CN108071154B - Toilet device - Google Patents
Toilet device Download PDFInfo
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- CN108071154B CN108071154B CN201710888516.8A CN201710888516A CN108071154B CN 108071154 B CN108071154 B CN 108071154B CN 201710888516 A CN201710888516 A CN 201710888516A CN 108071154 B CN108071154 B CN 108071154B
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- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E03—WATER SUPPLY; SEWERAGE
- E03D—WATER-CLOSETS OR URINALS WITH FLUSHING DEVICES; FLUSHING VALVES THEREFOR
- E03D9/00—Sanitary or other accessories for lavatories ; Devices for cleaning or disinfecting the toilet room or the toilet bowl; Devices for eliminating smells
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02B—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS
- Y02B20/00—Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps
- Y02B20/40—Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
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- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Epidemiology (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Hydrology & Water Resources (AREA)
- Water Supply & Treatment (AREA)
- Sanitary Device For Flush Toilet (AREA)
- Toilet Supplies (AREA)
- Arrangement Of Elements, Cooling, Sealing, Or The Like Of Lighting Devices (AREA)
- Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)
- Circuit Arrangement For Electric Light Sources In General (AREA)
Abstract
The invention provides a toilet device capable of improving the visibility of the floor of a toilet. Specifically, the toilet apparatus provided is characterized by comprising: a toilet bowl supported in a state of floating from a floor of the toilet; and an illumination unit that is provided within the lateral width of the toilet bowl below the upper end of the toilet bowl and behind the front end of the toilet bowl, and illuminates the floor surface by radiating light from a space between the toilet bowl and the floor surface toward the front.
Description
Technical Field
The present invention relates generally to toilet apparatuses.
Background
There are toilet apparatuses provided with a sitting toilet. The toilet device is provided in a toilet for use. In a toilet, generally, lighting is provided on a ceiling surface, and light is irradiated downward from the ceiling surface. In this case, there is a possibility that the brightness on the floor surface is insufficient due to a shadow formed by the toilet bowl, etc., and the visibility of the floor surface is reduced. When the brightness on the floor surface is insufficient, it is difficult to observe garbage, dust, and the like, resulting in a decrease in the cleaning performance of the toilet. In addition, there is a fear that the safety during night use or the like is lowered.
Therefore, there has been proposed a technique for improving the cleaning performance and safety of a toilet by providing lighting in the toilet separately from lighting in the toilet. For example, patent document 1 discloses a lighting device for illuminating the underfoot of a toilet. Further, patent document 2 discloses an illumination device for illuminating a floor of a toilet to facilitate cleaning of the toilet.
However, in patent documents 1 and 2, since the illumination is provided on one side wall of the toilet, there is a possibility that light is blocked by the toilet bowl, and the other side wall, the floor surface on the opposite side with respect to the toilet bowl, and the like become dark. Thus, there is room for study in the toilet in terms of visibility on the floor.
Patent document 1: japanese patent No. 5024402
Patent document 2: japanese patent No. 5035186
Disclosure of Invention
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a toilet apparatus capable of improving visibility of a floor of a toilet.
The present invention in claim 1 is a toilet apparatus, comprising: a toilet bowl supported in a state of floating from a floor of the toilet; and an illumination unit that is provided within the lateral width of the toilet, is located below the upper end of the toilet and behind the front end of the toilet, and illuminates the floor surface by radiating light from a space between the toilet and the floor surface toward the front.
According to this toilet apparatus, since the illumination portion illuminates light from the space between the toilet bowl and the floor toward the front, the floor can be illuminated, and the light is not blocked by the toilet bowl, so that the visibility of the floor of the toilet can be improved. Therefore, the cleaning property of the toilet, the safety during night use, and the like can be improved.
The 2 nd invention is the toilet apparatus according to the 1 st invention, wherein the toilet bowl has a recess recessed upward from a bottom portion, and at least a part of the illumination portion is located above a lower end of the toilet bowl.
According to this toilet apparatus, the floor surface can be easily lit up to the vicinity of the distal end of the toilet bowl, and the formation of shadows on the floor surface can be further suppressed. Therefore, the visibility of the floor surface can be further improved, and the cleaning performance and safety can be further improved.
The 3 rd invention is the toilet apparatus according to the 2 nd invention, wherein the illumination portion is attachable to and detachable from the recessed portion of the toilet.
According to this toilet apparatus, the illumination unit can be attached and detached without requiring a large-scale operation such as detaching the toilet, and the maintainability of the illumination unit is improved.
The 4 th aspect of the present invention is the toilet apparatus according to any 1 of the 1 st to 3 rd aspects of the present invention, wherein the illumination unit is provided rearward of a center of the toilet in a front-rear direction, and an optical axis of the illumination unit intersects the floor surface between a front end of the toilet and the center of the toilet in the front-rear direction.
According to this toilet apparatus, the illumination unit irradiates light obliquely downward in the front direction such that the optical axis intersects the floor surface between the front end of the toilet and the center of the toilet in the front-rear direction. This can further suppress the formation of shadows on the floor surface under the toilet bowl, and can further improve the visibility of the floor surface. Further, since the illumination unit irradiates light obliquely downward in the front direction, it is possible to suppress direct incidence of light from the illumination unit to the eyes when viewed from the front. Glare which causes discomfort to a user, a cleaner, and the like can be suppressed while improving visibility of a floor surface. Therefore, the cleaning performance of the toilet can be further improved.
The 5 th aspect of the present invention is the toilet apparatus according to any one of 1 st to 4 th aspects of the present invention, further comprising a 1 st detection unit that detects a human body entering the toilet, and a functional unit provided in the toilet, wherein the illumination unit switches the turning on and off of the light in accordance with a detection result of the 1 st detection unit, wherein the functional unit operates in accordance with detection of the human body entering the toilet by a 2 nd detection unit other than the 1 st detection unit or the 1 st detection unit, and wherein a distance at which the illumination unit switches the turning on and off of the light is longer than a distance at which the functional unit operates.
According to this toilet apparatus, since the illumination unit switches the light on and off according to the detection result of the 1 st detection unit, the user does not need to perform switching operations or the like, and convenience of the toilet apparatus can be further improved. Further, since the distance for switching the lighting unit on and off is longer than the distance for operating the functional unit, the lighting unit can be turned on before the functional unit is operated when entering the room, and thus the safety can be further improved.
The 6 th aspect of the present invention is the toilet apparatus according to any 1 of the 1 st to 5 th aspects of the present invention, further comprising: a detection unit that detects a human body entering the toilet; and a toilet seat which is rotatable to a 1 st state in which the toilet seat is disposed above the toilet seat so that a user can sit thereon and a 2 nd state in which the toilet seat is retracted upward from the toilet seat so that an upper end of the toilet seat is exposed, wherein the illumination unit switches the light on and off in accordance with a detection result of the detection unit, the toilet seat has an opening portion in which a part of the toilet seat is exposed in the 1 st state, and the detection unit is disposed at a position facing the opening portion of the toilet seat in the 2 nd state.
According to the toilet apparatus, since the illumination unit switches the light on and off according to the detection result of the detection unit, the user does not need to perform switching operations or the like, and convenience of the toilet apparatus can be further improved. Further, by disposing the detection unit at a position facing the opening of the toilet seat in the 2 nd state, it is possible to suppress the influence of the toilet seat and the like on the detection accuracy of the detection unit, and to improve the detection accuracy of the human body.
According to the aspect of the present invention, a toilet apparatus capable of improving the visibility of the floor of a toilet can be provided.
Drawings
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a toilet apparatus according to an embodiment.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a toilet apparatus according to an embodiment.
Fig. 3 is a front view showing a cabinet according to the embodiment.
Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the illumination unit according to the embodiment.
Fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an illumination unit according to an embodiment.
Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a part of the toilet seat unit according to the embodiment.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a modification of the toilet apparatus according to the embodiment.
Description of the symbols
2-a toilet; 4-a power supply; 10. 100-toilet device; 12. 112-toilet bowl; 13-anti-condensation component; 14-a cabinet body; 16-a support member; 18-a toilet seat unit; 20-a water tank; 22-a cleaning tube; 24. 124-an illumination portion; 26-a detection part; 30-a body portion; 32-a toilet seat; 34-a toilet cover; 40-a substrate; 42-a light source; 44-shell; 46-a light diffuser plate; 48-a control circuit; 50-a heating part; 52-temperature detection sensor; 60-a functional part; 62-a control section; 64-seating detection sensor; 66-human detection sensor.
Detailed Description
Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a toilet apparatus according to an embodiment.
Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a toilet apparatus according to an embodiment.
As shown in fig. 1 and 2, the toilet apparatus 10 includes a toilet 12, a tank 14, a support member 16, a toilet seat unit 18, and a tank 20. The toilet apparatus 10 is provided in the toilet 2 for use.
The cabinet 14 is installed on the floor surface 2a of the toilet 2 and is attached to 1 wall surface 2b of the toilet 2. The cabinet 14 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped box shape having an internal space capable of storing articles. The width of the cabinet 14 is substantially the same as the width of the wall surface 2b of the toilet 2, for example. The cabinet 14 has a front panel 14 f. The front panel 14f is provided substantially parallel to the wall surface 2b of the toilet 2. The front surface of the front panel 14f is a substantially vertical surface.
The toilet 12 is mounted on the front surface of the front panel 14f of the cabinet 14 in a state of floating from the floor surface 2a of the toilet 2. This can give a neat impression to the user of the toilet device 10, and can provide a high design property. Moreover, by floating the toilet 12 from the floor surface 2a on the toilet apparatus 10, cleaning of the floor surface 2a can be facilitated compared to a case where the toilet is placed on the floor surface 2 a.
The toilet 12 has a recessed bowl portion 12a recessed downward from the upper portion. The user discharges urine, feces, and the like to the bowl portion 12a while sitting on the toilet bowl 12. The toilet 12 receives excrement such as urine and feces of the user in the bowl portion 12 a. In other words, the toilet 12 is a marine type toilet.
In the present specification, the upper side, the lower side, the front side, the rear side, the right side, and the left side as viewed from a user sitting on the toilet 12 with his back on the cabinet 14 are referred to as "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "right side", and "left side", respectively.
The bowl portion 12a is connected to a drain trap pipe 12 b. The drain trap pipe 12b is connected to a pipe such as a drain socket. The front panel 14f of the cabinet 14 has an opening 14a at a position facing the toilet bowl 12. The pipe connected to the drain trap pipe 12b is inserted into the cabinet 14 through the opening 14a, and is connected to a drain pipe in the cabinet 14. The toilet 12 discharges the excrement discharged into the bowl portion 12a to a drain pipe via a drain trap pipe 12b, a pipe, and the like. The bowl portion 12a and the drain trap pipe 12b are formed so that a predetermined amount of water is accumulated in the bowl portion 12a when not in use.
The toilet 12 has a recess 12c recessed upward from the bottom. The recess 12c opens below the toilet 12 and also opens to the rear of the toilet 12. The recess 12c faces the opening 14a of the front panel 14f and communicates with the internal space of the cabinet 14 through the opening 14 a.
The toilet 12 is provided with a condensation preventing member 13. The dew condensation preventing member 13 is provided in the recess 12c, and covers the bottom surface of the toilet bowl 12 in the recess 12 c. A ceramic pot is used for the toilet bowl 12, for example. The dew condensation preventing member 13 is made of a heat insulating material such as expanded polystyrene. The dew condensation preventing member 13 can suppress dew condensation on the toilet 12 in the concave portion 12c and can suppress water condensed on the bottom surface of the toilet 12 from dropping on the floor surface 2 a.
The support member 16 is disposed within the cabinet 14. A part of the support member 16 is inserted through an opening 14a provided in a front panel 14f of the cabinet 14, and is connected to the toilet 12 via the opening 14 a. Thus, the support member 16 supports the toilet 12 in a state where the toilet 12 is floating from the floor surface 2 a. The support member 16 has a substantially rectangular frame shape. The shape of the support member 16 may be any shape capable of supporting the toilet bowl 12. For example, when the toilet 12 can be appropriately supported by the front panel 14f of the cabinet 14, the front panel 14f may be used as the support member 16.
The toilet seat unit 18 is provided above the toilet bowl 12. The toilet seat unit 18 includes a main body 30, a toilet seat 32, and a toilet cover 34. The body portion 30 is provided at a portion behind the bowl portion 12a of the toilet bowl 12. The main body 30 supports the toilet seat 32 and the toilet cover 34 in an openable and closable manner.
The main body 30 has a body washing function of washing a body part such as "buttocks" of a user sitting on the toilet seat 32, a heating toilet seat function of heating a contact surface of the toilet seat 32, and the like. In other words, the toilet seat unit 18 is a sanitary washing device. The toilet seat unit 18 may be, for example, a heated toilet seat device having no body washing function.
The toilet seat 32 is supported by the main body 30 and can be rotated to the 1 st position shown in fig. 1 and the 2 nd position shown in fig. 2. The 1 st state is a state in which the user can sit on the toilet 12. The 2 nd state is a state retracted upward from the toilet 12 and exposing the upper end 12u of the toilet 12.
The toilet seat 32 has an opening 32 a. The opening 32a is provided at the center of the toilet seat 32, and exposes a part of the toilet bowl 12 in the 1 st state. The opening 32a exposes at least a part of the bowl portion 12a of the toilet 12 in the 1 st state. In this example, the toilet seat 32 is O-shaped. The toilet seat 32 may be U-shaped.
For example, the toilet seat 32 may be supported by the toilet bowl 12. The toilet seat unit 18 may be provided as needed and may be omitted. The toilet apparatus 10 may have at least the toilet seat 32.
The water tank 20 is provided in the cabinet 14 and supported by the support member 16 in a state of being placed on the support member 16. The tank 20 is connected to the toilet 12 via a cleaning pipe 22 passing through the opening 14 a. The water tank 20 is connected to a water supply source such as a tap water pipe through a water supply pipe. The tank 20 stores water supplied from a water supply source therein, and supplies the stored water to the toilet bowl 12 as wash water in response to a user's operation. The tank 20 is disposed above the toilet 12, and supplies wash water to the toilet 12 by gravity. The toilet 12 allows excrement and the like in the bowl portion 12a to flow to the drain pipe by the supply of the flush water from the tank 20. The water supply to the toilet 12 is not limited to the tank type, and may be a direct pressure type supplied directly from a water supply source. The water tank 20 may be provided as needed and may be omitted.
The cabinet 14 accommodates the support member 16 and the water tank 20 in an inner space thereof. The cabinet 14 shields the support member 16 and the water tank 20. In other words, the cabinet 14 is a shell or an inner liner. The cabinet 14 can accommodate articles such as toilet paper and cleaning tools in the internal space. This can further improve the convenience of the toilet apparatus 10.
In this example, the height of the tank 14 is lower than the height up to the top surface of the toilet 2. The height of the cabinet 14 may be substantially the same as the height of the toilet 2 (the height from the floor surface 2a to the ceiling surface), for example. In the toilet apparatus 10, the tank 14 may be replaced with a wall plate continuous from the floor surface 2a to the ceiling surface. In other words, the space for installing the toilet bowl 12 and the space for installing the support member 16 and the tank 20 may be separated by a wall plate continuous from the floor surface 2a to the ceiling surface. The toilet bowl 12 may be mounted on a wall plate continuous from the floor surface 2a to the ceiling surface. For example, a wall plate continuous from the floor surface 2a to the ceiling surface may be used as the support member 16.
Fig. 3 is a front view showing a cabinet according to the embodiment.
Fig. 3 shows a state in which the toilet 12, the toilet seat unit 18, and the like are omitted from the toilet apparatus 10 for convenience.
As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the toilet device 10 further includes an illumination unit 24 and a detection unit 26 (the 1 st detection unit).
The illumination portion 24 is provided below the upper end 12u of the toilet 12 and behind the front end 12f of the toilet 12 within the lateral width of the toilet 12. The illumination portion 24 does not protrude further laterally than the toilet bowl 12. The illumination unit 24 illuminates light from a space between the toilet bowl 12 and the floor surface 2a toward the front so as to illuminate the floor surface 2 a. This can suppress the lighting unit 24 from forming a shadow under the toilet bowl 12. Therefore, visibility of the floor surface 2a of the toilet 2 can be improved, and cleaning performance of the toilet 2 and safety during use at night can be improved.
The detection unit 26 detects a human body entering the toilet 2. The detection unit 26 detects a human body entering the toilet 2 using, for example, electromagnetic waves. The illumination unit 24 switches the light on and off according to the detection result of the detection unit 26. The illumination unit 24 turns on the light in response to a transition of the detection result of the detection unit 26 from the undetected state to the detected state, and turns off the light in response to a transition of the detection result of the detection unit 26 from the detected state to the undetected state, for example. This can further improve the convenience of the toilet device 10. For example, even if turning off the illumination unit 24 is forgotten, consumption of unnecessary electricity can be suppressed.
The detection unit 26 is disposed at a position facing the opening 32a of the toilet seat 32 in the 2 nd state. The detection unit 26 is disposed, for example, on the rear surface of the front panel 14f at a position facing the opening 32a of the toilet seat 32 in the 2 nd state.
The detection unit 26 is provided with, for example, a microwave sensor that transmits microwaves (electromagnetic waves), receives reflected waves reflected by an object such as a user, measures a phase difference or a frequency difference between the transmitted waves and the received waves, and detects a distance from the object, a moving speed of the object, and the like. For example, when wood or a resin material is used for the front panel 14f and a microwave sensor is used for the detection unit 26, even when the detection unit 26 is provided on the rear surface of the front panel 14f, it is not necessary to provide a transparent window or the like for transmitting electromagnetic waves to the front panel 14 f. Therefore, the design of the toilet apparatus 10 can be improved.
The detection unit 26 is not limited to a microwave sensor, and may be an infrared distance measuring sensor, a pyroelectric sensor, or the like. The detection unit 26 may be any sensor capable of detecting a human body entering the toilet 2. The position of the detection unit 26 is not limited to the above, and may be any position capable of detecting a human body entering the toilet 2. The detection unit 26 may be provided separately from the toilet 12, the cabinet 14, and the like.
Fig. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the illumination unit according to the embodiment.
As shown in fig. 4, the illumination unit 24 includes a substrate 40, a light source 42, a housing 44, and a light diffusion plate 46.
The light source 42 is mounted on the substrate 40. A light emitting element such as an LED (light emitting Diode) is used for the light source 42. For example, a plurality of light sources 42 are provided. The light sources 42 are arranged side by side on the surface of the substrate 40. The light source 42 is not limited to a light emitting element, and may be an electric bulb, a fluorescent lamp, or the like. The number of the light sources 42 is not limited to a plurality, and may be 1.
The case 44 has an open box shape with a front opening, and houses the substrate 40 and the light sources 42 in an internal space thereof. In other words, the case 44 covers the sides and the rear of each light source 42. A metal material such as aluminum is used for the case 44. The case 44 has light reflectivity for light irradiated by each light source 42. This can suppress light emitted from each light source 42 from leaking in an unexpected direction. Further, the light emitted from each light source 42 can be appropriately emitted forward, and the light utilization efficiency of each light source 42 can be improved.
The light diffusion plate 46 closes the front opening of the housing 44. The light diffusion plate 46 has light permeability and light diffusivity for light irradiated from each light source 42. A milky-white resin material, for example, is used for the light diffusion plate 46. The light diffusion plate 46 suppresses the visibility of each light source 42 and suppresses the light emitted from each light source 42 from being observed as granular, for example. This enables the ground 2a to be more uniformly irradiated, for example.
The support member 16 has an illumination support portion 16a that supports the illumination portion 24. At least a part of the illumination portion 24 is housed in the cabinet 14 through the opening 14a, and is attached to the illumination support portion 16a of the support member 16. The illumination unit 24 irradiates light from the space between the toilet bowl 12 and the floor surface 2a toward the front through the opening 14a and the recess 12c of the toilet bowl 12 in a state of being attached to the illumination support portion 16 a.
The illumination support portion 16a is provided with a magnet 16 b. A magnetic body such as an iron plate is provided at a position corresponding to the magnet 16b on the rear end surface of the housing 44 of the illumination unit 24. The illumination support portion 16a detachably supports the illumination portion 24 by attracting the magnet 16b to the magnetic body of the case 44. The illumination support portion 16a detachably supports the illumination portion 24 only by manual operation without tools or the like. The illumination portion 24 is attachable to and detachable from the recess 12c of the toilet bowl 12 with respect to the illumination support portion 16 a.
As shown in fig. 3 and 4, in a state where the toilet 12 is attached to the front panel 14f, the external shape of the toilet 12 as viewed from the front is larger than the external shape of the opening 14a of the front panel 14 f. In a state where the toilet 12 is attached to the front panel 14f, the toilet 12 covers the opening 14a in the front-rear direction. This can prevent the opening 14a and the internal space of the cabinet 14 from being visible from the outside. This can suppress a reduction in the design of the toilet device 10.
As described above, the illumination portion 24 is attached to the illumination support portion 16a of the support member 16 in the cabinet 14. The lower end of the opening 14a is located above the lower end 12t of the toilet bowl 12, and the attachment portion of the illumination unit 24 to the illumination support portion 16a is located above the lower end of the opening 14 a. That is, at least a part of the illumination portion 24 is located above the lower end 12t of the toilet 12. In this example, the entire illumination portion 24 is located above the lower end 12t of the toilet bowl 12. This can suppress the visibility of the illumination unit 24 even when viewed from the front, for example.
For example, a part of the illumination unit 24 such as a lower portion of the front end of the case 44 may be located below the lower end 12t of the toilet bowl 12. The illumination unit 24 is preferably disposed so as not to be visible from a user standing on the front side of the toilet bowl 12, for example. In other words, the illumination unit 24 is preferably disposed at a position hidden in the toilet 12 as viewed from a user standing on the front side of the toilet 12.
The illumination unit 24 is provided further rearward than the center MP (see fig. 2) of the toilet 12 in the front-rear direction. In this example, a part of the lighting unit 24 is provided behind the toilet bowl 12. For example, each light source 42 is provided behind the toilet bowl 12. This makes it possible to illuminate the entire floor surface 2a below the toilet bowl 12 easily. The formation of a shadow under the toilet bowl 12 can be more appropriately suppressed.
The optical axis OA of the illumination unit 24 intersects the floor surface 2a in an area R1 between the front end 12f of the toilet 12 and the front-rear direction center MP of the toilet 12. The optical axis OA of the illumination unit 24 intersects the floor surface 2a, for example, directly below the front end of the lower end surface of the toilet bowl 12. The illumination portion 24 is provided above the lower end 12t of the toilet 12, and irradiates light obliquely downward through the recess 12c of the toilet 12.
The mounting position of the illumination unit 24 and the direction of the optical axis OA are not limited to the above. For example, the illumination unit 24 may be installed below the lower end 12t of the toilet 12 and emit light substantially horizontally. The lighting unit 24 may be attached to the front panel 14f, the toilet 12, and the like, for example. In other words, the illumination support portion 16a that supports the illumination portion 24 may be provided on the front panel 14f, the toilet 12, or the like. The illumination unit 24 may be detachably attached to the illumination support portion 16a by a hook, a velcro Tape (registered trademark), or the like, without being limited to the magnet 16 b. The structure of the illumination unit 24 may be any structure that can be easily attached and detached by manual operation without using a tool or the like.
Fig. 5 is a block diagram illustrating an illumination unit according to an embodiment.
As shown in fig. 5, the lighting unit 24 further includes a control circuit 48. The control circuit 48 is provided on the substrate 40. The control circuit 48 is electrically connected to each light source 42, the detection unit 26, and the power source 4. The power source 4 supplies power to the substrate 40. The power source 4 may be an external power source such as a commercial power source or an internal power source such as a battery. The detection unit 26 inputs the detection result of the human body entering the toilet 2 to the control circuit 48.
The control circuit 48 turns on each light source 42 by supplying the power of the power source 4 to each light source 42, for example, in response to a transition of the detection result of the detection section 26 from the undetected state to the detected state. In response to the detection result of the detection unit 26 changing from the detected state to the undetected state, the control circuit 48 stops the power supply to each light source 42, thereby turning off each light source 42.
Fig. 6 is a block diagram showing a part of the toilet seat unit according to the embodiment.
As shown in fig. 6, the toilet seat 32 incorporates a heating unit 50 and a temperature detection sensor 52. The heating unit 50 is provided inside the toilet seat 32. The heating portion 50 heats the seating surface (surface in contact with the buttocks of the user) of the toilet seat 32 from the inside by heat generation corresponding to the energization. The heating part 50 is a so-called heater. For example, a resistance heating unit, an induction heating unit that heats by electromagnetic induction, or the like is used for the heating unit 50.
The heating portion 50 includes a metal material. Therefore, as described above, the detection unit 26 is disposed at a position facing the opening 32a of the toilet seat 32 in the 2 nd state. This can suppress the electromagnetic wave of the detection unit 26 from being blocked by the metal portion of the heating unit 50 of the toilet seat 32, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the detection unit 26.
The temperature detection sensor 52 detects, for example, the temperature of the seating surface of the toilet seat 32. The temperature of the seating surface may be directly detected by the temperature detection sensor 52, or may be calculated based on the output of the temperature detection sensor 52.
The main body 30 has a function portion 60. The function unit 60 includes, for example, a control unit 62, a seating detection sensor 64, and a human body detection sensor 66 (2 nd detection unit). The functional unit 60 is housed in an internal space of the main body cover of the main body unit 30, for example.
The seating detection sensor 64 can detect that a human body above the toilet seat 32 is present immediately before the user sits on the toilet seat 32, or that the user sits on the toilet seat 32. Not only the user seated on the toilet seat 32 but also the seating detection sensor 64 may detect the user existing above the toilet seat 32. As such a seating detection sensor 64, for example, an infrared projection or light reception type distance measuring sensor can be used. The seating detection sensor 64 may be a switch that is turned ON/OFF by a load applied when the user sits ON the seat. The seating detection sensor 64 outputs a signal indicating that seating is detected to the control portion 62 in response to detection of seating of the user.
The human body detection sensor 66 detects a human body entering the toilet 2. The human body detection sensor 66 detects a human body entering the toilet 2 using, for example, electromagnetic waves. In this way, the human body detection sensor 66 has a detection function of detecting a human body entering the toilet 2. For example, a microwave sensor, an infrared distance sensor, a pyroelectric sensor, or the like is used as the human body detection sensor 66. The human body detection sensor 66 may be any sensor that can detect a human body entering the toilet 2. The human body detection sensor 66 outputs a signal indicating that a human body is detected to the control section 62 in response to the detection of the human body.
The distance that the detection section 26 can detect the human body is longer than the distance that the human body detection sensor 66 of the function section 60 can detect the human body. The detection unit 26 can detect a human body entering the toilet 2 from the front immediately, for example. The detectable distance of the detecting section 26 is 1600mm, for example. The human body detection sensor 66 can detect, for example, a human body that enters the toilet 2 and stands in front of the toilet bowl 12. The detectable distance of the human detection sensor 66 is, for example, 500 mm.
The control unit 62 is connected to the seat occupancy detection sensor 64 and the human body detection sensor 66, and also connected to the heating unit 50 and the temperature detection sensor 52 of the toilet seat 32. The control section 62 controls the amount of energization to the heating section 50 based on a detection signal from the temperature detection sensor 52.
For example, when not in use, the control unit 62 stops the energization of the heating unit 50 or reduces the energization amount so as to set the seating surface of the toilet seat 32 to a low temperature, and when in use, executes an immediate heating operation mode in which the seating surface of the toilet seat 32 is rapidly heated by increasing the energization amount of the heating unit 50 so as to raise the temperature of the seating surface to an appropriate temperature.
In the standby state in which the amount of electricity supplied to the heating portion 50 is suppressed, the control portion 62 detects the user based on the detection result of the human body detection sensor 66. When the user is detected by the human body detection sensor 66, the control unit 62 increases the amount of current supplied to the heating unit 50 to heat the seat surface of the toilet seat 32 to a preset temperature.
In this way, the functional unit 60 operates based on the detection of the human body entering the toilet 2 by the human body detection sensor 66. Further, as described above, the distance that the detection portion 26 can detect the human body is longer than the distance that the human body detection sensor 66 of the function portion 60 can detect the human body. Therefore, the distance for switching the lighting unit 24 on and off is longer than the distance for operating the function unit 60. In this example, the lighting unit 24 is turned on before the functional unit 60 heats the seating surface of the toilet seat 32.
The control unit 62 calculates the time from the detection of the user by the human body detection sensor 66 until the user sits on the toilet seat 32 in advance by statistics. The control unit 62 completes heating to the set temperature in a shorter time than this time. This can prevent the user from sitting on the toilet seat 32 in a state where the seating surface is at a low temperature. The rapid heating from the standby temperature to the set temperature can be suppressed.
The control unit 62 determines whether the temperature of the seat surface has risen to the set temperature, for example, based on the detection result of the temperature detection sensor 52. When the rise to the set temperature is confirmed, the control unit 62 controls the amount of electricity supplied to the heating unit 50 so that the temperature of the seating surface is substantially stabilized at the set temperature. That is, after the temperature of the seating surface is increased to the set temperature, the controller 62 performs control to keep the temperature of the seating surface at the set temperature. This can provide the user with a toilet seat 32 at a comfortable temperature.
The control unit 62 detects, for example, that the user is separated from the toilet seat 32 based on the detection result of the seating detection sensor 64, and in response to the detection, lowers the temperature of the seating surface from the set temperature to the temperature in the standby state.
The control section 62 may also perform, for example, a warm-keeping operation mode in which the temperature of the seat surface is always kept at a set temperature, and is not limited to the instant heating operation mode. The control unit 62 may switch a plurality of operation modes such as an instant heating operation mode and a warm keeping operation mode.
In this way, the functional portion 60 has a heated toilet seat function of heating the seating surface of the toilet seat 32, for example. The functional unit 60 may have a sanitary washing function of, for example, spraying water (hot water or cold water) toward the "buttocks" of the user seated on the toilet seat 32 to wash the "buttocks" of the user. Further, the toilet seat 32 may have various functions such as a "warm air drying function" for blowing warm air toward the "buttocks" of the user seated thereon to dry the user, a "deodorization function" and an "indoor heating function". The function of the function unit 60 is not limited to the above, and may be any function that can be used for the toilet seat unit 18.
The human body detection function of the function section 60 may be used for other purposes, not limited to heating of the toilet seat 32. For example, a toilet lid opening/closing mechanism for opening/closing the toilet lid 34 may be provided, and the toilet lid 34 may be automatically opened/closed based on a result of detection of a human body. The function unit 60 may have at least any function that can be operated in response to detection of a human body entering the toilet 2 by the human body detection sensor 66.
As described above, according to the toilet apparatus 10 of the present embodiment, since the illumination portion 24 irradiates light forward from the space between the toilet 12 and the floor surface 2a, the floor surface 2a can be illuminated and the light is not blocked by the toilet 12, so that the visibility of the floor surface 2a of the toilet 2 can be improved. Therefore, the cleaning performance of the toilet 2, the safety during use at night, and the like can be improved. Further, it is possible to suppress formation of shadows under the toilet bowl 12 supported in a state of floating from the floor surface 2a, and to improve the floating feeling of the toilet bowl 12. This can improve the design of the toilet device 10 and the toilet 2.
In the toilet apparatus 10, the toilet 12 has a recess 12c recessed upward from the bottom, and at least a part of the illumination portion 24 is located above the lower end 12t of the toilet 12. This makes it possible to easily illuminate the floor surface 2a to the vicinity of the front end 12f of the toilet 12, thereby further suppressing the formation of shadows on the floor surface 2 a. Therefore, visibility of the floor surface 2a can be further improved, and cleaning performance and safety can be further improved. Further, visibility of the illumination portion 24 when viewed from the front can be suppressed, and the design of the toilet apparatus 10 and the toilet 2 can be further improved. Further, when the floor surface 2a under the toilet bowl 12 is cleaned using a cleaning tool such as a mop, it is possible to prevent the cleaning tool from hitting the illumination portion 24 and damaging the illumination portion 24.
Further, by providing the concave portion 12c, light emitted from the illumination portion 24 can be diffusely reflected by the concave portion 12c, and the floor surface 2a around the toilet bowl 12 can be easily made bright. Further, by providing the condensation preventing member 13 in the concave portion 12c and making the color of the surface of the condensation preventing member 13 close to white, it is possible to make diffuse reflection of the light irradiated from the illuminating portion 24 easier. Further, the provision of the illumination portion 24 facilitates confirmation of, for example, the state of dew condensation on the toilet 12 in the recess 12c, the state of the dew condensation preventing member 13, and the like, and therefore, the maintainability of the toilet apparatus 10 can be improved.
In addition, the illumination unit 24 is attachable to and detachable from the recess 12c of the toilet bowl 12 in the toilet apparatus 10. This makes it possible to attach and detach the illumination unit 24 without requiring a large-scale operation such as detaching the toilet 12, and thus, the maintainability of the illumination unit 24 can be improved.
In the toilet apparatus 10, the optical axis OA of the illumination unit 24 intersects the floor surface 2a in an area R1 between the front end 12f of the toilet 12 and the center MP of the toilet 12 in the front-rear direction. This can further suppress the formation of shadows on the floor surface 2a under the toilet bowl 12, and further improve the visibility of the floor surface 2 a. Further, since the illumination unit 24 irradiates light obliquely downward in the front direction, it is possible to suppress direct incidence of light from the illumination unit 24 to the eyes when viewed from the front. Glare which causes discomfort to a user, a cleaner, and the like can be suppressed while improving visibility of the floor surface 2 a. Therefore, the cleaning performance of the toilet 2 can be further improved.
In the toilet apparatus 10, the detection unit 26 is disposed at a position facing the opening 32a of the toilet seat 32 in the 2 nd state. This can suppress the electromagnetic waves from being blocked by the toilet seat 32 and the heating unit 50, thereby improving the detection accuracy of the human body. Further, since the illumination unit 24 switches the light on and off according to the detection result of the detection unit 26, the user does not need to perform switching operations or the like, and the convenience of the toilet apparatus 10 can be further improved.
In addition, in the toilet apparatus 10, since the distance for switching the lighting unit 24 between on and off is longer than the distance for operating the function unit 60, the lighting unit 24 can be turned on before the function unit 60 is operated at the time of entry, and thus safety can be further improved. Further, since the detection unit 26 is provided separately from the detection function of the function unit 60, the lighting unit 24 can be switched between on and off regardless of the operation of the function unit 60.
In the above embodiment, the human body detection sensor 66 is provided separately from the detection unit 26, and the function unit 60 is operated based on the detection result of the human body detection sensor 66. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the function unit 60 may be operated based on the detection result of the detection unit 26, for example. On the contrary, the lighting unit 24 may be switched between on and off according to the detection result of the human body detection sensor 66 provided in the toilet seat unit 18. In this manner, the operation of the illumination unit 24 and the operation of the function unit 60 can be controlled by 1 detection unit.
For example, the threshold value of the detection signal of 1 detection unit may be changed, and the distance for switching the lighting unit 24 between on and off may be longer than the distance for operating the function unit 60 based on the detection result of 1 detection unit. For example, when the user enters, the lighting unit 24 may be turned on when the detection result of 1 detection unit becomes the 1 st distance, and the function unit 60 may be operated when the detection result becomes the 2 nd distance shorter than the 1 st distance.
Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a modification of the toilet apparatus according to the embodiment.
In this example, functions and configurations that are substantially the same as those of the above-described embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
As shown in fig. 7, the toilet apparatus 100 does not include a recess (recess 12c) that is recessed upward from the bottom portion of the toilet 112. The toilet 112 has a lower end 112t at the center in the left-right direction. In this way, the toilet bowl 112 may not necessarily have a recess.
In the toilet apparatus 100, the illumination unit 124 is provided below the toilet pan 112. When the toilet 112 does not have a recess and the illumination unit 124 is provided below the toilet 112, the illumination unit 124 is preferably provided to be embedded in the cabinet 14 as shown in fig. 7. That is, the front surface of the illumination unit 124 is substantially flush with the front surface of the front panel 14f of the cabinet 14. This can suppress damage to the illumination unit 124 caused by contact with the cleaning tool, for example.
The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. The embodiments described above are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the features of the present invention, and products appropriately designed and modified by those skilled in the art are also included in the present invention. For example, the shape, size, material, arrangement, and the like of each element provided in the toilet apparatuses 10 and 100 are not limited to those illustrated, and can be appropriately changed.
Further, the elements included in the respective embodiments may be combined as long as the technical feasibility is achieved, but the product obtained by combining the elements is also included in the scope of the present invention as long as the feature of the present invention is included.
Claims (6)
1. A toilet device is characterized by comprising:
a toilet bowl supported in a state of floating from a floor of the toilet;
and an illumination unit disposed below an upper end of the toilet bowl and behind a front end of the toilet bowl within a lateral width of the toilet bowl, the illumination unit illuminating the floor surface by illuminating light from a space between the toilet bowl and the floor surface toward the front side,
the illumination unit is disposed at a position hidden in the toilet bowl when viewed from a user standing on the front side of the toilet bowl.
2. Toilet device according to claim 1,
the toilet bowl has a recess recessed upward from a bottom,
at least a part of the illumination unit is positioned above a lower end of the toilet bowl.
3. The toilet apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the illumination unit is attachable to and detachable from the recess of the toilet bowl.
4. The toilet device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the toilet device further comprises a toilet bowl unit,
the illumination unit is provided at a position rearward of a center of the toilet in a front-rear direction,
an optical axis of the illumination unit intersects the floor surface between a front end of the toilet bowl and a center of the toilet bowl in a front-rear direction.
5. The toilet device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the toilet device further comprises a toilet bowl unit,
further comprises a 1 st detection part for detecting a human body entering the toilet, a functional part arranged on the toilet bowl,
the illumination unit switches between on and off according to the detection result of the 1 st detection unit,
the functional unit operates based on the detection of the human body entering the toilet by the 1 st detecting unit or the 2 nd detecting unit other than the 1 st detecting unit,
the distance that the 1 st detection part detects the human body when the lighting part switches on and off is longer than the distance that the functional part detects the human body when the functional part works.
6. The toilet apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising:
a detection unit that detects a human body entering the toilet;
and a toilet seat which is rotatable to a 1 st state in which the toilet seat is disposed above the toilet so that a user can sit thereon and a 2 nd state in which the toilet seat is retracted upward from the toilet so that an upper end of the toilet seat is exposed,
the illumination unit switches between on and off according to a detection result of the detection unit,
the toilet seat has an opening portion for exposing a part of the toilet bowl in the 1 st state,
the detection unit is disposed at a position facing the opening of the toilet seat in the 2 nd state.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP2016223099A JP6838361B2 (en) | 2016-11-16 | 2016-11-16 | Toilet bowl device |
| JP2016-223099 | 2016-11-16 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CN108071154A CN108071154A (en) | 2018-05-25 |
| CN108071154B true CN108071154B (en) | 2020-10-09 |
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| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CN201710888516.8A Active CN108071154B (en) | 2016-11-16 | 2017-09-27 | Toilet device |
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| Country | Link |
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| JP (1) | JP6838361B2 (en) |
| CN (1) | CN108071154B (en) |
Families Citing this family (15)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JP6551815B1 (en) * | 2018-09-28 | 2019-07-31 | Toto株式会社 | toilet seat |
| JP7333693B2 (en) * | 2019-01-09 | 2023-08-25 | 株式会社Lixil | toilet facilities |
| WO2020116613A1 (en) * | 2018-12-07 | 2020-06-11 | 株式会社Ｌｉｘｉｌ | Toilet cabinet |
| JP7249784B2 (en) * | 2019-01-09 | 2023-03-31 | 株式会社Lixil | toilet cabinet |
| WO2020116614A1 (en) * | 2018-12-07 | 2020-06-11 | 株式会社Ｌｉｘｉｌ | Toilet space and toilet facility |
| JP7236260B2 (en) * | 2018-12-07 | 2023-03-09 | 株式会社Lixil | toilet cabinet |
| JP7146604B2 (en) * | 2018-12-07 | 2022-10-04 | 株式会社Lixil | toilet cabinet |
| JP7333691B2 (en) * | 2018-12-07 | 2023-08-25 | 株式会社Lixil | toilet space |
| JP7146605B2 (en) * | 2018-12-07 | 2022-10-04 | 株式会社Lixil | toilet cabinet |
| JP7291485B2 (en) * | 2019-01-09 | 2023-06-15 | 株式会社Lixil | wall mounted toilet |
| JP7253386B2 (en) * | 2019-01-09 | 2023-04-06 | 株式会社Lixil | panel unit |
| JP7218644B2 (en) * | 2019-03-26 | 2023-02-07 | Toto株式会社 | Lighting control system for toilet space |
| JP7450351B2 (en) * | 2019-08-14 | 2024-03-15 | 株式会社Lixil | Toilet cabinets and toilet systems |
| JP7269550B2 (en) * | 2019-08-20 | 2023-05-09 | Toto株式会社 | cabinet and toilet system |
| JP7502057B2 (en) | 2020-03-19 | 2024-06-18 | 株式会社Lixil | Toilet equipment |
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| JP2006141583A (en) * | 2004-11-18 | 2006-06-08 | Matsushita Electric Works Ltd | Flush toilet bowl |
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Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CN108071154A (en) | 2018-05-25 |
| JP6838361B2 (en) | 2021-03-03 |
| JP2018079056A (en) | 2018-05-24 |
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