WO2011099310A1

WO2011099310A1 - Toilet seat device

Info

Publication number: WO2011099310A1
Application number: PCT/JP2011/000828
Authority: WO
Inventors: 朋子吉永; 貴夫島津; 充真松村; 昌純岩永
Original assignee: パナソニック株式会社
Priority date: 2010-02-15
Filing date: 2011-02-15
Publication date: 2011-08-18
Also published as: JP4834192B2; CN102481077B; CN102481077A; KR101151540B1; KR20120020207A; JPWO2011099310A1

Abstract

A toilet seat device is provided with a body (200) which is mounted on the toilet bowl, a toilet seat (400), a toilet seat heater (450), a temperature detection means (401), an adhesive member (403), a compression member (405), and a securing member (408). The adhesive member (403) is adhered to the rear surface of a metallic foil (453) so as to cover a detection section (401a) of the temperature detection means (401). The compression member (405) is secured to an upper toilet seat casing (410) so as to compress the portion of the adhesive member (403) which does not cover the detection section (401a), and the compression member (405) is configured so that, with the adhesive member (403) secured to the upper toilet seat casing (410), the portion of the adhesive member (403) which covers the detection section (401a) is visible when viewed from the rear surface side of the upper toilet seat casing (410). The peripheral edge of the upper toilet seat casing (410) and the peripheral edge (420) of a lower toilet seat casing are joined to each other.

Description

Toilet seat device

The present invention relates to a mounting structure for temperature detecting means in a toilet seat of a toilet seat device.

The toilet seat of a conventional toilet seat device is provided with a thermistor that detects the temperature of the toilet seat. The temperature of the toilet seat is controlled by the temperature of the toilet seat detected by the thermistor. There is known a heated toilet seat in which such a thermistor is covered with a covering, and a peripheral portion of the covering is held by a holding member having elasticity (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the heating toilet seat described in Patent Document 1.

As shown in FIG. 15, in the heated toilet seat described in Patent Document 1, a metal upper body 1 and a resin lower body 2 are joined, and a cavity 3 is formed in the interior. A reflection plate 4 made of an aluminum plate is installed in the cavity 3. A lamp heater 5 is installed above the reflector 4.

A thermistor 6 is temporarily fixed to the back surface of the upper body 1 with a cover 7 made of an aluminum foil with an adhesive attached to the back surface. Further, a sandwiching body 8 formed of a metal wire having elasticity is fixed to the upper surface of the reflecting plate 4 via screws 9.

And as shown in FIG. 15, the front-end | tip part of the clamping body 8 has pressed the peripheral part of the covering body 7 on the back surface of the upper body 1 in the state which joined the upper body 1 and the lower body 2. As shown in FIG.

JP 2007-222379 A

However, in the heated toilet seat disclosed in Patent Document 1, the thermistor 6 is temporarily fixed to the upper body 1 which is one main component of the toilet seat during the assembly process. On the other hand, the sandwiching body 8 is fixed to the lower body 2 which is the other main constituent part via the reflecting plate 4. Then, by joining the upper body 1 and the lower body 2, the thermistor 6 is assembled by the sandwiching body 8 through the covering body 7.

For this reason, the final assembled state cannot be visually confirmed, and the sandwiching body 8 is caused by dimensional errors and mounting errors of the thermistor 6, sandwiching body 8, covering body 7, reflector 4 and the like. As a result, there is a possibility that variations occur in the assembled state of the covering 7. Further, depending on the degree of variation in the assembled state, an error may occur in the temperature detected by the thermistor 6. Therefore, the heating toilet seat disclosed in Patent Document 1 still has room for improvement in these respects.

This invention solves the said conventional subject, and it aims at providing the toilet seat apparatus which can aim at the improvement of temperature detection accuracy by reducing the attachment error of the thermistor which is a temperature detection means.

In order to solve the above conventional problems, a toilet seat device of the present invention has a main body installed on a toilet bowl, an upper toilet seat casing having a seating surface, and a lower toilet seat casing, and is rotatably supported by the main body. A toilet seat in which a linear heater is disposed on a metal foil, temperature detection means having a detection unit for detecting the temperature of the toilet seat, and the temperature detection means on the metal foil of the toilet seat heater A sticking member for sticking, and a pressing member for holding the sticking member, and the toilet seat heater is attached to the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing opposite to the seating surface. And the temperature detecting means is disposed on the back surface of the metal foil constituting the toilet seat heater, which is a surface that does not come into contact with the upper toilet seat casing, and the sticking member includes a detecting portion of the temperature detecting means. Cover the gold Affixed to the back surface of the foil, and the pressing member is fixed in a state where the portion of the bonding member that does not cover the detection part is fixed, and is fixed to the upper toilet seat casing. When viewed from the back side of the upper toilet seat casing, the portion of the sticking member that covers the detection portion is configured to be visible, and the peripheral portion of the upper toilet seat casing and the peripheral portion of the lower toilet seat casing are joined together. ing.

Thereby, since the temperature detecting means is held by the holding member fixed to the upper toilet seat casing, it is possible to visually check the mounting state and the mounting state of the upper toilet seat casing alone in the assembly process. For this reason, an attachment error can be reduced and the detection accuracy of a temperature detection means can be improved. Moreover, productivity can also be improved by performing visual confirmation easily.

The above object, other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

According to the toilet seat device of the present invention, it is possible to improve the temperature detection accuracy of the temperature detection means, and it is possible to improve productivity.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of a toilet seat device according to the present embodiment installed on a toilet bowl. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a control system of the toilet seat apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an assembled state of the toilet seat of the toilet seat device shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the toilet seat shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing in the toilet seat of the toilet seat device shown in FIG. 1. 6 is a rear view of the toilet seat heater in the toilet seat shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing in detail an A part of the toilet seat shown in FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of the toilet seat shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a pressing member attached to the toilet seat shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating an energization pattern of the toilet seat heater and a change in the surface temperature of the seating surface of the toilet seat. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a pressing member used in the toilet seat device according to the first modification of the first embodiment. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a mounting state of a pressing member in the toilet seat device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13: is sectional drawing which shows the attachment state of the pressing member in the toilet seat apparatus which concerns on this Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a process of attaching a retaining member in the toilet seat device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a schematic configuration of the heating toilet seat described in Patent Document 1.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In all the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted. Further, in all the drawings, only components necessary for explaining the present invention are extracted and illustrated, and other components are not illustrated. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
The toilet seat device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention includes a main body installed on a toilet bowl, an upper toilet seat casing having a seating surface and a lower toilet seat casing, and a toilet seat rotatably supported by the main body, A toilet seat heater in which a linear heater is disposed on the metal foil, a temperature detection means having a detection unit for detecting the temperature of the toilet seat, an adhesive member for attaching the temperature detection means to the metal foil of the toilet seat heater, A toilet seat heater is affixed to the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing opposite to the seating surface, and the temperature detecting means constitutes the toilet seat heater. It is arranged on the back side which is the surface of the metal foil that does not come into contact with the upper toilet seat casing, the sticking member is stuck on the back side of the metal foil so as to cover the detection part of the temperature detection means, , Press the part that does not cover the detection part of the sticking member It is configured so that the portion covering the detection part of the sticking member is visible when viewed from the back side of the upper toilet seat casing while being fixed to the upper toilet seat casing. The aspect which the peripheral part and the peripheral part of the lower toilet seat casing are joined is illustrated.

Here, “viewing from the back side of the upper toilet seat casing” means viewing from the back side of the upper toilet seat casing toward the seating surface.

<1> Configuration of Toilet Seat Device First, the configuration of the toilet seat device according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the toilet seat device according to the present embodiment installed on a toilet bowl. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a control system of the toilet seat apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 shows the front-rear direction of the toilet seat device with the front side as viewed from the seated user as the front portion of the toilet seat device and the rear side as viewed from the seated user as the rear portion of the toilet seat device.

1, the toilet seat device 100 includes a main body 200, a toilet lid 300, a toilet seat 400, a remote controller 500, and a human body detection sensor 600. The main body 200, the toilet lid 300, and the toilet seat 400 are integrally formed and installed on the upper surface of the toilet bowl 700.

A toilet lid 300 and a toilet seat 400 are attached to the main body 200 via a toilet seat toilet lid rotating mechanism (not shown) so as to be electrically opened and closed. As shown in FIG. 1, when the toilet lid 300 is opened, the toilet lid 300 stands so as to be positioned at the rearmost part of the toilet seat device 100. When the toilet lid 300 is closed, the toilet lid 300 hides the upper surface of the toilet seat 400.

The main body 200 includes a cleaning mechanism including a cleaning water supply mechanism (not shown), a heat exchanger (not shown), a cleaning nozzle 201, a drying unit (not shown), a control unit 260, and the like. Is built-in.

The washing nozzle 201 has a butt washing nozzle part for washing the butt and a bidet nozzle part for washing the female part. A cleaning water supply mechanism and a heat exchanger are connected to the cleaning nozzle 201. The cleaning mechanism generates hot water by heating the cleaning water supplied from the water pipe with a heat exchanger by the cleaning water supply mechanism. Then, the generated warm water is supplied to the cleaning nozzle 201, and the cleaning water is ejected from the cleaning nozzle 201 toward the user's local area, thereby cleaning the user's local area. The drying unit is configured to blow warm air toward the local area wetted by the cleaning water to dry the local area.

Note that the cleaning mechanism and the drying unit are not essential components of the toilet seat device. For this reason, the toilet seat apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment may adopt a form that does not include these components.

A seating sensor 202 is installed at the front corner of the main body 200. The seating sensor 202 is a reflective infrared sensor, and is configured to detect the presence of a user on the toilet seat 400 by detecting infrared light reflected from the human body. An operation unit 203 is provided on the side of the main body 200. The operation unit 203 is configured to be able to operate main functions of the toilet seat device 100.

The remote controller 500 is attached to a place such as a wall surface of a toilet room that can be operated by a user sitting on the toilet seat 400. The remote controller 500 is provided with a plurality of operation switches so that the user can operate each function of the toilet seat device 100 by operating the operation switches.

The human body detection sensor 600 is attached to the wall surface of the toilet room. The human body detection sensor 600 is a reflective infrared sensor, and is configured to detect that a user has entered the toilet room when detecting infrared light reflected from the human body.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 260 of the main body 200 is configured to control the operation of each unit of the toilet seat device 100 based on signals transmitted from the remote controller 500, the human body detection sensor 600, and the seating sensor 202. ing.

In the toilet seat apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, when there is no user in the toilet room, the controller 260 stops energization of the toilet seat heater 450 or keeps the toilet seat heater at a low temperature of about 18 ° C. 450 is controlled. When the user enters the toilet room, the control unit 260 receives a signal from the human body detection sensor 600 and causes the heater driving unit 490 to energize the toilet seat heater 450. The toilet seat heater 450 is a heater with a very high output of about 1200 W, and the seating surface of the toilet seat 400 is placed on the seating surface for about 6 to 10 seconds after the user enters and exits the toilet room and sits on the toilet seat. It is configured so that it can be heated to an appropriate temperature of about ° C. After the toilet seat reaches an appropriate temperature, the control unit 260 controls the heater driving unit 490 so as to keep the toilet seat 400 at an appropriate temperature by lowering the energization of the toilet seat heater 450 to a low wattage of about 50 W. Then, when the user exits the toilet room, the control unit 260 receives a signal from the human body detection sensor 600 and stops energization of the toilet seat heater 450 or keeps the heater at a low temperature of about 20 ° C. The unit 490 is controlled. That is, the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment is a toilet seat device that can significantly reduce the power when there is no user in the toilet room.

<2> Configuration of Toilet Seat 400 Next, the configuration of the toilet seat 400 of the toilet seat device 100 according to Embodiment 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the toilet seat assembly state of the toilet seat device shown in FIG. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the toilet seat shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing in the toilet seat of the toilet seat device shown in FIG. 1. 3 to 5 show the front-rear direction of the toilet seat with the front side as viewed from the seated user as the front portion of the toilet seat and the rear side as viewed from the seated user as the rear portion of the toilet seat.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the toilet seat 400 includes a substantially elliptical annular upper toilet seat casing 410 formed mainly of aluminum, a substantially elliptical annular lower toilet seat casing 420 formed of synthetic resin, A substantially horseshoe-shaped toilet seat heater 450 adhered to the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410 is configured as a main component. In the first embodiment, the toilet seat 400 is formed in a substantially annular shape, but is not limited thereto. For example, the toilet seat 400 may be configured in a U shape (horse-shoe shape).

The upper toilet seat casing 410 is formed by press-working an aluminum plate having a thickness of about 1 mm, and a polyester powder coating film having insulating properties and heat resistance is formed on the front surface and the back surface. Insulating performance can be improved by adopting a powder coating that hardly causes pinholes.

The upper toilet seat casing 410 has a seating surface 411 and a backward curved portion 412, and the seating surface 411 and the backward curved portion 412 are formed continuously. The seating surface 411 is formed in a substantially elliptical annular shape. The seating surface 411 is curved in a convex shape, and is formed so that the outer peripheral portion is positioned higher than the inner peripheral portion.

The rear curved portion 412 is formed continuously from the rear portion of the seating surface 411. Further, the rear curved portion 412 is inclined so that the rear portion is positioned higher than the front portion. The upper edge 412a of the backward curved portion 412 extends in the width direction and is formed in an arc shape close to a straight line. And the width | variety of the back curved part 412 is comprised so that it may become a substantially the same dimension as the horizontal width of the seating surface 411. FIG.

Further, the inner peripheral edge 415 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 is formed so as to be bent toward the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 from the upper end of the side wall extending upward. Similarly, the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 is formed to be bent from the upper end of the side wall extending upward toward the inner peripheral edge 415 of the upper toilet seat casing 410. And the engagement hole 418 is formed in multiple places in the inner periphery 415 and the outer periphery 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 (refer FIG. 5).

As shown in FIG. 5, the toilet seat heater 450 is adhered to almost the entire surface of the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410 opposite to the seating surface 411. In addition, an earth terminal 480 of an earth wire for ensuring safety is connected to the outer peripheral edge 416 on the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410.

The toilet seat heater 450 is formed in a substantially horseshoe shape in which a part of the front portion is cut off, and includes a metal foil 451, a metal foil 453, and a linear heater 460 (see FIG. 6). The linear heater 460 is arranged to meander between two metal foils 451 and 453 made of aluminum. Specifically, the linear heater 460 is disposed so as to heat the seating surface 411 and the rear curved portion 412. As will be described later, the linear heater 460 is arranged at a different density so that the thigh and buttocks of the seated user can be comfortably heated.

Further, a thermostat 450Q and a thermal fuse 450R are installed as a device for preventing overheating at the rear part of the back surface of the toilet seat heater 450 opposite to the surface contacting the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410. Further, a thermistor (temperature detection means) 401 for detecting the toilet seat temperature is installed on the side of the back surface of the toilet seat heater 450. Thus, the control unit 260 can feedback control the toilet seat heater 450 via the heater driving unit 490 based on the temperature of the seating surface 411 detected by the thermistor 401 (more precisely, the temperature of the toilet seat heater 450). it can.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lower toilet seat casing 420 has a main body 421 and two arms 422. The main body 421 is formed in an annular shape, and side walls are formed on the outer peripheral edge and the inner week edge so as to extend upward. Two arm portions 422 are connected to both sides of the rear portion of the main body portion 421 so as to extend rearward and obliquely upward.

Further, a plurality of engaging claws 428 are formed on the inner peripheral edge 425 and the outer peripheral edge 426 of the lower toilet seat casing 420. Then, by engaging the engaging claw 428 formed in the lower toilet seat casing 420 with the engaging hole 418 formed in the upper toilet seat casing 410, the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 can be easily coupled. it can. A hollow portion is formed in the toilet seat 400 coupled in this manner. Appropriate watertight means is applied to the joints of the inner peripheral edge 415 and the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the inner peripheral edge 425 and the outer peripheral edge 426 of the lower toilet seat casing 420.

As described above, the upper toilet seat casing 410 is formed using an aluminum plate. However, the upper toilet seat casing 410 is not limited to this, and is not limited to this, but other metal having good heat conduction such as a plate material such as copper or stainless steel or a molded product of magnesium alloy. Alternatively, a resin material may be used. Further, the surface treatment applied to the aluminum plate is not limited to the above specifications, and other chemical treatments or other coatings using acrylic or urethane paints can be selected.

<3> Configuration of Toilet Seat Heater Next, the configuration of the toilet seat heater 450 of the toilet seat device 100 according to Embodiment 1 will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the toilet seat heater in the toilet seat shown in FIG. FIG. 6 shows the front-rear direction of the toilet seat heater 450 with the front side as viewed from the seated user as the front portion of the toilet seat heater 450 and the rear side as viewed from the seated user as the rear portion of the toilet seat heater 450. ing.

As described above, the toilet seat heater 450 includes the metal foil 451, the metal foil 453, and the linear heater 460. As shown in FIG. 6, the linear heater 460 is disposed so as to meander between the two metal foils 451 and 453 made of aluminum. The toilet seat heater 450 is disposed so that the metal foil 451 contacts the back surface of the lower toilet seat casing 420.

Specifically, the linear heater 460 is disposed over the entire area of the metal foil 451 (453) from the heater start end 460a to the heater end 460b. And the linear heater 460 is arrange | positioned so that the long part 46a extended in the left-right direction and the short part 46b extended in the front-back direction may be formed. In addition, the short part 46b is arrange | positioned so that it may be located in the peripheral part vicinity of metal foil 451 (453).

More specifically, the linear heater 460 includes a first side portion side first outer peripheral portion O1, a first side portion side first inner peripheral portion N1, and a second side portion side second inner peripheral portion N2. And a second side portion side second outer peripheral portion O2.

The first outer peripheral portion O1 extends from the heater start end portion 460a to the rear region of the metal foil 451 (453) via the central portion SE3 of the metal foil 451 (453), and one side portion of the metal foil 451 (453). (Hereinafter referred to as the first side portion) extending in a meandering direction from side to side and extending from there to the vicinity of one front end SE1 of the metal foil 451 (453) while meandering to the left and right. Yes. Following the first outer peripheral portion O1, the first inner peripheral portion N1 meanders from the vicinity of the front end SE1 of the metal foil 451 (453) to the vicinity of the central portion SE3 of the rear region of the metal foil 451 (453). It is formed to extend.

The second inner peripheral portion N2 extends from the vicinity of the central portion SE3 of the rear region of the metal foil 451 (453) to the vicinity of the other front end portion SE2 of the metal foil 451 (453), following the first inner peripheral portion N1. It is formed to extend while meandering from side to side. The second outer peripheral portion O2 extends from the vicinity of the other front end SE2 of the metal foil 451 (453) to the heater end portion 460b while meandering to the left and right, following the first inner peripheral portion N1.

Lead wires 470 drawn from the first side portion of the rear portion of the toilet seat 400 are connected to the heater start end portion 460a and the heater end portion 460b of the linear heater 460 via connection terminals, respectively.

Further, on the first side portion side in the rear region of the toilet seat heater 450, a temperature measuring portion in which the linear heater 460 meanders at a high density is formed. In the temperature measuring section, a return type thermostat 450Q using a bimetal for preventing overheating is provided. When the toilet seat heater 450 reaches an unexpected abnormal temperature, the return-type thermostat 450Q is opened to temporarily stop energization. At the rear of the toilet seat heater 450, a thermal fuse 450R is installed as a backup function of the thermostat 450Q.

<4> Thermistor Mounting Structure Next, the mounting structure of the thermistor 401 of the toilet seat apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7 to 9.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing in detail the A part of the toilet seat shown in FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of the toilet seat shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a pressing member attached to the toilet seat shown in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8, the thermistor 401 is installed on the back surface of the metal foil 453 of the toilet seat heater 450 attached to the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410. Specifically, the thermistor 401 includes the linear heater 460 and the linear heater 460 in a space between the linear heaters 460 of the toilet seat heater 450 disposed substantially in parallel (between two adjacent long portions 46a shown in FIG. 6). Arranged so as not to overlap. The adhesive member 403 is adhered to the back surface of the metal foil 453 so as to cover the heat sensitive part (detecting part) 401 a of the thermistor 401.

Thereby, the thermistor 401 can detect the temperature of the toilet seat heater 450, not the heat generated by the linear heater 460. That is, a temperature value close to the temperature of the toilet seat 400 (in particular, the seating surface 110 of the upper toilet seat casing 410) can be detected.

Both end portions of the adhesive member 403 that do not cover the heat sensitive portion 401a are held by a holding member 405 fixed to the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 with a screw 408. Note that the adhesive member 403 has an adhesive applied to one side of a sheet formed of aluminum or the like.

Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 to 9, the holding member 405 includes a holding member main body 406 formed by bending both ends of a substantially rectangular metal plate, and a synthetic member bonded and fixed to the holding member main body 406. It is composed of a rubber pressing piece 407. In the first embodiment, the pressing piece 407 is made of synthetic rubber, but is not limited to this. The retaining piece 407 only needs to be formed of a soft material having compression elasticity and heat insulation, and may be formed of, for example, foamed resin or glass wool.

The pressing member main body 406 is molded by a press so that both end portions of a stainless steel plate having a thickness of 0.2 mm to 0.4 mm are bent at substantially right angles in opposite directions. A fixing portion 406 b is formed at one end of the pressing member main body 406. The fixing portion 406 b is provided with a through hole 406 a through which a screw 408 for fixing the holding member main body 406 to the upper toilet seat casing 410 is passed. Further, a pressing portion 406 d is formed at the other end of the pressing member main body 406.

A substantially rectangular inspection opening (opening) 406c is provided at the center of the pressing portion 406d. When the retaining member 405 is fixed to the upper toilet seat casing 410 by the inspection opening 406c, the portion covering the heat sensitive portion 401a of the adhesive member 403 can be visually observed when viewed from the back side of the upper toilet seat casing 410. Note that the fixing portion 406b and the pressing portion 406d are integrally formed via a support portion 406e.

A pair of retaining pieces 407 are bonded to both sides of the retaining portion 406d of the retaining member main body 406, respectively. As shown in FIG. 9, the holding piece 407 is disposed so as to slightly protrude from the side of the holding portion 406d. Thereby, when the pressing piece 407 presses the adhesive member 403, the side part of the pressing member main body 406 is covered. For this reason, the sharp edge part of the both sides of the holding member main body 406 can contact the lead wire of the toilet seat heater 450 or the thermistor 401 directly, and can prevent it from damaging. Therefore, when the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 are fitted together, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a problem that damages the lead wire or the heater wire, and the productivity of the toilet seat device 100 can be improved. .

<5> Configuration of Control System of Toilet Seat Device Next, the control system of the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

The temperature measuring unit 430 in the main body 200 is connected to the thermistor 401 installed on the surface of the metal foil 453 of the toilet seat heater 450. Thereby, the temperature measuring unit 430 measures the temperature of the toilet seat 400 based on the signal output from the thermistor 401. Hereinafter, the temperature of the toilet seat 400 measured by the temperature measuring unit 430 through the thermistor 401 is referred to as a measured temperature value.

There is a slight difference between the measured temperature value by the thermistor 401 and the actual surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400, and the temperature setting in the control unit 260 is set in consideration of the temperature difference.

Further, the heater drive unit 402 in the main body 200 is connected to the toilet seat heater 450 of the toilet seat 400. As a result, the heater driving unit 402 drives the toilet seat heater 450.

In the present embodiment, the toilet seat device 100 operates as follows. At the time of initial setting, the temperature of the toilet seat 400 is adjusted to be, for example, about 18 ° C. by the control unit 260 controlling the heater driving unit 402, and the temperature at this time is referred to as a standby temperature. The temperature of the toilet seat at this time depends on the measured value of the thermistor 401.

When the room temperature is 18 ° C. or higher, the measured value of the toilet seat 400 is naturally 18 ° C. or higher, so that the control unit 260 cuts off the power supply to the toilet seat heater 450.

Here, when the user operates the toilet seat temperature adjustment switch of the remote controller 500, the temperature of the toilet seat when using the toilet seat is transmitted to the control unit 260 via the remote control light receiving sensor. The control unit 260 stores the set temperature received from the remote controller 500 in the control unit 260 storage unit. At this time, the temperature is referred to as a set temperature, and a plurality of set temperatures are prepared in advance and can be selected according to the user's preference.

When the user enters the toilet room, the human body detection sensor 600 detects the user's entry. Thereby, a user's entry detection signal is transmitted to the control unit 260 via the remote control light receiving sensor.

The control unit 260 detects the user's entry into the toilet room based on the detection signal from the human body detection sensor 600. The control unit 260 drives the toilet seat toilet lid rotation mechanism to open the toilet lid 300, and at the same time, performs specific operations related to driving of the toilet seat heater 450 based on the measured temperature value of the toilet seat 400 and the set temperature stored in the storage unit. Select the heater control pattern.

The drive of the heater drive unit 402 is controlled based on the selected heater control pattern and time information.

Thereby, the toilet seat heater 450 is driven, and the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 is instantaneously raised to the set temperature.

<6> Energization Pattern of Toilet Seat Heater and Change of Toilet Seat Temperature Next, the energization pattern of the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment will be described.

First, the drive control of the toilet seat heater 450 is performed by changing the energization capacity for driving the toilet seat heater 450 to three. When the temperature of the toilet seat 400 is increased with the first temperature gradient, the heater driving unit 402 drives the toilet seat heater 450 with about 1200 W of electric power (1200 W drive). When the temperature of the toilet seat 400 is raised at a second temperature gradient that is slightly gentler than the first temperature gradient, the heater drive unit 402 drives the toilet seat heater 450 with about 600 W of power (600 W drive). Furthermore, when the temperature of the toilet seat 400 is kept constant, the heater driving unit 402 drives the toilet seat heater 450 with a power of about 50 W (low power driving). Note that low power driving means driving the toilet seat heater 450 with sufficiently low power (for example, power in the range of 0 W to 50 W) compared to 1200 W driving and 600 W driving.

Switching between 1200 W drive, 600 W drive, and low power drive is performed by phase control that controls energization from the heater drive unit 402 to the toilet seat heater 450 by the energization rate switching circuit of the control unit 260.

The heater drive unit 402 is supplied with an alternating current from a power supply circuit (not shown). Therefore, the heater drive unit 402 causes the alternating current supplied based on the energization control signal provided from the energization rate switching circuit to flow through the toilet seat heater 450.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an energization pattern of the toilet seat heater 450 and a change in the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400. In FIG. 10, a graph showing the relationship between the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 and time and a graph showing the relationship between the energization rate and time when driving the toilet seat heater 450 are shown. The horizontal axis of these two graphs is a common time axis. In FIG. 10, it is assumed that the set temperature of the toilet seat is set to 38 ° C. and the room temperature is lower than 18 ° C.

During the standby state until the user's entry is detected by the human body detection sensor 600, the toilet lid 300 is closed so as to cover the toilet seat in order to suppress the heat radiation of the toilet seat 400, and the seating surface of the toilet seat 400 Low power driving of the toilet seat heater 450 is performed so that the surface temperature of 411 is constant at 18 ° C.

When the human body detection sensor 600 detects that the user has entered the room at time t1, the control unit 260 drives the toilet seat toilet lid rotation mechanism to open the toilet lid 300, and at the preset inrush current reduction period D2. During this time, 600 W drive is performed. This 600 W drive is performed in order to sufficiently reduce the inrush current, and is 0.5 seconds in this embodiment. In this case, the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 is raised with a slightly gentle second temperature gradient.

Thereafter, the control unit 260 starts 1200 W driving of the toilet seat heater 450 at time t2 after the rush current reduction period D2 has elapsed, and continues 1200 W driving of the toilet seat heater 450 during the preset first temperature rising period D3. To do. In the present embodiment, the temperature increase period D3 is set to 5.5 seconds, and the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 is increased by the first temperature gradient described above.

Here, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 is rapidly increased. The 1200 W drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is performed until the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 reaches a predetermined temperature (for example, 30 ° C.). This predetermined temperature is not a temperature sufficiently raised to the set temperature, and even if it is lower than that, the lowest limit temperature that does not cause discomfort when the user is seated (this temperature is referred to as a limit temperature). That is all you need. This limit temperature has been found to be about 29 ° C. by subject experiments conducted by the inventors.

Thus, in the first temperature raising period D3, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 is rapidly raised to a temperature exceeding the limit temperature by 1200 W driving. At this point, the user can sit on the toilet seat 400 without feeling that the toilet seat 400 is cold.

In general, when the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 is rapidly increased, an overshoot is generated in which the temperature rises to a set temperature or higher. However, in this embodiment, when the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 reaches a temperature exceeding the limit temperature, the temperature gradient is moderated and overrun by switching the 1200 W drive of the toilet seat heater 450 to the 600 W drive. The chute is suppressed and the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 is controlled so as not to exceed the set temperature.

The 600 W drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is performed until the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 reaches a set temperature (38 ° C.). When the measured value of the thermistor 401 reaches the set temperature, the 600 W drive is stopped and the next drive is performed. Switch to.

The control unit 260 starts low-power driving of the toilet seat heater 450 at time t4 after the elapse of the second temperature rising period D4, and continues low-power driving of the toilet seat heater 450 during the first maintenance period D5. Thereby, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 is kept constant at the set temperature.

When the seating sensor 202 detects that the user is seated on the toilet seat 400 at time t5, the controller 260 controls the toilet seat heater 450 so that the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 maintains the set temperature during the first seating period D6. Continue low power drive. In the present embodiment, the first seating period D6 is set to about 10 minutes.

Further, at time t6 after the first seating period D6 has elapsed, the control unit 260 further reduces the energization rate of the low power drive, and the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 during the second seating period D7 The low-power drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is continued so as to decrease to a temperature (36 ° C.) slightly lower than the toilet seat set temperature. In the present embodiment, the second seating period D7 is set to about 2 minutes.

At time t7 after the elapse of the second seating period D7, the control unit 260 further reduces the energization rate of the low power drive, and the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 is set to the toilet seat during the second maintenance period D8. The low-power drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is continued so as to be constant at a temperature (36 ° C.) slightly lower than the temperature. In the following description, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 that is maintained constant in the second maintenance period D8, that is, a temperature slightly lower than the toilet seat set temperature is referred to as a maintenance temperature. Thus, in this example, after the user sits on the toilet seat 400, the control unit 260 gradually decreases the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400. This prevents the user from getting burned at low temperatures.

When the seating sensor 202 detects that the user has left the toilet seat 400 at time t8, the control unit 260 stops driving the toilet seat heater 450 during the stop period D9. As a result, the surface temperature of the seating surface 411 of the toilet seat 400 decreases, and at time t9 when the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 reaches 18 ° C., the low-power drive of the toilet seat heater 450 is started again, and the surface temperature of the toilet seat 400 remains on standby. Low power driving of the toilet seat heater 450 is maintained during the standby period D10 so that the temperature is constant at 18 ° C.

When the user leaves the toilet seat 400 after leaving the toilet seat 400, the human body detection sensor 600 does not detect the human body, and the control unit 260 drives the toilet seat toilet lid rotation mechanism to suppress heat dissipation of the toilet seat 400. The toilet lid 300 is closed.

As described above, the drive control of the toilet seat heater 450 in the present embodiment is performed by combining the control by time in 1200 W drive and the like and the temperature control by detection of the thermistor 401 such as 600 W drive and low power drive, In particular, it is important that the thermistor 401 detects the set temperature without delay when driving at 600 W.

<7> Thermistor Mounting Operation Next, the thermistor 401 mounting operation in the toilet seat apparatus 100 according to Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7 to 9.

In the operation of attaching the thermistor 401 having the above-described configuration, first, the thermistor 401 is disposed at a predetermined position on the metal foil 453, and the thermistor 401 is temporarily fixed by covering the thermosensitive portion 401a of the thermistor 401 with the adhesive member 403. At this time, it is important to install the heat-sensitive part 401a at the center of the linear heaters 460 on both sides. The position after temporary fixing can be visually confirmed from above the adhesive member 403.

Next, it arrange | positions at the both ends of the adhesion member 403 so that the holding piece 407 of the holding member 405 may not contact the heat-sensitive part 401a, and the screw 408 is penetrated to the through-hole 406a, and the outer periphery of the upper toilet seat casing 410 416 is fixed.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the fixing portion 406 b of the holding member main body 406 and the ground terminal 480 of the ground wire are sequentially laminated on the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410, and the back surface side of the upper toilet seat casing 410. Then, the screw 408 is passed through and fixed by fastening with a nut disposed on the seating surface side of the upper toilet seat casing 410. At this time, it is important that the pressing member 405 and the heat sensitive part 401a are not in contact. In addition, the positional relationship and attachment state between the heat-sensitive part 401a and the pressing member 405 can be reliably confirmed visually through the inspection opening 406c.

For this reason, when the retaining member 405 is used, it can be visually observed from the inspection opening 406c whether or not the member to be attached (here, the thermistor 401) is attached at a predetermined position. Therefore, when the pressing member 405 is used, the member to be attached can be reliably attached at a predetermined position.

In the conventional mounting structure, the thermistor 6 is completely fixed in a state where the upper body 1 and the lower body 2 are fitted together. However, by adopting this configuration, before the casing is fitted, Regardless, only the upper toilet seat casing 410 can be used while confirming the back side of the seating portion 411 in the upper toilet seat casing 410, and the thermistor 401 can be attached. For this reason, it is suppressed that the cords currently routed are damaged, and both workability and mounting accuracy are improved.

The polyester powder coating film applied to the surface of the upper toilet seat casing 410 has no coating film formed on the outer peripheral edge 416 where the pressing member main body 406 contacts. The ground terminal 480 is electrically connected to the upper toilet seat casing 410 via the pressing member main body 406.

As described above, the upper toilet seat casing 410 and the lower toilet seat casing 420 in which parts such as the toilet seat heater 450, the thermistor 401, the thermostat 450Q, and the temperature fuse 450R are installed at predetermined positions are fitted to each other. Can be assembled.

In the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment configured as described above, the attached state of the thermistor 401, in particular, the state of pressing the adhesive member 403 covering the thermistor 401 with the pressing member 405 can be reliably visually inspected. Thereby, while being able to ensure high reliability, productivity of a toilet seat apparatus can be improved. Moreover, in the toilet seat apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, the thermistor 401 can be accurately arranged at the set position, so that the detection accuracy of the thermistor 401 can be increased.

Further, in the toilet seat apparatus 100 according to the first embodiment, both end portions of the adhesive member 403 that covers the heat-sensitive portion 401a of the thermistor 401 are pressed and stopped by the pressing pieces 407 of the pressing member 405 being in direct contact with each other. . For this reason, the heat insulating function of the pressing piece 407 can suppress the heat of the toilet seat heater 450 from being transmitted to the pressing member main body 406. Thereby, it can suppress that the temperature rise of the thermal part 401a of the thermistor 401 is delayed.

Furthermore, in the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment, since the retaining piece 407 is formed of a soft material, it is possible to prevent the adhesive member 403 and the metal foil 453 of the toilet seat heater 450 from being damaged, and production. Can be improved.

In the first embodiment, the ground terminal 480 is configured to be electrically connected to the upper toilet seat casing 410 via the pressing member main body 406. However, the present invention is not limited to this. As long as the ground terminal 480 is electrically connected at an appropriate position of the upper toilet seat casing 410 or the lower toilet seat casing 420, the connecting portion is arbitrary.

[Modification 1]
In the toilet seat device of Modification 1 in Embodiment 1, the retaining member is formed in a U shape so as to have a notch, and the portion that covers the detection part of the sticking member by the notch is provided. The aspect comprised so that visual observation is possible is illustrated.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a retaining member used in the toilet seat device of the first modification in the first embodiment.

The toilet seat device 100 according to the first modification of the first embodiment has the same configuration as the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment except that the pressing member 405 is configured as follows. For this reason, the description of other configurations of the toilet seat apparatus 100 is omitted.

As shown in FIG. 11, the pressing member 405 of the toilet seat device 100 according to the first modification has the same basic configuration as the pressing member 405 of the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment, but the inspection opening 406 c Instead, a difference is that a notch 406f is provided. Specifically, a notch 406f is provided so as to extend from the other end of the pressing member main body 406 toward one end. The notch 406f is formed in a substantially rectangular shape. For this reason, the pressing member 405 is formed in a U shape when viewed from the thickness direction.

Then, when the holding member 405 is fixed to the upper toilet seat casing 410 by the notch 406f, the portion covering the heat sensitive portion 401a of the adhesive member 403 is visually observed when viewed from the back side of the upper toilet seat casing 410. Can do.

Even the toilet seat device 100 according to the first modification configured as described above has the same effects as the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 2)
The toilet seat device according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention illustrates an aspect in which the retaining member is fixed to the upper toilet seat casing with rivets.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a mounting state of a retaining member in the toilet seat device according to the second embodiment. FIG. 13: is sectional drawing which shows the attachment state of the pressing member in the toilet seat apparatus which concerns on this Embodiment 2. FIG. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing a process of attaching a retaining member in the toilet seat device according to the second embodiment.

The toilet seat device 100 according to the second embodiment of the present invention has the same configuration as the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment, except that the fixing member is configured by a rivet 409. For this reason, the description of other configurations of the toilet seat apparatus 100 is omitted.

<Thermistor installation work>
As shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the thermistor 401 is attached by first placing the thermistor 401 at a predetermined position on the metal foil 453, covering the heat sensitive part 401 a of the thermistor 401 with the adhesive member 403, and temporarily fixing the thermistor 401. I do. At this time, it is important that the heat sensitive part 401a is installed at the center of the linear heaters 460 on both sides. The position after temporary fixing can be visually confirmed from above the adhesive member 403.

Next, the fixing portion 406b of the pressing member main body 406 is brought into contact with the seating surface side portion of the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410 so that the pressing piece 407 of the pressing member 405 does not contact the heat sensitive portion 401a. It arrange | positions at the both ends of the adhesive member 403. FIG. The ground terminal 480 of the ground wire is placed on the back side of the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410. Next, the rivet 409 is passed through the ground terminal 480, the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410, and the through holes provided in the holding member main body 406 from the back side of the upper toilet seat casing 410. Then, the ground terminal 480, the upper toilet seat casing 410, and the holding member 405 are crimped and fixed together by the rivet 409.

At this time, it is important that the pressing member 405 and the heat sensitive portion 401a of the thermistor 401 are not in contact with each other. In addition, the positional relationship and attachment state between the heat-sensitive part 401a and the pressing member 405 can be reliably confirmed visually through the inspection opening 406c.

In the second embodiment, the used rivet 409 is inserted into the through-hole from the back surface side of the upper toilet seat casing 410, and a pin disposed at the center of the rivet 409 is pulled, so that the seating surface side of the rivet 409 is moved. It is a blind rivet that is expanded and fixed. By using the blind rivet, the ground terminal 480 and the holding member 405 can be attached by a simple operation only from the back side of the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410.

Even the toilet seat device 100 according to the second embodiment configured as described above has the same effects as the toilet seat device 100 according to the first embodiment.

Further, in the toilet seat device 100 according to the second embodiment, the fixing member 406b of the holding member main body 406 is inserted into the seating surface side of the outer peripheral edge 416 of the upper toilet seat casing 410, so that the holding member main body 406 rotates. Can be regulated. For this reason, the fluctuation | variation range of the holding piece 407 of the holding member 405 can be suppressed, and the precision of the arrangement position of the holding piece 407 can be improved.

Further, the fixing portion 406b of the pressing member main body 406 does not jump out from the outer periphery of the upper toilet seat casing 410, and the appearance can be improved and the safety can be ensured. In addition, since the pressing member main body 406 is formed of a stainless steel plate that is a hard material, the pressing strength of the rivet 409 can be sufficiently exerted, and the pressing member 405 and the ground terminal 480 can be securely fixed. it can.

In the above-described embodiment (including Modification 1), the retaining member 405 is fixed to the upper toilet seat casing 410 with the screw 408 and the rivet 409, but is not limited thereto. For example, the pressing member 405 may be fixed to the upper toilet seat casing 410 with a screw.

In the above-described embodiment (including Modification 1), the holding member main body 406 of the holding member 405 is made of metal, but is not limited thereto, and may be made of synthetic resin. Further, when the holding member main body 406 is made of synthetic resin and the upper toilet seat casing 410 is made of synthetic resin, the holding member 405 includes the screw 408, the rivet 409, and the screw as described above. The fixing member may be fixed to the upper toilet seat casing 410 or may be fixed to the upper toilet seat casing 410 by heat welding.

From the above description, many modifications and other embodiments of the present invention are apparent to persons skilled in the art. Accordingly, the foregoing description should be construed as illustrative only and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode of carrying out the invention. The details of the structure and / or function may be substantially changed without departing from the scope of the invention. Moreover, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment.

Since the toilet seat device according to the present invention can improve the detection accuracy of the temperature detection means, it can be applied to other uses such as heating equipment.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Toilet seat apparatus 200 Main body 400 Toilet seat 401 Thermistor (temperature detection means)
403 Adhesive member 405 Holding member 406 Holding member body 406c Inspection opening (opening)
407 Holding piece 409 Rivet 410 Upper toilet seat casing 411 Seating surface 415 Inner edge 416 Outer edge 420 Lower toilet seat casing 425 Inner edge 426 Outer edge 450 Toilet seat heater 451 Metal foil 453 Metal foil 460 Linear heater 700 Toilet bowl

Claims

A main body installed on the toilet,
A toilet seat having an upper toilet seat casing and a lower toilet seat casing having a seating surface and rotatably supported by the main body;
A toilet seat heater in which a linear heater is disposed on a metal foil;
Temperature detection means having a detection unit for detecting the temperature of the toilet seat;
An attaching member for attaching the temperature detecting means to the metal foil of the toilet seat heater;
A holding member that holds the sticking member, and
The toilet seat heater is attached to the back surface of the upper toilet seat casing opposite to the seating surface,
The temperature detection means is disposed on a back surface that is a surface that does not contact the upper toilet seat casing of the metal foil constituting the toilet seat heater,
The sticking member is stuck to the back surface of the metal foil so as to cover the detection part of the temperature detecting means,
The pressing member is fixed to the upper toilet seat casing in a state in which a portion of the sticking member that does not cover the detection portion is pressed, and is fixed to the upper toilet seat casing and is fixed to the upper toilet seat casing. As viewed from the back side of the casing, the portion covering the detection part of the sticking member is configured to be visible,
A toilet seat device in which a peripheral edge of the upper toilet seat casing and a peripheral edge of the lower toilet seat casing are joined.
The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the pressing member has an opening, and the opening covers the detection part of the sticking member so that the part can be visually observed.
The holding member is formed in a U shape so as to have a notch, and is configured so that a portion covering the detection part of the sticking member is visible by the notch. The toilet seat device according to claim 1.
The toilet seat device according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the holding member includes a holding member body and a holding piece made of a soft material.
The toilet seat device according to claim 4, wherein the holding member is configured to hold a portion of the sticking member that does not cover the detection unit with the holding piece.
The toilet seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the retaining member is fixed to the upper toilet seat casing by a rivet.