WO2004031495A1

WO2004031495A1 - Urinal

Info

Publication number: WO2004031495A1
Application number: PCT/KR2003/001992
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeong-Min Ahn
Original assignee: Jeong-Min Ahn
Priority date: 2002-10-01
Filing date: 2003-09-30
Publication date: 2004-04-15
Also published as: AU2003264986A1

Abstract

In a urinal, the urinal includes a urinal body; a plurality of sensors installed at one side of the urinal body for sensing a position of a user’s genital; a space portion formed at both sides of the urinal body; a cylindrical ascending/descending member installed to be ascended and descended in the space portion; and an arm installed in an aperture formed at a side surface of the ascending/descending member and provided with an air injection portion at an end thereof.

Description

Description URINAL

Technical Field

[1] The present invention relates to a urinal, and more particularly, to a urinal capable of maintaining cleanliness by removing residual urine remaining at the end of a user's genital after urinating with air or water.

Background Art

[2] Generally, a gentlemen's urinal is used by a gentleman who urinates with standing.

At this time, urine remains at the end of the gentleman's genital.

[3] Most men remove the residual urine by shaking their genitals with hands.

However, the residual urine can not be completely removed by said method. If a gentleman is supposed to urinate 4-5 times per a day, his underwear is obliged to become dirty due to his residual urine and cleanliness can not be maintained.

Disclosure

[4] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a urinal capable of effectively removing residual urine remaining at the end of a genital by installing a sensor for sensing a user's genital at one side of a urinal body and by installing an air injection means operated by the sensor at another side of the urinal tody.

[5] To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there isφrovided a urinal comprising: a urinal tody; a plurality of sensors installed at one side of the urinal tody for sensing a position of a user's genital; and a residual urine removing means installed at one side of the urinal tody for removing residual urine remaining at an end of the user's genital.

[6] The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Description of Drawings

[7] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention.

[8] In the drawings:

[9] Figure 1 is an entire perspective view showing a urinal according to one embodiment of the present invention; [10] Figure 2 is an enlarged extraction view of a main part of the present invention;

[11] Figure 3 is a disassembled perspective view of the main part of the present invention; [12] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a urinal according to a second emtodiment of the present invention; [13] Figure 5 is a lateral view showing the urinal of Figure 4;

[14] Figure 6 is an extracted view of a main part of Figure 4;

[15] Figure 7 is a frontal view showing a urinal according to a third emtodiment of the present invention; [16] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a urinal according to a fourth emtodiment of the present invention; [17] Figure 9 is an enlarged view of a main part of Figure 8; and

[18] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a urinal according to a fifth emtodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Invention [19] Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. [20] Hereinafter, a urinal according to the present invention will be explained.

[21] Figure 1 is an entire perspective view showing a urinal according to one emtodiment of the present invention, Figure 2 is an enlarged extraction view of a main part of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a disassembled perspective view of the main part of the present invention. [22] As shown in Figures 1 to 3, a urinal 100 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is provided with a sensor 110 for sensing a position of a user's genital at one side of a urinal tody 1, and is provided with a residual urine removing means at another side of the urinal tody 1, [23] The residual urine removing means is constructed as follows. An arm 120 operated by the sensor 110 is installed at the urinal tody 1, and an air injection portion 130 and a water injection portion 140 are installed at the front end of the arm 120. Residual urine remaining at the end of the user's genital can be removed by water injected from the water injection portion 140 andbr heated air of a high pressure injected from the air injection portion 130. [24] Between the air injection portion 130 and the water injection portion 140, a compressor C, a storage tank T, and a heater H are connected to one another. [25] The air injection portion 130 can be additionally installed or can be installed with the water injection portion 140. That is, even if cleanliness can be maintained only with the air injection portion.130, cleanliness can be maintained much more with water.

[26] In case of injecting air or water from the arm 120, it is preferable to set an injection angle of the arm 120 to be towards the inside of the urinal tody 1 from the outside in order not to splash the user and it is preferable to properly control a water pressure.

[27] A construction of the present invention will be explained in more detail as follows.

[28] A space portion 150 is formed at both sides of the inside of the urinal tody 1, and a cylindrical ascending/descending member 160 ascended and descended by an ascending/descending member moving cylinder 151 is installed in the space portion 150.

[29] An ascending/descending member rotating motor 161 for rotating the ascending/ descending member 160 is disposed at an upper side of the ascending/descending member 160, and is fixed at the space portion 150.

[30] An outer gear G2 is formed at an upper surface of the ascending/descending member 160, and an inner gear Gl serving as a rotational axis and engaged to the outer gear G2 is formed at a lower surface of the ascending/descending member rotating motor 161.

[31] The outer gear G2 is slidably engaged to the inner gear Gl when the ascending/ descending member 160 moves up and down. The cuter gear G2 and the inner gear Gl are always in an engaged state each other, thereby transmitting a rotational force of the ascending/descending member rotating motor 161 to the ascending/descending member 160.

[32] An aperture 162 is formed at a side surface of the ascending/descending member

160, and the arm 120 is rotated on the basis of a hinge 121 in the aperture 162 by an arm rotating means 170.

[33] That is, the ascending/descending member moving cylinder 151 is fixedly installed at a lower portion of inside of a cylindrical space portion 150 formed at both sides of the urinal tody 1, and the cylindrical ascending/descending member 160 slid along the space portion 150 is installed at an upper portion of the ascending/descending member moving cylinder 151.

[34] A construction of the arm rotating means 170 will be explained as follows. A semi- arc rack 171 is formed at a rear side of the arm 120, and a pinion 172 is engaged to the rack 171. An arm rotating motor 173 for rotating the pinion 172 is engaged to the pinion 172, and the arm rotating motor 173 is fixedly installed in the ascending/ descending member 160.

[35] A connection pipe P for connecting the air injection portion 130 and the water injection portion 140 to the storage tank T is formed at the rack 171 of the arm 120.

[36] A cover 180 for selectively opening and closing the ascending/descending member

160 by being slid up and down is slid-movably installed at a side surface of the space portion 150.

[37] More specifically, a rack of a straight line 181. is formed at an inner side surface of the cover 180, and a pinion gear 182 connected to a motor 183 is engaged to the rack of a straight line 181.

[38] Operation of the urinal according to the first emtodiment of the present invention will be explained as follows.

[39] First, when a user approaches to the urinal tody 1 in order to urinate, the sensor

110 is operated thus to sense the end of the user's genital. According to the sensing of the sensor 110, the motor 183 is driven thus to operate the pinion gear 182 and the rack 181, thereby lifting the cover 180 and thus opening the aperture 162.

[40] At the same time, the ascending/descending member moving cylinder 151, the ascending/descending member rotating motor 161, and the arm rotating motor 173 are operated thus to properly control a height and an injection angle of the front end of the arm 120.

[41] That is, the cover 180 is opened and at the same time the arm rotating motor 173 is operated, thereby rotating the pinion gear 172. At this time, the arm 120 is rotated on the basis of the hinge 121- while the semi-arc rack 1 1 engaged to the pinion, gear 172 is rotated According to this, an up-down angle of the arm 120 is controlled.

[42] Then, a height of the arm 120 is properly controlled by an operation of the ascending/descending member moving cylinder 151, and a right and left rotation of the ascending/descending member 160 is controlled by an operation of the ascending/ descending member rotating motor 161, thereby controlling a back and forth angle of the arm 120.

[43] When the user finishes urinating, the compressor C, the storage tank T, and the heater H are operated thus firstly to clean away residual urine remaining at the user's genital by injecting water with a high pressure through the water injection portion 140, and then secondly to dry water remaining at the user's genital by injecting heated air with a high pressure through the air injection portion 130.

[44] When the residual urine and the water respectively remaining at the user's genital is completely removed and dried, each component is operated in a reverse order of the aforementioned operations. [45] Therefore, the arm 120 is rotated in a reverse direction on the basis of the hinge 121 thus to be received into the aperture 162, and the cover 180 is again descended thus to cover the ascending/descending member 160 and at the same time the ascending/ descending member 160 is restored to the original position. [46] Hereinafter, the urinal according to a second emtodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 6. [47] Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a urinal according to the second emtodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 is a lateral view showing the urinal of

Figure 4, and Figure 6 is an extracted view of a main part of Figure 4. [48] As shown, the urinal according to the second emtodiment of the present invention

200 comprises a urinal tody 201, and a residual urine removing means installed at the urinal tody 201 for removing residual urine remaining at the end of the user's genital. [49] As a construction of the residual urine removing means, a slider 210 is oppositely installed at both sides of an aperture 201a of the urinal tody 201, and the slider 210 is installed to be slid back and forth. [50] A plurality of sensors 220 for sensing the user's genital are installed at the urinal tody 201, and a plurality of far-infrared lamps 230 are installed at one side of the urinal tody 201. [51] A guide rail 240 for slidably moving the slider 210 is formed at inner circumferential surfaces of the slider 210 and the urinal tody 201. [52] . An injection portion 250 for removing residual urine remaining at the end of the user's genital is installed at the slider 210. Also, an air/ lavation water supply portion

260 for supplying air or lavation water to the injection portion 250, and a cylinder 270 for driving the slider 210 are installed at the urinal body 201. [53] The guide rail 240 is composed of a guide protrusion 241 formed at a rear surface of the slider 210, and a space portion 242 formed at both sides of inside of the urinal tody 201. [54] Operation of the urinal according to the second emtodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figures 4 to 6. [55] First, when the user approaches to the urinal tody 201 in order to urinate, the sensors 220 are operated thus to sense the end of the user's genital. According to the sensing of the sensors 220, the cylinder 270 moves the slider 210 to a proper position. [56] At this time, the slider 210 can be smoothly moved by the guide rail 240. [57] If a position of the slider 210 is determined, the air/lavation water supply portion

260 for supplying air or lavation water is operated thus to inject air or lavation water through the injection portion 250, thereby washing the user's genital. Then, air is injected with a high pressure thus to dry the user's genital.

[58] Lavation water and air injected through the injection portion 250 are focused by a position of the slider 210, and a position of the slider 210 is controlled by the plurality of sensors 220. Herein, the user can use only heated air without using lavation water.

[59] Figure 7 is a frontal view showing a urinal according to a third emtodiment of the present invention.

[60] As shown, the urinal according to the third emtodiment of the present invention

300 comprises a urinal tody 301, and a residual urine removing means installed at one side of the urinal body 301 for removing residual urine remaining at the end of the user's genital.

[61] As a construction of the residual urine removing means, an oval supporting frame

310 is installed at an inner circumference of an aperture 301a of the urinal tody 301, and a certain space is formed in the oval supporting frame 310.

[62] A flexible oval rack member 320 is installed at the inner space of the supporting frame 310 to be rotatable with a certain angle under a state of being supported by the supporting frame 310.

[63] A plurality of injection portions 330 for removing residual urine remaining at the end of the user's genital are formed at an inner circumference of the flexible oval rack member 320.

[64] A pinion 340 for rotating the flexible oval rack member 320 is installed in the urinal body 301, and a driving motor 350 is connected to the pinion 340. Also, a plurality of sensors 360 for sensing the end of the user's genital are installed at the urinal tody 301.

[65] The injection portion 330 is composed of a tube 331 installed in the flexible oval rack member 320; a plurality of injection holes 332 connected to the tube 331; and an air/lavation water supply portion 333 for supplying air or lavation water to the tube 331.

[66] Operation of the urinal according to the third emtodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figure 7.

[67] First, when the user approaches to the urinal body 301 to urinate, the sensors 360 are operated thus to sense the end of the user's genital. According to the sensing of the sensors 360, the driving motor 350 rotates the pinion 340, and the pinion 340 rotates the flexible oval rack member 320 with a predetermined angle. At this time, the flexible oval rack member 320 can be rotated by the supporting frame 310. At the same time, lavation water that flows into the tube 331 is injected through the injection holes 332 thus to wash the user's genital. Then, air is injected through the tube 331 and the injection holes 332 thus to dry the user's genital.

[68] Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a urinal according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 9 is an enlarged view of a main part of Figure 8.

[69] As shown, the urinal according to the fourth emtodiment of the present invention

400 comprises a urinal tody 401, and a residual urine removing means installed at the urinal tody 401 for removing residual urine remaining at the end of the user's genital. As a construction of the residual urine removing means, a guide rail 410 is formed at toth sides of an aperture 401a of the urinal tody 401, an up-down slider 420 for being slidable up and down is installed at the guide rail 410 of the urinal tody 401, and a rack 421 is formed at toth sides of the up-down slider 420.

[70] A guide slot 421a formed in the middle of the up-down slider 420 is provided with a right and left slider 430 formed to be slidable right and left, and a plurality of injection holes 431 and 432 are formed at an upper surface of the right and left slider 430, and a rack 436 is formed at a rear surface of the right and left slider 430.

[71] A cover 422 is installed at a front surface of the up-down slider 420. A plurality of sensors 440 for sensing the end of the user's genital are installed at one side of the -' urinal tody 401, and pinions 450 and 435 are installed in the urinal tody 401 to be engaged to racks 421 and 436 of the up-down slider 420 and right and left slider 430.

[72] Driving motors 460 and 437 are respectively engaged to the pinions 450 and 435, and an aiming portion 470 is formed at a front surface of the urinal tody 401.

[73] Operation of the urinal according to the fourth emtodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figures 8 and 9.

[74] First, when the user approaches to the urinal tody 401 to urinate, the sensors 440 are operated thus to sense the end of the user's genital. According to the sensing of the sensors 440, the driving motor 460 rotates the pinion 450, and the pinion 450 is engaged to the rack 421 thus to control the up- down slider 420 to a proper position. That is, the up-down slider 420 having the rack 421 is moved up and down along the guide rail 410 by a rotation of the pinion 450.

[75] At the same time, the right and left slider 430 is moved right and left in the guide slot 421a by another pinion 435, another rack 436, and another driving motor 437, so that a position of the right and left slider 430 is properly controlled.

[76] At the same time, lavation water flowing in the tube 433 is injected through the injection holes 431 thus to wash the user's genital. Then, air is injected through the tube 433' and the injection holes 432 thus to dry the user's genital.

[77] The aiming portion 470 makes the user posture rightly, and the far-infrared lamps

480 irradiate far-infrared rays to the user thus to promote the user's health.

[78] Figure 10 is a perspective view showing a urinal according to a fifth emtodiment of the present invention. As a simple construction, a plurality of air injection holes 510 are formed at one side of the urinal tody 501, and air is injected through the air injection holes 510 thus to remove residual urine remaining at the user's genital. In the process of injecting air, an injection speed and an angle of air are properly controlled not to splash the user with residual urine.

[79] According to the present invention, residual urine remaining at the user's genital after urine is removed by heating air or water injected with a high pressure, thereby always maintaining cleanliness and solving a problem that the user's underwear becomes dirty due to residual urine.

Industrial Applicability

[80] As described above, in the urinal in accordance with the present invention, residual urine remaining at the user's genital after urine is removed by heating air or water injected with a high pressure, thereby always maintaining cleanliness and solving a problem that the user's underwear becomes dirty due to residual urine.

Claims

[1] A urinal comprising: a urinal tody; a plurality of sensors installed at one side of the urinal tody for sensing a position of a user's genital; and a residual urine removing means installed at one side of the urinal tody for removing residual urine remaining at an end of the user's genital. [2] The urinal of claim 1, wherein the residual urine removing means includes: a space portion formed at toth sides of the urinal tody; a cylindrical ascending/descending member installed to be ascended and descended by an ascending/descending member ascending cylinder in the space portion; an arm installed in an aperture formed at a side surface of the ascending/ descending member and provided with an air injection portion at an end thereof; and an arm rotating means for rotating the arm. [3] The urinal of claim 2, wherein the arm rotating means includes: a semi- arc rack formed at a rear surface of the arm; a pinion engaged to the rack; and an arm rotating motor fixedly installed at the ascending/descending member for rotating the pinion. [4] The urinal of claim 2, farther including a water injection portion at a front end of the arm. [5] The urinal of claim 1, wherein a compressor, a storage tank, and a heater are connected between the air injection portion and the water injection portion. [6] The urinal of claim 4, wherein a cover for selectively opening and closing the ascending/descending member by being slid up and down is installed at a side surface of the space portion, a rack is formed at an inner side surface of the cover, and a pinion gear is engaged to the rack. [7] The urinal of claim 1, wherein the residual urine removing means includes: a slider oppositely installed at an inner circumference of toth sides of an aperture of the urinal tody, and installed to be slidable back and forth; a plurality of sensors installed at the urinal tody for sensing a position of the user's genital; a plurality of far-infrared lamps installed at one side of the urinal tody; a guide rail respectively formed at inner circumferential surfaces of the slider and the urinal tody for slidably moving the slider; an injection portion installed at the slider for removing residual urine remaining at the end of the user's genital; an air/lavation water supply portion for supplying air or lavation water to the injection portion; and a cylinder for driving the slider. [8] The urinal of claim 1, wherein the residual urine removing means includes: an oval supporting frame installed at an inner circumference of an aperture of the urinal tody and having a certain space therein; a flexible oval rack member installed at the space of the supporting frame to be rotatable with a certain angle under a state of being supported by the supporting frame; a plurality of injection holes installed at an inner circumference of the flexible oval rack member for removing residual urine remaining at the end of the user's genital; a pinion installed in the urinal tody for rotating the flexible oval rack member; a driving motor for driving the pinion; and a plurality of sensors installed at the urinal tody for sensing the end of the user's genital. [9] The urinal of claim 8, wherein the injection portion includes: a tube installed in the flexible oval rack member; a plurality of injection holes connected to the tube; and an air/lavation water supply portion for supplying air or lavation water to the tube. [10] The urinal of claim 1, wherein the residual urine removing means includes: a guide rail formed at toth sides of an aperture of the urinal tody; an up-down slider engaged to the guide rail of the urinal tody thus to be slidable up and down, and provided with a rack at both sides thereof; a right and left slider engaged to a guide slot formed in the middle of the up- down slider thus to be slid-moved right and left, provided with a plurality of injection holes at an upper surface thereof, and provided with a rack at a rear surface thereof; a sensor installed at one side of the urinal tody for sensing a position of the user's genital; a pinion installed in the urinal tody to be respectively engaged to racks of the up-down slider and the right and left slider; a driving motor engaged to the pinion; and an aiming portion formed at a front surface of the urinal tody. [11] The urinal of claim 10, further including a cover at a front surface of the ur>- down slider.