Toilet seat device and flush toilet

Abstract

To provide a toilet seat device that can expand a range of choices of raw materials to be used.SOLUTION: A toilet seat device 10 has a seating part 20, and a holding part 30 for holding the seating part 20 on an upper surface of a toilet body 12. A material of the seating part 20 is different from a material of the holding part 30. With this configuration, the toilet seat device that can expand a range of choices of raw materials to be used can be provided.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a toilet seat apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there is known a toilet seat that is held on the upper surface of a toilet body by a holding part, as described in, for example, the following Patent Document 1. The toilet seat is in a state where it is arranged along the upper surface of the toilet body, and in a state where it stands up above the upper surface of the toilet body. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2019-177011 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The seating portion and the supporting portion of the toilet seat are made of the same material, and the range of materials that can be used for the toilet seat is limited.

[0005] The present disclosure has been completed in light of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a toilet seat apparatus that allows for a wider range of choices in materials to be used. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The toilet seat device disclosed herein is a toilet seat device having a seating portion and a retaining portion that retains the seating portion on the upper surface of the toilet body, and the seating portion and the retaining portion are made of different materials. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a toilet seat device according to a first embodiment attached to a toilet body; [Diagram 2] A bottom view of the toilet seat device [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the toilet seat device attached to a toilet seat support part; [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing the toilet seat device in a state where it is removed from the toilet seat support portion; [Diagram 5] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a seating portion and a holding portion; [Figure 6] A plan view showing the holding portion [Figure 7] Side view showing the holding part [Figure 8] Rear view showing the holding part [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a seat portion and a holding portion of a toilet seat device according to a second embodiment; [Figure 10] FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged plan view showing a toilet seat device according to a third embodiment attached to a toilet seat support part; [Figure 11] FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view showing a seating portion and a holding portion; [Figure 12] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a child's seat attached to a toilet body; [Figure 13] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a seat for elderly people attached to a toilet body; [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a seat for ostomates attached to a toilet body. [Figure 15] A plan view of the seat for ostomates, showing the state where it is attached to the toilet body. [Figure 16] A side view of the seat for ostomates, showing the state where it is attached to the toilet body. [Figure 17] A diagram showing an ostomate disposing of waste in a squatting position. [Figure 18] A diagram showing an ostomate disposing of waste in a comfortable position while seated on an ostomate seat. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing a seat portion of a toilet seat device according to a fourth embodiment. [Figure 20] A bottom view of the toilet seat device [Figure 21] FIG. 11 is a side view showing the seat in a first state; [Figure 22]FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view of the toilet seat device with the detachable portion and the holding portion removed; [Diagram 23] FIG. 1 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the toilet seat device showing the seat portion and the holding portion attached; [Figure 24] FIG. 13 is a rear view of the seating portion showing an example of a fitting portion; [Diagram 25] FIG. 13 is a rear view of the seat showing another example of the fitting portion; [Figure 26] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the holding portion. [Figure 27] XY cross section showing the locking part [Figure 28] YZ cross section showing the locking section [Figure 29] Cross-sectional view showing the locking portion in the unlocked state [Diagram 30] Cross-sectional view showing the locking portion in the locked state [Diagram 31] FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating an assembly structure of the lock portion. [Diagram 32] A diagram showing the lock pin in the locked and unlocked states. [Diagram 33] Diagram showing the movement of the lock pin when the locked state is released DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] <Embodiment 1> The toilet seat device 10 in this embodiment is provided in a flush toilet 11, as shown in Figure 1. The flush toilet 11 comprises a toilet body 12, a toilet device 15, a toilet seat device 10, and a toilet lid 19. The toilet body 12 is made of ceramic. The toilet body 12 has a toilet bowl 13 and a rim 14. The toilet bowl 13 is bowl-shaped for receiving waste. The rim 14 runs along the upper opening of the toilet bowl 13. The toilet device 15 is fixed to the top surface of the toilet body 12. The toilet lid 19 is supported on the toilet device 15 so as to be able to be opened and closed freely.

[0009] Hereinafter, for each component, the side where the toilet bowl 13 is provided is referred to as the front side, the side where the toilet device 15 is attached is referred to as the rear side, the bottom side when installed in a toilet room or the like is referred to as the bottom side, the opposite side is referred to as the top side, and the right side and left side when viewed from the front of the flush toilet 11 are referred to as the right side and the left side, respectively. In each diagram, the positive side of the X-axis is the right side, the negative side of the X-axis is the left side, the positive side of the Y-axis is the top side, the negative side of the Y-axis is the bottom side, the positive side of the Z-axis is the front side, and the negative side of the Z-axis is the rear side. The Y-axis extends vertically.

[0010] The toilet device 15 includes a casing 18, a toilet seat support part 16, and various functional parts. The toilet seat support part 16 supports the toilet seat device 10 so as to be freely rotatable. The toilet seat support part 16 includes a toilet seat opening / closing device 16A (see FIG. 10). The toilet seat opening / closing device 16A is electrically operated and includes an electric motor, a gear, an assist spring, and a rotation position detection sensor. The toilet seat opening / closing device 16A generates torque around a virtual rotation axis A and slowly rotates the toilet seat device 10. The toilet seat opening / closing device 16A may be a manual type, and in this case, may include a slow-down mechanism. The toilet seat opening / closing device 16A may include a hydraulic damper and may rotate slowly so that the toilet seat device 10 does not slam when closed manually. As shown in FIG. 4, the toilet seat support part 16 includes an axis hole 16B that supports the axis part 33A of the toilet seat device 10. The axis hole 16B is formed on the right side surface of the casing 18. Various functional parts are housed in a casing 18. The various functional parts are a toilet seat opening / closing device, a toilet lid opening / closing device, a private parts cleansing device, a deodorizing device, a drying device, etc. The toilet lid opening / closing device may be either electrically operated or manually operated, like the toilet seat opening / closing device.

[0011] As shown in Fig. 1, the toilet seat device 10 includes a seating portion 20 and a holding portion 30. The seating portion 20 is annular along the upper end opening of the toilet bowl portion 13. The seating portion 20 surrounds and closes the entire periphery of the opening 21. The seating portion 20 is rotatable about an imaginary axis of rotation A. The imaginary axis of rotation A extends in the left-right direction behind the seating portion 20. The imaginary axis of rotation A passes through the rear ends of the left and right arm portions 32, which will be described later.

[0012] The toilet seat device 10 can be placed in a first state or a second state by rotating around an imaginary rotation axis A. In the first state, the seating portion 20 is disposed along the upper surface of the toilet body 12. In the first state, the lower surface of the seating portion 20 contacts the rim portion 14. In the second state, the seating portion 20 rises upward from the upper surface of the toilet body 12.

[0013] As shown in Fig. 2, the retaining portion 30 is provided at the rear end of the seating portion 20. The retaining portion 30 has a horizontal portion 31, a pair of left and right arm portions 32, a lock portion 33, and an insertion piece 35. The horizontal portion 31 extends in the left-right direction along the rear surface of the seating portion 20. The left-right dimension of the horizontal portion 31 is equal to the left-right dimension of the rear end of the seating portion 20. The horizontal portion 31 is inclined along the rear surface of the seating portion 20 (see Fig. 7). The horizontal portion 31 is not visible from the front in the first state (see Fig. 3).

[0014] As shown in Fig. 5, the arm portion 32 protrudes rearward from both left and right ends of the horizontal portion 31. The arm portion 32 extends diagonally upward from the horizontal portion 31. The left arm portion 32 has a shaft hole 34. The rotating shaft of the toilet seat opening and closing device 16A is fitted into the shaft hole 34. The shaft hole 34 is square in shape.

[0015] The locking portion 33 is provided on the right arm portion 32. As shown in Fig. 3, the locking portion 33 holds the toilet seat device 10 in an attached state to the toilet seat support portion 16. When the toilet seat device 10 is attached to the toilet seat support portion 16, a virtual rotation axis A passes through the locking portion 33. As shown in Fig. 4, the locking portion 33 includes an axis portion 33A and an operating portion 33B. When the toilet seat device 10 is attached to the toilet seat support portion 16, the axis portion 33A of the locking portion 33 is inserted into the axis hole 16B of the toilet seat support portion 16.

[0016] The locking portion 33 is equipped with a push latch mechanism. The locking portion 33 is switched between a locked state and an unlocked state by pushing the operating portion 33B to the left. In the locked state, the shaft portion 33A of the locking portion 33 protrudes to the left from the left side surface of the right arm portion 32. In the unlocked state, the shaft portion 33A of the locking portion 33 does not protrude from the left side surface of the right arm portion 32. The toilet seat device 10 can be easily removed from the toilet seat support portion 16 by setting the locking portion 33 to the unlocked state, as shown in FIG. 4.

[0017] The seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are independent members as shown in Fig. 5. The seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are made of different materials. The holding portion 30 is made of a hard resin, such as polypropylene resin.

[0018] The seating portion 20 is made of foamed resin. The seating portion 20 has high elasticity and is therefore comfortable to sit on. Because the seating portion 20 has high elasticity, the underside of the seating portion 20 does not need to be provided with rubber feet or the like and is flat (see FIG. 2). In the first state, the underside of the seating portion 20 comes into close contact with the rim portion 14 due to the elasticity generated when a person sits on it (see FIG. 7). In the first state, there is no gap between the seating portion 20 and the rim portion 14, preventing urine dripping through the gap.

[0019] The seating portion 20 is easy to recycle because it is made of a single resin material. The foaming ratio of the seating portion 20 is about 20 to 40 times. The foaming density of the seating portion 20 is low, so the seating portion 20 is lightweight. This reduces the torque required to rotate the toilet seat device 10, making it possible to miniaturize the toilet seat opening / closing device 16A and reduce the cost of the flush toilet 11.

[0020] The outer surface of the seating portion 20 is textured to form projections and recesses. The area of ​​the outer surface of the seating portion 20 is larger than when it is not textured. The outer surface of the seating portion 20 is covered with a hydrophilic film. The hydrophilic film is formed, for example, by applying a predetermined hydrophilic paint to the textured outer surface of the seating portion 20.

[0021] The hardness of the seating portion 20 is lower than that of the holding portion 30. The heat flow rate of the seating portion 20 is lower than that of the holding portion 30. The seating portion 20 is less likely to absorb the temperature of the buttocks of a seated person. The heat flow rate of the seating portion 20 is 0.4 W / m 2 It is better if it is less than this.

[0022] The seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are detachable. As shown in FIG. 6, the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are provided with an insertion piece 35 and a slit 22 as a detachable structure. The insertion piece 35 is provided on the holding portion 30. The insertion piece 35 is provided on both the left and right ends of the horizontal portion 31. The insertion piece 35 protrudes forward from the horizontal portion 31. The insertion piece 35 is shaped like a Christmas tree in a plan view. The left-right dimension of each insertion piece 35 increases overall from the front end to the rear side.

[0023] Each insertion piece 35 has a plurality of protrusions 36 on both the left and right sides. A rear edge 37 of each protrusion 36 extends in the left-right direction. A front edge 38 of each protrusion 36 is inclined obliquely with respect to the Z axis. The width dimension of each protrusion 36 in the left-right direction increases from the front side to the rear side.

[0024] As shown in Fig. 7, the insertion piece 35 is plate-shaped. A rib 39 is provided on the upper surface of the insertion piece 35. The rib 39 is continuous from the front end of the insertion piece 35 to the lateral portion 31. The vertical dimension of the rib 39 gradually increases from the front end to the rear end. The rib 39 extends long in the front-rear direction at the center of the insertion piece 35 (see Fig. 6).

[0025] The slits 22 are formed in the seating portion 20. A pair of slits 22 are provided on the left and right (see FIG. 8). The slits 22 open to the rear surface of the seating portion 20. The slits 22 extend in the left-right direction as viewed from the rear. The insertion piece 35 is inserted into the slits 22 from the rear. Each slit 22 has a vertical slit 22A. The vertical slit 22A extends in the up-down direction as viewed from the rear. The vertical slit 22A is located in the left-right center of the slit 22. The rib 39 is inserted into the vertical slit 22A from the rear.

[0026] When the insertion piece 35 is inserted into the slit 22, the protrusion 36 of the insertion piece 35 gets caught inside the seating part 20. This keeps the seating part 20 and the holding part 30 integrated together. When removing the holding part 30 from the seating part 20, the insertion piece 35 can be pulled out of the slit 22 by grasping the lateral part 31 of the holding part 30 and pulling it rearward.

[0027] The embodiment configured as described above has the following advantages. The toilet seat device 10 has a seating portion 20 and a retaining portion 30. The retaining portion 30 retains the seating portion 20 on the upper surface of the toilet body 12. The seating portion 20 and the retaining portion 30 are made of different materials. This configuration allows for a wider range of materials to be selected for use in the toilet seat device 10.

[0028] The retaining portion 30 is a hinge portion that keeps the seating portion 20 in a state in which it is disposed along the upper surface of the toilet body 12 and in a state in which it is raised upward from the upper surface of the toilet body 12. With this configuration, the seating portion 20 is made of a material that is comfortable to sit on, while the retaining portion 30 is made of a material that is strong enough to withstand the rotation of the toilet seat device 10, making it possible to improve the sitting comfort without using a cushion, heater, etc.

[0029] The heat flow rate of the seating portion 20 is lower than that of the holding portion 30. With this configuration, the seating portion 20 does not easily remove heat from the buttocks, so that the discomfort of coldness can be eliminated without using a heater, making the seating comfortable.

[0030] The hardness of the seating portion 20 is lower than the hardness of the holding portion 30. According to this configuration, the seating portion 20 is soft, so that it is possible to improve the sitting comfort without using a cushion.

[0031] The seating portion 20 is annular along the upper end opening of the toilet bowl portion 13 of the toilet body 12. The underside of the seating portion 20 is flat. With this configuration, the gap between the rim portion 14 and the seating portion 20 can be made smaller than when the underside of the seating portion 20 has rubber feet or the like, making it difficult for urine to get between the rim portion 14 and the seating portion 20. The underside of the seating portion 20 is easy to clean because there are no irregularities due to rubber feet or the like. Therefore, the underside of the seating portion 20 can be easily kept clean. The entire underside of the seating portion 20 does not have to be flat. At least the front area of ​​the underside of the seating portion 20 may be flat.

[0032] The seating portion 20 is elastic and soft, which allows the gap between the rim portion 14 and the seating portion 20 to be smaller. Since the toilet body 12 is made of ceramic, the upper opening of the toilet bowl portion 13 is unlikely to be flat. If the seating portion were made of a hard material as in the past and did not have rubber feet or the like, rattling could occur between the seating portion and the rim portion 14. Since the seating portion 20 is made of a soft material, rattling can be eliminated even without rubber feet. When sitting, the soft seating portion 20 slightly bites into the opening of the toilet bowl portion 13, which also prevents the toilet seat device 10 from shifting sideways when changing the sitting position.

[0033] The seating part 20 and the holding part 30 are detachable. With this configuration, the seating part 20 can be easily replaced by removing the seating part 20 from the holding part 30 and attaching another seating part 20 to the holding part 30. Therefore, the seating part 20 can be replaced for minor reasons such as scratches or dirt.

[0034] The holding part 30 is detachable from the toilet seat support part 16. With this configuration, the holding part 30 and the seating part 20 can be replaced while remaining integrated. The seating part 20 can be used according to the individual body type, for example, for children with a small opening 21 and a metal cover shape on the front, for ostomates with a wide front of the toilet seat opening, for elderly people who can stand up and sit down easily by raising the seat, and for pets that can be used with cats. The strength and size of the holding part 30 can be suitable for the size and weight of the seating part 20. Since the holding part 30 and the seating part 20 can be replaced while remaining integrated, the holding part 30 and the seating part 20 can be easily replaced as a set with the shape and softness optimal for the user. It is also possible to remove the holding part 30 and the seating part 20 and wash them in the bathroom, etc. It is also possible to remove the seating part 20 from the holding part 30 and wash only the seating part 20.

[0035] Fig. 12 shows the child seat 20 attached to the toilet body 12. The opening 21 of the child seat 20 is smaller than the opening 21 of the adult seat 20. This prevents an infant seated on the seat 20 from falling into the opening of the toilet body 12. The child seat 20 is provided at its front end with a urine receiving portion 25. This prevents urine from splashing.

[0036] Figure 13 shows the seating section 20 for people with weak legs and hips, such as the elderly, or who feel uneasy when sitting or standing up, attached to the toilet body 12. The seating section 20 for the elderly is a raised toilet seat. The vertical dimension of the seating section 20 for the elderly is larger than that of a normal toilet seat, and the seating surface of the seating section 20 for the elderly is positioned higher than that of a normal toilet seat. This allows the user to easily sit on the seating surface and stand up from the seating surface.

[0037] 14 to 16 show the ostomate seat 20 attached to the toilet body 12. The ostomate seat 20 has a shape that does not include the front portion of a normal toilet seat. By using the ostomate seat 20, the front area of ​​the opening of the toilet body 12 becomes wider compared to when a normal toilet seat is used. The seating surface of the ostomate seat 20 is wider in the rear direction than the rear seating surface of a normal toilet seat. By using the ostomate seat 20, an ostomate can sit approximately 50 mm further back than when sitting on a normal toilet seat.

[0038] When ostomates sit on a normal toilet seat, they are unable to secure sufficient space to dispose of waste, so they must dispose of waste in a half-squat position with their hips raised above the toilet seat (see Figure 17). This places a strain on the ostomate's legs and hips, and disposing of waste from a high position causes the waste to bounce back and easily soil clothes or the toilet seat. By using the ostomate seat 20, ostomates can dispose of waste in a comfortable position while sitting on the seat 20, without having to soil clothes or the toilet seat (see Figure 18).

[0039] The seating parts 20 for children, the elderly, and the ostomate are detachable and do not rotate. The toilet lid 19 is used in the open state or removed.

[0040] The seating portion 20 is made of foamed resin. This structure makes the seating portion 20 lightweight and comfortable to sit on. Because the seating portion 20 is an integral structure made of a single resin material, it is possible to eliminate seams in areas around the opening of the toilet bowl 13 that tend to get dirty, which has the advantage that it can be easily cleaned even if it gets dirty.

[0041] The outer surface of the seating portion 20 is covered with a hydrophilic film. With this configuration, the seating portion 20 is not likely to take away heat from the buttocks due to the low heat flux material, and the moisture absorption and heat generation effect allows the seating portion 20 to feel warm even with slight heat generated by absorbing moisture such as steam from the body of the seated person, making it comfortable to sit on even without a heater, etc. The outer surface of the seating portion 20 can be textured to increase the surface area and further enhance the moisture absorption and heat generation effect.

[0042] <Embodiment 2> A toilet seat device 50 according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Fig. 9. The attachment / detachment structure between the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 of the toilet seat device 50 is different from that of the first embodiment. Note that the same components as those of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0043] The toilet seat device 50 has a seating portion 20 and a holding portion 30, as in the first embodiment, and the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are detachable. The structure for attaching and detaching the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 has a pin 51 and pin holes 52, 53. The pin 51 may be, for example, a tapping screw. The pin hole 52 is provided in a form in which a cylindrical hard resin part is embedded in both left and right sides of the rear end of the seating portion 20. The pin hole 53 is provided on both left and right sides of the holding portion 30. The seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 can be held together by overlapping the pin hole 52 of the seating portion 20 and the pin hole 53 of the holding portion 30 in the left-right direction and screwing the pin 51 into the pin holes 52, 53. The holding portion 30 can be removed from the seating portion 20 by removing the pin 51 from the pin holes 52, 53.

[0044] As described above, in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are made of different materials, which allows for a wider range of material choices for the toilet seat device 50. By using a material that is comfortable to sit on for the seating portion 20 and a material that is strong enough to withstand the rotation of the toilet seat device 50 for the holding portion 30, the toilet seat device 50 can be made comfortable to sit on without using a cushion, heater, or the like.

[0045] <Embodiment 3> Next, a toilet seat device 60 according to a third embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 10 and 11. The attachment / detachment structure between the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 of the toilet seat device 60 is different from that of the first embodiment. Note that the same components as those of the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0046] The toilet seat device 60 has a seating portion 20 and a holding portion 30, similar to the first embodiment, and the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are detachable from each other. The toilet seat support portion 16 that supports the toilet seat device 60 has a recessed recess 61 on the rear side.

[0047] The holding portion 30 is formed in a box shape as shown in Fig. 11. The holding portion 30 has left and right walls 30A, a rear wall 30B, and a bottom wall 30C. The holding portion 30 is fitted into a recess 61 of the toilet seat support portion 16.

[0048] The seating portion 20 has a protrusion 62. The protrusion 62 is provided at the center of the seating portion 20 in the left-right direction. The protrusion 62 protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the seating portion 20. The protrusion 62 has a rectangular parallelepiped shape that matches the shape of the holding portion 30. The protrusion 62 is fitted into the holding portion 30.

[0049] The holding part 30 and the seating part 20 have shaft holes 63, 64. When the convex part 62 of the seating part 20 is fitted into the holding part 30, the shaft hole 64 of the seating part 20 and the shaft hole 63 of the holding part 30 overlap in the left-right direction. The rotating shaft of the toilet seat opening and closing device 16A is fitted into the shaft holes 63, 64 that are overlapped in the left-right direction.

[0050] The attachment / detachment structure between the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 has a rod member 67 and insertion holes 65, 66. The length dimension of the rod member 67 is greater than the left-right dimension of the protrusion 62. The insertion hole 65 is provided in the left and right walls 30A of the holding portion 30. The insertion hole 65 is located forward of the shaft hole 63. The insertion hole 66 is provided in the seating portion 20. The insertion hole 66 passes through the protrusion 62 in the left-right direction. The insertion hole 66 is provided forward of the shaft hole 64. When the protrusion 62 is fitted into the holding portion 30, the insertion hole 66 of the seating portion 20 and the insertion hole 65 of the holding portion 30 overlap in the left-right direction.

[0051] The seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 can be held together by inserting the rod member 67 into the insertion holes 65, 66. The holding portion 30 can be removed from the seating portion 20 by removing the rod member 67 from the insertion holes 65, 66.

[0052] The seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are integrated with the rod member 67, and the holding portion 30 is fitted into the recess 61 of the toilet seat support portion 16. The rotating shaft of the toilet seat opening / closing device 16A fits into the shaft holes 63, 64. In this way, the toilet seat device 60 is held in an attached state relative to the toilet seat support portion 16.

[0053] As described above, in this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are made of different materials, which allows for a wider range of material choices for the toilet seat device 60. By using a material that is comfortable to sit on for the seating portion 20 and a material that is strong enough to withstand the rotation of the toilet seat device 60 for the holding portion 30, the toilet seat device 60 can be made comfortable to sit on without using a cushion, heater, or the like.

[0054] <Embodiment 4> Next, a toilet seat apparatus 100 according to a fourth embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figs. 19 to 33. Note that the same components as those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals and redundant description will be omitted. The toilet seat apparatus 100 is provided in a flush toilet 11, as in the first embodiment (see Fig. 1). The flush toilet 11, as in the first embodiment, comprises a toilet body 12, a toilet apparatus 15, a toilet seat apparatus 100, and a toilet lid 19. The toilet apparatus 15, as in the first embodiment, comprises a casing 18, a toilet seat support portion 16, and various functional parts.

[0055] The toilet device 15 is equipped with a seating detection sensor 101. The seating detection sensor 101 detects a user sitting on the seat 20. As shown in Figs. 26 and 27, the seating detection sensor 101 is provided so as to detect a user sitting when a plunger 127 provided on the arm 32 of the holder 30 receives a seating load and descends, thereby detecting a user sitting. The seating detection sensors 101 are provided on both the left and right sides of the toilet device 15 in correspondence with the left and right arm sections 32. The left seating detection sensor 101 is not shown. The left seating detection sensor 101 is provided so as to detect a user sitting when a member (not shown) extending from the left arm section 32 toward the casing 18 receives a seating load and descends, thereby detecting a user sitting. The seating detection sensor 101 is of a microswitch type.

[0056] As shown in Figs. 20 and 21, the lower surface of the seating portion 20 has an inclined portion 102. The inclined portion 102 is formed in a rear region from a position forward of the front end of the insertion piece 35 to the rear. In the first state, the front part of the lower surface of the seating portion 20 is in close contact with the rim portion 14, and the inclined portion 102 is separated from the rim portion 14. In the first state, the inclined portion 102 gradually rises from the front side to the rear side. In the first state, a gap 103 is formed between the inclined portion 102 of the lower surface of the seating portion 20 and the rim portion 14. The vertical dimension of the gap 103 increases toward the rear in the first state. Since the inclined portion 102 is provided in the rear part of the lower surface of the seating portion 20, even if the load due to sitting acts unevenly on the front part of the seating portion 20, the rear part of the seating portion 20 is easily elastically deformed downward, so that the microswitch can be easily operated. As a result, even if the seating portion 20 is easily elastically deformed, sitting can be reliably detected.

[0057] If the seating detection sensor is provided on only one of the left and right sides of the rear end of the seating part, the seating part 20 itself may be elastically deformed when the user sits down, and the load caused by sitting may not be transmitted to the seating detection sensor 101. For example, due to the user's body shape, sitting posture, etc., the load caused by sitting may act unevenly on either the left or right region of the seating part 20, or on the front part of the seating part 20. In this case, the elastic deformation of the seating part 20 itself makes it difficult for the load caused by sitting to be transmitted to the seating detection sensor 101. However, by providing the seating detection sensor 101 on both the left and right sides of the seating part 20, even if the load caused by sitting acts unevenly on either the left or right region of the seating part 20, one of the microswitches will be activated, allowing stable seating detection.

[0058] The toilet seat device 100 has a seating portion 20 and a holding portion 30, as in the first embodiment, and the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are detachable (see FIG. 5). As shown in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23, the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are provided with a first detachable portion 104 and a second detachable portion 105, which are detachable. The first detachable portion 104 has an inserting portion 106 provided on the seating portion 20 side and an arm portion 32 provided on the holding portion 30 side. The second detachable portion 105 has an inserting piece 35 provided on the holding portion 30 side and a slit 22 provided on the seating portion 20 side. The attachment / detachment direction 104D of the first detachable portion 104 is different from the attachment / detachment direction 105D of the second detachable portion 105. The attachment / detachment direction 105D of the second detachable portion 105 is at an angle closer to parallel to the Z axis than the attachment / detachment direction 104D of the first detachable portion 104.

[0059] Since the attachment / detachment direction 104D of the first detachable part 104 is different from the attachment / detachment direction 105D of the second detachable part 105, the seating part 20 and the holding part 30 are firmly connected to each other. This allows the connecting part between the seating part 20 and the holding part 30 to withstand the load in the left-right direction acting due to the transfer from the wheelchair to the toilet seat, the weight shift of the seated user, the opening and closing of the seating part 20, etc.

[0060] The insertion portions 106 are provided at both left and right ends of the rear end of the seating portion 20 (see FIG. 19). The insertion portions 106 are formed integrally with the seating portion 20 using the same material as the seating portion 20. The left and right insertion portions 106 each protrude rearward from the seating portion 20. The insertion portions 106 are inserted into the arm portion 32 while elastically deforming. The insertion portions 106 may or may not be elastically deformed when housed in the arm portion 32.

[0061] As in the first embodiment, the insertion piece 35 has a Christmas tree shape in plan view and has multiple protrusions 36 on both the left and right sides (see FIG. 26). In each insertion piece 35, the number of protrusions 36 on the inner side in the left-right direction is smaller than the number of protrusions 36 on the outer side in the left-right direction.

[0062] As shown in FIG. 24, the slit 22 is formed between the upper surface portion 107 and the lower surface portion 108 of the seating portion 20. The upper surface portion 107 and the lower surface portion 108 are formed by dividing the seating portion 20 into two portions in the vertical direction. The insertion portion 106 is provided on the upper surface portion 107. The seating portion 20 is provided with a fitting portion 109 along the edge of the slit 22 (see FIG. 20). The fitting portion 109 has a convex portion 111 and a concave portion 112 that fit together in the vertical direction. The convex portion 111 and the concave portion 112 are provided on one side and the other side of the lower surface of the upper surface portion 107 and the upper surface of the lower surface portion 108. FIG. 24 shows a case where the convex portion 111 is formed on the upper surface portion 107 and the concave portion 112 is formed on the lower surface of the upper surface portion 107 and the concave portion 112 is formed on the lower surface of the lower surface portion 108. Convex portion 111 and concave portion 112 may be formed in such a manner that concave portion 112 is formed on upper surface portion 107 and convex portion 111 is formed on lower surface portion 108 as shown in FIG.

[0063] The upper surface portion 107 and the lower surface portion 108 are bonded together by fitting the fitting portion 109 with an adhesive (not shown). The range AR to which the adhesive is applied is set to a range excluding the portion of the lower surface of the upper surface portion 107 and the upper surface of the lower surface portion 108 that constitutes the slit 22, and the surface of the fitting portion 109 that borders the slit 22, as shown in Figures 24 and 25. This prevents the adhesive from overflowing into the slit 22, preventing the insertion piece 35 from being inserted smoothly, and allows the insertion piece 35 to be inserted while pushing the side surface of the slit 22 apart by utilizing the elasticity of the seating portion 20, while also preventing the insertion piece 35 from entering into the peeling of the joint, resulting in a strong bonding force.

[0064] As shown in Fig. 26, each of the left and right arm portions 32 is composed of a base portion 113 and a cover portion 114. The left and right base portions 113 are formed integrally with the horizontal portion 31. The left and right base portions 113 each protrude rearward from both left and right ends of the horizontal portion 31. Each base portion 113 has a bottom wall 115 and left and right side walls 116. The base portion 113 is open upward.

[0065] The left and right base portions 113 each have a first hook portion 117 and a second hook portion 118. The first hook portion 117 and the second hook portion 118 are provided on one and the other of the left and right side walls 116. The first hook portion 117 is an opening formed in the side wall 116. The second hook portion 118 is a notch formed in the front end portion of the side wall 116.

[0066] The cover portion 114 is fitted into the base portion 113. The cover portion 114 has a ceiling wall 119 and an outer wall 121. The ceiling wall 119 faces the bottom wall 115 of the base portion 113. The outer wall 121 covers the outer sides of the side walls 116 of the base portion 113 in the left-right direction.

[0067] Each of the left and right cover portions 114 has a first protruding portion 122 and a second protruding portion 123. The first protruding portion 122 is hooked onto the first hook portion 117. The second protruding portion 123 is inserted into the second hook portion 118. This prevents the cover portion 114 from floating up from the base portion 113.

[0068] As shown in FIG. 26, the lock portion 33 includes a plunger 127, a spring 128, a holder 129, a sleeve 131, a lock pin 132, a lock piece 133, and a cam .

[0069] 27, the lock portion 33 is attached to the right arm portion 32. The holder 129 of the lock portion 33 is attached to the mounting holes 124 of the right arm portion 32. The mounting holes 124 are provided in the left and right side walls 116 of the base portion 113.

[0070] As shown in Figure 27, the right arm portion 32 has a protrusion 125 that fits into a holder 129 of the lock portion 33. The protrusion 125 is provided on the bottom wall 115. As shown in Figure 28, the right arm portion 32 has a boss 126 that is inserted into a cam 134 of the lock portion 33. The boss 126 is provided on the side wall 116.

[0071] As shown in Fig. 27, the locking portion 33 is formed with a plurality of drainage holes 143. The drainage holes 143 penetrate the spring accommodating portion 138, the shaft portion 33A, and the holder 129 in the inward and outward directions. The drainage holes 143 open downward in the first state. Cleaning water, detergent, disinfectant, etc. that has entered the inside of the locking portion 33 is discharged from the drainage holes 143 to the outside of the locking portion 33. This prevents cleaning water, detergent, disinfectant, etc. from remaining inside the locking portion 33, and prevents corrosion of metal parts and deterioration of resin parts.

[0072] As shown in Fig. 27, the plunger 127 has a shaft portion 33A and an operating portion 33B. The outer peripheral surface of the shaft portion 33A is cylindrical (see Fig. 26). The operating portion 33B is provided at the right end of the shaft portion 33A. The right surface of the operating portion 33B is an operating surface 135 (see Fig. 27). The operating surface 135 is pressed to the left when operating the lock portion 33 to the locked state or the unlocked state. The operating surface 135 is inclined to match the external appearance of the casing 18.

[0073] As shown in Figure 27, the shaft portion 33A is supported in a shaft hole 16B of the toilet seat support part 16 in the locked state. The shaft hole 16B is formed in a shaft hole member 136. The shaft hole member 136 is supported by a spring 157 and is fixed to the casing 18 in a form in which it can move up and down when it receives the load of sitting. A protrusion 137 is provided in the shaft hole 16B for the purpose of preventing abnormal sliding noise when the shaft portion 33A rotates (see Figure 26). Two protrusions 137 are provided, and each protrusion makes line contact with the shaft portion 33A.

[0074] As shown in Figures 29 and 30, the plunger 127 has a spring accommodating portion 138 that accommodates the spring 128. A spring support portion 139 is provided in the operating portion 33B at a position corresponding to the spring accommodating portion 138. The spring 128 is a compression coil spring. The spring accommodating portion 138 is formed by being recessed inward from the outer circumferential surface of the shaft portion 33A (see Figure 31). The spring accommodating portion 138 has a U-shape in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis A.

[0075] 28, a sleeve 131 is fixed to the plunger 127. The sleeve 131 radially penetrates the shaft portion 33A and is fixed to the shaft portion 33A. A lock pin 132 is passed through the sleeve 131. The lock pin 132 is rotatable relative to the sleeve 131. One end of the lock pin 132 is press-fitted into a hole in a lock piece 133.

[0076] The lock piece 133 is fixed to one end of the lock pin 132. As shown in Figures 32 and 33, the lock piece 133 moves left and right in the cam groove 144 in accordance with the left and right movement of the plunger 127. The lock piece 133 rotates around the lock pin 132 and changes its position within the cam groove 144. The lock piece 133 has a pair of stop portions 145 and a pair of sliding portions 146.

[0077] 27, the holder 129 is fixed to the arm portion 32. The outer surface of the holder 129 is provided with a recess 141 into which the protrusion 125 of the arm portion 32 fits. The holder 129 has a spring support portion 139. The spring support portion 139 is disposed in a spring accommodating portion 138 of the plunger 127.

[0078] As shown in FIG. 31 , the holder 129 is cylindrical and conforms to the outer circumferential surface of the plunger 127. A pair of outer recesses 156 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the holder 129. The holding portion 147 of the cam 134 is fitted into the outer recesses 156. The holder 129 has two guide holes 142 extending in the left-right direction. A sleeve 131 and a lock pin 132 pass through the guide holes 142. The sleeve 131 and the lock pin 132 move in the left-right direction along the guide holes 142. Since the sleeve 131 and the lock pin 132 pass through the guide holes 142, the radial position of the plunger 127 is fixed with respect to the holder 129.

[0079] As shown in Fig. 31, the cam 134 has a pair of holding parts 147. The pair of holding parts 147 hold the holder 129 by sandwiching it therebetween. The cam 134 is provided with a boss hole 148 into which the boss 126 of the cover part 114 is inserted (see Fig. 28). The cam 134 is positioned on the right arm part 32 by the boss 126. The cam 134 is fixed to the right arm part 32 by two screws S (see Fig. 26).

[0080] As shown in Figures 32 and 33, the cam 134 has a cam groove 144 that guides the lock piece 133. The cam groove 144 has a first groove portion 149, a second groove portion 151, and a transition groove portion 152. The first groove portion 149 is provided on the right end side of the cam groove 144. The second groove portion 151 is provided on the left end side of the cam groove 144. The transition groove portion 152 is provided between the first groove portion 149 and the second groove portion 151.

[0081] A pair of opposing cam surfaces 153 in the first groove portion 149 and the second groove portion 151 are parallel. The groove width of the second groove portion 151 is larger than the groove width of the first groove portion 149. The position of the lock piece 133 when arranged in the first groove portion 149 is referred to as the first position. The position of the lock piece 133 when arranged in the second groove portion 151 is referred to as the second position. In the first position, the sliding portion 146 of the lock piece 133 is aligned along the pair of cam surfaces 153. In the second position, the stop portion 145 of the lock piece 133 is separated from the pair of cam surfaces 153.

[0082] In the transition groove portion 152, the lock piece 133 changes from the first position to the second position, or from the second position to the first position. The transition groove portion 152 has a lock step portion 154. As shown in FIG. 32, the lock piece 133 gets caught in the lock step portion 154. This keeps the lock portion 33 in the locked state.

[0083] The transition groove portion 152 has inclined surfaces 152A and 152B on one and the other of a pair of cam surfaces 153. The inclined surfaces 152A and 152B are inclined at different gradients. The inclined surface 152A formed on the lock step portion 154 is inclined at an angle closer to a right angle with respect to the X-axis than the inclined surface 152B formed on the cam surface 153 on the opposite side. The inclined surfaces 152A and 152B guide the lock piece 133 to rotate, as shown in FIG. 33.

[0084] In the locked state, the stopper 145 of the lock piece 133 is caught by the lock step 154 ​​as shown in FIG. 32. The lock piece 133 moves to the second groove 151 as shown in FIG. 33 by pushing the operating part 33B in the locked state to the left. This releases the engagement between the stopper 145 and the lock step 154. When the user releases the operating part 33B, the elastic force of the spring 128 pushes the operating part 33B to the right, and the lock piece 133 moves from the second groove 151 to the transition groove 152. One sliding part 146 of the lock piece 133 abuts against the inclined surface 152A, and the lock piece 133 rotates along the inclined surface 152B. The lock piece 133 takes the first position and enters the first groove 149.

[0085] The embodiment configured as described above has the following advantages. When the seat 20 is held on the upper surface of the toilet body 12, a gap 103 is formed between the rear part of the underside of the seat 20 and the upper surface of the toilet body 12. With this configuration, even if the front part of the seat 20 elastically deforms when sitting on it, the rear part of the seat 20 is likely to displace downward, so sitting on the seat 20 that is prone to elastic deformation can be detected.

[0086] The seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 are provided with a first detachable portion 104 and a second detachable portion 105 that are detachable. A detachable direction 104D of the first detachable portion 104 is different from a detachable direction 105D of the second detachable portion 105. With this configuration, the first detachable portion 104 and the second detachable portion 105 are unlikely to come off, so that the seating portion 20 and the holding portion 30 can be firmly fixed together.

[0087] The first detachable portion 104 has an insertion portion 106 provided on the seating portion 20 side and an arm portion 32 provided on the holding portion 30 side. The insertion portion 106 is inserted into the arm portion 32 while being elastically deformed. According to this configuration, the elastic force of the insertion portion 106 makes it difficult for the insertion portion to come off from the arm portion 32.

[0088] <Other embodiments> The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and for example, the following embodiments are also included within the technical scope of the present disclosure. (1) In the above embodiment, the seating portion 20 is formed of a single resin material. However, the seating portion 20 may be formed of a plurality of different materials. For example, the seating portion may be formed by layering a plurality of materials, which may be a surface layer, an intermediate layer, and a base layer, in that order from the top in the first state. In this case, the surface layer may be a thin layer printed with a paint having scratch resistance and dirt resistance, or may have various designs. The intermediate layer may be made of foamed resin. The base layer may be a material having a relatively high strength and load resistance and impact resistance. (2) In the above embodiment, the seating portion 20 is made of a material that does not easily absorb the temperature of the buttocks of the seated person. However, the material of the seating portion may be changed appropriately according to the season. For example, the material of the seating portion may be a cooling material that feels comfortable in hot seasons. (3) In the above embodiment, the locking portion 33 is provided with a push latch mechanism. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other known mechanisms that can be operated with one touch may be used as the locking portion. (4) In the above embodiment, the holding portion 30 directly holds the seating portion 20. However, this is not limited to the above, and the holding portion may indirectly hold the seating portion. For example, the holding portion may hold the seating portion by interposing a member other than the seating portion between the holding portion and the seating portion. (5) In the above embodiments, the holding portion 30 of the toilet seat device 10, 50, 60, 100 is a hinge portion that keeps the seat 20 arranged along the upper surface of the toilet body 12 and raised upward from the upper surface of the toilet body 12. This is not limiting, and the holding portion does not have to have the function of rotating the seat. It is sufficient for the holding portion to have the function of holding the seat on the upper surface of the toilet body. It is sufficient for the holding portion to prevent the seat from shifting position relative to the upper surface of the toilet body and to prevent the seat from falling off the upper surface of the toilet body. (6) In the above embodiment, the seating detection sensor 101 is a microswitch type. However, the seating detection sensor is not limited to this, and may be an infrared sensor type, a radio wave sensor type, or the like. (7) In the above embodiment, spring 128 is disposed inside plunger 127. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the spring may be disposed outside the plunger. (8) In the above embodiment, the shape of the insertion piece 35 is exemplified. However, the shape of the insertion piece is not limited to this and may be changed. (9) In the above embodiment, the seating detection sensors 101 are provided on both the left and right sides. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the seating detection sensors may be provided on only one side as long as the rigidity of the seating portion and the holding portion is ensured. [Explanation of symbols]

[0089] 10,50,60,100...toilet seat device, 12...toilet bowl body, 13...toilet bowl portion, 16...toilet seat support portion, 20...seating portion, 30...holding portion, 32...arm portion, 103...gap, 104...first detachable portion, 104D...attaching / detaching direction of first detachable portion, 105...second detachable portion, 105D...attaching / detaching direction of second detachable portion, 106...insertion portion

Claims

1. A seating portion; a holding portion that holds the seating portion on the upper surface of the toilet body, A toilet seat device, wherein the seating portion and the holding portion are made of different materials.

2. The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is a hinge portion that holds the seat portion in a state where it is disposed along the upper surface of the toilet body and in a state where it is raised above the upper surface of the toilet body.

3. The toilet seat apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the heat flow rate of the seating portion is lower than the heat flow rate of the holding portion.

4. The toilet seat apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the hardness of the seating portion is lower than the hardness of the holding portion.

5. The seat portion is annular in shape along the upper end opening of the toilet bowl portion of the toilet body, The toilet seat apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the underside of the seat is substantially flat.

6. The seat portion is annular in shape along the upper end opening of the toilet bowl portion of the toilet body, The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the seat portion and the holding portion are detachable.

7. The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion is detachable from a toilet seat support portion that supports the toilet seat device.

8. 2. The toilet seat apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seat is made of foamed resin.

9. 2. The toilet seat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the seat is covered with a hydrophilic film.

10. 2. The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein a gap is formed between a rear portion of the underside of the seat and the upper surface of the toilet body when the seat is held on the upper surface of the toilet body.

11. the seating portion and the holding portion include a first detachable portion and a second detachable portion, The toilet seat apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a direction of attachment and detachment of the first detachable portion is different from a direction of attachment and detachment of the second detachable portion.

12. The seating portion and the holding portion each include a detachable first detachable portion, 7. The toilet seat device according to claim 6, wherein the first detachable portion has an insertion portion provided on the seating portion side and an arm portion provided on the holding portion side, and the insertion portion is inserted into the arm portion while elastically deforming.

13. A flush toilet equipped with the toilet seat device described in claim 1.

14. A toilet bowl device that rotatably supports the toilet seat device, The toilet device includes a seating detection sensor that detects a user sitting on the seating portion, The flush toilet according to claim 13, wherein the seating detection sensors are provided on both the left and right sides of the toilet device, corresponding to the left and right sides of the toilet seat device.

Images