CN111506151A

CN111506151A - Operating device

Info

Publication number: CN111506151A
Application number: CN201910885124.5A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 富冈阳一郎; 安藤良彦
Original assignee: Lixil Corp
Current assignee: Lizhu Group Co.,Ltd.
Priority date: 2019-01-31
Filing date: 2019-09-19
Publication date: 2020-08-07
Also published as: CN210515076U; US20200248439A1; JP2020122340A

Abstract

The invention provides an operating device which is good in usability and is easy to grasp the working of kitchen and toilet equipment. The operation device is provided with a device main body (54) and an operation member (56) operated by a user, wherein the operation member (56) can move between a first position and a second position, and can operate the kitchen and bath equipment (10) by moving from the first position to the second position, the device main body (54) is provided with a mark part (82) of which the outer surface has a color different from that of an adjacent part (80) of the device main body (54), the mark part (82) is hidden from the outside when the operation member (56) is in the first position, and at least a part of the mark part (82) is exposed to the outside when the operation member (56) is in the second position.

Description

Operating device

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an operation device for operating kitchen and bath equipment.

Background

Patent document 1 describes an operating mechanism including: a push button which can move between a lower position and an upper position by a pushing operation, and a guide portion which guides the push button. The button is disposed at a lower position flush with the upper surface of the guide portion when the drain plug is in a closed state, and at an upper position protruding from the upper surface of the guide portion when the drain plug is in an open state. In this operating mechanism, in order to make it easy to grasp the open/close state of the drain plug by visual confirmation, the button is provided with a mark portion exposed to the outside only when the button is at an upper position.

Documents of the prior art

Patent document

Patent document 1: japanese unexamined patent publication No. 2012-97426

Disclosure of Invention

Problems to be solved by the invention

In the technique of patent document 1, when a button at a lower position is pushed and operated and a hand is separated from the button, the button is moved to an upper position, and a mark portion of the button is exposed for the first time. That is, the identification portion of the button is not exposed in the middle of the operation of the button. Therefore, it is impossible to grasp to what extent the button needs to be operated in order to operate the drain plug, and the user may feel that the usability is poor. This is a common problem when operating kitchen and toilet equipment by means of an operating element such as a button or a handle, and the present inventors have recognized that there is room for improvement.

In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide an operation device that is easy to use in grasping the operation of kitchen and toilet equipment.

Means for solving the problems

A first aspect of the present invention for solving the above problems provides an operating device. The operating device of the first aspect includes a device main body, and an operating member operated by a user, the operating member being movable between a first position and a second position, and being movable from the first position to the second position to operate the kitchen and toilet equipment, the device main body including a mark portion having an outer surface of a color different from an adjacent portion of the device main body, the operating member hiding the mark portion from outside when in the first position, and exposing at least a part of the mark portion to outside when in the second position.

According to the first aspect, during or after the movement of the operating element from the first position to the second position, even if the hand is separated from the operating element, the exposed indicator portion of the device body can be visually confirmed, and it can be understood that the kitchen and toilet appliance is operating. Therefore, it is easier to grasp to what extent the operating element needs to be operated in order to operate the kitchen and toilet equipment, as compared to the case where the hand is separated from the operating element and the indicator portion is exposed for the first time. Therefore, the usability of the operation device can be improved in grasping the operation of the kitchen and toilet equipment.

Drawings

FIG. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment kitchen and bath appliance;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view showing a state after the operating element is moved from the position of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the tubular member of the first embodiment;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a kitchen and bath appliance according to a second embodiment;

fig. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram of a kitchen and bath appliance of the second embodiment;

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a portion of the operating device of the second embodiment;

FIG. 8 is a front cross-sectional view of a portion of the operating device of the second embodiment;

FIG. 9 is a top plan view of a portion of the operating device of the second embodiment;

FIG. 10 is a view showing a state in which the first operating element is moved from the position of FIG. 7;

fig. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram of a kitchen and bath appliance of the third embodiment;

fig. 12 is a perspective view of the operating device of the third embodiment;

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the operating device of the third embodiment;

FIG. 14 is a side sectional view of the operating device of the third embodiment;

FIG. 15 is a view showing a state in which the second operating element is moved from the position of FIG. 12;

FIG. 16 is a view showing a state in which the first operating element is moved from the position of FIG. 14;

FIG. 17 is a front view of the identification component of the third embodiment;

FIG. 18 is a side sectional view of a portion of the device body of the third embodiment;

fig. 19 is a side sectional view of a part of the operation device of the third embodiment.

Description of the reference numerals

10 … kitchen and bathroom equipment, 14 … operating device, 40 … cylindrical part, 54 … device body, 56(56-A, 56-B) … operating piece, 66 … main body part, 68 … marking part, 70 a-70 d … boundary part, 72 … cylindrical part, 74 … table part, 80 … adjacent part, 82 … marking part, 106 … accommodating hole, 106a … upper surface, 106B … lower surface, 132 … peripheral part, 134 … guiding part, 136(136-A, 136-B) … guided part, 150 … cylindrical part and 170 … stopping piece.

Detailed Description

An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description thereof is omitted. In the drawings, for convenience of explanation, some of the constituent elements are omitted as appropriate, and the dimensions are enlarged and reduced as appropriate. The drawings are viewed in the direction of the reference numerals. In the present specification, "fixed" and "attached" include the case where both directly satisfy the conditions mentioned and the case where both satisfy the conditions mentioned, unless otherwise specified.

(first embodiment)

Refer to fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a configuration diagram of a kitchen and bath (backwater り) facility 10 according to the present embodiment. The kitchen and toilet equipment 10 of the present embodiment is a faucet. The kitchen/bathroom facility 10 includes: the apparatus main body 12 and the operating mechanism 20 that is operated by an operating element 56 (described later) of the operating device 14. The operating mechanism 20 of the present embodiment includes a valve mechanism 22.

The apparatus main body 12 of the present embodiment includes a water jet unit 24 capable of jetting water, and a water supply path 26 for supplying water to the water jet unit 24 is provided inside the apparatus main body 12. The water supply path 26 includes: an upstream water passage 28 for supplying water to the valve mechanism 22 provided in the middle of the water supply passage 26, and a downstream water passage 30 for guiding the water supplied from the valve mechanism 22 to the water jet part 24. The upstream water passage 28 of the present embodiment includes a hot water supply passage 32 for supplying hot water and a cold water supply passage 34 for supplying cold water.

The apparatus main body 12 of the present embodiment includes: a spout (スパウト, spout) section 36 of the water spout section 24, a main tube section 38 from which the spout section 36 projects from the outer peripheral surface, and a tubular member 40 as a cap covering the front end opening of the main tube section 38 are provided at the front end. The cylindrical member 40 will be described in detail later.

The valve mechanism 22 of the present embodiment constitutes a flow rate adjustment valve. The valve mechanism 22 can change the opening degree of the upstream water passage 28 by the operation element 56, and the flow rate of water supplied to the downstream water passage 30 can be adjusted by this change. The valve mechanism 22 of the present embodiment also constitutes a hot water mixing valve. The valve mechanism 22 is also capable of changing the ratio of the opening degrees of the hot water supply path 32 and the cold water supply path 34 by the operation element 56, and the temperature of the water supplied to the downstream water path 30 can be adjusted by this change. Such valve mechanisms 22 are well known and, therefore, the description is simplified herein.

Refer to fig. 2. The apparatus main body 12 of the present embodiment includes: a housing 42 fixed inside the main pipe portion 38 of the apparatus main body 12 and housing the valve mechanism 22; a fixing nut 44 that is screwed into the main pipe portion 38 and fixes the valve mechanism 22 within the housing 42.

The valve mechanism 22 of the present embodiment includes: a housing 46, a disk-shaped fixed valve body 48 fixed to the housing 46, a disk-shaped movable valve body 50 disposed in the housing 46, and a rotary holder 52 rotatably housed in the housing 46. The movable valve body 50 is moved in conjunction with the operation element 56, and thereby the opening degrees of the hot water supply path 32 and the cold water supply path 34 formed in the fixed valve body 48 or the ratio of the opening degrees of the hot water supply path 32 and the cold water supply path 34 can be changed as described above.

The operation device 14 includes: the device includes a device main body 54, an operating element 56 operated by a user, and a transmission unit 58 that transmits an external force received from the operating element 56 to the operating mechanism 20. The device main body 54 of the present embodiment also serves as the apparatus main body 12 of the kitchen and bathroom apparatus 10. That is, the apparatus main body 54 of the present embodiment also includes the nozzle part 36, the main pipe part 38, the tubular member 40, and the like.

The operating element 56 of the present embodiment is a handle, and functions as a so-called single handle. The operating element 56 includes: a cover portion 60 that covers a part of the apparatus main body 54, and an operation receiving portion 62 that receives a user operation. The operation receiving portion 62 of the present embodiment is formed in an elongated shape protruding from the cover portion 60.

The transmission portion 58 of the present embodiment is an elongated body provided separately from the operating element 56 and is fixed to the lid portion 60 of the operating element 56, the transmission portion 58 of the present embodiment is supported by the swivel bracket 52 via the support shaft 64 so as to be pivotable about the first axis L a1 passing through the support shaft 64, the operating element 56 is supported by the apparatus main body 54 so as to be tiltable in accordance with pivoting about the first axis L a1 via the operating mechanism 20 (valve mechanism 22) and the transmission portion 58, and the operating element 56 is supported by the apparatus main body 54 so as to be pivotable about the first axis L a 1.

The transmission portion 58 is provided so as to be able to transmit the movement of the transmission portion 58 so that the movable valve body 50 of the operating mechanism 20 moves linearly when the movable valve body rotates about the first axis L a 1. when the position of the movable valve body 50 changes due to a change in the tilt position of the operating element 56, the opening degree of the upstream water passage 28 is changed by the movable valve body 50.

The transmission unit 58 is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body 54 via the rotating bracket 52 about a second axis L a2 perpendicular to the first axis L a1, and the operation element 56 is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body 54 via the operating mechanism 20 (valve mechanism 22) and the transmission unit 58 about a second axis L a 2.

The transmission portion 58 is provided so as to be able to transmit the movement of the transmission portion 58 so that the movable valve body 50 rotates when rotating about the second axis L a2, when the amount of rotation of the movable valve body 50 changes due to the rotation of the operating element 56, the ratio of the opening degree of the hot water supply path 32 or the cold water supply path 34 is changed by the movable valve body 50, and the ratio of the opening degree is changed so that the opening degree of the hot water supply path 32 on one end side becomes larger as the operating element 56 approaches the rotatable range and the opening degree of the cold water supply path 34 on the other end side becomes larger as the operating element 56 approaches the rotatable range.

Refer to fig. 1 and 3. Fig. 1 shows a state in which the operating member 56 is in a first position Ps1 described below, and fig. 3 shows a state in which the operating member 56 is in a second position Ps2 described below. The following examples are shown: the operating member 56 is at one end position of the tiltable movement range in fig. 1, and the operating member 56 is at the other end position of the tiltable movement range in fig. 3.

When the operating element 56 is at the first position Ps1 on the one end side of the tiltable range, the kitchen and bathroom appliance 10 is in the first state (water stop state) in which the water discharge from the water discharge portion 24 is stopped. When the operating element 56 is at the second position Ps2 on the other end side of the tiltable range than the first position Ps1, the kitchen and bathroom equipment 10 is in the second state (water spraying state) in which water is sprayed from the water spray unit 24. Thus, the operating element 56 can operate the operating mechanism 20 by moving from the first position Ps1 to the second position Ps 2. Thus, the operating element 56 can operate the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 so as to switch the state of the kitchen and toilet appliance 10. When the operation element 56 is in the second position Ps2, the closer to the other end side of the tiltable range of the operation element 56, the greater the flow rate of water, and the closer to the one end side of the tiltable range of the operation element 56, the smaller the flow rate of water. The operating element 56 of the present embodiment is held in a stationary state at both the first position Ps1 and the second position Ps 2.

Refer to fig. 1, 2, and 4. The tubular member 40 constitutes a part of the apparatus main body 54 (the device main body 12), and is attached to another part of the apparatus main body 54. The "other portion" in the present embodiment refers to the main pipe portion 38 of the apparatus main body 54, and is mounted on the main pipe portion 38 by being placed on the distal end opening portion of the main pipe portion 38. A transmission portion 58 is inserted inside the cylindrical member 40.

The cylindrical member 40 includes: a lower portion 40a inserted into the front end opening of the main tube 38, and an upper portion 40b provided closer to the operation element 56 than the lower portion 40a in the cylindrical axis direction Dca of the cylindrical member 40. The upper portion 40b of the present embodiment has a reduced diameter portion 40c having a shape that is reduced in diameter toward the manipulator 56 in the cylinder axis direction Dca. As an example of the diameter-reduced portion 40c, the diameter-reduced portion 40c is formed in a spherical band shape. A step 40d is provided between the lower portion 40a and the upper portion 40b on the outer peripheral portion of the tubular member 40. The stepped portion 40d is placed on the distal end opening of the main tube 38.

The cylindrical member 40 includes a body member 66 and a marking member 68 that divide the shape of the cylindrical member 40. The main body member 66 and the indicator member 68 are shaped to divide the tubular member 40 by a first boundary portion 70a at a halfway position in the cylindrical axis direction Dca of the tubular member 40 and a second boundary portion 70b at two halfway positions in the circumferential direction of the tubular member 40. In the present embodiment, the first boundary portion 70a and the second boundary portion 70b are provided so as to pass through only the reduced diameter portion 40c of the cylindrical member 40.

The body member 66 is made of, for example, resin, ceramics, metal, or the like. The body member 66 has a cylindrical portion 72 continuous over the entire circumference of the cylindrical member 40. A part of the cylindrical portion 72 constitutes a table portion 74 on which the marking member 68 is mounted. Thereby, the positioning of the indicator member 68 in the cylinder axis direction Dca of the cylindrical member 40 is realized by the table portion 74 of the main body member 66.

The identification component 68 is secured to the body component 66. The marking member 68 of the present embodiment is fixed to the body member 66 via a fixing structure 76. The fixing structure 76 includes a receiving portion 76a provided in the body member 66 and a receiving portion 76b provided in the identification member 68. The fixing structure 76 fixes the marker member 68 to the body member 66 by receiving the receiving portion 76b of the marker member 68 by the receiving portion 76a of the body member 66. The receiving portion 76a of the present embodiment receives the receiving portion 76b by fitting the receiving portion 76b to each other. One of the receiving portion 76a and the receiving portion 76b in the present embodiment is a convex portion, and the other is a concave portion. In the present embodiment, the receiving portion 76a is a concave portion, and the received portion 76b is a convex portion.

The receiving portion 76a and the received portion 76b are provided at positions facing each other at the first boundary portion 70a of the tubular member 40. Specifically, the receiving portion 76a is provided on an outer surface (upper surface) of the table portion 74 of the body member 66, and the received portion 76b is provided on an outer surface (lower surface) of the indicator member 68 facing the outer surface of the table portion 74. The receiving portion 76a and the received portion 76b are provided so as not to be exposed to the outside and not to be visible when the indicator member 68 is fixed to the body member 66.

Refer to fig. 1 and 3. The marking member 68 constitutes a marking portion 82 whose outer surface has a color different from the adjoining portion 80 of the apparatus main body 54. The abutment portion 80 in the present embodiment is constituted by the body member 66. The operating element 56 hides the marker 82 from the outside when in the first position Ps1 (hereinafter, both referred to as hidden positions Ps1), and exposes at least a part of the marker 82 to the outside when in the second position Ps2 (hereinafter, both referred to as exposed positions Ps 2). As long as this condition is satisfied when the appearance of the operation device 14 is viewed from one viewpoint. When changing the viewpoint of observation, the indicator 82 may be slightly visible from the gap between the operating element 56 and the apparatus main body 54 at the hidden position Ps 1. In the present embodiment, the above condition is satisfied when viewed from any direction along the normal direction of the outer surface of the indicator 82.

Here, "hidden" means that the entire indicator 82 is hidden so that the indicator 82 is not exposed to the outside. When the operating element 56 is at the hidden position Ps1, the

boundary portions

70a, 70b between the indicator member 68 and the main body member 66 are hidden from the outside. In the present embodiment, the cover portion 60 of the operator 56 hides the indicator portion 82 from the outside. In this way, the indicator portion 82 functions as an indicator that the kitchen and bath appliance 10 is operated by being exposed to the outside when the operating element 56 moves from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps 2.

In the present embodiment, the adjacent portion 80 of the apparatus main body 54 is exposed to the outside at least in part when the operating element 56 is at any of the hidden position Ps1 and the exposed position Ps 2. When the operating element 56 is at the hidden position Ps1, the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 72 of the main body member 66 is exposed to the outside over the entire circumferential range.

In order to make the color different between the adjacent portion 80 and the indicator portion 82 of the apparatus main body 54, for example, the color of the raw material may be made different between the indicator portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80. In the present embodiment, this scheme is adopted. The marking member 68 is formed of a material having the color of the outer surface of the marking portion 82, and the main body member 66 is formed of a material having the color of the outer surface of the adjacent portion 80. In addition, in order to make the color different between the adjacent portion 80 and the indicator portion 82 of the device main body 54, for example, the presence or absence of surface treatment may be changed between the indicator portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80, or the color may be made different by the surface treatment. The term "surface treatment" as used herein means, for example, coating, plating, vapor deposition, or the like.

The outer surface of the indicator 82 is colored in a first color, and the outer surface of the adjacent portion 80 is colored in a second color. In the present specification, a portion of the dotted outer surface is a first color, and other portions of the outer surface are a second color. In this embodiment, the first color is blue, and the second color is silver. When the indicator 82 indicates that the kitchen/bathroom appliance 10 is operating, blue color is displayed to give the user the impression of creating water. Therefore, it is easy to recognize that the kitchen and bath apparatus 10 is operated. The blue color here means a hue within a range of 5PB to 5BG in terms of Munsell value. The second color is a color outside the hue range of the first color, i.e., blue.

The phrase "the outer surface is different in color" in the adjacent portion 80 and the mark portion 82 means that at least one of hue, purity, and lightness is different between the first color and the second color. In order to make it easy to visually recognize the marker 82 and the adjacent portion 80, the hue difference between the first color and the second color is preferably 5 or more in the munsell color system, for example. From the same viewpoint, the lightness difference between the first color and the second color is preferably 4 or more in the munsell color system, for example. From the same viewpoint, the difference in purity between the first color and the second color is preferably 4 or more in the munsell color system, for example. By satisfying such a condition, the marker 82 can be easily recognized even if the exposure range of the marker 82 to the outside is small.

In the present embodiment, the surface of the portion adjacent to the adjacent portion 80 of the apparatus main body 54 and exposed to the outside is formed of the same color as the adjacent portion 80, and in the present embodiment, the "exposed portion" refers to the outer peripheral surface of the main pipe portion 38 of the apparatus main body 54, and in the present embodiment, the surface of the portion of the operating element 56 exposed to the outside is also formed of the same color as the adjacent portion 80, and the "same" includes a case where the color difference Δ E in the color space L ab is 1.5 or less.

The effects of the operation device 14 described above will be described.

(A) The operating element 56 hides the indicator 82 of the device main body 54 from the outside when in the hidden position Ps1, and exposes the indicator 82 to the outside when in the exposed position Ps 2. Therefore, by visually checking the exposed indicator 82, it can be understood that the kitchen and bath appliance 10 is operated by moving the operating element 56 from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps 2. Further, during or after the operation element 56 is moved from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps2, even if the hand is separated from the operation element 56, the user can visually recognize that the kitchen or toilet appliance 10 is operating by visually checking the exposed indicator 82. Therefore, it is easier to grasp to what extent the operating element 56 needs to be operated in order to operate the kitchen and toilet appliance 10, compared to the case where the hand is separated from the operating element 56 and the indicator 82 is exposed for the first time. Therefore, the usability of the operation device 14 can be improved in grasping the operation of the kitchen/bathroom appliance 10.

(B) When the operating member 56 is at the hidden position Ps1, the indicator 82 is hidden from the outside. Therefore, the mark portion 82 is not conspicuous at this time, and the design is good. Further, by hiding the indicator 82 from the outside by the operating element 56, the user can recognize that the operation of the kitchen and bath appliance 10 has stopped.

(C) The marking member 68 is made of a material having the color of the outer surface of the marking portion 82, and the main body member 66 is made of a material having the color of the outer surface of the adjacent portion 80. Therefore, the effect of the peeling of the paint is eliminated, and the mark portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80 can display different colors for a long period of time.

The abutment portion 80 of the apparatus main body 54 is constituted by the main body member 66 into which the cylindrical member 40 is divided, and the marker 82 is constituted by the marker member 68 into which the cylindrical member 40 is divided. Therefore, the cylindrical member 40 is constituted by the body member 66 and the indicator member 68 and can display different colors. In particular, in the case where the mark portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80 are different in color, there is no need to use two-color molding, which is advantageous in that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In the present embodiment, as the operating element 56 moves from the first position Ps1 side to the second position Ps2 side, the flow rate of water from the water spout unit 24 increases, and the exposed area of the indicator 82 increases. On the other hand, as the operating element 56 moves from the second position Ps2 side to the first position Ps1 side, the flow rate of water from the water spout portion 24 decreases, and the exposed area of the indicator portion 82 decreases. That is, the flow rate of water can be grasped by visually checking the increase or decrease in the exposed area of the indicator 82 due to the change in the position of the operating element 56.

(second embodiment)

Refer to fig. 5 and 6. The kitchen and toilet equipment 10 of the present embodiment is a tank device as an example of a clean water supply device for supplying clean water to the toilet 90. The kitchen/bathroom facility 10 includes: a water tank 92 as the apparatus main body 12, an operating mechanism 20 operated by the operating elements 56(56-a, 56-B in the figure) of the operating device 14, and a water supply device 94 capable of supplying water to a predetermined water level in the water tank 92. The water supply device 94 is, for example, a ball faucet or the like.

The water tank 92 of the present embodiment is disposed above the rear portion of the toilet 90 and is integrated with the toilet 90. The water tank 92 can store cleaning water inside, and a drain port 92a is formed at the bottom of the water tank 92. The water tank 92 includes: a tank body 96 for storing clean water, and a lid 98 for covering and closing an upper surface opening formed in the tank body 96. The lid 98 forms an upper surface portion of the tank 92 and is detachably provided to the tank main body 96.

The operating mechanism 20 of the present embodiment includes: a valve mechanism 22, and a transmission mechanism 100 for transmitting an external force received from the operating element 56 to the valve mechanism 22.

The valve mechanism 22 of the present embodiment constitutes an opening/closing valve capable of opening/closing the drain port 92a of the water tank 92. The valve mechanism 22 is, for example, a float valve. The transmission mechanism 100 of the present embodiment is a link mechanism that converts an external force in the pushing direction Dd1 (described later) of the operating element 56 into a force in the direction De in which the valve mechanism 22 opens the drain port 92 a. The valve mechanism 22 is configured to close the drain port 92a when a predetermined flow rate of clean water is discharged from the inside of the tank 92 when the drain port 92a is opened. Thereby, the toilet 90 is supplied with the cleaning water at a set flow rate from the water tank 92. In this way, the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 receives an external force from the operating element 56 via the operating mechanism 20, and starts a cleaning water supply operation for supplying a set flow rate of cleaning water to the toilet 90.

Refer to fig. 5, 7, and 8. The operation device 14 of the present embodiment includes: the device includes a device main body 54, a plurality of operating elements 56 operated by a user, and a transmission unit 58 that transmits external force received from the operating elements 56 to the operating mechanism 20. The device main body 54 of the present embodiment also serves as the apparatus main body 12 of the kitchen and bathroom apparatus 10. That is, the apparatus main body 54 of the present embodiment further includes a tank main body 96 and a lid body 98. The lid 98 includes: a surface member 102 formed on the surface exposed to the outside of the water tank 92, and a reinforcing member 104 fixed to the back side of the surface member 102.

The device main body 54 has a housing hole 106 that opens on the upper surface of the device main body 54, which is the surface of the device main body 54. The housing hole 106 of the present embodiment opens on the upper surface of the lid 98. The apparatus main body 54 includes: a body member 66 constituting a surface of the device body 54 in which the housing hole 106 is opened; and a marking member 68 disposed at a position deeper than the opening portion of the housing hole 106 of the body member 66. The body member 66 of the present embodiment is constituted by a surface member 102 of the cover 98. The marker member 68 of the present embodiment is disposed on the back side of the body member 66.

The operation element 56 is disposed inside the housing hole 106 of the apparatus main body 54. The operating element 56 is a push button that is movable in response to a pushing operation by a user, and is supported to be movable in the depth direction Dd of the housing hole 106 with respect to the apparatus main body 54. The "depth direction Dd" herein refers to a direction along the central axis of the housing hole 106. The operating element 56 of the present embodiment is movable so as to be linearly moved to one side in the depth direction Dd (hereinafter, also referred to as a push-in direction Dd1) in response to a pushing operation by a user.

The operating element 56 includes an operation receiving portion 62 that receives a pushing operation by a user. The transmission portion 58 of the present embodiment is configured by the same member as the operation element 56, and protrudes from the operation receiving portion 62 of the operation element 56 in the push-in direction Dd1 of the operation element 56. The transmission portion 58 can advance and retreat through a through hole 68a formed in the marker member 68. The through hole 68a can guide the transmission part 58 to advance and retreat freely.

When the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 receives the pushing operation and moves from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps2, the external force is transmitted from the operation receiving portion 62 to the operating mechanism 20 via the transmitting portion 58. The operating mechanism 20 incorporates a biasing member for returning the operating element 56 from the exposed position Ps2 to the hidden position Ps 1. The urging member is an elastic member such as a coil spring. When the external force applied to the operating element 56 is released, the biasing member returns from the exposed position Ps2 to the hidden position Ps 1.

The plurality of operation members 56 includes a first operation member 56-a and a second operation member 56-B. In the present specification, a plurality of components having such a common point are described using a common name, and different points in the respective components are described using separate names. The term "first and second" at the beginning and the name "-A, -B" at the end are omitted.

Refer to fig. 7 to 10. FIGS. 7 and 8 show the operating members 56-A and 56-B in the hidden position Ps1, and FIG. 10 shows the first operating member 56-A in the exposed position Ps 2. The operation receiving portions 62 of the plurality of operating elements 56 are received in the receiving holes 106 of the apparatus main body 54. The operation receiving portions 62 of the plurality of operators 56 of the present embodiment are fitted into one receiving hole 106. The plurality of operating members 56-A, 56-B are adjacently disposed in the first direction Da as viewed from the depth direction Dd. Hereinafter, a direction orthogonal to the first direction Da (hereinafter, referred to as a left-right direction Da for convenience) when viewed from the depth direction Dd is referred to as a second direction Db (hereinafter, referred to as a front-rear direction Db for convenience).

When the operating element 56 receives a pushing operation by a user, it moves to the depth side of the housing hole 106, and thereby can move from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps 2. When the operating element 56 is at the hidden position Ps1, the kitchen and bathroom appliance 10 is in the first state in which the supply of clean water is stopped. When the operating element 56 moves from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps2, the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 starts the cleaning water supply operation. In this way, the operating element 56 can operate the operating mechanism 20 by moving from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps 2. Thus, the operating element 56 can operate the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 so that the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 starts the cleaning water supply operation. The first operating element 56-A and the second operating element 56-B are used to set different flow rates when the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 is operated. The first operation element 56-A increases the set flow rate when the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 is operated, and the second operation element 56-B decreases the set flow rate when the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 is operated.

The marking member 68 includes: a peripheral wall portion 110 surrounding the axis of the operating element 56 in the depth direction Dd, a bottom wall portion 112 provided at a position facing the operating element 56 in the press-in direction Dd1, and a fixing portion 114 fixed to the main body member 66. The fixing portion 114 of the present embodiment projects outward from the peripheral wall portion 110 and is fixed to the body member 66 with a fixing member 116 such as a screw.

The indicator piece 68 forms an indicator portion 82 having an outer surface of a different color than the adjacent portion 80. The marker 82 of the present embodiment constitutes an inner surface of the housing hole 106, and more specifically, an inner peripheral surface of the housing hole 106. Therefore, the indicator 82 can be exposed in the middle of the pushing operation of the operating element 56. The "adjacent portion 80" in the present embodiment is formed by the body member 66, is provided on the inlet side of the receiving hole 106 with respect to the marker portion 82, and forms a portion on the inlet side with respect to the marker portion 82 in the inner peripheral surface of the receiving hole 106. The adjacent portion 80 is provided over the entire circumference of the inner peripheral surface of the housing hole 106.

Each of the plurality of operating elements 56 hides the corresponding portion of the indicator portion 82 from the outside when in the hidden position Ps1, and exposes at least a part of the corresponding portion of the indicator portion 82 to the outside when in the exposed position Ps 2. In the present embodiment, a portion 118 of the indicator portion 82 corresponding to the first operation element 56-a (hereinafter referred to as a first corresponding portion 118) is a part of the indicator portion 82 in the circumferential direction. The portion 120 of the indicator portion 82 corresponding to the second operation element 56-B (hereinafter referred to as a second corresponding portion 120) is the other portion in the circumferential direction of the indicator portion 82, and more specifically, the remaining portion of the indicator portion 82 excluding the first corresponding portion 118. Thus, even when there are a plurality of the operating elements 56, the effect (a) can be obtained.

The

portions

118, 120 of the indicator portion 82 corresponding to the respective plurality of operators 56 are formed by a single indicator member 68. That is, the first corresponding location 118 and the second corresponding location 120 are formed by a single identification component 68. Thus, the number of parts can be reduced compared to the case where separate members are used for the indicator portion 82 at the positions corresponding to the respective plurality of operators 56.

The outer surface of the indicator 82 is blue (first color) and the outer surface of the adjacent portion 80 is white (second color). In the present embodiment, the surface of the portion adjacent to the adjacent portion 80 of the apparatus main body 54 and exposed to the outside is formed of the same color (white) as the adjacent portion 80. In the present embodiment, the "exposed portion" refers to the upper surface of the lid body 98. In the present embodiment, the surface of the portion exposed to the outside of the operation element 56 is also formed in the same color as the adjacent portion 80.

When the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 receives the pushing operation and moves from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps2, as described above, the external force is transmitted to the operating mechanism 20 of the kitchen and toilet appliance 10, and the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 can be operated. At this time, the operating element 56 exposes the indicator 82 of the apparatus main body 54 hidden from the outside to the outside. The user can recognize that the kitchen and toilet equipment 10 is operating by visually checking the exposed indicator 82. When the external force applied to the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 is released, the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 is automatically returned from the exposed position Ps2 to the hidden position Ps1 by the biasing member of the operating mechanism 20. At this time, the operating element 56 hides the indicator 82 of the apparatus main body 54 exposed to the outside from the outside. The user can recognize visually that the indicator 82 is hidden from the outside, and can recognize that the operation of the kitchen/bathroom appliance 10 is stopped.

The above-described effects (a) to (C) can also be obtained by the operation device 14 of the present embodiment.

The abutting portion 80 adjacent to the marker 82 of the apparatus main body 54 is provided at a position closer to the inlet side of the receiving hole 106 than the marker 82. Therefore, the indicator 82 is provided at the deep portion of the receiving hole 106, and the indicator 82 is difficult to be visually recognized from the outside, so that excellent design can be obtained.

Other features of the operating device 14 are described.

The operation receiving portion 62 of the operation element 56 includes an inlet side surface portion 130 that is provided on the inlet side in the depth direction Dd of the housing hole 106 and receives a pushing operation. The device main body 54 includes a peripheral edge portion 132 provided on the surface of the device main body 54 at the peripheral edge of the opening portion of the receiving hole 106. The inlet side surface portion 130 of the operating member 56 is disposed flush with the surface of the peripheral edge portion 132 when the operating member 56 is in the hidden position Ps 1. The term "flush" herein includes not only a case where adjacent surfaces are arranged without any level difference but also a case where adjacent surfaces are arranged with almost no level difference.

The inner peripheral surface of the housing hole 106 is provided with a guide portion 134 (134-A, 134-B in FIG. 8). The guide portion 134 of the present embodiment is provided at the adjacent portion 80 and the mark portion 82 in the inner peripheral surface of the receiving hole 106. In the present embodiment, a plurality of guide portions 134 corresponding to the respective plurality of operators 56 are provided. The plurality of guide portions 134 include a first guide portion 134-a corresponding to the first operation member 56-a and a second guide portion 134-B corresponding to the second operation member 56-B. The first guide portion 134-a is constituted by the mark portion 82 of the apparatus main body 54 and a part of the adjacent portion 80 in the circumferential direction, and the second guide portion 134-B is constituted by the mark portion 82 of the apparatus main body 54 and the other part of the adjacent portion 80 in the circumferential direction.

The operating element 56 includes a guided portion 136 provided at a position facing the guide portion 134 of the housing hole 106. The guided portion 136 is provided on the outer peripheral surface portion of the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 at a position facing the housing hole 106. A plurality of guided portions 136 are provided at intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface portion of the operating element 56. The outer peripheral surface of the operation receiving portion 62 of the operation tool 56-a, 56-B has: a first surface portion 62a facing the side opposite to the other operation member 56-a, 56-B in the left-right direction Da, a pair of second surface portions 62B facing both sides in the front-rear direction Db, and an opposing surface portion 62c opposing the other operation member 56-a, 56-B in the left-right direction Da. In the present embodiment, at least two guided portions 136 of the operating element 56 are provided on the first surface portion 62a and the second surface portion 62b of the operating element 56, respectively. The guided portions 136 of the operating element 56 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 at least at positions on both sides facing the second direction Db.

The guided portion 136 of the present embodiment is formed in a convex shape extending in the depth direction Dd. The guided portion 136 is not provided in a part of the outer peripheral surface portion of the operation receiving portion 62 from the inlet side end portion in the depth direction Dd, and the guided portion 136 is provided in a range from the intermediate position to the depth side end portion. The guided portion 136 is formed in an arc shape protruding outward in a cross section perpendicular to the depth direction Dd.

When the operating element 56 moves in the depth direction Dd with a displacement in a direction orthogonal to the depth direction Dd, the guided portion 136 of the operating element 56 is guided by the guide portion 134 as it slides relative to the guide portion 134. The guided portion 136 is provided such that at least a part thereof is positioned on the depth side in the depth direction Dd with respect to the boundary portion 70c between the marker portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80 of the apparatus main body 54 when the operating element 56 is at the hidden position Ps 1. Since the guide portion 134 is provided in the indicator portion 82, the indicator portion 82 has a function of guiding the operating element 56 in addition to a function of indicating the operation of the kitchen and bath appliance 10.

The above plurality of guide portions 134-a, 134-B are provided to a single identification member 68. Thus, in the case where the plurality of guide portions 134 corresponding to the operating element 56 are provided in the indicator portion 82, the number of parts can be reduced compared to the case where separate members are used.

The peripheral edge 132 of the apparatus main body 54 is of the same color as the outer surface of the adjacent portion 80. This makes the indicator 82 of the device main body 54 more conspicuous than the peripheral edge 132 and the adjacent portion 80. Accordingly, the operation of the kitchen and bath appliance 10 by the operation element 56 is further easily recognized by the indicator 82.

On the inlet-side end surface of the guided portion 136 in the depth direction Dd, a slope 136a is provided that extends so as to continuously approach the housing hole 106 as it goes toward the depth side in the depth direction Dd. The inclined surface 136a is provided on the inlet side (see fig. 7) in the depth direction Dd with respect to the boundary portion 70c between the marker portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80 of the apparatus main body 54 when the operating element 56 is at the hidden position Ps 1. On the other hand, when the operating element 56 is at the exposure position Ps2, the inclined surface 136a is provided at a position further to the depth side than the boundary portion 70c in the depth direction Dd (see fig. 10).

It is considered that, when the operation element 56 is returned from the exposed position Ps2 to the hidden position Ps1, a step portion for restricting the movement of the operation element 56 by contact with the inlet-side end surface of the guided portion 136 is provided at the boundary portion 70c of the apparatus main body 54. In this case, the inclined surface 136a of the guided portion 136 guides the operation element 56 so as to be separated from the step portion of the boundary portion 70c by sliding with respect to the step portion of the boundary portion 70 c. Thus, even when the boundary portion 70c of the apparatus main body 54 has a stepped portion, the guided portion 136 of the operating element 56 does not catch on the stepped portion, and the operating element 56 moves.

The tank body 96 and the toilet 90 of the tank 92 are made of ceramics, and the lid 98 is made of resin. The operating element 56 is disposed inside the receiving hole 106 of the cover 98. No other component is disposed between the housing hole 106 of the cover 98 and the operating element 56. The "other parts" herein do not include the operation member 56. Another operating member 56-B may be disposed between one operating member 56-a and the receiving hole 106. The receiving hole 106 of the cover 98 is formed in the surface member 102 of the cover 98. The entirety of the surface member 102 is constituted by a single member within a range including the peripheral edge portion 132 of the receiving hole 106. Illustrating the advantages of this configuration.

Consider a case where the lid 98 of the tank 92 is made of pottery, as in the tank body 96. In this case, the lid 98 made of ceramic is affected by shrinkage accompanying drying in the molding step, and the shape of the receiving hole 106 is likely to be largely uneven. If the operating element 56 is disposed inside the housing hole 106 of the cover 98, the variation in the gap between the housing hole 106 and the operating element 56 is large, and therefore the operating element 56 tends to shake in the direction orthogonal to the depth direction Dd. To cope with this, when the lid 98 made of ceramic is used, a frame member made of resin or metal is generally disposed inside the housing hole 106 to absorb the manufacturing error of the housing hole 106, and the operating element 56 is attached to the lid 98 via the frame member. In this case, there is a problem that dirt is likely to accumulate at the joint between the lid body 98 and the frame member.

In this regard, according to the present embodiment, since the lid body 98 is made of resin, compared to the case where the lid body 98 is made of ceramic, the influence of shrinkage in the molding process is suppressed, and the variation in the shape of the receiving hole 106 is suppressed. Therefore, even if the operation element 56 is disposed inside the housing hole 106 without disposing a frame member, variation in the gap between the housing hole 106 and the operation element 56 is suppressed, and rattling of the operation element 56 is easily suppressed. This effect is obtained, and since the frame member does not have to be disposed inside the housing hole 106 of the lid body 98, the number of parts can be reduced. In addition, there is an advantage that not only is generation of dirt suppressed in the peripheral edge portion 132 of the housing hole 106 of the lid body 98, but also such dirt is easily wiped off even if it is generated.

(third embodiment)

Refer to fig. 11. The kitchen and toilet equipment 10 of the present embodiment is also a tank device for supplying clean water to a toilet (not shown). The kitchen and bathroom facility 10 includes a water tank 92 as the facility main body 12, an operating mechanism 20 operated by the operation elements 56 (operation elements 56-a and 56-B in the figure) of the operation device 14, and a water supply device 94, as in the second embodiment.

The operating mechanism 20 of the present embodiment also includes, as in the second embodiment: a valve mechanism 22, and a transmission mechanism 100 for transmitting an external force received from the operating element 56 to the valve mechanism 22. The transmission mechanism 100 of the present embodiment is also a link mechanism that converts an external force in the pushing direction of the operating element 56 into a force in the direction De in which the valve mechanism 22 opens the drain port 92a, as in the second embodiment.

Refer to fig. 12 to 14. The operation device 14 of the present embodiment includes: the device includes a device main body 54, a plurality of operating elements 56 operated by a user, and a transmission unit 58 that transmits external force received from the operating elements 56 to the operating mechanism 20. Unlike the above-described embodiments, the device main body 54 of the present embodiment is provided separately from the device main body 12 of the kitchen and bathroom device 10.

The apparatus main body 54 of the present embodiment constitutes a wall-equipped panel. The apparatus main body 54 includes: a base member 142 fixed to the indoor wall 140 defining the indoor space, and a cover member 144 fixed to the base member 142 and exposed to the indoor space. The base member 142 is fixed to the inside wall 140 by fasteners 146 such as screw members.

The device main body 54 has a housing hole 106 that opens at the front surface of the device main body 54, which is the surface of the device main body 54. The housing hole 106 of the present embodiment opens on the front surface of the cover member 144. The apparatus main body 54 includes: a body member 66 constituting a surface of the device body 54 in which the housing hole 106 is opened; and a marking member 68 disposed on the back side of the body member 66. The body member 66 of the present embodiment is constituted by a cover member 144. The main body member 66 has: a surface portion 148 constituting the surface of the apparatus main body 54, and a cylindrical portion 150 protruding from the opening portion of the housing hole 106 of the surface portion 148 toward the back side of the surface portion 148. The cylindrical portion 150 constitutes a part of the inner peripheral surface of the receiving hole 106.

The operation element 56 is a push button movable in response to a pushing operation by a user, the operation element 56 includes an operation receiving portion 62 for receiving the pushing operation by the user, and an arm portion 152 extending from the operation receiving portion 62, the arm portion 152 is supported by the main body member 66 via a support shaft 64 provided at a distal end portion of the arm portion 152 so as to be rotatable about a first axis L a1 passing through the support shaft 64, the operation element 56 is supported rotatably about a first axis L a1 with respect to the apparatus main body 54, the operation element 56 according to the present embodiment is supported movably in the depth direction Dd with respect to the apparatus main body 54, and is rotatable about the first axis L a1 in response to the pushing operation by the user.

The transmission part 58 of the present embodiment is an elongated body provided separately from the operation element 56. The transmission part 58 is inserted through a support hole 142a formed in the base member 142 and is supported by the base member 142 so as to be able to advance and retreat.

As in the second embodiment, when the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 receives the pushing operation and moves from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps2, the external force is transmitted from the operation receiving portion 62 to the operating mechanism 20 via the transmitting portion 58. When the external force applied to the operating element 56 is released, the operating element is automatically returned from the exposed position Ps2 to the hidden position Ps1 by the biasing member of the operating mechanism 20, as in the second embodiment.

The plurality of operating elements 56 in the present embodiment also include a first operating element 56-a and a second operating element 56-B. Refer to fig. 12, 14 to 16. Fig. 12 and 14 show the operating member 56 in the hidden position Ps1, fig. 15 shows the second operating member 56-B in the exposed position Ps2, and fig. 16 shows the first operating member 56-a in the exposed position Ps 2. The operation receiving portions 62 of the plurality of operating elements 56 are housed in the housing holes 106 of the apparatus main body 54, as in the second embodiment. As in the second embodiment, the operating element 56 can operate the operating mechanism 20 by moving from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps 2. Thus, the operating element 56 can operate the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 so that the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 starts the cleaning water supply operation.

The marking member 68 includes: a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 110 surrounding the axis in the depth direction Dd of the apparatus main body 54, and a claw portion 154 protruding from the peripheral wall portion 110. The cylindrical portion 150 of the body member 66 is fitted into the peripheral wall portion 110. The claw portion 154 of the indicator member 68 functions as a stopper that limits the movable range of the operating element 56 in the press-fitting direction by coming into contact with the operating element 56.

The marking member 68 constitutes a marking portion 82 whose outer surface has a color different from the adjoining portion 80 of the apparatus main body 54. The marker 82 of the present embodiment is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the housing hole 106. The "adjacent portion 80" in the present embodiment is constituted by the body member 66, and is provided on the inlet side of the marker portion 82 of the housing hole 106, as in the second embodiment.

Each of the plurality of operating elements 56 hides the corresponding portion of the marker section 82 from the outside when in the hidden position Ps1 and exposes at least a part of the corresponding portion of the marker section 82 to the outside when in the exposed position Ps2, as in the second embodiment. In the present embodiment, the marker portion 82 is also constituted by a single marker member 68 at a portion corresponding to each of the plurality of operators 56.

The outer surface of the indicator 82 is blue (first color) and the outer surface of the adjacent portion 80 is white (second color). In the present embodiment, the surface of the portion adjacent to the adjacent portion 80 and exposed to the outside of the apparatus main body 54 is formed of the same color (white) as the adjacent portion 80. In the present embodiment, the "exposed portion" refers to a surface (front surface) of the cover member 144. In the present embodiment, the surface of the portion exposed to the outside of the operation element 56 is also formed in the same color as the adjacent portion 80.

When the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 receives the pushing operation and moves from the hidden position Ps1 to the exposed position Ps2, the external force is transmitted to the operating mechanism 20 of the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 as described above, and the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 can be operated. At this time, the operating element 56 exposes the indicator 82 of the apparatus main body 54 hidden from the outside to the outside. The user can recognize that the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 is operating by visually checking the exposed indicator 82. When the external force applied to the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 is released, the operation receiving portion 62 of the operating element 56 is automatically returned from the exposed position Ps2 to the hidden position Ps1 by the biasing member of the operating mechanism 20. At this time, the operating element 56 hides the indicator 82 of the apparatus main body 54 exposed to the outside from the outside. The user can recognize visually that the indicator 82 is hidden from the outside, and can recognize that the operation of the kitchen/bathroom appliance 10 is stopped.

The above-described effects (a) to (C) can also be obtained by the above-described operation device 14.

Other features of the operating device 14 are described.

In the present embodiment, the inlet side surface portion 130 of the operation element 56 is provided so as to be flush with the surface of the peripheral edge portion 132 of the apparatus main body 54 when the operation element 56 is at the hidden position Ps 1.

Refer to fig. 13 and 17. The guide portion 134 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving hole 106. The guide portion 134 of the present embodiment is provided on the indicator portion 82 in the inner peripheral surface of the housing hole 106. In the present embodiment, the adjacent operation elements 56 are provided with a common guide portion 134. The guide portion 134 of the present embodiment is a concave portion.

The adjacent operating elements 56 each have a guided portion 136(136-a, 136-B in the figure) provided at a position facing the common guide portion 134. The guided portion 136 includes a first guided portion 136-a provided to the first operation member 56-a and a second guided portion 136-B provided to the second operation member 56-B. The guided portion 136 of the present embodiment is a convex portion disposed inside a concave portion formed by the guide portion 134. In addition, the guided portions 136-a of the adjacent operating elements 56 may be concave portions, the common guide portion 134 may be convex portions, and the convex portions may be disposed inside the concave portions. These projections and recesses extend in the depth direction Dd.

When the operating element 56 moves in the depth direction Dd while being displaced in a direction orthogonal to the depth direction Dd (in this example, in the left-right direction of the paper when viewing fig. 17 in the direction of the alignment mark), the guided portion 136 is guided by the guide portion 134 along with sliding relative to the common guide portion 134. By providing the common guide portion 134 on the adjacent operating elements 56, the number of guide portions 134 of the apparatus main body 54 for guiding the operating elements 56 can be reduced, and the structure of the apparatus main body 54 can be simplified.

Refer to fig. 18. The inner peripheral surface of the receiving hole 106 is constituted by an upper surface 106a, a lower surface 106b, and a pair of side surfaces 106 c. The marker 82 includes: an upper surface constituting portion 108a constituting the upper surface 106a of the housing hole 106, a lower surface constituting portion 108b constituting the lower surface 106b of the housing hole 106, and a side surface constituting portion 108c constituting the side surface 106c of the housing hole 106.

The depth of the upper surface constituting portion 108a of the marker 82 is L u, the depth of the lower surface constituting portion 108b of the marker 82 is L l, and the depth of the side surface constituting portion 108c of the marker 82 is L s, the depth here being defined as the dimension in the depth direction Dd of the receiving hole 106. in this case, the depth L u of the upper surface constituting portion 108a is smaller than the depth L l of the lower surface constituting portion 108 b. in the present embodiment, the depth L u of the upper surface constituting portion 108a is smaller than the depth L s of the side surface constituting portion 108 c. the depth L s is the same as the depth L l. the depth of the marker 82 is set to be different depending on the position in the inner peripheral surface of the receiving hole 106.

Thus, when the operation device 14 is disposed at a position lower than the head of the user in the standing posture, the depth dimension of the indicator 82 in the portion (the upper surface constituting portion 108a of the indicator 82) that is difficult for the user to visually recognize becomes short. Therefore, even if the depth dimensions of the upper surface constituent part 108a and the lower surface constituent part 108b of the indicator 82 are changed, the change is not significant, and good design can be obtained. It is to be noted that the "user" here is assumed to have an average physique in the country of sale where the device 14 is operated.

The arm portion 152 of the operating element 56 is disposed at a position facing the portion 82a (see fig. 14) of the upper surface constituting portion 108a of the marker 82 in the depth direction Dd, and the depth dimension L u of the upper surface constituting portion 108a of the marker 82 is shorter than the depth dimension of the marker 82 in a position other than the upper surface constituting portion 108a of the marker 82, so that interference with the arm portion 152 of the operating element 56 is more easily avoided than making the depth dimension L u of the upper surface constituting portion 108a of the marker 82 coincide with the depth dimension in a position other than the upper surface constituting portion 108a of the marker 82.

As described above, the depth of the marker 82 is set to vary depending on the position on the inner surface of the housing hole 106. Thus, the amount of parts used can be reduced compared to matching the depth dimension of the portion having the shorter depth dimension with the depth dimension of the portion having the longer depth dimension of the marker 82.

Refer to fig. 19. FIG. 19 also shows the first operating member 56-A and the identification component 68 in section A-A of FIG. 17. The boundary portion 70d between the mark portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80 of the apparatus main body 54 constitutes a stopper 170, and the stopper 170 limits the movable range of the operating element 56. The boundary portion 70d of the present embodiment is formed in a stepped shape such that the inner dimension thereof is enlarged toward the deeper side of the receiving hole 106 between the mark portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80. The guided portion 136 abuts on the stopper 170, thereby restricting the movable range of the operation element 56.

This also allows the boundary portion 70d between the mark portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80 to function as the stopper 170. Therefore, the configuration of the operation device 14 can be simplified as compared with the case where the stopper 170 is provided separately from the boundary portion 70 d.

The marker 82 is formed of the marker member 68, and the abutment portion 80 is formed of the body member 66 that is separate from the marker member 68. Therefore, even if the irregularities serving as the stopper are not provided in a single member, the stopper 170 can be configured only by combining the marking member 68 and the body member 66.

As shown in fig. 17, the operating element 56 is provided with a projection 172 for abutting against another stopper formed by the indicator member 68 and the main body member 66. Further, the marker member 68 is provided with a concave portion 174, and the convex portion 172 is disposed inside the concave portion 174. By providing such a concave portion 174, the contact area of the convex portion 172 of the operation piece 56 with respect to the stopper is easily ensured. This is also an effect obtained by forming the guide portion 134 as a concave portion.

Other modifications of the respective constituent elements will be described.

The kitchen and bath appliance 10 is not particularly limited as long as it is used in a kitchen and bath. In addition to these, the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 includes, for example: toilets, bathtubs, washbasins, hand basins, sinks, water stops, and the like, and their attachments. Further, a clean water supply device as a kitchen and toilet facility includes a flush valve.

The operation device 14 may include three or more operation elements 56. The number of the operation members 56 is not limited. The operation member 56 has been described by taking a button or a knob as an example, but is not limited thereto, and may be a handle, a toggle switch, or the like.

The operating element 56 may be moved from the first position Ps1 to the second position Ps2 to operate the kitchen and toilet appliance 10. The term "operating the kitchen and toilet equipment" used herein includes not only the case where the kitchen and toilet equipment is operated so as to switch the state thereof as in the first embodiment, but also the case where the kitchen and toilet equipment is operated so as to start the operation thereof as in the second and third embodiments. The "state" herein includes not only a state in which the kitchen and toilet equipment performs a specific operation but also a state in which the specific operation is stopped, that is, a state in which the kitchen and toilet equipment does not operate.

In the example of the second and third embodiments, the operating element 56 is not held at the second position Ps2 when the operating element 56 moves from the first position Ps1 to the second position Ps2, but is returned from the second position Ps2 to the first position Ps1 by an external force applied from the operating mechanism 20 of the kitchen and toilet appliance 10 in conjunction with the operation of the kitchen and toilet appliance 10. In addition, the operating element 56 may be automatically returned from the second position Ps2 to the first position Ps1 by an urging member provided separately from the operating mechanism 20. The urging member is formed of an elastic member such as a spring.

The operating member 56 may also be held between the first position Ps1 and another position using a position holding mechanism, and the held position is switched each time the operating member 56 is operated. The position holding mechanism here is, for example, a thrust lock mechanism, a heart cam mechanism, a rotary cam mechanism, a ratchet cam mechanism, or the like. The "operation operating member 56" herein is, for example, a push operation operating member 56. The "other position" may be the second position Ps2 described above, or may be a position closer to the first position Ps1 than the second position Ps 2. In any case, the kitchen or bath appliance 10 may be operated to start operation or to switch the state of the kitchen or bath appliance 10 when the operating element 56 is moved from the first position Ps1 to the second position Ps 2.

Although the example in which the transmission unit 58 of the operating device 14 mechanically transmits the external force received from the operating element 56 to the operating mechanism 20 of the kitchen and bath appliance 10 has been described, the external force may be transmitted electrically. In this case, the transmission unit 58 may transmit the external force received from the operating element 56 by detecting the movement of the operating element 56 from the first position Ps1 to the second position Ps2 by the sensor, and driving the operating mechanism 20 by the drive source based on the detection result. The detection means here is, for example, a contact point of a circuit board, a proximity sensor, or the like. The drive source is, for example, a motor, an actuator, or the like.

The abutment portion 80 adjacent to the indicator portion 82 of the apparatus main body 54 may be exposed when the operating element 56 is in either the first position Ps1 or the second position Ps2, or may be hidden by the operating element 56 or other components.

An example in which the marker 82 and the adjacent portion 80 are formed of different members (the marker member 68 and the body member 66) from each other is described. Otherwise, the indicator 82 and the adjacent portion 80 may be formed of the same member. In this case, as described above, the color of the indicator 82 and the adjacent portion 80 may be made different by changing the presence or absence of the surface treatment or by making the color different between the indicator 82 and the adjacent portion 80.

The combination of the colors of the outer surfaces of the indicator 82 and the adjacent portion 80 is not particularly limited. A combination of blue and silver is exemplified, but in addition to this, for example, a combination of two colors selected from yellow, red, black, white, and the like may be used, or a combination of one of them and colorless transparency may be used.

The tubular member 40 of the first embodiment may constitute the device main body 54 of the operation device 14 that is separate from the device main body 12 of the kitchen and bathroom equipment 10. The mounting position of the cylindrical member 40 to the apparatus main body 54 is not particularly limited. The dividing positions of the body member 66 and the marking member 68 constituting the tubular member 40 are not particularly limited, and the body member 66 may not include the step portion 74.

In the fixing structure 76 of the first embodiment, an example in which the receiving portion 76a and the received portion 76b are a combination of a convex portion and a concave portion is described. In addition, the receiving portion 76a and the receiving portion 76b may be a combination of a claw portion and a claw receiving portion, for example.

The device main body 54 according to the second and third embodiments may be configured such that the portions of the indicator portion 82 corresponding to the respective plurality of operators 56 are formed by a single indicator member.

The stopper 170 of the third embodiment may be provided at a boundary between the mark portion 82 and the adjacent portion 80 of a single member.

Although the example in which the depth dimension of the marker 82 of the third embodiment is smallest on the upper surface of the housing hole 106 has been described, the portion where the depth dimension is smaller is not particularly limited.

Any combination of the above constituent elements is also effective as an aspect of the present invention. An example of such a combination is illustrated.

As in the third embodiment, the depth dimension of the marker 82 of the operation device 14 according to the second embodiment may be set to vary depending on the position of the inner surface of the housing hole 106. As in the third embodiment, the operation device 14 of the first and second embodiments may have a stopper formed by a boundary between the indicator 82 and the adjacent portion 80. The operation device 14 according to the second and third embodiments may include the tubular member 40 according to the first embodiment. As in the second and third embodiments, the operating device 14 of the first embodiment may include a plurality of operating elements 56.

The embodiments and modifications of the present invention have been described in detail above. The above-described embodiments and modifications are merely specific examples for carrying out the invention. The contents of the embodiment and the modifications do not limit the technical scope of the present invention, and various design changes such as changes, additions, deletions, and the like of the constituent elements may be made without departing from the scope of the inventive concept. In the above-described embodiments, the title of "embodiment" is given to the content that can be subjected to such design change, but the design change is permitted even for such non-titled content. Hatching marked in the cross section of the drawings does not limit the material of the object marked with hatching.

When the invention embodied by the above embodiments and modifications is generalized, the following technical ideas are derived. The following description will be made with reference to the embodiments described in the problems to be solved by the present invention.

In the second aspect of the operating device, the operating element may be a button that is movable in response to a pushing operation by a user.

In the operating device according to the third aspect, in the second aspect, the operating element may be supported to be rotatable with respect to the device body.

In the fourth aspect of the operating device, in the first aspect, the operating element may be a handle supported to be rotatable with respect to the device body.

The operation device according to a fifth aspect may be any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the device body has a housing hole that opens on a surface of the device body, the operation element is movable from the first position to the second position by moving to a depth side of the housing hole, and the indicator is provided on an inner surface of the housing hole. According to this aspect, the indicator portion can be exposed in the middle of the pushing operation of the operating element.

In the operation device according to the sixth aspect, in the fifth aspect, the adjacent portion may be provided closer to an inlet side of the housing hole than the indicator portion. According to this aspect, since the marker is provided at the deep portion of the housing hole, the marker is difficult to be visually recognized from the outside, and good design can be obtained.

In the seventh aspect of the operation device, in the sixth aspect, the device body may have a peripheral portion provided on a peripheral edge of an opening portion of the housing hole on a surface of the device body, and the peripheral portion may be of a color equivalent to an outer surface of the adjacent portion. According to this aspect, the indicator portion of the device main body is more conspicuous than the peripheral edge portion and the adjacent portion, and the operation of the kitchen and toilet equipment by the operating element is more easily recognized by the indicator portion.

In the eighth aspect, the operation device may be such that in the fifth aspect, the device body includes: a main body member which constitutes a surface of the device main body where the housing hole opens and the adjacent portion; and a marking member which is disposed at a position deeper than an opening portion of the housing hole in the main body member and constitutes the marking portion.

In the operation device according to the ninth aspect, in the fifth aspect, the depth dimension of the marker may be set to be different depending on a position on the inner circumferential surface of the housing hole. According to this aspect, the amount of components used can be reduced as compared with matching the depth dimension of a shorter region of the depth dimension of the marker portion with the depth dimension of a longer region of the depth dimension.

In the operation device according to the tenth aspect, in the ninth aspect, the housing hole may be open at a front surface of the device main body, the marker portion may include an upper surface constituting portion constituting an upper surface of the housing hole, and a lower surface constituting portion constituting a lower surface of the housing hole, and a depth dimension of the upper surface constituting portion may be smaller than a depth dimension of the lower surface constituting portion. According to this aspect, when the operation device is disposed at a position lower than the head of the user in the standing posture, the depth dimension of the indicator portion in the portion that is difficult for the user to visually recognize becomes short. Therefore, even if the depth dimensions of the upper surface component and the lower surface component of the indicator are changed, the change is not significant, and good design can be obtained.

The operation device of the eleventh aspect may be configured such that, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the device body includes a guide portion, the operation element includes a guided portion guided by the guide portion, and the guide portion is provided on the indicator portion. According to this aspect, the indicator portion has a function of guiding the operating element in addition to a function of an indicator indicating that the kitchen and toilet appliance is operated.

In the operation device according to the twelfth aspect, in the eleventh aspect, the guide portion may be a concave portion or a convex portion.

In the operation device according to the thirteenth aspect, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, a boundary portion between the adjacent portion and the indicator portion may constitute a stopper that limits a movable range of the operation element. According to this aspect, the boundary portion between the mark portion and the adjacent portion of the apparatus main body can also function as a stopper, and the configuration of the operation apparatus can be simplified as compared with the case where the stopper is provided separately from the boundary portion.

In the operation device of the fourteenth aspect, in the thirteenth aspect, the device main body may include a main body member constituting the adjacent portion and a marker member constituting the marker portion. According to this aspect, even if the projection and recess serving as the stopper are not provided in a single member, the stopper can be configured only by combining the marker member and the main body member.

The operation device according to a fifteenth aspect may be configured such that, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the operation device includes a plurality of the operation elements, and each of the plurality of operation elements hides a corresponding portion of the indicator portion from the outside when in the first position, and exposes at least a part of the corresponding portion of the indicator portion to the outside when in the second position. According to this aspect, even when a plurality of operators are provided, the above-described effects of the first aspect can be obtained.

In the operation device of the sixteenth aspect, in the fifteenth aspect, the device main body may include a single identification member that constitutes a portion of the identification portion that corresponds to each of the plurality of operation elements. According to this aspect, the number of parts can be reduced compared to the case where separate members are used for the portions of the indicator portion corresponding to the respective plurality of operators.

In the operation device according to the seventeenth aspect, in the sixteenth aspect, the device main body may include a plurality of guide portions corresponding to the plurality of operation members, the plurality of operation members may include guided portions that are guided by the corresponding guide portions, and the plurality of guide portions may be provided to the single identification member. According to this aspect, not only the guide portions corresponding to the plurality of operation elements are provided in the indicator portion, but also the number of parts can be reduced compared to the case where separate members are used.

In the operation device according to the eighteenth aspect, in the sixteenth aspect, the device body may include a guide portion, and the adjacent operation elements may each include a guided portion that is guided by the common guide portion. According to this aspect, the number of guide portions of the apparatus main body used for guiding the plurality of operation elements can be reduced, and the structure of the apparatus main body can be simplified.

In the operation device according to the nineteenth aspect, in the eighteenth aspect, the common guide portion may be a single concave portion or a single convex portion provided in the device body.

The operation device according to a twentieth aspect may be any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the device main body includes a cylindrical member, the cylindrical member includes a main body member having a shape obtained by dividing the cylindrical member, and a marker member, and the marker member constitutes the marker portion. According to this aspect, the cylindrical member is configured by the main body member and the marker member, and different colors can be displayed.

In the twenty-first aspect, the main body member may have a table portion, and the marking member may be placed on the table portion. According to this aspect, positioning the marking member in the cylinder axis direction of the cylindrical member is achieved by the table portion of the main body member.

In the operation device according to the twenty-second aspect, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the device main body may include a marker member that constitutes the marker and is made of a material having a color of an outer surface of the marker. According to this aspect, the color of the outer surface of the indicator portion can be displayed for a long period of time without the influence of the peeling of the paint.

In addition, when the invention embodied by the above embodiments and modifications is generalized, it can be said that the invention includes the inventions described in the items below.

(first item)

A water tank device is provided with:

a cover body made of resin, which covers and blocks the upper surface opening part formed on the water tank main body;

and a resin button disposed inside the receiving hole formed in the cover.

(second item)

The water tank device according to the first aspect, wherein no other member is disposed between the storage hole of the lid body and the button.

The problems associated with the invention described in this section are as follows.

As described above, when the lid made of pottery is used, the shape of the receiving hole is largely varied due to the influence of shrinkage in the molding process. When such unevenness occurs, it is necessary to take measures such as disposing a frame member inside the housing hole as described above, and improvement is desired.

The present invention described in this item has been made in view of the above problem, and an object thereof is to provide a tank device in which variation in the shape of the storage hole is suppressed.

Claims

1. An operation device is provided with:

a device main body;

an operation member operated by a user;

the operating member is movable between a first position and a second position, and the kitchen and toilet equipment can be operated by moving from the first position to the second position,

the device body is provided with a marking part of which the color of the outer surface is different from the adjacent part of the device body,

the operating member hides the identification portion from the outside when in the first position, and exposes at least a part of the identification portion to the outside when in the second position.

2. The operating device according to claim 1,

the operating member is a button that can be moved by a pushing operation of a user.

3. The operating device according to claim 2,

the operating member is rotatably supported with respect to the apparatus main body.

4. The operating device according to claim 1,

the operating member is a handle supported rotatably with respect to the apparatus main body.

5. The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

the device body has a receiving hole opened at a surface of the device body,

the operating member is movable from the first position to the second position by moving toward a deep side of the housing hole,

the identification portion is arranged on the inner surface of the accommodating hole.

6. The operating device according to claim 5,

the adjacent portion is provided closer to an inlet side of the housing hole than the indicator portion.

7. The operating device according to claim 6,

the device main body has a peripheral edge portion provided on a peripheral edge of an opening portion of the housing hole on a surface of the device main body,

the peripheral edge portion and the outer surface of the adjacent portion are of the same color.

8. The operating device according to claim 5,

the device main body has:

a main body member that constitutes a surface of the device main body where the housing hole is opened and the adjacent portion;

and a marking member that is disposed at a position further to the depth side than an opening portion of the housing hole in the main body member and that constitutes the marking portion.

9. The operating device according to claim 5,

the depth dimension of the marker is set to vary depending on the position on the inner circumferential surface of the housing hole.

10. The operating device according to claim 9,

the receiving hole is opened at a front surface of the device body,

the marking part has an upper surface constituting part constituting an upper surface of the housing hole and a lower surface constituting part constituting a lower surface of the housing hole,

the depth dimension of the upper surface constituent portion is smaller than the depth dimension of the lower surface constituent portion.

11. The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the device main body is provided with a guide part,

the operating member has a guided portion guided by the guide portion,

the guide portion is provided to the identification portion.

12. The operating device according to claim 11,

the guide part is a concave part or a convex part.

13. The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the boundary portion between the adjacent portion and the indicator portion constitutes a stopper that limits the movable range of the operation element.

14. The operating device according to claim 13,

the device main body has:

a main body member that constitutes the abutment portion;

and a marking member constituting the marking portion.

15. The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the operation device comprises a plurality of operation members,

each of the plurality of operating elements hides a corresponding portion of the identification portion from the outside when in the first position, and exposes at least a part of the corresponding portion of the identification portion to the outside when in the second position.

16. The operating device according to claim 15,

the apparatus main body has a single identification member constituting a portion of the identification portion corresponding to each of the plurality of operation pieces.

17. The operating device according to claim 16,

the apparatus main body has a plurality of guide portions corresponding to the respective plurality of operation pieces,

each of the plurality of operating pieces has a guided portion guided by the corresponding guide portion,

the plurality of guide portions are provided to the single identification member.

18. The operating device according to claim 15,

the device main body is provided with a guide part,

the adjacent operating elements each have a guided portion guided by the common guide portion.

19. The operating device of claim 18,

the common guide portion is a concave portion or a convex portion provided to the apparatus main body.

20. The operating device according to claim 1 or 4,

the device main body is provided with a cylindrical member,

the cylindrical member includes a main body member and a marking member that divide the shape of the cylindrical member,

the identification member constitutes the identification portion.

21. The operating device of claim 20,

the main body part has a table portion,

the identification member is mounted on the table portion.

22. The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the device main body includes a marker member that constitutes the marker portion and is made of a material having a color of an outer surface of the marker portion.

23. The operating device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,

the operating device is provided with a biasing member that returns the operating element from the second position to the first position.