JPH0453219B2 - - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention provides a water soap discharge function that discharges water soap into a hand wash basin based on the operation of a sensor that detects the use of the hand wash basin, and a hand wash water The present invention relates to a hand washing device that operates a water spouting function and a warm air blowing function.

<Conventional technology> Conventionally, as this type of hand washing device, for example,
There is one disclosed in Publication No. 62-106732. These hand-washing devices are equipped with a sensing section facing inside the hand-washing basin.
A control unit is provided in the electric circuit that connects the sensing unit and the soap and water dispensing mechanism, the water discharging mechanism, and the warm air blowing mechanism to automatically activate each of these mechanisms in sequence at preset times, so that the user can wash their hands without having to wash their hands. By putting your hand into the container, first water soap will be discharged for a set time, then hand washing water will be discharged for a set time to wash your hands, and finally warm air will be discharged for a set time to dry your hands, or Some devices are equipped with manual switches that operate each of the above-mentioned mechanisms separately for a set time, and by operating these manual switches, the mechanisms corresponding to the manual switches are arbitrarily activated.

<Problems to be solved by the invention> However, with such conventional hand washing devices,
Even if each mechanism is automatically controlled based on the sensor, each mechanism will only operate for a set time, so when you want to wash your hands in a hurry, or when your hands are very dirty and you want to wash them twice, Furthermore, there is the problem that it is inconvenient when the hands are not dry enough, and in order to solve this problem, you have to operate the manual switch. There is a problem that it gets dirty easily and is unsanitary.

Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-95038 discloses the provision of a plurality of sensing sections, and it is considered to provide a sensing section dedicated to each mechanism that controls the operation of each of the above mechanisms separately, facing into the washbasin. It will be done.

However, in this case, each mechanism is placed close to each other taking usability into consideration, and the sensing areas of these dedicated sensing parts overlap, so the sensing part of the hot air blowing mechanism is first set to the sensing state. , If the hand moves while the hot air blowing mechanism is operating to dry the hands and the sensing parts of other mechanisms become sensitive, other mechanisms including the hot air blowing mechanism will start operating with priority. However, there is a problem in that not only does the drying process of the hands be interrupted due to soap or hand washing water being unexpectedly discharged onto the drying hands, but also that the hands have to be washed and dried again afterwards, making them inconvenient to use. .

The present invention has been made in view of the conventional circumstances, and a dedicated photoelectric sensor is provided for each of the soap and water discharging mechanisms, the water discharging mechanism, and the hot air blowing mechanism, and the above-mentioned functions can be performed by sensing these photoelectric sensors. The purpose of this invention is to enable selective activation of the sensor and at the same time prevent heavy sensing by each of the photoelectric sensors mentioned above during hand washing.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The means taken by the present invention to solve the above-mentioned problems are a photoelectric sensor that has the functions of discharging soap, water, and blowing hot air, and detects the user's hand. A hand washing device in which a control unit activates or stops each of the above functions based on a sensing signal of the hand washing device, in which a water soap discharge nozzle, a water spout, and a hot air outlet are installed in a part of the hand washing device that faces the user; , a photoelectric sensor dedicated to each function is provided in the vicinity of these, and the direction of the beam emitted from each of the photoelectric sensors is radially expanded and directed in three directions.

(Function) According to the above means, when each photoelectric sensor detects a hand held out in front of the soap discharge nozzle, water spout, and hot air outlet, each function receives the operation output from the control unit. It operated individually, discharging soap, water, and blowing hot air to the outstretched hand, and when the photoelectric sensor stopped sensing, the output from the control unit was cut off and it continued to operate. Function stops.

A total of three beams emitted individually from the photoelectric sensors for each of the above functions are spread radially and projected in three directions, and there is a sufficient distance between these beams near the bowl of the washbasin. provided.

(Effects) As explained above, the present invention arranges photoelectric sensors dedicated to each function near each device installed in parallel on the facing part of the hand washing basin, and projects beams emitted individually from each photoelectric sensor. Since the light direction is radially spread and directed in three directions, it is possible to selectively use each function while ensuring an easy-to-use sensing form. By providing a sufficient distance between the beams of each functional optical sensor in the vicinity, heavy sensing by the sensors can be effectively prevented.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

A shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a hand washing device that has both a water spouting function and an air blowing function.

The handwashing device A has a handwashing basin a installed in an opening 5a opened on the top surface of the counter 5, and a water soap discharge nozzle 1 and a water spout are installed in the area facing the user on the ball part _a of the handwashing basin a. 2 and a hot air outlet 3 for drying are installed at appropriate intervals in the lateral direction.

As shown in Fig. 3, the discharge nozzle 1, water spout 2, and air outlet 3 are installed at mounting ports c ₁ , c ₂ ,
c ₃ from the front side, fixing rings d ₁ , d ₂ , and d ₃ are screwed together from the back side to fix it to the washbasin a, and the above-mentioned discharge nozzle 1, water spout 2, and air outlet 3
are installed on _the circumferential surface of the ball part a of the washbasin a, so the area around these mounting parts can be neatly arranged with plenty of room as shown in Figure 1.

Further, a frame body 6a is assembled at the lower part of the counter 5, the periphery of this frame body 6a is covered with a decorative board 6b to form a storage part 6, and a drain pipe 7 of the ball part _a1 is installed in this storage part 6. In addition to piping, a hot water mixing faucet 8 that sends hot water to the water outlet 2, a hot air fan 9 that sends air to the outlet 3, and an electromagnetic pump 10 that sends water soap to the water soap discharge nozzle 1 are installed inside. .

The electromagnetic pump 10 supplies water soap stored in a water soap tank 11 installed inside the wash basin a to the discharge nozzle 1 through a communication pipe 12, Water and soap can be poured into the replenishment port 1 on the front side of handwash basin a.
From 2 onwards, it will be replenished.

The hot and cold water mixing faucet 8 mixes water and hot water supplied from a water supply pipe (not shown) to a desired temperature by adjusting the handle 8a. The water is supplied to the water outlet 2 via the electromagnetic valve 13 and the water supply pipe 14.

The hot air fan 9 heats the air taken in through the suction port 9a with the heater 9b to form hot air,
5 and is ejected from the outlet 3.

Further, a control section 4 is installed within the storage section 6.

The control unit 4 includes the electromagnetic pump 10 and the electromagnetic valve 1 described above.
3. Supply and stop the operating output to the hot air fan 9, and the water soap discharge nozzle 1, the water spout 2,
It electrically communicates with photoelectric sensors b ₁ , b ₂ , b ₃ dedicated to each function provided below the air outlet 3, and dispenses water soap based on the sensing signals of these photoelectric sensors b ₁ , b ₂ , b ₃ . , water discharge, and hot air blowout.

The photoelectric sensors b ₁ , b ₂ , b ₃ have a light emitting function and a light receiving function, and emit beams b′ ₁ , b′ ₂ ,
While projecting the beam b′ ₃ and receiving the reflected light when the beams b′ ₁ , b′ ₂ , b′ ₃ hit the hands of the user who held it out, the controller 5 In contrast, it outputs a sensing signal.

When any of the photoelectric sensors b ₁ , b ₂ , b ₃ of each function detects the user's hand, the control unit 5 activates that function, and also stops the operation when the above-mentioned sensing is cut off. It's summery.

Further, the beam projection direction of each photoelectric sensor b ₁ , b ₂ , b ₃ is radially spread in three directions as shown in the figure. By doing this, a sufficient distance is provided between the beams b' ₁ , b' ₂ , b' ₃ in the vicinity of the ball part a ₁ of the wash basin a where the user's hand is extended; Adjacent photoelectric sensors b ₁ , b ₂ ,
b ₃ heavy sensing can be prevented.

In normal cases, the user uses water soap discharge, water discharge, hot air blowout (drying), and photoelectric sensor b ₁ for each function.
The hand washing process is continued by placing the hand in front of b ₂ and b ₃ in order, but if the hand washes with water spouting and then moves to drying, the hand will not go back to spouting water again. From this, the control unit 4 turns off the light emitting or light receiving function of the water spouting sensor b ₂ when the hot air blowing sensor b ₃ senses that the sensing of water spouting is cut off, thereby stopping the water spouting function. The water discharging function is designed to prevent malfunction during drying.

Furthermore, after a predetermined period of time has elapsed since the hot air blowing sensor b ₃ ceases sensing, the function of the water spouting sensor b ₂ is turned on to return the water spouting function to an operable state.

Next, the basic operations set in the control section 4 of the hand washing device A having the above configuration will be explained based on the time chart shown in FIG.

Sensors for water soap discharge, water discharge, and warm air blowout
b ₁ , b ₂ , and b ₃ recognize the sensing state when the user's hand is detected for more than T ₁ hour, and cancel the sensing for less than T ₁ hour to prevent each function from operating indiscriminately.

In addition, in the sensing state, when sensing is interrupted for T ₄ hours or more, it is recognized that the state has been converted to a non-sensing state, and even if sensing is interrupted for a period of less than that period, sensing is continued, and each function is unexpectedly activated. It seems like it hasn't stopped yet.

Therefore, when the user extends his hand to the water soap discharge nozzle 1 and the photoelectric sensor b1 detects this for more than T ₁ hour, the electromagnetic pump ₁₀ operates intermittently at intervals of T ₂ hours and T ₃ hours. Then, water soap is discharged from the discharge nozzle 1. Then, when the hand covered with water soap is pulled from in front of the photoelectric sensor b ₁ and the non-sensing state continues for T ₄ hours or more, the electromagnetic pump 10 stops.

After washing your hands with soap, hold your hand out to the spout 2, and when the photoelectric sensor b ₂ detects this for more than T ₁ hour, the solenoid valve 13 opens and the desired temperature of hot water mixed at the mixer faucet 8 is released from the spout 2. Hot water or water is spewed out.

After washing your hands with water from the spout 2, when you move your hands to the hot air outlet 3, the solenoid valve 13 will close after ₄ hours.
The valve closes and water discharging stops, and the photoelectric sensor b ₃
Detects the user's hand and _one hour later, the hot air fan 9 is activated and hot air is blown out from the air outlet 3.

As mentioned above, when the hot air blowing sensor b ₃ is sensed after the water discharging sensor b ₂ stops sensing,
The control unit 4 turns off the function of the water discharging sensor _b2 to stop the water discharging function, thereby stopping the water discharging function from malfunctioning during drying.

After drying the hand with hot air, the hand is pulled out from the air outlet 3 and if the non-sensing state continues for _T4 hours or more, the hot air fan 9 stops.

Further, when a predetermined period of time has elapsed after the hot air blowing sensor b ₃ ceases sensing, the control unit 4 turns on the function of the water spouting photoelectric sensor b ₂ to return the water spouting function to an operable state.

The hand washing device A includes a discharge nozzle 1, a spout 2,
Since the air outlets 3 are arranged side by side on the circumferential surface of the ball part _a1 at appropriate intervals in the lateral direction,
It is very easy to use because it allows you to wash and dry your hands naturally, and it also allows you to wash your hands more efficiently.

Note that the above-mentioned hand washing device A may be configured not only for hand washing but also for washing.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a partially cutaway front view showing a hand washing device embodying the present invention, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal side view of the device, and Fig. 3
The figure is a partially cutaway plan view of the same device, FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the beam directions of each photoelectric sensor, and FIG. 5 is a time chart showing the basic operation. In the figure, A: hand washing device, a: hand washing basin, a ₁ : ball, 1: water soap outlet, 2: water outlet, 3: temperature outlet, b ₁ , b ₂ , b ₃ : photoelectric sensor, 4: control section.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. In a hand washing device that has the functions of discharging soap, water, and blowing hot air, the control unit activates or stops each of the above functions based on the detection signal of a photoelectric sensor that detects the user's hand. A water soap discharge nozzle, a water spout, and a hot air outlet are installed side by side in the part of the device that faces the user, and photoelectric sensors dedicated to each function are installed near these. A hand washing device characterized in that the direction of the beam emitted is radially expanded and directed in three directions.