JP7394633B2 - toilet seat device - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to toilet seat devices.

The toilet seat device is provided with a shower device to clean the user's area to be cleaned. The toilet seat device may be provided with a drying device adjacent to the shower device for drying the area to be washed, and an ion generator for generating ions for neutralizing the surface of the toilet bowl and the like. An ion generator sprays ions toward the surface of the toilet bowl to sterilize and deodorize the toilet bowl and seat.

In order to simplify the configuration of the toilet seat device, consideration has been given to using a common flow path for blowing air between the drying device and the ion generator. Patent Document 1 describes a toilet seat device that includes a drying device and an ion generator that uses a common drying device and a ventilation duct. The duct described in Patent Document 1 includes a nozzle that is telescopically housed in the duct. An opening is formed in the nozzle, and the gas that has passed through the duct and the nozzle is blown through the opening.

JP2016-028741A

The destination of the gas from the drying device and the destination of the gas from the ion generator are different. According to the toilet seat device described in Patent Document 1, while the nozzle is being extended against the duct during drying, a shutter that can be opened and closed that hides the nozzle is pushed open, and after the nozzle is extended, warm air is blown from the opening. . In this toilet seat device, when the ion generator is operated, the nozzle is shortened to a position where the opening is covered by a shutter, and the direction of gas blown from the opening is changed by the shutter.

According to the toilet seat device described in Patent Document 1, it is necessary to extend the nozzle and open the shutter. The toilet seat device described in Patent Document 1 has room for improvement in order to simplify the shapes of the duct and nozzle, and the control of the nozzle.

An object of the present disclosure is to provide a toilet seat device that can simplify the device configuration while sharing a flow path between a drying device and an ion generator.

In order to achieve the above object, the present disclosure includes a functional part, a duct provided in the functional part through which gas flows, and an opening that is extendably accommodated in the duct and that blows gas therein, On the other hand, when the duct is in an extended state, a first flow path through which the gas flows is formed, and when the duct is in a shortened state, a second flow path through which the gas flows is formed. The first flow path may be formed to allow the gas to pass through the nozzle, flow out from the opening, and be blown to the outside of the duct, and the second flow path may be configured to allow the gas to pass through the nozzle and be blown to the outside of the duct. The toilet seat device is configured to allow air to flow to the outside of the duct by flowing through a gap formed between the duct and the nozzle without passing through the inside of the nozzle.
In order to achieve the above object, the present disclosure includes a functional part, a duct provided in the functional part through which gas flows, and an opening that is telescopically accommodated in the duct and blows the gas, and that is provided with respect to the duct. a nozzle in which a first passage through which the gas flows is formed when the duct is in an extended state, and a second passage through which the gas flows when the duct is in a shortened state; The second flow path is formed to allow the gas to flow through a gap formed between the duct and the nozzle, and to blow the gas from the gap to a toilet bowl formed in the toilet bowl. It is a toilet seat device.

It is a figure showing a toilet main body on which a toilet seat device of an embodiment is placed. It is a top view showing the structure of the drying device provided in the toilet seat device in one state. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the configuration of the drying device in another state. FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the drying device in one state. FIG. 3 is a side sectional view showing the configuration of the drying device in another state.

As shown in FIG. 1, the toilet seat device 10 is placed on the toilet main body 1. Hereinafter, the side in front of the user seated on the toilet seat of the toilet main body 1 will be referred to as the front side, the opposite side will be referred to as the rear side, and the direction connecting the front side and the rear side will be referred to as the front-rear direction X1. The horizontal direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction is referred to as the left-right direction X2, and the right and left sides in the left-right direction are referred to as the same sides as the right and left sides of the user who is seated on the toilet seat and faces forward. The vertical direction that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the left-right direction is referred to as the vertical direction X3.

The toilet main body 1 includes a toilet bowl 2 in which a downwardly depressed space is formed. A substantially circular opening communicating with the toilet bowl 2 is formed in the upper surface of the toilet main body 1. On the upper surface of the toilet main body 1, a toilet seat device 10 is placed behind the opening.

The toilet seat device 10 includes a functional part 11 that accommodates various devices, a toilet seat 12 rotatably attached to the functional part 11, and a toilet lid 13 rotatably attached to the functional part 11 on the toilet seat 12.

The functional unit 11 houses devices such as a shower device (not shown) for cleaning the user's body part to be cleaned and a drying device to be described later. A toilet seat 12 is attached to the upper surface of the toilet main body 1 on the front side of the functional section 11. The toilet seat 12 is formed in a substantially annular shape with an opening communicating with the opening 2A of the toilet main body 1. The rear end of the toilet seat 12 is provided with a hinge structure and is attached to the functional part 11. A toilet lid 13 is provided above the toilet seat 12 so as to cover the toilet seat 12.

The toilet lid 13 is provided with a hinge structure at the rear end and is attached to the functional section 11. The hinge structure of the toilet seat 12 and the toilet lid 13 is driven by a motor or the like, and the toilet seat 12 and the toilet lid 13 open and close with respect to the toilet main body 1 . The hinge structure is opened and closed based on operation signals from the operation section 30 (see FIG. 4) and the like. The toilet seat 12 and the toilet lid 13 are automatically opened and closed based on a detection signal from a human sensor (not shown) or the like attached to the functional section 11 .

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the toilet seat device 10 includes a drying device 20 and an ion generator 60 provided in the functional section 11. The drying device 20 attached to the functional section 11 includes a fan 21 that blows air (gas), a heater section 22 connected to the fan 21, a duct 23 connected to the heater section 22, and a duct 23 that is expandable and retractable. The nozzle 24 is housed in the nozzle 24. The drying device 20 is a device that generates warm air to dry the user's body part to be cleaned after cleaning.

For example, an ion generator 60 is provided adjacent to the heater section 22. The ion generator 60 is a device that ionizes gas to generate ions, which are then blown into the toilet bowl 2 along with the gas blown from the fan 21 to sterilize and deodorize.

The fan 21 is, for example, a sirocco fan. The fan 21 includes rotating blades (not shown) that are rotationally driven by a motor (not shown), and a fan shroud 21A that covers the rotating blades. The rotating vane includes a large number of blades protruding from the periphery of the disk in the direction of the rotation axis. The blades are angled relative to the circumferential direction of the disc. The rotary vanes are formed to discharge air radially outward by centrifugal force when driven to rotate.

The fan shroud 21A includes a cylindrical peripheral wall that covers the rotating blades. Annular side plates with openings formed along the outer periphery of the peripheral wall are formed at both ends of the peripheral wall. An opening (not shown) is formed in a part of the fan shroud 21A. When the rotary blades of the fan 21 rotate, air is discharged toward the outside of the rotary blades. The discharged air is received by the fan shroud 21A and discharged from an opening formed in the fan shroud 21A. A heater section 22 is connected to the downstream side of the opening.

The heater section 22 circulates and heats the air distributed from the fan 21 using a heat source, thereby generating warm air. The heater section 22 includes an internal heat source that generates heat using electric power. As the heat source, for example, a heating element such as a nichrome wire or a ceramic heater is used. The heater section 22 circulates warm air generated by the heat source to the downstream side. The heater section 22 includes a housing 22A that accommodates a heat source. A flow path 22B through which air flows is formed inside the housing 22A. The heater section 22 is provided with a sensor 22D that detects the temperature within the flow path 22B. Sensor 22D is, for example, a temperature sensor.

The upstream side of the flow path 22B is connected to the opening of the fan shroud 21A. The fan shroud 21A and the housing 22A are arranged at an angle in the axial direction of their respective flow paths due to the layout of the device. A heat source 22C is arranged in the middle of the flow path 22B. A duct 23 is connected to the downstream side of the flow path 22B. In the heater section 22, air flowing in from the upstream side is heated by a heat source 22C, and warm air is generated at the downstream side and is discharged into the duct 23.

An ion generator 60 is attached to the housing 22A. The ion generator 60 includes an ion generator 61 that ionizes gas. The ion generator 60 operates the ion generator 61 while the heat source 22C is stopped, and causes the ionized gas to flow through the duct 23 together with the gas blown from the fan 21. A channel 62 is formed between the ion generator 60 and the heater section 22, for example, to connect the ion generator 61 and the channel 22B in the heater section 22. The mounting position of the ion generator 60 and the position of the flow path 62 are not limited to the above example, but may be other positions.

The duct 23 has a base end 23K connected to the heater section 22. The duct 23 has a rectangular opening 23H formed on the upper surface of the tip 23S. The duct 23 is formed, for example, so that a flow path 23A through which hot air circulates extends from the heater section 22.

The duct 23 is arranged in an oblique direction such that the axis (streamline) direction of the flow path 23A is angled with respect to the front-rear direction X1 when viewed from a predetermined direction (for example, the up-down direction X3). The duct 23 is arranged in an oblique direction such that the axial direction of the flow path 23A is angled downward with respect to the front-rear direction X1 when viewed from the left-right direction X2 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

A nozzle 24 is telescopically housed in the duct 23. The nozzle 24 is housed in the duct 23 in a shortened state in a normal state. The nozzle 24 extends, for example, when the drying device 20 is in operation. For example, the nozzle 24 is shortened when the ion generator 60 is in operation.

The nozzle 24 is formed into a tubular shape. A flow path 24P is formed inside the nozzle 24. The nozzle 24 moves along the flow path 23A in the duct 23, for example, when a pinion gear T meshing with a rack gear G provided on a side plate 24C is rotationally driven by a motor M.

Motor M is controlled by a control device (not shown). The control device controls the motor M based on an operation accepted at an operation unit (not shown). When the control device receives an operation to start the heater section 22 , the control device controls the motor M to extend the nozzle 24 into the duct 23 . The control device controls the motor M to shorten the nozzle 24 relative to the duct 23 when an operation to stop the operation of the heater section 22 is received.

The nozzle 24 is housed within the duct 23 in the shortened state. At this time, the nozzle 24 is arranged inside an opening (not shown) provided in the functional part 11 of the toilet seat device 10. This opening is closed by a shutter S provided in the functional section 11 that can be opened and closed. The shutter S has a rotating shaft provided above the functional section 11, and is attached to the functional section 11 so as to be openable and closable. The shutter S is given a spring force by an elastic member such as a spring in the direction of closing the opening. The shutter S may close the opening by gravity.

The nozzle 24 is hidden within the functional section 11 by the shutter S in the shortened state. When extended, the nozzle 24 presses the inside of the shutter S to rotate the shutter S and open it. The nozzle 24 projects forward from the functional section 11 in the extended state. The nozzle 24 is configured as a blowing section in which an opening 24H is formed to discharge hot air in the extended state.

The nozzle 24 is arranged so that the axis L of the flow path 24P substantially coincides with the axial direction of the flow path 23A of the duct 23 in the extended state. The nozzle 24 is arranged in an oblique direction such that the axis L is angled with respect to the front-rear direction X1 in the extended state when viewed from the up-down direction X3. The nozzle 24 is arranged in an oblique direction in which the axis L is angled downward with respect to the front-rear direction X1 in the extended state when viewed from the left-right direction X2 (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the nozzle 24 is extended with respect to the duct 23. The duct 23 is housed in the functional section 11. In the duct 23, an upper surface 23T of the flow path 23A is formed substantially parallel to the axis L direction when viewed from the left-right direction X2. The duct 23 has a flow path 23A formed between an upper surface 23T and a lower surface 23U when viewed from the left-right direction X2. The duct 23 has an upper surface 23T formed substantially parallel to the axis L direction. The duct 23 has a bulging portion 23V formed so that the lower surface 23U bulges downward with respect to the axis L direction. The duct 23 is formed such that the cross-sectional area of the base end 23K is larger than the cross-sectional area of the distal end 23S.

On the upper surface 23T of the duct 23, a stepped portion 23D is formed on the way toward the tip 23S along the axis L direction so that the cross-sectional area is reduced. The duct 23 has a notch 23X formed on the lower surface 23U from a position corresponding to the stepped portion 23D to a tip 23S.

The nozzle 24 has a protruding portion 24L that protrudes upward from the upper surface at the base end 24K. The protruding portion 24L is caught on the stepped portion 23D of the duct 23 when the nozzle 24 is in an extended state with respect to the duct 23. The protrusion 24L is a stopper that restricts the extension of the nozzle 24. In the nozzle 24, an enlarged portion 24M is formed at the base end 24K so that the cross section gradually enlarges below the lower surface toward the downstream side.

The enlarged portion 24M comes into contact with the rear end of the notch 23X of the duct 23 when the nozzle 24 is in an extended state with respect to the duct 23. In this state, the lower surface 24U of the nozzle 24 is formed to cover the notch 23X. When the nozzle 24 is in an extended state with respect to the duct 23, the upper surface 24T of the nozzle 24 is formed to cover the opening 23H of the duct 23. When the nozzle 24 is in an extended state with respect to the duct 23, a first flow path is formed through which gas flows.

The first flow path is formed by connecting the flow path 23A of the duct 23 and the flow path 24A of the nozzle 24. The first flow path is formed to allow gas to flow through the duct 23 and the nozzle 24 and to be blown from the opening 24H. The first flow path is formed to blow gas from the opening 24H to the target area. The first flow path is formed to allow hot air generated in the heater section 22 to flow therethrough.

FIG. 5 shows another state in which the nozzle 24 is shortened relative to the duct 23. When the nozzle 24 is in another state shortened with respect to the duct 23, a second flow path R2 through which gas flows is formed. The second flow path R2 is formed to allow gas to flow through the gap formed between the duct 23 and the nozzle 24. The second flow path R2 has a gap between the lower surface 24U of the nozzle 24 and the lower surface 23U of the duct 23, and a gap between the lower surface 24U of the nozzle 24 and the lower surface 11U of the functional part 11 in the notch 23X. connected and formed.

The lower surface 11U of the functional part 11 has a curved part formed to hang downward at the position of the notch part 23X. The outlet of the second flow path R2 is formed in an opening 11S formed between the functional section 11 and the lower part of the shutter S. The second flow path R2 is formed so as to blow gas into a toilet bowl formed in the toilet bowl. The second flow path R2 is formed to allow gas containing ions generated in the ion generator 60 to flow therethrough.

When the nozzle 24 is in a shortened state with respect to the duct 23, a third flow path R3 is formed in which the gas flowing out from the opening 24H is blown through another opening 23H formed at the tip of the duct 23. The third flow path R3 is formed to allow gas to flow into the functional section 11 from the opening 23H. The third flow path R3 is formed to allow gas containing ions generated in the ion generator 60 to flow therethrough.

Next, the operation of the toilet seat device 10 will be explained. In the shortened state in which the nozzle 24 is housed in the duct 23, the control device controls the fan 21 and the ion generator 60 at predetermined timing to blow gas containing ions. The predetermined timing may be a regular time or a timing based on a user's operation. The gas containing ions flows through the second flow path R2 and is blown into the toilet bowl from the opening 11S. The gas containing ions also flows into the functional section 11 from the third flow path R3. It is preferable that the gas containing ions is blown inside the functional unit 11, particularly to a portion such as a shower device that is exposed to water. Sterilization and deodorization are performed by the circulation of gas containing ions.

When the control device receives an operation to operate the drying device 20, the control device controls the motor M to cause the nozzle 24 to extend with respect to the duct 23. The control device operates the fan 21 and the heater section 22 to generate warm air. The warm air flows through the first flow path R1 and is blown to the target area from the opening 24H. When the control device receives an operation to stop the drying device 20, the control device stops the heater section 22. The control device appropriately controls the fan 21 using a predetermined control method to remove residual heat from the heater section 22 . The control device controls the motor M to shorten the nozzle 24 with respect to the duct 23 so that the nozzle 24 is accommodated.

As described above, according to the toilet seat device 10, the duct 23 and nozzle 24 of the heater section 22 can be used in common with the ion generator 60, and the device configuration can be simplified. According to the toilet seat device 10, when the nozzle 24 is in an extended state with respect to the duct 23, the first flow path R1 is formed and hot air can be blown to the target area. According to the toilet seat device 10, when the nozzle 24 is in the shortened state with respect to the duct 23, the second flow path R2 is formed, and the gas containing ions generated from the ion generator 60 can be blown into the toilet bowl. According to the toilet seat device 10, when the nozzle 24 is in the shortened state with respect to the duct 23, the third flow path R3 is formed, and the gas containing ions generated from the ion generator 60 can be blown into the functional part 11. .

The present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate. For example, gas containing residual heat may be passed through the second flow path R2 and the third flow path R3 when removing residual heat after operating the heater section 22. This prevents hot air from hitting the user even after the operation of the heater section 22 is stopped, thereby reducing the user's discomfort. The opening 23H of the duct 23 may not be provided, and the gas containing ions does not necessarily need to flow into the functional section 11. In addition to hot air and gas containing ions, other gases such as gas containing perfume may be passed through the first flow path R1, the second flow path R2, and the third flow path R3.

1 Toilet bowl body, 2 Toilet bowl, 2A opening, 10 Toilet seat device, 11 Functional part, 11S Opening, 11U lower surface, 12 Toilet seat, 13 Toilet lid, 20 Drying device, 21 Fan, 21A fan shroud, 22 Heater part, 22A housing, 22B flow path, 22C heat source, 22D sensor, 23 duct, 23A flow path, 23D step, 23H opening, 23K base end, 23S tip, 23T upper surface, 23U lower surface, 23V bulge, 23X notch, 24 nozzle, 24A flow path, 24C side plate, 24H opening, 24K base end, 24L protrusion, 24M enlarged portion, 24P flow path, 24T upper surface, 24U lower surface, 30 operation section, 60 ion generator, 61 ion generator, 62 flow path, G rack gear, L axis, M motor, R1 first flow path, R2 second flow path, R3 third flow path, S shutter, T pinion gear

Claims (8)

Functional part and
a duct provided in the functional section and through which gas flows;
An opening is formed that is extendably housed in the duct and blows the gas, forming a first flow path through which the gas flows when the duct is in an extended state, and is shortened with respect to the duct. a nozzle in which a second flow path is formed through which the gas flows when the gas is in the state ,
The first flow path is formed to allow the gas to pass through the nozzle, flow out from the opening, and blow to the outside of the duct,
The second flow path is formed so that the gas does not pass through the inside of the nozzle, but flows through a gap formed between the duct and the nozzle, and is blown to the outside of the duct. There is,
Toilet seat device. Functional part and
a duct provided in the functional section and through which gas flows;
An opening is formed that is extendably housed in the duct and blows the gas, forming a first flow path through which the gas flows when the duct is in an extended state, and is shortened with respect to the duct. a nozzle in which a second flow path is formed through which the gas flows when the gas is in the state ,
The second flow path is formed so that the gas flows through a gap formed between the duct and the nozzle, and is blown from the gap to a toilet bowl formed in the toilet bowl.
Toilet seat device. The second flow path is formed to blow the gas from the gap to a toilet bowl formed in the toilet bowl.
The toilet seat device according to claim 1 . The first flow path is formed to circulate hot air generated in the heater section.
The toilet seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 . The second flow path is formed to flow a gas containing ions generated in the ion generator.
The toilet seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. When the nozzle is in a shortened state with respect to the duct, a third flow path is formed that causes the gas flowing out from the opening to be blown from another opening formed in the duct.
The toilet seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 5 . The third flow path is formed to allow the gas to flow from the other opening into the functional section.
The toilet seat device according to claim 6. The third flow path is formed to flow a gas containing ions generated in the ion generator.
The toilet seat device according to claim 7.

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