US20210301512A1 - Sanitary installation - Google Patents

Sanitary installation Download PDF

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US20210301512A1
US20210301512A1 US17/201,258 US202117201258A US2021301512A1 US 20210301512 A1 US20210301512 A1 US 20210301512A1 US 202117201258 A US202117201258 A US 202117201258A US 2021301512 A1 US2021301512 A1 US 2021301512A1
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Prior art keywords
sensor
flushing
control device
sanitary installation
distance
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US17/201,258
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English (en)
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Franziska Sophie Wülker
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Duravit AG
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Duravit AG
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    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03D—WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
    • E03D5/00—Special constructions of flushing devices, e.g. closed flushing system
    • E03D5/10—Special constructions of flushing devices, e.g. closed flushing system operated electrically, e.g. by a photo-cell; also combined with devices for opening or closing shutters in the bowl outlet and/or with devices for raising/or lowering seat and cover and/or for swiveling the bowl
    • E03D5/105—Special constructions of flushing devices, e.g. closed flushing system operated electrically, e.g. by a photo-cell; also combined with devices for opening or closing shutters in the bowl outlet and/or with devices for raising/or lowering seat and cover and/or for swiveling the bowl touchless, e.g. using sensors
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03D—WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
    • E03D1/00—Water flushing devices with cisterns ; Setting up a range of flushing devices or water-closets; Combinations of several flushing devices
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
    • E03D—WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
    • E03D9/00—Sanitary or other accessories for lavatories ; Devices for cleaning or disinfecting the toilet room or the toilet bowl; Devices for eliminating smells
    • E03D9/08—Devices in the bowl producing upwardly-directed sprays; Modifications of the bowl for use with such devices ; Bidets; Combinations of bowls with urinals or bidets; Hot-air or other devices mounted in or on the bowl, urinal or bidet for cleaning or disinfecting

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a sanitary installation comprising a sanitary object in the form of a WC and to a flushing apparatus which can be actuated by means of a control device with at least one assigned sensor device for automatically flushing as a function of at least one sensor information item.
  • Modern sanitary installations increasingly provide means for automatic flushing, that is to say the user no longer has to flush himself but rather this is done automatically by means of a control device and a flushing apparatus which can be actuated by means of said device.
  • a sensor device is provided which is assigned to the control device and which acquires sensor information, on the basis of which the control device can determine whether a flushing process is to be started and, if flushing is not carried out with just one flushing quantity, also to determine whether, for example, flushing has to be carried out with a small or large quantity of flushing water.
  • Such a sensor device usually permits just one time-based control operation, that is to say the sensor device senses how long a person sits, for example, on the WC or position-related flushing takes place by checking whether the user is seated or standing, that is to say depending on where they are positioned.
  • a sensor for example a capacitive sensor
  • a proximity sensor which senses how near a user is to the WC.
  • the invention is therefore based on the problem of specifying a sanitary installation which is improved in comparison with the above and which permits the quantity of flushing water to be metered in a way which is appropriate for the requirements.
  • the invention provides that in a sanitary installation of the type mentioned at the beginning the control device for determining the position of a user or a body part of the user relative to the WC over time is configured on the basis of the sensor information and is configured to actuate the flushing apparatus with a variable quantity of flushing water as a function of the position progression plotted over time.
  • sensor information which specifies the position of the user or of a body part of the user (e.g. upper body or back, head or rear of head) relative to the WC, that is to say corresponding position data, is continuously recorded over time.
  • This determined movement pattern is generally typical of the type of use, that is to say on the basis of the determined position progression or movement pattern it is possible to infer whether the user has only urinated or has also defecated.
  • the position of the user or of the body part of the user, for example of the upper body, relative to the WC is then continuously determined, that is to say the sensor information supplies correspond position data which is recorded over time, starting with the approach up to the movement away.
  • This chronological data accordingly results in a movement pattern or a movement sequence which is analyzed by the control device, in order to determine a correspondingly typical movement pattern for a specific type of use, in order then to correspondingly set or select the flushing quantity on the basis of this movement characteristic or the determined type of use.
  • Typical movement patterns are e.g.:
  • WC and, for example, moves only to a fairly close distance, for example, from the sensor device which is installed a WC-side rear wall.
  • the control device On the basis of the possibility of making a more detailed differentiation of the respective type of use it is then, however, also possible for the control device to plausibly decide whether flushing should be performed only briefly and with a small amount of flushing water, because the user only urinated, or, for example for a longer period or with somewhat more flushing water because the user has urinated and at the same time used toilet paper, or for a long time and with a large amount of flushing water because defecation with use of toilet paper has taken place.
  • the sanitary installation according to the invention permits the quantity of flushing water to be varied as a function of the determined type of use.
  • the WC can either be flushed with at least two quantities of flushing water which are defined but of different magnitudes. That is to say flushing can be performed with a small quantity of flushing water and a large quantity of flushing water. Flushing is only performed with a small amount of flushing water if it has been sensed that the user has only urinated, possibly also with toilet paper. Flushing is carried out with a large amount of flushing water if defecation took place.
  • flushing water specifically a small quantity of flushing water if the user has only urinated, a somewhat larger quantity of flushing water if the user has urinated and used toilet paper, and a large quantity of flushing water if the user has defecated and used toilet paper.
  • control device can select the selected quantity of flushing water in a variable fashion between a minimum quantity of flushing water and a maximum quantity of flushing water. This is because it can also easily be possible to configure the quantity of flushing water in different ways on the basis of the large amount of information which can be derived from the movement pattern.
  • control device is configured to compare the position information determined over time with use-specific reference information. That is to say ultimately the movement pattern which is determined from the position information or the position data is compared with reference movement patterns, in order to infer from this comparison the type of use which is assigned to the determined movement pattern.
  • Each reference movement pattern is assigned a specific type of use to which in turn a specific quantity of flushing water to be selected is assigned. The corresponding quantity of flushing water is then metered as a function of the comparison and of the reference movement pattern which results as the best corresponding to the determined movement pattern.
  • control device is also able to use suitable evaluation algorithms to detect repeating movements such as, for example, repeated extraction and use of toilet paper, and to assign a movement pattern to a reference pattern, even if the two patterns resulting, for example, from the frequency of the extraction and use of toilet paper diverge from one another over time.
  • the algorithm can be e.g. a neural network or the like.
  • the sensing of the type of use depends, as described, on continuous sensing of the position of the user himself/herself or a body part such as, for example, his/her upper body relative to the positionally fixed WC.
  • the sensor device serves for this, as described.
  • Said device is preferably a positionally fixed distance sensor owing to which the distance from the user or the body part can be determined as sensor information, and which distance sensor communicates with the control device.
  • This positionally fixed distance sensor therefore continuously determines the position of the user relative to the likewise positionally fixed WC starting with the approach of the person to the WC from a specific minimum distance.
  • the sensor device can be arranged at different positions relative to the WC. Said sensor can be arranged to the side thereof, for example on a side wall which runs adjacent to the WC. Said sensor can preferably be arranged behind the WC and preferably there in a rear wall on which the WC is arranged. Finally, the sensor device can also be arranged above the WC, that is to say for example in the ceiling.
  • the senor device and, in particular, the distance sensor is arranged on a wall near to the WC, it is preferably arranged on a rear wall where it can either be installed directly on the wall or on a manual flush activation device arranged on a rear wall, or on the activation panel of said device.
  • the sensor device and, in particular, the distance sensor itself can be an infrared sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a radar sensor, a thermal radiation sensor such as a passive infrared sensor or a thermopile element or a capacitive sensor.
  • an infrared sensor, ultrasonic sensor or radar sensor is used, the sensing of position can be carried out, for example, by means of a time-of-flight measurement or by means of triangulation or else on an intensity basis. This means that different sensor devices can be used, with the enumeration not being conclusive.
  • At least one further sensor device in the form of a capacitive sensor which is arranged on or in a WC seat or on the WC itself.
  • This further sensor device ultimately constitutes a proximity sensor which permits the person to be sensed even if they are standing or seated near to the WC.
  • This additional sensor device can supply additional sensor information which can serve, if appropriate, as a redundancy for the sensor information which is supplied via the distance sensor.
  • the sensor device or the further sensor device in the form of a proximity sensor it is also possible to sense whether after the end of the use of the toilet the user is still relatively close to the WC or whether he moves slowly away from the WC. If the user is still close to the WC, use should not occur. That is to say if the user is still located at less than a define threshold value away from the WC, the automatic flushing process can still be disabled on the basis of this further sensor information until the user has moved far enough away.
  • Modern sanitary installations also now have a WC-mounted bidet wash device which can be controlled by means of the control device or a further control device and which makes it possible to wash a body part of the user with water after use.
  • This bidet wash device can be actuated by the user by activating an activation element.
  • the control of the quantity of flushing water can then take place by taking into account the basic operation, the type of operation or the duration of the operation of the bidet wash device. That is to say the fact that the bidet wash device is used is included in the determination of the necessary quantity of flushing water. In this context, in the simplest way it is possible to take into account only whether the bidet wash device is basically operated or not.
  • the bidet wash device it is furthermore also possible to take into account the type of operation of the bidet wash device, that is to say whether it is to be used as an anal wash device or as a vaginal wash device.
  • the type of operation of the bidet wash device that is to say whether it is to be used as an anal wash device or as a vaginal wash device.
  • it is to be assumed that defecation has occurred and if only the vaginal wash device is used it can be assumed that only miction has occurred.
  • the duration of the operation of the bidet wash device since in the case of defecation washing will occur for longer than in the case of miction.
  • the automatic flushing can be disabled when a positioned progression which is atypical of a use of the WC is sensed by the control device. If the WC is cleaned, a person also approaches and moves away from the WC. The movement pattern differs, however, significantly from the typical movement pattern of the toilet being used. If the control device then determines such an atypical position progression or an atypical movement pattern, the automatic flushing process is basically disabled, since it is then certain that irregular use of the toilet is not occurring.
  • FIG. 1 shows a basic illustration of three different partial figures which show the movement sequence during standing miction
  • FIG. 2 shows a basic illustration of five different partial figures which show the movement sequence during miction with use of toilet paper or defecation with use of toilet paper,
  • FIG. 3 shows a diagram illustrating the position data progression and therefore the movement pattern for miction when standing
  • FIG. 4 shows a diagram illustrating the position data progression or the movement pattern for miction when seated with use of toilet paper
  • FIG. 5 shows a diagram illustrating the position data progression or movement pattern for defecation with use of toilet paper
  • FIG. 6 shows a basic illustration of a sanitary installation according to a first embodiment
  • FIG. 7 shows a basic illustration of a sanitary installation according to a second embodiment
  • FIG. 8 shows a basic illustration of a sanitary installation according to a third embodiment.
  • FIG. 1 is in the form of three partial figures a), b) and c) showing the movement sequence of a person 1 while they approach a sanitary installation 2 according to the invention (partial figure a)), during the use of the sanitary installation 2 (partial figure b)) and as they move away from the sanitary installation 2 (partial figure c)).
  • the person approaches the sanitary installation 2 comprising a WC 3 .
  • the sanitary installation 2 will be described in more detail below with reference to the corresponding drawings.
  • the sanitary installation 2 comprises a sensor device 4 with a positionally fixed distance sensor, with an assigned control device, wherein distance of the person 1 from the WC 3 is sensed continuously by means of the distance sensor, starting from a specific distance threshold.
  • the sensor device or the distance sensor is arranged on a rear wall of the WC 3 or on an activation panel which is installed there and permits manual flushing.
  • Said sensor device or distance sensor is arranged in such a way that it senses the back or the rear part of the head of the person 1 when they are seated, but also when the person 1 is standing.
  • the person 1 therefore approaches the WC 3 as shown in the partial figure c), which brings about a running change in position relative to the WC 3 and therefore to the distance sensor.
  • the person 1 remains standing in front of the WC 3 and urinates in a standing position, see partial figure b).
  • the position of the person 1 relative to the WC 3 remains virtually constant, which is also sensed by means of the distance sensor.
  • the person 1 moves away from the WC 3 again, as is shown in partial figure c). This movement also in turn brings about a change in position, which is sensed by means of the distance sensor.
  • FIG. 1 shows a movement example of standing miction
  • FIG. 2 shows five partial FIGS. 5 a )- e ) of a movement example of either miction in a seated position or of defecation, in the movement patterns if the two different types of use partially overlap.
  • the person 1 again approaches the sanitary installation 2 or the WC 3 , which is sensed in turn by means of the sensor device 4 in the form of the distance sensor.
  • the person 1 When an end position is reached, the person 1 will turn around and sit down, as shown in partial figure b). If the person 1 only urinates, they will briefly sit on the WC 3 and their position will not change significantly in the process. Usually, a person sits on the WC either slightly bent forward or more or less upright, with this position being largely maintained during the miction which lasts for a relatively short time.
  • the person 1 stands up again and moves away from the WC 3 , as is illustrated in turn in partial figure e).
  • All these movement processes are in turn sensed by means of the distance sensor.
  • the distance of the person 1 from the WC 3 reduces as they approach until they have reached the end position and sat down. If it is assumed that the person for whom, depending on their body size, the position of the head or of the upper body relative to the WC is sensed while sitting by means of the distance sensor and their position is maintained during use, the position is hardly changed during the use process according to partial figure b). However, if it is assumed that the person relatively frequently bends forward and assumes an upright position again, corresponding changes in position in turn occur during the sensing of the position of the head, which is in turn sensed by means of the recorded position data in the course of the process.
  • the position of the person 1 or of a body part such as, in particular, the upper body or head relative to the WC 3 is continuously determined as described over time, that is to say a large quantity of data is collected over time, which data can be output as a curve and shows the position progression and therefore a corresponding movement pattern for the preceding use process.
  • a first example of such sensor information progression or position data progression is shown in FIG. 3 .
  • the time t is plotted along the abscissa, the distance of the person from the distance sensor along the ordinate, and said distance sensor is positionally fixed, as is also the WC 3 , the position of the person relative to the WC 3 is therefore also positionally fixed.
  • the distance sensor is positioned vertically in such a way that it picks up essentially the upper body area or abdominal area of the person approaching the WC 3 .
  • the person approaches the WC 3 , wherein when a threshold distance d s is reached the sensor device picks up the corresponding distance information and the control device receives this and processes it.
  • the data collection starts at the time t 1 .
  • the person 1 is still approaching the WC 3 at the time t 2 , and the distance decreases relatively quickly, see curve branch I.
  • said person reaches an end position and stops, which is apparent from the curve K, when the distance value d then has a virtually constant profile, as is illustrated in the curve branch II. This is due to the fact that the person 1 remains stationary in front of the WC 3 and urinates in a standing position. This use process continues to point t 3 .
  • the urination process is ended and the person 1 turns around again and moves away from the WC 3 , which in turn causes the distance values d to increase again relatively strongly, see curve branch III, until the threshold distance d s is in turn reached and the distance measurement is ended.
  • a the time t 4 the distance is in turn greater than d s , and the distance measurement is ended.
  • a movement progression which is typical for this type of WC use and is depicted in the form of the movement pattern plotted against the curve K is then obtained.
  • the control device of the sanitary installation 2 is then able to sense and analyze this position progression and therefore the movement pattern and compare them with reference data or reference patterns, in order to determine exactly the movement process which has taken place and therefore the use process and to sense how large the quantity of flushing water with which automatic flushing will be carried out after the use is to be.
  • the reference movement patterns are assigned corresponding quantities of flushing water, wherein after the definition of the corresponding reference pattern or determination, according to curve K, of what type of use was then occurring, the control device selects the assigned flushing pattern, that is to say correspondingly defines the quantity of flushing water. In this case, since the movement pattern or curve K indicated standing miction, only a small quantity of flushing water is required.
  • FIG. 3 shows a distance value d sit .
  • This distance value which is indicated only by way of example here specifies the distance from which a person is definitely sitting on the WC. If the distance d ⁇ d sit is the case, it is ensured that the person has sat down on the WC. According to FIG. 3 this is, however, not actually the case, for which reason all of the measured distance or position values are d>d sit .
  • the person 1 in turn approaches the WC 3 and reaches a distance corresponding to the threshold value d s at the time t 1 .
  • the distance value d drops significantly, and also drops significantly below d sit , that is to say below the minimum distance from which sitting is to be assumed.
  • the person then sits down, which occurs at the time t 2 , wherein, as the curve branch II shows, the person maintains this position for a certain time up to the time t 3 .
  • the curve branch II the actual WC use takes places.
  • the curve K exhibits a somewhat agitated progression in the curve branch III, which is connected to the fact that the person 1 inclines one or more times to the side in order to grasp toilet paper and to the rear in order to clean himself/herself. This is associated with relatively clear and repeated movement of the upper body, which is sensed again by means of the distance sensor and gives rise to the unsteady curve progression in the curve branch III.
  • the cleaning process is ended and the person stands up and moves away from the WC again, as is illustrated in the curve branch IV.
  • the person is again far enough away so that the distance measurement can be ended.
  • FIG. 5 finally shows a diagram which shows the position progression and therefore the movement pattern for defecation with use of toilet paper.
  • the person 1 again approaches the WC 3 .
  • the distance threshold value d s is reached, the sensing of the distance and position starts at the time t 1 .
  • the person 1 quickly moves closer, turns around and sits down on the WC, as is shown by the progression of the curve branch I.
  • This branch drops away steeply and the distance values d undershoot the distance d sit , which shows that seated use is definitely occurring.
  • the sitting down process is concluded starting from the time t 2 .
  • the person maintains their sitting position for a long time up to the time t 3 .
  • the person 1 maintains, for example, the forward-bent position, as is shown in the partial figure assigned to the curve branch II.
  • the distance value d in the curve branch II is only slightly below the value d sit , since the position of the upper body is, as said, bent forward.
  • the person 1 can also change this position during the sitting process and adopt an upright position with the upper body, which is shown by the dashed curve sections K 1 in FIG. 5 .
  • the distance value and accordingly the position of the person is somewhat o reduced, and the curve would drop away downward and rise again when they bend forward again.
  • the forward-bent person 1 After the ending of the use, the forward-bent person 1 would adopt an upright position again at the time t 3 , and the upper body bends closer to the rear wall and therefore to the distance sensor, and the position of the upper body or of the body part in turn changes significantly with respect to the WC, resulting in the reducing distance value d.
  • the curve branch III the curve K accordingly drops away significantly.
  • an unsteady area in the curve branch III in which the person 1 grasps repeatedly for the toilet paper and cleans himself/herself, that is to say there are multiple position changing processes, in particular in the area of the upper body, which is in turn sensed by the significantly varying distance value d, as is shown by the curve branch III.
  • FIGS. 3-5 clearly show three different progressions of the position data curve K and therefore different movement patterns or movement progressions which are specific to a particular type of use.
  • the control device On the basis of the recorded sensor information, that is to say the position data and therefore the movement patterns resulting therefrom, it is then possible for the control device to precisely detect what type of use process it was, in order then to correspondingly set the quantity of flushing water. While only a small quantity of flushing water is necessary for standing miction according to FIG. 3 , in the case of miction with use of toilet paper according to FIG. 4 somewhat more flushing water is necessary, in order to flush away the toilet paper also. In the case of defecation, as illustrated in FIG. 5 , a maximum quantity of flushing water is necessary.
  • the control device can, however, receive and process not only the acquired sensor information of the sensor device, that is to say of the distance sensor, but also sensor information of one or more further sensors which are installed, for example, in or on the WC seat or on the WC seat itself and which are embodied as proximity sensors or capacitive sensors.
  • This sensor information can be used as redundant information. That is to say an additional comparison of the acquired distance sensor information can be carried out by means of said information. It is also sensed, by means of such an, for example WC-mounted proximity sensor, whether the person is far enough away from the WC in order to initiate the automatic flushing process, which in fact should be initiated only when the person is far enough away.
  • Information relating to the use of a bidet wash device which serves as a douche for intimate cleaning and which is installed in the WC can also be included in the determination of the quantity of flushing water.
  • the activation of such a bidet wash device can already be considered to be an indication that defecation takes place. Further subdivision in terms of miction or defecation can be carried out in respect of whether the bidet wash device is used as a pure vaginal bidet wash, which allows miction to be inferred, or as an anal bidet wash, which allows defecation to be inferred.
  • This information can also be used and processed as additional information which is, under certain circumstances, also redundant or serves for checking plausibility, in addition to the position and distance information.
  • FIG. 6 shows a more detailed form of a sanitary installation 2 according to the invention with a WC 3 as well as a flushing device 5 which is not shown in more detail but is illustrated in FIG. 7 , comprising a water tank 6 , which is installed behind a rear wall 7 .
  • the rear wall 7 is shown in FIG. 6
  • the water tank 6 is illustrated without a rear wall in FIG. 7 .
  • An activation panel 8 on which in the example shown the sensor device 4 is arranged in the form of a distance sensor 9 , is arranged on the rear wall.
  • the integration of the sensor device 4 in the activation panel 8 is expedient to the effect that when the activation panel 8 is installed the sensor device 4 is also automatically mounted in the correct position.
  • One or more pushbuttons are also provided for manual flushing on the activation panel 8 .
  • FIG. 6 Alternative positions for the arrangement of the sensor device 4 or of the distance sensor 9 are shown by way of example by means of dashes in FIG. 6 .
  • the distance sensor 9 can be installed, for example, at different positions on the rear wall 7 or on the ceiling. In any case it is to be arranged in such a way that, as has been shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the person 1 can be sensed in any position.
  • a control device 10 which is shown here only by dashed lines because it is installed on the rear side is arranged on the activation panel 8 .
  • This control device 10 controls the flushing operation, that is to say controls how much water flows out of the water tank 6 for flushing into the WC.
  • the control device 10 is also preferably arranged on the attachment panel 8 , since when the attachment panel 8 is installed the control device 10 is then also installed. Alternatively, it can also be mounted on the water tank 6 .
  • two further sensor devices 11 are optionally arranged by way of example on a seat 12 of the WC 3 , wherein the sensor devices 11 can be, for example, capacitive sensors, that is to say proximity sensors, which do not require any direct contact. Accordingly, it is sensed here at two positions whether a person has sat down on the seat 12 or for how long said person sits. If just one further sensor device 11 is used, it can be arranged on a side section of the seat 12 , as is also shown by dashed lines in FIG. 6 . As is also communicated by the distance sensor 9 , the further sensor device 11 or devices 11 of course also communicate with the control device 10 , as is also described below.
  • a bidet wash device 13 is provided on the WC 3 , said bidet wash device 13 comprising an extendable bidet wash lance 14 (shown here only by dashed lines) which serves as a bidet wash for intimate wet cleaning.
  • the bidet wash operation is controlled by means of a control device 15 which also communicates with the control device 10 .
  • a control device 15 which also communicates with the control device 10 .
  • the presence of such a bidet wash device 13 is only optional and not compulsory.
  • FIG. 7 shows, as described, the sanitary installation 2 from FIG. 6 but without a rear wall.
  • the distance sensor is arranged only with dashed lines, since it is arranged on the activation panel 8 which is not shown here.
  • the control device 10 is illustrated, said device communicating with the distance sensor 9 and being illustrated mounted here at a position behind the activation panel 8 on the water tank 6 . Alternatively, it could also be attached, as described, to the rear side of the activation panel.
  • the control device 10 communicates not only with the distance sensor 9 and also with the further WC-seat-mounted sensor device 11 , wherein just one lateral sensor device 11 is shown here, and with a control device 15 of the bidet wash device 13 .
  • the control device 10 therefore receives, as already described above, a series of information items, whether of position information of the distance sensor 9 , provided here in the form of distance measured values, whether position information, provided by means of the further sensor device 11 and which specify whether a person is seated on the WC 3 , or whether information from the control device 15 which informs about the operation of the bidet wash device 13 .
  • the control device 10 then processes this information correspondingly and produces a corresponding movement profile or movement pattern therefrom, as described with respect to FIGS. 1-5 , in order to use them to determine how the WC use occurred. On this basis the flushing operation is controlled and, in particular, the metering of the quantity of flushing water is carried out.
  • a valve device 16 which in the example shown is an electrically controllable valve which can be opened and closed by actuation by means of the control device 10 , is provided on the water tank 6 .
  • the valve When the valve is opened, flushing water flows into the bowl 18 of the WC 3 via a flushing line 17 .
  • the control device can be configured in such a way that it actuates only two or three different defined quantities of flushing water to be output, that is to say e.g. a small amount, a medium amount, a large amount, or it can vary the quantity as desired between minimum and maximum in accordance with the demand.
  • the flushing button which is arranged on the activation panel would be coupled to the valve device 16 , so that the electric valve is actuated when manual activation occurs.
  • FIG. 8 shows a refinement of a sanitary installation 2 which corresponds to that from FIG. 7 .
  • a valve device 16 is provided which operates in a purely mechanical fashion and which can be opened and closed manually by the user by means of a flushing button which is provided on the activation panel 8 . That is to say manual flushing is possible as is customary with a standard flushing tank or a standard WC.
  • a possible way must be provided of opening and closing the mechanical valve device 16 under the control of the control device 10 .
  • a servomotor 19 is provided which is actuated via the control device 10 and is able to open and close the mechanical valve device 16 . Accordingly, a demand-appropriate quantity of flushing water can also be output in this way under the control of the control device 10 .
  • the sanitary installation 2 can also carry out the automatic flushing only supported solely on the sensor information of the distance sensor 9 , that is to say only its measured values are input into the determination of the type of use and no measuring or operating information which is additional or redundant or which serves for plausibility checking is taken into account.
  • the distance sensor 9 can be an infrared sensor. Alternatively, an ultrasonic sensor or a radar sensor can also be used. These systems can determine the detection of the position of the user relative to the WC by means of a time-of-flight measurement or triangulation, or the control device 10 is correspondingly configured for this purpose. Alternatively, a thermal radiation sensor in the form of a passive infrared sensor can also be used.
  • a capacitive sensor is preferably arranged as a further sensor device either in the WC seat 12 or directly on the WC 3 , that is to say the ceramic.
  • the distance sensor 9 and the control device 10 are respectively arranged on or behind the activation panel 8 , it is, of course, possible also to arrange the distance sensor 9 and the control device 10 externally with respect to the activation panel 8 , preferably on the rear wall or, insofar as the distance sensor 9 is concerned, if appropriate also on the ceiling.

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  • Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Molecular Biology (AREA)
  • Epidemiology (AREA)
  • Bidet-Like Cleaning Device And Other Flush Toilet Accessories (AREA)
  • Sanitary Device For Flush Toilet (AREA)
  • Toilet Supplies (AREA)
  • Beans For Foods Or Fodder (AREA)
  • Confectionery (AREA)
US17/201,258 2020-03-25 2021-03-15 Sanitary installation Abandoned US20210301512A1 (en)

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DE102020108234.7A DE102020108234A1 (de) 2020-03-25 2020-03-25 Sanitäreinrichtung

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EP4159939A1 (de) * 2021-09-30 2023-04-05 Siemens Mobility GmbH Schienenfahrzeug mit toilettenspüleinrichtung

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US20060006354A1 (en) * 2002-12-04 2006-01-12 Fatih Guler Optical sensors and algorithms for controlling automatic bathroom flushers and faucets

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EP2220611A4 (en) * 2007-11-05 2014-01-15 Sloan Valve Co SUPRERETTE OF PUBLIC TOILET
KR20090062506A (ko) * 2007-12-13 2009-06-17 최희락 자동 화장실
EP2208831A1 (de) 2009-01-20 2010-07-21 Geberit International AG Verfahren und elektronische Steuervorrichtung zur berührungslosen Steuerung einer sanitären Anlage
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JPH0266223A (ja) * 1988-07-28 1990-03-06 Geberit Ag 衛生器具の自動個別調整用レーダーゾンデ
US20060006354A1 (en) * 2002-12-04 2006-01-12 Fatih Guler Optical sensors and algorithms for controlling automatic bathroom flushers and faucets

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
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CA3109019C (en) 2023-08-01
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CN113445594B (zh) 2023-08-15
EP3885501B1 (de) 2023-09-27
DE102020108234A1 (de) 2021-09-30
ES2967329T3 (es) 2024-04-29
DK3885501T3 (da) 2023-12-11
EP3885501A1 (de) 2021-09-29
PL3885501T3 (pl) 2024-03-25
PT3885501T (pt) 2023-12-07
CN113445594A (zh) 2021-09-28
RS64896B1 (sr) 2023-12-29
SI3885501T1 (sl) 2024-02-29
CA3109019A1 (en) 2021-09-25
LT3885501T (lt) 2023-12-27

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