JP2024068850A - Toilet equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

[Problem] To facilitate maintenance of a sensor for detecting abnormalities in the water level within the toilet bowl. [Solution] A toilet device T comprises a toilet body 31 having a toilet bowl 32, a toilet seat device 40 attached to the toilet body 31, and a sensor unit 50 for detecting abnormalities in the water level within the toilet bowl 32, the sensor unit 50 being separate from the toilet seat device 40 and independently attachable and detachable to the toilet body 31 or the toilet seat device 40. As the sensor unit 50 can be attached and detached independently of the toilet seat device 40, maintenance of the sensor unit 50 is easy. [Selected Figure] Figure 4

Description

This disclosure relates to a toilet device.

Patent Document 1 discloses a toilet device equipped with a functional unit and a water level sensor. The functional unit has a private parts cleansing nozzle and a bidet nozzle, and is attached to the toilet body. The water level sensor detects when the water level in the toilet bowl becomes abnormally high.

JP 2020-133376 A

Because the water level sensor is integrated into the functional unit, when performing maintenance on the water level sensor, it is necessary to remove the functional unit from the toilet body and then disassemble the functional unit to remove the water level sensor. As a result, maintaining the water level sensor in conventional toilet devices was troublesome.

This disclosure was made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and aims to solve the problem of making it easier to perform maintenance on the sensor that detects abnormalities in the water level inside the toilet bowl.

The toilet device of the present disclosure comprises:
A toilet body having a toilet bowl portion;
A toilet seat device attached to the toilet body;
a sensor unit that detects an abnormality in the water level in the toilet bowl,
The sensor unit is separate from the toilet seat device and can be attached to and detached from the toilet bowl body or the toilet seat device separately.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet device according to a first embodiment; Front view of toilet device Side view of toilet device Exploded perspective view of a toilet device Exploded perspective view of the sensor unit Front view of the toilet bowl with the sensor unit and base plate attached Side cross-sectional view of the toilet body with the sensor unit and base plate attached A perspective view of the toilet seat device seen from diagonally below. A plan view of the toilet body with the fixing member attached Plan view of the toilet with the sensor unit attached Plan view of the toilet bowl with the sensor unit and base plate attached A partially cutaway plan view of the toilet body with the sensor unit attached A partially cutaway plan view of the toilet body with the sensor unit attached Block diagram showing the control system when an abnormality in water level is detected

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described below with reference to Figures 1 to 14. In the following description, the front-to-rear direction of the toilet device T is defined as the front side of a user seated on the toilet seat 44 of the toilet device T, and the rear side is defined as the back side of the user, and the F direction in Figures 1, 3 to 5, and 7 to 13 is defined as the front. The up-down direction is defined as the H direction in Figures 1 to 8. The left-right direction is defined as the direction as seen by a user standing in front of the toilet device T, and the R direction in Figures 1, 2, 4 to 6, and 8 to 13 is defined as the right side.

<Outline of the toilet device T>
The toilet device T of the present embodiment 1 is used as a public toilet installed in a private room in a public facility or the like. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the toilet device T includes a cabinet 10 and a toilet bowl 30. The cabinet 10 has a front wall 11, left and right side wall parts 12, and an upper wall part 13, and is disposed so as to cover a rear wall surface W of the private room. An opening 14 is formed in the upper end side area of the front wall part 11 of the cabinet 10, which opens the internal space of the cabinet 10 forward. A closing member 15 for closing the opening 14 is detachably provided on the cabinet 10.

The toilet flushing device 17 and control unit 20 are housed inside the cabinet 10. The toilet flushing device 17 is equipped with a flush water tank 18 and a flush motor 19. The flush water tank 18 stores flush water (not shown) for supplying to the toilet body 31 of the toilet 30. The bottom surface of the flush water tank 18 is provided with a water supply port (not shown) that communicates with the toilet body 31, and a flapper (not shown) that opens and closes the water supply port. The flush motor 19 opens and closes the flapper, and switches between a water supply mode in which the flapper is opened, and a water supply stop mode in which the flapper is closed.

The control unit 20 houses a control device 22 and an AC-DC adapter 23 inside a housing 21. The control device 22 includes a known calculation device such as a CPU and other peripheral circuits, and controls the cleaning motor 19 based on detection signals from a sensor unit 50 (described later), transmits detection information to a local cleaning device 43 (described later), and communicates with a wireless LAN communication device 28 (described later). The AC-DC adapter 23 receives power from a commercial AC power source via an internal outlet 27 provided on the rear wall W, and converts the AC current into DC current. The AC-DC adapter 23 supplies power to the cleaning motor 19 and the sensor unit 50.

A cleaning harness 24 is wired between the control unit 20 and the cleaning motor 19 to supply power and transmit control signals. A sensor harness 25 is wired between the control unit 20 and the sensor unit 50 to supply power and transmit detection signals. A control harness 26 is wired between the control unit 20 and the local cleaning device 43 to transmit control signals. An information transmission harness (not shown) is wired between the control unit 20 and the wireless LAN communication device 28 to transmit detection information signals.

As shown in Figures 1 and 4, the toilet 30 comprises a toilet body 31, a toilet seat device 40, a wireless LAN communication device 28, and a sensor unit 50. As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the toilet body 31 is fixed to a position on the front wall 11 of the cabinet 10 below the opening 14, and is positioned so as to protrude forward of the cabinet 10 while floating above the floor surface F. The toilet body 31 has a toilet bowl 32 and an equipment mounting part 36 connected to the rear of the toilet bowl 32.

As shown in Figures 4, 6, and 7, a rim 33 formed on the opening edge (upper edge) of the toilet bowl 32 has a water outlet 34 formed therein for discharging flushing water from the flushing water tank 18. The water outlet 34 is located at the rear end of the right side region of the inner circumferential surface of the toilet bowl 32. The water outlet 34 opens in a direction that discharges flushing water horizontally backward along the inner circumferential surface of the toilet bowl 32. The flushing water discharged from the water outlet 34 rotates counterclockwise in a plan view along the inner circumferential surface of the toilet bowl 32, washing away waste adhering to the inner circumferential surface of the toilet bowl 32.

A toilet seat device 40 is attached to the toilet bowl body 31. As shown in FIG. 4, the toilet seat device 40 has a base plate 41 and a device body 42 attached while placed on the base plate 41. The device body 42 is an integrated unit of a local cleansing device 43, an openable and closable toilet seat 44 with a heating function, and a toilet lid 45. The local cleansing device 43 is arranged to cover the upper surface of the equipment mounting portion 36 and the rear end of the upper opening of the toilet bowl 32. The toilet seat 44 and the toilet lid 45 are supported so as to be able to swing up and down relative to the local cleansing device 43, and can swing between a lying position that closes the toilet bowl 32 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) and an upright position that opens the toilet bowl 32 (see imaginary lines in FIG. 3).

To attach the toilet seat device 40 to the toilet body 31, first, the base plate 41, which has been removed from the device body 42, is fixed to the upper surface of the equipment mounting part 36 with bolts 46 (see Figure 4). Next, the device body 42 is assembled while sliding it horizontally onto the base plate 41. Power is supplied to the private parts cleansing device 43 and the toilet seat 44 from an external outlet 29 provided on the front wall 11 of the cabinet 10.

The wireless LAN communication device 28 is a device used for a wireless LAN established in a public facility in which the toilet device T of this embodiment 1 is installed, and is attached to the toilet body 31. The wireless LAN communication device 28 attached to each toilet device T is capable of wireless communication via WiFi (a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance) with a router (not shown) installed in the public facility. Wireless communication via the cloud is possible between the router and the administrator's smartphone using LTE communication. Power is supplied to the wireless LAN communication device 28 from the external outlet 29 of the cabinet 10, just like the local cleansing device 43.

The sensor unit 50 is a functional component that detects an abnormal water level when the drainage channel connected to the toilet bowl 32 becomes clogged and the water level of the accumulated water P in the toilet bowl 32 rises to an abnormal height. As shown in FIG. 5, the sensor unit 50 is configured by assembling a detection section 51, a holding member 57, and an electric wire 62. The detection section 51 has a pair of electrodes 56. The sensor unit 50 is attached to the toilet body 31 by fixing the holding member 57 to the upper surface of the device mounting section 36. The electric wire 62 is connected to the control device 22.

The detection unit 51 is disposed at the rear end of the inner circumferential surface of the toilet bowl 32. When the level of the accumulated water P rises to an abnormal height, the accumulated water P comes into contact with a pair of electrodes 56, establishing electrical continuity between the pair of electrodes 56. When electrical current flows between the pair of electrodes 56, the sensor unit 50 detects that the level of the accumulated water P is abnormal. When a detection signal from the sensor unit 50 is input to the control device 22, the control device 22 sends information notifying the administrator of the abnormality via the wireless LAN communication device 28 and the router. The administrator can quickly take action, such as rushing to the site or contacting a repairman.

If flush water is being supplied from the flush water tank 18 to the toilet bowl 32 when the sensor unit 50 detects an abnormality in the water level, the control device 22 controls the flush motor 19 to close the flapper of the flush water tank 18, immediately stopping the supply of flush water to the toilet bowl 32. Also, if flush water is being discharged from the local cleaning device 43 when the sensor unit 50 detects an abnormality in the water level, a control unit (not shown) of the local cleaning device 43 receives the detection information from the control device 22 and controls the local cleaning device 43 to stop discharging the flush water for local cleaning.

<Installation structure of toilet seat device 40>
The toilet seat device 40 is configured by assembling the base plate 41 and the device body 42 as described above. The base plate 41 is generally flat. A rectangular cutout 41A is formed in the center of the front edge of the base plate 41 in the left-right direction. The center of the base plate 41 in the left-right direction where the cutout 41A is formed functions as a separation portion 41B. The rectangular parts of the base plate 41 connected to both the left and right sides of the separation portion 41B function as plate-shaped mounting portions 41C. The pair of plate-shaped mounting portions 41C are formed with long holes 47 that are elongated in the front-rear direction. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, a plurality of protruding legs 48 are formed on the lower surfaces of the pair of plate-shaped mounting portions 41C.

The base plate 41 is attached to the upper surface of the equipment mounting part 36 by inserting the bolt 46 through the long hole 47 from above into the mounting hole 37 of the equipment mounting part 36 and tightening the bolt 46 and nut (not shown). The bolt 46 and nut are mounting members for mounting the toilet seat device 40 to the toilet body 31. When the base plate 41 is attached to the equipment mounting part 36, the multiple legs 48 abut the upper surface of the equipment mounting part 36, so that the separation part 41B and the plate-shaped mounting part 41C are positioned to face the upper surface of the equipment mounting part 36 with a gap S therebetween, as shown in Figures 6 and 7. Since the toilet body 31 is made of ceramic, the dimensional accuracy after molding is not high, and unevenness occurs on the upper surface of the equipment mounting part 36. In order to avoid rattling between the equipment mounting part 36 and the base plate 41 due to the unevenness, multiple legs 48 are interposed between the equipment mounting part 36 and the base plate 41.

<Sensor unit 50>
The sensor unit 50 is not attached to the toilet seat device 40 so as to be incidental thereto, nor is it built into the toilet seat device 40. The sensor unit 50 is a separate member from the toilet seat device 40, and can be handled independently of the toilet seat device 40. The attachment of the sensor unit 50 to the toilet body 31 is performed as a separate operation from the attachment of the toilet seat device 40 to the toilet body 31. When attaching or detaching the sensor unit 50 to the toilet body 31, it is not necessary to disassemble the toilet seat device 40.

5, the detection unit 51 constituting the sensor unit 50 includes a pair of electrodes 56 on the left and right, a case 52, and a cover 55 covering a part of the case 52. The case 52 and the cover 55 constituting the detection unit 51 are made of an insulating material. The case 52 is a single part having a pair of symmetrical cylindrical storage parts 53 with their axes oriented in the vertical direction, and a connecting part 54 connecting the upper ends of both cylindrical storage parts 53. A pair of electrodes 56 is individually housed in the pair of cylindrical storage parts 53. The internal space of the connecting part 54 communicates with the inside of the cylindrical storage part 53 and is open to the upper surface of the case 52. In a plan view of the sensor unit 50 seen from above, the rear surface of the connecting part 54 functions as a guided surface 66 that is curved to follow the inner circumferential surface of the rear end part of the toilet bowl part 32. The cover 55 is attached to the case 52 and is arranged to cover the front and bottom surfaces of the connecting part 54.

The holding member 57 constituting the sensor unit 50 is a single part having a plate-shaped fixing part 58 and a plate-shaped covering part 59. The plate-shaped fixing part 58 has an elongated shape in the front-rear direction. A wiring space 60 is formed in the left-right center of the plate-shaped fixing part 58, penetrating between the upper and lower surfaces of the plate-shaped fixing part 58 and extending in the front-rear direction. The wiring space 60 is formed in the front-rear direction in a region from the front end of the plate-shaped fixing part 58 to a position slightly forward of the rear end of the plate-shaped fixing part 58. The plate-shaped covering part 59 is disposed at the front end of the holding member 57, and has a shape that is wider than the plate-shaped fixing part 58 and extends in the left-right direction. The holding member 57 is fixed to the case 52 by placing the plate-shaped covering part 59 over the opening on the upper surface of the connecting part 54 and fastening it with a screw. A strain relief part 61 is disposed at the rear end of the upper surface of the plate-shaped fixing part 58 to receive the tensile force acting on the sensor harness 25.

Two electric wires 62 are individually connected to the upper ends of the pair of electrodes 56. The two electric wires 62 pass through the internal space of the connecting portion 54 and the wiring space 60 of the plate-shaped fixing portion 58, pass through the strain relief portion 61 from the rear end of the wiring space 60, and are routed to the rear of the holding member 57, housed in the cabinet 10, and connected to the control unit 20. The two electric wires 62 constitute the sensor harness 25. The outer diameter of the electric wires 62 is the same as or smaller than the plate thickness of the plate-shaped holding portion. The two electric wires 62 housed in the wiring space 60 are held by holding tape 63 attached to both the top and bottom surfaces of the holding member 57 so that they do not come off the holding member 57 (wiring space 60).

<Procedure for installing the sensor unit 50 and the toilet seat device 40>
The sensor unit 50 is fixed to the toilet body 31 by a double-sided tape 64 (sheet-like member) having adhesive properties on both sides. The lower surface of the double-sided tape 64 is attached to the upper surface of the device mounting part 36 in advance. The plate-shaped fixing part 58 is attached so as to overlap the upper surface of the double-sided tape 64 from which the release paper has been peeled off. Since the plate-shaped fixing part 58 has a size that covers the entire double-sided tape 64, a pair of indicator parts 65 made of adhesive tape or the like is arranged on the upper surface of the device mounting part 36 as a guide for positioning the holding member 57. The pair of indicator parts 65 are linearly arranged in the front-rear direction along the left and right side edges of the double-sided tape 64. By aligning the left and right side edges of the plate-shaped fixing part 58 with the pair of indicator parts 65, the sensor unit 50 can be positioned in the left and right direction with respect to the toilet body 31.

The rear surface of the case 52 is formed with a guided surface 66 that is curved along the inner peripheral surface of the rear end of the toilet bowl 32. By abutting this guided surface 66 against the inner peripheral surface of the rear end of the toilet bowl 32, the sensor unit 50 can be positioned in the front-rear direction relative to the toilet body 31. By positioning the holding member 57 in the left-right direction as described above and fixing the plate-shaped fixing part 58 to the upper surface of the equipment mounting part 36 with the detection part 51 positioned in the front-rear direction, the sensor unit 50 is attached in the correct position relative to the toilet body 31. The detection part 51 is located forward of the front edge of the equipment mounting part 36 and is positioned so as to face the inside of the toilet bowl 32.

After the sensor unit 50 is attached to the toilet body 31, the base plate 41 is attached to the device mounting section 36. With the base plate 41 attached, a gap S is secured between the upper surface of the device mounting section 36 and the separation section 41B of the base plate 41. This gap S is formed as a measure against unevenness of the upper surface of the device mounting section 36, but is effectively used as an attachment space to accommodate the holding member 57 and two electric wires 62. After the base plate 41 is attached to the device mounting section 36, when the device body 42 is assembled to the base plate 41, the local cleaning device 43 is arranged so as to cover most of the holding member 57 except for the rear end (strain relief section 61) and the entire detection section 51 from above. The rear end (strain relief section 61) of the holding member 57 is located rearward of the rear end of the toilet seat device 40 (local cleaning device 43). In a plan view of the toilet seat device 40 seen from above, a part of the pubic cleansing device 43 and most of the sensor unit 50, excluding the rear end of the holding member 57, are arranged to overlap. Since the rear end of the toilet seat device 40 is located near the front wall 11 of the cabinet 10, the parts of the two electric wires 62 (sensor harness 25) that are led out rearward from the strain relief portion 61 are routed inside the cabinet 10.

When removing the sensor unit 50 from the toilet body 31, first remove the device body 42 from the base plate 41, and then remove the base plate 41 from the device mounting part 36. After the toilet seat device 40 has been removed from the device mounting part 36 in this manner, the holding member 57 is removed from the device mounting part 36. At this time, the double-sided tape 64 may be left on the device mounting part 36 and the holding member 57 may be peeled off from the double-sided tape 64, or the double-sided tape 64 may be attached to the holding member 57 and peeled off from the device mounting part 36.

<Effects of the First Embodiment>
The toilet apparatus T of this embodiment 1 comprises a toilet body 31 having a toilet bowl 32, a toilet seat apparatus 40 attached to the toilet body 31, and a sensor unit 50 that detects abnormalities in the water level within the toilet bowl 32. The sensor unit 50 is separate from the toilet seat apparatus 40 and can be attached and detached independently from the toilet body 31. As the sensor unit 50 can be attached and detached independently from the toilet seat apparatus 40, maintenance of the sensor unit 50 is easy.

Of the sensor unit 50, most of the retaining member 57 and the entire detection section 51 are disposed below the toilet seat device 40. When the toilet seat device 40 is viewed from above, the presence of the sensor unit 50 is not noticeable, so it is possible to avoid any loss of aesthetic appeal due to the presence of the sensor unit 50. The toilet seat device 40 and the sensor unit 50 are attached to the toilet body 31. The toilet seat device 40 is disposed so as to sandwich the sensor unit 50 (most of the retaining member 57 and the entire detection section 51) between the toilet seat device 40 and the toilet body 31. The sensor unit 50 is not noticeable because it is sandwiched between the toilet body 31 and the toilet seat device 40. Therefore, it is possible to avoid any loss of aesthetic appeal due to the presence of the sensor unit 50.

When the toilet seat device 40 is attached to the toilet body 31, it has a separation portion 41B that faces the upper surface of the device mounting portion 36 of the toilet body 31 with a gap S therebetween. A part of the sensor unit 50 (the majority of the holding member 57) is housed in this gap S. The gap S between the toilet body 31 and the separation portion 41B is effectively used as space for placing part of the sensor unit 50, so no dead space is created.

The toilet seat device 40 is attached to the toilet body 31 with bolts 46 and nuts (not shown), which are mounting members. The sensor unit 50 is fixed to the toilet body 31 with double-sided tape 64, which is a fixing member separate from the bolts 46 and nuts. With this configuration, the toilet seat device 40 and the sensor unit 50 can be attached and detached separately from the toilet body 31.

The holding member 57 of the sensor unit 50 is attached and fixed to the toilet body 31 via a sheet-like member, double-sided tape 64. The toilet body 31 is provided with an indicator portion 65 that indicates the fixed position of the holding member 57 on the toilet body 31. The sheet-like double-sided tape 64 does not have any unevenness, so the sensor unit 50 cannot be positioned. Even if the double-sided tape 64 is covered and hidden by the holding member 57, the indicator portion 65 allows the sensor unit 50 to be positioned in the correct position relative to the fixed member.

The sensor unit 50 is detachable from the toilet body 31, and is positioned by contacting the opening edge of the toilet bowl 32 (the rear end of the inner circumferential surface of the toilet bowl 32). By contacting the opening edge of the toilet bowl 32, the sensor unit 50 can be attached to the toilet body 31 in the correct position. The case 52 of the sensor unit 50 has a curved guided surface 66 that follows the opening edge of the toilet bowl 32. By contacting the curved guided surface 66 with the opening edge of the toilet bowl 32, the sensor unit 50 can be stably positioned with respect to the toilet body 31.

The toilet seat device 40 and the sensor unit 50 are disposed at the rear end of the toilet body 31. A part of the sensor unit 50 (the rear end of the holding member 57) extends rearward beyond the rear end of the toilet seat device 40. The part of the sensor unit 50 that extends rearward from the toilet seat device 40 (the rear end of the holding member 57) is hidden by the toilet seat device 40 when viewed from the front and is therefore not very noticeable, which avoids any loss of aesthetic appeal due to the presence of the sensor unit 50.

<Other embodiments>
The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and for example, the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present disclosure.
The toilet seat device is not limited to a private part washing device with a heated toilet seat (shower toilet), but may also be a normal toilet seat, a heated toilet seat, a private part washing device without a toilet seat (shower toilet), a deodorizing device, a heating device, a toilet bowl flushing device (equipped with a flushing motor, flushing tank, on-off valve, etc.), etc.
The sensor unit may be attached to the toilet seat apparatus. In this case, the sensor unit is made removable while the toilet seat apparatus remains fixed to the toilet body.
The sensor unit may be arranged at a position horizontally offset from the toilet seat apparatus, rather than at a position below the toilet seat apparatus.
The sensor unit is not limited to being attached to the rear end of the rim of the toilet bowl, but may also be attached to a side edge of the rim, the front end of the rim, or the like.
The sensor unit may be attached in a manner that is not sandwiched between the toilet body and the toilet seat apparatus.
The sensor unit may be attached in a form that is not accommodated in a gap that is generated when the toilet seat apparatus is attached to the toilet body.
The fixing member for fixing the sensor unit to the toilet body is not limited to double-sided tape, but may be hook-and-loop fasteners, adhesives, bolts, or the like.
The indicator portion is not limited to a linear shape along the side edge of the holding member, and may have other shapes, such as an arrow.
The sensor unit may be attached to the toilet body without contacting the opening edge of the toilet bowl.
The sensor unit does not have to have a guided surface that is curved along the edge of the opening of the toilet bowl.
The sensor unit is not limited to a type that brings electrodes into contact with the pooled water, but a non-contact type such as a photoelectric sensor or a pyroelectric sensor can also be used.

T...toilet device, S...gap, 31...toilet body, 32...toilet bowl, 40...valve seat device, 41B...separation part, 46...bolt (mounting member), 50...sensor unit, 64...double-sided tape (fixing member, sheet-like member), 65...indicator part, 66...guided surface

Claims (9)

A toilet body having a toilet bowl portion;
A toilet seat device attached to the toilet body;
a sensor unit that detects an abnormality in the water level in the toilet bowl,
The sensor unit is separate from the toilet seat device and can be attached and detached separately from the toilet body or the toilet seat device. The toilet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is disposed below the toilet seat apparatus. The toilet seat device and the sensor unit are attached to the toilet body,
The toilet apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein the toilet seat apparatus is disposed so as to sandwich the sensor unit between the toilet body and the toilet seat apparatus. The toilet seat device has a separation portion that faces the toilet body with a gap therebetween when attached to the toilet body,
The toilet apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein a portion of the sensor unit is housed in the gap. The toilet seat device is attached to the toilet body by an attachment member,
5. The toilet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor unit is fixed to the toilet body by a fixing member separate from the mounting member. the sensor unit is attached to the toilet body via a sheet-like member,
The toilet apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the toilet body is provided with an indicator portion that indicates a fixed position of the sensor unit on the toilet body. The toilet device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the sensor unit is detachable from the toilet body and positioned by contacting the opening edge of the toilet bowl. The toilet device according to claim 7, wherein the sensor unit has a curved guided surface that conforms to the opening edge of the toilet bowl. The toilet seat device and the sensor unit are disposed at a rear end of the toilet body,
5. The toilet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the sensor unit extends rearward beyond a rear end of the toilet seat apparatus.

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