JP4253851B2 - Toilet device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a toilet device, and more particularly to a toilet device that performs toilet cleaning after use.

Conventionally, as a device for washing toilet bowls after toilets, the washing valve provided at the bottom of the tank is opened by rotating the washing operation lever provided on the side of the washing water tank, etc., and the washing water inside the tank is put into the toilet bowl. Toilet devices that are discharged toward and wash toilets are widely used.
This kind of washing device usually performs large washing of the toilet by releasing a large amount of washing water by rotating the operation lever in one direction, and releasing a small amount of washing water by rotating in the opposite direction. The toilet bowl is washed slightly.
However, in this type of cleaning device, it is necessary to rotate the operation lever by touching it one by one, which is cumbersome and easy to get dirty on the operation lever. When the next user touches the operation lever, There was a problem that hands were dirty and not necessarily hygienic. Further, when the toilet user forgets to operate the operation lever after using the toilet bowl, the toilet bowl is not washed, and the person who uses the toilet bowl cannot use the toilet comfortably.

On the other hand, as known in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-166258, a toilet is provided with a seating sensor, and when the seating sensor no longer detects seating of the human body after the toilet, the flushing water is automatically discharged to clean the toilet. Something to do is also considered. In this case, the user does not need to touch the washing operation lever, and when the user forgets to operate the operation lever, the toilet bowl can be automatically washed, which is hygienic.
Further, in the toilet device described in JP-A-11-166258, stool and urine are determined according to the sitting time to release a large amount of washing water and a small amount of washing water, thereby reducing unnecessary water consumption, Economical.
JP-A-11-166258

  However, in the case of this conventional automatic washing apparatus, since the toilet bowl is washed immediately after sitting, the stool flows even when it is desired to check the stool for health management.

  The invention of the present application has been made to solve such problems. Thus, in the invention of claim 1, a seating detection sensor for detecting the seating of the human body on the toilet seat, a human body detection sensor for detecting the use of the toilet body, a cleaning valve for discharging cleaning water to the toilet body, and the cleaning A valve drive device that opens the valve in a large discharge or small discharge state to perform a large washing or small washing operation of the toilet body, and a control unit that controls the operation of the valve drive device, the control unit The toilet device automatically performs a small cleaning operation when the sitting time of the toilet seat on the toilet seat is shorter than the set time, and automatically performs a large cleaning when it is longer than the set time. In the toilet apparatus to be operated, a selection switch is provided for selecting whether the timing for automatically starting the washing is based on the detection signal disappearance by the seating detection sensor or the detection signal disappearance by the human body detection sensor.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, it becomes possible to provide the toilet device which can respond to both the user who finishes a toilet and wants a stool to flow immediately, and the user who wants to check a toilet for the purpose of health management.

Next, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows a toilet device of the present example, in which 10 is a toilet body, and 12 and 14 are a toilet seat and a toilet lid attached to the toilet body 10 so as to be openable and closable.
In the toilet body 10 of the present example, a cleaning nozzle 18 is provided for spraying the local cleaning water upward to locally clean the anus, and a nozzle switch (local cleaning operation unit) for performing the cleaning water ejection operation from the cleaning nozzle 18 ) 20 is attached. The remote control device 22 is provided with a light emitting unit 24 that transmits operation signals based on operations of various operation switches as optical signals.
Reference numeral 36 denotes an outer casing in which a wash water tank for storing toilet flush water is accommodated. A light receiving unit 28 is provided at the rear corner of the outer casing 36, and an optical signal emitted from the light emitting unit 24 in the remote control device 22 is received by the light receiving unit 28.
A control unit 30 is housed in the outer casing 36 together with the washing water tank, and a signal received by the light receiving unit 28 is sent to the control unit 30. Based on the signal, the control unit 30 activates the ejection function unit 32 to eject the local washing water from the tip of the washing nozzle 18. Alternatively, a later-described valve driving device 34 is operated to perform toilet cleaning. Specifically, the toilet body 10 is caused to discharge the cleaning water inside the cleaning water tank, and the toilet body 10 is cleaned.

The remote control device 22 includes an operation switch for the toilet cleaning operation, specifically, a large cleaning switch (large cleaning operation unit) 26A and a small cleaning switch (small cleaning operation unit) 26B for the large cleaning operation. Yes.
The remote control device 22 is also provided with an openable / closable lid 25 that conceals other operation switches that are not frequently used. The toilet 25 automatically performs non-contact, that is, non-touch, toilet cleaning. An on / off switch 27 for selecting the automatic cleaning mode is provided. The automatic cleaning mode can be executed by setting the switch 27 to the on state.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the toilet device of this example incorporates a seating detection sensor 16 for detecting a human body seated on a toilet seat and a human body detection sensor 17 for detecting a human body in front of the toilet bowl. Here, as shown in FIG. 2, the seating detection sensor 16 and the human body detection sensor 17 move in conjunction with the posture of the toilet seat 12 to avoid the rear end portion of the toilet seat, and in either the toilet seat lying state or the toilet seat standing state. In addition, it is possible to detect the human body in front of the sitting and toilet. This drives a toilet seat posture detection means (toilet seat posture detection sensor) 51 (see FIG. 4), a seating detection sensor 16 and a human body detection sensor 17 using a Hall IC that detects a magnet incorporated in the hinge portion of the toilet seat and its magnetic force. This can be realized by a sensor driving unit 50 (see FIG. 4) using a stepping motor and a timing belt that transmits the driving force.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bottom of the wash water tank is provided with a discharge port 40 for discharging wash water stored in the toilet for washing the toilet bowl, and the discharge port 40 serves as a wash valve. The drain valve 42 is opened and closed.
The drain valve 42 is connected to a pull-up rod 44 rotatably provided in the outer casing 36 via a chain 46. The drain valve 42 is lifted based on the rotation operation of the pull-up rod 44, and the discharge port 40 is opened.
A lever-type operation lever 48 is attached to the pulling rod 44 outside the outer casing 36. Further, a valve driving device 34 is connected to the pulling rod 44 inside the outer casing 36.
The valve drive device 34 has a drive motor and two gears that mesh with each other. One gear is fixed to the output shaft of the drive motor, and the other gear is fixed to the pulling rod 44, and the pulling rod 44 operates with respect to the drive motor based on the meshing of these gears. Connected.

The valve drive device 34 is for automatically opening and closing the drain valve 42, and the operation lever 48 is for manually opening and closing the drain valve 42. Here, the pulling rod 44 rotates greatly in the same direction when the operating lever 48 is rotated in the left direction in the drawing, that is, in the clockwise direction, and the drain valve 42 is largely pulled up so that the discharge port 40 is fully opened. Here, the entire wash water inside the wash water tank is discharged in a large amount toward the toilet main body 10 at once, and the toilet main body 10 is largely washed.
On the other hand, when the operating lever 48 is rotated in the right direction in the drawing, that is, counterclockwise, the pulling rod 44 is rotated at a relatively small angle in the same direction, and the drain valve 42 is slightly lifted from the discharge port 40. Retained.
Accordingly, at this time, the wash water in the wash water tank is discharged to the toilet body 10 through a relatively small gap between the discharge port 40 and the drain valve 42, and the toilet body 10 is subjected to small washing. That is, a small amount of washing water in the washing water tank is discharged, and the toilet main body 10 is slightly washed. Thus, after the operating lever 48 is kept rotating counterclockwise for a certain period of time and then returned to its original position, the drain valve 42 closes the discharge port 40 and the discharge of the washing water stops.
The valve drive device 34 performs a mechanically similar operation in place of the manual operation of the operation lever 48, thereby performing a large washing or a small washing operation of the toilet body 10.

FIG. 3 is a side view for explaining the approximate detection ranges of the seating detection sensor 16 and the human body detection sensor 17, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the control system, and FIG. 5 illustrates the operation of the toilet device of this example. FIG. 6, FIG. 7, and FIG. 8 are time charts showing the operation in this example.
In this example, when the user sits on the toilet seat 12 for a predetermined time t1 or more (6 seconds or more in this example), it is assumed that the seating operation is substantially performed for the first time, and the following operation is executed.

In FIG. 6, when the manual washing switch, that is, the large washing switch 26A (or the small washing switch 26B) in the remote control device 22 is turned on, the valve driving device 34 is driven, and the toilet main body 10 is largely washed (or small washed). ) Is executed.
Thereafter, when the user leaves the toilet room within a predetermined time t2 (in this example, within 60 seconds), toilet flushing is not performed again (see FIG. 6B), and the measured value of the sitting time is reset.
If the user sits on the toilet seat 12 continuously for a predetermined time t3 (30 seconds in this example), then leaves the toilet seat 12 and detects the user within the predetermined time t4 (about 3 seconds in this example), After a predetermined time t5 elapses after the detection signal disappears (in this example, about 6 seconds), the valve drive device 34 is caused to perform a large washing operation, the toilet body 10 is largely washed, and the measured value of the sitting time is reset. (See Fig. 6 (a))

  If the human body is not detected within the predetermined time t4 (here, 3 seconds), the toilet bowl cleaning is not executed (see FIG. 7B), but this is inevitably performed before leaving the room. This is because it is determined that some abnormality has occurred when no detection is made. Since the human body detection range and the seating detection range are as shown in FIG. 3, when the user is seated in the lateral direction of the toilet device 10, the detection signal from the human body detection sensor 17 is shown as the seating detection as shown in FIG. Since it may disappear before the detection signal from the sensor 16, even if the human body is not detected within the predetermined time t4, the human body detection signal disappears within the predetermined time t6 (here, 3 seconds) before the seating detection signal disappears. If there is a disappearance, the valve drive device 34 is subjected to a large washing operation after the elapse of the predetermined time t6 and the predetermined time t5 from the time of the disappearance (see FIG. 7A). Note that the stool drive device 34 may be subjected to a large washing operation immediately after the elapse of the predetermined time t6 from the disappearance of the human body detection signal without waiting for the predetermined time t5, and in any case, the predetermined time t6 from the disappearance of the human body detection signal. Large washing is performed at the time after elapse of time.

  As shown in FIG. 8, even when the human body detection signal disappears during the seating detection, the human body detection signal is regarded as being present and the control is continued.

  Further, when the user leaves the toilet seat 12 in a short time less than t3 (30 seconds) after sitting, the user is automatically regarded as having made a small use, and is separated from the toilet seat 12 for a predetermined time. If the user is detected within t4 (in this example, about 3 seconds), the control unit 30 causes the valve drive device 34 to perform a small cleaning operation after a predetermined time t5 has elapsed (in this example, about 6 seconds) after the detection signal disappears. The toilet body 10 is slightly washed and the measured value of the sitting time is reset. (See Figure 9)

On the other hand, when neither the large washing switch nor the small washing switch 26A, 26B is operated, and the user leaves the toilet seat 12 after 30 seconds or more from the seating, the user makes a large use. Accordingly, the toilet main body 10 is automatically washed in the same manner as described above, and the measurement value of the sitting time is reset. (See Fig. 7 (a))
As described above, in the toilet device of this example, when the seating time of the user on the toilet seat 12 is measured and the seating time is shorter than the predetermined time t3 (30 seconds in this example), Even if the user does not perform an operation for cleaning the toilet bowl, the toilet main body 10 is automatically cleaned after leaving the room.
That is, when the sitting time is short, it is considered that the user has made a small use, and the toilet body 10 is washed slightly. On the other hand, when the sitting time is a long time that is equal to or longer than the predetermined time t3, the toilet body 10 is automatically washed after leaving the room.
That is, the toilet device of this example is determined to be large or small based on the length of the sitting time, and the toilet main body 10 is automatically largely or slightly washed accordingly. Thereby, the toilet body 10 can be appropriately washed without using a large amount of water unnecessarily.

  On the other hand, in the toilet device of this example, if there is no human body detection signal within a predetermined time t4 after the disappearance of the seating signal, it is regarded as abnormal and the toilet cleaning is canceled.

  In the case of the toilet device of this example, since the toilet bowl is automatically washed after using the toilet bowl, even if the user forgets to operate the operation part for toilet bowl washing, the toilet bowl is not washed and the next use The problem that the person feels uncomfortable can be solved. In addition, since the toilet bowl is not washed while staying in the toilet room, the user can check the state of his / her stool, so that his / her health management can be performed.

  In the toilet apparatus of this example, when the large washing switch 26A and the small washing switch 26B are operated, the large washing operation or the small washing operation corresponding to the operation is performed preferentially. The operations of the large washing switch 26A and the small washing switch 26B are based on the direct will of the user, so that the large washing operation or the small washing operation corresponding to the operation of the switches 26A and 26B is performed preferentially. By doing so, it is possible to properly perform toilet cleaning appropriately for large and small use.

  In this example, when the large washing switch 26A and the small washing switch 26B are operated while entering the toilet seat 12, and the user leaves within a predetermined time t2 (60 seconds in this example), an automatic toilet is used. The reason for this is that the washing is not performed, but if this is operated before the stool, this is not an original toilet bowl wash, but a large washing switch 26A, a small washing switch for the purpose of generating a washing sound. Since 26B has been operated, there is time to add afterwards and preparation time until leaving the room. In that case, 60 seconds is considered to take at least time, and even in such a case, automatic cleaning is performed. Because. At the same time, if the large washing switch 26A and the small washing switch 26B are operated after leaving the stool, they will leave the room within at least 60 seconds. In such a case, redundant and unnecessary washing is performed. It is also to prevent it.

  It should be noted that the predetermined time t3 for determining the length of the sitting time can be changed by a predetermined operation unit in the remote control device 22.

  In this example, the measured value of the sitting time is reset substantially during the toilet cleaning operation, but this is reset after a predetermined time (for example, 6 seconds) has elapsed since the disappearance of the human body detection signal. Also good.

  On the other hand, in the case of male urination, the toilet seat opening / closing device (not shown) is driven by operating the remote control device 22 as shown in FIG. 5 (III), so that the toilet seat 12 can be opened automatically. Even when the toilet seat 12 and the toilet lid 614 are opened, the human body detection sensor 17 is in a state of being opened forward (a state where the light projecting portion and the light receiving portion are not blocked by the toilet seat), and the light is projected upward from the toilet seat 12. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5 (IV), it is possible to detect the human body in front of the toilet. Accordingly, when the human body in front of the toilet has been used and left, the human body detection signal from the human body detection sensor 17 disappears, so that the valve driving device 34 is driven based on the signal to automatically perform washing. be able to. At this time, it is possible to detect the standing posture of the toilet seat 12 and wash the toilet bowl with a small amount of washing water based on this detection signal.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the toilet seat 12 is in a standing state, a part of the detection area is hidden at the rear end of the toilet seat 12 when the human body detection sensor 17 remains in the position, and the user When the person leaves the toilet bowl after using the toilet bowl, the human body detection sensor 17 cannot detect this. Therefore, the human body detection sensor 17 and the seating detection sensor 16 are driven for the sensor by an opening detection signal of the toilet seat 12 (a toilet seat posture detection sensor 51 configured by a Hall IC that detects a magnetic field by a magnet incorporated in a hinge portion of the toilet seat). It is moved downward by the part 50. This makes it possible to detect the human body in front of the toilet as shown in FIG.
When the toilet lid 6 and the toilet seat 5 are closed, the human body detection sensor 17 and the seating detection sensor 16 are moved upward by the sensor driving unit 50 in accordance with the closing detection signal of the toilet seat 2 and returned to the original positions. As a result, the human body detection sensor 17 is again opened forward, and light can be projected upward of the toilet lid 14.
Therefore, the human body in front of the toilet can be detected again, and when the user approaches, the human body can be detected by the human body detection sensor 17. Since the human body is detected even when the toilet lid 14 is in a lying state, it is conceivable to detect a person who enters and exits the toilet room by cleaning or the like and automatically cleans it. It is also possible to provide a toilet lid posture detecting means 52 using a so that automatic washing is not performed when the toilet lid is closed.

  In the above-described example, the toilet seat standing posture is detected and the small washing is automatically performed when standing up. However, when the water wheelchair is used, the toilet seat 12 is lifted to perform the stool. Therefore, in consideration of such a user, it is possible to perform automatic washing by making a size determination using the signal of the seating detection sensor 16 even when the toilet seat is standing up, similarly to the control shown in FIGS. It is. Note that this switching can be performed by a water supply on / off switch 21 provided in the remote control device 22.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 10, the cleaning start timing selection provided in the remote control device 22 to start the automatic cleaning t5 seconds after the disappearance of the seating detection signal, instead of starting the automatic cleaning t5 seconds after the disappearance of the human body detection signal. It can be changed by operating the switch 29.

1 is an overall view of a toilet device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The schematic sectional side view for demonstrating the operation | movement linked to the toilet seat 12 of the seating detection sensor 16 and the human body detection sensor 17 of the Example. Side view showing an outline of the detection ranges A and B of the seating detection sensor 16 and the human body detection sensor 17 of the same embodiment. It is a block diagram of the control system of the embodiment. It is explanatory drawing which shows operation | movement of the toilet device of the Example. Time chart of the control system in the toilet device of the same embodiment (shows the relationship between the washing switch and automatic washing) Time chart of the control system in the toilet apparatus of the same embodiment (whether or not automatic cleaning is performed due to the time difference between the disappearance of the seating detection signal and the disappearance of the human body detection signal) Time chart of the control system in the toilet device of the same embodiment (when it is considered that there is a human body detection signal while the seating signal is generated) Time chart of control system in toilet device of same embodiment (at the time of small judgment) Time chart of the control system in the toilet device of the same embodiment (switching of cleaning start timing when the seating signal disappears / the human body signal disappears)

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Toilet body 12 Toilet seat 16 Seating detection sensor 17 Human body detection sensor 18 Cleaning nozzle 20 Nozzle switch (local cleaning operation section)
26A large washing switch (large washing operation part)
26B Small washing switch (small washing operation part)
29 selection switch 30 control part 34 valve drive device 40 outlet 42 drain valve (washing valve)
51 Detection means for detecting the standing posture of the toilet seat

Claims (1)

A seating detection sensor that detects the seating of a human body on the toilet seat, a human body detection sensor that detects use of the toilet body, a cleaning valve that discharges cleaning water to the toilet body, and the cleaning valve is opened in a large discharge state or a small discharge state. A valve driving device that performs a large washing or a small washing operation of the toilet body, and a control unit that controls the operation of the valve driving device, and seats the toilet user on the toilet seat by the control unit In the toilet device that automatically performs the small washing operation when the time is shorter than the set time, and automatically performs the large washing operation when the time is longer than the set time,
A toilet device, comprising: a selection switch that selects whether the timing for automatically starting cleaning is based on detection signal disappearance by the seating detection sensor or detection signal disappearance by the human body detection sensor.