JP7437976B2 - toilet seat device - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to toilet seat devices.

Patent Document 1 discloses a toilet seat device. The toilet seat device includes a main body installed above the toilet bowl, and a toilet seat, a toilet lid, etc. that are rotatably supported by the main body. An antifouling coating is formed on the surface of the toilet seat. The thickness of the antifouling coating after drying is about 5 μm to 30 μm.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-256450

In the configuration disclosed in Patent Document 1, the boundary between the antifouling coating film and the surroundings can be visually seen, so the design of the toilet seat device may be impaired. In order to ensure the design of the toilet seat device, for example, it is conceivable to provide an antifouling coating film over the entire surface of the toilet seat device so that there is no boundary between the antifouling coating film and the surrounding area. However, when an antifouling coating film is provided on the entire surface of the toilet seat device, it takes time and cost to perform the antifouling treatment.

The present disclosure was completed based on the above circumstances, and an object of the present disclosure is to provide a toilet seat device that has a high degree of freedom in the position where antifouling treatment is applied and has an excellent design.

A toilet seat device of the present disclosure includes a casing and a toilet seat rotatably provided in an upright state and a collapsed state with respect to the casing, and at least one of the casing and the toilet seat includes: It has a coating layer partially provided on the surface, and the boundary between the coating layer and the surroundings is not visually visible.

1 is a perspective view showing a toilet seat device according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of the toilet seat and toilet lid in an upright state. 3 is a sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2. FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view along the left-right direction of the toilet seat and the toilet lid in a collapsed state. It is a back view of the toilet seat. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI in FIG. 5. FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view of the casing. It is a back view of the toilet lid. FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a toilet seat according to a second embodiment. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a toilet seat according to Embodiment 3.

<Embodiment 1>
As shown in FIG. 1, the toilet device 10 includes a toilet main body 11 and a toilet seat device 20. Hereinafter, in each component, the front-back direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction refer to the front-back direction, the left-right direction, and the up-down direction, respectively, as seen from the seated person sitting on the toilet device 10.

The toilet main body 11 has a toilet bowl portion 12. A rim 13 is formed at the upper end of the toilet bowl portion 12. A toilet seat device 20 is installed above the toilet main body 11.

The toilet seat device 20 includes a casing 30, a toilet seat 40, and a toilet lid 50, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The casing 30 is configured as a housing that accommodates functional components such as a private part cleaning device having a cleaning nozzle 23 and a toilet bowl cleaning device. The casing 30 includes a casing body 31 and a cover portion 32 that covers the upper part of the casing body 31. The casing body 31 is made of a resin base material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) resin, for example.

The casing body 31 includes an upper wall portion covered by a cover portion 32, a front wall portion 33, a rear wall portion 34, a right wall portion 35, and a left wall portion 36. The cover portion 32 and the upper wall portion of the casing body 31 constitute a ceiling portion of the casing 30. The front wall portion 33 extends downward from the front end of the upper wall portion and is formed in a plate shape long in the left-right direction. The rear wall portion 34 extends downward from the rear end of the upper wall portion and is formed in a flat plate shape long in the left-right direction. The right wall portion 35 is formed in a plate shape that is continuous with the right end portions of the upper wall portion, the front wall portion 33, and the rear wall portion 34. The left wall portion 36 is formed in a plate shape that is continuous with the left end portions of the upper wall portion, the front wall portion 33, and the rear wall portion 34.

As shown in FIG. 3, the front wall portion 33 is inclined so as to become lower toward the front. An opening 33A is formed in the lower part of the front wall 33 for moving the cleaning nozzle 23 of the private parts cleaning device forward and backward. The opening 33A is closed by the shutter 38 when the cleaning nozzle 23 is retracted. The shutter 38 is disposed so as to be continuous with the front wall 33 while blocking the opening 33A, and constitutes a part of the casing 30 (see FIG. 7).

The toilet seat 40 is rotatably provided with respect to the casing 30 between an upright state and a collapsed state. The toilet seat 40 is arranged along the upper surface of the toilet main body 11 in the reclined state. In the upright state, the toilet seat 40 is arranged so as to be inclined rearward toward the top of the toilet main body 11.

The toilet seat 40 has a toilet seat main body 41 and a toilet seat leg portion 42, as shown in FIG. The toilet seat body 41 has a central opening 43. When the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined state, hinge parts 44A and 44B are provided at the rear of the toilet seat main body 41 in a form that projects rearward. The toilet seat foot portion 42 is made of a resin material that is softer than the toilet seat main body 41. The toilet seat foot portion 42 contacts the rim 13 when the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined state.

As shown in FIG. 6, the toilet seat main body 41 is formed into a hollow shape by joining a seat surface member 45 and a seat back member 46. The seat surface member 45 and the seat back member 46 are made of a resin base material such as polypropylene (PP) resin. The seat surface member 45 is formed in an inverted U-shape when viewed in cross section in the width direction. The seat back member 46 is formed into a flat plate shape. The seat surface member 45 and the seat back member 46 are welded to each other. Cut surfaces 47E and 47F are formed at the joint between the seat surface member 45 and the seat back member 46 by cutting. The cutting surfaces 47E and 47F form flat inclined surfaces extending over the seat surface member 45 and the seat back member 46. In the toilet seat 40 formed in this manner, no step or gap is formed at the joint between the seat surface member 45 and the seat back member 46. Therefore, dirt is less likely to accumulate in the joint, and even if dirt adheres, it can be easily wiped off.

The surface 49 of the toilet seat 40 includes an upper surface 47A, a lower surface 47B, an inner surface 47C, an outer surface 47D, and cut surfaces 47E and 47F. The upper surface 47A is a surface facing upward when the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined state. The lower surface 47B is a surface facing downward when the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined state. The inner surface 47C is a surface located on the inner peripheral side of the toilet seat 40 and facing the center of the central opening 43. The outer surface 47D is a surface that is located on the outer peripheral side of the toilet seat 40 and faces the front and back and left and right sides of the toilet seat 40. Of the cutting surfaces 47E and 47F, the cutting surface 47E is provided on the inner peripheral side with respect to the lower surface 47B. Of the cutting surfaces 47E and 47F, the cutting surface 47F is provided on the outer peripheral side with respect to the lower surface 47B. When distinguishing the cutting surfaces 47E and 47F from each other, they are referred to as an inner cutting surface 47E and an outer cutting surface 47F, respectively.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the toilet lid 50 is provided above the toilet seat 40 so as to be rotatable between an upright state and a collapsed state with respect to the casing 30. The toilet lid 50 is arranged along the upper surface 47A of the toilet seat 40 in the collapsed state. In the upright state, the toilet lid 50 is disposed upwardly of the toilet main body 11 and slightly inclined backward.

The toilet lid 50 includes a toilet lid main body 51, a toilet lid foot 52 (see FIG. 8), and a contact portion 53. The toilet lid main body 51 is made of a resin base material such as polypropylene (PP) resin. When the toilet lid 50 is in the collapsed state, hinge parts 54A and 54B are provided at the rear of the toilet lid main body 51 in a form that projects rearward. The toilet lid main body 51 covers the upper surface 47A of the toilet seat 40 and the entire area of the central opening 43, and also covers the outer surface 47D of the toilet seat 40 when the toilet lid 50 is in the collapsed state. The toilet lid main body 51 has a flat upper plate part 55 that is one size larger than the upper surface 47A of the toilet seat 40, and a hanging piece part 56 extending downward from the edge of the upper plate part 55. The toilet lid foot portion 52 and the contact portion 53 protrude from the lower surface 55A of the top plate portion 55 when the toilet lid 50 is in the collapsed state. The toilet lid foot portion 52 contacts the top surface 47A of the toilet seat 40 when the toilet lid 50 is in the collapsed state. As shown in FIG. 3, the contact portion 53 contacts the top surface 47A of the toilet seat 40 when the toilet seat 40 and the toilet lid 50 are in an upright state.

The toilet seat device 20 has a first coating layer 60 partially disposed on the surface 49 of the toilet seat 40, as shown in FIG. The toilet seat device 20 has a second coating layer 70 partially provided on the surface 39 of the casing 30 . The toilet seat device 20 has a third coating layer 80 partially provided on the surface 59 of the toilet lid 50. The first coating layer 60, the second coating layer 70, and the third coating layer 80 are examples of coating layers. The coating layers 60, 70, and 80 are thin layers that are transparent to visible light and cannot be visually recognized. In each figure, the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 are schematically represented by hatching patterns or thick lines for convenience of explanation.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 are provided in areas R1, R2, R3, and R4 on the surfaces 39, 49, and 59, where the filth flying from the toilet bowl portion 12 side reaches. ing. The surfaces of the toilet seat device 20 on which the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 are provided are antifouling treated surfaces. The filth that flies from the toilet bowl part 12 side includes, for example, urine splashes and feces splashes when urinating when the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined position, urine splashes when a man urinates when the toilet seat 40 is in the upright position, and toilet bowl cleaning. Examples include the splashing of washing water when using a local washing device, and the splashing of washing water when using a private parts washing device. The areas on the surfaces 39, 49, and 59 where dirt flying from the toilet bowl part 12 side reaches are determined by the posture of the toilet seat 40 and the toilet lid 50, the positional relationship with the toilet bowl part 12, and when the toilet bowl is flushed or when the private parts cleaning device is used. It can be designed according to the cleaning mode etc.

The first coating layer 60 is provided on the lower surface 47B, the inner cut surface 47E, and the outer cut surface 47F of the toilet seat 40, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The first coating layer 60 extends to a position above the upper end of the inner cutting surface 47E when the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined state. The first coating layer 60 extends to a position above the upper end of the outer cut surface 47F when the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined state. Specifically, the first coating layer 60 is provided over the entire area of the lower surface 47B of the toilet seat 40 except for the toilet seat foot portion 42. The first coating layer 60 is provided over the entire inner cut surface 47E, outer cut surface 47F, inner surface 47C, and outer surface 47D of the toilet seat 40. The region on the surface 49 of the toilet seat 40 where the first coating layer 60 is provided is referred to as region R1. The first coating layer 60 is not provided on the upper surface 47A of the toilet seat 40. A boundary portion 61 between the first coating layer 60 and the surroundings extends along the upper end of the inner surface 47C and the upper end of the outer surface 47D. The upper surface 47A of the toilet seat 40 is an untreated surface that has not been subjected to antifouling treatment by the first coating layer 60. In the non-treated surface of the toilet seat 40, the resin base material forming the seat surface member 45 is exposed on the surface.

As shown in FIG. 7, the second coating layer 70 is provided in a region R2 of the surface 39 of the casing 30 that is exposed to the front when the toilet seat 40 is in the upright state. A region R2 of the surface 39 of the casing 30 that is exposed to the front is a region that is not covered from the front by the toilet seat 40 or the toilet lid 50 when the toilet seat 40 is in the upright state. Specifically, the second coating layer 70 is provided on the front surface of the front wall portion 33 of the casing 30 and the front surface of the shutter 38. The second coating layer 70 is not provided on the cover portion 32, the rear wall portion 34, the right wall portion 35, and the left wall portion 36 of the casing 30. A boundary 71 between the second coating layer 70 and the surroundings extends along the periphery of the front wall 33 of the casing 30 . In the casing 30, the surfaces of the cover portion 32, the rear wall portion 34, the right wall portion 35, and the left wall portion 36 are untreated surfaces that have not been antifouled by the second coating layer 70. In the casing 30, the resin base material forming the casing 30 is exposed on the untreated surface.

As shown in FIG. 8, the third coating layer 80 is provided in a region R3 of the surface of the toilet lid 50 on the toilet seat 40 side that overlaps with the central opening 43 when the toilet lid 50 is in the collapsed state. The third coating layer 80 is provided in a region R4 of the surface of the toilet lid 50 on the toilet seat 40 side that overlaps with the central opening 43 when the toilet lid 50 and the toilet seat 40 are in an upright state. In FIG. 8, the outer shape of the central opening 43 projected vertically onto the surface 59 of the toilet lid 50 when the toilet lid 50 is in the collapsed state, and the central opening on the surface 59 of the toilet lid 50 when the toilet lid 50 and the toilet seat 40 are in the upright state. The outline of 43 projected in the horizontal direction is drawn with a chain double-dashed line. The central opening 43 located at the top of the page represents the external shape in the collapsed state, and the central opening 43 located at the bottom of the page represents the external shape of the toilet lid 50 and the toilet seat 40 in the upright state. In the toilet seat device 20, the rotation axes of the toilet seat 40 and the toilet lid 50 are arranged so as to be shifted from each other, so that the region R3 and the region R4 are shifted from each other in the front-rear direction when the toilet lid 50 is in the collapsed state. Regions R3 and R4 are located at the center of the lower surface 55A of the top plate portion 55 when the toilet lid 50 is in the collapsed state. The third coating layer 80 is provided to include region R3 and a region adjacent to region R3, and region R4 and a region adjacent to region R4. The third coating layer 80 is not provided on the peripheral edge portion 58 of the lower surface 55A of the upper plate portion 55, the upper surface of the upper plate portion 55, and the hanging piece portion 56. A boundary portion 81 between the third coating layer 80 and the surroundings extends into the lower surface 55A of the upper plate portion 55 in a substantially elliptical shape. The peripheral edge portion 58 of the lower surface 55A, the upper surface of the upper plate portion 55, and the surface of the hanging piece portion 56 are untreated surfaces that have not been antifouled by the third coating layer 80. In other words, the lower surface 55A includes both an antifouling treated surface and an untreated surface. In the non-treated side of the toilet lid 50, the resin base material forming the toilet lid 50 is exposed on the surface .

As shown in FIG. 1, the regions R1, R2, R3, and R4 are some regions on a continuous surface of the toilet seat device 20. That is, the boundary parts 61, 71, 81 are not discontinuous parts such as joint parts between parts that constitute the toilet seat apparatus 20, but appear on a continuous surface on the surface of the toilet seat apparatus 20. Specifically, the boundary portion 61 appears on a smoothly continuous surface of the toilet seat 40 (see FIG. 6). The boundary portion 71 appears on the surface of the casing 30 where the front wall portion 33 and the walls 35 and 36 are bent and continuous (see FIG. 7). The boundary portion 81 appears on a flat continuous surface of the toilet lid 50 (see FIG. 8).

The toilet seat device 20 is configured such that the boundaries 61, 71, 81 between the coating layers 60, 70, 80 and the surroundings are not visually visible. An example of a configuration in which the boundary portions 61, 71, and 81 are not visually visible is a configuration in which the thickness of the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 is sufficiently small for visible light in the wavelength range of 380 nm to 780 nm. For example, the thickness of the coating layers 60, 70, 80 can be less than 1/2 of the wavelength range of visible light, taking into account the interference of light reflected by the coating layers 60, 70, 80. The thickness of the coating layers 60, 70, 80 is preferably 100 nm or less, more preferably 50 nm or less, and 30 nm or less from the viewpoint that the boundaries 61, 71, 81 are not visually visible. It is even more preferable. If the thickness of the coating layers 60, 70, 80 is less than the above value, it is difficult for the user to recognize it as a step when touching the boundary portions 61, 71, 81, and it is difficult for the user to feel discomfort when sitting or cleaning. This effect can also be expected. From the viewpoint of ease of manufacture, the thickness of the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 is preferably 1 nm or more, more preferably 3 nm or more, and even more preferably 5 nm or more. That is, the thickness of the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 is preferably 1 nm or more and 100 nm or less, more preferably 3 nm or more and 50 nm or less, and even more preferably 5 nm or more and 30 nm or less.

The coating layers 60, 70, and 80 have a two-layer structure consisting of a primer layer and a water-repellent layer, and are bonded to the surface of the resin base material through chemical bonds. The primer layer is composed of, for example, a monomolecular layer of a chemical component that easily chemically bonds with the constituent materials of the resin base material and also tends to chemically bond with the constituent materials of the water-repellent layer. The water-repellent layer is composed of, for example, a monomolecular layer bonded to the surface of the primer layer through chemical bonds. According to such a configuration, the coating layers 60, 70, 80 having a small film thickness can be suitably formed. The water-repellent layer is the surface layer of the coating layers 60, 70, and 80. The coating layers 60, 70, and 80 have a water contact angle larger than that of the resin base material. From the viewpoint of improving antifouling properties, the water contact angle of the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 is, for example, preferably 80 degrees or more, more preferably 90 degrees or more, and 100 degrees or more. is even more preferable. The upper limit of the water contact angle of the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 is usually 120 degrees or less. The water-repellent layer preferably contains an organosilane, more preferably an organofluorosilane, for example, perfluoropolyether (PFPE) silane.

The effects of this embodiment will be explained. The toilet seat device 20 of the present embodiment includes a casing 30, a toilet seat 40 that is rotatably placed between an upright state and a collapsed state with respect to the casing 30, and a toilet seat 40 that is provided above the toilet seat 40 with respect to the casing 30 in an upright state and a collapsed state. and a toilet lid 50 rotatably provided. The casing 30, the toilet seat 40, and the toilet lid 50 have coating layers 60, 70, 80 partially provided on the surfaces 39, 49, 59. In the toilet seat device 20, the boundaries 61, 71, 81 between the coating layers 60, 70, 80 and the surroundings are not visually visible.

According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a toilet seat device 20 that has a high degree of freedom in the position where antifouling treatment is applied and has an excellent design. Specifically, the boundaries 61, 71, 81 between the coating layers 60, 70, 80 and the surroundings extend linearly on the surfaces 39, 49, 59 of the toilet seat device 20. Therefore, if the boundary between the coating layers is visually visible, there is a concern that the design of the toilet seat device may be impaired. On the other hand, in the toilet seat device 20 of the present embodiment, since the boundaries 61, 71, 81 are not visually visible, the design of the toilet seat device 20 is affected by providing the coating layers 60, 70, 80. Gender is less likely to be lost. Therefore, in consideration of the design of the toilet seat device 20, the positions of the boundary portions 61, 71, 81 may be restricted, or the entire surface 39, 49, 59 of the toilet seat device 20 may be There is no need to provide coating layers 60, 70, 80. According to the present embodiment, for example, the coating layers 60, 70, 80 are reliably provided in areas of the toilet seat device 20 that are easily soiled, and are also provided in areas where the need for antifouling treatment is low, areas that are not suitable for antifouling treatment, etc. It is possible to realize a configuration in which the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 are not provided.

The toilet seat device 20 of this embodiment is provided in a toilet main body 11 having a toilet bowl portion 12. The coating layers 60, 70, 80 are provided on the surfaces 39, 49, 59 in regions R1, R2, R3, R4 where the filth flying from the toilet bowl portion 12 side reaches. According to this embodiment, the coating layers 60, 70, and 80 can be reliably provided in areas of the toilet seat device 20 that are easily soiled, and the stain resistance of the toilet seat device 20 can be improved.

In the toilet seat device 20 of the present embodiment, the surface 49 of the toilet seat 40 includes a lower surface 47B that faces downward when the toilet seat 40 is in a reclined state, an inner cut surface 47E provided on the inner peripheral side with respect to the lower surface 47B, and a lower surface 47B. In contrast, it includes an outer cutting surface 47F provided on the outer peripheral side. The first coating layer 60 is provided on the lower surface 47B, the inner cutting surface 47E, and the outer cutting surface 47F. According to this embodiment, the first coating layer 60 can be provided on the lower surface 47B, the inner cut surface 47E, and the outer cut surface 47F, which are likely to get dirty in the toilet seat 40, and the antifouling properties of the toilet seat device 20 can be improved.

In this embodiment, the first coating layer 60 extends to a position above the upper ends of the inner cutting surface 47E and the outer cutting surface 47F when the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined state. According to this embodiment, the first coating layer 60 can be provided on the inner cut surface 47E and the outer cut surface 47F that are easily soiled in the toilet seat 40, and on the region located above the inner cut surface 47E and the outer cut surface 47F. Therefore, the stain resistance of the toilet seat device 20 can be improved. In this embodiment, the boundary portion 61 between the first coating layer 60 and the surroundings is located at the upper end of the side surfaces 47C and 47D of the toilet seat 40. The upper ends of the side surfaces 47C and 47D of the toilet seat 40 are easily visible to the user when the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined state, and if the boundary portion 61 is visually visible, there is a concern that the design of the toilet seat device 20 may be impaired. Ru. In contrast, in the toilet seat device 20 of the present embodiment, since the boundary portion 61 is not visually visible, even if the boundary portion 61 is located in an area of the toilet seat 40 that is easily visible to the user, the toilet seat The design of the device 20 is less likely to be impaired.

In this embodiment, the second coating layer 70 is provided in a region R2 of the surface 39 of the casing 30 that is exposed to the front when the toilet seat 40 is in the upright state. According to this embodiment, the second coating layer 70 can be reliably provided in the region R2 that is easily soiled in the casing 30, and the stain resistance of the toilet seat device 20 can be improved.

In this embodiment, the toilet seat 40 has a central opening 43. The third coating layer 80 covers a region R3 of the surface of the toilet lid 50 on the toilet seat 40 side that is located on the toilet bowl portion 12 side and overlaps with the central opening 43 when the toilet lid 50 is in the collapsed state, and a region R3 of the toilet lid 50 and the toilet seat 40. It is provided in a region R4 located on the toilet bowl portion 12 side and overlapping with the central opening 43 in the upright state. According to this embodiment, the third coating layer 80 can be reliably provided in the regions R3 and R4 that are easily soiled in the toilet lid 50, and the stain resistance of the toilet seat device 20 can be improved.

Hereinafter, the present disclosure will be explained in more detail with reference to Examples.

1. Preparation of Samples In Samples 1 to 4 as preferred examples, a flat plate made of PP resin was used as the resin base material. The size of the flat plate is 300 mm x 300 mm and 3 mm thick. On the surface of the flat plate, the left half was masked with masking tape, and the unmasked right half was coated with a silane resin primer coating agent using a waste cloth (coating amount: 5 μl/cm ² ) to form a primer layer. Thereafter, a water-repellent agent, which will be described later, was applied to the unmasked right half using a waste cloth (coating amount: 5 μl/cm ² ) to form a water-repellent layer. The masking tape was removed, and the surface was wiped with isopropanol and a rag to avoid any influence from the adhesive residue from the masking tape, and a sample was prepared. In the following description, the right half of the surface of the flat plate that has been subjected to antifouling treatment will be referred to as a treated surface, and the left half that has not been subjected to antifouling treatment will be referred to as an untreated surface.

Samples 5 to 8 as preferred examples were prepared in the same manner as Samples 1 to 4, except that a flat plate made of ABS resin was used as the resin base material.

In Samples 1 and 5, a perfluoropolyether silane compound was used as the water repellent agent. In Table 1, this water repellent treatment agent is referred to as PFPE silane.

In Samples 2 and 6, a liquid mixture of 1 part of perfluoropolyether silane coupling agent, 99 parts of t-butanol, and 1 part of 0.1N hydrochloric acid was used as the water repellent treatment agent. In Table 1, this water repellent treatment agent is referred to as PFPE silane.

In Samples 3 and 7, a liquid mixture of 1 part of 1H, 1H, 2H, 2H perfluorooctyltrimethoxysilane, 99 parts of t-butanol, and 1 part of 0.1N hydrochloric acid was used as the water repellent treatment agent. In Table 1, this water repellent treatment agent is referred to as PFA silane.

In Samples 4 and 8, a mixture of 1 part of hexyltrimethoxysilane, 99 parts of t-butanol, and 1 part of 0.1N hydrochloric acid was used as a water repellent treatment agent. In Table 1, this water repellent agent is expressed as alkylsilane.

For samples 9 to 11, on the same flat plate surface as samples 1 to 4, the left half was masked with masking tape, and the unmasked right half was sprayed with a resin primer coating to form a primer layer. did. Thereafter, a water repellent treatment agent to be described later was applied to the unmasked right half (WET 1 mg/cm ² by controlling the amount of application) to form a water repellent layer. At this time, for sample 9, the water repellent agent was applied with a brush, and for samples 10 and 11, the water repellent agent was applied by spray. Samples 9 to 11 were prepared after pre-examining the coating conditions so that they would have the thinnest film thickness while exhibiting the effect of modifying the water contact angle, which will be described later. Samples 9 to 11 were produced in the same manner as Samples 1 to 4 except for the above.

Samples 12 to 14 were produced in the same manner as Samples 9 to 11, except that a flat plate made of ABS resin was used as the resin base material.

In Sample 9 and Sample 12, a silicone compound (manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd., KR-400) was used as a water repellent treatment agent. In Table 1, this water repellent agent is referred to as a silicone compound.

In Samples 10 and 13, a two-component urethane paint containing a silicone component was used as the water repellent agent. In Table 1, this water repellent treatment agent is described as a silicone-containing urethane paint.

In Samples 11 and 14, a fluorine-based paint (manufactured by Noda Screen Co., Ltd.) was used as the water repellent agent. In Table 1, this water-repellent treatment agent is referred to as a fluorine-based paint.

2. Film thickness measurement The film thickness of the coating layer was measured by cutting a part of the side treated with the water repellent treatment agent of each sample and observing the cross section with a scanning electron microscope (manufactured by Hitachi High Technologies, S-3400N). . The results are shown in Table 1. Note that for Samples 1 to 8, the film thicknesses could not be measured using this method, so theoretical values estimated from the molecular structure are shown. In samples 1 to 8, the theoretical thicknesses of the coating layers including the primer layer and the water-repellent layer are all 100 nm or less, approximately several tens of nm.

3. Measurement of water contact angle and actual exposure test Water contact angle was measured on the treated and untreated surfaces of each sample using a contact angle meter (manufactured by Kyowa Kaimen Kagaku). The measurement results are shown in Table 1.

In the actual exposure test, the following tests regarding dirt adhesion were conducted for each sample. Each sample was processed into a 50 mm x 50 mm square so that the boundary between the treated surface and the non-treated surface was located in the center. The processed sample was pasted on the back side of a toilet seat in a toilet device in a business office that is used frequently by several dozen people per day. After using the toilet device for one week, soil adhesion was evaluated on the treated and untreated surfaces of each sample. The adhesion of dirt was determined by irradiating with ultraviolet light and visually observing the amount of dirt attached. The evaluation criteria are "A" if there is no dirt attached at all, "B" if there is some dirt attached, "C" if there is some dirt attached, and "D" if there is a lot of dirt attached. And so. In order to evaluate the ease of cleaning, the adhesion of dirt after cleaning was evaluated on the treated and untreated surfaces of each sample. Cleaning was performed by wiping three times back and forth with a nonwoven cloth impregnated with a cleaning agent. The evaluation method is the same as the evaluation method before cleaning. The test results are shown in Table 1.

4. Appearance Inspection Each sample was visually inspected to determine whether the boundary between the treated and untreated surfaces was visible and whether the coating layer contained foreign matter such as dust. Regarding whether the boundary between the treated surface and the non-treated surface is visible, the case where the boundary between the treated surface and the non-treated surface is visually invisible is considered "OK", and the boundary between the treated surface and the non-treated surface is considered "OK". The case where the part was visually visible was judged as "NG". The test results are shown in the "Invisibility of Boundaries" column in Table 1. Regarding whether or not the coating layer contained foreign matter such as dust, the case where no foreign matter was visually recognized was evaluated as "OK", and the case where foreign material was visually recognized was evaluated as "NG". The test results are shown in the column of "Foreign matter entrainment" in Table 1.

5. Discussion From the results of water contact angle measurements and actual exposure tests, it was found that in samples 1 to 14, the antifouling performance of the treated surface was superior to that of the untreated surface. From the results of water contact angle measurements and actual exposure tests, it was confirmed that the antifouling performance of Samples 1 to 8 was equivalent to that of Samples 9 to 14.

From the results of the visual inspection, it was found that the boundaries of Samples 9 to 14 were visually visible, whereas the boundaries of Samples 1 to 8 were not visually visible. This result shows that when the coating layers of samples 1 to 8 are partially provided on the surface of the toilet seat device, the design of the toilet seat device is less likely to be impaired due to the visible boundaries. It was done. The coating layers of Samples 9 to 14 have a thickness of several μm (actual value), and the coating layers of Samples 1 to 8 have a thickness of 100 nm or less (theoretical value). It was suggested that the thickness of the coating layer influences whether or not the boundary between the coating layers is visually visible.

From the results of the visual inspection, it was found that while samples 9 to 14 were confirmed to have foreign matter trapped, samples 1 to 8 were not found to have any foreign matter trapped. This result suggests that when the coating layer of the example is provided on the surface of the toilet seat device, the design of the toilet seat device is less likely to be impaired in terms of foreign matter getting caught up.

<Other embodiments>
The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and, for example, the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present disclosure.
(1) The toilet seat device may include a casing and a toilet seat, but may not include a toilet lid. A toilet seat device including a casing and a toilet seat may have a configuration in which at least one of the casing and the toilet seat has a coating layer partially provided on the surface.
(2) The coating layer may be provided on only one of the casing, the toilet seat, and the toilet lid. The coating layer may be provided only on any two of the casing, the toilet seat, and the toilet lid. In these cases, from the viewpoint of antifouling properties, it is preferable that the coating layer is provided at least on the toilet seat.
(3) The coating layer may be provided only on one of the inner cut surface and the outer cut surface of the toilet seat. From the viewpoint of stain resistance, the coating layer is preferably provided at least on the inner cut surface of the toilet seat. For example, in the second embodiment, the first coating layer 160 is provided on the lower surface 47B and the inner cutting surface 47E, as shown in FIG. The first coating layer 160 extends to a position above the upper end of the inner cut surface 47E (inner surface 47C) when the toilet seat 40 is in the reclined state. In addition, the coating layer may extend halfway between the inner and outer surfaces when the toilet seat is in the reclined state.
(4) In the third embodiment, the first coating layer 260 is provided on the lower surface 47B, the inner cut surface 47E, and the outer cut surface 47F, as shown in FIG. The first coating layer 260 is not provided on the inner surface 47C and the outer surface 47D, but is provided on the inner side up to the upper end of the inner cut surface 47E and on the outer side up to the upper end of the outer cut surface 47F.
(5) The coating layer may be provided only on one of the regions R3 and R4 among the surfaces of the toilet lid located on the toilet seat side.
(6) In addition to the above, the range in which the coating layer is provided can be appropriately designed in consideration of ease of staining, ease of manufacture, etc.
(7) In addition to polypropylene resin and ABS resin, the resin base material constituting the toilet seat device can be appropriately selected in consideration of appearance, mechanical properties, cost, bondability with the coating layer, etc.
(8) In addition to the above-mentioned components, the components constituting the coating layer can be appropriately selected in consideration of the non-visibility of the boundary, antifouling properties, cost, bondability with the resin base material, and the like.

11...Toilet bowl body, 12...Toilet bowl part, 20...Toilet seat device, 30...Casing, 39...Surface, 40...Toilet seat, 43...Central opening, 47B...Bottom surface, 47E...Inner cutting surface, 47F...Outer cutting surface, 49 ...Surface, 50... Toilet lid, 60, 160, 260... First coating layer, 61... Boundary part, 70... Second coating layer, 71... Boundary part, 80... Third coating layer, 81... Boundary part, R1, R2, R3, R4... area

Claims (6)

A toilet seat device comprising a casing and a toilet seat rotatably provided in an upright state and a collapsed state with respect to the casing,
At least one of the casing and the toilet seat has a coating layer partially provided on the surface,
The surface of the toilet seat includes a lower surface facing downward when the toilet seat is in a reclined state, an inner cut surface provided on the inner peripheral side with respect to the lower surface, and an outer cut surface provided on the outer peripheral side with respect to the lower surface. , including;
The coating layer is provided on the lower surface and at least one of the inner cut surface and the outer cut surface,
A toilet seat device in which the boundary between the coating layer and the surroundings is not visually visible. A toilet seat device provided on a toilet main body having a toilet bowl portion,
The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the coating layer is provided on the surface of at least one of the casing and the toilet seat in a region where dirt flying from the toilet bowl side reaches. The coating layer according to any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the coating layer extends to a position above the upper end of at least one of the inner cut surface and the outer cut surface when the toilet seat is in a reclined state. Toilet seat device. The toilet seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the coating layer is provided in a region of the surface of the casing that is exposed forward when the toilet seat is in an upright state. a casing; a toilet seat that is rotatable between an upright state and a lying down state with respect to the casing; a toilet lid that is provided above the toilet seat and rotatable between an upright state and a lying down state with respect to the casing; A toilet seat device comprising:
At least one of the casing, the toilet seat, and the toilet lid has a coating layer partially provided on the surface,
The surface of the toilet seat includes a lower surface facing downward when the toilet seat is in a reclined state, an inner cut surface provided on the inner peripheral side with respect to the lower surface, and an outer cut surface provided on the outer peripheral side with respect to the lower surface. , including;
The coating layer is provided on the lower surface and at least one of the inner cut surface and the outer cut surface,
A toilet seat device in which the boundary between the coating layer and the surroundings is not visually visible. The toilet seat has a central opening,
The coating layer includes, of the surface of the toilet lid located on the toilet seat side, a region that overlaps with the central opening when the toilet lid is in a collapsed state, and a region that overlaps with the central opening when the toilet lid and the toilet seat are in an upright state. The toilet seat device according to claim 5, wherein the toilet seat device is provided on at least one of the toilet seat device and the toilet seat device.

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