portion 101, and may be changed as appropriate. For example, the attachment target may be a counter provided near the bathtub, an apron that covers the side surface of the bathtub, or the like.

Further, the guide member 91 is serially and watertightly connected to one end of the intermediate cylindrical portion 24 using a predetermined connecting member 93 and an annular seal member 94. Note that the method of connecting the guide member 91 to the intermediate cylinder portion 24 may be changed as appropriate.

The mechanism holding portion 92 has a cylindrical shape and holds the locking mechanism 8 at its inner peripheral portion. In the second embodiment, the mechanism holding portion 92 also functions as a connection target for the guide tube 61. The mechanism holding part 92 is connected in series and watertight to the other end of the intermediate cylinder part 24 using a predetermined connecting part 95 and an annular sealing member 96. Note that the method of connecting the mechanism holding part 92 to the intermediate cylinder part 24 may be changed as appropriate.

Next, the manual operation section 7 and the lock mechanism 8 will be explained. The manual operation unit 7 is a target for manual operation, and in the second embodiment is configured with operation buttons. The manual operation section 7 is capable of reciprocating along the inner peripheral surface of the guide member 91 and is attached to the tip of the rod-shaped operation shaft 57. The manual operation section 7 and the operation shaft 57 reciprocate together.

The operating shaft 57 corresponds to the rack part 55 in the first embodiment, and has a toothed part 57a formed of a plurality of protrusions provided along the longitudinal direction of the operating shaft 57 on its side surface. (See Figure 9). The tooth portion 57a is in a state of meshing with the gear 541 of the output shaft connecting portion 54. Therefore, the operation shaft 57 is movable by both the operation (press operation) on the manual operation section 7 and the rotation of the gear 541 by the operation of the motor 3.

The locking mechanism 8 includes a base portion 81, a connecting shaft portion 82, a biasing portion 83, and a rotating ring 84 (only a cross section of the biasing portion 83 is shown in FIG. 8).

The base portion 81 has a cylindrical shape with a through hole through which the connecting shaft portion 82 is inserted, and houses the biasing portion 83 and the rotation ring 84 therein. Further, in the second embodiment, the end portion of the outer tube 4 is attached to the base portion 81. Inside the base portion 81, guide teeth 81a and engagement teeth 81b are provided that face each other along the up-down direction (the moving direction of the connecting shaft portion 82).

A plurality of guide teeth 81a are provided at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the base portion 81. The guide tooth 81a has a predetermined slope, and has the role of rotating the rotary ring 84 in contact with the slope by a certain angle in a predetermined direction.

The engagement teeth 81b have a protrusion shape extending in the vertical direction (the direction of movement of the connecting shaft portion 82), and are provided in plurality at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the base portion 81. An engaging portion with which the rotating ring 84 (more specifically, engaged teeth of the rotating ring 84, which will be described later) is engaged is provided at the tip (lower end) of the engaging tooth 81b. Further, a groove extending in the vertical direction is formed between adjacent engaging teeth 81b.

The connecting shaft portion 82 is for transmitting the driving force generated by the displacement of the operating shaft 57 due to electric operation or manual operation to the stopper lid side. The connecting shaft portion 82 has a rod shape and is disposed on the inner periphery of the base portion 81 so as to be able to reciprocate (move up and down). Further, the connecting shaft portion 82 has one end (upper end) connected to the operating shaft 57 and the other end (lower end) connected to the inner wire 56 . Therefore, when the operating shaft 57 and the connecting shaft section 82 move back and forth due to electric operation or manual operation, the inner wire 56 moves back and forth in accordance with the movement.

The biasing portion 83 is for applying a biasing force in the backward movement (upward movement) direction to the connection shaft portion 82, the operating shaft 57, and the like. The biasing portion 83 is constituted by a spring that can be expanded and contracted, and is installed in the base portion 81 in a compressed and deformed state.

The rotating ring 84 has an annular shape and is rotatably supported on the outer periphery of the connecting shaft portion 82 . The rotating ring 84 reciprocates together with the connecting shaft 82 when the connecting shaft 82 reciprocates.

Furthermore, the rotating ring 84 is provided with a plurality of engaged teeth (not shown) that protrude outward on its outer peripheral surface. The engaged teeth are provided at equal intervals along the circumferential direction of the rotating ring 84, and each has the same shape.

In this locking mechanism 8, when the connecting shaft portion 82 moves forward (down) to a position exceeding a predetermined position due to an operation (pressing operation) on the manual operation portion 7 or an operation of the motor 3, the rotation ring 84 is moved forward (downward) to a position exceeding a predetermined position. The rotating ring 84 rotates slightly as the engaging teeth slide on the guide tooth 81a while contacting the guide tooth 81a. Then, when the operation on the manual operation section 7 is released or the operation of the motor 3 is stopped, the rotating ring 84 and the connecting shaft section 82 move back due to the urging force from the urging section 83. As a result, the engaged tooth of the rotating ring 84 is engaged with the engaging portion provided at the tip of the engaging tooth 81b, and the rotating ring 84 and the connecting shaft portion 82 are moved forward to the maximum extent. It will be locked at a position that is slightly moved back from its original position.

In this locked state, the inner wire 56 moves forward and the stopper lid is maintained in an upwardly moved state. Therefore, the drain port remains open.

On the other hand, in this locked state, when the connecting shaft section 82 moves forward again to a position exceeding the predetermined position due to the operation on the manual operation section 7 or the operation of the motor 3, the engaged teeth of the rotary ring 84 move to the guide teeth. The rotating ring 84 rotates slightly by sliding the guide tooth 81a while being in contact with the guide tooth 81a. Then, when the operation on the manual operation section 7 is released or the operation of the motor 3 is stopped, the rotating ring 84 and the connecting shaft section 82 move back (up) due to the urging force from the urging section 83. . At this time, the engaged teeth of the rotating ring 84 enter the grooves between the engaging teeth 81b, and the rotating ring 84 and the connecting shaft portion 82 are unlocked and moved back to the maximum position. return. In this way, according to the locking mechanism 8, it is possible to alternately lock and unlock the connecting shaft portion 82 and the like each time the connecting shaft portion 82 moves forward to a position exceeding the predetermined position.

When the lock is released, the inner wire 56 moves back due to the urging force from the urging section 83, and the stopper lid moves downward. Therefore, the drain port is in a closed state.

Further, in the second embodiment, the output shaft connecting portion 54, the operating shaft 57, and the inner wire 56 constitute a downstream transmission portion 5B. The downstream transmission section 5B is movable by both the operation of the motor 3 and the operation of the manual operation section 7.

In addition, in the second embodiment, in response to the provision of the lock mechanism 8, the opening/closing control device controls the operation of the motor 3 in the following manner. That is, the opening/closing control device allows the connecting shaft portion 82 to move from the predetermined position both when switching the drain port from an open state to a closed state and when switching the drain port from a closed state to an open state. The operation of the motor 3 is controlled so that it reaches the position where it crosses the line. Then, the opening/closing control device stops energizing the motor 3 when the connecting shaft portion 82 reaches a position beyond the predetermined position. Therefore, in the second embodiment, the opening/closing control device performs a common operation both when switching the drain port from an open state to a closed state and when switching the drain port from a closed state to an open state. The operation of the motor 3 is controlled so that Note that whether or not the connecting shaft portion 82 has exceeded the predetermined position can be determined based on, for example, a signal from a sensor that can directly or indirectly detect the position of the connecting shaft portion 82.

Next, the operation of the electric operating device 10 according to the second embodiment configured as described above will be explained.

First, regarding manual operation using the manual operation section 7, the opening/closing state of the drain port is switched by operating the manual operation section 7 (pressing operation) until the connecting shaft section 82 reaches a position exceeding the predetermined position. be able to. Here, the clutch mechanism 53 is configured such that the output shaft 532 idles when transmitting the driving force from the output shaft 532 to the input shaft 531. The movement is not obstructed by the output shaft 532, and the open/close state of the drain port can be smoothly switched by manual operation. It should be noted that when the drain port is in the open state, the manual operating section 7 and the operating shaft 57 are maintained in a forward (downward) state by the locking of the connecting shaft portion 82 and the like by the locking mechanism 8.

On the other hand, regarding electric operation using the motor 3, when the operation panel is operated to switch the open/close state of the drain port, the connecting shaft portion 82 is moved to a position exceeding the predetermined position by the opening/closing control device. The operation of the motor 3 is controlled so that the drain port can be opened and closed. Here, when the connecting shaft section 82 moves to a position beyond the predetermined position and the power supply to the motor 3 is stopped, the operating shaft 57, the connecting shaft section 82, etc. are not obstructed by the output shaft 532. It becomes possible to move back and forth. Therefore, when switching the drain port from the closed state to the open state, after the power supply to the motor 3 is stopped, the connecting shaft portion 82 and the like are moved forward to the maximum extent by the urging force from the urging portion 83, but only slightly. While reciprocating, the locking mechanism 8 locks the connecting shaft portion 82 and the like. Furthermore, when switching the drain port from the open state to the closed state, the locked state is released after the motor 3 is de-energized, and the urging force from the urging section 83 is applied to the connecting shaft section 82 and the operation shaft. 57 etc. will return to the position where they have returned to the maximum possible position.

Further, in the electric operating device 10 according to the second embodiment, similarly to the electric operating device 1 according to the first embodiment, when the drain port is in an open state due to, for example, a power outage or a failure of the device, Even if the electric operation of the faucet lid using the motor 3 or the like becomes impossible when the faucet lid is in an upwardly moved state, the faucet lid can be manually moved down to change the drain port from an open state to a closed state. It is possible to switch to In the second embodiment, by operating the manual operation unit 7, a portion (for example, an output The open/closed state of the drain port can be switched by moving the stopper lid up and down without being obstructed by the shaft 532, etc.).

As described above, according to the second embodiment, basically the same effects as those of the first embodiment are achieved.

In addition, according to the second embodiment, the clutch mechanism 53 allows the downstream transmission section 5B to move without being hindered by the output shaft 532, etc. There is no need to go out of your way to enable manual operation. Therefore, usability for the user can be dramatically improved.

Further, since there is no need to use a particularly complicated structure to manually operate the stopper lid during a power outage, etc., it is possible to effectively suppress increases in costs associated with manufacturing the electric operating device 10, etc. .

Note that the present invention is not limited to the content described in the above embodiment, and may be implemented as follows, for example. Of course, other applications and modifications not exemplified below are also possible.

(a) A bidirectional free clutch mechanism (free type bidirectional clutch) other than the clutch mechanism 53 mentioned in the above embodiment may be employed. For example, as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, a cylindrical internal gear 583 is connected to or integrated with the input shaft 581, a sun gear 584 is connected to or integrated with the output shaft 582, and a sun gear 584 and an internal gear are connected to each other. A clutch mechanism 58 that can mesh with the gear 583 and has a plurality of planetary gears 585 supported by a protruding support shaft 586 may be used.

The details of this clutch mechanism 58 are described in Japanese Patent No. 6985313, so only a simple operation will be explained here. When the planetary gear 585 rotates by the internal gear 583 as the input shaft 581 rotates, It is meshed with the gear 584, and its inner peripheral surface is engaged with the outer peripheral surface of the support shaft 586 (see FIG. 11). Therefore, in the driving force transmission from the input shaft 581 to the output shaft 582, the driving force is transmitted by rotation of the input shaft 581 with respect to the output shaft 582. On the other hand, when the output shaft 582 rotates, the planetary gear 585 separates from the sun gear 584 and is disengaged from the sun gear 584 (see FIG. 12). Therefore, in transmitting the driving force from the output shaft 582 to the input shaft 581, the output shaft 582 idles, so that the driving force is not transmitted by rotation of the output shaft 582 with respect to the input shaft 581.

(b) In the second embodiment, switching the drain port from an open state to a closed state and switching the drain port from a closed state to an open state by electric operation (operation of the motor 3). Both of these are possible, but the configuration may be such that only one of them is possible.

(c) In the above embodiment, a bathtub is illustrated as an example of a bathtub, but a bathtub to which the technical idea of the present invention can be applied is not limited to a bathtub. Therefore, for example, the technical idea of the present invention may be applied to baths other than bathtubs, such as washbowls and kitchen sinks.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Electric operation device, 3... Motor (energizing operation part), 5... Transmission part, 5A, 5B... Downstream transmission part, 7... Manual operation part, 53, 58... Clutch mechanism, 531, 581... Input shaft, 532 , 582...output shaft.

Claims (2)

an energized operation part that can be operated by energization;
a transmission part that constitutes a transmission path for the driving force generated by the operation of the energizing operation part to the stopper lid side for opening and closing the drain port of the tank body,
An electric operating device capable of switching the open/closed state of the drain port by remotely controlling the stopper lid through the operation of the energizing operation section,
The transmission section is
a clutch mechanism comprising an input shaft rotatable by a driving force generated by the operation of the energizing operation section, and an output shaft configured to be able to transmit the driving force generated by the rotation of the input shaft;
a downstream transmission section that configures a transmission path downstream of the output shaft in the transmission path and that transmits a driving force to the stopper lid side by moving as the output shaft rotates;
In the clutch mechanism, when transmitting driving force from the input shaft to the output shaft, the driving force is transmitted by rotation of the input shaft relative to the output shaft, and the driving force is transmitted from the output shaft to the input shaft. Here, an electric operating device is characterized in that it is a bidirectional free clutch mechanism configured such that when the output shaft idles, no driving force is transmitted by the rotation of the output shaft to the input shaft. Equipped with a manual operation part that can be moved back and forth for manual operation,
The electric operating device according to claim 1, wherein the downstream transmission section is configured to be movable by both the operation of the energization operation section and the operation of the manual operation section.

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