JPH0518000Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial application field] The present invention relates to a toilet seat occupancy detection device that detects the seating load acting on the pivot of the toilet seat and turns on a local cleaning device, etc. .

[Conventional technology]

Recently, there has been a trend of devices being attached to toilet bowls that squirt cleansing water (including warm water) to the user's private parts to clean the user's private parts after use. Therefore, in the case of a toilet bowl equipped with such a private parts cleaning device, a child or the like may mischievously touch the switches of the private parts cleaning device, or an elderly person or the like may try to operate the switches incorrectly. Therefore, even when the toilet is not in use, the cleaning water may be ejected from the cleaning nozzle and may hit the face or body part of an infant or elderly person, or the ceiling, etc., staining their clothes or causing their clothes to get wet. There were disadvantages such as stains being left on the walls and ceilings and walls becoming susceptible to early corrosion. In particular, if you left the toilet with the switches still turned on, the problem was that the flushing water would continue to spray out.

Therefore, in the past, in addition to the operation switch for the private parts cleaning circuit, a safety device was installed to control the cleaning circuit so that the cleaning circuit of the private parts cleaning device became operational only when the user was seated on the toilet seat.
A seating detection device that controls ON/OFF is installed along with the toilet seat. As a conventional seating detection device, for example, the Utility Model No. 58-1 shown in FIGS.
The technique described in No. 140280 is known. As shown in the figure, this seating detection device has a bearing 3 (only one side is shown in Figs. ) and a detection means 5 for detecting the seating load acting on either one of the bearings 3. The detection means 5 includes a bearing 3 disposed so as to be movable up and down.
It consists of a compression spring 6 that supports the , a switch operation piece 7 attached to the bearing 3, and a limit switch 8.

In such a conventional seating detection device, when a toilet user sits on the toilet seat, the seated load of the user is transmitted to the switch operation piece 7 via the pivot shaft 2 and the bearing 3, and the operation is performed. Piece 7 will now be lowered. During the downward movement of the operating piece 7, the movable piece 8a of the limit switch 8 is pressed down to turn it on. As described above, the ON operation of the limit switch 8 enables the local cleaning circuit to operate ON.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, since the conventional seating detection device uses the limit switch 8, the downward stroke of the switch operation piece 7 to operate it requires at least 5 mm (usually 5 to 8 mm). This has the disadvantage that the detection means 5 becomes larger. In addition, if such a large stroke is formed, the seating load transmitted to the switch operation piece 7 may be insufficient when the user bends forward to apply the washing water to private parts or shifts his or her weight laterally. However, there was a drawback that the lowering operation of the switch operation piece 7 stopped midway and the limit switch 8 turned OFF. In other words, the operation of the seating detection device was uncertain.

Furthermore, in order to increase the downward stroke of the switch operation piece 7, as shown in FIG.
It is essential to form a gap A for lowering the rubber legs between the rubber legs 9 provided near the rear end and the toilet seat mounting surface 10a of the toilet bowl 10. However, forming the gap A has the disadvantage that the toilet seat 1 itself is installed at an angle in the front-rear direction of the toilet bowl 10, which causes the toilet seat 1 to lose its sense of stability in appearance and reduce its commercial value. It was hot. Furthermore, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG.
If a is raised due to a manufacturing error or the like, the clearance A for lowering the rubber leg 9 cannot be secured, and the seated state of the user cannot be detected. This was a big problem because the toilet bowl 10 itself is a fired product and it is virtually impossible to uniformly control its dimensions.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention improves and eliminates the above-mentioned conventional problems, and provides a seating detection device that shortens the operating stroke, guarantees reliable operation, and can be attached to a toilet seat with a good appearance. That is.

Therefore, the means adopted by the present invention in order to solve the above-mentioned problems is a toilet seat occupancy detection device that detects the seating load acting on the pivot of the toilet seat and turns on the local cleaning device etc. A pressure-sensitive switch covered with an elastic outer skin is erected on the base of the toilet seat box, and a bearing housing including a receiving part for the pivot and a box-shaped part with an open bottom is arranged below the pivot. The box-shaped portion is slidably fitted onto the elastic outer skin, and the upper end surface of the elastic outer skin is brought into surface contact with the ceiling wall surface within the box-shaped portion.

[Effect]

As is clear from the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the seating load acting on the pivot shaft 2 of the toilet seat 1 is
and a box-shaped portion 18, and the entire bearing housing 19 is lowered. As the bearing housing 19 descends, the elastic outer skin 21 which is in surface contact with the ceiling wall surface 24 within the box-shaped portion 18 is pressed downward in FIG. Then, the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 26 of the pressure-sensitive switch 20 senses the seating load and becomes conductive, and the contact 27
and 28 are made conductive. In other words, pressure sensitive switch 2
Turn 0 ON. As a result, the private part cleaning circuit 31 is enabled to turn on via the relay 30.

In this way, when the pressure sensitive switch 20 is pressed under the seating load, the elastic outer skin 21
It works ON. Therefore, the downward stroke of the bearing housing 19 is 1 to 1, which is necessary for the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 26 to sense pressure and become conductive.
A slight stroke of about 3 mm is sufficient. Therefore, even if the toilet user shifts his/her weight while seated, it is possible to reliably detect the seated state.

〔Example〕

The configuration of the present invention will be explained below based on the embodiments shown in the drawings. Note that the same reference numerals as in the conventional case represent the same members.

1 to 3 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the attachment relationship of the toilet seat box 11, seating detection device 15, and toilet seat 1, and FIG. Vertical cross-sectional view of the detection device 15, third
The figure is a circuit diagram of the device 15. Figures 1 and 2
As shown in the figure, vertical slits 12, 12 are bored in the toilet seat box 11 corresponding to the toilet seat pivots 2, 2, and when these are installed, the pivots 2, 2 are not affected by the seating load. Therefore, it can be moved up and down. The seating detection device 15 includes a bearing housing 19 including a receiving part 16 for the pivot shaft 2, a box-shaped part 18 with an open bottom, and a connecting part 17 connecting these parts, and an upper and lower elastic outer body made of rubber or the like. It is formed of an auxiliary electrode 25, a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 26, and a pressure-sensitive switch 20 with contacts 27 and 28 mounted inside the skins 21 and 22. The pressure-sensitive switch 20 has a cylindrical shape in this embodiment, and is fitted into a casing 14 that is integrally formed on the base 13 of the toilet seat box 11, and its wiring 32 and 33 are connected to the elastic outer skin 22 and the casing. It is designed to be led out to the circuit section of the toilet seat box 11 through an opening 34 formed in the side surface of the toilet seat box 11. The bearing housing 19 has a recess 16 in the receiving portion 16.
a receives the pivot shaft 2 below, and the box-shaped portion 18 is externally fitted onto the casing 14 of the pressure-sensitive switch 20. In this state, the upper end surface 23 of the elastic outer skin 21 is in surface contact with the ceiling wall surface 24 within the box-shaped portion 18 .

The electric circuit of the seating detection device 15 is as shown in FIG. 3, for example. In this circuit, a 100V AC power source is lowered to 24V by a transformer 35, and then full-wave rectified by a rectifier 36. Then, the output side of the rectifier 36 is made into a closed circuit, and the contacts 27 and 28 of the pressure-sensitive switch 20 and the relay 3 are connected in the middle of the wiring.
0, and the relay contacts 37 and 38 are connected to a power supply circuit (not shown) of the private part cleaning circuit 31, etc.

Next, the operation mode of the seating detection device 15 configured as described above will be explained. First, the person using the toilet seat 1
When the toilet seat is seated, the seating load is transmitted to the receiving portion 16 of the bearing housing 19 via the toilet seat pivot 2, and the entire bearing housing 19 is lowered. This lowering of the bearing housing 19 causes the box-shaped portion 18 to
An elastic body outer skin 2 that is in surface contact with the inner ceiling wall surface 24
1 is pressed downward in FIG. Then, the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 26 of the pressure-sensitive switch 20 senses the pressing force and becomes conductive, thereby making the contacts 27 and 28 conductive. In other words, the pressure sensitive switch 20 is turned on. As a result, contacts 37 and 38 of relay 30 are closed, and private part cleaning circuit 31 is enabled for ON operation. Here, since the downward movement of the bearing housing 19 is performed while the casing 14 and the box-shaped portion 18 are fitted together, the box-shaped portion 18
will be guided to the casing 14,
Stable descending motion and ascending motion for recovery are possible. Note that the return operation is performed using the elastic body outer skin 2.
This is done by the restoring force of 1.22. Moreover, the upper end surface 23 of the elastic body outer skin 21 and the box-shaped portion 18
It is in surface contact with the inner ceiling wall surface 24, and it is possible to stably transmit the seating load to the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 26. In addition, since the elastic body outer cover 21 and the box-shaped portion 18 are in surface contact, the wear of the elastic body outer cover 21 due to repeated use is reduced, and the service life can be extended.

In this way, when the pressure-sensitive switch 20 is pressed under the seating load, the elastic outer skin 21
It works ON. Therefore, the downward stroke of the bearing housing 19 may be as small as 1 to 3 mm, which is necessary for the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber 26 to become conductive. Therefore, even if the user of the toilet shifts his or her weight while seated, the sitting load for obtaining the stroke of about 1 to 3 mm still acts on the pivot shaft 2, and the seated state can be reliably detected. Is possible. In other words, the seating detection device 15 does not malfunction and becomes a highly reliable device. Further, since the downward stroke of the bearing housing 19 is short, the toilet seat 1 can be installed without being inclined in the front-rear direction of the toilet bowl 10, and the appearance is good.

By the way, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and can be modified as appropriate. For example, the pressure sensitive switch 20 and the box-shaped portion 18 may have a shape other than a cylinder. In addition, in the case of a type where the toilet seat box 11 is not installed, the pressure sensitive switch 20 is connected to the toilet bowl 10 (see Fig. 4).
It may be installed directly on the upper rear surface of the Furthermore, the seating detection device 15 may be a device that controls a warm air drying device and the ON/OFF states of both of these devices in addition to the private part cleaning device.

[Effect of idea]

As explained above, in the present invention, the downward stroke of the bearing housing for operating the pressure-sensitive switch is set to a small stroke of about 1 to 3 mm, which is necessary for the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber to become conductive. can do. Therefore, even if the toilet user shifts his or her weight while seated, the seated state can be reliably detected and reliable operation is possible. Furthermore, since the downward stroke of the bearing housing is short, the toilet seat can be installed without being inclined in the front-rear direction of the toilet bowl, and the appearance is good.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1 to 3 relate to one embodiment of the present invention, with Figure 1 being an exploded perspective view showing the attachment relationship between the toilet seat box, the toilet seat, and the seating detection device, and Figure 2 being a longitudinal cross-section of the seating detection device. 3 is an electrical circuit diagram of the device, FIGS. 4 to 7 are related to the prior art, FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the entire toilet bowl equipped with a private parts cleaning device, and FIG. 6 is a side view of the device, and FIG. 7 is a partial side view showing the attachment relationship between the toilet seat and the toilet bowl. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Toilet seat, 2... Pivot, 31... Local cleaning circuit, 15... Seating detection device, 11... Toilet seat box, 13... Base, 21, 22... Elastic body outer skin,
20... Pressure sensitive switch, 16... Receiving part, 18...
...Box-shaped portion, 19... Bearing housing, 23... Upper end surface of elastic body outer skin, 24... Ceiling wall surface inside box-shaped portion.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] In the toilet seat occupancy detection device that detects the sitting load acting on the pivot of the toilet seat and turns on the local cleaning device, etc., a pressure-sensitive switch covered with an elastic outer skin is installed on the base of the toilet seat box. At the same time, a bearing housing including a receiving portion for the pivot shaft and a box-shaped portion with an open bottom surface is disposed below the pivot shaft, and the box-shaped portion is slidably fitted onto the outer skin of the elastic body. A seating detection device for a toilet seat, characterized in that an upper end surface of an elastic outer skin is brought into surface contact with a ceiling wall surface within the box-shaped portion.