JP7825199B2 - Western-style toilet bowl and seat device - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a Western-style toilet bowl apparatus and a toilet seat apparatus.

Previously, Western-style toilet devices have been proposed that use a water level sensor to detect abnormalities in the water level in the bowl and output an alarm to prompt the user to quickly remove foreign objects (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-282538

However, detecting an abnormal water level indicates that a blockage is occurring or is imminent, and there is a risk that detecting an abnormal water level alone will not be enough to prevent a blockage. Furthermore, if the notification of an abnormal water level is overlooked, there is a risk that a more serious problem, such as a water leak due to a blockage, may occur.

This disclosure has been proposed in consideration of these circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a Western-style toilet bowl apparatus and toilet seat apparatus that can more quickly detect the presence of foreign matter in accumulated water and prevent clogging.

To achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the Western-style toilet device disclosed herein comprises a bowl portion for receiving excrement, a toilet seat, a seating sensor, a human presence sensor, an optical sensor, and a foreign object detection unit for determining whether a foreign object has been introduced into the bowl portion. The optical sensor is configured to capture an image of an object that has fallen into the bowl portion. When the human presence sensor detects a person but the seating sensor does not detect a person sitting, the foreign object detection unit determines whether the fallen object is a foreign object based on the image captured by the optical sensor, and if it determines that the object is a foreign object, issues an alert that a foreign object has been introduced.

The toilet seat device disclosed herein is a Western-style toilet device that is assembled to a toilet unit having a bowl portion for receiving excrement and a human presence sensor, and is equipped with an optical sensor, a seating sensor, and a foreign object detection unit that determines whether a foreign object has been introduced into the bowl portion. The optical sensor is configured to capture an image of an object that has fallen into the bowl portion, and when the human presence sensor detects a person but the seating sensor does not detect a person sitting, the foreign object detection unit determines whether the fallen object is a foreign object based on the image captured by the optical sensor, and if it determines that the object is a foreign object, issues an alert.

Because the Western-style toilet bowl device and toilet seat device disclosed herein are configured as described above, they can detect foreign matter entering the accumulated water more quickly and prevent clogging.

1 is a basic block diagram of a Western-style toilet device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the Western-style toilet device. 1A is a schematic perspective view of the Western-style toilet device, and FIG. 1B is a partial side view of the washing nozzle of the private parts washing section. 1A and 1B are diagrams showing two examples of installation positions of an optical sensor and an illumination unit in the Western-style toilet device, where FIG. 1A is a schematic plan view and FIG. 1B is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view. 10 is a basic flowchart showing the operational flow of the Western-style toilet device, including capturing images of excrement. 10 is a flowchart showing one operation mode (determination of foreign matter contamination) of the Western-style toilet device. 10 is a flowchart showing one operation mode (determination of nozzle dirt) of the Western-style toilet device. 10 is a flowchart showing one operation mode (determination of detergent shortage) of the Western-style toilet device. 10 is a flowchart showing one operation mode (clogging determination) of the Western-style toilet device. FIG. 10 is a basic block diagram of a Western-style toilet device and a toilet seat device used therein according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of the Western-style toilet device.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First, the basic configuration of the western-style toilet device 1 according to this embodiment will be described.

This Western-style toilet device 1 comprises a bowl portion 44 that receives excrement, a toilet seat 43, a seating sensor 23, a human presence sensor 22, an optical sensor 21, and a foreign object detection unit 11 that determines whether a foreign object E has entered the bowl portion 44. The optical sensor 21 is configured to capture an image of an object that has fallen into the bowl portion 44. When the human presence sensor 22 detects a person but the seating sensor 23 does not detect a person sitting, the foreign object detection unit 11 determines whether the fallen object is a foreign object E based on the image captured by the optical sensor 21, and if it determines that the object is a foreign object E, it issues an alert.

In addition to the foreign object detection function, the Western-style toilet device 1 may also have the ability to capture images of excrement received in the bowl portion 44, and may also have the following three functions: a function to determine the degree of dirt on the cleaning nozzle 32a of the genital cleaning portion 32, a function to determine whether the detergent tank 55a has run out of detergent, and a function to determine whether the bowl portion 44 is clogged.

A Western-style toilet device 1 with the function of capturing images of excrement may include a bowl portion 44 for receiving excrement, an optical sensor 21, and an excrement image control unit 10. The optical sensor 21 may be configured to capture images of excrement falling into the bowl portion 44. The excrement image control unit 10 may be configured to store the captured excrement images, transfer the excrement images to another terminal, and perform various analyses based on the excrement images.

A Western-style toilet device 1 with a function for determining the dirtiness of the flushing nozzle 32a may include a bowl portion 44 for receiving excrement, a private parts washing portion 32 having the flushing nozzle 32a, an optical sensor 21, and a dirt determination portion 12 for detecting the dirtiness of the flushing nozzle 32a. The imaging range of the optical sensor 21 may include the state of water being sprayed from the flushing nozzle 32a. The dirt determination portion 12 may detect the amount of water being sprayed based on an image of the spraying state captured by the optical sensor 21, and may determine that the nozzle is dirty if the detected amount of water being sprayed does not reach a reference amount, and may issue a notification that the nozzle is dirty.

A Western-style toilet apparatus 1 with a detergent shortage detection function may comprise a bowl portion 44 for receiving excrement, a detergent tank 55a containing detergent for supplying foam to the water surface A in the bowl portion 44, and an optical sensor 21. The Western-style toilet apparatus 1 may further comprise a detergent shortage detection unit 13 for determining whether the detergent tank 55a has run out of detergent. The imaging range of the optical sensor 21 may include the water surface in the bowl portion 44. The detergent shortage detection unit 13 may be configured to detect the amount of foam on the water surface based on an image of the water surface captured by the optical sensor 21 in a sealed state, and to determine that the detergent has run out if the detected amount of foam does not reach a reference amount and issue a warning.

A Western-style toilet device 1 with a clog detection function may comprise a bowl portion 44 for receiving excrement, an optical sensor 21, and a clog detection unit 14 for detecting clogs in the bowl portion 44. The imaging range of the optical sensor 21 may include the water surface A in the bowl portion 44. The clog detection unit 14 may be configured to detect the water level of the water surface A based on an image of the water surface A captured by the optical sensor 21 in a sealed state, and determine that a clog has occurred if the detected water level is higher than a reference level, and to issue a clog detection alert.

The western-style toilet device 1 according to this embodiment has all five of the above functions. The optical sensor 21 used to realize these functions can be a sensor that is common to all of the functions.
Next, the detailed configuration of the Western-style toilet device 1 will be described.

As shown in Figure 1, the Western-style toilet device 1 is equipped with a CPU 5, which is the core of computer processing. The CPU 5 controls the execution of various programs, and by executing these programs, it controls and monitors the operation of the following components. The Western-style toilet device 1 also has a timing unit 7, which handles various timer processes (periodic processing and delay processing).

To execute the five functions, the Western-style toilet device 1 is equipped with an excrement image control unit 10, a foreign matter detection unit 11, a soiling detection unit 12, a detergent shortage detection unit 13, and a clogging detection unit 14. Each unit is configured with a program or the like, and executes the operation of each function in cooperation with the CPU 5. The excrement image control unit 10 also has an analysis unit 10a that generates excrement analysis information based on excrement images captured by the optical sensor 21.

The Western-style toilet device 1 is equipped with various detection units, such as an optical sensor 21, a human presence sensor 22, and a seating sensor 23. The optical sensor 21 is an image sensor (electronic camera) or the like that captures images of various objects in order to perform the five functions. In this embodiment, the optical sensor 21 is common to all five functions, but individual optical sensors may also be provided.

The human presence sensor 22 is composed of, for example, an infrared sensor, and detects the presence or absence of a person in the toilet room. It can detect when a person enters the toilet room by detecting a change in the sensor's state from off to on, and detect when a person leaves the toilet by detecting a change in the sensor's state from on to off.

Examples of the seating sensor 23 include a load sensor built into the toilet seat 43 that detects whether the user is sitting or leaving the seat, and an infrared sensor that detects whether the user is sitting or leaving the seat near the rotation axis of the toilet seat 43. The seating detected by the seating sensor 23 acts as a trigger for the toilet flushing unit 31, which will be described later. This seating trigger, together with the stool flush button and urination flush button, which will be described later, constitutes the flush instruction means.

Details of the optical sensor 21 will be described later in conjunction with the explanation of Figure 4. Furthermore, while the optical sensor 21 is used for analyzing excrement, various other sensors, such as an odor sensor or radio wave sensor, may also be provided.

The various detection units 20 also include a toilet lid open/close detection unit 24 that detects when the toilet lid 42 stops in the open/close position, and a toilet seat open/close detection unit 25 that detects when the toilet seat stops in the open/close position.

The Western-style toilet device 1 is equipped with an illumination unit 26 that illuminates the inside of the bowl portion 44, which is imaged by the optical sensor 21.

The Western-style toilet device 1 is equipped with an alarm unit 27 for notifying the user of various events. Notification may be made, for example, by sounding a buzzer, outputting a synthesized voice, or displaying an LED. Notification may also be made by transmitting information to a mobile device (not shown) via the communication unit 28. The communication unit 28 may be configured as either or both of a short-range communication unit capable of communicating via infrared, Bluetooth (registered trademark), or Wi-Fi, and a long-range communication unit via the Internet.

The Western-style toilet device 1 is equipped with a memory unit 29. The memory unit 29 stores various data such as image data captured by the optical sensor 21 and analysis data, as well as a reference image 29a for comparison with the captured image. Examples of the reference image 29a include a comparison image for determining whether the nozzle is dirty, a comparison image for determining whether the detergent has run out, and a comparison image for determining whether the nozzle is clogged.

The Western-style toilet device 1 is equipped with an operation unit 30. The operation unit 30 is equipped with a defecation flush button and a urination flush button (neither shown) that output flushing instructions to the toilet bowl flushing unit 31 via the CPU 5 and a program. The operation unit 30 also includes a toilet seat operation unit for electrically opening and closing the toilet seat 43, and a toilet lid operation unit (neither shown) for electrically opening and closing the toilet lid 42.

The operation unit 30 is provided with operation switches and buttons that allow various other operations and settings to be performed. It is desirable that the operation unit 30 be provided on both the main unit operation unit (not shown) and the remote control (not shown). An infrared communication remote control is preferably used.

The Western-style toilet device 1 further includes a toilet bowl cleaning section 31 and a private parts cleaning section 32. These and other structural components will be explained with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

The Western-style toilet device 1 is a seat-type toilet device that is fixed to the floor or wall within a toilet space. The main body of this Western-style toilet device is constructed so that the bowl portion, which opens upward, is surrounded by a skirt portion 41, and above the bowl portion 44, a toilet lid 42 and toilet seat 43 are provided, which can be raised or lowered relative to the opening of the bowl portion 44 and which share the same rotation axis. The toilet lid 42 and toilet seat 43 can be opened or closed electrically or manually. For electrically operated operation, each drive unit (not shown) operates based on command signals from each opening/closing operation unit (not shown) provided in the operation unit 30.

The internal space of the skirt portion 41 houses the mechanism of the toilet flushing unit 31, which supplies flushing water from the water supply port 46 into the bowl portion 44 to clean the inside of the bowl portion 44. This mechanism has a water supply mechanism and a drainage mechanism.

The water supply mechanism includes a water inlet 46, a flushing water supply path 47 that supplies flushing water from a water pipe into the bowl portion 44 through the water inlet 46, and a water supply valve 48 located midway along the flushing water supply path 47 that supplies or cuts off the flushing water to the bowl portion 44.

The drainage mechanism of the Western-style toilet device 1 according to this embodiment is structured with a movable trap 49. This trap 49 is rotated by a drive mechanism 50 to establish a draining state or a sealed state. The trap 49 in the illustration is in a position where the accumulated water is in a sealed state, and in the draining state, it rotates so that the drain outlet 49a on the open end of the trap 49 faces the discharge outlet 52.

The trap 49 is surrounded by a trap case 51 to prevent wastewater and odors from leaking to the outside. The drainage mechanism may also be a siphon type, siphon jet type, siphon vortex type, or wash-down type.

In addition, the illustrated example shows a Western-style toilet device 1 that is a tankless type that is directly connected to the water supply and does not have a flush tank (low tank), but it may also be configured with a flush tank.

Furthermore, a foam forming section 54 is provided in the flush water supply passage 47 downstream of the water supply valve 48 (towards the water supply port 46), which mixes detergent and air bubbles with the flush water to form foam B. In this Western-style toilet device 1, the foam forming section 54 is composed of an air bubble mixing section 56 that mixes air bubbles into the flush water, and a detergent mixing section 55 that extracts detergent from the detergent tank 55a and mixes it with the flush water.

In this Western-style toilet device 1, when a flush command is issued by the flush command means, the foam generator 54 mixes foam B with flush water, and the mixed flush water is supplied to the bowl 44 to create a water reservoir (sealing) state.

The bubble mixing section 56 is equipped with a rapid pressure change section 56a with a Venturi structure and a gas supply valve 56b, and is internally formed with a cleaning water flow path (not shown) through which cleaning water flows from the cleaning water supply path.

As a result, shear forces are generated at the interface between the gas and the jet of cleaning water, generating bubbles. Furthermore, in the bubble mixing section 56, negative pressure is generated by the cleaning water flowing through the cleaning water flow path, and the ejector effect allows the gas supplied from the gas supply valve 56b to be efficiently mixed into the cleaning water flowing through the cleaning water flow path.

The detergent mixing unit 55 mixes a predetermined amount of detergent into the cleaning water supply channel 47. The detergent mixing unit 55 includes a detergent tank 55a that stores detergent, a detergent supply channel 55c that is connected to the cleaning water supply channel 47, and a detergent supply valve 55b that is located midway along the detergent supply channel 55c and controls whether or not detergent is supplied to the cleaning water supply channel 47.

In this embodiment, the detergent is a surfactant. The detergent may also be mixed with a fragrance so that the fragrance is further mixed into the wash water. In this embodiment, the detergent mixing section 55 is located downstream of the air bubble mixing section 56, but it may also be located upstream of the air bubble mixing section 56. The wash water mixed with the detergent and air bubbles is discharged into the bowl section 44 from the water supply port 46 of the wash water supply channel 47.

When cleaning water containing detergent and air bubbles is supplied to the bowl portion 44 in this way, the air bubbles collide with the inner surface of the bowl portion 44. The ultrasonic waves generated by the bursting of the air bubbles remove dirt from inside the bowl portion 44. Furthermore, because detergent is supplied to the cleaning water, the inner surface of the bowl portion 44 is further cleaned.

Foam B, which is made up of detergent and air bubbles supplied to the bowl portion 44, remains on the surface A of the water that is sealed off. The amount of foam B gradually decreases over time. While foam B remains on the surface A of the water, it cleans and protects the inner surface of the bowl portion 44.

Next, details of the local cleansing section 32 will be explained with reference to Figures 2 and 3(a) and (b).

The private parts washing section 32 has a nozzle case 32b and a washing nozzle 32a housed therein. The nozzle case 32b is located at the rear of the rim section 45 of the bowl section 44 (near the axis of the toilet seat 43), and a rotatably supported nozzle lid 45a is attached to the rim section 45 so that it can be opened and closed. The washing nozzle 32a is retractable from the nozzle case 32b; it pushes open the nozzle lid 45a from the inside, protrudes, and advances to the center of the bowl section 44, where it stops, and sprays water C from the nozzle opening 32c.

The cleaning water used in the local cleaning section 32 is tap water, and is configured to be supplied, for example, via a local cleaning water supply channel (not shown) branching off from the cleaning water supply channel.

The advancement and retraction of the cleaning nozzle 32a of the private parts cleaning unit 32 is performed by the private parts cleaning operation of the operating unit 30. Specifically, when the user performs the private parts cleaning operation after excretion, the cleaning nozzle 32a advances toward the center of the bowl unit 44, stops at a predetermined position, and performs a cleaning operation with sprayed water C until the cleaning stop operation is performed. In addition, in this embodiment, the private parts cleaning unit 32 performs a nozzle cleaning operation to clean the cleaning nozzle 32a itself before and after the cleaning operation.

Next, the configuration and mounting position of the optical sensor 21 will be explained with reference to Figures 4(a) and (b).

The optical sensor 21 includes an image sensor (electronic camera) and a control circuit (not shown) that controls the electronic camera. The control circuit is configured to control the opening and closing of the electronic shutter of the light-receiving element (not shown) at intervals of 20 to 120 times per second, preferably 20 to 240 times per second, to capture images.

This optical sensor 21 may be installed in various locations, such as the bowl portion 44, for example, within or near the cavity in the rim portion 45 (see Figure 2) on the underside of the toilet seat 43, as shown in Figures 4(a) and (b).

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the optical sensor 21 is provided, for example, near the rotation axis of the toilet seat 43 on the rim portion 45, adjacent to the private parts cleansing portion 32. The lighting portion 26 is provided adjacent to the optical sensor 21 on the opposite side from the private parts cleansing portion 32. The lighting portion 26 is used to illuminate the inside of the bowl portion 44 for imaging purposes, and although the timing of illumination varies depending on the subject to be imaged as described below, it may be controlled to illuminate when, for example, the user is sitting or the toilet lid 42 is closed.

As mentioned above, the imaging range of these optical sensors 21 includes the water surface A in the bowl portion 44, particularly the water surface A in a sealed state. Furthermore, it is sufficient if they can capture images of objects that have fallen into the bowl portion 44, particularly objects that are falling and are located below the rim portion 45 and above the water surface A. Furthermore, the imaging range should also include the spraying state of the water C from the cleaning nozzle 32a (see Figure 3) (see Figure 4(b) for the above).

In other words, the objects imaged by the optical sensor 21 include falling excrement (feces D), foreign matter E mixed into the bowl portion 44, the state of water C sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 32a, the state of bubbles B on the pooled water surface A, and the water level of the pooled water surface A in the sealed state.

Furthermore, the excrement to be imaged may include feces D excreted on the inside bottom of the bowl portion 44 and urine excreted by a man in a standing position. Therefore, the optical sensor 21 may have an imaging range extending from the upper position of the rim portion 45 to the inside bottom of the bowl portion 44, and multiple optical sensors 21 may be combined to cover such an imaging range.

Next, the functions of (1) capturing an image of excrement, (2) determining whether foreign matter has been present, (3) determining whether the nozzle is dirty, (4) determining whether detergent has run out, and (5) determining whether the nozzle is clogged will be explained with reference to Figures 5 to 9.

Here, function (1) is where the object to be imaged is excrement (feces D) received in bowl portion 44. Function (2) is where the object to be imaged is foreign matter E received in bowl portion 44. Function (3) is where the object to be imaged is water C sprayed from cleaning nozzle 32a. Function (4) is where the object to be imaged is bubbles B on the surface A of the water stored in bowl portion 44. Function (5) is where the object to be imaged is the water level of the surface A of the water stored in bowl portion 44.

Figure 5 is a flowchart (steps S1 to S9) showing an example of the execution timing of functions (1) to (5) in chronological order.

When a person entering the toilet room is detected when the human presence sensor 22 changes state from off to on, continuous imaging by the optical sensor 21 to capture images of excrement begins (steps S1 and S2 in Figure 5). Continuous imaging continues until the person leaves the room (when the human presence sensor 22 changes state from on to off).

In the Western-style toilet device 1 of this embodiment, the following functions are executed between the time the user enters and leaves the room: (1) capturing an image of excrement (excrement image control) (step S3 in Figure 5), (2) determining whether a foreign object has been present (step S4 in Figure 5), and (3) determining whether the nozzle is dirty (step S5 in Figure 5). Note that the timing of each of these functions differs from one another, and will be described later in the explanation of each part.

(4) The detergent run-out detection function (step S7 in Figure 5) detects the state (amount of foam) of foam B supplied into the bowl portion 44 in a sealed state during toilet flushing, so it is desirable to perform this function in the initial state after foam B is dispensed, taking into account that foam B gradually decreases. (5) The clogging detection function (step S8 in Figure 5) detects the level of flush water supplied into the bowl portion 44 in a sealed state during toilet flushing, so it is desirable to perform this function in the initial state after flushing.

In this embodiment, these functions are executed simultaneously with the timing of leaving the room (step S6 in Figure 5) when continuous imaging stops, or when the user leaves the seat, or a predetermined time (e.g., a few seconds) after that. In the case where the toilet lid 42 closes when the user leaves the seat, these functions may be executed using the closing of the toilet lid 42 as a trigger.

Furthermore, the optical sensor 21 may continue to capture images continuously not until the time to leave the room, but until either (4) the detergent run-out determination or (5) the clogging determination, whichever is later. In other words, since the Western-style toilet device 1 uses the same optical sensor 21 to perform the five functions, it is desirable to use the optical sensor 21 so that it is efficiently used for all functions and not repeatedly start and stop the continuous capture of images more than necessary.
The operation of each function will be explained below.

(1) Excrement Image Control First, when a person enters the toilet room and the human presence sensor 22 detects the person, the optical sensor 21 starts continuous image capture of the inside of the bowl portion 44. Until the human presence sensor 22 detects that the person has left the toilet, the optical sensor 21 captures excrement images at a predetermined cycle, for example, every 100 msec, and the excrement images are sequentially stored in the memory unit 29 together with the date and time. Note that only images that show excrement may be stored.

Image capture of the inside of the bowl section 44 by the optical sensor 21 may start when the seating sensor 23 turns on and stop when it turns off, instead of when a person enters/exits the bowl section 44.

When a person defecates, the analysis unit 10a generates excrement analysis information based on the excrement image, and this information is also stored in the memory unit in association with the excrement image. The excrement analysis information may also include information generated based on information detected by an odor sensor or radio wave sensor.

The excrement analysis information may include the characteristics and amount in the case of stool D, and the amount and urination time in the case of urine. It is desirable to detect the characteristics of stool D as classified according to the Bristol stool characteristics classification (hard stool, hard stool, slightly hard stool, normal stool, slightly soft stool, muddy stool, watery stool). The amount of stool, urine volume, and urination time can be calculated from excrement images and the number of images.

This excrement analysis information can then be transmitted to a management server (not shown) via the communication unit 28 when the human presence sensor 22 detects that the person has left the room.

Furthermore, the excrement images and excrement analysis information may be stored on a mobile terminal (not shown) via the communication unit 28, or on a USB (not shown) via a USB connection unit (not shown). Since excrement images relate to the user's privacy, it goes without saying that approval based on identification information is required when sending them to a mobile terminal.

If excrement images and excrement analysis information are linked and saved for each user in this way, it will be possible to understand their health condition based on this information. Furthermore, if this information is saved on a management server (not shown) at a medical institution or other facility, it can also be used for medical treatment.

(2) Foreign matter contamination determination The foreign matter contamination determination may be performed during the continuous imaging from the time of entry to the time of exit, as described above, by having the foreign matter contamination determination unit 11 operate at a predetermined cycle, such as every 100 msec, to monitor the presence of foreign matter in the bowl portion 44. The following describes the process along the flowchart in FIG. 6 (steps S100 to S110).

First, the most recent images continuously captured by the optical sensor 21 are captured, and the presence or absence of a fallen object is determined based on the image data (steps S100-S102). If no fallen object is found, the operation ends (steps S102: N, S110). If a fallen object is found, the human presence sensor 22 determines whether a person has been detected, and the seat sensor 23 determines whether a person is seated on the toilet seat 43 (steps S102: Y, S103, S104). If a person is not being detected or if a person is seated, the operation ends (steps S103: N, S104: Y, S110). Note that the images used to determine the presence or absence of a fallen object may be multiple images taken immediately prior to the execution timing of the foreign object detection unit 11.

If human presence is being detected and no one is seated, i.e., if a person is in the room and not sitting on the toilet seat 43, the fallen object is determined to be an object (a potential foreign object) other than excrement (feces D or urine while sitting) produced by sitting (Y in steps S103, N in S104). In this case, a detailed determination is made (Y in steps S103, N in S104, S105).

The detailed judgment is a judgment to exclude toilet paper and urine of a man in a standing position from foreign objects E, and can be made based on at least one of the color, size, and shape of the fallen objects recognized in the captured image. Toilet paper can be judged, for example, by color (light color such as white) or size (wider than stool D). Urine can be judged, for example, by shape (longer and thinner than stool D) or color (semi-transparent).

If the fallen object is determined to be toilet paper or urine from a standing position, it is determined that the fallen object is not foreign object E, and operation ends (N in steps S106, S110). If the fallen object is foreign object E, it is determined that foreign object E has entered the bowl portion 44, and this fact is notified via the alarm unit, the flush prohibition mode is set, and operation ends (N in steps S107, S108-S110).

Note that objects other than toilet paper or urine in a standing position may also be considered as objects that are not foreign object E. These objects may also be identified by at least one of color, size, and shape. Objects that are not foreign object E may also be registered as comparison images, and the captured image may be compared with the comparison image to determine that they are foreign object E.

Examples of notification include sounding a buzzer or flashing a lamp. Notification may also be sent to the mobile device via the communication unit 28, or a combination of these may be used. Notification to the mobile device may be sent via either the short-range communication unit, the long-range communication unit, or both.

The flush prohibition mode is a mode in which, even when a flush command is issued, toilet flushing, i.e., the supply of flush water to the bowl portion 44, and drainage from the bowl portion 44 based on the operation of the trap 49, are not performed. Note that the operating configuration may not require a setting change to the flush prohibition mode.

It is also desirable that the cleaning prohibition mode be cancelled by providing a mode reset button (not shown) on the operation unit 30, and operating the mode reset button after removing foreign matter. It is also desirable that the buzzer sound and lamp flashing continue to operate until the mode reset button is operated.

With this foreign object detection operation, if foreign object E is introduced into the bowl portion 44, the foreign object is reported immediately upon introduction, allowing the user to immediately know that a foreign object has been introduced. As a result, the user can take prompt action to prevent the bowl portion 44 from becoming clogged with foreign object E.

In this embodiment, the foreign object detection is an operation that is initiated between entry and exit (see Figure 5), so it is not necessary to determine whether human presence detection is in progress in the predetermined periodic processing of Figure 6.

In addition, the open state of the toilet lid 42 detected by the toilet lid open/close detection unit 24 may be added as a condition for detecting potential foreign objects. Note that if the imaging range of the optical sensor 21 is limited to below the rim portion 45, the open state of the toilet lid 42 does not need to be a condition, since fallen objects will not be included in the captured image if the toilet lid 42 is closed.

(3) Nozzle Contamination Determination may be performed during the continuous imaging from the time of entry to the time of exit, as described above, and the contamination determination unit 12 may operate at the timing when local cleaning begins. The following will explain this process along the flowchart in Figure 7 (steps S200 to S210).

First, when a person performs a flushing operation while seated on the toilet seat 43, the flushing nozzle 32a advances toward the center of the bowl portion 44 and begins spraying flushing water from the flushing nozzle 32a toward the private parts (steps S200-S202). During the predetermined time during this spraying, an image captured by the optical sensor 21 capturing an image of the inside of the bowl portion 44 is captured and compared with the reference image 29a stored in the memory unit 29 to determine whether or not there is any dirt (steps S203-S205).

In addition, since the nozzle dirt determination uses images captured during cleaning by the private parts cleaning unit 32, i.e., images of the inside of the bowl unit 44 are captured while the user is sitting on the toilet seat 43, it is desirable to illuminate the inside of the bowl unit 44 with the lighting unit 26 while the user is sitting.

The reference image 29a is image data capturing the appropriate spray state (amount of spray) during local cleaning, and by comparing the spray state of the captured image with the reference image 29a, it is possible to determine whether the amount of spray at that timing has reached the appropriate amount. For example, by comparing the spray height and spray width of the sprayed water, it is possible to determine whether the standard amount has been reached or not. Note that the reference image 29a does not have to be image data that has actually been captured, and may be image data generated by synthesis, for example.

The optical sensor 21 continuously captures images at a rate of approximately 20 to 240 times per second while the water C is being sprayed from the cleaning nozzle 32a. Therefore, it is desirable to extract multiple pieces of data from the continuously captured images during the specified time period and compare each of these pieces of data with the reference image 29a.

If the amount of water sprayed C does not reach the standard amount, it is determined that there is dirt (Y in step S205). In that case, the presence of dirt is reported via the notification unit 27, and cleaning in the special cleaning mode is performed on the cleaning nozzle 32a. Once the special cleaning is completed, local cleaning is resumed and the operation ends (steps S206 to S210). If it is determined that there is no dirt, local cleaning continues and the operation ends (N in steps S205, S209, S210).

If the captured image indicates that the dirt is such that little water is being sprayed out, the cleaning nozzle 32a may be retracted after performing special cleaning or without performing special cleaning.

Examples of notification include sounding a buzzer or flashing a lamp. Notification may also be sent to the mobile device via the communication unit 28, or a combination of these may be used. Notification to the mobile device may be sent via either the short-range communication unit, the long-range communication unit, or both.

Special cleaning mode is a cleaning that cleans the cleaning nozzle itself, similar to the nozzle cleaning that is performed before and after local cleaning, and is preferably performed at a position behind the local cleaning position (for example, the nozzle cleaning position). Examples of special cleaning modes include cleaning that takes longer than normal nozzle cleaning, cleaning that uses more water per unit time, and cleaning that uses detergent.

Therefore, if it is determined that dirt is present and special cleaning is performed, the cleaning nozzle 32a will first retreat, and then, after the special cleaning is complete, will advance to a predetermined position for local cleaning. Furthermore, after the special cleaning is complete, the optical sensor 21 may take another image to confirm whether the dirt has been removed.

In this embodiment, the nozzle contamination determination is performed when the user cleans their private parts as described above, but it may also be performed when cleaning the nozzle, which is performed before or after the private parts are cleaned. In other words, it may be possible to determine whether the spray volume is appropriate or not based on an image of the nozzle cleaning spray state. In that case, it goes without saying that the reference image used for comparison is an image of the appropriate spray volume from the nozzle cleaning.

This nozzle contamination detection operation allows users to discover contamination on the cleaning nozzle 32a when actually cleaning their local areas. Furthermore, because the presence or absence of contamination is determined from an image of the spraying state, users can quickly identify contamination that could lead to abnormal spraying and take action early.

Furthermore, while systems that use images of dirt on the surface of the cleaning nozzle 32a may fail to detect dirt that leads to abnormal ejection or may detect dirt that does not lead to abnormal ejection, the system of this embodiment can detect dirt that directly leads to abnormal ejection.

Furthermore, if it is determined that there is dirt, in addition to issuing an alert, a special cleaning will be performed to remove the dirt, and if this special cleaning can clean the cleaning nozzle, local cleaning can be resumed immediately.

(4) Detergent Depletion Determination The detergent depletion determination may be performed after a person leaves the room or leaves their seat, as described above. Note that the operation in this example assumes that the continuous imaging of the optical sensor is stopped when the person leaves the room. The following explanation follows the flowchart in FIG. 8 (steps S300 to S307).

First, the illumination unit 26 is turned on, and the optical sensor 21 captures an image of the inside of the bowl portion 44, and then the illumination is turned off (steps S300-S303). In this case, continuous imaging is performed for a predetermined period of time. The image captured by the optical sensor 21 at this time is compared with a reference image stored in the memory unit 29 to determine whether the amount of foam B has reached the reference amount (step S304).

The key points for determining the appropriate amount of foam B include whether or not there are gaps in the foam B on the surface of the pooled water A, the surface area of the foam B, the area of the areas without foam B, and the thickness of the foam B at the gaps in the foam B, and a reference image 29a can be prepared based on these. Also, rather than comparing with the reference image 29a, the amount of foam can be calculated numerically based on whether or not there are gaps in the foam B on the surface of the pooled water A, the surface area of the foam B, the area of the areas without foam B, and the thickness of the foam B at the gaps in the foam B, and then compared with the reference value.

If it is determined that the amount of foam has not reached the reference amount, it is determined that the detergent tank 55a is out of detergent, a notification to that effect is issued by the notification unit 27, and the operation ends (Y in steps S305, S306, S307). If it is not determined that the detergent has run out, the operation ends (N in steps S305, S307).

Considering that the user has already left the room, the notification should preferably be made by sounding a buzzer, sending a notification to a mobile device via the communication unit 28 (preferably a long-distance communication unit), or a combination of these.

This type of detergent-depletion detection operation allows a person to know when to refill the detergent without having to directly check the detergent tank 55a. Furthermore, because the device itself automatically determines when the detergent is out, it reduces the time and effort required for a person to directly check the detergent tank 55a, allowing detergent to be replenished in a timely manner.

The operation in this diagram is a procedure for restarting the optical sensor 21, but it may also be performed while continuous imaging by the optical sensor 21 is continuing. In that case, it is sufficient to simply capture the image data when this determination is made. For example, the amount of foam may be detected using the most recent multiple image data.

(5) Clogging Determination Clogging determination may be initiated after a person leaves the room or leaves their seat, as described above. Note that the operation in this example assumes that the continuous imaging of the optical sensor 21 is stopped when the person leaves the room. The following is an explanation of the process in accordance with the flowchart in FIG. 9 (steps S400 to S411).

First, the lighting unit 26 is turned on, the optical sensor 21 captures an image of the inside of the bowl portion 44, and then the lighting is turned off (steps S400-S403). In this case, continuous imaging is performed for a predetermined period of time. By comparing the captured image data acquired by the optical sensor 21 with the reference image 29a stored in the memory unit 29, it is determined whether the water level in the bowl portion 44 exceeds the reference level (step S404).

The reference image 29a may be an image of the appropriate water level captured in advance by the optical sensor 21 attached to the bowl portion 44, and the reference level may be set to the upper threshold value of the appropriate level.

If it is determined that the water level exceeds the reference level, it is determined that a blockage has occurred in the bowl section 44, trap 49, etc., and the notification unit 27 notifies the user of this, the flushing prohibition mode is set, and operation ends (Y in steps S405, S406, S407, S411).

Considering that the user has already left the room, the notification should preferably be a buzzer, a notification to a mobile device via the communication unit 28 (preferably a long-distance communication unit), or a combination of these. It may also be possible to continue the notification by flashing a lamp so that an abnormality is detected when someone enters the room.

The flush prohibition mode is a mode in which toilet flushing, i.e., the supply of flush water to the bowl portion 44 and the drainage of water from the bowl portion 44 based on the operation of the trap 49, is not performed even when a flush command is issued. Note that the operating configuration may not require the setting to be changed to the flush prohibition mode.

It is also desirable that the cleaning prohibition mode be cancelled by providing a mode reset button (not shown) on the operation unit 30, and operating the mode reset button after clearing the clog. It is also desirable that the buzzer sound and lamp flashing continue to operate until the mode reset button is operated.

If no blockage is detected, the captured image data is then compared with another reference image 29a (an image showing the seal breaking level) to determine whether the water level in the bowl portion 44 has reached the seal breaking level (lower limit level) (step S408).

In this case, the reference image 29a may be an image of the water level at the seal-breaking level captured in advance by the optical sensor 21 attached to the bowl portion 44. Here, the seal-breaking level may be set slightly higher than the water level at which the seal will actually be broken.

If it is determined that the water level has not reached the seal-breaking level, it is determined that the seal has been broken, and at least one of additional water supply or notification that the seal has been broken is carried out, and the operation ends (Y in steps S409, S410, S411). If it is not determined that the seal has been broken, the operation ends (N in steps S409, S411).

This type of clogging detection operation allows for easy detection of water level abnormalities, enabling clogging to be diagnosed quickly. Furthermore, if multiple past image data are stored in the memory unit 29, the cause of the rising water level can be investigated based on this data.

In addition, in this embodiment, the seal breakage level is also checked using images, so not only can clogging be dealt with quickly, but seal breakage can also be dealt with quickly.

In the illustrated example, the operations (4) Determination of Detergent Runout and (5) Determination of Clogging first restart the optical sensor 21, but they may also be performed while continuous image capture by the optical sensor 21 continues. For example, instead of stopping continuous image capture by the optical sensor 21 when you leave the room, continuous image capture may be stopped after capturing images in operations (4) and (5) after you leave the room.

This Western-style toilet device 1 uses images captured by the optical sensor 21 for the above operations (1) to (5), and is configured using the same sensor. This allows for efficient use of the optical sensor 21. For example, by using the optical sensor 21 for capturing images of excrement to also determine whether detergent has run out, the manufacturing costs of a multi-function toilet with both health management and foreign object contamination monitoring (clogging prevention) functions can be reduced.

The Western-style toilet device 1 shown above is an integrated toilet lid 42 and toilet seat 43, but it may also be a Western-style toilet device 1A in which a toilet seat device 60 incorporating an integrated toilet lid 42 and toilet seat 43 can be retrofitted to a toilet unit 61 (see Figures 10 and 11). The following explanation will be based on Figures 10 and 11.

This Western-style toilet device 1A has components that are generally similar to those shown in Figure 1. In this embodiment, the human sensor 22, operating unit 30, toilet bowl cleaning unit 31, and private parts cleaning unit 32 are provided in a toilet unit 61 (see Figure 10). The detailed structure and operation of the Western-style toilet device 1A are the same as those shown in Figures 2 to 9, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
The basic configuration of the toilet seat device 60 will be described below.

This toilet seat device 60 constitutes a Western-style toilet device 1A by being assembled to a toilet unit 61 which has a bowl portion 44 for receiving excrement and a human presence sensor 22. The toilet seat device 60 is equipped with an optical sensor 21, a seating sensor 23, and a foreign object detection unit 11 which determines whether a foreign object E has entered the bowl portion 44. The optical sensor 21 is configured to capture an image of an object that has fallen into the bowl portion 44. When the human presence sensor 22 has detected a person but the seating sensor 23 has not detected a seated person, the foreign object detection unit 11 determines whether the fallen object is a foreign object E based on the image captured by the optical sensor 21, and if it is determined to be a foreign object E, it issues a warning that a foreign object has entered the toilet.

In addition, either the optical sensor 21 or the foreign matter detection unit 11 may be provided in the toilet unit 61 instead of the toilet seat device 60.

In addition to the foreign object detection function described above, this Western-style toilet device 1A may also have the ability to capture images of excrement received in the bowl portion 44, and may further have the following three functions: a function to determine the degree of dirt on the cleaning nozzle 32a of the genital cleaning portion 32, a function to determine whether the detergent tank 55a has run out of detergent, and a function to determine whether the bowl portion 44 is clogged.

A Western-style toilet device 1A with the function of capturing images of excrement may include a bowl portion 44 for receiving excrement, an optical sensor 21, and an excrement image control unit 10. The optical sensor 21 may be configured to capture images of excrement falling into the bowl portion 44. The excrement image control unit 10 may be configured to store the excrement images, transfer them to another terminal, and perform various analyses based on the excrement images.

The toilet unit 61 of the Western-style toilet apparatus 1A, which has the function of determining the soiling level of the flushing nozzle 32a, may be any apparatus that includes a bowl portion 44 for receiving excrement and a private parts washing portion 32 having a flushing nozzle 32a. The toilet seat apparatus 60, which will be described next, can be assembled to this toilet unit 61.

A toilet seat device 60 for a Western-style toilet device 1A with a function for determining the dirtiness of the flushing nozzle 32a may be equipped with an optical sensor 21 and a dirt determination unit 12 that detects the dirtiness of the flushing nozzle 32a. The imaging range of the optical sensor 21 may include the state of water being sprayed from the flushing nozzle 32a. The dirt determination unit 12 may be configured to detect the amount of water being sprayed based on an image of the spraying state captured by the optical sensor 21, and if the detected amount of water being sprayed does not reach a reference amount, determine that the nozzle is dirty and issue a notification that the nozzle is dirty.

Furthermore, to achieve this function, either the optical sensor 21 or the dirt determination unit 12 may be provided in the toilet bowl unit 61 instead of the toilet seat device 60, and the private parts cleaning unit 32 may be provided in the toilet seat device 60 instead of the toilet bowl unit 61.

The toilet unit 61 of the Western-style toilet apparatus 1A with a detergent shortage detection function is sufficient if it includes a bowl portion 44 for receiving excrement and a detergent tank 55a containing detergent for supplying foam to the water surface A in the bowl portion 44. The toilet seat apparatus 60, which will be described next, can be assembled to this toilet unit 61.

The toilet seat device 60 of the Western-style toilet device 1A with a detergent shortage detection function is simply equipped with an optical sensor 21 and a detergent shortage detection unit 13 that detects whether the detergent tank 55a has run out of detergent. The imaging range of the optical sensor 21 is sufficient to include the water surface A in the bowl portion 44. The detergent shortage detection unit 13 is configured to detect the amount of foam on the water surface A based on an image of the water surface A captured by the optical sensor 21 in a sealed state, and to determine that the detergent has run out if the detected amount of foam does not reach a predetermined amount, and to issue a warning that the detergent has run out.

Furthermore, to achieve this function, either the optical sensor 21 or the detergent shortage determination unit 13 may be provided in the toilet unit 61 instead of the toilet seat device 60.

The toilet unit 61 of the Western-style toilet device 1A with a clogging detection function can be any device that includes a bowl portion 44 for receiving excrement, and the toilet seat device 60, which will be described next, can be assembled to this toilet unit 61.

A toilet seat device 60 of a Western-style toilet device 1A with a clog detection function may be equipped with an optical sensor 21 and a clog detection unit 14 that detects clogs in the bowl portion 44. The imaging range of the optical sensor 21 may include the water surface A in the bowl portion 44. The clog detection unit 14 may be configured to detect the water level of the water surface A based on an image of the water surface A captured by the optical sensor 21 in a sealed state, and to determine that a clog has occurred if the detected water level is higher than a predetermined level and to issue a clog notification.

Furthermore, to achieve this function, either the optical sensor 21 or the clogging determination unit 14 may be provided in the toilet unit 61 instead of the toilet seat device 60.

The Western-style toilet device 1A according to this embodiment has the foreign object detection function as well as all four other functions. The optical sensor 21 used to realize these functions can be a sensor that is common to all functions.

The operation and effects of the above five functions are the same as those of the Western-style toilet device 1 shown in Figure 1, so explanation will be omitted.

1, 1A Western-style toilet device 3 Floor 5 CPU
7 Timing unit 10 Excrement image control unit 10a Analysis unit 11 Foreign matter contamination determination unit 12 Nozzle dirt determination unit 13 Detergent shortage determination unit 14 Clogging determination unit 20 Various detection units 21 Optical sensor 22 Human presence sensor 23 Sitting sensor 24 Toilet lid open/close detection unit 25 Toilet seat open/close detection unit 26 Lighting unit 27 Notification unit 28 Communication unit 29 Memory unit 29a Reference image 30 Operation unit 31 Toilet bowl flushing unit 32 Private parts flushing unit 32a Flushing nozzle 32b Nozzle case 32c Nozzle opening 40 Main body unit 41 Skirt unit 42 Toilet lid 43 Toilet seat 44 Bowl unit 45 Rim unit 45a Nozzle lid 46 Water supply port 47 Flushing water supply channel 48 Water supply valve 49 Trap 49a Drain outlet 50 Drive mechanism 51 Trap case 52 Discharge outlet 54 Foam forming section 55 Detergent mixing section 55a Detergent tank 55b Detergent supply valve 55c Detergent supply path 56 Bubble mixing section 56a Rapid pressure change section 56b Gas supply valve 60 Toilet seat device 61 Toilet bowl unit A Reservoir water surface B Foam C Jetted water D Feces E Foreign object

Claims (13)

a bowl portion for receiving excrement;
Toilet seat and
A seating sensor;
A human presence sensor,
an optical sensor;
a foreign matter contamination determination unit that determines whether a foreign matter has been introduced into the bowl portion,
The optical sensor is configured to capture an image of an object that falls into the bowl portion,
The foreign object detection unit, when the human presence sensor detects a person and the seat sensor does not detect a person sitting, determines whether a fallen object is a foreign object based on the image captured by the optical sensor, and if it determines that the object is a foreign object, alerts the user that a foreign object has been detected. In claim 1,
The foreign object detection unit uses at least one of the color, size, and shape of the fallen object contained in the image captured by the optical sensor as a criterion for determining whether the object is a foreign object. In claim 2,
The foreign object detection unit detects that the fallen object is toilet paper based on the captured image, and does not determine that the fallen object is a foreign object. In claim 2 or 3,
The foreign matter detection unit detects that the fallen object is urine based on the captured image, and does not determine that the fallen object is a foreign object. In any one of claims 1 to 4,
The foreign matter detection unit is configured to prohibit the supply of flush water to the bowl portion when it detects that a foreign matter has been detected. In any one of claims 1 to 5,
The western-style toilet device is characterized in that the optical sensor is also used to capture images of excrement. A toilet seat device that constitutes a Western-style toilet device by being assembled to a toilet unit having a bowl portion for receiving excrement and a human presence sensor,
an optical sensor;
A seating sensor;
a foreign matter contamination determination unit that determines whether a foreign matter has been introduced into the bowl portion,
The optical sensor is configured to capture an image of an object that falls into the bowl portion,
The foreign object detection unit, when the human presence sensor detects a person and the seat sensor does not detect a person sitting, determines whether a fallen object is a foreign object based on the image captured by the optical sensor, and if it determines that the object is a foreign object, alerts the user that a foreign object has been detected. In claim 7,
The toilet seat device is characterized in that the foreign object detection unit uses at least one of the color, size, and shape of the fallen object contained in the image captured by the optical sensor as a criterion for determining whether it is a foreign object. In claim 8,
The toilet seat device is characterized in that the foreign object detection unit detects that the fallen object is toilet paper based on the captured image, and does not determine that the fallen object is a foreign object. In claim 8 or 9,
The toilet seat device is characterized in that the foreign object detection unit detects that the fallen object is urine based on the captured image, and does not determine that the fallen object is a foreign object. In any one of claims 7 to 10,
The toilet seat apparatus is characterized in that the foreign matter detection unit prohibits the supply of flush water to the bowl portion when it determines that a foreign matter has been detected. In any one of claims 7 to 11,
The toilet seat device is characterized in that the optical sensor is also used to capture images of excrement. In any one of claims 7 to 12,
A toilet seat device, wherein one of the optical sensor and the foreign matter detection unit is provided in the toilet unit instead of the toilet seat device.