Pressure-feed toilet device

Abstract

To provide a pressure-feed toilet device capable of executing an abnormality removal attempt operation while suppressing overflow from a bowl part.SOLUTION: A pressure-feed toilet device 1 includes: a washing water supply part 6 for supplying washing water to a bowl part 12; a pressure-feed pump 20 for pressure-feeding waste water discharged from the bowl part toward a drain pipe 3; a water level sensor 17 that detects an abnormal water level after the pressure-feed pump starts a pressure-feed operation; and a control unit 25 that controls the washing water supply part and the pressure pump, The control unit is configured so as to, upon receiving a predetermined washing operation signal after detection of the water level sensor by the abnormal water level, cause an abnormal-time wash / pressure-feed mode with a supply amount of washing water smaller than that in a normal-time wash / pressure-feed mode.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a pressure feeding toilet device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art Pressure-feed toilet devices are known that are installed in locations where a drain pipe leading to a sewer is not installed in advance on the floor or wall, such as in bedrooms. For example, the following Patent Document 1 discloses a pressure-feed toilet device equipped with a pressure-feed device that agitates waste contained in wastewater discharged from the toilet body and pumps it together with the wastewater to a downstream drain pipe leading to the sewer. This pressure-feed toilet device is configured to determine whether the water level detected by the water level detection means in the storage tank of the pressure-feed device is equal to or higher than a predetermined water level, and if it is equal to or higher than the predetermined water level, it does not supply flush water or operate the agitation means or pressure-feed means. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2013-170414 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the pressure-feed toilet device described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, if the drain pipe judgment operation judges that the pipe is not capable of being pumped, the subsequent flushing and pumping are not performed. However, for example, depending on the degree of clogging, it is possible that the clogging can be cleared by performing the pumping operation again, so further improvements are desired.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned situation, and aims to provide a pressure-feed toilet device that can perform an abnormality resolution trial operation while suppressing overflow from the bowl portion. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the pressure-feed toilet device of the present disclosure comprises a flush water supply unit which supplies flush water to a bowl portion, a pressure pump which pressure-feeds wastewater discharged from the bowl portion towards a drain pipe, a water level sensor which detects abnormal water levels after the pressure-feeding operation of the pressure pump, and a control unit which controls the flush water supply unit and the pressure-feed pump, and is characterized in that, when the water level sensor detects an abnormal water level and a prescribed flush operation signal is received, the control unit executes an abnormal flush / pressure-feed mode in which the amount of flush water supplied is less than the amount supplied in the normal flush / pressure-feed mode. Effect of the Invention

[0007] The pressure-feed toilet device according to the present disclosure is configured as described above, and is therefore able to carry out an abnormality resolution trial operation while suppressing overflow from the bowl portion. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic, partially cutaway, side cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a pressure-feed toilet device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 5(a) to 5(c) are schematic side cross-sectional views showing an example of a basic operation carried out in the pressure-feed toilet device. [Diagram 3] 5(a) to 5(c) are schematic side cross-sectional views showing an example of a basic operation carried out in the pressure-feed toilet device. [Figure 4] FIG. 3(a) is a control block diagram of the pressure-feed toilet device, and FIG. 3(b) is a schematic flow chart showing an example of a basic operation executed in the pressure-feed toilet device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In some drawings, some of the detailed reference numerals used in other drawings are omitted. In the following embodiment, directions such as the up-down direction will be described based on the installed state of one example of the pressure-feed toilet device according to this embodiment. Also, based on a user facing the installed pressure-feed toilet device in an upright position, the near side will be defined as the front and the opposite side as the rear (deep side), and the direction perpendicular to the depth direction (front-rear direction) and the up-down direction will be defined as the width direction of the toilet.

[0010] 1 to 4 are diagrams showing an example of a pressure-feed toilet device according to the present embodiment and an example of its basic operation. As shown in Fig. 1, the pressure-feed toilet device 1 according to this embodiment is equipped with a toilet body 10 having a bowl portion 12. This pressure-feed toilet device 1 is equipped with a flush water supply section 6 that supplies flush water to the bowl portion 12, and a pressure-feed pump 20 that pressure-feeds wastewater discharged from the bowl portion 12 toward the drain pipe 3. With this configuration, the pressure-feed toilet device 20 can pressure-feed wastewater (flush water and wastewater that contains waste such as excrement; hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as wastewater) toward the drain pipe 3. This allows the pressure-feed toilet device 1 to be installed in places where the drain pipe 3 leading to the sewer has not been installed in advance on the floor side or wall side.

[0011] Specifically, the pressure-feed toilet device 1 is of a seated type (so-called Western style). The installation location of this pressure-feed toilet device 1 is not limited to a toilet room that has been designed in advance as an installation location for a toilet device and has a drain pipe installed on the floor or wall, etc., but may also be, for example, a bedroom, a storage room such as a closet, etc. The installation location of the pressure-feed toilet device 1 is not limited to ordinary housing such as detached houses, apartment buildings, temporary housing, etc., but may be various locations such as public facilities such as accommodation facilities, medical facilities, welfare facilities, commercial facilities such as offices, various stores, etc. The bowl portion 12 is shaped like a mortar and opens upward. The toilet body 10 is provided with a skirt portion 11 that surrounds the bowl portion 12. The skirt portion 11 is provided so as to form the outer decorative surface of both sides in the width direction and the front side of the toilet body 10. The skirt portion 11 and the bowl portion 12 may be made of a synthetic resin such as organic glass, or may be made of ceramic. Also, an appropriate metal frame may be provided within the skirt portion 11.

[0012] The pressure-feed toilet device 1 includes a toilet seat 4 placed on the upper peripheral edge of the bowl portion 12, and a toilet lid 5 for opening and closing the opening of the bowl portion 12. A suitable holder is provided at the rear end of the toilet body 10 to hold the toilet seat 4 and the toilet lid 5 so that they can be raised and lowered (rotated) around an axis along the width direction of the toilet. The toilet body 10 may be provided with a toilet seat drive unit for raising and lowering the toilet seat 4, a toilet lid drive unit for opening and closing the toilet lid 5, and the like. The toilet body 10 may also be provided with various functional devices such as a disinfecting water supply device for supplying disinfecting water such as ozone water or hypochlorous acid water into the bowl portion 12, an air bubble generator for adding air bubbles to the washing water, and a deodorizing device for deodorizing the inside of the bowl portion 12. The toilet body 10 or the toilet seat device including the toilet seat 4 and the toilet lid 5 may also be provided with various functional devices such as a heating device for heating the toilet seat 4, and a local cleansing device 9 for cleaning the local area. The pressure-feed toilet device 1 may be provided with various sensors such as a human body detection sensor and a seating sensor, and may also be provided with a remote control device as an operating unit for operating the various functional devices described above, and a transmission / reception device that enables transmission and reception of various signals from the remote control device.

[0013] The cleaning water supply section 6 is equipped with a cleaning water supply pipe 8, the downstream end of which serves as a supply port for supplying cleaning water toward the bowl section 12, and a water supply valve 7 for opening and closing the cleaning water supply pipe 8 to supply or cut off cleaning water. The upstream end of the cleaning water supply pipe 8 may be connected to a water supply pipe 2 such as a water pipe. In other words, the cleaning water supply section 6 may be of a direct water pressure type. Alternatively, the upstream end of the cleaning water supply pipe 8 may be connected to a water supply pump, a water tank, or the like. Also, an appropriate branch pipe branching off from the upstream part of the cleaning water supply pipe 8 may be connected to the local cleaning device 9. The supply port of the cleaning water supply pipe 8 may be arranged to extend circumferentially around the upper end peripheral edge of the bowl portion 12 and to discharge cleaning water along a groove in the rim portion 13 which is arranged to protrude radially inward to form a groove. The water supply valve 7 is provided so as to be incorporated into a midway portion of the cleaning water supply pipe 8, and may be an appropriate solenoid valve or the like. A flow rate sensor 24 (see FIG. 4(a)) for measuring the flow rate of cleaning water supplied from the cleaning water supply section 6 may be provided at an appropriate position in the cleaning water supply pipe 8, for example, near the downstream side of the water supply valve 7.

[0014] The pressure-feed toilet device 1 is equipped with a water level sensor 17 that detects abnormal water levels after the pressure-feed operation of the pressure pump 20. In this embodiment, this water level sensor 17 is provided so as to detect abnormal water levels at an intermediate location on the path from the discharge section 14 of the bowl section 12 to the pressure pump 20. In the illustrated example, the water level sensor 17 is provided on the suction side of a casing 23 of the pressure pump 20, which will be described later. Such a water level sensor 17 may be a water pressure type sensor that detects water pressure, or various other sensors such as a capacitance type, radio wave type, or ultrasonic type.

[0015] The pressure-feed toilet device 1 is equipped with a trap section 15 that constitutes a connecting pipe and is provided to connect discharge section 14 at the lower end of bowl section 12 to pressure-feed pump 20. With this configuration, water can be sealed off by trap section 15, so there is no need to provide a valve or the like at discharge section 14 at the lower end of bowl section 12 to suppress the movement of odors, etc. on the downstream side (pump side) to the indoor side, simplifying the structure and control. The discharge portion 14 of the bowl portion 12 is provided so as to extend rearward from the lower end portion, which is the bottom side of the bowl portion 12, and is cylindrical in shape. The trap portion 15 is provided so as to be continuous with the discharge portion 14. The trap portion 15 and the discharge portion 14 may be formed integrally with each other, or may be formed separately. Trap portion 15 is formed together with a lower end portion of bowl portion 12 so as to form a so-called S-shaped trap.

[0016] The trap section 15 includes a rising portion 15a rising from the discharge section 14, and a hanging portion 15d hanging down from the upper end of the rising portion 15a via a bent portion 15b. In this embodiment, an exhaust section 16 that exhausts air from within the trap section 15 is provided at the bent portion 15b of the trap section 15. The rising portion 15a is provided so as to rise substantially vertically from the discharge portion 14 which extends toward the rear side in a substantially horizontal direction. In the illustrated example, the rising portion 15a is formed so as to be slightly inclined toward the rear side toward the upper end side. In the illustrated example, hanging portion 15d is provided so as to hang down substantially vertically. Bending portion 15b is provided so as to bend the discharge flow path from the rising flow path in rising portion 15a constituting the discharge flow path toward the downward flow path in downward portion 15d constituting the discharge flow path. The bottom wall portion on the inner circumferential surface of this bending portion 15b, i.e., the upper end portion of the rising flow path in rising portion 15a, becomes water sealing portion 15c that regulates the water level in bowl portion 12 (see also FIG. 2(a)).

[0017] The exhaust section 16 is provided so as to open at the top wall portion on the inner circumferential surface of the bent portion 15b. In the illustrated example, the exhaust section 16 is provided so as to be located at the downstream side portion of the bent portion 15b. The exhaust section 16 may be provided with a backflow prevention mechanism such as a suitable check valve that allows air to pass from inside the trap section 15 to outside the trap section 15 while preventing air from passing from outside the trap section 15 to inside the trap section 15. The exhaust section 16 may also be provided with a suitable trap mechanism or the like that suppresses the passage of wastewater from inside the trap section 15 to outside the trap section 15. The exhaust side of the exhaust section 16 may also be provided with a suitable deodorizing mechanism, and the exhaust side may be provided so as to communicate with a sewage discharge pipe 18 or a drain pipe 3, which will be described later.

[0018] The pressure pump 20 is connected such that its suction side communicates with the downstream side of the trap portion 15 . This pressure pump 20 is provided so as to be located inside the toilet body 10. With this configuration, it is possible to achieve a more compact structure compared to a configuration in which a grinding section, pressure pump, etc. are provided in a wastewater storage section, etc., provided outside the toilet body 10. In the illustrated example, the pressure pump 20 is provided so as to be located below the bowl section 12. This pressure delivery pump 20 includes a pump drive unit 21 consisting of a motor or the like, an impeller 22 rotated by this pump drive unit 21, and a casing 23 that houses this impeller 22. The casing 23 is provided with a suction port that is connected to the downstream end of the trap unit 15. In the illustrated example, a rising portion that rises via a bent portion is provided on the suction side of the casing 23, and the upper end of this rising portion is connected to the lower end of the hanging portion 15d of the trap unit 15, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. The water level sensor 17 is provided to detect the water level downstream of the water sealing portion 15c of the trap portion 15 and upstream of the remaining water portion after pumping by the pressure pump 20. In the illustrated example, the water level sensor 17 is provided to detect the water level at a rising portion provided on the suction side of the casing 23 of the pressure pump 20.

[0019] In addition to the function of pumping the wastewater from the bowl portion 12 downstream, the impeller 22 also functions as a crushing section that crushes waste matter such as excrement and toilet paper contained in the wastewater from the bowl portion 12. Note that in addition to the impeller 22, appropriate rotating blades or the like for crushing waste matter may be provided inside the casing 23. Furthermore, the pressure-feed pump 20 is not limited to a centrifugal pump as shown in the figure, and various other pumps may be used. A wastewater discharge pipe 18 is connected to the discharge side of the casing 23. The downstream end of this wastewater discharge pipe 18 is connected to an appropriate drain pipe 3. The diameters of these wastewater discharge pipe 18 and drain pipe 3 may be smaller than the diameter of a general drain pipe that is pre-installed in a toilet room or the like. In addition, the sewage discharge pipe 18 may be provided with a backflow prevention mechanism 19 such as an appropriate check valve that allows wastewater to pass from the pressure pump 20 side to the drain pipe 3 side, while preventing wastewater from passing from the drain pipe 3 side to the pressure pump 20 side.

[0020] As shown in FIG. 4(a), the pressure-feed toilet device 1 is equipped with a notification unit 29 that notifies the operating state, occurrence of an abnormality, etc. Such notification unit 29 may be an alert lamp made of a light source such as an LED that notifies by light, or alternatively or in addition to such a configuration, a buzzer or speaker that notifies by sound may be used. This notification unit 29 may be provided on the toilet body 10 side, for example, at a suitable location on the toilet seat device, or in addition to or in place of the toilet body 10 side, it may be provided on an appropriate remote controller (remote control device (remote control device)) installed away from the toilet body 10. Furthermore, instead of or in addition to a mode of notifying by light or sound on or around the pressure-feed toilet device 1, the notification unit 29 may be, for example, a transmission unit that transmits a signal of the operating state, occurrence of an abnormality, etc. to an information panel installed at a suitable location in a house or various facilities, a mobile information terminal, etc.

[0021] The pressure-feed toilet device 1 is equipped with a control unit 25 (see FIG. 4(a)) which controls the flush water supply unit 6 and the pressure-feed pump 20. If the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level and then this control unit 25 receives a prescribed flush operation signal, it executes the abnormal flush / pressure-feed mode in which the amount of flush water supplied is less than the amount supplied in the normal flush / pressure-feed mode. With this configuration, after an abnormal water level is detected, the abnormal flush / pressure-feed mode is executed in which the amount of flush water supplied is less than the amount supplied in the normal flush / pressure-feed mode, so overflow from the bowl section 12 can be suppressed. Also, because the pressure-feed pump 20 is operated by executing the abnormal flush / pressure-feed mode, it is possible to try to clear an abnormality such as a clog, and the abnormality can be cleared depending on the extent of the clog, etc.

[0022] Control unit 25 may control flush water supply unit 6 so that a predetermined amount of flush water is supplied in the abnormal flush / pump mode. With this configuration, the inner surface of bowl section 12 can also be washed, compared to a configuration in which the amount of flush water supplied is zero in the abnormal flush / pump mode. As a result, even if dirt adheres to the inner surface of bowl section 12 due to a pumping abnormality (pumping failure), it can be washed with a relatively small amount of flush water. The control unit 25 may invalidate the flushing operation signal after the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level after the pumping operation of the pumping pump 20 a predetermined number of times in succession. With this configuration, if the abnormality is not resolved even after pumping is attempted a predetermined number of times, subsequent pumping operations can be disabled, and unnecessary power consumption can be reduced. Also, overflow from the bowl portion 12 can be reduced when a relatively small amount of flush water is supplied in the abnormality flushing / pumping mode.

[0023] If the control unit 25 receives a flushing operation signal while the water level sensor 17 is not detecting an abnormal water level, the control unit 25 may control the flushing water supply unit 6 and the pressure-feed pump 20 to execute the normal flushing / pumping mode. In the normal flushing / pumping mode, the control unit 25 may start pumping after causing flushing water to be supplied so that drainage is uninterrupted in the path from the bottom of the bowl portion 12 to the pressure-feed pump 20. With this configuration, suction failure due to so-called air entrapment is less likely to occur in the pressure-feed pump 20, compared with a configuration in which pressure-feeding is started approximately simultaneously with the supply of flushing water, or a configuration in which pressure-feeding is started in a state in which drainage is interrupted in the path from the bottom of the bowl portion 12 to the pressure-feed pump 20.

[0024] The pressure-feed toilet device 1 is equipped with a large flush operation unit 27 and a small flush operation unit 28. In this case, the control unit 25 may receive as a flush operation signal a signal output by operation of one or both of the large flush operation unit 27 and the small flush operation unit 28. With such a configuration, the abnormality flush / pressure-feed mode can be executed by operating one or both of the large flush operation unit 27 and the small flush operation unit 28 provided in the flush operation unit 26, and there is no need to provide a separate operation unit.

[0025] Specifically, the large flush operation unit 27 may be operated when a relatively large amount of flush water is supplied, and the small flush operation unit 28 may be operated when a relatively small amount of flush water is supplied. The flush operation unit 26 including the large flush operation unit 27 and the small flush operation unit 28 may be provided on the toilet body 10 side, for example, at a suitable location of the toilet seat device, or may be provided on an appropriate remote controller installed away from the toilet body 10 in addition to or instead of on the toilet body 10 side. In this case, the remote controller may be provided with an appropriate control unit or the like that controls the transmission of operation signals of each operation unit of the flush operation unit 26 to the control unit 25 on the toilet body 10 side via a transmission unit. The transmission unit may be configured to correspond to the receiving unit on the toilet body 10 side, and these transmission unit and receiving unit may be configured using various wireless communication methods. Moreover, instead of being wirelessly connected to the toilet body 10 in this way so as to be able to send and receive signals, the remote controller and the toilet body 10 may be wired connected by an appropriate signal line or the like.

[0026] The control unit 25 may be a microcomputer (MCU) or the like including a control circuit such as a CPU, and various memories (storage units) such as a ROM and a RAM for storing various programs, etc. The above-mentioned water supply valve 7, flow rate sensor 24, pump drive unit 21, cleaning operation unit 26, notification unit 29, water level sensor 17, etc. are connected to this control unit 25 in a wired or wireless manner via appropriate signal lines, etc. In a standby state where the cleaning operation unit 26 is not operated (cleaning operation), that is, in a non-cleaning state, cleaning water is stored in the bowl portion 12 up to the height of the water sealing portion 15c of the trap portion 15, as shown in Fig. 2(a). Also, in the standby state, if the cleaning water is normally pumped by the previous execution of the normal cleaning / pumping mode described below, there will be no residual water to be drained in the bent portion 15b and the hanging portion 15d of the trap portion 15, and they will be in an empty state, and there will be residual water to be drained in the casing 23 of the pumping pump 20 and a part of the rising portion connected thereto. In this standby state, if there is no abnormality in the water supply system or the drainage system, the residual water level will be lower than the abnormality detection level of the water level sensor 17. In other words, the water level sensor 17 will not detect the water.

[0027] When the cleaning operation unit 26 is operated (cleaning operation), each part is controlled according to a control program stored in a memory unit provided in the control unit 25, and the following basic operations (cleaning modes including normal cleaning / pressure-feed mode and abnormal cleaning / pressure-feed mode) are executed. As shown in Figures 2(b) to 3(c) and 4(b), if the small-flush operating unit 28 is operated (e.g., pushed) when the water level sensor 17 does not detect an abnormal water level, the small-flush mode is executed in the normal flush / pressure transfer mode (steps S100, S101).

[0028] In the normal flushing / pumping mode, the water supply valve 7 is opened, and as a result, pre-supply is performed in which flushing water is supplied from the supply port through the flushing water supply pipe 8 toward the bowl section 12, as shown in FIG. 2(b). In the initial stage of pre-supply, water is discharged beyond the water seal section 15c of the trap section 15 without the pump drive section 21 being started (ON), and the water levels of the casing 23 and the trap section 15 rise, as shown in FIG. 2(b) and (c). In other words, if the water supply valve 7 is opened with the pump drive section 21 stopped (OFF), the water levels of the casing 23 and the hanging section 15d of the trap section 15, which are downstream of the path from the bottom of the bowl section 12 to the pump pump 20, rise in sequence, as shown in FIG. 2(b). At this time, if the wastewater discharge pipe 18 is formed to rise from the casing 23, the water level of the wastewater discharge pipe 18 also rises. When the hanging portion 15d is filled with flush water, the water level at the bent portion 15b rises together with the pooled water level in the bowl portion 12.

[0029] In this pre-supply, if a predetermined amount of flush water is supplied after the water supply valve 7 is opened, the pump drive unit 21 may be started. At this time, if it is determined based on the measurement by the flow rate sensor 24 that a predetermined amount of flush water has been supplied, the pump drive unit 21 may be started. With this configuration, it is possible to control the supply amount to an appropriate amount without being affected by the water supply pressure or the opening degree of the stop valve, etc., compared to a configuration in which the supply of flush water until the start of the pump drive unit 21 is time-controlled, that is, until a predetermined time has passed. Also, at this time, as shown in FIG. 2(c), if it is determined based on the measurement by the flow rate sensor 24 that an amount of flush water has been supplied such that the path from the bottom of the bowl portion 12 to the pressure pump 20 is generally filled with wastewater, the pump drive unit 21 may be started. With this configuration, the pressure pump 20 is less likely to suffer from poor suction due to so-called air entrapment. As a result, the wastewater from the bowl portion 12 can be stably sucked toward the pressure pump 20, and the accumulation of waste at the bottom of the bowl portion 12 can be effectively reduced. Furthermore, since exhaust section 16 is provided in trap section 15 as described above, the air within trap section 15 can be discharged when the path from the bottom of bowl section 12 to pressure pump 20 is generally filled with wastewater, allowing the path to be filled smoothly with wastewater.

[0030] In the above case, pump drive unit 21 may be started if a predetermined time has elapsed (time-up) before the supply amount calculated based on the measurement value of flow sensor 24 reaches the above-mentioned predetermined amount. With this configuration, pumping can be performed even if flow sensor 24 fails or detects erroneously, and overflow from bowl portion 12 can be suppressed. In addition, in the above-mentioned pre-water supply, the manner of determining whether a predetermined amount of cleaning water has been supplied after the water supply valve 7 is opened may be time control instead of the manner of control based on the measurement of the flow rate sensor 24 as described above.

[0031] When the pump drive unit 21 is started, wastewater is pumped from the casing 23 to the wastewater discharge pipe 18 as shown in FIG. 3(a). After a predetermined time has elapsed since the start of this pumping, that is, after the pump drive unit 21 is started, the water supply valve 7 may be closed. As a result, only pumping is performed without supplying flush water, and the water level further drops as shown in FIG. 3(b), and most of the wastewater in the bowl section 12 and the trap section 15 is drained. The illustrated example shows a state in which there is residual water in the discharge section 14 on the bottom side of the bowl section 12 and on the bottom side of the casing 23. In this state, the wastewater discharge pipe 18 and the bowl section 12 are in communication, that is, in a broken state, but since the backflow prevention mechanism 19 is provided in the wastewater discharge pipe 18, it is possible to prevent the bad odor from the drain pipe 3 (sewer) from entering the room.

[0032] Then, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the water supply valve 7 was closed (or the pump drive unit 21 was started), the pump drive unit 21 may be stopped to end the pumping. Instead of such time control, for example, a suitable water level sensor may be provided to detect the water level in the casing 23, etc., and when the water level reaches a pump stop level, the pump drive unit 21 may be stopped. If the water level sensor 17 does not detect an abnormal water level after this pumping operation (step S102), post-supply is performed to supply flush water for storage to the bowl section 12 (step S103), and the normal flushing and pumping mode ends. In the post-supply in step S103, if it is determined based on the measurement by the flow rate sensor 24 that a predetermined amount of flush water has been supplied, the water supply valve 7 may be closed. For example, if the supply amount calculated based on the measurement value of the flow rate sensor 24 becomes a predetermined amount at which the stored water level in the bowl section 12 is approximately the height of the water sealing section 15c, the water supply valve 7 may be closed. In this case, similarly to the above, if a predetermined time has elapsed (time-up) until the supply amount calculated based on the measurement value of the flow rate sensor 24 becomes the above-mentioned predetermined amount, the water supply valve 7 may be closed. With this configuration, even if the flow rate sensor 24 fails or detects erroneously, it is possible to prevent the trap section 15 or the bowl section 12 from becoming an abnormal water level. Note that instead of controlling the closure of the water supply valve 7 during the post-water supply based on the measurement by the flow rate sensor 24, time control may be used.

[0033] If the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level after the pumping operation (step S102), the notification unit 29 is activated (step S104). With this configuration, the user can be notified that an abnormality has occurred, and the user can be prompted to stop using the device or perform maintenance. The notification unit 29 may be stopped after a predetermined time has elapsed, or may be stopped if the water level sensor 17 does not detect an abnormal water level. In this operation example, if the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level after the pumping operation, the notification unit 29 is activated without executing post-water supply. With this configuration, overflow from the bowl portion 12 can be suppressed. In step S102, the determination of whether or not an abnormal water level has been detected by the water level sensor 17 may be made when a predetermined time has elapsed since the pumping operation was completed. In other words, when a predetermined time has elapsed since the pumping operation was completed, if the water level sensor 17 has not detected an abnormal water level, post-water supply may be performed, whereas if the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level, the notification unit 29 may be activated without performing post-water supply. The above-mentioned predetermined time may be an appropriate time so that the water level of the remaining water portion after the pumping operation is completed becomes stable, and may be a relatively short time, for example, about 0.5 to 5 seconds.

[0034] If the cleaning operation unit 26 is operated (cleaning operation) after the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level (step S105), it is determined whether the number of consecutive detections of abnormal water levels (pumping failures) after the pumping operation exceeds a predetermined number (step S106). This predetermined number may be set in advance or may be settable and changeable by an appropriate operation unit, and may be, for example, about 2 to 10 times. The number of detections of abnormal water levels after the pumping operation may be counted for each cleaning / pumping mode (normal cleaning / pumping mode or abnormal cleaning / pumping mode). When the cleaning operation unit 26 is operated (cleaning operation) after the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level, the cleaning / pumping mode during abnormality is executed until the number of consecutive detections of an abnormal water level after the pumping operation exceeds a predetermined number (step S107). On the other hand, when the cleaning operation unit 26 is operated (cleaning operation) after the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level, if the number of consecutive detections of an abnormal water level after the pumping operation exceeds a predetermined number, the cleaning / pumping mode during abnormality is not executed and the notification unit 29 is activated (step S104). In other words, the cleaning operation signal is invalidated after the number of consecutive detections of an abnormal water level after the pumping operation exceeds a predetermined number, and a locked state is entered in which cleaning operation or pumping operation is not performed even if a cleaning operation is performed. This locked state may be released by operating an appropriate operation unit or by unplugging the power plug.

[0035] In the abnormality cleaning / pressure-feeding mode, pre-water supply may be performed so that the amount of cleaning water supplied is less than that in the normal cleaning / pressure-feeding mode (small-flush mode), or pressure-feeding may be performed without pre-water supply. When pre-water supply is performed in the abnormality cleaning / pressure-feeding mode, pre-water supply and pressure-feeding may be started approximately simultaneously. Similarly to the above, pressure-feeding in the abnormality cleaning / pressure-feeding mode may be ended by stopping the pump drive unit 21 when a predetermined time has elapsed since the water supply valve 7 was closed (or the pump drive unit 21 was started). Alternatively, an appropriate water level sensor may be provided to detect the water level in the casing 23, etc., and the pump drive unit 21 may be stopped when the water level reaches a pump stop level. Then, after the pumping operation in the abnormality flushing / pumping mode, as described above, it is determined whether the water level sensor 17 has detected an abnormal water level (step S102), and if no abnormal water level is detected, post-water supply is performed (step S103). At this time, the number of consecutive detections of an abnormal water level (pumping failure) described above may be reset. On the other hand, if the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level (step S102), the alarm unit 29 is activated (step S104).

[0036] Note that, in the above, an example of the normal flush / pumping mode (small flush mode) that is executed when the small flush operation unit 28 is operated has been described, but the normal flush / pumping mode (large flush mode) that is executed when the large flush operation unit 27 is operated (for example, a push operation) is generally similar. In the large flush mode, for example, the supply amount of flush water may be controlled to be greater than the supply amount of flush water in the small flush mode. Also, in the large flush mode, the drive time of the pump drive unit 21 may be made greater than the drive time of the pump drive unit 21 in the small flush mode, or the pump drive unit 21 may be driven and controlled so that pumping is performed multiple times while the flush water is being supplied. In this case, the water level sensor 17 may monitor the abnormal water level after the final pumping operation is completed (or when the above-mentioned predetermined time has elapsed since the pumping operation was completed).

[0037] Also, for example, in addition to the small flush mode and large flush mode described above, the pressure-feed toilet device 1 may be capable of executing a discharge mode in which the amount of water supplied in the pre-water supply is less than (or zero) than in the small flush mode and large flush mode. This discharge mode may be executed, for example, by receiving a discharge operation signal output by operating a discharge operation unit provided at an appropriate location, or by simultaneously pressing or long pressing the large flush operation unit 27 and the small flush operation unit 28. The amount of water supplied in this discharge mode may be relatively small, and unlike the flush mode, pressure-feeding may be started in a state in which drainage is interrupted in the path from the bottom of the bowl portion 12 to the pressure-feed pump 20. Furthermore, after the pressure-feeding operation in the discharge mode is finished, abnormal water levels may be monitored by the water level sensor 17 in the same manner as described above. Furthermore, the above-mentioned abnormal flush / pressure-feed mode may be this discharge mode. Furthermore, the cleaning operation when executing the abnormality cleaning / pumping mode may be performed by operating the large cleaning operation unit 27 or the small cleaning operation unit 28, or by pressing the large cleaning operation unit 27 and the small cleaning operation unit 28 simultaneously or pressing and holding them simultaneously, or may be performed by operating an appropriate abnormality resolution trial operation unit provided separately from these.

[0038] The above-mentioned operation example is merely one example, and appropriate modifications are possible. For example, in the above example, the alarm unit 29 is activated when the water level sensor 17 detects an abnormal water level and when the number of consecutive detections of an abnormal water level exceeds a predetermined number, but it is also possible to have an aspect in which the alarm unit 29 is not activated in both or either of the cases. In addition, in the above example, a flushing operation signal is invalidated and the flushing / pumping mode in an abnormal state is not executed after the number of consecutive detections of an abnormal water level after a pumping operation exceeds a predetermined number, but this is not limited to such an embodiment.

[0039] Furthermore, the flush operation unit 26 (large flush operation unit 27 and small flush operation unit 28) is not limited to a configuration in which it is operated by pressing, and may be a non-contact type operation unit that receives detection of the user's hand or the like as an operation. Moreover, instead of or in addition to a mode in which the flush operation signal is output by operation of the large flush operation unit 27 or the small flush operation unit 28, the flush operation signal may be output, for example, when a seating sensor or the like detects leaving the toilet seat 4, or when soiling is detected by various other sensors or the like. In the above example, the trap 15 is provided in the path from the bottom of the bowl 12 to the pressure pump 20, but the trap 15 may not be provided, and a suitable sewage crushing tank or sewage storage tank may be provided as part of the same path. In this case, the water level sensor 17 may be provided to detect an abnormal water level in the sewage crushing tank or sewage storage tank. The configurations of each member and each part of the pressure-feed toilet device 1 described above, and the basic operations executed in the pressure-feed toilet device 1 are merely examples, and various other modifications are possible.

[0040] <Additional Notes> The above description of the embodiments discloses the following techniques. <Technology 1> A pressure-feed toilet device comprising a flush water supply unit which supplies flush water to a bowl portion, a pressure pump which pressure-feeds wastewater discharged from the bowl portion towards a drain pipe, a water level sensor which detects abnormal water levels after the pressure-feeding operation of the pressure pump, and a control unit which controls the flush water supply unit and the pressure-feed pump, wherein when the water level sensor detects an abnormal water level and a prescribed flush operation signal is received, the control unit executes an abnormal flush / pressure mode in which the amount of flush water supplied is less than the amount supplied in the normal flush / pressure mode. <Technology 2> The pressure-feed toilet apparatus according to technique 1, wherein the control unit controls the flush water supply unit so that a predetermined amount of flush water is supplied in the abnormality flush / pressure-feed mode. <Technology 3> The pressure-feed toilet device according to Technology 1 or Technology 2, wherein the control unit invalidates the flush operation signal after the water level sensor detects an abnormal water level after the pressure-feeding operation of the pressure pump a predetermined number of times in succession. <Technology 4> The pressure-feed toilet device according to any one of Techniques 1 to 3, which is equipped with a large flush operation unit and a small flush operation unit, and the control unit receives a signal output by operation of one or both of the large flush operation unit and the small flush operation unit as the flush operation signal. <Technology 5> The pressure-feed toilet device according to any one of Techniques 1 to 4, further comprising an alarm unit, wherein the control unit activates the alarm unit when the water level sensor detects an abnormal water level. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1. Pressure-feed toilet device 6. Washing water supply section 12 Bowl section 17 Water level sensor 20 Pressure Pump 25 Control Unit 27 Large cleaning operation section 28 Small cleaning operation unit 29. Notification Department 3 Drain pipe

Claims

1. a cleaning water supply unit for supplying cleaning water to the bowl unit; A pressure pump that pressure-feeds the wastewater discharged from the bowl portion toward a drain pipe; a water level sensor for detecting an abnormal water level after the pumping operation of the pressure pump; A control unit that controls the cleaning water supply unit and the pressure pump, The control unit, when receiving a specified flush operation signal after the water level sensor detects an abnormal water level, executes an abnormal flush / pressure mode in which the amount of flush water supplied is less than the amount supplied in the normal flush / pressure mode.

2. In claim 1, The pressure-feed toilet apparatus, wherein the control unit controls the flush water supply unit in the abnormality flush / pressure-feed mode so that a predetermined amount of flush water is supplied.

3. In claim 1, The pressure-feed toilet device, wherein the control unit invalidates the flush operation signal after the water level sensor detects an abnormal water level after the pressure-feed operation of the pressure pump a predetermined number of times in succession.

4. In claim 1, Equipped with a large cleaning operation section and a small cleaning operation section, A pressure-feed toilet device, wherein the control unit receives, as the flush operation signal, a signal output by operation of one or both of the large flush operation unit and the small flush operation unit.

5. In any one of claims 1 to 4, Equipped with a notification unit, The pressure-feed toilet device, wherein the control unit activates the notification unit when the water level sensor detects an abnormal water level.

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