JP7161697B2 - Toilet clogging detector - Google Patents

Description

Aspects of the present invention generally relate to toilet clog detection devices.

Toilets are known that are equipped with a water level sensor in order to prevent water from overflowing the toilet when flushing is carried out with the toilet bowl clogged. For example, in Patent Document 1, it is determined that clogging has occurred when a water level sensor detects a water level equal to or higher than a predetermined level, an alarm is issued, and the opening operation of the cleaning valve is disabled.

JP-A-2000-282538

There are many toilet devices in the world that do not have the function of detecting clogging of the toilet bowl and disabling the operation of the flush valve. When the above function is retrofitted to an already installed toilet apparatus, according to the configuration of Patent Document 1, it is necessary to replace the control board for controlling the cleaning valve, which takes time and effort. Further, there are many types of control boards depending on the water pressure and quality of the environment where the toilet device is installed, the cleaning method of the cleaning valve, and the like. If the clogging detection function is added to these many types of existing control boards, a large amount of development costs will be required, making the clogging detection device expensive.

The present invention has been made based on the recognition of such problems, and provides a clogged toilet detector that can detect clogged toilets and disable the operation of cleaning means regardless of the type of control board provided in the toilet apparatus. intended to provide

A first aspect of the present invention is directed to a toilet device that prevents the clogging of a toilet bowl, and includes cleaning means for stopping the supply of cleaning water for cleaning a bowl portion of the toilet bowl, and cleaning control means for outputting a drive signal for driving the cleaning means. A clogged toilet detection device having a function of detecting clogged toilet bowl, comprising a detection means for detecting the clogging of the toilet, a cleaning signal blocker capable of prohibiting cleaning of the bowl portion, and based on the detection result of the detection means, the an isolation control means capable of controlling a cleaning signal isolation unit, said cleaning signal isolation unit being connectable between said cleaning control means and said cleaning means, said cleaning signal for driving said cleaning means. The clogged toilet detection device is capable of blocking the drive signal output from the control means.

According to this toilet clogging detection device, the operation of the cleaning means is disabled by interrupting the drive signal. Therefore, regardless of the type of control board provided in the cleaning control means, it is possible to detect clogging of the toilet bowl and disable the operation of the cleaning means.

A second invention is the toilet clogging detection device according to the first invention, wherein the drive signal to be taken into the flushing signal blocker is branched and can be taken into the blockage control means.

According to this toilet clogging detection device, it is possible to determine the timing of the start or end of cleaning based on the drive signal, and the clogging detection by the detection means can be executed in accordance with the start or end of cleaning. As a result, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy of a clogged toilet bowl and prevent the drive signal from being cut off based on an erroneous detection result.

A third invention is a toilet clogging detection device according to the first or second invention, wherein the toilet clogging detection device is electrically insulated from the toilet device.

According to this toilet clogging detection device, even if the driving voltages of the clogging toilet detection device and the toilet device are different, the toilet clogging detection device and the toilet device can be connected regardless of the difference.

A fourth invention is the toilet clogging detector according to any one of the first to third inventions, further comprising canceling means capable of canceling the blockage by the flushing signal blocker.

According to this toilet clogging detection device, for example, as soon as maintenance of the toilet is completed, blocking by the flushing signal blocking section can be canceled immediately. As a result, the time during which the drive signal is interrupted even though the toilet bowl is not clogged can be further shortened, and the usability of the toilet apparatus can be improved.

A fifth invention is the toilet clogging detector according to any one of the first to third inventions, further comprising an information communication device capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from the outside.

According to this toilet clogging detector, for example, an administrator can grasp the clogged state of the toilet at a place away from the toilet apparatus. In addition, when a clog occurs in the toilet bowl, the administrator can know it more quickly, and it becomes possible to perform maintenance of the toilet bowl more quickly.

In a sixth aspect based on the fifth aspect, the information communication device has canceling means capable of canceling the blocking by the washing signal blocking section, and operates the canceling means based on the received information to generate the washing signal. A clogged toilet detection device capable of canceling blocking by a blocking unit.

According to this toilet clogging detection device, it is possible to cancel the blocking by the flushing signal blocking section at a place away from the toilet device. As a result, for example, the burden on the operator who maintains the toilet bowl can be reduced.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toilet clogging detection device capable of detecting clogging of the toilet and disabling the operation of the cleaning means regardless of the type of control board provided in the toilet device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a schematic diagram showing the structure of the toilet clogging detection apparatus and toilet apparatus which concern on embodiment. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram showing electrical configurations of a toilet clogging detection device and a toilet device according to an embodiment; FIG. 4 is a timing chart showing the operation of the clogged toilet detection device according to the embodiment;

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In addition, in each drawing, the same constituent elements are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a clogged toilet detector and a toilet apparatus according to an embodiment.
A toilet clogging detection device 1 according to the embodiment is used by being connected to a toilet device 2 as shown in FIG.

First, the toilet device 2 will be described.
The toilet device 2 has cleaning means 20 , cleaning control means 22 and a toilet bowl 24 . The toilet bowl 24 has a bowl portion 25 for receiving the user's excretions such as urine and faeces, and a drain trap 26 for storing water and blocking odors from the sewage pipe. The washing means 20 supplies washing water to the bowl portion 25 of the toilet bowl 24 to wash the bowl portion 25 .

The cleaning means 20 has a valve (for example, a solenoid valve), a motor, or the like, and is connected to a water supply source such as a water supply or a water storage tank. By operating the valve or the motor, a state in which washing water is supplied from the water supply source to the bowl portion 25 and a state in which washing water is not supplied are switched. In addition, the cleaning means 20 may appropriately have a tank for storing water, a pump for pumping water, and the like.

The washing control means 22 is for controlling the washing means 20, and is, for example, a remote controller or a human body detection sensor. When the user operates the cleaning control means 22 , a signal is sent from the cleaning control means 22 to the cleaning means 20 . Washing water is supplied to the bowl portion 25 by operating the valve or motor of the washing means 20 based on this signal. Alternatively, the cleaning control means 22 may be a control device (for example, a microcomputer) that sends a signal to the cleaning means 20 based on a signal transmitted from a remote controller or the like.

The toilet bowl 24 is configured so that the washing water supplied from the washing means 20 can discharge excrement into the sewage pipe. The toilet bowl 24 is a toilet bowl in the example shown in FIG. Alternatively, without being limited to this example, the toilet bowl 24 may be a urinal.

The clogged toilet detection device 1 has a detection means 10 , a flushing signal blocker 12 , a blockage control means 14 , and an information communication device 16 .
The detection means 10 detects clogging in the toilet bowl 24 of the toilet device 2 . The detection means 10 may detect clogging of the toilet bowl 24 directly or indirectly. As the detection means 10, for example, a radio wave sensor, a capacitance sensor, a pressure sensor, an ultrasonic ranging sensor, an optical ranging sensor, or a flow rate sensor is used.

The radio wave sensor emits radio waves and detects the reflected waves. The intensity of the reflected wave changes depending on the presence or absence of water at the position where the radio wave is radiated. When a radio wave sensor is used as the detection means 10 , the detection means 10 is provided inside the toilet bowl 24 so that radio waves are radiated to a predetermined area on the surface of the bowl portion 25 .
Also, the capacitance sensor senses the capacitance between the sensor and a predetermined area facing it. The capacitance changes with the presence or absence of water in that given area. When a capacitance sensor is used as the detection means 10 , the detection means 10 is provided inside the toilet bowl 24 so as to face a predetermined area on the surface of the bowl portion 25 .
By using a radio wave sensor or a capacitance sensor as the detection means 10, it is possible to detect whether or not the water level in the bowl portion 25 is higher than a predetermined area.

An ultrasonic ranging sensor emits ultrasonic waves and receives the reflected waves. When ultrasonic waves are radiated in a direction perpendicular to the water surface, the time from when the ultrasonic waves are radiated to when the peak of the reflected wave is detected changes according to the position of the water surface.
In addition, the optical distance measuring sensor irradiates light (for example, infrared light) toward an object and causes the reflected light to form an image on a light receiving element. The imaging position of the light receiving element changes according to the position of the water surface.
By using an ultrasonic sensor or a distance measuring sensor as the detection means 10, the water level in the bowl portion 25 can be detected more directly.

If the toilet bowl 24 is clogged, the flush water supplied to the bowl portion 25 is not sufficiently discharged, and the water level in the bowl portion 25 becomes higher than normal. According to any of the sensors described above, clogging in the toilet bowl 24 can be detected by detecting such a change in water level.

Also, the pressure sensor detects the pressure of water accumulated in the bowl portion 25 and the drain trap 26 . The pressure is proportional to the amount of water in bowl portion 25 and in drain trap 26 . The flow rate sensor detects, for example, the flow rate of water flowing through a drain pipe connected to the toilet bowl 24 .
If the toilet bowl 24 is clogged, the water does not flow sufficiently after flushing water is supplied, and the amount of water accumulated in the bowl portion 25 is larger than usual. Alternatively, less water flows into the drain, and the flow of water through the drain is lower than normal. Clogging of the toilet 24 can be detected by detecting these changes with a pressure sensor or a flow sensor.

The washing signal blocker 12 can prohibit washing of the bowl portion 25 of the toilet device 2 . Specifically, the cleaning signal blocker 12 is connected between the cleaning means 20 and the cleaning control means 22 of the toilet device 2 . As described above, the cleaning control means 22 outputs a drive signal to the cleaning means 20 to drive the cleaning means 20, but the cleaning signal blocker 12 blocks this drive signal. As a result, the drive signal output from the cleaning control means 22 to the cleaning means 20 is no longer input to the cleaning means 20 .

The blocking control means 14 controls the washing signal blocking section 12 based on the detection result of the detecting means 10 . Specifically, when the clogging of the toilet bowl 24 is detected by the detection means 10, the blocking control means 14 switches from the state where the flushing signal blocking section 12 does not block the drive signal to the state where the drive signal is blocked. The cut-off control means 14 has a processing device (for example, a microcomputer) and the like.

Further, the driving signal taken into the washing signal blocker 12 is branched and taken into the block control means 14 as well. As a result, the cut-off control means 14 can detect that the driving signal is output from the cleaning control means 22 to the cleaning means 20 . As a result, for example, the blocking control means 14 can operate the detecting means 10 and the cleaning signal blocking section 12 in accordance with the timing at which the drive signal is output.

The information communication device 16 can transmit and receive information to and from the outside. For example, the information communication device 16 transmits and receives information to and from a manager's system or terminal located away from the toilet device 2 . The information communication device 16 may transmit/receive information to/from the outside using a radio signal, or may transmit/receive information via a LAN or a network.

The clogged toilet detection device 1 further has a releasing means 17 . The canceling means 17 cancels the blocking by the washing signal blocking part 12 and allows the bowl part 25 to be washed by the washing means 20 . For example, as shown in FIG. The information communication device 16 operates the cancellation means 17 based on the information received from the outside, and cancels the blocking by the washing signal blocker 12 . However, the configuration of the releasing means 17 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. For example, the canceling means 17 may be a switch or the like for canceling the blocking by the washing signal blocking section 12 .

FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the electrical configuration of the clogged toilet detector and the toilet apparatus according to the embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning signal blocker 12 has a terminal 12a and a photorelay (optical MOSFET) 12b. The terminal 12a is connected to the cutoff control means 14, and receives the signal output from the cutoff control means 14. As shown in FIG. The photorelay 12b includes a light emitting diode 12c and a MOSFET 12d. The light emitting diode 12c is connected to the terminal 12a.

The cleaning control means 22 has a switching element 22a and a gate terminal 22b, and is connected to the MOSFET 12d of the photorelay 12b and the cleaning means 20. FIG. The cleaning means 20 is connected between the MOSFET 12d and the switching element 22a. A driving voltage V1 is applied to the cleaning means 20 via the MOSFET 12d. When a voltage is applied from the gate terminal 22b to the gate of the switching element 22a, the switching element 22a is switched from an off state to an on state, and a drive current flows through the cleaning means 20 via the MOSFET 12d. As a result, the washing means 20 is operated to supply washing water to the bowl portion 25 of the toilet bowl 24 . Further, the switching element 22a is switched from the ON state to the OFF state, so that the drive current does not flow to the cleaning means 20, and the supply of cleaning water to the bowl portion 25 is terminated.

When the clogging of the toilet bowl 24 is detected by the detection means 10 , the blocking control means 14 outputs a signal (supplies voltage) to the washing signal blocking section 12 . When a signal from the blocking control means 14 is input to the terminal 12a of the washing signal blocking section 12, light is emitted from the light emitting diode 12c toward the MOSFET 12d. MOSFET 12d, for example, switches from a conducting state to a blocking state while receiving light. While the MOSFET 12d is in the cutoff state, the drive voltage V1 is not supplied to the cleaning means 20 even if the switching element 22a is in the ON state.

For example, the signal output from the blocking control means 14 to the washing signal blocking section 12 is stopped by the canceling means 17 . When the signal from the blocking control means 14 to the washing signal blocking section 12 stops, the light emission by the light emitting diode 12c also stops. As a result, the MOSFET 12d is switched from the cut-off state to the conductive state. After that, when the switching element 22a is switched to the ON state, the driving voltage V1 is supplied to the cleaning means 20. FIG.

Further, a cutoff control means 14 is connected between the MOSFET 12d and the cleaning means 20 and between the cleaning means 20 and the switching element 22a. Specifically, the cutoff control means 14 has a terminal 14a and a photocoupler 14b. The photocoupler 14b includes a light emitting diode 14c and a phototransistor 14d. One end of the light emitting diode 14c is connected between the MOSFET 12d and the cleaning means 20, and the other end of the light emitting diode 14c is connected between the cleaning means 20 and the switching element 22a.

When a drive current flows through the cleaning means 20, a forward current also flows through the light emitting diode 14c, and light is emitted toward the phototransistor 14d. A voltage V2 is applied to the collector of the phototransistor 14d via a resistor 14e. When the phototransistor 14d receives light and current flows through the base, current flows between the collector and the emitter of the phototransistor 14d and the voltage of the terminal 14a drops.

The cut-off control means 14 can determine the state of washing in the bowl portion 25 by detecting the voltage of the terminal 14a. For example, when the voltage value of the terminal 14a switches from a large state to a small state, current flows through the cleaning means 20, indicating that cleaning of the bowl portion 25 has started. When the voltage value of the terminal 14a switches from a low state to a high state, the current flowing through the cleaning means 20 stops, indicating that the cleaning of the bowl portion 25 has been completed.

In this way, by taking in the drive signal output from the cleaning control means 22 to the cleaning means 20 into the cutoff control means 14 as well, the detection means 10 can be operated in accordance with the drive signal. This point will be described with reference to FIG.

3(a) and 3(b) are timing charts showing the operation of the clogged toilet detector according to the embodiment.
3(a) and 3(b), the horizontal axis represents time, and the vertical axis represents the presence or absence of detection by the detection means 10. In FIG.
For example, when the shutoff control means 14 determines that cleaning has started based on the drive signal output from the cleaning control means 22, as shown in FIG. Start. Detection by the detection means 10 continues for a predetermined time ta from the start of cleaning.

Clogging of the toilet bowl 24 is detected based on indicators such as the water level and amount of water in the bowl portion 25 and the amount of drainage from the toilet bowl 24, as described above. The fact that the toilet bowl 24 is clogged is likely to be reflected in these indicators when the bowl portion 25 is washed. In addition, when the bowl portion 25 is not being washed, there is a possibility that clogging of the toilet bowl 24 may be erroneously detected due to movement of the user, excrement, toilet paper, and the like. By detecting the clogging of the toilet bowl 24 when the bowl portion 25 is washed, the detection accuracy can be improved.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the shut-off control means 14 may start detection of clogging of the toilet bowl 24 by the detection means 10 when the washing of the bowl portion 25 is completed. Detection by the detection means 10 continues for a predetermined time tb after the end of cleaning. During the period from the start of cleaning to the end of cleaning, the water level and amount of water in the bowl portion 25 are not stable, and clogging of the toilet bowl 24 may not be detected accurately. Therefore, detection accuracy of the clogged state of the toilet bowl 24 can be further improved by not executing the detection from the start of washing to the end of washing and executing the detection after the end of washing.

Alternatively, the detection means 10 may continuously detect clogging of the toilet bowl 24 regardless of the drive signal output from the cleaning control means 22 . The blocking control means 14 controls the washing signal blocking section 12 based on the detection result of the detecting means 10 at the predetermined time ta or the predetermined time tb. Also in this case, the clogged state of the toilet bowl 24 can be detected with higher accuracy.

Effects of the embodiment will be described.
The clogged toilet detector 1 according to the embodiment includes a flushing signal blocker 12 connectable between the flushing control means 22 and the flushing means 20, as shown in FIG. The operation of the washing signal blocking section 12 is controlled by the blocking control means 14 based on the detection result of the detection means 10 . The cleaning signal blocker 12 can block the driving signal output from the cleaning control means 22 for driving the cleaning means 20 . By interrupting the drive signal, the operation of the cleaning means 20 can be disabled. Therefore, according to the clogged toilet detection device 1 according to the embodiment, clogging of the toilet bowl 24 can be detected and the operation of the cleaning means 20 can be disabled regardless of the type of control board provided in the cleaning control means 22. is.

It is desirable that the clogged toilet detection device 1 can branch the drive signal taken in by the flushing signal blocker 12 and take it into the blockage control means 14 as well. Thus, as described with reference to FIG. 3, the timing of starting or ending cleaning can be determined based on the drive signal, and clogging can be detected by the detection means 10 only during a certain period from the start or end of cleaning. . As a result, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy of clogging of the toilet bowl 24 and prevent the drive signal from being cut off based on an erroneous detection result.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 2, the clogged toilet detection device 1 is preferably connected to the toilet device 2 using a photorelay 12b and a photocoupler 14b, and is electrically insulated from the toilet device 2. By electrically insulating the clogged toilet detection device 1 from the toilet device 2, the clogged toilet detection device 1 and the toilet device 2 can be connected regardless of the difference in drive voltage. It should be noted that the fact that the toilet clogging detection device 1 and the toilet device 2 are electrically insulated means that the circuit system to which the drive voltage V1 supplied to the toilet device 2 is applied and the voltage supplied to the toilet clogging detection device 1 are connected. It means that the circuit system to which V2 is applied is separated and electrically insulated.

Desirably, the toilet clogging detection device 1 has an information communication device 16 . By having the information communication device 16 , for example, the administrator can grasp the clogged state of the toilet bowl 24 at a place away from the toilet device 2 . Also, when the toilet bowl 24 is clogged, the administrator can know it more quickly, and the maintenance of the toilet bowl 24 can be performed more quickly.

Moreover, since the clogged toilet detecting device 1 has the canceling means 17, the blocking by the flushing signal blocking section 12 can be canceled immediately after the maintenance of the toilet 24 is completed. As a result, the time during which the driving signal is interrupted even though the toilet bowl 24 is not clogged can be further shortened, and the usability of the toilet device 2 can be improved.

It is desirable that the canceling means 17 operates based on the information received by the information communication device 16 and can cancel the blocking by the washing signal blocking section 12 . By doing so, it is possible to cancel the blocking by the flushing signal blocking section 12 at a place away from the toilet device 2 . As a result, for example, the burden on the operator who maintains the toilet bowl 24 can be reduced.

The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the invention is not limited to these descriptions. Appropriate design changes made by those skilled in the art with respect to the above embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, size, material, arrangement, installation form, and the like of each element included in the clogged toilet detection device 1 are not limited to those illustrated and can be changed as appropriate.
Moreover, each element provided in each of the above-described embodiments can be combined as long as it is technically possible, and a combination of these is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as it includes the features of the present invention.

1 Toilet clogging detection device 2 Toilet device 10 Detection means 12 Washing signal blocker 12a Terminal 12b Photorelay 12c Light emitting diode 12d MOSFET 14 Blocking control means 14a Terminal 14b Photocoupler 14c Light emitting diode 14d phototransistor 14e resistor 16 information communication device 17 release means 20 washing means 22 washing control means 22a switching element 22b gate terminal 24 toilet bowl 25 bowl section 26 drainage trap V1 drive voltage V2 voltage , ta, tb Predetermined time

Claims (6)

A toilet apparatus having a function of detecting clogging of the toilet in a toilet apparatus having a cleaning means for stopping flushing water for cleaning the bowl portion of the toilet bowl and a cleaning control means for outputting a drive signal for driving the cleaning means. A toilet clogging detection device,
detection means for detecting clogging of the toilet bowl;
a washing signal blocker capable of inhibiting washing of the bowl;
a blockage control means capable of controlling the washing signal blocker based on the detection result of the detection means;
with
The flushing signal blocker is connectable between the flushing control means and the flushing means, and is capable of shutting off the drive signal output from the flushing control means for driving the flushing means. detection device. 2. A clogged toilet detecting device according to claim 1, wherein said drive signal to be taken into said flushing signal blocker is branched and can also be taken into said blockage control means. The clogged toilet detection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the clogged toilet detection device is electrically insulated from the toilet device. A clogged toilet detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising canceling means capable of canceling blocking by said flushing signal blocker. A clogged toilet detection device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising an information communication device capable of transmitting and receiving information to and from the outside. 6. The information communication device has canceling means for canceling the blocking by the washing signal blocking unit, and operates the canceling means based on the received information to cancel the blocking by the washing signal blocking unit. A clogged toilet detector as described.

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