Toilet seat with foot care device attached

By symmetrically and eccentrically setting water traps and wastewater pipes in the toilet, combined with the drive unit and jet unit, foot washing and foot bath functions are realized, solving the problem of space limitation of toilet and providing a convenient and comfortable cleaning solution.

CN116324097BActive Publication Date: 2026-03-27金德祐
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2021-07-27
Publication Date
2026-03-27

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing toilets lack space to accommodate foot care devices, making it difficult to effectively combine foot washing and foot bath functions, and the traditional structure limits the installation space for such devices.

Method used

By symmetrically arranging the water trap and external wastewater pipe connection on the front and rear center lines of the toilet, and eccentrically connecting it to the flush toilet, a space is provided for the foot bath. The foot bath basin can be unfolded and adjusted through the drive unit, and the cleaning function is achieved by combining the jet unit and the bubble generator.

Benefits of technology

It enables convenient foot washing and foot baths on a toilet seat, solving the problem of space limitations. It offers automatic and manual folding methods, making it suitable for people with mobility impairments, and its wastewater discharge does not pollute the environment.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

A toilet with a foot care device attached according to the present invention includes a main body having a receiving portion at a lower front end portion and a lower rear end portion, and a foot care device installed in the receiving portion of the main body and expandably adjustable according to a user's operation. The main body can include a toilet bowl formed across an upper front end portion and a rear portion and having a waste water discharge port located on a center line connecting the front portion and the rear portion of the toilet, and a waste water discharge unit connected to the waste water discharge port of the toilet bowl and eccentrically disposed away from the center line so as to discharge waste water to the outside.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to a toilet seat, and more particularly to a toilet seat with a foot care device attached. Background Technology

[0002] A toilet that allows a person to defecate while sitting on it, just like sitting in a chair, is also called a flush toilet or toilet seat. It is one of the necessities that is used frequently in daily life and plays an important role.

[0003] A sit-down toilet is a device where a person can sit on it, and because sit-down toilets are typically installed in the bathroom, they can be used for rest or washing even when not defecating. To date, there are no examples of any additional functions beyond those related to bowel movements (such as washing the genitals) that have been commercially available and used.

[0004] Meanwhile, washing feet is a frequent and important activity in daily life, especially in the bathroom. Feet are prone to becoming dry or rough because they produce three times more sweat than other parts of the body and have very few sebaceous glands. If feet are not properly cared for, various types of foot diseases, such as athlete's foot, can develop.

[0005] In particular, given the current pandemic or severe air pollution caused by fine dust, people must keep their feet clean after returning home to maintain their health.

[0006] Normally, when washing feet, one bends down so that their hands can reach their feet to wipe every corner. However, people with herniated discs, pregnant women, or elderly or frail individuals with poor balance may find it very difficult to wash their feet independently because they feel uncomfortable with the movement itself and are concerned about safety issues such as slipping.

[0007] Therefore, there exists a situation where foot care devices, such as traditional foot washers, are placed around the toilet seat, which functions as a chair, so that users can safely wash their feet, or by attaching the foot care device to the toilet seat. However, foot care devices still fall short of effectiveness due to some unavoidable problems, including drainage issues.

[0008] Therefore, if the toilet is manufactured as a product by incorporating foot care devices into the lower part of the toilet seat, foot health management can be very convenient. However, due to insufficient space under the toilet seat, it presents many difficulties in integrating foot care devices.

[0009] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, a standard toilet 1 includes a toilet 2, a wastewater outlet 2a, a trap 3, and an external wastewater pipe connection 3a that connects to the wastewater outlet 5 on the bathroom floor. The advantage of this standard toilet is that its overall structure is symmetrical about the left and right center lines, making it easy to manufacture. However, a problem is that if a foot-washing device is attached, the trap 3 and the external wastewater pipe connection 3a are located in the center of the bottom of the toilet 2, resulting in limited space for installing the device. Summary of the Invention

[0010] Technical issues

[0011] This disclosure is made to solve the above-mentioned problems. The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a toilet with a fixed receiving space so that a foot care device with foot washing and foot bath functions can be easily attached to the lower part of the main body.

[0012] Specifically, this disclosure provides a toilet that ensures space for a foot care device by symmetrically arranging the trap and external wastewater pipe connection of an existing toilet (in this disclosure, the trap and external wastewater pipe connection are integrated into a "wastewater discharge unit" structure) on the center line of the front and rear of the connecting body, with an eccentricity from one side to the other, and connecting the trap and external wastewater pipe connection to the toilet.

[0013] The purposes of this disclosure are not limited to those described above, and those skilled in the art will clearly understand from the following description other purposes not described above.

[0014] Technical solution

[0015] A toilet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a body having receiving portions at a bottom portion at the front of the body and at a bottom portion at the rear of the body, and a foot care device held in the receiving portion of the body and capable of unfolding and adjusting in response to user operation.

[0016] In this configuration, the body includes: a toilet bowl formed across the top of the front of the body and the rear of the body, and includes a wastewater outlet located on a centerline (the centerline connecting the front and rear of the toilet bowl), and a wastewater discharge unit connected to the wastewater outlet of the toilet bowl, eccentrically positioned away from the centerline, and configured to discharge wastewater to the outside.

[0017] In this case, the wastewater discharge unit includes: a water trap connected to the wastewater outlet of the toilet and located in an eccentric direction away from the center line, and an external wastewater pipe connection portion connected to the water trap, located in the same eccentric direction away from the center line as the water trap, and configured to discharge wastewater to the outside.

[0018] Meanwhile, another body according to this disclosure includes: a toilet that is formed across the top of the front of the body and the rear of the body, and includes a wastewater outlet eccentrically disposed on either the left or right side with reference to a center line (the center line connecting the center of the front and rear of the toilet), and a wastewater discharge unit connected to the wastewater discharge outlet of the toilet, eccentrically disposed on the same side as the wastewater outlet of the toilet, and configured to discharge wastewater to the outside.

[0019] In this case, the wastewater discharge unit includes: a water trap connected to the wastewater outlet of the toilet and eccentrically positioned on the same side as the wastewater outlet of the toilet from the center line, and an external wastewater pipe connection portion connected to the water trap, eccentrically positioned on the same side as the wastewater outlet of the toilet, and configured to discharge wastewater to the outside.

[0020] Meanwhile, the foot care device according to this disclosure includes a foot washing basin, a user input unit, and a drive unit. The foot washing basin has an internal space in which the user's feet are placed and a wastewater outlet located at its bottom.

[0021] The user input unit is located on the outside of the foot washing basin, displays the operating status of the foot care device, and provides various types of function buttons. The drive unit unfolds and adjusts the foot washing basin forward and backward in response to command signals from the user input unit.

[0022] The unfolding or holding of the foot washing basin can be achieved by using a sliding method that moves the foot washing basin back and forth (forward and backward), a folding method that folds and unfolds the foot washing basin, or a combination of sliding and folding methods.

[0023] First, in the sliding method, the foot care device slides and adjusts from the receiving part of the main body to the front and rear of the main body, thereby opening and closing the internal space of the foot washing basin in which the user's feet are placed.

[0024] Next, in the folding method, the foot care device folds and remains within the receiving portion of the main body, and can be rotatably moved and unfolded to the front and rear of the main body in response to user operation. In this case, the foot care device includes a foot bath basin having an internal space in which the user's feet are placed; a user input unit configured to provide various types of function buttons; and a drive unit configured to unfold and adjust the foot bath basin forward and backward in response to command signals from the user input unit. The foot bath basin is defaulted to being folded and held within the receiving portion of the main body, and is capable of sliding, moving, rotatably moving, unfolding, and adjusting to the front and rear of the main body in response to user operation.

[0025] In this configuration, the foot bath basin can be arranged such that when the foot bath basin is held in the receiving portion of the main body, the inner housing is folded within the outer housing that forms the appearance of the foot bath basin, and when the foot bath basin is unfolded from the main body, the outer housing is rotatably moved, positioned on the floor, and then moved horizontally forward, causing the inner housing to move upward from the outer housing.

[0026] In this configuration, if necessary, a connecting portion made of elastic rubber material can be airtightly disposed between the inner housing and the outer housing. The inner and outer housings may include: a variable wall that elastically deforms at its portion in contact with the bottom of the toilet bowl when the foot bath is held within the receiving portion of the main body; and a fixed wall disposed at a portion not in contact with the bottom of the toilet bowl and airtightly connected to both ends of the variable wall.

[0027] The outer wall configured to airtightly protect the moving part of the foot washing basin and support the front part of the main body can be provided at both ends of the receiving part of the main body.

[0028] An inner wall can be installed within the receiving portion of the main body. By sealing the bottom of the inner wall and the bathroom floor, unpleasant odors can be prevented from entering the room from the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor.

[0029] At least one support may be provided at the bottom of the foot washing basin, which is configured such that the foot washing basin is horizontal with respect to the ground.

[0030] The foot care device includes: a spray unit configured to spray a predetermined amount of cleaning water into the interior space of the foot washing basin; a foot detection sensor configured to detect the position of a user's foot placed in the interior space of the foot washing basin; and a control unit configured to adjust the spray angle of the spray unit based on the position of the user's foot detected by the foot detection sensor.

[0031] In this configuration, the foot care device may further include a bubble generator disposed at the bottom of the foot bath and configured to generate bubbles toward the user's feet. Preferably, the spray unit sprays cleaning water when the bubble generator is activated.

[0032] The foot care device's foot basin may further include a toe washing unit configured to wash the user's toes placed in the internal space.

[0033] The toe cleaning unit includes: a toe nozzle configured to spray cleaning water between the user's toes, and a cleaning member attached to the outside of the toe nozzle and configured to remove contaminants between the user's toes.

[0034] The spraying unit includes one or more lateral nozzles disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the foot bath basin and configured to spray water laterally, and an upward nozzle mounted on the bottom of the foot bath basin and configured to spray water upward. In this case, the nozzle located at the front end of the lateral nozzle is configured to be higher than the nozzle located at the rear end of the lateral nozzle.

[0035] The spraying unit may further include a downward nozzle configured to spray water into the inner bottom plate of the foot bath basin; a cleaning solution nozzle disposed within the foot bath basin and configured to spray a cleaning solution; and a spray valve connected between the downward nozzle and the cleaning solution nozzle, capable of selectively adjusting the spraying of the downward nozzle and the cleaning solution nozzle.

[0036] The foot care device may further include a heel washing unit rotatably mounted within the foot washing basin at the rear end of the foot washing basin and configured to wash the user's heels.

[0037] In this case, it is preferable that the heel cleaning unit is configured to have a predetermined inclination along the shape of the heel of the foot.

[0038] Therefore, the heel washing unit includes: a rotating member connected to the rear end of the foot washing basin along its width or length direction within the foot washing basin and having a rotatable structure; a detachable brush having a structure surrounding the rotating member and including an outer surface with a rough surface; and an actuator configured to rotate the rotating member via the control unit.

[0039] The heel cleaning unit may include a position adjustment component configured to adjust the position of the rotating member via the control unit.

[0040] Meanwhile, the foot care device requires the use of a toilet wastewater pipe or a separate sewage pipe to discharge wastewater from the foot bath basin. Therefore, the foot care device may further include a wastewater discharge unit located between an outlet in the bathroom floor and a wastewater outlet.

[0041] In this scenario, the wastewater outlet on the bathroom floor can be either a wastewater outlet for treating the wastewater from the toilet or a wastewater outlet for treating sewage. Generally, it is preferred to discharge wastewater to the toilet's wastewater outlet, since only the toilet's wastewater outlet exists on the bathroom floor in the space beneath the toilet. In this case, the wastewater discharge unit can be formed as a variation of only a portion of the main wastewater pipe.

[0042] That is, the wastewater discharge unit may include a wastewater inlet pipe connected to the wastewater outlet of the foot bath basin, a wastewater discharge pipe connected to the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor, and an odor blocking unit having a U-shape and disposed between the wastewater inlet pipe and the wastewater discharge pipe and configured to prevent odors introduced from the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor.

[0043] Beneficial effects

[0044] According to this disclosure, since the foot care device is attached to the lower part of the front of the toilet in a folding manner, the problem of space limitation can be solved. In particular, this disclosure provides greater effectiveness and convenience by employing both automatic and manual folding methods for the foot care device.

[0045] The foot care device disclosed herein can wash toes in a foot bath basin and discharge wastewater from the foot bath basin to a wastewater outlet on the bathroom floor without introducing odors.

[0046] Therefore, the foot care device attached to a toilet according to this disclosure allows users to wash their feet and bathe their feet in a very comfortable environment because they can conveniently drain wastewater while cleaning their toes without worrying about odors.

[0047] Furthermore, this disclosure allows users to use the lid of a toilet seat as a chair, thus providing greater convenience and practicality.

[0048] Furthermore, the foot care device attached to the toilet seat disclosed herein is structured such that the user can evenly wash the soles and toes of their feet without even using their hands or bending over. Therefore, even people with limited mobility can conveniently wash their feet and take a foot bath. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram illustrating a traditional sit-down toilet.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a side view of a traditional toilet seat, showing the... Figure 1 The cross section taken by line A-A' in the middle.

[0051] Figure 3 This is a schematic illustration of a toilet seat with a foot care device attached according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0052] Figures 4 to 6 The figures sequentially illustrate an example of the operation of a toilet seat with a foot care device attached according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0053] Figure 7 This is a plan view schematically illustrating the wastewater discharge unit of a toilet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054] Figure 8 It shows along Figure 7 The front view of the section cut by line B-B' in the middle.

[0055] Figure 9 This is a plan view schematically illustrating a modified example of a flush toilet and wastewater discharge unit in a sit-down toilet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0056] Figure 10 It shows along Figure 9 The front view of the section cut by line C-C' in the middle.

[0057] Figure 11 It shows along Figure 10 A partial side view of the section cut by line D-D' in the diagram.

[0058] Figure 12 This is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the wastewater discharge unit of a foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0059] Figure 13This is a schematic cross-sectional example diagram illustrating an operational example of a foot care device attached to a toilet seat according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from the front of the toilet seat.

[0060] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional example diagram illustrating an operational example of a foot care device attached to a toilet seat according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, as seen from the rear of the toilet seat.

[0061] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a bubble generator in a toilet seat that has been attached to a foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0062] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an operational example of a heel washing unit in a toilet seat with an attached foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the operation of a heel washing unit in a toilet with an attached foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0064] Figure 18 This is a schematic illustration of a toe nozzle in a toilet seat with a foot care device attached, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0065] Figure 19 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a toe-washing unit in a toilet with a foot care device attached, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0066] Figures 20 to 23 This is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the operation of a toe-washing unit in a toilet with an attached foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0067] Figure 24 This is a schematic illustration of a toilet seat with a foot care device attached according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0068] Figure 25 and Figure 26 It is an illustrative description of the route. Figure 24 The side view of the connection structure of the foot cleaning tank, taken by line F-F'.

[0069] Figure 27 This is a schematic plan view illustrating the wastewater discharge unit of a toilet according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0070] Figure 28This is a plan view schematically illustrating a modified example of a flush toilet and wastewater discharge unit in a seated toilet according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0071] The advantages and features of this disclosure, as well as methods for achieving these advantages and features, will become apparent from the embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this disclosure is not limited to the disclosed embodiments, but can be implemented in various different forms. These embodiments are provided merely to complete this disclosure and to fully inform those skilled in the art to which this disclosure pertains of its category. This disclosure is defined only by the claims. The terminology used in this specification is for describing embodiments and is not intended to limit the disclosure. In this specification, the singular expression also includes the meaning of the plural unless otherwise expressly defined in the context. The terms “comprising” and / or “including” as used in this specification do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations, and / or elements besides those mentioned.

[0072] The preferred embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Since the basic structure of the toilet according to the present disclosure follows that of a common toilet, for better understanding and ease of description, the description of the known toilet structure itself is omitted, and the description mainly focuses on the foot care device attached to the toilet, the structure for attaching the foot care device to the toilet, and its operation.

[0073] Figure 3 The diagram schematically illustrates a toilet seat with a foot care device attached according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figures 4 to 6 The figures sequentially illustrate an example of the operation of a toilet seat with a foot care device attached according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0074] like Figures 3 to 6 As shown, the toilet 10 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure has a structure in which a foot care device 100 is attached in a folded manner.

[0075] The toilet 10 includes a body 200 forming the overall frame, a seat 300, and a lid 400.

[0076] A receiving portion 210 is formed at the bottom and front of the lower part of the main body 200. The receiving portion 210 is a receiving space that can accommodate the foot care device 100 and has the dimensions of a foot washing basin 110 that can accommodate the foot care device 100. A toilet 230 is installed in a portion that includes the top of the main body 200 at its front and rear sides and the bottom of the main body at its rear.

[0077] The outer wall 220, which provides airtight protection for the rotating part of the foot bath basin 110 and supports the main body 200, can be provided at both ends of the receiving part 210 of the main body 200. The outer wall 220 can be formed integrally with the main body 200 while the outer wall is already provided outside the foot bath basin 110, or it can be formed separately.

[0078] In this configuration, the outer wall 220 is formed in such a way that it supports the front end of the body 200 against the floor by surrounding both ends of the foot basin 110, thus distributing the weight applied to the front end of the body 200 when the user sits on the toilet 10. Therefore, the outer wall 220 is able to prevent potential damage from the weight applied to the front end of the toilet 10. A protective structure, protected by a separate decorative material (e.g., silicone or concrete), is provided between the bottom of the outer wall and the bathroom floor.

[0079] The foot care device 100 is substantially folded and held in the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200, and can be unfolded and adjusted forward and backward according to the user's operation.

[0080] The foot care device 100 includes a foot washing basin 110, a user input unit 130, a drive unit 101, and a control unit 140.

[0081] The electronic components capable of driving the foot care device 100 can be hermetically embedded in the foot bath basin 110. The foot bath basin 110 includes a substrate in which circuitry integrating and connecting various cables or wires is installed, various components connected to the substrate, etc.

[0082] The foot bath basin 110 basically has a space in which feet are placed, and has a form in which the top of the foot bath basin is opened. The foot bath basin 110 has a structure in which the foot bath basin can be located in the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200, and has a structure in which the foot bath basin can be rotatably moved from the opening surface of the main body 200 to the front and rear of the toilet 10 while being opened and closed.

[0083] At least one support (not shown) may be provided at the bottom of the foot washing basin 110 to make the foot washing basin 110 horizontal with the ground. The height of the support and the bottom of the foot washing basin 110 and the ground may be the same, or the height of the support may be relatively higher than the bottom of the foot washing basin and the ground.

[0084] With the foot bath basin 110 folded in the main body 200, the support is rotatably embedded in the foot bath basin 110, and with the foot bath basin 110 placed on the floor for use, the support can extend and operate to support the foot bath basin 110. Alternatively, the support can be configured to be detachable and can be configured to attach to or detach from the foot bath basin 110 when necessary.

[0085] The user input unit 130 is installed on the outside of the foot bath basin 110, displays the operating status of the device, and provides various types of function buttons. The user input unit 130 can be preset to several types.

[0086] The function of the drive unit 101 is to adjust the foot bath basin 110 forward and backward in response to command signals from the user input unit 130. The drive unit 101 may have a structure in which the foot bath basin is electrically slidable and moved by an electric linear actuator (not shown), and / or have a folding structure in which an electric cylinder (not shown) is connected to the foot bath basin 110 and the foot bath basin is rotatably unfolded. As another example, the user can manually open and close the foot bath basin 110 from the body 200, thereby assembling the foot bath basin into and / or separating it from the body.

[0087] The control unit 140 is a component that can integrate and control the device as a whole, and controls the operation of the device to the appropriate function when a button with the corresponding function in the user input unit 130 is pressed in response to a user's operation command.

[0088] Next, refer to Figure 3 and Figures 4 to 6 The operational relationships between the components of the toilet 10 are described in sequence.

[0089] Figures 4 to 6 This is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of the receiving and unfolding structure for describing the toilet seat 10 and the foot care device 100. As shown, the hinge shaft 102, the connecting rod 103, and the track 104 are disposed between one side of the inner side of the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200 and one side of the outer side of the foot washing basin 110.

[0090] The hinge pin 102 is mounted on one side of the outer side of the foot bath basin 110. A connecting rod 103 connects the hinge pin 102 and the track 104. The track 104 is located on one side of the inner side of the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200. In this configuration, the electric linear actuator of the drive unit 101 can be connected to the track 104 to allow the connecting rod 103 to move horizontally, or it can be connected to the connecting rod 103 to allow the connecting rod to move horizontally on the track 104.

[0091] In addition, the drive unit 101 may include a separate electric cylinder between the foot washing basin 110 and the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200, and can drive the foot washing basin 110 such that the foot washing basin 110 folds into the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200 and unfolds from the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200 with the hinge axis 102 as the center.

[0092] The basic driving mechanism is as follows.

[0093] Under normal circumstances, that is, when the foot care device 100 is not used, such as Figure 1 As shown, the foot care device 100 is housed within the main body 200. When the foot bath basin 110 is housed within the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200, the foot bath basin 110 remains in a state where the inner housing 112 is folded within the outer housing 111 that forms the appearance. A connecting portion 113 made of elastic rubber material is airtightly disposed between the inner housing 112 and the outer housing 111. The connecting portion 113 is configured to fold between the inner housing 112 and the outer housing 111 when the inner housing 112 is folded within the outer housing 111.

[0094] During operation, when a user attempting to use the foot care device 100 inputs an operation signal through the user input unit 130, the control unit 140 interprets the operation signal and sends a drive command to the drive unit 101, causing the foot care device to unfold from the main body 200.

[0095] First, such as Figure 3 As shown, the foot care device 100 begins to rotate around the hinge axis 102 and is placed horizontally on the floor. Next, as... Figure 4 and Figure 5 As shown, the foot care device 100 moves forward a predetermined distance and horizontally along the track 104. The position where the foot care device 100 moves forward is a position where the user can conveniently place his (or her) feet when sitting on the toilet.

[0096] Next, as Figure 6 As shown, after the outer casing 111 is placed on the floor, the inner casing 112 moves upward from the outer casing 111 to a predetermined height. The inner casing 112 and the outer casing 111 are held airtight by the connecting portion 113, preventing leakage of cleaning water between them. In the illustrated example, the foot bath basin 110 has a structure where the inner casing 112 and the outer casing 111 are folded in two sections, but this is only an example. The foot bath basin 110 can also have a structure that folds in multiple sections (n ​​sections).

[0097] When the foot bath basin 110 is held in the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200, variable walls 111b and 112b can be provided at the portions of the inner box 112 and the outer box 111 that contact the bottom of the toilet 230.

[0098] The variable walls 111b and 112b can be made of a rubber material that can elastically deform. In this case, the rubber material includes natural rubber and synthetic rubber. Among natural rubber and synthetic rubber, the rubber material can be formed in the form of silicone, polyurethane, and latex.

[0099] In particular, latex is a material that has the form of fine polymer particles dispersed in an aqueous solution, and because latex is one of the most widely used materials, it can be utilized in a way that varies depending on its application and environment.

[0100] Therefore, when the foot bath 110 is held in the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200 (when the foot bath 110 is placed in the front portion of the main body), the variable walls 111b and 112b can elastically deform to adapt to the appearance of the bottom of the toilet 230.

[0101] In this case, the fixed wall bodies 111a and 112a are located at both ends of the variable wall bodies 111b and 112b in portions that do not contact the bottom of the toilet 230.

[0102] Meanwhile, when the foot washing basin 110 of the foot care device 100 is repeatedly rotated on the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200, there is a risk that the contact portion between the foot washing basin 110 and the receiving portion 210 may be worn due to impact. Therefore, the main body 200 may include a cushioning portion (not shown) to reduce the impact at the rear end of the main body 200 that contacts the foot washing basin 110.

[0103] In the accompanying drawings, the toilet seat 400 according to this disclosure appears to be no different from existing seats. However, in order to provide convenience for the user when using the foot care device 100, the seat 400 of this disclosure can be made in the form of a chair that is rotatable about its axis of rotation (not shown) and has a back support (not shown).

[0104] For example, the toilet seat 400 has two overlapping folds. One fold at the bottom of the seat forms a base (not shown) on which the user can sit, while the other fold at the top of the seat forms a back support.

[0105] In this configuration, the base may include a seat recess (not shown) that is recessed and formed in the portion where the user sits. When the back support overlaps with the base, the back support may have a shape and size corresponding to the seat recess.

[0106] That is, when inserted into the seat recess, the back support remains horizontal, and when the back support disengages from the seat recess and rotates rotatably within a radius of approximately 90 degrees, the back support remains vertical, with the user's back in contact with the back support. The rotation between the back support and the base can be performed manually by the user or automatically via a separate button function (not shown).

[0107] A waterproof pad (not shown) can be placed between the back support and the seat recess. Such a pad can be made replaceable, wherein the pad can be selectively installed and removed between the back support and the seat recess.

[0108] Figure 7 This is a schematic plan view of the wastewater discharge unit of a toilet according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 8 It shows along Figure 7 The front view of the section cut by line B-B' in the middle.

[0109] In the Figure 7 Before proceeding with the description, in order to help understand the structural features of the wastewater discharge unit according to this disclosure, a conventional sit-down toilet ( Figure 1 and Figure 2 The structure of a traditional toilet is described. Traditional toilets have a symmetrical structure based on their center line, and the water trap connected to the toilet and the wastewater outlet connected to the bathroom floor also form a symmetrical structure.

[0110] Normally, water traps use a siphon structure. Recently, there have been attempts to reduce water consumption by using variable water traps.

[0111] Traditional toilet designs typically offer advantages in terms of cost reduction and ease of manufacturing, but their drawback lies in the structural limitations that arise when installing the separate drive unit disclosed herein.

[0112] For example, if the toilet's trap has a symmetrical structure, the space available for installing the drive unit under the toilet will inevitably be limited.

[0113] Figure 7 and Figure 8 The toilet 10 in this model has a structure that differs from the conventional structure because the drive unit, called the foot care device 100, is installed in the receiving part 210, which forms a receiving space at the bottom in front of the main body 200.

[0114] That is, the wastewater outlet 231 of the toilet 230 and the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor are connected. Figure 11 The wastewater discharge unit 232 between 5) is eccentrically set on either the left or right side, with the center line of the toilet 230 as the reference.

[0115] like Figure 8 As shown, the wastewater discharge unit 232 is not located in the central space below the toilet 230 within the receiving portion 210. Therefore, when designing a separate sliding device or considering the installation of a related drive unit, the traditional space limitation problem can be solved at a low cost because the central space below the toilet 230 can be utilized.

[0116] In this configuration, the wastewater discharge unit 232 includes a trap 232a and an external wastewater pipe connection portion 232b. The trap 232a has one end connected to the wastewater outlet 231 of the toilet 230, such that, with the centerline of the toilet 230 as a reference, the trap is eccentrically positioned on either the left or right side of the receiving portion 210 of the main body 200. The external wastewater pipe connection portion 232b is formed at the other end of the trap 232a and connects to the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor.

[0117] As described above, although the trap 232a is twisted approximately 45 degrees to either the left or right side with respect to the center line of the toilet 230, there is no problem with drainage. Furthermore, there is a structural advantage that the wastewater discharge unit 232 can utilize space to its maximum extent, because the drive unit can be installed on the other side of the toilet 230 where the wastewater discharge unit 232 is not installed (in the empty space within the accommodating portion 210).

[0118] Figure 9 This is a floor plan schematically illustrating an improved example of a flush toilet and wastewater discharge unit. Figure 10 It shows along Figure 9 The front view of the section cut by line C-C' in the middle. Figure 11 It shows along Figure 10 A partial side view of the section cut by line D-D' in the diagram.

[0119] Figures 9 to 11 The wastewater discharge unit 232' and the toilet 230' shown have structural features in which the space for installing the foot care device can be determined according to... Figure 7 and Figure 8 The principle is fixed within the receiving part 210'.

[0120] In this configuration, the toilet 230' is eccentrically positioned with a structure in which it tilts downwards to either the left or right side of the receiving portion 210', based on the centerline of the toilet 10. A wastewater outlet 231' is located at the eccentric bottom of the toilet 230'. A wastewater discharge unit 232' is located at the bottom of the toilet 230' and discharges wastewater to the outside.

[0121] One end of the water trap 232a' of the wastewater discharge unit 232' is connected to the wastewater outlet 231' of the toilet 230', such that the water trap is set eccentrically on the left and right sides of the receiving part 210' of the main body 200' with the center line of the toilet 230' as the reference, towards the same side as the flush toilet 230'.

[0122] An external wastewater discharge unit 232b' formed at the other end of the water trap 232a' is connected to the wastewater outlet 5 on the bathroom floor.

[0123] Figure 12 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the wastewater discharge unit of a foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0124] Figure 12 The wastewater discharge unit 150 shown includes a wastewater inlet pipe 151, an odor blocking unit 152, and a wastewater outlet pipe 153.

[0125] Wastewater inflow pipe 151 (horizontal pipe at the front end of the U-shaped pipe) and foot cleaning tank ( Figures 4 to 6 The wastewater outlet of 110 is connected and penetrates into the main body ( Figures 3 to 8 200 in the middle, Figures 9 to 11 In the connection hole (not shown) of the wastewater inlet pipe 151, the connection hole is a hole through which the wastewater inlet pipe 151 can pass. Such a connection hole can be formed between the wastewater discharge unit 150 and the main body (200'). Figures 3 to 8 200 in the middle, Figures 9 to 11 In the part connected by 200').

[0126] An odor blocking unit 152 (U-shaped pipe) is installed between the wastewater inlet pipe 151 and the wastewater outlet pipe 153 to block the inflow of odors from the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor. This odor blocking unit 152 can be implemented using a U-shaped pipe or a dedicated valve to block the inflow of odors from the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor.

[0127] The wastewater discharge pipe 153 (the vertical pipe at the rear of the U-shaped pipe) may have a front end connected to the odor blocking unit 152 and a rear end connected to the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor or the water trap of the toilet.

[0128] In this case, the wastewater discharge unit 150 can be formed as a component, wherein the wastewater inlet pipe 151, the odor blocking unit 152 and the wastewater outlet pipe 153 are formed by separate parts, or these separate parts can be combined into one and integrally formed in the wastewater pipe 201 of the main body 200.

[0129] Meanwhile, the wastewater discharge unit 150 may include and be implemented in a flange (not shown), which is located in a toilet ( Figures 3 to 8 The wastewater pipe (10) is used when combined with the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor. For example, the wastewater discharge unit 150 can be achieved in an eccentric flange by deforming the eccentric flange, thereby enabling the foot washing tank ( Figures 4 to 6 Wastewater from 110 of the samples was discharged.

[0130] Foot care device ( Figure 3 and Figure 9 (100) The odor blocking unit 152 is filled with water by periodically draining clean water. This is to prevent wastewater from remaining in the U-shaped odor blocking unit 152. This is better than keeping the area around the odor blocking unit 152 airtight.

[0131] Figure 13 and Figure 14 The following is a cross-sectional example diagram illustrating an operation example of the foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, viewed schematically from the front and rear of the foot care device.

[0132] Reference Figure 13 and Figure 14 The foot washing tank 110 has a structure that accommodates the user's feet therein. A washing plate 114 for placing the user's feet is provided on the bottom plate of the foot washing tank 110.

[0133] The cleaning plate 114 is basically a flat surface, but it can be deformed to include an upwardly projecting central portion (the portion where the arch of the foot is placed).

[0134] Multiple upward protrusions 114a can be provided at intervals in the cleaning plate 114.

[0135] The function of the protrusion 114a is to help effectively clean the soles of the feet, or to maintain a predetermined distance between the foot and the nozzle (upward nozzle 154) formed on the floor or at the bottom of the cleaning plate 114. Preferably, the protrusion 114a is in such a form that when the sole of the foot contacts the protrusion, it gives the sole a rough tactile sensation, thereby providing an acupressure massage effect while simultaneously washing the feet.

[0136] Meanwhile, the portion of the protrusion 114a that places the foot acts as a frame, which elastically deforms or concaves downward to maintain the shape of the foot, so that the foot can sit stably on the cleaning plate 114.

[0137] The cleaning plate 114 has a structure that allows it to be removed from the foot cleaning tank 110 and can be configured to be replaced and used. Alternatively, unlike this structure, a protrusion is formed on the bottom surface of the foot cleaning tank 110, so the cleaning plate can be the area where the foot is placed, i.e., the area corresponding to the entire bottom surface of the foot cleaning tank 110 or a portion of the bottom surface of the foot cleaning tank 110.

[0138] A foot washing tank cover (not shown) provides an area that prevents water from splashing out by covering a portion (front) of the top of the foot washing tank 110, and a downward nozzle 122, which will be described later, is installed therein.

[0139] The foot washing basin cover (not shown) may have a structure that can be removed from the foot washing basin 110, and may have a structure in which a hinge shaft (not shown) is rotatable by being connected to one side of the front end of the foot washing basin 110.

[0140] The spray unit 120 sprays cleaning water into the interior space of the foot cleaning tank 110. The cleaning water is essentially water, but may also include a cleaning solution.

[0141] The spray unit 120 includes a side nozzle 123 and an upward nozzle 124, and may optionally include a downward nozzle 122 formed at the bottom of the foot cleaning tank cover.

[0142] One or more side nozzles 123 are disposed on the inner circumferential surface of the foot washing tank 110 and spray water laterally. Such side nozzles 123 spray water to a position below the horizontal direction at the position where the side nozzles are mounted on the inner wall of the foot washing tank 110.

[0143] The cleaning water sprays out from both sides of the foot cleaning tank 110, so that the soles of the feet can be cleaned by twisting the ankles.

[0144] Meanwhile, the front end of the bottom of the foot washing tank 110 can be configured to be higher than its rear end, and the position of the side nozzle 123 facing the toes can be configured to be higher. In this case, since the direction of the sprayed washing water becomes more vertical, the instep and toes can be washed more effectively.

[0145] Upward nozzles 124 are spaced apart on the bottom surface of the cleaning plate 114 and clean the soles of the feet by spraying water upwards.

[0146] In this case, regarding the spray pressure of the upward nozzle 124, preferably, the height of the sprayed cleaning water is maintained within the height range of the foot cleaning tank 110 to prevent the cleaning water from splashing out of the foot cleaning tank 110. Alternatively, the spray pressure of the upward nozzle 124 can be adjusted to be strong when cleaning the soles of the feet, and the spray pressure can be adjusted to be immediately weakened when the foot is detected to have detached from the cleaning plate.

[0147] One or more downward nozzles 122 are disposed inside the cover and spray cleaning water downwards. If additional downward nozzles 122 are provided, the instep and toes can be effectively cleaned.

[0148] A separate external cleaning water supply unit ( Figure 18 The foot cleaning tank 110 and / or the cleaning solution supply unit (not shown) are connected to the spray unit 120. The cleaning water is supplied via an external water supply pipe. However, to adjust the spray pressure of the cleaning water, a water storage tank (not shown) can be provided within the foot cleaning tank 110 to store the cleaning water. For example, when the water pressure in the supply pipe is higher than the required pressure, the water storage tank maintains an appropriate spray pressure by acting as a buffer. If the spray pressure of the cleaning water needs to be higher than the water pressure in the supply pipe, a piston (not shown) connected to the water storage tank is operated to increase the spray pressure.

[0149] The cleaning solution supply unit can supply cleaning solution from an external cleaning solution supply device (not shown), or it can be configured as a cartridge-replaceable type. The cleaning solution supply unit is connected to the cleaning solution nozzle 125. As another embodiment, the cleaning solution supply unit can be connected to all nozzles of the spray unit 120 so that the nozzles of the spray unit 120 alternately spray cleaning water and cleaning solution, or mix and spray cleaning water and cleaning solution.

[0150] That is, the downward nozzle 122, the side nozzle 123, the upward nozzle 124 and the cleaning solution nozzle 125 can be connected by a single pipe, and a spray valve (not shown) is provided at each branch of the pipe to selectively spray cleaning water and / or cleaning solution.

[0151] Alternatively, for structural convenience, only the downward nozzle 122 and the cleaning solution nozzle 125 can be connected by a single pipe, and a spray valve can be disposed between the downward nozzle 122 and the cleaning solution nozzle 125 to selectively spray cleaning water and / or cleaning solution.

[0152] In response to user input unit ( Figures 4 to 6 The operation of the injection unit 120 is controlled by the control unit (130) based on user input or predetermined control logic. Figures 4 to 6 Control is performed on 140).

[0153] In this case, preferably, to prevent water from splashing out of the foot washing tank 110, the spraying unit 120 sprays water when the foot washing tank 110 is already filled with a preset amount of water. In this case, the preset amount can be measured as a height preset by the user, at which the foot washing tank 110 is filled with washing water. The preset amount can be set according to the environment.

[0154] The spray pressure, spray pattern, and spray angle of the cleaning water and / or cleaning solution sprayed by the spray unit 120 can be combined or controlled in different ways, as described later.

[0155] The power supply to the injection unit 120 can be switched on / off via a user input unit ( Figure 4 and Figure 6 The LED (not shown) connected to 130 in the middle is displayed differently.

[0156] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a bubble generator in a toilet seat that has been attached to a foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0157] Reference Figure 15 Foot care device ( Figure 13 and Figure 14 The 100 in the foot bath may further include a bubble generator 190, which is disposed in the foot bath basin. Figure 13 and 14 The bottom of the foot wash plate (110) is used to generate bubbles towards the user's feet.

[0158] When cleaning water is sprayed onto the corresponding area while generating bubbles, the cleaning efficiency is improved because the water resistance becomes very low, and users can have a refreshing feeling due to the bubbles.

[0159] The bubble generator 190 adjusts the rate of gas injection to achieve optimal contact efficiency when the solid or liquid is absorbed or reacts with the gas by contacting the gas with the solid or liquid, and also adjusts the shape of the bubbles. Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram illustrating an operational example of a heel washing unit in a toilet seat with an attached foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0160] Reference Figure 16 According to the foot care device disclosed herein ( Figures 3 to 6 The 100 in the model may further include a heel cleaning unit 180.

[0161] The heel cleaning unit 180 is rotatably mounted at the rear end (heel placement portion) of the foot care device 100, and its function is to effectively clean the heel or remove dead skin cells from the heel. The heel cleaning unit 180 can be configured to have a predetermined angle along the shape of the heel.

[0162] The heel cleaning unit 180 includes a rotating component 181, a brush 182, and an actuator 183.

[0163] The rotating member 181 has a structure in which it is rotatably connected to the foot washing tank in its width or length direction within the foot washing tank. Figure 13 and Figure 14 The rear end of 110). The rotating member 181 has rotating pins 181a at both ends in its length direction.

[0164] Brush 182 is the part that directly contacts the area between the user's toes and has a structure surrounding the rotating member 181. The outer surface of brush 182 has a rough surface and can effectively remove dirt (dead skin cells, etc.) between the toes. For ease of cleaning, it is even better that brush 182 has a structure that can be detached from the rotating member 181.

[0165] When a command signal from the user input unit 130 operated by the user is transmitted to the control unit 140, the actuator 183 can rotate the rotating member 181 through the control unit 140.

[0166] Figure 17 This is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the operation of a heel washing unit in a toilet with an attached foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0167] Reference Figure 17 The heel cleaning unit 180 can be configured to tilt at a predetermined angle along the shape of the heel. Three heel cleaning units 180 can be configured to surround the heel.

[0168] In this case, the position of the heel cleaning unit 180 can be adjusted in both the horizontal and vertical directions using the position adjustment unit 184. Furthermore, due to the driving mechanism between the actuator 183, the user input unit 130, and the control unit 140... Figure 16 The driving mechanism is the same as that in the previous example, so this driving mechanism has been omitted.

[0169] Meanwhile, as another example of the construction of the heel cleaning unit 180, a rotating shaft can be configured to clean the heel and / or ball of a foot when moving laterally in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the rotating shaft is set.

[0170] Heel cleaning unit 180 and cleaning plate ( Figure 13 and 14 114) are all installed in the foot washing tank ( Figures 3 to 6 The base (bottom) of the heel cleaning unit 110 is located on the base. Therefore, it is preferable to reduce or eliminate mechanical interference between them by reducing the size of the cleaning plate 114 and by separating the heel cleaning unit 180 and the cleaning plate 114 from each other at a predetermined interval and installing them in the remaining space.

[0171] As another embodiment, in addition to the heel washing unit 180, in the foot care device ( Figures 3 to 6 The front end of the 100 can be further fitted with a foot cleaning unit (not shown). The foot cleaning unit has the function of cleaning and massaging the soles of the feet, which correspond to the part between the arch and the toes. The detailed structure of the foot cleaning unit is basically the same as that of the heel cleaning unit.

[0172] Furthermore, the foot care device 100 according to this disclosure may include a heating unit (not shown) for heating the cleaning water. Before spraying the cleaning water, the heating unit heats the cleaning water using a method such as a water heater or an electric heater so as to spray warm cleaning water.

[0173] Figure 18 This is a schematic illustration of a toe nozzle in a toilet seat with a foot care device attached, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0174] Reference Figure 18 The toe nozzle 171 can be further incorporated into the foot care device.

[0175] Toe nozzles 171 are spaced apart in the width direction of the cleaning plate 114, such that the toe nozzles are positioned between the toes, and the toes are positioned along the length direction of the cleaning plate. Figure 13 and Figure 14 On 114) in the middle; and spray water between the toes.

[0176] The toe nozzle 171 is disposed between the toes and can be configured in such a way that, in Figure 18 Based on the toes shown, adjust the width between the toe nozzles left and right or the length of the toe nozzles up and down.

[0177] The toe nozzle 171 has a cylindrical shape and multiple spray holes 171a on its outer surface. The toe nozzle 171 is connected to the cleaning water supply unit 160 and has the function of spraying cleaning water to the outside. The cleaning water supplied by the cleaning water supply unit 160 is sprayed to the outside (between the user's toes) through the multiple spray holes 171a.

[0178] As shown in the figure, the toe nozzle 171 has a cylindrical shape, but the width of a portion of its top part is tapered from its top to its bottom part, and it can have a structure that allows it to be easily inserted between the toes.

[0179] The toe nozzle 171 may have a structure that can move up and down and be adjusted, and spray water when rotating.

[0180] The person using the foot care device 100 according to this disclosure has toes of different shapes and sizes. The position of the toe nozzle 171 can be moved by a predetermined length (installation interval) in the width (and / or length) direction of the cleaning plate 114 according to the shape of the user's toes so that the toe nozzle can be adapted to an unspecified individual.

[0181] The position movement of the toe nozzle 171 for each user is stored in a storage device (not shown) so that it can be subsequently accessed by simply operating the user input unit. Figure 4 and Figure 6 In step 130), the toe nozzle can be moved to a position already stored for each user. For example, this could correspond to an example where two people, A and B, with different toe sizes and shapes, use the foot care device 100. Person A can operate the user input unit (e.g., press button 1) to automatically move the toe nozzle 171 to a position suitable for person A's toes, and person B can operate the user input unit (e.g., press button 2) to automatically move the toe nozzle 171 to a position suitable for person B's toes.

[0182] The foot care device according to this disclosure will now be described. Figures 3 to 7 , Figure 9 , Figure 13 and Figure 14 The operation and control of the foot care device 100 according to this disclosure. The electrical / electronic devices of the foot care device 100 include a spray unit 120, a cleaning solution nozzle 125, and a user input unit. Figures 4 to 6 The overall operation of 130) is controlled by a control unit (not shown).

[0183] First, the control of injection pressure and injection operation is described in detail.

[0184] The foot care device 100 according to this disclosure can be controlled so that the nozzles sequentially perform spraying to maintain the spray pressure of each nozzle at a given level or higher. For example, the foot care device can be controlled so that the upward nozzle 124, the side nozzle 123, and the toe nozzle 171 operate sequentially to maintain the spray pressure at a given level or higher. If necessary, a booster pump (not shown) can be used to increase the spray pressure. If an appropriate spray pressure can be maintained, the foot care device can be controlled so that two or more nozzles spray simultaneously.

[0185] Meanwhile, to enhance the cleansing and massage effect, the foot care device can be controlled so that each nozzle performs spraying at different spray pressures over time.

[0186] The method of spraying cleaning water and cleaning solution can have various combinations. For example, when spraying cleaning water by spraying unit 120, spraying unit 120 can be configured to spray water and cleaning solution alternately through the same nozzle or according to a predetermined spraying pattern, spray a mixture of water and cleaning solution, or spray only water. Alternatively, the cleaning solution can be controlled to be sprayed only by a dedicated nozzle (cleaning solution nozzle 125).

[0187] To enhance the cleaning and massage effects, the spray angle of each nozzle of the spray device 120 can be adjusted left / right or up / down. Preferably, the spray angles of the side nozzles 123 and the upward nozzles 124 are limited within a predetermined range so that water does not splash out of the foot cleaning tank 110.

[0188] The control of injection pressure, injection mode, and injection angle is handled by the control unit ( Figures 4 to 6 140) according to the user input unit ( Figures 4 to 6 The user operation or preset control logic in 130 is used to execute.

[0189] Figure 19 This is a diagram illustrating an example of the operation of a toe-washing unit in a toilet with a foot care device attached, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0190] Reference Figure 19 The toe cleaning unit 170 includes a toe nozzle 171, a cleaning component 172, and a rotating component 173.

[0191] The cleaning component 172 is rotatably mounted on top of the toe nozzle 171. The cleaning component 172 has a cylindrical shape with an opening at the bottom. A rotator 173 is disposed on top of the cleaning component 172 and can rotate coaxially with the cleaning component 172.

[0192] In the toe cleaning unit 170, a cleaning member 172, coupled with a rotating member 173, covers a portion of the top of the toe nozzle 171 and cleans between the toes while rotating in the axial direction. That is, the cleaning member 172 has a structure in which the cleaning member rotates in coordination with the rotating member 173 when the rotating member 173 is rotated by the cleaning water sprayed by the spraying unit 120.

[0193] The cleaning component 172 is the part that directly contacts the skin to remove foreign matter between the toes, including various types of dead skin cells. Accordingly, the cleaning component can be made of a rubber type produced by blowing an undiluted solution of natural rubber, or it can be made of a rigid sponge, including a polyurethane type made of synthetic resin. Multiple protrusions can be formed at intervals on the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning component 172.

[0194] In this case, a bearing (not shown) that assists in the rotation of the cleaning member 172 can be provided between the inner peripheral surface of the cleaning member 172 and the outer peripheral surface of the toe nozzle 171.

[0195] Figures 20 to 23 This is a diagram illustrating a modified example of the operation of a toe-washing unit in a toilet with an attached foot care device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0196] exist Figures 20 to 23 The cleaning member 172' shown has a cylindrical shape with a bottom opening and can rotate axially around its axis even when the cleaning member is already outside the toe nozzle 171'. However, Figures 20 to 23 The cleaning component 172' in the embodiment has a different rotation method than that described above.

[0197] Before describing the rotation method, the structure of the toe nozzle 171' and the cleaning component 172' will be described.

[0198] like Figure 21 As shown, the toe nozzle 171' has a structure in which the toe nozzle can be rotated when it is inserted into the cleaning member 172'.

[0199] For this purpose, the toe nozzle 171' has a cleaning water guide groove 171b', a spray hole 171a', and a rotating shaft 171c'. The cleaning water guide groove 171b' is recessed and formed at intervals along its length on the outer circumferential surface of the toe nozzle 171'. The spray holes 171a' are formed at intervals in the cleaning water guide groove 171b' such that they penetrate the cleaning water guide groove 171b'. The rotating shaft 171c' is connected to a rotating shaft connecting groove 172b', which is formed on the inner surface of the cleaning member 172'.

[0200] The cleaning component 172' has a plurality of spray holes 172a' that communicate with the spray holes 171a' of the toe nozzle 171'.

[0201] Figure 22 A is shown Figure 20 A diagram of the E-E' section. Figure 22 B is Figure 22 An example of cleaning component cover 174' has been added to A. See reference. Figure 22 A and 22B, the spray hole 172a' has a structure in which the axis of the cleaning member 172' is obliquely penetrated.

[0202] The spray hole 172a' of the cleaning component 172' has a structure in which the spray hole is connected to the cleaning water guide groove 171b' of the toe nozzle 171'.

[0203] In this case, the cleaning water guide channel 171b' is a space through which water flows, and has the function of seamlessly and continuously spraying the cleaning water input to the cleaning member 172' to the outside through the toe nozzle 171'.

[0204] like Figure 23 As shown, when the cleaning water supplied by the cleaning water supply unit 160 is sprayed from the spray hole 171a' of the toe nozzle 171' to the spray hole 172a', the spray hole 172a' induces the cleaning member 172' to rotate through its spray pressure.

[0205] The cleaning component 172' has a structure that rotates under the force of the cleaning water sprayed through the jet hole 172a'. If the cleaning component 172' is made of a soft material, it may not be able to rotate between the user's toes. Therefore, the cleaning component 172' is made of a hard material within the range of rotation that the cleaning component can have. To aid in cleaning, multiple protrusions can be formed on the outer surface of the cleaning component.

[0206] The cleaning component cover 174' can be replaced by a shape that inserts into the outer circumferential surface of the cleaning component 172'. That is, the cleaning component cover 174' is replaceable to maintain cleanliness, since the contact surface of the cleaning component cover may become contaminated when removing contaminants from between the user's toes. In this case, it is preferable that the cover hole 174a' of the cleaning component cover 174' communicates with the spray hole 172a'.

[0207] In the toe washing unit 170', the toe washing nozzles 171' extend vertically upward. One or more toe washing nozzles 171' are disposed between each of the user's toes and wash and massage the toes between them by rotating thereon.

[0208] Even better, one or more protrusions are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the cleaning member 172' surrounding the toe cleaning nozzle 171' to increase cleaning power and massage effect. Even better, the main body of the cleaning member 172' is made of a rigid material, but the protrusions are made of a soft material.

[0209] The preferred embodiment of the automatic cleaning operation of the foot care device 100 according to the present disclosure will now be described.

[0210] The automatic cleaning function may include a foot placement detection step, a cleaning solution spraying step, and a foot washing step. The foot placement detection step detects when a foot is placed in the cleaning plate 114. The cleaning solution spraying step is performed by the control unit receiving foot position information detected by a foot detection sensor (not shown) and driving the cleaning solution nozzle 125 of the spraying unit 120 to spray cleaning solution. The foot washing step is performed by spraying water from the water nozzle unit to wash the foot after a first waiting time following the spraying of the cleaning solution.

[0211] Optionally, a foot separation detection step and an internal cleaning step can be constructed separately. The foot separation detection step involves detecting that the foot has detached from the cleaning plate 114 by a foot detection sensor. The internal cleaning step involves spraying cleaning water through the spray unit 120 to clean the internal space of the foot cleaning tank 110 after a second waiting time has passed.

[0212] In this case, the first or second waiting time represents the preset time in the corresponding process, and the corresponding time can be changed by the user.

[0213] Users can use the user input unit ( Figure 4 and Figure 6 The 130 in the middle executes various presets. Users can set basic values ​​such as the spray pressure of the spray unit 120, the first and second waiting times of the automatic cleaning function, and the injection volume of the cleaning solution.

[0214] The foot placement detection step is performed by a foot detection sensor.

[0215] The foot detection sensor can be implemented by installing a light receiving unit (not shown) and a light emitting unit (not shown) on the inner walls of the left and right sides of the foot cleaning tank 110, or by placing a pressure sensor at the bottom of the cleaning plate 114.

[0216] The foot detection sensor transmits information values ​​to the control unit by detecting the position of the foot near the cleaning plate 114 or the pressure value of the foot already placed on the cleaning plate 114. The control unit is electrically connected to the foot detection sensor and compares and calculates a preset reference value with the information value transmitted by the foot detection sensor. When the result value meets the reference value, the control unit drives and controls the spray unit 120.

[0217] During the foot washing process, the control unit controls the spray unit 120 to automatically clean the internal space of the foot washing tank 110 for a preset time. In this case, the preset time is calculated based on statistical values ​​accumulated from various types of data. The initial setting value can vary depending on each function, and its setting value can be determined by the user. To improve the effectiveness of foot washing, the method, spray pressure, and spray angle of spraying cleaning water and cleaning solution can be automatically changed in response to user input or according to preset logic during foot washing.

[0218] Once the user has finished washing their feet and removed the foot sanitizer, an internal cleaning step is performed. When the foot is detected to have detached from the cleaning plate 114, the control unit stops driving the spray unit 120. The control unit controls the spray unit 120 to clean the interior of the foot washing tank 110 using an automatic cleaning function.

[0219] To clean the interior of the foot care device 100, the control unit sprays cleaning water onto the cleaning plate 114 for a preset time by adjusting the spray angle. The set time can be changed arbitrarily by the user. Alternatively, the degree of cleaning of the cleaning plate can be detected by using a contamination sensor (not shown), and the cleaning time of the cleaning plate can be adjusted until an appropriate level of cleaning is achieved.

[0220] The cleaning water sprayed during the internal cleaning step can be a mixture of cleaning solutions with stronger cleaning power than the cleaning water used for foot cleaning. Therefore, the cleaning solution storage unit can be configured to store the cleaning solution used for cleaning the cleaning plate, which is separate from the cleaning solution used for foot cleaning.

[0221] The construction of this disclosure has been described in detail above through some preferred embodiments. This disclosure has a structure that allows for the even washing of the soles and between the toes without using hands or bending over. Therefore, even disabled persons with limited mobility can conveniently wash their feet.

[0222] Furthermore, foot care devices have an automatic cleaning function after foot washing and foot baths, thus solving traditional management problems. In this case, the foot care device that has already washed and bathed the user's feet can have an ultraviolet lamp (not shown) or a drying device (not shown) constructed inside the cover of the main body, which can wipe away germs or remove moisture.

[0223] Figure 24 This is a schematic illustration of a toilet seat with a foot care device attached according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 25 and Figure 26 It is an illustrative description of the route. Figure 24 The side view of the connection structure of the foot cleaning tank, as shown by line F-F'. Figure 27 This is a schematic plan view illustrating the wastewater discharge unit of a toilet according to another embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 28 This is a plan view schematically illustrating a modified example of a flush toilet and wastewater discharge unit in a seated toilet according to another embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0224] like Figures 24 to 28 As shown, unlike the toilet 10 described above, a toilet 500 according to another embodiment of this disclosure has a structure in which a foot care device 520 is slidably attached to the toilet. In this case, the foot care device 520 has the same functional characteristics as the aforementioned foot care device 100. Therefore, only the structurally different parts are described, while the description of the remaining identical parts is omitted.

[0225] Basically, the foot care device 520 can slide from the receiving part 515 inside the toilet 500 and move forward and backward.

[0226] For example, sliding rails (not shown) and casters (not shown) capable of moving on the sliding rails can be provided at the top and bottom of the foot washing tub 521 and at the connecting portion within the main body 510. Preferably, the length of the sliding rail corresponds to the path through which the foot washing tub 521 can move from the front to the rear (or vice versa) to achieve stable sliding movement of the foot washing tub 521. Stops (not shown) can be provided at intervals of every unit length on the sliding rail to ensure smooth stopping of the foot washing tub 521.

[0227] The foot washing tub 521 may have a structure in which the foot washing tub is electrically slidable and movable by means of an electric linear actuator (not shown) within the main body 510. As another embodiment, the foot washing tub 521 may have a structure in which the foot washing tub is manually slidable.

[0228] In this case, the variable wall 522 formed on the inner wall of the foot washing groove 521 is the part that contacts the bottom of the toilet 512, and is made of a material whose shape can be appropriately deformed according to the shape of the bottom of the toilet 512.

[0229] At the same time, sufficient space is required to install the aforementioned sliding components in the receiving portion 515 formed below the toilet 512.

[0230] Therefore, such as Figure 27 As shown, the toilet 500 is configured such that the wastewater discharge unit 514, located near the sliding related components, is offset to either side with respect to the left and right center lines of the toilet 512. In this case, the toilet 512 is formed symmetrically with respect to the left and right center lines. However, to further ensure space, as... Figure 28 As shown, the wastewater outlet 513' of the toilet 512' can be set eccentrically and asymmetrically.

[0231] In this case, the toilet 500 can ensure space for installing sliding components by also eccentrically providing a wastewater discharge unit 514' connected to the wastewater outlet 513' of the toilet 512' on the same side as the flush toilet 512'. This disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various modifications and implementations can be made without departing from the technical spirit of this disclosure.

[0232] Industrial applicability

[0233] As described above, in addition to functioning as a toilet even in confined spaces, embodiments of this disclosure can also combine foot washing and massage while the user is already sitting on the toilet.

Claims

1. A toilet bowl comprising: a main body having accommodation portions in a bottom portion of a front of the main body and a bottom portion of a rear of the main body; and a foot care device held in the accommodation portions of the main body and including a hinge in a lower portion of the foot care device; wherein the main body includes: a toilet bowl formed across a top of the front of the main body and a rear of the main body and including a waste discharge port on a center line connecting the front and the rear of the toilet bowl; and a waste discharge unit connected to the waste discharge port of the toilet bowl, eccentrically disposed away from the center line, and configured to discharge waste to the outside, and wherein the foot care device is movable between a vertically stored position and a horizontally unfolded position by a user's operation such that the foot care device is rotated forward about the hinge to the horizontally unfolded position and rotated rearward to the vertically stored position, an inner case maintains a state in which the inner case is folded in an outer case forming an appearance of the foot washing basin when the foot washing basin is held in the accommodation portions of the main body; the outer case is rotatably moved, located on a floor, and then moved horizontally forward such that the inner case is moved upward from the outer case when the foot washing basin is unfolded from the main body, and the inner case and the outer case include a variable wall that is elastically deformed according to a bottom of the toilet bowl at a portion in contact with the bottom of the toilet bowl when the foot washing basin is held in the accommodation portions of the main body. 2.The toilet bowl according to claim 1, wherein the waste discharge unit includes: a trap connected to a waste outlet of the toilet bowl and disposed in an eccentric direction away from the center line; and an outer waste pipe connection portion connected to the trap, disposed in the same eccentric direction away from the center line as the trap, and configured to discharge waste to the outside. 3.A toilet bowl comprising: a main body having accommodation portions in a bottom portion of a front of the main body and a bottom portion of a rear of the main body; and a foot care device held in the accommodation portions of the main body and including a hinge in a lower portion of the foot care device; wherein the main body includes: a toilet bowl formed across a top of the front of the main body and a rear of the main body and including waste outlets eccentrically disposed on any one of left and right sides with reference to a center line connecting the front and the rear of the toilet bowl; and a waste discharge unit connected to the waste discharge port of the toilet bowl, eccentrically disposed on the same side as the waste outlets of the toilet bowl from the center line, and configured to discharge waste to the outside, and ​ ​ ​ wherein the foot care device is movable by a user's operation between a vertical storage position and a horizontal deployment position such that the foot care device rotates forward about the hinge to the horizontal deployment position and rotates backward to the vertical storage position, when the foot washing basin is maintained in the accommodation portion of the main body, the inner case maintains a state in which the inner case is folded in the outer case forming an appearance of the foot washing basin; when the foot washing basin is deployed from the main body, the outer case is rotatably moved, located on the floor, and then horizontally moved forward such that the inner case is moved upward from the outer case, and the inner case and the outer case include a variable wall that is elastically deformed according to a bottom of the toilet bowl at a portion in contact with the bottom of the toilet bowl when the foot washing basin is maintained in the accommodation portion of the main body.

4. The toilet bowl of claim 3, wherein the waste water discharge unit comprises: a trap connected to a waste water outlet of the toilet bowl and disposed eccentrically from the center line on the same side as the waste water outlet of the toilet bowl; and an outer waste water pipe connection portion connected to the trap, disposed eccentrically from the center line on the same side as the waste water outlet of the toilet bowl, and configured to discharge waste water to the outside.

5. The toilet bowl of any one of claims 1 and 3, wherein the foot care device slides and adjusts from the accommodation portion of the main body to the front and rear portions of the main body such that an inner space of a foot washing basin in which a user's feet are placed is opened and closed.

6. The toilet bowl of any one of claims 1 and 3, wherein the foot care device comprises: a foot washing basin having an inner space in which a user's feet are placed; a user input unit configured to provide various types of function buttons; a driving unit configured to deploy and adjust the foot washing basin forward and backward in response to an instruction signal from the user input unit, wherein the foot washing basin is set by default such that the foot washing basin is folded and maintained in the accommodation portion of the main body and is slidable, movable, rotatably movable, deployable, and adjustable to the front and rear portions of the main body in response to a user's operation. A connection portion of a rubber material having elasticity is airtightly disposed between the inner case and the outer case.

8. The toilet bowl of any one of claims 1 and 3, wherein the inner case and the outer case further comprise:

7. The closet toilet according to any one of claims 1 and 3, wherein, a fixed wall disposed at a portion not in contact with the bottom of the toilet bowl and airtightly connected to both ends of the variable wall.

9. The toilet bowl of any one of claims 1 and 3, wherein an outer wall configured to airtightly protect a moving portion of the foot washing basin and support a front portion of the main body is disposed at both ends of the accommodation portion of the main body.

10. The toilet bowl of claim 9, wherein: an inner wall is provided inside the accommodation portion of the main body; and ​ ​ A sealing structure is provided between the bottom of the inner wall and the bathroom floor to block bad odors from the wastewater outlet of the bathroom floor from entering the room. 11.The toilet of claim 6, wherein the foot care device comprises: a spraying unit configured to spray predetermined washing water toward an inner space of the foot washing tub; and a foot detection sensor configured to detect a position of a user's foot placed in the inner space of the foot washing tub; and a control unit configured to adjust a spraying angle of the spraying unit based on the position of the user's foot detected in the foot detection sensor. 12.The toilet of claim 11, wherein: the foot care device further comprises a bubble generator provided at a bottom of the foot washing tub and configured to generate bubbles; and the spraying unit sprays washing water in a state in which the bubble generator is turned on. 13.The toilet of claim 11, wherein: the foot washing tub of the foot care device further comprises a toe washing unit configured to wash a user's toes placed in the inner space, and the toe washing unit comprises: a toe nozzle configured to spray washing water between the user's toes, and a washing member attached to an outer side of the toe nozzle and configured to remove contaminants between the user's toes. 14.The toilet of claim 11, wherein the spraying unit comprises: one or more lateral nozzles provided on an inner circumferential surface of the foot washing tub and configured to spray water laterally, and an upward nozzle installed at a bottom of the foot washing tub and configured to spray water upward, wherein nozzles provided at a front end among the lateral nozzles are arranged higher than nozzles provided at a rear end among the lateral nozzles. 15.The toilet of claim 14, wherein the spraying unit further comprises: a downward nozzle configured to spray water toward an inner bottom plate of the foot washing tub; a cleaning solution nozzle provided inside the foot washing tub and configured to spray a cleaning solution; and a spraying valve connected between the downward nozzle and the cleaning solution nozzle and capable of selectively adjusting spraying of the downward nozzle and the cleaning solution nozzle. 16.The toilet of claim 11, wherein: the foot care device further comprises a heel washing unit rotatably installed at a rear end of the foot washing tub inside the foot washing tub and configured to wash a user's heel, and the heel washing unit is configured to have a predetermined inclination along a shape of the user's heel. the heel washing unit comprises: a rotating member connected to the rear end of the foot washing tub in a width direction or a length direction of the foot washing tub inside the foot washing tub and having a rotatable structure; 17. The closet toilet according to claim 16, wherein, a detachable brush having a structure surrounding the rotating member and including an outer surface having a rough surface; and an actuator configured to rotate the rotating member by the control unit. ​ ​ 18. The toilet according to claim 17, wherein the heel cleaning unit comprises a position adjusting member configured to adjust a position of the rotating member by the control unit.

Citation Information

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