System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid

Abstract

The system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, according to the invention, is applicable in the field of automation of bathroom and toilet furniture and improving the hygienic conditions. The seat (6) and the lid (5) are connected to a set for their lowering and raising, comprising control buttons (2, 3) and box (1) connected to a shaft mechanism with pair of shafts (10, 11) located one inside the other, and driven by separate electric motors (8).

Description

Technical field

[0001] The invention relates to a system for automatic drive and contactless control of a toilet seat and lid, which is applicable in the field of automation of bathroom and toilet furniture and improving the hygienic conditions.Prior art

[0002] Systems for mechanical and automatic drive of seat and lid of a toilet bowl, which are made of numerous sensor elements and mechanical parts, are known. Such a system is known, for example, from document US20090106885A1 disclosing an automatic toilet seat with seat and lid. The automatic lowering and raising of the toilet seat is done by a box in which a drive module with an electric motor, a power supply module and a control unit, which comprises a computer for processing signals from a control button and control for an electric motor, are connected to each other. The control button is mounted in the cistern of the toilet bowl. The box is connected to a shaft mechanism, actuated by the electric motor, which raises the toilet seat. If the lid is down, when the seat is raised, it is also raised. When the seat is lowered, the lid remains raised, and user intervention is required to lower it, which reduces the hygiene of the solution.

[0003] Disadvantages of existing solutions for automatic raise of the toilet seat and lid are: the presence of complex mechanics and / or electronics in an area that is subject to continuous contamination, for example seat and lid hinges; the control in existing solutions creates inconvenience for users and it is a prerequisite for incorrect use; physical intervention by users is required to lower and / or raise the lid or the seat of the toilet bowl, which reduces the hygiene during the use of the toilet bowl. Summary of the invention

[0004] The present invention aims to solve the problems of the prior art by creating a system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, which is of increased hygiene and comfort for users.

[0005] The system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid comprises a toilet bowl with seat and lid connected to a set for lowering and raising the toilet seat and lid.

[0006] The set comprises a box with connected to each other drive module with electric motors, power supply module and control unit which comprises a computer for processing signals from control buttons, a control of electric motors and at least one sensor for monitoring the magnitude of the electric current and for registering increased current due to blocking of the motion of the lid and / or the seat.

[0007] The box is connected to a shaft mechanism actuated by the electric motors.

[0008] The shaft mechanism comprises a pair of shafts located one inside the other, an outer and an inner shaft respectively, the outer shaft is fixedly connected to the lid and is bearing-mounted in a first hub, and the inner shaft is partially located in the same first hub and is fixedly connected to the seat. A second hub, with the same geometry as the first, provides a second hinged support for the lid and seat without participating in the transmission of motion to and from the shafts. Each of the shafts is connected to an electric motor through at least one connecting means, which can be belt, gear or other transmissions, as well as a clutch, with the ability to receive commands from the control unit and transmit the motion from the driving electric motor to the inner or outer shaft, according to the received command. In this way, the seat and the lid can be actuated independently of each other.

[0009] The control unit is designed with the ability to send commands to the drive module for raising, lowering, or stopping the seat and / or the lid of the toilet bowl.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the connecting means is at least one belt transmission comprising a pair of belt pulleys connected by belt, each of the shafts is connected to one electric motor through said at least one belt transmission.

[0011] In another embodiment of the invention, the connecting means is one belt transmission common for both shafts, comprising a pair of belt pulleys connected by belt, wherein both shafts are connected to one common electric motor, and a clutch is mounted between the shafts and the belt transmission, connected with the ability to receive commands from the control unit.

[0012] In another embodiment of the invention, the connecting means is a clutch connected with the ability to receive commands from the control unit, wherein both shafts are connected to one common electric motor.

[0013] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the control unit is connected with the ability to receive commands from two or more contactless sensing buttons, which ensures high hygiene when using the system.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the box is located outside the toilet bowl.

[0015] Preferably, the shaft mechanism is a pair of straight or flexible shafts.

[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, the shaft mechanism also comprises toothed gear or worm gear.

[0017] The system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid also allows manual drive of the lid and seat, in which a slip occurs between the belt and the pulley in the corresponding belt transmission, or between the friction elements in case of a friction clutch.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid comprises four contactless sensing buttons, respectively one button is connected with the ability to send a command to raise the seat, the second button is connected with the ability to send a command to lower the seat, the third button is connected with the ability to send a command to raise the lid, and the fourth button is connected with the ability to send a command to lower the lid.

[0019] In one embodiment of the invention, a holder for toilet paper and / or a container with disinfectant is built into the box.

[0020] The system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, according to the invention, is of increased hygiene, provides convenience for the user during operation, and is suitable for public toilets with a wide range of users, with varying degrees of literacy.Explanation of the attached figures

[0021] The invention is explained in more detail with preferred embodiments, given as non-limiting the scope of the invention examples, with reference to the attached figures, where: Figure 1 is an axonometric view of a preferred embodiment of the system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, in which the shaft mechanism is composed of straight shafts. Figure 2 shows a partial view of horizontal section of the system of Figure 1. Figure 3 shows a partial view of vertical section of the system of Figure 1. Figure 4 is an axonometric view of a preferred embodiment of the system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, in which the shaft mechanism is composed of flexible shafts. Figure 5 shows a partial view of horizontal section of the system of Figure 4. Figure 6 shows a partial view of vertical section of the system of Figure 4. Figure 7 shows different embodiments of the system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, with different arrangement of control buttons, respectively: a) in two columns on the back of the toilet; b) in two columns on the side of the toilet; c) in one row on the back of the toilet; d) in one row on the side of the toilet; e) in one column on the back of the toilet; f) in one column on the side of the toilet. Exemplary embodiments of the invention

[0022] The system for automatic drive and contactless control of a seat 6 and a lid 5 of a toilet bowl 7 comprises a set for lowering and raising the seat 6 and the lid 5 of the toilet bowl 7, which comprises a drive module with electric motors 8, a power module and a control unit which comprises a computer for processing signals from control buttons 2, 3, a control of electric motors and at least one sensor for monitoring the magnitude of the electric current and for registering an increased current due to the blocking of the motion of the lid 5 and / or the seat 6, which, for example, can be a relay whose control coil operates a switch at a certain value of the current. These elements of the set are connected to each other and located in a box 1, which is hung on a wall, near the toilet bowl 7, as shown in Figures 1, 4 and 7. Accordingly, the box 1 can be hung on side wall relative to the toilet bowl 7 (fig. 1) or on the wall behind the toilet bowl 7 (fig. 4), and the design and location of the box 1 relative to the toilet bowl 7 may vary according to the purpose and parameters of the room.

[0023] The elements in the box 1 are powered by the power module, which is not shown in the figures.

[0024] The signal processing computer in the control unit (not shown in the figures) receives signals from the control buttons 2, 3, after which the control unit activates the control of the electric motors and sends commands to the drive module to raise, lower, or stop the seat 6 and / or the lid 5 of the toilet bowl 7. More specifically, possible special cases are, for example: if the command to raise the seat 6 is given, when the lid 5 is not raised, both parts are raised at the same time; if the command to lower the lid 5 is given, when the seat 6 is not lowered, both parts are lowered simultaneously; commands are not accepted during the execution of an already submitted command; if more than one command is submitted at the same time, all of them are ignored.

[0025] The end positions of the lid 5 and the seat 6 are established by the control unit by monitoring the magnitude of the current through the driving electric motors 8. When the end position is reached or when an obstruction appears (for example, if the user blocks the motion of the lid 5 or the seat 6), the current increases due to the increased load, the sensor for monitoring the magnitude of the electric current registers the change and the control unit sends a signal to the electric motor 8 to stop the drive.

[0026] The control buttons 2, 3 can be one button for the seat 6 and one button for the lid 5, which serve both for raising and lowering, respectively, the lid 5 and the seat 6. Alternatively, the buttons can be four - two for the seat 6 and two for the lid 5, one of each pair serving for raising and the other for lowering. The control buttons 2, 3 may be contactless sensing buttons, or alternatively, buttons requiring physical contact, as well as different types of keys, may be used. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in the figures, the control consists of four contactless sensing buttons 2, 3 with large dimensions and sufficient distances between them, which are noticeable upon entering the room and are easily activated by approaching the palm of the user. The buttons 2, 3 can be located on the walls surrounding the toilet bowl 7, as well as on both sides of the toilet bowl 7, depending on the design and parameters of the room. The height at which the buttons 2, 3 are located relative to the floor, their arrangement, as well as their design and designations, take into account the main group of users (adults, children, disabled people, etc.). The buttons 2, 3 are marked with large and clear symbols, clearly explaining their purpose. The buttons 2, 3 can be arranged in one column, one row or two rows, as shown in Figure 7.

[0027] Light-emitting diodes can be built in the buttons 2, 3, for light indication when a given command is executed.

[0028] The connection between the drive module and the toilet bowl 7 is made with two shafts 10, 11, located one inside the other, and there is a gap between them, ensuring their independent rotation relative to each other. The shafts 10, 11 can be straight and rigid (Figures 2, 3) or flexible (Figures 5, 6). In the exemplary embodiment described herein, each of the shafts 10, 11 is driven by a separate electric motor 8 through a connecting means between each combination of shaft and electric motor, the connecting means is belt transmission comprising a pair of belt pulleys 9 connected by a belt 14, being constructed to enable a slip between the belt 14 and pulley 9 when manually driving the lid 5 or the seat 6. The outer shaft 11 is fixedly connected to the lid 5 and is bearing-mounted in a first hub 12a, and the inner shaft 10 passes through the same first hub 12a and is fixedly connected to the seat 6, which also is bearing-mounted in the first hub 12a. A second hub 12b, which is geometrically identical to the first hub 12a, provides a second hinged support for the lid 5 and the seat 6, without participating in the transmission of motion to and from the shafts. In this way, the area around the toilet bowl 7, the lid 5 and the seat 6 remains accessible and as easy as possible to clean. At the same time, this design ensures compatibility with the most widespread models of toilet bowls.

[0029] The mechanics of the drive allows manual drive of the lid 5 and the seat 6 - in an event of a technical problem, absence of power supply or in the case of the inability / unwillingness of the user to use the available controls. For this purpose, one belt transmission is used for the lid 5 and one belt transmission is used for the seat 6, both composed of a pair of belt pulleys 9 connected by belt 14. If the user exerts a force with his hand or another part of his body on the lid 5 and / or the seat 6, they will move and the shafts 10, 11 will rotate. This will result in a slip between the belt 14 and the pulley in the respective belt transmission on which the force is applied, wherein the belt pulley connected to the shaft mechanism will rotate and the second belt pulley of the same transmission connected to the rotor of the non-running electric motor will remain stationary.

[0030] In an alternative embodiment of the invention, it is possible to have one common belt transmission for the two shafts 10, 11, wherein the drive of the two shafts 10, 11 is carried out by only one common electric motor 8, and a clutch, not shown in the figures and known from the prior art, controlled by the control unit, is added. The belt transmission is designed with the ability for a slip between the pulley and the belt during manual operation of the lid 5 or the seat 6. If necessary, the belt transmission can be combined with a toothed and / or worm gear in order to provide the required torque and motion speed. According to the command, the clutch transmits the motion to the inner shaft 10 or to the outer shaft 11 directly or through an additional transmission.

[0031] In another alternative embodiment of the invention, it is possible that the drive is carried out by only one common electric motor 8, and a friction clutch is added as a connecting means between the shafts 10, 11 and the electric motor 8, which clutch is controlled by the control unit. The clutch allows selective drive of the lid 5 and / or the seat 6. The clutch allows for a slip between the friction elements during a manual driving of the lid 5 and / or the seat 6, and therefore the belt transmissions can be removed or replaced with another type, for example gears, for example, wheel, rack or sector. According to the command, the clutch transmits the motion to the inner shaft 10 or to the outer shaft 11 directly or through an additional transmission.

[0032] Additionally, a toilet paper holder and / or a disinfectant container can be built into the box 1, and the upper horizontal surface of the box 1 can be used as small items stand.

[0033] In the case of straight shafts, the length of the shafts 10, 11 can be adjusted by cutting them, according to the distance between the drive and the toilet bowl 7. In the case of flexible shafts, the bending of the shafts and the position of the box are adjusted to fit the designated place. It is also possible to adjust the set for lowering and raising the seat 6 and lid 5 of the toilet bowl 7 according to the distance between the walls and the toilet bowl 7, as well as according to the presence or absence of toilet cistern 4.

[0034] List of reference numbers: 1 - box; 2 - control buttons for controlling the lid; 3 - control buttons for controlling the seat; 4 - toilet cistern; 5 - lid; 6 - seat; 7 - toilet bowl; 8 - electric motors; 9 - belt pulleys; 10 - inner shaft for driving the toilet seat; 11 - outer shaft for driving the lid; 12a - first hub; 12b - second hub; 13 - guide tube; 14 - belt.

[0035] It will be clear to those skilled in the art that various modifications of the system for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid are possible, which also fall within the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. All parts of the system can be replaced with technically equivalent elements.

[0036] The reference numbers of the technical features are included in the claims solely for the purpose of increasing the comprehensibility of the claims and, therefore, these reference numbers do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of the elements indicated by them.

Claims

1. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid comprising a toilet bowl (7) hingedly connected through first and second hubs (12a, 12b) with a seat (6) and a lid (5), connected to a set for lowering and raising the seat (6) and the lid (5) of the toilet bowl (7), comprising a box (1) with connected to each other a drive module with electric motors (8), a power supply module and a control unit which comprises a computer for processing signals from control buttons (2, 3), a control of electric motors and at least one sensor for monitoring the magnitude of the electric current and for registering increased current due to blocking of the motion of the lid (5) and / or the seat (6), wherein the box (1) is connected to a shaft mechanism actuated by the electric motors (8), characterized in that the shaft mechanism comprises a pair of shafts (10, 11) located one inside the other, which are designed with ability to rotate independently relative to each other, an outer (11) and an inner shaft (10), respectively, the outer shaft (11) is fixedly connected to the lid (5) and is bearing-mounted in the first hub (12a), and the inner shaft (10) is partially located and is bearing-mounted in the first hub (12a) and is fixedly connected to the seat (6), wherein each of the shafts (10, 11) is connected to an electric motor (8) through at least one connecting means, wherein the control unit is designed with the ability to send commands to the drive module for raising, lowering, or stopping the seat (6) and / or the lid (5) of the toilet bowl (7).

2. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting means is at least one belt transmission comprising a pair of belt pulleys (9) connected by a belt (14), wherein each of the shafts (10, 11) is connected to separate electric motor (8) through said at least one belt transmission.

3. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting means is one belt transmission common for both shafts (10, 11), comprising a pair of belt pulleys (9), connected by belt (14), wherein both shafts (10, 11) are connected to one common electric motor, and a clutch is mounted between the shafts (10, 11) and the belt transmission, said clutch is connected with the ability to receive commands from the control unit.

4. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, according to claim 1, characterized in that the connecting means is a clutch, connected with the ability to receive commands from the control unit, wherein both shafts (10, 11) are connected to one common electric motor.

5. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the control unit is connected with the ability to receive commands from two or more contactless sensing buttons (2, 3).

6. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the box (1) is located outside the toilet bowl (7).

7. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shaft mechanism is a pair of straight or flexible shafts (10, 11).

8. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, according to claim 7, characterized in that the shaft mechanism also comprises toothed gear or worm gear.

9. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the at least one belt transmission is designed with the ability of manual drive of the lid (5) and seat (6).

10. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises four contactless sensing buttons (2, 3), respectively one button (3) is connected with the ability to send a command to raise the seat (6), the second button (3) is connected with the ability to send a command to lower the seat (6), the third button (2) is connected with the ability to send a command to raise the lid (5), and the fourth button (2) is connected with the ability to send a command to lower the lid (5).

11. System for automatic drive and contactless control of toilet seat and lid, according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that a holder for toilet paper and / or a container with disinfectant is built into the box (1).

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