JP6647536B2 - Toilet booth long stay deterrent device - Google Patents

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toilet booth long stay suppressing device that suppresses a long stay of a user who uses a toilet booth.

  In recent years, in public restrooms or office restrooms, it has become a problem that the toilet booth is occupied for a long time by the user using the toilet booth, that is, the user using the toilet booth stays in the toilet booth for a long time. ing. For example, due to the use of a toilet booth as a place where a smartphone or a portable game machine is used, the time for occupying the toilet booth has been long. For this reason, even when multiple toilet booths are installed in the toilet, all the toilet booths are likely to be in use, and people who want to complete the service have to wait without using the toilet booth .

  As a countermeasure against such a situation, while detecting whether a user is present in the toilet booth, attention to exclusive use is directed to the interior of the toilet booth, for example, by outputting an alarm sound. There is a toilet booth long stay deterrent device.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2017-159033 (Patent Document 1) discloses a detection means for detecting a human body in a toilet booth and a sound evoke into the toilet booth in a toilet booth long stay suppressing device concealed from behind a ceiling. There is disclosed a technology including a sounding unit including a sounding device and a control unit that controls output of the sounding by the sounding unit based on detection of a human body by the detecting unit.

In the technology described in Patent Document 1, the detection means radiates microwaves that pass through the ceiling material toward the inside of the toilet booth, and detects the biological information of the human body in the toilet booth by the Topler effect. Consists of The control means has a timer for counting the time in the toilet booth based on the detection of biological information by the detection means. Force output.
Further, the following technology is disclosed as a technology for detecting an object to be detected in a toilet or the like using the Doppler effect or the like.

  Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-142221 (Patent Literature 2) discloses a toilet device that includes a toilet seat, a Doppler sensor that acquires information on a detection target by a reflected wave of a radiated radio wave, and a detection signal output from the Doppler sensor. There is disclosed a technology including a control unit that determines a user's departure from a toilet seat based on the information and outputs a control signal.

  Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2013-72270 (Patent Document 3) discloses a technique in a toilet device that includes a Doppler sensor that transmits and receives radio waves and a control unit that performs predetermined control based on an output signal of the Doppler sensor. Is disclosed.

  In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-19669 (Patent Document 4), in a toilet device, a transmitter transmits a microwave serving as a transmission wave in a predetermined direction, a receiver receives a reflected wave with respect to the transmission wave, and transmits the transmission wave. There has been disclosed a technology including a Doppler sensor unit that generates a Doppler signal having a difference frequency from a reflected wave.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-194357 (Patent Document 5) discloses that a detecting device transmits a radio wave, receives a reflected wave of the radio wave reflected by an object, and generates a sensor signal having a frequency characteristic corresponding to the motion of the object. A sensor to output, a first determination unit that determines whether the object is a person based on the frequency characteristics of the sensor signal, and a state of movement of the object based on the frequency characteristics of the sensor signal when the object is a human And a second determination unit that determines the condition.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-134799 (Patent Document 6) discloses a monitoring device that detects a physical condition of a care receiver, a reflected wave obtained by emitting a transmission wave by an electromagnetic wave and reflecting the transmission wave on an object. And a radio wave sensor that generates a Doppler signal by synthesizing the transmitted wave and the reflected wave, and a signal processing unit that determines the physical condition of the care receiver based on the Doppler signal generated by the radio wave sensor. Provided techniques are disclosed.

JP 2017-159033 A JP 2013-142221 A JP 2013-72270 A JP-A-2011-19669 JP 2017-194357 A JP 2017-134795 A

  With the above-mentioned sensor using the Doppler effect, if the detection accuracy for detecting whether or not a user is present in the toilet booth is increased, when the user exits from the toilet booth, the door opened and pulled It also detects the movement of the door until it bounces against the wall stopper and stops. Depending on the strength with which the user pulls the door open, the toilet booth door may bounce about 4-6 times against the stopper and then stop, and in such a case, for example, see Patent Document 1 described above. The described timer for counting the time in the toilet booth does not turn off immediately until the door stops, even though the user is not already in the toilet booth. Therefore, after the previous user leaves the toilet booth, if the later user enters the toilet booth while the door is flipping, the count of the timer is taken over, for example, Immediately after sitting on the toilet seat, there is a problem that the occupancy time in the toilet booth exceeds a predetermined time and an alarm sound is output. That is, there is a problem that it is not possible to accurately detect that the user has been in the toilet booth for a long time.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a toilet booth long stay suppressing device for suppressing the longevity of a user who uses a toilet booth, and to provide a technique capable of accurately detecting that a user is longing in a toilet booth.

  The outline of typical inventions among the inventions disclosed in the present application will be briefly described as follows.

  A toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to one embodiment of the present invention is a toilet booth long stay suppressing device that suppresses the longevity of a user who uses a toilet booth. The toilet booth long stay suppressing device, a housing provided behind the ceiling of the toilet booth, provided in the housing, and a detection unit that detects the presence of the user in the toilet booth, provided in the housing, A sound output unit that can output the first sound signal toward the toilet booth; and a first sound signal output unit that is provided in the housing and that is based on a detection signal from the detection unit. A control unit for controlling the output. The detecting unit transmits the first radio wave toward the inside of the toilet booth, and determines the first frequency of the first radio wave and the second frequency of the reflected wave at the moment when the first radio wave receives the reflected wave reflected by the object to be detected. And a frequency-modulated continuous-wave radar-type first sensor that measures a first distance to an object based on a frequency difference that is a difference between the two. The control unit determines a first time point at which the user entered the toilet booth based on the first distance measured by the first sensor, and based on the determined first time point and the detection signal, the user determines the first time point. A sound output unit that measures a use time while using the booth, and causes the sound output unit to output a first alert sound when the measured use time exceeds a preset upper limit value. Control.

  The effects obtained by typical aspects of the invention disclosed in the present application will be briefly described as follows.

  According to a representative embodiment of the present invention, in a toilet booth long stay suppressing device that suppresses the longevity of a user who uses a toilet booth, it is possible to accurately detect that the user is longing in the toilet booth. it can.

It is a figure which shows typically an example of the installation state of the toilet booth long stay suppressing apparatus of embodiment. It is a block diagram showing an example of a toilet booth long stay prevention device of an embodiment. It is a figure showing an example of a toilet booth long stay prevention device of an embodiment. It is a graph which shows the intensity | strength of the detection signal for every distance measured by the sensor of FMCW radar system. It is a graph which shows the time change of the distance measured by the sensor of FMCW radar system typically.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings for describing the embodiments, the same portions are denoted by the same reference numerals in principle, and the repeated description thereof will be omitted.
(Embodiment)

Hereinafter, a toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to an embodiment which is an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to the present embodiment is a toilet booth long stay suppressing device that suppresses the longevity of a user who uses the toilet booth. Note that the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the present embodiment is a toilet booth long stay suppressing device that is installed behind the ceiling of the toilet booth so as not to be seen by a user.
<Installation state of toilet booth long stay prevention device>

First, the installation state of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of an installation state of a toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to an embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 1, a ceiling material C of the toilet room A extends above the toilet booth B of the toilet room (rest room) A.

  The ceiling material C is made of a material having a small microwave transmission loss, for example, one gypsum board used as a normal ceiling finishing material. Further, in the toilet booth long-term restraint device of the present embodiment, the microwave radiation wave and the reflected wave from the present device can be transmitted without any problem even if the gypsum board is a ceiling material having a thickness of 18 mm by stacking two gypsum boards. It has been verified that the device operates properly.

  In public toilets or office toilets, the above-mentioned gypsum board is often used as the ceiling material C of the toilet room A, and the ceiling of the toilet room A is covered with a ceiling finishing material having a small microwave transmission loss. It is common that it is. Although one toilet booth B is shown in the toilet room A of FIG. 1, a plurality of toilet booths are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. The toilet booth B is illustrated.

As shown in FIG. 1, the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment includes a ceiling back surface of a ceiling material C so as to be located above a human body E as a user sitting on a toilet seat D of a Western-style toilet. Installed in Also, one toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 is installed for each toilet booth B.
<Toilet booth long stay suppression device>

  Next, the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to the embodiment. FIG. 3A is a perspective view of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device as viewed obliquely from above, and FIG. 3B is a bottom view of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device as viewed from below.

As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 includes a detection unit 2, an audible sound output unit 3, a control unit 4, and a housing 5. The housing 5 is provided behind the ceiling of the toilet booth B, and is provided by incorporating the detection unit 2, the audible sound output unit 3, and the control unit 4 inside the housing 5. Note that, for example, when the housing 5 does not have a box-like shape, the detection unit 2, the sound output unit 3, and the control unit 4 need not be provided inside the housing 5. For example, it may be provided above or on the side of the housing 5. The housing 5 has a semi-cylindrical shape (a shape cut vertically around a cylinder), and includes elliptical side portions 5a and 5b, a front portion 5c, a back portion (not shown), and a top surface portion 5d. , Mounting surface 7.
[Detection unit]

  The detection unit 2 detects the user's presence in the toilet booth. The detection unit 2 includes a frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) radar type sensor 2a.

The sensor 2a radiates a radio wave transmitted through the ceiling material C toward the toilet booth B located below the installation location of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1, and the user as an object to be detected in the toilet booth B The distance between the human body E and the sensor 2a is measured. In other words, the sensor 2a transmits a radio wave toward the interior of the toilet booth B, receives a reflected wave of the radio wave reflected by the user's human body E as an object to be detected, and transmits the reflected wave at the moment of receiving the reflected wave. The distance between the detected object and the sensor 2a is measured based on the frequency difference between the frequency of the radio wave and the frequency of the received reflected wave. The FMCW radar is a kind of continuous wave radar, and adopts frequency modulation (FM) as a modulation method. The FMCW radar changes the frequency so that the time dependence of the frequency becomes, for example, a sawtooth wave, and reflects the reflected wave. Is a radar that obtains a distance from a frequency difference (beat frequency) between a transmitted wave and a reflected wave at the moment when the signal is received.
The sensor 2a has a detection range covering the entire area inside the toilet booth B, including the position of the door F of the toilet booth B, and detects a human body E of a user who enters and exits the toilet booth B.

  Here, as the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the comparative example, for example, as in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the detection unit 2 includes a Doppler radar sensor but does not include an FMCW radar sensor. That is, consider a case where the detection unit 2 uses only the Doppler effect. In such a comparative example, the detection unit 2 detects the detection target only by the Doppler effect. Further, since the sensor using the Doppler effect detects the movement of the target object itself, it detects, for example, the movement of the body, heartbeat, and lung respiration, but does not detect the distance from the source to the target object.

  Therefore, with the sensor using the Doppler effect, if the detection accuracy for detecting whether or not a user is present in the toilet booth is increased, the door that is opened when the user exits the toilet booth is opened. It also detects the movement of the door until it bounces against the wall stopper and stops. Depending on the strength with which the user pulls the door open, the toilet booth door may bounce about 4-6 times against the stopper and then stop, and in such a case, for example, see Patent Document 1 described above. The described timer for counting the time in the toilet booth does not turn off immediately until the door stops, even though the user is not already in the toilet booth. Therefore, after the previous user leaves the toilet booth, if the later user enters the toilet booth while the door is flipping, the count of the timer is taken over, for example, Immediately after sitting on the toilet seat, there is a problem that the occupancy time in the toilet booth exceeds a predetermined time and an alarm sound is output.

That is, there is a problem that the sensor using the Doppler effect cannot accurately detect the point in time when the user enters the toilet booth. And, in the sensor using the Doppler effect, when the exit of the previous user and the entry of the subsequent user are continuous, the use time of the later user is changed from the time when the previous user entered the toilet booth. There is a problem that an error occurs in counting by taking over.
On the other hand, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment, the detection unit 2 includes at least the FMCW radar type sensor 2a.

  The FMCW radar type sensor 2a detects an object based on the time until the reflected wave returns. For example, when a detected object including an object of a certain size, such as a human body of a user, is not present in the toilet booth, the normally radiated radio wave is reflected on a toilet or a floor surface or the like. Return. On the other hand, when the detected object is present in the toilet booth, the radiated radio wave is reflected back to the human body of the user or a bag brought into the toilet booth by the user. Therefore, there is a time difference in the time when the reflected wave returns between when the user is in the room and when the user is not in the room, and it is possible to detect a change in distance from the time difference. It is possible to detect whether or not a user is present in the toilet booth. Further, at the time when the change in the distance is detected, the timer for counting the time in the toilet booth as the use time, which is the time the user is in the toilet booth, is switched on or off. As will be described later with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the movement at the time of opening and closing the door can be excluded from the detection target.

  That is, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment, when the user enters and exits the toilet booth, even if the door is flipped and moves, the user is not affected by the movement of the door, and the toilet booth of the user is not affected. By detecting a change in distance due to exit from the room, the timer can be switched off, that is, the timer can be reset. Therefore, according to the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the present embodiment, it is possible to accurately detect the time when the user enters the toilet booth. Therefore, even if the exit of the previous user and the entry of the subsequent user are consecutive, the usage time of the subsequent user is counted as inherited from the time when the previous user entered the toilet booth. Can be prevented from occurring.

  Further, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment, even after the user enters the toilet booth, the sensor 2a detects the frequency of the transmitted radio wave at the moment when the reflected wave is received and the frequency of the received reflected wave. By measuring the distance between the object to be detected and the sensor 2a based on the frequency difference that is the difference between the two, it is possible to easily detect whether or not the user is present in the toilet booth. it can. Therefore, it is possible to easily measure the usage time during which the user is using the toilet booth.

  In the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the comparative example, the detection unit 2 includes a Doppler radar type sensor, but does not include an FMCW radar type sensor. It recognizes that there is no user in the booth. On the other hand, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment, since the detection unit 2 includes at least the FMCW radar type sensor 2a, even if the user is stationary in the toilet booth for a long time, It can be prevented that the user recognizes that the user is not present.

Further, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the comparative example, for example, when a user falls down in the toilet booth in a cardiopulmonary arrest state, the falling down user cannot be detected. On the other hand, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment, even if the user falls down in the cardiopulmonary arrest state in the toilet booth, the falling down user can be detected. For example, in a toilet at the station premises at midnight when people use less frequently, it is detected that the user has fallen in a cardiopulmonary arrest state, an alarm sound is output, and attention is drawn to pedestrians around the toilet booth. This will help rescue the falling user as soon as possible.
In order to prevent erroneous detection due to the reception of vibration from the space behind the ceiling, it is desirable to provide a shock absorber or the like around the detection unit 2.
[Sound output section]

  The audible sound output unit 3 includes a sounder that can output a reminder sound by voice information toward the inside of the toilet booth B located below the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1. That is, the alert sound output by the alert sound output unit 3 includes an alert sound based on audio information. The alert sound by the voice information is composed of a human voice or a synthetic sound, and is recorded in the alert sound output unit 3 so that it can be output as needed. If the content of the voice information prompts you to leave the room, for example, "It will be one minute remaining. Please prepare for leaving the booth for those who are waiting next time." Good.

  The audible alert sound output by the audible alert output unit 3 is to urge the user occupying the toilet booth B to leave the room for more than a predetermined time, which will be described later. May be any volume that can be heard by the user. However, when it is assumed that there is a standby person waiting for the toilet booth in the toilet room, the volume of the alert sound is preferably a volume that can be heard by the standby person. By hearing the audible alert signal to the waiting person, the waiting person can know the next available toilet booth along with the time information, and reduce the physiological pain of the waiting person Can be.

As a reminder sound to urge the user to leave the toilet booth, a reminder sound including voice information has been mentioned, but the reminder sound is not limited to the one including voice information, and may be a chime sound or Various warning sounds such as an alarm sound may be included. That is, various kinds of sound effects can be adopted as the alert sound to urge the user to leave the toilet booth.
[Control unit]

  The detection unit 2 is connected to the control unit 4. When the detection unit 2 includes the FMCW radar type sensor 2a, the control unit 4 can acquire information as to whether or not a user is present in the toilet booth as a detection signal. The control unit 4 also includes a timer 6 that counts (measures) the time in the toilet booth based on the detection signal from the detection unit 2, that is, measures the time in the toilet booth.

  Further, the control unit 4 is connected to the sound output unit 3. When the time in the toilet booth as the use time measured by the timer 6 exceeds a predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) as a preset upper limit value, the control unit 4 outputs the sound sound output unit 3. The alerting sound output unit 3 is controlled so as to output an alerting sound based on audio information included in the alerting sound.

  That is, the control unit 4 controls the output of the alert sound by the alert sound output unit 3 based on the detection signal by the detection unit 2. In detail, the control unit 4 detects that the user is sitting in the toilet booth from the distance measured by the sensor 2a, determines the time when the user is seated, and determines the determined time and the detecting unit. 2, the usage time during which the user is using the toilet booth is measured, and when the measured usage time exceeds a preset upper limit, the sound output unit 3 alerts the user. The sound output unit 3 is controlled so as to output a sound.

  Further, the control unit 4 detects that the luggage is placed in the toilet booth from the distance measured by the sensor 2a, thereby determining the time when the luggage is placed, and determining the determined time and the detection unit. 2, the time during which the luggage is kept in the toilet booth is measured, and when the measured time exceeds the preset upper limit, the sound output unit 3 alerts the user. The sound output unit 3 is controlled so as to output a sound. When the measured time exceeds the preset upper limit value, the control unit 4 sends information indicating that the luggage is kept in an external management room or center by the communication unit (not shown). You may make it transmit.

  The control unit 4 determines the time when the user enters the toilet booth based on the distance measured by the sensor 2a, and based on the determined time and the detection signal from the detection unit 2, the user can use the toilet. The use time while using the booth is measured, and when the measured use time exceeds a preset upper limit value, the sound output unit 3 outputs a warning sound so that the sound output unit 3 outputs a warning sound. May be controlled.

Further, the control unit 4 detects that the user is crouching or falling down in the toilet booth based on the distance measured by the sensor 2a, and determines the time point at which the user is detected. And based on the detection signal by the detection unit 2, the time during which the user has fallen in the toilet booth is measured, and when the measured time exceeds the preset upper limit, the sound output unit 3 is alerted The sound output unit 3 is controlled so as to output a sound.
<Toilet booth long stay suppression method>

Next, a toilet booth long stay suppressing method using the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the present embodiment will be described. Specifically, a control method by the control unit 4 when the detection unit 2 detects a user will be described. FIG. 4 is a graph showing the strength of the detection signal for each distance measured by the FMCW radar type sensor. FIG. 5 is a graph schematically showing a time change of the distance measured by the FMCW radar type sensor. FIG. 6 is a graph schematically showing a temporal change in the level of the Doppler effect detected by a Doppler radar type sensor. The vertical axis in FIG. 4 indicates the intensity of the detection signal, and the horizontal axis in FIG. 4 indicates the distance from the sensor to the detection target. The vertical axis in FIG. 5 indicates the measured distance, and the horizontal axis in FIG. 5 indicates time. The vertical axis in FIG. 6 indicates the level of the detected Doppler effect, and the horizontal axis in FIG. 6 indicates time.
[Record of initial data]

  In the toilet booth long stay suppressing method of the present embodiment, first, the control unit 4 uses the FMCW radar type sensor 2a to detect an object and a sensor while no user is present in the toilet booth. The distance DS1 between the first and second sensors 2a is measured.

Specifically, since the size of the interior or the shape of the toilet or the like differs for each toilet booth, after installing the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1, the detection of the occupancy of the user by the toilet booth long stay inhibiting device 1 is started. Previously, in a state where no user is present in the toilet booth, the control unit 4 uses the FMCW radar type sensor 2a to determine the distance DS2 as the distance DS1 between the detection target and the sensor 2a. The measured distance DS2 is recorded as initial data.
[Proper entry and exit]

  After recording the initial data in this way, the control unit 4 determines whether the user is in the toilet booth B when the user enters the toilet booth B and when the user exits the toilet booth B. The detection unit 2 detects whether the operation is performed. Hereinafter, a case where the user enters and leaves the room properly will be described. Here, the proper entry and exit means that the exit of the previous user and the entry of the subsequent user are not continuous, and hereinafter, the appropriate entry and exit by the previous user and the subsequent use The following describes a case in which a person enters a proper room. Hereinafter, an example will be described in which the control unit 4 uses the sensor 2a to measure a distance DS3 as a distance DS1 between the detection target and the sensor 2a.

  As shown in FIG. 5, for example, it is recorded as the initial data that the distance DS2 between the detection target and the sensor 2a is, for example, 2.0 m (“empty” in FIG. 5). It is assumed that the user opens the door F and enters the toilet booth B in this state. In such a case, when the user enters the toilet booth while standing, the microwave radiated from the sensor 2a reflects on the entire human body of the user, and a time difference occurs in the time of returning. The sensor 2a measures that the distance DS3 as the distance DS1 between the object and the sensor 2a is, for example, 0.8 m by the microwave reflected on the head and shoulders of the user (see FIG. 5). At the time of entry stool movement "). As a result, the control unit 4 determines that the distance DS3 as the distance DS1 is significantly smaller than the distance DS2 and has changed, that is, determines that the user is present in the toilet booth, and the timer 6 is turned on. Becomes At this time, the time when the user enters the toilet booth is determined as the time when the measured distance DS3 becomes shorter than the distance DS2.

  Preferably, the controller 4 determines that the user is present in the toilet booth when the distance DS3 as the distance DS1 is shorter than the distance DS2 by a difference that exceeds a preset upper limit value. By appropriately setting such an upper limit, it is possible to reliably detect the user's occupancy while preventing erroneous detection.

  Next, it is assumed that the user who has entered the room lowers his trousers, skirt or underwear, and performs an operation of sitting on the toilet seat D of a Western-style toilet. In such a case, the sensor 2a measures that the distance DS3 as the distance DS1 between the detection target and the sensor 2a is shorter than the distance DS2 and longer than 0.8 m, for example, 1.0 m. (“At the time of the sitting posture maintaining operation” in FIG. 5). Then, information on the distance DS3 as the distance DS1 measured by the sensor 2a is sent to the control unit 4.

  Next, a case is considered in which the user who has entered the room is sitting on the toilet seat D to perform a toilet service, or is operating the portable terminal device while sitting on the toilet seat D. Also in such a case, the sensor 2a determines that the distance DS3 as the distance DS1 between the detection target and the sensor 2a is shorter than the distance DS2 and longer than 0.8 m, for example, 1.0 m. Measurement is performed ("at the time of the sitting posture maintaining operation" in FIG. 5). Then, information on the distance DS3 as the distance DS1 measured by the sensor 2a is sent to the control unit 4.

  When the distance DS3 as the distance DS1 measured by the sensor 2a changes in such a manner as to be significantly smaller than the distance DS2 which is the initial data, the information is sent from the detection unit 2 to the control unit 4 as information. The control unit 4 determines that the user is present in the toilet booth based on the change in the distance DS3 as the measured distance DS1, and the user enters the sitting room and performs the sitting posture maintaining operation of sitting on the toilet seat. It is determined that it has been done. When this determination is made, the control unit 4 causes the timer 6 to start counting the time in the toilet booth as described above.

  That is, the control unit 4 measures the distance DS2 as the distance DS1 with the sensor 2a in a state where no user is present in the toilet booth, measures the distance DS2, and then measures the distance DS1 with the sensor 2a. The distance DS3 is measured, and the time when the user enters the toilet booth is determined as the time when the measured distance DS3 is shorter than the distance DS2. In other words, the control unit 4 determines the point in time when the user enters the toilet booth based on the distance DS1 measured by the sensor 2a. And the control part 4 controls based on the determined time point and the detection signal by the sensor 2a so as to measure the usage time during which the user is using the toilet booth. In addition, the control unit 4 compares the counted time in the toilet booth with the predetermined time (for example, 10 minutes) as a preset upper limit value. When the measured usage time exceeds a preset upper limit, the control unit 4 controls the sound output unit 3 so that the sound output unit 3 outputs a warning sound.

  Here, when the user enters a preparatory operation for exiting from the toilet booth B within a predetermined time as a preset upper limit value, such as completing the toilet, the user may raise the waist from the toilet seat. Alternatively, in order to arrange the clothes, the sensor 2a measures that the distance DS3 as the distance DS1 between the object to be detected and the sensor 2a is, for example, 0.8 m (“at the time of the exit operation” in FIG. 5). Then, after the user exits from the toilet booth B, the microwave radiated from the sensor 2a is not reflected on the human body, and the sensor 2a is a distance DS3 as a distance DS1 between the detection target and the sensor 2a. Is detected as, for example, 2.0 m ("vacant room" in FIG. 5). As a result, the control unit 4 determines that the distance DS3 has approached the distance DS2 as the initial data and has changed, that is, the exit operation is performed, and determines that the user is not present in the toilet booth.

As described above, when the control unit 4 measures the use time based on the time when the determined user enters the toilet booth and the detection signal from the sensor 2a, the detection unit 2 does not use the Doppler radar type sensor together. Therefore, the configuration of the detection unit 2 can be simplified, and the manufacturing cost of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device can be reduced.
[Reset count]

As described above, when the control unit 4 determines that the leaving operation is performed and the user is not present in the toilet booth within the predetermined time as the preset upper limit value, the timer 6 is turned off. Become. That is, the control unit 4 causes the timer 6 to reset the count of the occupancy time in the toilet booth (sets the occupancy time in the toilet booth to zero), and returns the timer 6 to the count start standby state. In this case, since the user has left the room within the predetermined time, the sound output unit 3 does not operate.
[Entry after leaving]

When the previous user exits the toilet booth B and then enters the toilet booth B, the control unit 4 performs the same operation as the previous user based on the change in the measured distance DS1. Then, it is determined that the subsequent user is present in the toilet booth, and that the seating posture maintaining operation of sitting on the toilet seat has been performed from the subsequent user's entering seating operation. As described above, the timer 6 is returned to the count start standby state because the previous user has left the room. For this reason, if the control unit 4 determines that the sitting posture maintaining operation of sitting on the toilet seat has been performed from the subsequent user's entering stool operation, the timer 6 is activated as described above, and the count of the time in the toilet booth is counted. Be started.
[Continuation of exit and entry]
Next, a case where the previous user leaves the room and the subsequent user enters the room continuously will be described.

  As described above, as a toilet booth long stay suppressing device of a comparative example, a case is considered where the detection unit 2 includes a Doppler radar type sensor but does not include an FMCW radar type sensor. In such a comparative example, depending on the strength of the user pulling the door open, the door of the toilet booth may stop after flipping the stopper about 4 to 6 times. In this case, the timer for counting the time in the toilet booth does not turn off immediately until the door stops, even though the user is not already in the toilet booth.

  That is, in the comparative example, when the previous user leaves the toilet booth and then the subsequent user enters the toilet booth continuously, the state of the Doppler effect level based on the previous user's leaving operation is high. And the state in which the level of the Doppler effect based on the user's entering stool afterward is high, the possibility that the sensor is continuously detected in time and the detected detection signal is sent from the detection unit 2 to the control unit 4 There is. In such a case, when the previous user leaves the toilet booth, the timer may not be turned off, the count of the timer 6 may not be reset, and the timer 6 may not be returned to the count start standby state. . For example, FIG. 6 shows that the state where the level of the Doppler effect based on the leaving operation of the previous user is high and the state where the level of the Doppler effect based on the entering / leaving operation of the user after the entrance is high are continuous in time. In the region RG1 surrounded by the two-dot chain line, this corresponds to a case where regions with large amplitudes on both the left and right sides overlap.

  Thus, in the comparative example, after the previous user leaves the toilet booth, if the subsequent user enters the toilet booth continuously, it is not possible to accurately detect the time at which the user entered the toilet booth. There is a problem. Then, in the comparative example, when the exit of the previous user and the entrance of the subsequent user are continuous, the use time of the subsequent user is counted by taking over the use time from the time when the previous user entered the toilet booth. There is a problem that an error occurs.

  On the other hand, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment, for example, only the data of the distance (for example, 0.8 m) between the ceiling surface (the position of the sensor) and the upper part of the door (the surface corresponding to the thickness) is detected in advance. It should be set as outside. This makes it possible to prevent the movement of the door from being detected even if the door is moved by bouncing, so that the movement of the door that could not be excluded by the Doppler effect can be excluded from the detection target. . Therefore, it is possible to simply determine whether or not the user is present in the toilet booth, and to switch the timer ON or OFF so as to follow the actual entry or exit of the user. it can.

  That is, according to the toilet booth long stay suppressing method using the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the present embodiment, the FMCW radar type sensor 2a detects whether or not a user is present in the toilet booth. As a result, when the user leaves the toilet booth, even if the door flicks and moves, the change in distance due to the user leaving the toilet booth is detected without being affected by the movement of the door, and the timer 6 can be switched off, that is, the timer 6 can be reset. Therefore, according to the toilet booth long stay suppressing method using the toilet booth long stay suppressing device of the present embodiment, it is possible to accurately detect the time when the user enters the toilet booth. Therefore, even if the exit of the previous user and the entry of the subsequent user are consecutive, the usage time of the subsequent user is counted as inherited from the time when the previous user entered the toilet booth. Can be prevented from occurring.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the control unit 4 receives the intensity of the detection signal for each distance from the sensor to the detection target at predetermined intervals. Thus, when the detected distance is the first distance (1 m to 4 m), the control unit 4 detects that the user is sitting in the toilet booth. If the detected distance is the second distance (1.5 m to 4.5 m) longer than the first distance, it is detected that the user is crouched in the toilet booth. When the detected distance is the third distance (1.5 m to 5 m), it is detected that the luggage is placed in the toilet booth.
<Housing and mounting surface>
Next, the housing and the mounting surface will be described with reference to FIGS.
[Housing]

  FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a state in which the detection unit 2, the audible sound output unit 3, and the control unit 4 are housed in the housing 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the lower surface of the housing 5 (the lower surface of the housing) is a mounting surface 7 that is in close contact with the rear surface of the ceiling material C. That is, the housing 5 has the mounting surface 7 which is superimposed on the ceiling back surface of the ceiling material C of the toilet booth.

  The mounting surface 7 is provided with a microwave passage surface 8. Note that the through holes 9 may be provided. The microwave passage surface 8 and the plurality of through holes 9 are covered with the ceiling material C when the mounting surface 7 of the housing 5 is overlapped with the ceiling back surface of the ceiling material C.

The microwave passing surface 8 is a part of the lower surface plate of the housing, and is a passing portion through which a radio wave transmitted by the sensor 2a and a radio wave transmitted by the sensor 2a are reflected by an object. is there. On the upper surface of the housing lower plate in which the through holes 9 are arranged, a sounding device (for example, a speaker) included in the sound output unit 3 is arranged, and the sound information output by the sound output unit 3 is used for these. It passes through the through-hole 9 and further passes through the ceiling material C, so that a person in the toilet booth B below can hear it. That is, the plurality of through holes 9 are arranged so as to be adjacent to each other, and are through holes through which the alert sound is respectively passed.
[About incorporating the sound output section and covering the through-hole with ceiling material]

  The reason why the sound output unit 3 is incorporated in the housing 5 together with the detection unit 2 and the control unit 4 is as follows. First, if the audible sound output unit 3 is installed alone at a position visible to the occupants, such as the inner wall surface in the toilet booth, the user whose audible sound output unit 3 is present in the toilet booth. Urges the user to leave the room, so that the user's mood is likely to be offended. Then, it is also expected that the sound output unit 3 is tampered or broken by the user.

  In order to prevent the sound output unit 3 from being tampered or broken, the sound output unit 3 may be arranged and hidden behind the ceiling above the toilet booth B as a countermeasure. However, if the audible sound output unit 3 is simply arranged so as to be hidden behind the ceiling, the audible sound output from the audible sound output unit 3 will be muffled into the ceiling and will reach the lower toilet booth through the ceiling material. The sound quality of the evoked sound will be worse.

  If the sound quality of the alert sound is deteriorated, the contents of the alert sound will not be transmitted to a user who is present in the toilet booth. For example, as an audio information, even if an announcement is made in English or a foreign language such as Chinese to urge the user to leave the room, not only is the content of the announcement unclear, or is the announcement made in Japanese, or It may not be possible to identify whether the announcement was made in a foreign language.

  To surely convey the contents of the alert sound, it is conceivable to increase the volume of the alert sound. However, when the volume of the alert sound is increased, the ceiling surface of the toilet room vibrates widely, and it becomes unclear to which toilet booth the alert sound is output. For this reason, the user who is present in the toilet booth that is the target of the alert sound is asked to leave the room, or if the user is in the adjacent toilet booth. It is not possible to identify whether the person is being asked to leave the room. In addition, a user who is not a target of the audible alert and stays in an adjacent toilet booth cannot identify who is urged to leave the room. Therefore, there is a problem that a user who is present in any of the toilet booths is likely to make a misunderstanding.

  Furthermore, it is difficult for a waiter outside the toilet booth to wait for an empty toilet booth to identify which of the toilet booth users is urged to leave. Therefore, there is a problem in that it sounds as if the exit is simply inviting, and the expectation that the toilet booth will be available soon will not be obtained.

  On the other hand, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment, as described above, the audible sound output unit 3 is incorporated in the housing 5 together with the detection unit 2 and the control unit 4. Therefore, by installing the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 on the back side of the ceiling material C, the sound output unit 3 can be easily installed without performing the work of installing the sound output unit 3 alone on the back of the ceiling. It can be hidden behind the ceiling. Further, since the microwave passage surface 8 and the through hole 9 are covered in contact with the ceiling material C, the toilet booth long-life restraint device 1 is installed behind the ceiling, and then the toilet booth long-life restraint device 1 and the ceiling material C It is possible to prevent small animals or the like from entering the space between them, and prevent dust or small foreign matter behind the ceiling from entering the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1.

  From the audible sound output unit 3, an audible sound by voice information is output with a downward directivity, and emitted toward the toilet booth B through the through hole 9. At this time, since the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 is installed on the back side of the ceiling material C and the through-hole 9 is covered in contact with the ceiling material C, the audible alert by the audio information is generated in the space above the ceiling. Without being confined, it passes through the ceiling material C directly from the through hole 9 and reaches the space inside the toilet booth B located below the installation place of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 properly. Therefore, the alert sound by the voice information is transmitted clearly to the user who is present in the toilet booth B.

  Therefore, even if the sound information of the alert sound is in the form of announcements in foreign languages such as English or Chinese, the user who is present in the toilet booth that is the target of the alert sound will be alert sound. Can be immediately understood, and the user who is present in the adjacent toilet booth can easily identify who is urged to leave the room. The same applies even if the alert sound output by the alert sound output unit 3 is an alarm sound or a sound effect.

Furthermore, since the alert sound by the voice information is clear, which of the toilet occupants in the toilet booth is urged to leave the room even for those waiting for the toilet booth to be empty? Can be easily identified. Therefore, it is possible to give the waiting person a sense of security that the toilet booth can be used soon.
[Fixed part]

  Around the mounting surface 7, a fixing portion 9 for stably fixing the housing 5 to the ceiling back surface of the ceiling material C is provided. The fixing portion 9 has a plurality of stud members arranged so as to be movable in the circumferential direction of the mounting surface 7. The stud members are pierced into the rear surface of the ceiling material C to rotate the housing 5 at a predetermined angle. By rotating in the direction, the housing 5 is fixed to the ceiling material C.

  The configuration of the fixing portion 9 is not particularly limited. For example, a metal plate having a plurality of sharpened and raised locking blades may be used as the fixing portion 9, and the housing 5 arranged around the mounting surface 7 or the like is placed on the back surface of the ceiling material C and slightly rounded. The fixing portion 9 may be fixed in a state in which the locking blade bites into the ceiling material C by, for example, rotating in the direction. Further, the fixing portion 9 may be formed of an adhesive tape, and an adhesive tape may be provided on the mounting surface 7 of the housing 5 and fixed to the ceiling material C with the adhesive tape.

  As described above, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment, since the fixing portion 9 is provided on the mounting surface 7 of the housing 5, the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 is stably fixed, and It can be easily (one-touch) installed on the ceiling back of the ceiling material C. The fixing portion 9 prevents the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 from being displaced due to an earthquake or the like, and maintains a state in which the microwave passage surface 8 and the through hole 9 are in close contact with the ceiling back surface of the ceiling material C. I do.

  When the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment is installed on the back surface of the ceiling material C, for example, the lighting device arranged on the ceiling material C above the toilet booth B is removed and the lighting device mounting hole is opened. The toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 can be inserted from the side and placed on the back of the ceiling material C. Then, a power supply line (not shown) of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment is connected to the electric wiring behind the ceiling that supplies power to the lighting fixture, and the lighting fixture can be attached again as before. Here, each of the side surfaces 5a and 5b of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 has a width and a height of 1 cm or more and less than 9 cm. When the diameter of the lighting fixture mounting hole to which an LED or the like is attached is 9 cm, the side portions 5a and 5b of the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 are not more than 9 cm in width and height, so that the toilet boot long stay suppressing device 1 can be used. By inserting from the side surface through the lighting fixture mounting hole, it can be placed on the ceiling back surface of the ceiling material C.

  As described above, in the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment, the detection unit 2, the audible sound output unit 3, and the control unit 4 are integrated. By installing it on the back of the ceiling, it is possible to easily build a mechanism that prompts users who are present in the toilet booth to leave the room when necessary.

  The toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment is disposed on the back of the ceiling of the ceiling material C so as to be located above each toilet booth. An interface unit (not shown) is provided for performing various settings and the like by wireless communication. Thus, after the toilet booth long stay deterrent device 1 is installed above the ceiling, each of the plurality of toilet booth long stay deterrent devices 1 can be set (using the dedicated device via the interface unit) without entering the ceiling. It is possible to easily perform setting of the time until the sound output unit 3 operates and setting of the type or volume of the alert sound output by the sound output unit 3). Further, various kinds of information for confirming the operation of each of the plurality of toilet booth long stay suppressing devices 1 can be acquired by the dedicated device.

In addition, since radio waves are transmitted from each of the plurality of toilet booth long stay suppressing devices 1 and the detected object is detected using the transmitted radio waves and the reflected waves, interference of radio waves between adjacent devices does not occur. Changing the channel is necessary to eliminate false detections. Therefore, the dedicated device may set a channel change for preventing interference.
<Display device>

  The toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment can output operation information of each toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 to a display device provided in the toilet room A by wireless communication (not shown). ) May be included. As shown in FIG. 1 as an example, a display device 10 is installed on a wall surface near the row of toilet booths in the toilet room A, and an output device (not shown) uses each toilet booth toward the display device 10. Sends information such as status. The display device 10 is attached to, for example, a place where people waiting for an empty toilet booth will be lined up.

  The display device 10 includes a display body such as a liquid crystal display panel, and a known human body proximity detection sensor and the like. When people waiting for an empty toilet booth are lined up, the human body proximity sensor detects the lined up person, Perform display operation.

  Further, the display device 10 serves to inform the person waiting for the toilet booth of the use status of the toilet booth based on the information output from the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1. When the display operation is being performed, it is also possible to display that the audible sound output unit 3 may output a reminder sound to prompt the user to leave the room.

  Further, the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment transmits information such as a detection signal by the detection unit 2 or is installed in order to receive instruction information to the control unit 4. It may have a wired transceiver. In such a case, for example, information such as the usage status of each toilet booth can be sent to a building management department or the like and managed collectively. Further, since the toilet booth long stay suppressing device 1 of the present embodiment integrally includes the detection unit 2, the audible sound output unit 3, and the control unit 4, the device is remote from a management department located away from the toilet room. It is possible to easily build a system that monitors the usage status of each toilet booth and also aims at crime prevention.

  Furthermore, the management section sends instruction information to each of the plurality of toilet booth long stay suppressing devices, sets the time until the sound output section 3 operates, and alerts the sound output section 3 outputs. It is possible to easily construct a system that can remotely set the type of sound or volume.

  As described above, the invention made by the inventor has been specifically described based on the embodiment. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. Needless to say.

  Further, the above-described embodiments have been described in detail for easy understanding of the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described above. For example, a part of the configuration of one embodiment can be replaced with the configuration of another embodiment, and the configuration of one embodiment can be added to the configuration of another embodiment. . In addition, a part of the configuration of each embodiment may be added, deleted, or replaced with another configuration.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Toilet booth long stay suppressing device, 2 ... Detection part, 2a ... Sensor, 3 ... Emission sound output part, 4 ... Control part, 5 ... Housing, 6 ... Timer, 7 ... Mounting surface, 8 ... Microwave passage surface, 9: fixed part, 10: display device, A: toilet room, B: toilet booth, C: ceiling material, D: toilet seat, E: human body, F: door, RG1: area.

Claims (7)

In the toilet booth long stay suppressing device that restrains the long stay of the user using the toilet booth,
A housing provided behind the ceiling of the toilet booth,
A detection unit provided in the housing, and detecting the presence of the user in the toilet booth,
A sound output unit provided on the housing, and capable of outputting a first warning sound toward the inside of the toilet booth;
A control unit that is provided in the housing and controls an output of the first alert sound by the alert sound output unit based on a detection signal from the detection unit;
Has,
The detection unit transmits a first radio wave toward the inside of the toilet booth, and detects a first frequency of the first radio wave and the reflected wave at the moment when the first radio wave receives a reflected wave reflected by an object to be detected. Including a first sensor of a frequency modulation continuous wave radar system that measures a distance to the object based on a frequency difference that is a difference from the second frequency of the second frequency,
The control unit determines a time when the user enters the toilet booth based on the distance measured by the first sensor, and determines the user based on the determined time and the detection signal. Measures the use time while using the toilet booth, and when the measured use time exceeds a preset upper limit value, the sound output unit outputs the first alert sound. Controlling the sound output section,
When the distance is the distance from the ceiling surface to the top of the door, the control unit excludes the door that opens and closes into the toilet booth from the detection target at the time ,
When the distance between the user and the sensor, which is the object to be detected, is reduced, it is determined that the user is not present in the toilet booth, and the use time is reset.
Toilet booth long stay deterrent device. The toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to claim 1,
The control unit measures the distance between the detected object and the sensor as initial data by the first sensor in a state where no user is present in the toilet booth, and measures the initial data. After that, when the user opens the door and enters the toilet booth, measures the distance between the user and the sensor, which are non-detected objects,
If the distance is smaller than the initial data, it is determined that a user is present in the toilet booth,
Thereafter, the entered user performs an operation of sitting on a toilet seat, and when the distance increases, it is determined that the sitting posture maintaining operation of sitting on the toilet seat has been performed from the user's entering seating operation, and the user is determined. Start measuring the usage time while using the toilet booth,
Toilet booth long stay deterrent device. In the toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to claim 1 or 2,
The toilet booth long stay suppressing device, wherein the control unit measures the use time based on the determined time point and the detection signal from the first sensor. The toilet booth long-term deterrent device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The toilet booth long stay suppressing device, wherein the first alert sound includes a second alert sound based on audio information. The toilet booth long-term deterrent device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
The toilet booth long stay suppressing device, wherein the housing has a mounting surface that is superimposed on a ceiling rear surface of a ceiling material of the toilet booth. The toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to claim 5,
The mounting surface is provided with a passage portion through which the first radio wave and the reflected wave can pass, and a through hole through which the first alert sound passes,
The toilet booth long stay suppressing device, wherein the passing portion and the through hole are covered with the ceiling material when the mounting surface is overlapped with the ceiling back surface of the ceiling material. In the toilet booth long stay suppressing device according to claim 5 or 6,
A toilet boot long stay suppressing device, wherein a fixing portion for fixing the housing to the ceiling rear surface of the ceiling material is provided on the mounting surface.