WO2004059096A1

WO2004059096A1 - Bidet

Info

Publication number: WO2004059096A1
Application number: PCT/KR2002/002436
Authority: WO
Inventors: Won-Sik Choi
Original assignee: Won-Sik Choi
Priority date: 2002-12-26
Filing date: 2002-12-26
Publication date: 2004-07-15
Also published as: WO2004059096A8; AU2002359983A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a bidet which is generally installed on a commode chair to cleanly wash the anal region using pressurized water after defecating. Since the bidet is operated through simple manipulation of a valve, user convenience is improved. Further, due to a simple mechanical construction of the bidet, a manufacturing cost can be reduced and repair and maintenance work can be implemented in an easy manner.

Description

BIDET

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a bidet which is generally installed on a commode chair to cleanly wash the anal region using pressurized water after defecating.

Background Art

As well known to those skilled in the art, the conventional bidet comprises a control box operated by an electronic signal to adjust a temperature of water, a water container equipped with a heater for heating water through manipulation of the control box, a temperature sensor for sensing a temperature of water heated by the heater and automatically shutting off power supply when a predetermined temperature is reached, etc. Therefore, the conventional bidet is complicated in its construction.

As a consequence, the bidet suffers from defects in that a manufacturing cost is increased, and it is difficult for an individual such as a child to learn the manipulation procedures of the control box.

Further, due to electronic operation of the conventional bidet, upon occurrence of disorder, a cause thereof cannot be easily determined and it is almost impossible to directly repair the bidet at home.

Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a bidet which is operated through simple manipulation of a valve, thereby improving user convenience. In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, there is provided a bidet comprising: a bidet body coupled to a commode chair; a valve case arranged in the bidet body and having an inlet port through which water is introduced into the valve case, an outlet port through which water is discharged from the valve body, and a fluid accommodating space which is defined between the inlet and outlet ports; a valve insertion hole defined in the valve case to extend in a vertical direction and having a lower end which is communicated with the fluid accommodating space and an upper end which is communicated with the outside; a valve stem inserted into the valve insertion hole in such a way as to be moved upward and downward while maintaining airtightness; a closure member provided to a lower end of the valve stem to open and close the fluid accommodating space; a valve seat formed on the valve case for allowing the closure member to be seated thereon to thereby close the fluid accommodating space; a grip section placed on an upper surface of the bidet body and connected to the valve stem such that, when the grip section is grasped by a user, the valve stem is moved in one direction where the closure member opens the fluid accommodating space; a spring for vertically applying elastic force to the valve stem to thereby move the valve stem in the other direction where the closure member closes the fluid accommodating space; an injection nozzle section placed on a lower surface of the bidet body to inject water toward the anal region of a user; and a connection pipe for communicating the injection nozzle section with the outlet port.

A variety of ways for coupling the bidet body to the commode chair have been disclosed in the art, one example of which is described in Korean Utility Model Registration No. 293709.

The injection nozzle section is placed on the lower surface of the bidet body to inject water toward the anal region of a user. Various constructions of the injection nozzle section have been disclosed in the art. These various conventional constructions of the injection nozzle section can be applied to the bidet according to the present invention. The injection nozzle section is connected to the outlet port of the valve case via a connection pipe.

The valve case is arranged at a side of the bidet body. The valve case is defined with the inlet port, the outlet port, and the fluid accommodating space. The fluid accommodating space communicates the inlet port and the outlet port with each other. The connection pipe connects the injection nozzle section and the outlet port with each other. An upper end of the fluid accommodating space is communicated with the valve insertion hole which is opened at an upper end thereof to the outside. The valve stem is inserted into the valve insertion hole in a manner such that the valve stem can be moved upward and downward in the valve insertion hole.

In order to maintain airtightness between the valve insertion hole and the valve stem, packing means is provided. The packing means can be fitted into the valve insertion hole or provided on the valve stem. The closure member is provided to the lower end of the valve stem. The closure member functions to open and close the fluid accommodating space and is called a valve disk, as is well known in the art.

The valve seat is formed on the valve case. As the closure member is seated on the valve seat, the fluid accommodating space is closed. The valve stem is connected with the grip section. The grip section is placed on the upper surface of the bidet body. When the grip section is grasped by the user, the valve stem is moved in one direction where the closure member opens the fluid accommodating space. Due to the fact that the valve stem is inserted into the valve insertion hole, only the upward and downward movement of the valve stem is permitted. As the user grasps the grip section, the closure member is moved downward to open the fluid accommodating space. A diversity of mechanical structures can be employed to connect the grip section to the valve stem in such a way as to ensure that the downward movement of the valve stem is caused when the grip section is grasped by the user. A direction where the closure member is moved to open the fluid accommodating space may be established as the upper direction or the downward direction. It is to be readily understood that the mechanical structures can be easily adapted to the present bidet by those skilled in the art.

The spring vertically applies elastic force to the valve stem to move the valve stem in the other direction where the closure member closes the fluid accommodating space. Accordingly, it is sufficient that the spring applies force to the valve stem in a direction which is opposite to that where the grip section applies force to the valve stem when the grip section is grasped by the user. To this end, one end of the spring is connected to the valve stem, and the other end of the spring may be appropriately supported by a bottom of the valve case, bidet 0 body, etc. Therefore, while external force is not applied to the present bidet, since the closure member of the valve stem is biased to close the fluid accommodating space, water is not injected from the injection nozzle section.

In the above description, it is preferred that the spring applies vertical upward elastic force to the valve stem. Hence, because the spring applies 5 vertical upward force, the grip section and the valve stem are comiected with each other in a manner such that the valve stem is moved downward when the grip section is grasped.

In the above description, it is preferred that the outlet port is branched from the valve insertion hole, the valve seat is formed at a boundary region 0 between the fluid accommodating space and the valve insertion hole, and the

, _. closure member comprises a first packing which is tightly fitted around the lower end of the valve stem.

The fluid accommodating space is normally closed by the closure member. When the closure member is in an opening position, water flows 5 through a gap created between the closure member and the valve case into the valve insertion hole and is then discharged through the outlet port.

In the above description, it is preferred that the spring is positioned between the lower end of the valve stem and the bottom of the valve case.

In the above description, it is preferred that the grip section comprises a 0 lower grip which is fixed to the bidet body to be easily gripped by the fingers of the user, and an upper grip to be gripped by the palm of the user and having one end which is hingedly connected to the bidet body and a middle portion which is formed with a press bar for pressing the upper end of the valve stem.

In the above description, it is preferred that a second packing is fitted around an intermediate portion of the valve stem to ensure airtightness between the valve stem and the valve insertion hole during upward and downward movement of the valve stem in the valve insertion hole.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The above and other objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a bidet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state wherein a grip section is disassembled in the bidet of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a closed state of a valve in the bidet of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4a is Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an opened state of the valve in the bidet of Fig. 1.

Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

Reference should now be made to the drawings, in which the same reference numerals are used throughout the different drawings to designate the same or similar components.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a bidet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state wherein a grip section is disassembled in the bidet of Fig. 1 ; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a closed state of a valve in the bidet of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4a is Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating an opened state of the valve in the bidet of Fig. 1.

A better understanding of the present invention may be obtained through the following example which is set forth to illustrate, but is not to be construed as the limit of the present invention.

The bidet in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention has a bidet body 10 which is coupled to a commode chair. A coupling device 80 is provided to couple the bidet body 10 to the commode chair. Detailed description of the coupling device 80 is given in Korean Utility Model

Registration No. 293709. The coupling device 80 described in this document represents a typical example and therefore may be changed in its construction in a diversity of ways.

A valve case 20 is provided at a side of the bidet body 10. A grip section 50 is provided on an upper surface of the valve case 20. The valve case

20 and the grip section 50 are provided at a left or right side of the bidet body 10 to be grasped by a user.

The valve case 20 is defined with an inlet port 21, a fluid accommodating space 23 and an outlet port 22. The inlet port 21 is appropriately formed to have an adapter-shaped configuration for allowing introduction of water into the fluid accommodating space 23. Water flows through the inlet port 21 and fluid accommodating space 23 and is discharged through the outlet port 22. Then, water discharged through the outlet port 22 flows through a connection pipe (not shown) and is injected through an injection nozzle section 70 to the anal region of a user.

The fluid accommodating space 23 is communicated with a valve insertion hole 30, and the outlet port 22 is branched from the valve insertion hole 30. A valve stem 40 is inserted into the valve insertion hole 30, and airtightness in the valve insertion hole 30 is ensured by a second packing 42 which is fitted around an intermediate portion of the valve stem 40. The valve stem 40 can be moved upward and downward in the valve insertion hole 30, and is applied with upward elastic force by a spring 60 which is provided below the valve stem 40.

A first packing 41 is fitted around a lower end of the valve stem 40, and a valve seat 24 is formed on the valve case 20 to allow the first packing 41 to be seated thereon. Accordingly, with the first packing 41 seated on the valve seat

24 by the elastic force of the spring 60, the fluid accommodating space 23 is closed.

An upper end of the valve stem 40 is brought into contact with a press bar 52a of an upper grip 52. The upper grip 52 is hingedly connected at one end thereof to the bidet body 10 and is formed at a middle portion thereof with the press bar 52a. Thus, if the upper grip 52 is grasped, the press bar 52a moves the valve stem 40 downward, whereby the fluid accommodating space 23 is opened.

A lower grip 51 is positioned below the upper grip 52 and fixedly fastened to the bidet body 10. Consequently, by slightly grasping the lower and upper grips 51 and 52, the upper grip 52 is moved downward. After use of the bidet, if the upper grip 52 is released, as the valve stem 40 is moved upward by the elastic force of the spring 60, the upper grip 52 is smoothly returned to its normal position by the valve stem 40, whereby the fluid accommodating space 23 is closed.

Industrial Applicability

As apparent from the above description, the bidet according to the present invention provides advantages in that, since the bidet is operated through simple manipulation of a valve, user convenience is improved. Further, due to a simple mechanical construction of the bidet, a manufacturing cost can be reduced and repair and maintenance work can be implemented in an easy manner.

Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A bidet comprising: a bidet body coupled to a commode chair; a valve case arranged in the bidet body and having an inlet port through which water is introduced into the valve case, an outlet port through which water is discharged from the valve body, and a fluid accommodating space which is defined between the inlet and outlet ports; a valve insertion hole defined in the valve case to extend in a vertical direction and having a lower end which is communicated with the fluid accommodating space and an upper end which is communicated with the outside; a valve stem inserted into the valve insertion hole in such a way as to be moved upward and downward while maintaining airtightness; a closure member provided to a lower end of the valve stem to open and close the fluid accommodating space; a valve seat formed on the valve case for allowing the closure member to be seated thereon to thereby close the fluid accommodating space; a grip section placed on an upper surface of the bidet body and comiected to the valve stem such that, when the grip section is grasped by a user, the valve stem is moved in one direction where the closure member opens the fluid accommodating space; a spring for vertically applying elastic force to the valve stem to thereby move the valve stem in the other direction where the closure member closes the fluid accommodating space; an injection nozzle section placed on a lower surface of the bidet body to inject water toward the anal region of a user; and a connection pipe for communicating the injection nozzle section with the outlet port.

2. The bidet as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spring applies vertical upward elastic force to the valve stem.

3. The bidet as set forth in claim 2, wherein the outlet port is branched from the valve insertion hole, the valve seat is formed at a boundary region between the fluid accommodating space and the valve insertion hole, and the closure member comprises a first packing which is tightly fitted around the lower end of the valve stem.

4. The bidet as set forth in claim 3, wherein the spring is positioned between the lower end of the valve stem and a bottom of the valve case.

5. The bidet as set forth in claim 2, wherein the grip section comprises a lower grip which is fixed to the bidet body to be gripped by the fingers of the user, and an upper grip to be gripped by the palm of the user and having one end which is hingedly connected to the bidet body and a middle portion which is formed with a press bar for pressing an upper end of the valve stem.

6. The bidet as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a second packing fitted around an intermediate portion of the valve stem to ensure airtightness between the valve stem and the valve insertion hole during upward and downward movement of the valve stem in the valve insertion hole.