JP6759113B2 - Toilet device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a toilet device.

In recent years, there are toilet devices that can detect the state of the user's toilet device and automatically control various functions. For example, in a toilet device that automatically cleans, various sensors detect that the user has left the toilet seat, and cleaning (large cleaning, small cleaning, etc.) is performed according to the usage time of the toilet device.

For example, in Patent Document 1, a toilet seat installed above the toilet bowl, a casing installed behind the toilet seat and containing a cleaning nozzle for cleaning at least the buttocks, and a casing arranged in the casing and used by the user. A toilet device (toilet device) having a radio wave sensor for detecting the above is disclosed.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2014-188295

However, in the toilet device described in Patent Document 1, although the radio wave from the radio wave sensor does not pass through the heat insulating material provided in front of the inside of the toilet lid when the toilet lid is closed, Depending on the positional relationship between the toilet lid and the radio wave sensor, there is a problem that when the toilet lid is opened, the heat insulating material intervenes between the person and the radio wave sensor, making it difficult to detect the user.

Therefore, the present invention appropriately favors three behaviors, which are roughly classified into entering the room, small boys, and sitting / leaving, regardless of whether the toilet lid or the toilet seat is open or closed. To provide a toilet device that can detect and suppress the increase in size.

The toilet device according to the present invention includes a toilet bowl, a toilet seat that is installed on the toilet bowl and is configured to be openable and closable with respect to the toilet bowl, and is installed on the toilet seat and can be opened and closed with respect to the toilet seat. Toilet lid, a radio sensor unit provided in front of the toilet seat, and a position of the toilet bowl facing the bottom surface of the radio sensor unit in a state where the toilet seat is closed with respect to the toilet bowl. The toilet lid includes a first radio shielding portion provided and a second radio shielding portion provided at a position facing the upper surface of the radio sensor unit of the toilet seat on the toilet lid, and the radio sensor unit is at least downward and forward. It is characterized by having a radio wave transmitting unit that emits a radio wave upward and a radio wave receiving unit that can receive the radio wave.

According to the above configuration, the radio wave emitted from the radio wave transmitting portion of the radio wave sensor unit is radiated in the direction not blocked by the first radio wave shielding portion or the second radio wave shielding portion among the lower, front, and upper radio waves. .. For example, when both the toilet lid and the toilet seat are closed, the radio wave sensor unit is sandwiched between the first radio wave shielding part and the second radio wave shielding part in the vertical direction, so that the radio wave emitted from the radio wave transmitting part is only in the front. It is radiated and the user's entry is well detected. Also, when the toilet lid is open but the toilet seat is closed, the radio wave sensor unit is blocked only by the first radio wave shielding part in the downward direction, so the radio waves emitted from the radio wave transmitting part are forward and upward. It is radiated and the user's entry and seating / leaving are well detected. In this way, the behaviors of the above three users can be appropriately and satisfactorily detected according to the open / closed state of the toilet lid or the toilet seat (that is, the standing state or the prostrate state). In addition, the above-mentioned effects can be obtained by a simple configuration without requiring complicated installation work, and it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the toilet device.

In the toilet device according to the present invention, at least one of the first radio wave shielding portion and the second radio wave shielding portion may be made of a metal plate or may be made of a radio wave absorber.

According to the above configuration, the radio wave emitted from the radio wave transmitting unit of the radio wave sensor unit is appropriately and well shielded.

According to the present invention, regardless of whether the toilet lid or the toilet seat is open or closed, the three behaviors roughly classified into the user's entry, boy's small size, and sitting / leaving are appropriately good. It can be detected and the size increase can be suppressed.

It is a side view of the toilet apparatus of one Embodiment to which this invention was applied. It is a side view of the toilet apparatus of one Embodiment to which this invention was applied, and is the figure which shows the state which the toilet lid and the toilet seat are closed. It is a side view of the toilet apparatus of one Embodiment to which this invention was applied, and is the figure which shows the state which the toilet lid is open, and the toilet seat is closed. It is a side view of the toilet apparatus of one Embodiment to which this invention was applied, and is the figure which shows the state which the toilet lid and the toilet seat are open.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the toilet device to which the present invention is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings used in the following description are schematic, and the length, width, thickness ratio, etc. are not always the same as the actual ones and can be changed as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 1, the toilet device 1 of the present embodiment is a toilet device provided with an automatic cleaning type toilet seat, and includes at least a toilet bowl 5, a toilet seat 6, a toilet lid 11, a radio wave sensor unit 30, and a third. It includes one radio wave shielding unit 31 and a second radio wave shielding unit 32.

The configuration and shape of the toilet bowl 5, the toilet seat 6 and the toilet lid 11 are not particularly limited and may be known. The toilet seat 6 is installed on the toilet bowl 5 and is configured to be openable and closable with respect to the toilet bowl 5. A plurality of cushioning members 35 are provided on the bottom surface of the toilet seat 6 for the purpose of not damaging the pottery bowl 5 when the toilet seat 6 is closed and for finely adjusting the flatness of the toilet seat 6. The toilet seat 6 and the toilet lid 11 are connected to the main body 7 at the rear of the toilet seat 6 and can be in both an upright state (open state) and a prostrate state (closed state). That is, the toilet seat 6 is configured to be openable and closable with respect to the toilet bowl 5 fixed to the floor surface and the like, and the toilet lid 11 is configured to be openable and closable with respect to the toilet seat 6 in the closed state.

The inside of the toilet bowl 5 and the main body 7 include a local cleaning nozzle (not shown) for cleaning the user's local area with warm water, water discharge from the local cleaning nozzle, opening and closing of the toilet lid 11 and the toilet seat 6, the temperature of the toilet seat 6, and the like. Contains a control unit that performs various adjustments and controls. Further, a known component (not shown) of the toilet device may be provided inside the toilet bowl 5 or inside the main body 7. Water is supplied to the main body 7 from a tap (not shown), and the water is heated by a heater or the like installed inside the main body 7 and supplied to a local cleaning nozzle. Further, electricity is supplied to the main body 7 from a power source (not shown) or the like.

The radio wave sensor unit 30 is provided in front of the toilet seat 6. Here, "in front of the toilet seat 6" means a range in which the horizontal half-value angle of the radio wave W does not overlap with the toilet seat 6 and the user can be detected when the user stands in front of the toilet bowl 5. It represents, preferably the front part of the toilet seat 6. That is, the radio wave sensor unit 30 includes a member that blocks the radio wave W emitted from the radio wave sensor unit 30 at least in front of the toilet seat 6 when the toilet seat 6 is closed (for example, a heat insulating material or a toilet seat 6 provided inside the toilet seat 6). It is arranged so that there is no metal plate for power distribution and energization to heat the toilet.

The radio wave sensor unit 30 includes a radio wave transmitting unit 36 that emits radio waves W toward at least downward, forward, and upward, and a radio wave receiving unit 38 that can receive radio waves W. Examples of the radio wave transmitting unit 36 include a small power source configured to be capable of transmitting a high frequency radio wave W, and a known high frequency power source or the like is used. The frequency of the high-frequency radio wave radiated from the transmission unit 10 is, for example, about 24 GHz, but is not particularly limited. The radio wave transmitting unit 36 may be configured to emit radio waves W in all directions, or may be configured to emit radio waves W downward, forward, and upward by providing a plurality of antennas and the like. The radio wave receiving unit 38 is not particularly limited as long as it can receive the radio wave W returning toward the radio wave sensor unit 30 after hitting the user.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first radio wave shielding unit 31 is provided in the toilet bowl 5 at a position facing the bottom surface 30b of the radio wave sensor unit 30 in a state where the toilet seat 6 is closed with respect to the toilet bowl 5.
The second radio wave shielding portion 32 is provided at a position facing the upper surface 30a of the radio wave sensor unit 30 provided on the toilet seat 6 on the toilet lid 11.

The material and composition of the first radio wave shielding unit 31 and the second radio wave shielding unit 32 are not particularly limited as long as the radio wave W can be shielded, but are composed of, for example, a metal plate or a radio wave absorber from the viewpoint that a simple configuration can be obtained. It is preferable that it is. Examples of the metal plate described above include a stainless steel (SUS) plate, an aluminum plate, and a copper plate. Examples of the radio wave absorber include known conductive radio wave absorbers, dielectric radio wave absorbers, magnetic radio wave absorbers, and the like.

According to the toilet device 1 of the present embodiment described above, the radio wave W emitted from the radio wave transmitting unit 36 of the radio wave sensor unit 30 is the first radio wave shielding unit 31 or the second radio wave shielding unit of the lower, front, and upper parts. It is radiated in a direction that is not blocked by 32.
For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when both the toilet lid 11 and the toilet seat 6 are closed, the radio wave sensor unit 30 is sandwiched between the first radio wave shielding unit 31 and the second radio wave shielding unit 32 in the vertical direction. The radio wave W emitted from the radio wave transmitting unit 36 is radiated only to the front, and if the radio wave receiving unit 38 receives the RW that has returned to the radio wave sensor unit 30 after hitting the user, the entry / exit of the user can be detected well. can do.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, when the toilet lid 11 is open but the toilet seat 6 is closed, the radio wave sensor unit 30 faces only the first radio wave shielding portion 31 in the downward direction. The radio wave W emitted from the transmitting unit 36 is radiated forward and upward, and can satisfactorily detect the entry and seating / leaving of the user.
Further, as shown in FIG. 4, when both the toilet lid 11 and the toilet seat 6 are open, the position of the radio wave sensor unit 30 is also high, and the radio wave sensor unit 30 shields the second radio wave in the upward direction (rear in FIG. 4). Since it faces only the unit 32, the radio wave W emitted from the radio wave transmitting unit 36 is radiated forward and upward, and the user enters and exits the room, the boy's small, sits / unseats, and sits / unseats. Can be detected well.

As described above, the behaviors of the above three users can be appropriately and satisfactorily detected according to the open / closed state of the toilet lid and the toilet seat (that is, the standing state or the prostrate state). In addition, the above-mentioned effects can be obtained by a simple configuration without requiring complicated installation work, and it is possible to suppress an increase in the size of the toilet device.
Further, the radio wave sensor unit 30 is composed of a small high-frequency power supply and an integrated circuit, and the first radio wave shielding unit 31 and the second radio wave shielding unit 32 are composed of a metal plate or a radio wave absorber, thereby complicating the toilet device. It is also possible to suppress the increase in size.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to such specific embodiments, and various aspects are within the scope of the gist of the present invention described in the claims. It can be changed.

For example, in the above-mentioned toilet device, an upper transmitting unit, a front transmitting unit, and a lower transmitting unit that radiate radio waves W to the upper, front, and lower parts of the radio wave sensor unit 30 are separately provided. At the same time, feedback control of the open / closed state of the toilet lid 11 and the toilet seat 6 may be performed. Further, such a radio wave sensor unit is configured so that the radio wave W can be radiated from any one of the upper transmitting unit, the front transmitting unit, and the lower transmitting unit, in accordance with the feedback control described above (that is,). , The ON state and the OFF state of each of the upper transmission unit, the front transmission unit, and the lower transmission unit are feedback-controlled).
For example, when the toilet lid 11 is open but the toilet seat 6 is closed, the radio wave W is radiated from the front transmitting portion and the upward transmitting portion of the radio wave sensor unit 30 by the above-mentioned feedback control, and the user enters and sits in the room. / De-seat can be detected well (see FIG. 3). According to such a configuration, the direction of the radio wave W radiated from the radio wave sensor unit 30 is feedback-controlled, so that the first radio wave shielding unit 31 and the second radio wave shielding unit 32 are omitted, and the toilet seat 6 and the toilet device It is possible to reduce the weight.

Further, the radio wave W emitted from the radio wave transmitting unit 36 of the radio wave sensor unit 30 does not necessarily have to be shielded by the first radio wave shielding unit 31 and the second radio wave shielding unit 32. In the above-mentioned toilet device, for example, a radio wave deflection unit capable of changing the direction of the radio wave W may be provided in place of each of the first radio wave shielding unit 31 and the second radio wave shielding unit 32. As described above, the radio wave deflecting unit is configured to radiate the radio wave W emitted from the radio wave transmitting unit 36 in a suitable direction in response to feedback control of the open / closed state of the toilet lid 11 and the toilet seat 6. Examples of such a radio wave deflection unit include known small antennas and mirrors.
For example, when the toilet lid 11 is open but the toilet seat 6 is closed, the radio wave provided below the radio wave sensor unit 30 (that is, in place of the first radio wave shielding unit 31) by the above-mentioned feedback control. By operating the deflection unit so that the radio wave W emitted from the radio wave transmitting unit 36 is radiated forward, it is possible to satisfactorily detect the entry and seating / leaving of the user (see FIG. 3). According to such a configuration, the amount of shielding of the radio wave W radiated from the radio wave sensor unit 30 can be suppressed, and the power consumption of the radio wave sensor unit 30 and the toilet device can be reduced.

1 Toilet device 5 Toilet bowl 6 Toilet seat 11 Toilet lid 30 Radio wave sensor unit 31 First radio wave shielding part 32 Second radio wave shielding part

Claims (3)

Toilet bowl and
A toilet seat that is installed on the toilet bowl and that can be opened and closed with respect to the toilet bowl.
A toilet lid that is installed on the toilet seat and that can be opened and closed with respect to the toilet seat.
A radio wave sensor unit provided in front of the toilet seat and
In the toilet bowl, a first radio wave shielding portion provided at a position facing the bottom surface of the radio wave sensor unit in a state where the toilet seat is closed with respect to the toilet bowl.
A second radio wave shielding portion provided at a position facing the upper surface of the radio wave sensor unit of the toilet seat on the toilet lid,
With
The toilet device is characterized in that the radio wave sensor unit includes a radio wave transmitting unit that emits radio waves toward at least downward, forward, and upward, and a radio wave receiving unit that can receive the radio waves. The toilet device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first radio wave shielding portion and the second radio wave shielding portion is made of a metal plate. The toilet device according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first radio wave shielding unit and the second radio wave shielding unit is composed of a radio wave absorber.

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