JP7775729B2 - flush toilet - Google Patents

Description

The disclosed embodiment relates to a flush toilet.

In the past, in flush toilets where the functional section is covered by a panel member, a technology has been known that uses magnetic force to attach and hold the panel member to the toilet body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-165173

In the flush toilets mentioned above, the sides of the panel member are sometimes formed to be curved, for example, to improve design and ease of use. However, in prior art, when the panel member is formed to be curved, the attractive surface of the magnetic material attached to the panel member is also curved, which prevents proper contact with the attractive surface of the magnetic material attached to the toilet body, reducing the holding force on the panel member and risking the panel member falling. Furthermore, when the attractive surface of the magnetic material is curved as described above, it becomes difficult to slide the panel member while it is held to the toilet body, making it difficult to position the panel member.

One aspect of this embodiment aims to provide a flush toilet that prevents the panel member attached to the toilet body from falling, while allowing the panel member to slide and be easily positioned.

A flush toilet according to one embodiment comprises a toilet body, a functional part provided at the rear of the toilet body, a panel member covering the side of the functional part, and a retaining part that magnetically attracts and holds the toilet body and the side of the panel member, the panel member being formed so that it curves toward the toilet body when attached to the toilet body, and the retaining part being formed so that the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic material provided on the panel member and the attracting surface of the body-side magnetic material provided on the toilet body are flat.

This prevents the panel member attached to the toilet body from falling, while making it easier to slide and position the panel member.

In other words, by configuring the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body (e.g., a magnet) and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body (e.g., sheet metal) in the holding portion as described above, the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body come into surface contact, ensuring a sufficient contact area. As a result, even if the panel member is formed to be curved, the holding force of the holding portion on the panel member is unlikely to decrease. Therefore, even if a load (force) that moves the panel member is applied to the panel member when wiping it during cleaning, for example, the panel member can be prevented from falling.

Furthermore, because the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body are in planar contact at the holding portion, the panel member can be easily slid in a direction parallel to the attracting surface (for example, forward/backward or up/down). Therefore, for example, while the panel member is held to the toilet body, the installer can easily adjust the panel member to the appropriate position by sliding the panel member forward/backward or up/down relative to the toilet body. In other words, the positioning of the panel member can be easily determined.

Furthermore, there are multiple holding units, each of which includes the panel-side magnetic body and the main body-side magnetic body, and which are formed so that the attraction surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attraction surface of the main body-side magnetic body are flat.

As a result, even when there are multiple holding parts, the attracting surface of each panel-side magnetic body comes into surface contact with the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body, which further prevents the panel member from falling and makes it easier to slide the panel member for positioning.

The retaining portion is also characterized by having a protrusion formed so as to protrude from the panel member toward the toilet body.

In this way, because the holding portion is equipped with a protrusion, even if the panel member is formed to be curved, it is possible to attach the panel-side magnetic material so that the adsorption surface is flat, with a simple configuration such as by forming the tip surface of the protrusion flat.

Furthermore, the retaining portion includes an upper retaining portion located above the panel member when the panel member is attached to the toilet body, and a lower retaining portion located below the upper retaining portion, and the difference between the widthwise length of the upper surface and the widthwise length of the lower surface of the protruding portion of the lower retaining portion is set to be greater than the difference between the widthwise length of the upper surface and the widthwise length of the lower surface of the protruding portion of the upper retaining portion.

In this way, by configuring the protrusion as described above, it is possible to accurately assemble the panel member to the toilet body, even if the panel member has a curved shape in which the curvature at the bottom is greater than the curvature at the top.

The holding portion is also characterized in that the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body are formed parallel to each other.

As a result, even if the panel member is formed to be curved, the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body are formed to be parallel to each other, ensuring surface contact between the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body, further preventing the panel member from falling and making it easier to position the panel member by sliding it.

Furthermore, the holding portion is characterized in that the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body are formed along a vertical plane in the front-to-rear direction.

As a result, the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body at the holding portion come into surface contact along the vertical direction, making it easier to slide the panel member in a direction parallel to the attracting surface (for example, forward/backward or up/down). Therefore, for example, an installer can slide the panel member forward/backward or up/down while it is held to the toilet body, etc., making it easier to adjust the panel member to the appropriate position.

The holding portion includes a first holding portion that magnetically attracts and holds the side surface of the toilet body and the side surface of the panel member, and a second holding portion that magnetically attracts and holds the side surface of the functional portion and the side surface of the panel member, the second holding portion being formed so that the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body provided on the panel member and the attracting surface of the functional portion-side magnetic body provided on the functional portion are flat, and the functional portion is formed so that the surface on which the functional portion-side magnetic body is provided is aligned along a vertical plane in the front-to-rear direction.

This prevents the panel member attached to the functional part from falling, while making it easier to slide and position the panel member.

In other words, by configuring the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body (e.g., a magnet) and the attracting surface of the functional unit-side magnetic body (e.g., sheet metal) in the second holding portion as described above, the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the functional unit-side magnetic body come into surface contact, ensuring a sufficient contact area. Therefore, even if the panel member is formed to be curved, the holding force of the second holding portion on the panel member is unlikely to decrease. Therefore, even if a load (force) that moves the panel member is applied to the panel member when wiping it during cleaning, for example, the panel member can be prevented from falling.

Furthermore, in the second holding section, the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the functional-part-side magnetic body are in planar surface contact, so the panel member can be easily slid in a direction parallel to the attracting surface (for example, forward/backward or up/down). Therefore, for example, while the panel member is held by the functional part, an installer can slide the panel member forward/backward or up/down relative to the functional part, easily adjusting the panel member to the appropriate position. In other words, the positioning of the panel member can be easily determined.

Furthermore, because the surface on which the functional unit-side magnetic body is provided in the functional unit is formed to follow a vertical plane in the front-to-back direction, the functional unit-side magnetic body is attached to the functional unit so that it follows the vertical plane. As a result, in the second holding unit, the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the functional unit-side magnetic body are in surface contact along the vertical direction, making it easier to slide the panel member in a direction parallel to the attracting surface (for example, in the front-to-back or up-to-down direction). Therefore, for example, an installer can slide the panel member in the front-to-back or up-to-down direction while the panel member is held by the functional unit, etc., to more easily adjust the panel member to the appropriate position.

According to one aspect of the embodiment, the panel member attached to the toilet body can be prevented from falling, while the panel member can be slid to facilitate positioning.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a flush toilet according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a side view of the flush toilet with some of the panel members and the like omitted. FIG. 3 is a side view of the panel member according to the first embodiment as viewed from the inside. FIG. 4 is an end view taken along line IV-IV in FIG. FIG. 5 is an enlarged end view of the first holding portion and its vicinity. FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a first holding portion according to a modified example. FIG. 7 is an end view taken along line VII-VII in FIG. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the molding of the functional portion according to the second embodiment. FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating the molding of a functional portion according to a comparative example.

Embodiments of the flush toilet disclosed in this application will be described in detail below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown below. It should be noted that the drawings are schematic, and the dimensional relationships and proportions of each element may differ from reality. There may also be parts in which the dimensional relationships and proportions differ between the drawings.

(First embodiment)
First, the overall structure of a flush toilet 1 according to the first embodiment will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 2. Figure 1 is a side view of the flush toilet 1 according to the first embodiment. Figure 2 is a side view of the flush toilet 1 with part of the panel member 9 and other elements omitted.

For ease of understanding, Figures 1 and 2 also illustrate a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system that includes a Z-axis with the positive direction pointing vertically upward (upward). This Cartesian coordinate system may also be illustrated in other figures. In this Cartesian coordinate system, the positive direction of the Y-axis is defined as the forward direction, the negative direction of the Y-axis as the backward direction, the positive direction of the X-axis as the leftward direction, and the negative direction of the X-axis as the rightward direction. For this reason, in the following description, the X-axis direction may be referred to as the left-right direction, the Y-axis direction as the front-back direction, and the Z-axis direction as the up-down direction.

Flush toilet 1 according to this embodiment is a so-called floor-standing flush toilet, which is installed on the floor surface 100. However, flush toilet 1 may also be a so-called wall-hung flush toilet, which is attached to a wall surface (not shown).

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the flush toilet 1 comprises a toilet body 3, a functional section 5, a sanitary washing device 7, and a panel member 9. The toilet body 3 is made of, for example, ceramic. However, the toilet body 3 is not limited to being made of ceramic, and may be made of, for example, resin, or a combination of ceramic and resin.

The toilet body 3 comprises a bowl portion (not shown) and a drain trap pipe 10 (see Figure 2). The bowl portion is formed in a bowl shape capable of receiving waste. A rim portion is formed on the upper edge of the bowl portion, and flushing water is discharged from a rim spout of the rim portion (neither of which is shown) to clean the bowl portion. After cleaning the bowl portion, the flushing water is discharged through the drain trap pipe 10.

As shown in Figure 2, the functional unit 5 is provided at the rear of the toilet body 3. The functional unit 5 has functions such as supplying water to the bowl section of the toilet body 3 and the sanitary flushing device 7. For example, the functional unit 5 includes a water storage tank and a pressure pump (neither of which are shown), and uses the pressure pump to pressurize flush water stored in the water storage tank and eject it at a high flow rate from a jet water outlet (not shown) into the bowl section.

The sanitary washing device 7 is located above the toilet bowl body 3 and includes a toilet seat 8a, a lid 8b that covers the toilet seat 8a, and a nozzle device (not shown). The sanitary washing device 7 can spray washing water from the nozzle device onto the user's body to cleanse their private parts. While the sanitary washing device 7 has been described above as having a sanitary washing function, it is not limited to this and may also have other functions, such as a drying function that blows warm air onto the buttocks of a user sitting on the toilet seat 8a to dry them, or a toilet seat heating function that warms the seating surface of the toilet seat 8a to an appropriate temperature.

The panel member 9 is located at the rear of the toilet body 3, covering the side of the functional section 5 (see Figure 2). This panel member 9 prevents external obstacles and the intrusion of sewage into the functional section 5. The panel member 9 is made of, for example, resin, but is not limited to this.

The panel member 9 is attached and held to the toilet body 3 using magnetic force. The panel member 9 according to this embodiment is configured so that when it is attached to the toilet body 3 and when it is positioned (adjusted) relative to the toilet body 3, it can slide relative to the toilet body 3 and functional unit 5, for example, in the front-to-back direction indicated by arrow D1 in Figure 1 and the up-to-down direction indicated by arrow D2, as will be described later.

Next, we will explain in detail the structure for attaching the panel member 9 to the toilet body 3.

The flush toilet 1 is equipped with a first holding portion 21 and a second holding portion 23. The first and second holding portions 21, 23 magnetically attract and hold the side of the toilet body 3 and the side of the panel member 9 together. Specifically, the first holding portion 21 magnetically attracts and holds the side of the toilet body 3 and the side of the panel member 9 together. The second holding portion 23 magnetically attracts and holds the side of the functional portion 5 located at the rear of the toilet body 3 and the side of the panel member 9 together.

First, regarding the first retaining portion 21, the first retaining portion 21 is provided at the boundary A (see Figure 2) between the toilet body 3 and the panel member 9. The boundary A is the area where the toilet body 3 and the panel member 9 overlap when the panel member 9 is properly installed on the toilet body 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the first retaining portion 21 includes an upper retaining portion 21a and a lower retaining portion 21b. When the panel member 9 is attached to the toilet body 3, the upper retaining portion 21a is located at the top, and the lower retaining portion 21b is located below the upper retaining portion 21a.

In the following, when the upper holding portion 21a and the lower holding portion 21b are described without any particular distinction, they may be referred to as the "first holding portion 21." The first holding portion 21 is also an example of a holding portion.

The first retaining portion 21 will now be described with reference to Figure 3. Figure 3 is a side view of the panel member 9 according to the first embodiment, viewed from the inside.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the first retaining portion 21 includes a panel-side magnetic body 25 and a main body-side magnetic body 27. The panel-side magnetic body 25 is a magnetic body provided on the panel member 9, such as a magnet. Below, the panel-side magnetic body 25 may be referred to as the "magnet 25." The main body-side magnetic body 27 is a magnetic body provided on the toilet body 3, such as a metal plate, i.e., sheet metal. Below, the main body-side magnetic body 27 may be referred to as the "sheet metal 27."

In the above example, the panel-side magnetic body 25 is a magnet and the main body-side magnetic body 27 is a metal plate, but this is not limited to this. For example, the panel-side magnetic body 25 may be a metal plate and the main body-side magnetic body 27 may be a magnet. Furthermore, a magnet may be used instead of the metal plate 27.

Furthermore, below, the magnet 25 of the upper holding portion 21a may be referred to as the "upper magnet 25a," and the magnet 25 of the lower holding portion 21b may be referred to as the "lower magnet 25b." Furthermore, the metal plate 27 of the upper holding portion 21a may be referred to as the "upper metal plate 27a," and the metal plate 27 of the lower holding portion 21b may be referred to as the "lower metal plate 27b."

The upper magnet 25a and lower magnet 25b are located on the front end of the inner surface of the panel member 9, i.e., near the boundary between the toilet body 3 and the panel member 9. For example, the upper magnet 25a is located in the section between the upper end and center of the panel member 9, and the lower magnet 25b is located in the section between the lower end and center of the panel member 9.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the metal sheets 27 are provided in positions on the toilet body 3 corresponding to the magnets 25. That is, the upper metal sheet 27a is provided in a position corresponding to the upper magnet 25a, and the lower metal sheet 27b is provided in a position corresponding to the lower magnet 25b. The detailed configuration of the magnets 25 and metal sheets 27 will be described later using Figure 4 onwards.

The first holding portion 21 can hold the panel member 9 to the toilet body 3 by magnetically attracting the magnet 25 and the metal plate 27 described above.

Next, the second retaining portion 23 will be described. As shown in Figure 1, the second retaining portion 23 is provided in the upper region of the panel member 9 when the panel member 9 is properly installed on the toilet body 3. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the second retaining portion 23 includes a magnet 29, which is a magnetic material, and a magnetic metal plate, i.e., a metal plate 31.

The magnet 29 is provided on the upper end of the inner surface of the panel member 9, at the rear of the panel member 9. The magnet 29 is a thin rectangular parallelepiped, and is attached to the panel member 9, for example. The magnet 29 is formed in a shape with its short sides aligned in the vertical direction and its long sides aligned in the front-to-back direction, but the shape of the magnet 29 is not limited to this and can be set to any shape.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the metal plate 31 is provided in a position corresponding to the magnet 29 on the toilet body 3 (more precisely, the functional part 5 at the rear of the toilet body 3). The metal plate 31 is a thin rectangular parallelepiped, and is glued to the functional part 5, for example. The metal plate 31 is formed in a shape such that its short sides run in the front-to-back direction and its long sides run in the up-to-down direction, but the shape of the metal plate 31 is not limited to this and can be set to any shape.

The second holding portion 23 can hold the panel member 9 to the toilet body 3 by magnetically attracting the magnet 29 and the metal plate 31 described above.

In the above-described second retaining portion 23, an example was shown in which the magnet 29 is attached to the panel member 9 and the metal plate 31 is attached to the toilet body 3, but this is not limited to this. For example, the metal plate may be attached to the panel member 9 and the magnet to the toilet body 3. A magnet may also be used instead of the metal plate 31.

Note that the positions and numbers of the first and second holding portions 21, 23 described above are merely examples and are not intended to be limiting, and the positions and numbers of the first and second holding portions 21, 23 can be set as desired. That is, while the above example shows multiple (two) first holding portions 21, there may be one, or three or more. Furthermore, while the above example shows one second holding portion 23, there may be two or more.

To explain how the panel member 9 is attached to the toilet body 3 in the flush toilet 1 configured as described above, for example, the panel member 9 is first positioned to the side of the toilet body 3 (more precisely, to the side of the functional part 5). Next, the panel member 9 is moved left and right toward the toilet body 3 (in the X-axis direction), and the magnetic forces of the first and second holding parts 21, 23 attach the panel member 9 to the toilet body 3.

In flush toilets 1, the sides of the panel member 9 are sometimes curved, for example, to improve design or ease of use. In this way, when the panel member 9 is curved, in conventional technology, the attractive surface of a magnetic body, such as a magnet 25, attached to the panel member 9 also curves, preventing proper contact with the attractive surface of a magnetic body, such as a metal plate 27, attached to the toilet body 3, thereby reducing the holding force on the panel member 9. Therefore, for example, when the panel member 9 is wiped during cleaning, and a load (force) that moves the panel member 9 is applied to the panel member 9, the load exceeds the reduced holding force, making the panel member 9 more likely to fall from the toilet body 3.

Furthermore, if the attraction surface of a magnetic material such as the magnet 25 is curved, it becomes difficult to slide the panel member 9 while it is held to the toilet body 3, making it difficult to position the panel member 9.

The flush toilet 1 according to this embodiment is therefore designed to prevent the panel member 9 attached to the toilet body 3 from falling, while allowing the panel member 9 to slide and be easily positioned.

This configuration will be explained in detail below with reference to Figures 4 and 5. Figure 4 is an end view taken along line IV-IV in Figure 1, and specifically, is an enlarged end view of the vicinity of the first retaining portion 21. Note that for ease of understanding, Figures 4 and subsequent figures exaggerate some of the configuration, such as the curved shape of the panel member 9. Figure 5 is an enlarged end view of the vicinity of the first retaining portion 21, similar to Figure 4. Note that Figure 5 shows the panel member 9 in a state before it is attached to the toilet body 3 by the first retaining portion 21, etc.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the panel member 9 according to this embodiment is formed so as to be curved in a front view from the front (or a rear view from the rear). For example, when attached to the toilet body 3, the panel member 9 is formed so as to be curved toward the toilet body 3. In other words, the panel member 9 has a curved shape such that the inner surface 9a and the outer surface 9b protrude outward (in the negative X-axis direction in the example of Figures 4 and 5).

The panel member 9 is also formed so that its curvature increases downward (in the negative Z-axis direction). That is, the curvature of the portion of the panel member 9 where the lower holding portion 21b is provided is set to be greater than the curvature of the portion where the upper holding portion 21a is provided.

The toilet body 3 is formed to have a shape that matches the panel member 9. For example, the toilet body 3 is formed so that the outer surface 3a to which the panel member 9 is attached is curved along the inner surface 9a of the panel member 9.

Next, we will explain the upper holding portion 21a and lower holding portion 21b included in the first holding portion 21. The upper holding portion 21a includes the aforementioned upper magnet 25a, upper metal sheet 27a, upper protrusion 40a, and upper recess 50a. The lower holding portion 21b includes the aforementioned lower magnet 25b, lower metal sheet 27b, lower protrusion 40b, and lower recess 50b.

The upper magnet 25a and the lower magnet 25b are thin rectangular parallelepipeds. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the upper magnet 25a and the lower magnet 25b are formed with their short sides aligned in the front-to-back direction and their long sides aligned in the up-to-down direction, but the shapes of the upper magnet 25a and the lower magnet 25b are not limited to this and can be set to any shape. Note that while the above example shows the upper magnet 25a and the lower magnet 25b having the same shape, they are not limited to this and may have different shapes.

The upper metal sheets 27a and 27a are thin rectangular parallelepipeds. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the upper metal sheets 27a and 27a are formed in a shape in which the short sides run in the front-to-rear direction and the long sides run in the up-down direction, but the shape of the upper metal sheets 27a and 27a is not limited to this and can be set to any shape. Note that while the above example shows the upper metal sheets 27a and 27a having the same shape, this is not limiting and the upper metal sheets 27a and 27a may have different shapes.

The upper protrusion 40a and the lower protrusion 40b are formed to protrude from the panel member 9 toward the toilet body 3. For example, the upper protrusion 40a and the lower protrusion 40b are each formed to protrude from the inner surface 9a of the panel member 9 toward the toilet body 3 (in the positive direction of the X-axis in the example of Figures 4 and 5).

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper protrusion 40a has a planar (i.e., flat) tip surface 40a1, to which the upper magnet 25a is attached (glued). The lower protrusion 40b has a planar tip surface 40b1, to which the upper magnet 25a is attached (glued).

The upper recess 50a and the lower recess 50b are recesses formed in the toilet body 3. For example, the upper recess 50a is formed in a position corresponding to the upper protrusion 40a and the upper magnet 25a, and is recessed in the positive X-axis direction from the outer surface 3a of the toilet body 3. The lower recess 50b is formed in a position corresponding to the lower protrusion 40b and the lower magnet 25b, and is recessed in the positive X-axis direction from the outer surface 3a of the toilet body 3.

As shown in FIG. 5, the upper recess 50a has a planar (i.e., flat) surface 50a1 that faces the tip surface 40a1 of the upper protrusion 40a, and the upper metal sheet 27a is attached (adhered) to this surface 50a1. The lower recess 50b has a planar surface 50b1 that faces the tip surface 40b1 of the lower protrusion 40b, and the lower metal sheet 27b is attached (adhered) to this surface 50b1.

The first holding portion 21 is formed so that the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 are flat (in other words, planar).

As a result, in this embodiment, the panel member 9 attached to the toilet body 3 can be prevented from falling, while the panel member 9 can be slid and easily positioned.

In other words, in the first holding portion 21, the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal sheet 27 are configured as described above, so that the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal sheet 27 come into surface contact, ensuring a sufficient contact area. Therefore, even if the panel member 9 is formed to be curved, the holding force of the first holding portion 21 on the panel member 9 is unlikely to decrease. Therefore, in this embodiment, even if a load (force) that moves the panel member 9 is applied to the panel member 9, such as when the panel member 9 is wiped during cleaning, the panel member 9 can be prevented from falling.

Furthermore, in the first holding portion 21, the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 are in planar surface contact, so the panel member 9 can be easily slid in a direction parallel to the attraction surfaces 26, 28 (here, the front-to-back or up-to-down direction). Therefore, for example, while the panel member 9 is held by the toilet body 3 or the like, an installer can slide the panel member 9 in the front-to-back direction (see arrow D1 in Figure 1) or up-to-down direction (see arrow D2) relative to the toilet body 3 or the like, easily adjusting the panel member 9 to the appropriate position. In other words, the positioning of the panel member 9 can be easily determined.

Explaining the first holding portion 21 in more detail, the upper holding portion 21a and lower holding portion 21b included in the first holding portion 21 are formed so that the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal sheet 27 are flat. More specifically, in the upper holding portion 21a, the attraction surface 26a of the upper magnet 25a and the attraction surface 28a of the upper metal sheet 27a are flat. Similarly, in the lower holding portion 21b, the attraction surface 26b of the lower magnet 25b and the attraction surface 28b of the lower metal sheet 27b are flat.

In this way, even if there are multiple first holding portions 21 (specifically, even if they include upper holding portions 21a and lower holding portions 21b), the attraction surface 26 of each magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 are in surface contact, which further prevents the panel member 9 from falling and makes it easier to position the panel member 9 by sliding it.

Furthermore, the first retaining portion 21 is formed so that the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 are parallel to each other. In other words, the first retaining portion 21 is formed so that, when the panel member 9 is attached to the toilet body 3, the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 facing the attraction surface 26 are parallel to each other.

More specifically, in the upper holding portion 21a, the attraction surface 26a of the upper magnet 25a and the attraction surface 28a of the upper metal sheet 27a are formed parallel to each other. Similarly, in the lower holding portion 21b, the attraction surface 26b of the lower magnet 25b and the attraction surface 28b of the lower metal sheet 27b are formed parallel to each other.

As a result, even if the panel member 9 is formed to be curved, the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 can be formed parallel to each other, ensuring reliable surface contact between the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27. This further prevents the panel member 9 from falling and also makes it easier to position the panel member 9 by sliding it.

Furthermore, the first retaining portion 21 is formed so that the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 are aligned along a vertical plane in the front-to-rear direction (the Y-Z plane). In other words, the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 are formed so that they are perpendicular to the floor surface 100 (see Figure 1) on which the flush toilet 1 is installed.

More specifically, in the upper holding portion 21a, the attraction surface 26a of the upper magnet 25a and the attraction surface 28a of the upper metal sheet 27a are formed to align with a vertical plane in the front-to-back direction (the Y-Z plane). Similarly, in the lower holding portion 21b, the attraction surface 26b of the lower magnet 25b and the attraction surface 28b of the lower metal sheet 27b are formed to align with a vertical plane in the front-to-back direction (the Y-Z plane).

As a result, in the first holding portion 21, the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 come into surface contact along the vertical direction, making it easier to slide the panel member 9 in directions parallel to the attraction surfaces 26, 28 (here, the front-to-back or up-down direction). Therefore, for example, an installer can slide the panel member 9 in the front-to-back or up-down direction while the panel member 9 is held to the toilet body 3, etc., making it easier to adjust the panel member 9 to the appropriate position.

Furthermore, because the first holding portion 21 includes the upper protrusion 40a and lower protrusion 40b described above, even if the panel member 9 is formed to be curved, it is possible to attach the magnet 25 so that the attraction surface 26 is flat, with a simple configuration such as by forming the tip surface 40a1 of the upper protrusion 40a and the tip surface 40b1 of the lower protrusion 40b flat.

The shapes of the upper protrusion 40a and the lower protrusion 40b will now be described. The shapes of the upper protrusion 40a and the lower protrusion 40b are set according to the curved shape of the panel member 9 on which the upper protrusion 40a and the lower protrusion 40b are formed.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, in the first retaining portion 21, the difference Mb between the widthwise (left-right) length Lb1 of the upper surface 41b of the lower protrusion 40b of the lower retaining portion 21b and the widthwise length Lb2 of the lower surface 42b is set to be greater than the difference Ma between the widthwise length La1 of the upper surface 41a of the upper protrusion 40a of the upper retaining portion 21a and the widthwise length La2 of the lower surface 42b (Mb > Ma).

In this way, by configuring the lower protrusion 40b and the upper protrusion 40a as described above, it is possible to accurately assemble the panel member 9 to the toilet body 3, even if the panel member 9 has a curved shape in which the curvature of the lower part is greater than the curvature of the upper part.

Furthermore, by setting the difference indicated by Mb-Ma relatively large, the workability of the panel member 9 can be further improved. In other words, if the difference indicated by Mb-Ma is set large, for example, when assembling the panel member 9 to the toilet body 3 from the width direction or when assembling the panel member 9 to the toilet body 3 by sliding it from below, the lower retaining portion 21b has a margin larger than the upper retaining portion 21a before the panel member 9 is completely attached to the toilet body 3 and movement in the vertical direction is restricted. This means that, for example, the installer only needs to pay attention to the upper retaining portion 21a when assembling the panel member 9, further improving the workability of the panel member 9.

The above-mentioned metal sheets 27 (upper metal sheet 27a and lower metal sheet 27b) may be made of metal sheets whose surfaces have been randomly ground, for example. This increases the surface roughness of the metal sheets 27, improving friction and effectively preventing the panel member 9 from falling.

In the above description, the upper magnet 25a and the lower magnet 25b are magnets of the same size and magnetic force, but this is not limited to this. In other words, the upper magnet 25a and the lower magnet 25b may have different sizes and magnetic forces. As an example, the lower magnet 25b may be a larger magnet or have stronger magnetic force than the upper magnet 25a. This can increase the magnetic force of the lower retaining portion 21b on the lower side of the panel member 9, which has a relatively large curvature and is prone to coming off the toilet body 3, and more effectively prevent the panel member 9 from falling.

As described above, the flush toilet 1 according to the first embodiment comprises a toilet body 3, a functional unit 5, a panel member 9, and a first retaining unit 21 (an example of a retaining unit). The functional unit 5 is located behind the toilet body 3. The panel member 9 covers the side of the functional unit 5. The first retaining unit 21 magnetically attracts and holds the toilet body 3 and the side of the panel member 9 together. The panel member 9 is formed so that it curves toward the toilet body 3 when attached to the toilet body 3. The first retaining unit 21 is formed so that the attracting surface 26 of the panel-side magnetic material 25 provided on the panel member 9 and the attracting surface 28 of the body-side magnetic material 27 provided on the toilet body 3 are flat. This prevents the panel member 9 attached to the toilet body 3 from falling, while allowing the panel member 9 to slide and be easily positioned.

(Modification)
Next, a modified example will be described with reference to Fig. 6. In the following description, parts that are similar to parts that have already been described will be assigned the same reference numerals as those already described, and duplicated description may be omitted.

Figure 6 shows a first retaining portion 21 according to a modified example. Similar to Figure 5, Figure 6 is an enlarged end view of the vicinity of the first retaining portion 21.

As shown in Figure 6, the panel member 9 in this modified example has linear side surfaces. In other words, the inner surface 9a and outer surface 9b of the panel member 9 are linearly formed. Furthermore, the outer surface 3a of the toilet body 3, to which the panel member 9 is attached, is linearly formed.

The panel member 9 is attached to the toilet body 3 so that its side surfaces (inner surface 9a and outer surface 9b) are not parallel to the outer surface 3a of the toilet body 3. In the example shown in Figure 6, the panel member 9 has its side surfaces inclined relative to a vertical plane in the front-to-rear direction, and the toilet body 3 is installed so that its outer surface 3a is aligned with the vertical plane in the front-to-rear direction.

Even with a panel member 9 and toilet body 3 having such a shape, the first retaining portion 21 is formed so that the attraction surface 26 of the magnet 25 and the attraction surface 28 of the metal plate 27 are flat (in other words, planar).

As a result, in the modified example, as in the embodiment, the panel member 9 attached to the toilet body 3 can be prevented from falling, while the panel member 9 can be slid and easily positioned.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment will be described. In the second embodiment, the second holding portion 23 and the functional portion 5 are configured to prevent the panel member 9 from falling, while allowing the panel member 9 to slide and be easily positioned.

This configuration will be described in detail below with reference to Figure 7 and other figures. Figure 7 is an end view taken along line VII-VII in Figure 1, and specifically, is an enlarged end view of the vicinity of the second holding portion 23. Note that in Figure 7 and other figures, the functional portion 5 is shown schematically with diagonal lines to simplify the illustration.

The second holding portion 23 includes the above-mentioned magnet 29, metal plate 31, panel-side protrusion 60, and functional unit-side protrusion 70. Note that the magnet 29 is an example of a panel-side magnetic material, and the metal plate 31 is an example of a functional unit-side magnetic material.

As described above, the magnet 29 is a thin rectangular parallelepiped and is adhered to, for example, the panel member 9 (more precisely, the panel-side protrusion 60 of the panel member 9). As described above, the metal plate 31 is a thin rectangular parallelepiped and is adhered to, for example, the functional unit 5 (more precisely, the functional unit-side protrusion 70).

The panel-side protrusion 60 is formed to protrude from the panel member 9 toward the functional unit 5. For example, the panel-side protrusion 60 is formed to protrude from the inner surface 9a of the panel member 9 toward the functional unit 5 (in the positive direction of the X-axis in the example of Figure 7). The panel-side protrusion 60 has a planar (in other words, flat) tip surface 60a, and the magnet 29 is attached (adhered) to this tip surface 60a.

The functional unit-side protrusion 70 is formed to protrude from the functional unit 5 toward the panel member 9. For example, the functional unit-side protrusion 70 is formed to protrude from the side surface 5a of the functional unit 5 toward the panel member 9 (in the negative X-axis direction in the example of Figure 7). The functional unit-side protrusion 70 has a planar (in other words, flat) tip surface 70a, and the metal plate 31 is attached (adhered) to this tip surface 70a.

In this way, in the second embodiment, the surface of the functional part 5 on which the metal plate 31 is provided, i.e., the tip surface 70a of the functional part protrusion 70, is flat and formed to extend along a vertical plane in the front-to-rear direction (the Y-Z plane). In other words, the surface of the functional part 5 on which the metal plate 31 is attached (tip surface 70a) is formed to be perpendicular to the floor surface 100 (see Figure 1) on which the flush toilet 1 is installed.

Here, the molding of the surface of the functional part 5 on which the metal plate 31 is provided, i.e., the tip surface 70a of the functional part-side protrusion 70, will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. Figure 8 is a diagram illustrating the molding of the functional part 5 according to the second embodiment, and Figure 9 is a diagram illustrating the molding of the functional part 5 according to a comparative example. Note that the functional part 5 is molded in part or in whole using a mold. More specifically, the functional part 5 is molded by pouring molten resin material into a mold.

First, we will explain the comparative example in Figure 9. As shown in Figure 9, in the comparative example, the functional part 5 is molded using an upper mold 180a and a lower mold 180b. More specifically, the upper mold 180a and the lower mold 180b are assembled, and molten resin material is poured into the space formed by the upper and lower molds 180a and 180b to mold the functional part 5. The upper and lower molds 180a and 180b are then removed in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction; see arrow B) from the molded functional part 5. However, when configured as in the comparative example, the side surface 5a of the molded functional part 5 is tilted in the vertical direction (Z-axis direction) due to the removal angle of the upper and lower molds 180a and 180b. For this reason, the side surface 5a of the functional section 5 in the comparative example on which the metal plate 31 is provided is not formed to align with a vertical plane (Y-Z plane), and as a result, there is a risk that the metal plate 31 will not be able to be provided to align with the vertical plane.

In the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, a mold is used in which the surface on which the metal plate 31 is provided in the functional section 5, i.e., the tip surface 70a of the functional section-side protrusion 70, is formed to be along a vertical plane (Y-Z plane).

Specifically, in the second embodiment, the functional portion 5 is molded using an upper mold 80a, a lower mold 80b, and a side mold 80c. The upper mold 80a is positioned above the functional portion 5 to be molded, the lower mold 80b is positioned below the functional portion 5 to be molded, and the side mold 80c is positioned on the side 5a side of the functional portion 5 to be molded, and they are assembled together. Furthermore, a recess 80c1 corresponding to the shape of the functional portion-side protrusion 70 is formed in the assembled upper mold 80a, lower mold 80b, and side mold 80c. In other words, the recess 80c1 is shaped so that the tip surface 70a of the functional portion-side protrusion 70 after molding is aligned along a vertical plane.

In one example of the molding procedure, the upper, lower, and side molds 80a, 80b, and 80c are first assembled, and molten resin material is poured into the space formed by the upper, lower, and side molds 80a, 80b, and 80c to mold the functional portion 5. Next, the side mold 80c is removed left and right (X-axis direction; see arrow A1) from the molded functional portion 5. Next, the upper and lower molds 80a and 80b are removed up and down (Z-axis direction; see arrow A2) from the molded functional portion 5. This ensures that the draft angle of each mold 80a, 80b, and 80c is maintained, while molding the side surface 5a of the functional portion 5 so that the surface on which the sheet metal 31 is provided (the tip surface 70a of the functional portion-side protrusion 70) is aligned along a vertical plane (the Y-Z plane).

Continuing with the explanation of Figure 7, in the functional unit 5 molded as described above, a metal plate 31 is attached to the tip surface 70a of the functional unit-side protrusion 70. The second holding unit 23 is then formed so that the attraction surface 30 of the magnet 29 and the attraction surface 32 of the metal plate 31 are planar (in other words, flat).

As a result, in the second embodiment, the panel member 9 attached to the functional unit 5 can be prevented from falling, while the panel member 9 can be slid and easily positioned.

In other words, in the second holding portion 23, the attraction surface 30 of the magnet 29 and the attraction surface 32 of the metal sheet 31 are configured as described above, so that the attraction surface 30 of the magnet 29 and the attraction surface 32 of the metal sheet 31 come into surface contact, ensuring a sufficient contact area. Therefore, even if the panel member 9 is formed to be curved, the holding force of the second holding portion 23 on the panel member 9 is unlikely to decrease. Therefore, in the second embodiment, even if a load (force) that moves the panel member 9 is applied to the panel member 9, such as when the panel member 9 is wiped during cleaning, the panel member 9 can be prevented from falling.

Furthermore, in the second holding portion 23, the attraction surface 30 of the magnet 29 and the attraction surface 32 of the metal plate 31 are in planar surface contact, so the panel member 9 can be easily slid in a direction parallel to the attraction surfaces 30, 32 (here, the front-to-back or up-to-down direction). Therefore, for example, while the panel member 9 is held by the functional portion 5, etc., an installer can slide the panel member 9 in the front-to-back direction (see arrow D1 in Figure 1) or up-to-down direction (see arrow D2) relative to the functional portion 5, etc., to easily adjust the panel member 9 to the appropriate position. In other words, the positioning of the panel member 9 can be easily determined.

Furthermore, because the surface (tip surface 70a) on which the metal plate 31 is provided in the functional unit 5 is formed to extend along a vertical plane in the front-to-back direction, the metal plate 31 is attached to the functional unit 5 so that it extends along the vertical plane. As a result, in the second holding unit 23, the attraction surface 30 of the magnet 29 and the attraction surface 32 of the metal plate 31 are in surface contact along the vertical direction, making it easier to slide the panel member 9 in directions parallel to the attraction surfaces 30, 32 (here, the front-to-back or up-down direction). Therefore, for example, an installer can slide the panel member 9 in the front-to-back or up-down direction while the panel member 9 is held by the functional unit 5, etc., to more easily adjust the panel member 9 to the appropriate position.

The first and second embodiments and modifications described above can be combined as appropriate.

Further advantages and modifications may readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described above. Accordingly, various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventive concept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 flush toilet 3 toilet body 5 functional part 9 panel member 21 first retaining part 25 magnet 27 sheet metal

Claims (7)

The toilet bowl body,
A functional part provided at the rear of the toilet body;
a panel member covering a side surface of the functional portion;
a holding portion that magnetically attracts and holds the toilet body and the side surface of the panel member,
The panel member is
When attached to the toilet body, the inner and outer surfaces are formed to protrude outward and curved in a front view ,
The holding portion is
The attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body provided on the panel member and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body provided on the toilet main body are formed to be flat ,
The holding portion includes a protruding portion formed to protrude from the panel member toward the toilet body.
A flush toilet characterized by: There are a plurality of the holding portions,
Each of the plurality of holding portions is
The flush toilet according to claim 1, comprising the panel-side magnetic body and the main body-side magnetic body, wherein the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body are formed to be flat. The holding portion is
When the panel member is attached to the toilet body, the panel member includes an upper holding portion located above the toilet body, and a lower holding portion located below the upper holding portion,
The difference between the width direction length of the upper surface and the width direction length of the lower surface of the protrusion of the lower holding portion is
The flush toilet according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the length is set to be greater than the difference between the widthwise length of the upper surface and the widthwise length of the lower surface of the protruding portion of the upper retaining portion. The holding portion is
4. The flush toilet according to claim 1 , wherein the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body are formed so as to be parallel to each other. The holding portion is
The flush toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body are formed so as to be perpendicular to the surface of the floor on which the flush toilet is installed. The holding portion is
a first holding portion that magnetically attracts and holds the side surface of the toilet body and the side surface of the panel member;
a second holding portion that attracts and holds a side surface of the functional portion and a side surface of the panel member by magnetic force,
The second holding portion is
an attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body provided on the panel member and an attracting surface of the function-part-side magnetic body provided on the function part are formed to be flat,
The functional unit includes:
The flush toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the surface on which the functional section-side magnetic body is provided is formed so as to be perpendicular to the surface of the floor on which the flush toilet is placed . The toilet bowl body,
A functional part provided at the rear of the toilet body;
a panel member covering a side surface of the functional portion;
a holding portion that magnetically attracts and holds the toilet body and the side surface of the panel member,
The panel member is
When attached to the toilet body, the inner and outer surfaces are formed to protrude and curve outward ,
The holding portion is
The panel member has a plurality of attracting surfaces on the inner surface thereof, and the toilet body has a plurality of attracting surfaces on the side surface thereof.
The attracting surface of the panel-side magnetic body and the attracting surface of the main body-side magnetic body are formed to be flat ,
The plurality of attraction surfaces of the main body side magnetic body provided on the side surface of the toilet main body are formed so as to be parallel to each other.
A flush toilet characterized by: