Toilet seat device

Abstract

To provide a toilet seat device of a toilet bowl capable of being used with confidence by capturing a target image in consideration of the privacy of a user.SOLUTION: The toilet seat device includes: a toilet seat 12 arranged above a toilet 10; an image sensor 20 arranged on a back surface 12a of the toilet seat 12 for capturing an internal space of a toilet bowl 11 in excretion; and an anti-reflection part for preventing reflection of a human body on a target image captured by the image sensor 20. The anti-reflection part is of masking printing arranged between the image sensor 20 and the toilet bowl 11 within the angle of view of the image sensor 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical field]

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

[0002] For example, in a toilet such as that disclosed in Patent Document 1, a camera is disposed in the toilet to photograph the water-containing portion of the toilet bowl where excrement is located. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-252805 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Conventional toilets equipped with a camera that photographs the water-filled area of ​​the toilet bowl have not taken into consideration the possibility of human bodies being reflected in the images.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a toilet seat apparatus that can be used with peace of mind by capturing a target image while respecting the user's privacy. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A toilet seat device of one embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a toilet bowl having a toilet bowl, a toilet seat disposed above the toilet bowl, an image sensor provided on the back side of the toilet seat for capturing an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl during excretion, and an anti-reflection unit for preventing a human body from being captured in a target image captured by the image sensor. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view of a toilet seat apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, seen from diagonally above, with a portion of the toilet seat cut away; [Diagram 2]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the toilet seat device shown in FIG. 1, seen from above. [Diagram 3] 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] 2 is a diagram showing the underside of the toilet seat of the toilet seat device shown in FIG. 1 in an open state. [Diagram 5] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line BB shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the toilet bowl of the toilet seat device, with the toilet seat omitted. [Figure 7] 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the mask-printed camera cover viewed from below. [Figure 9] 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line DD shown in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of an image captured by an image sensor equipped with a mask-printed camera cover. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a toilet seat device according to a second embodiment, as viewed from the front. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a toilet seat device according to a third embodiment, as viewed from the front. [Figure 13] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a toilet seat device according to a fourth embodiment, as viewed from the front. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a toilet seat apparatus according to a fifth embodiment, taken along the front-rear direction at the center in the left-right direction. [Figure 15] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a toilet seat device according to a sixth embodiment, as viewed from the front. [Figure 16] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of a toilet seat device according to a first modified example, as viewed from the front. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of a toilet seat device according to a second modified example, as viewed from the front. [Figure 18] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a toilet seat device according to a seventh embodiment, as viewed from the front. [Figure 19] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of a toilet seat device according to an eighth embodiment, as viewed from the front. [Figure 20] FIG. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of a toilet seat device according to a ninth embodiment, as viewed from the front. [Figure 21] FIG. 23 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of a toilet seat device according to a tenth embodiment, as viewed from the front. [Figure 22] FIG. 23 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a portion of a toilet seat device according to a tenth embodiment, as viewed from the front. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] Hereinafter, a toilet seat device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0009] (First embodiment) As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the toilet seat device 1 of this first embodiment comprises a toilet bowl 10 having a toilet bowl 11, a toilet seat 12 that is openable and closable relative to the toilet bowl 10, a toilet lid (not shown) that is openable and closable relative to the toilet seat 12, and an image assessment device 2 for acquiring an image of stool G excreted by a user and assessing the condition of the stool G from the image.

[0010] FIG. 1 shows toilet seat 12 in a closed state, and the toilet lid in the closed state covers opening 11a (see FIG. 4) of toilet bowl 11 from above via toilet seat 12.

[0011] In the following description, when a user of the toilet seat device 1 is seated on the toilet seat 12, the front side of the user is defined as the front side, and the back side of the user is defined as the rear side, and the direction connecting the front side and the rear side is defined as the front-to-back direction X1. The left side as viewed from the user seated on the toilet seat 12 is defined as the "left side", the right side is defined as the "right side", and the direction connecting the left side and the right side is defined as the left-right direction X2. The side away from the floor surface on which the toilet seat device 1 is installed is defined as the "upper side", the side closer to the floor surface is defined as the "lower side", and the direction connecting the upper side and the lower side is defined as the up-down direction X3.

[0012] As shown in Figure 3, a rim is provided on the upper surface 11b of the opening 11a of the toilet bowl 11, which protrudes toward the inner space of the toilet bowl 11. A water collecting section 11c is disposed at the bottom of the toilet bowl 11, and this water collecting section 11c is connected to a toilet drainage channel 14 that discharges waste G from the toilet bowl 11.

[0013] The toilet seat 12 is provided at the rear of the toilet bowl 10 and is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis O1 extending in the left-right direction X2. By rotating as described above, the toilet seat 12 can be in either a closed state in which it is in contact with the upper end of the toilet bowl 11 and spreads in the left-right direction X2 and the front-rear direction X1, or an open state in which it is away from the top surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11 and spreads at least in the up-down direction X3. The toilet seat 12 has an annular shape that extends continuously in the circumferential direction, and in the closed state it is in contact with the top surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11. The opening of the opening 12b of the toilet seat 12 is set to be slightly smaller than the opening of the opening 11a of the toilet bowl 11 when viewed from above. When in the closed state, the toilet seat 12 protrudes toward the inner space beyond the top surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11.

[0014] 4 and 5, support members 13 protruding downward are provided at four circumferential locations on the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12. The four support members 13 support the toilet seat 12 at four points against the upper surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11 when the toilet seat 12 is in the closed state.

[0015] The toilet lid (not shown) is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis extending in the left-right direction X2, and can be in either a closed state in which it covers the toilet seat 12 in the closed state, expands in the left-right direction X2 and the front-back direction X1, and blocks the openings of the toilet bowl 11 and the toilet seat 12, or an open state in which it expands at least in the up-down direction X3. In other words, the toilet lid is provided so as to be able to open and close the openings of the toilet bowl 11 and the toilet seat 12.

[0016] An image assessment device 2 is provided on the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12. The image assessment device 2 includes an image sensor 20 provided on the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12, a tilt sensor 21 that acquires information on whether the toilet seat 12 is open or closed, an imaging control unit 22 that controls whether or not the image sensor 20 captures an image depending on the information on whether the toilet seat 12 is open or closed acquired by the tilt sensor 21, and an illumination unit 23 that illuminates the back side of the toilet drainage channel 14 so that stool G that has moved from the bottom surface of the water collecting portion 11c of the toilet 10 toward the back side of the toilet drainage channel 14 can be imaged.

[0017] The tilt sensor 21 is housed within the toilet seat 12, and is set to detect when the toilet seat 12 is about to open beyond a certain angle. One example of the tilt sensor 21 is one that contains a ball inside and detects the tilt by the movement of the ball. The tilt sensor 21 is set so as not to detect slight rattling or lifting of the toilet seat 12, and is set so as to react when the toilet seat 12 is opened beyond the set angle. In addition to the tilt sensor 21, the opening / closing acquisition unit may use an automatic opening / closing device for the toilet seat 12 as an opening / closing sensor.

[0018] In this embodiment, the imaging control unit 22 is disposed in the toilet bowl 10, and is provided to be able to communicate wirelessly or wired with the image sensor 20 and the tilt sensor 21. When the open / close information acquired by the tilt sensor 21 determines that the toilet seat 12 is open, the imaging control unit 22 has a control to stop the imaging of the internal space (water collecting section 11c) of the toilet bowl 11 by the image sensor 20, and a control to delete the image captured at this time. The imaging control unit 22 may be linked to a seating sensor (not shown), such as a load sensor, that detects when a person sits on the toilet seat 12, and may control the image sensor 20 to capture an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl 11 when sitting is detected.

[0019] The image sensor 20 has a camera lens. The image sensor 20 is installed on the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12, and is arranged in a direction facing the toilet drainage channel opening 14a of the toilet drainage channel 14 so as to be able to capture an image of the interior of the toilet drainage channel 14 that discharges stool G from the water pool 11c of the toilet bowl 11.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 6 and Fig. 7, the image sensor 20 is disposed in front of the water storage portion 11c at a position where it can capture the area behind the entrance of the toilet drainage channel 14 (toilet drainage channel opening 14a). The sensor placement area R of the image sensor 20 of the toilet seat device 1 shaped according to this embodiment is set to the toilet seat front area to the toilet seat side areas on the left and right sides in a symmetrical range about the center in the left-right direction X2. The toilet seat front area is an area where stool G that has entered the toilet drainage channel opening 14a of the toilet bowl 11 is easily visible. The toilet seat side areas are areas where the toilet drainage channel opening 14a of the toilet bowl 11 can be looked into, and are disposed at a position where the image sensor 20 can avoid being captured in the angle of view (field of view 20A) of the image sensor 20 from a psychological point of view and from the viewpoint of avoiding the human body from being captured in the angle of view (field of view 20A) of the image sensor 20.

[0021] The image sensor 20 is positioned so that a line connecting the camera center and the opening bottom end surface 11d of the toilet drainage opening 14a is the field of view center 20C of the image sensor 20. At this time, it is preferable that the field of view center 20C of the image sensor 20 is not blocked by the inner surface of the toilet bowl 11. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, the image sensor 20 located in front of the toilet seat 12 is positioned so that the field of view center 20C does not hit the convex curved surface 11e formed on the front inner surface of the toilet bowl 11. Here, the opening bottom end surface 11d of the toilet drainage opening 14a is a predetermined area (reference symbol 11A) extending in the left-right direction X2 when viewed from the front as shown in FIG. 5.

[0022] The image sensor 20 is preferably positioned so that the center of view 20C (20Ca, 20Cb) of the image sensor 20 faces a position on the opposite side of the center line C in the left-right direction X2 of the water storage section 11c when viewed from the front, as shown in Fig. 5. Positioning the image sensor 20 at the center of view indicated by reference symbol 20Cb in Fig. 5 reduces the risk of a human body being reflected on the water surface Wa in the toilet bowl 11, compared to positioning the image sensor 20 at the center of view indicated by reference symbol 20Ca. Note that the image sensor 20 may be positioned so that the center of view 20C of the image sensor 20 faces beyond half of the water surface of the water storage section 11c in the toilet bowl 11, when viewed from the position of the image sensor 20.

[0023] The image sensor 20 has other functions, such as being adjustable to a brightness that matches the illuminance inside the toilet bowl 11.

[0024] The imaging control unit 22 may have a function of detecting dirt on the camera lens of the image sensor 20 from the image and urging the user to clean the camera lens based on the detected detection information.

[0025] As shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the image sensor 20 is provided with a transparent camera cover 24 that is disposed at a predetermined distance d (see Fig. 9) from the camera lens in the imaging direction and physically masks a portion (a portion of masking print 24A described later) in which a part of the human body (buttocks, thighs, or male genitalia) is captured. The camera cover 24 is disposed within the range of the angle of view of the image sensor 20 between the image sensor 20 and the toilet bowl 11. The camera cover 24 is attached via a jig 25 that is fixed to the rear surface 12a of the toilet seat 12. An opaque masking print 24A (shielding portion) is printed or painted on the camera cover 24 in a predetermined area in which a part of the human body is captured.

[0026] 10 shows an image 26 captured by the image sensor 20, which has been masked by the masking print 24A. In this way, it is possible to physically mask out areas of the image that should not be captured.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 4, the lighting unit 23 is, for example, an LED, and is disposed in front of the image sensor 20 on the back surface 12a of the toilet seat 12. The range of the illumination L irradiated by the lighting unit 23 is diffused from the lighting unit 23 so that the illumination center is located in the water reservoir 11c of the toilet bowl 11, as shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 5. The lighting unit 23 is disposed so that the visual field center 20C (see FIG. 5) of the image sensor 20 is substantially aligned with the position where the target object (the water reservoir 11c) is struck. The positional relationship between the lighting unit 23 and the image sensor 20 is merely an example in this embodiment, and the lighting unit 23 may be disposed in the vicinity of the image sensor 20 and in a position where the image sensor 20 can irradiate the area behind the toilet drain opening 14a.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 4, the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12 is provided with a plurality of (three in this example) protective legs 5 (supports) that are disposed near the image sensor 20 and come into contact with the upper surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11 when the toilet seat 12 is closed. As shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the protective legs 5 are formed, for example, from a rubber member, and protrude downward from the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12 when the toilet seat 12 is closed, with the protruding ends 5a coming into contact with the upper surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11. When the toilet seat 12 is closed, it is supported from the toilet bowl 11 below by four support members 13 and the protective legs 5. The three protective legs 5 are disposed circumferentially spaced apart on the outer periphery side of the image sensor 20, which is located on the inner periphery side in the inner-outer periphery direction.

[0029] The protective legs 5 protrude at a height such that, when the toilet seat 12 is closed, the image sensor 20 arranged on the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12 does not come into contact with the upper surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11. If there is a portion of the image sensor housing that protrudes beyond the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12, the protective legs 5 are installed so that the image sensor housing does not come into contact with the upper surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11. Alternatively, the protective legs 5 may be omitted and installed with a clearance formed by the support member 13 of the toilet seat 12 and the upper surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11 secured to be equal to or greater than the height at which the image sensor housing protrudes beyond the underside of the toilet seat.

[0030] As a result, the image sensor 20 is prevented from coming into contact with the upper surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11 as the toilet seat 12 deforms when the toilet seat 12 is closed, for example, by the protective leg 5 or the support member 13 of the toilet seat 12 arranged nearby, and external contact can also be prevented when the toilet seat 12 is in the open position.

[0031] Next, the operation of the toilet seat device 1 according to this embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, in the toilet seat device 1 according to this embodiment, the image sensor 20 can capture an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl 11 only when the image capture control unit 22 determines that image capture is possible according to the opening and closing information of the toilet seat 12 acquired by the tilt sensor 21. In other words, when the image capture control unit 22 determines that image capture is not possible, the image capture by the image sensor 20 is physically stopped, so that it is possible to reliably prevent the image sensor 20 provided on the back surface 12a of the toilet seat 12 from capturing an image of a human body when image capture is not possible, for example, when the toilet seat 12 is opened or closed. Therefore, the toilet seat device 1 according to this embodiment can be used with peace of mind by capturing an image of the target while taking into consideration the privacy of the user.

[0032] In this embodiment, the imaging control unit 22 controls the image sensor 20 to capture an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl 11 when the toilet seat 12 is determined to be in a closed state based on the open / close information acquired by the tilt sensor 21. In this case, for example, when the toilet seat 12 is opened to a predetermined angle, imaging by the image sensor 20 is stopped, so that imaging is controlled to be performed only when the user sits on the toilet seat 12 to relieve himself / herself. Therefore, imaging is not performed before or after sitting down, and the user can use the toilet seat device 1 with peace of mind. Since it is possible to set whether or not the image sensor 20 captures images depending on the opening / closing angle of the tilt sensor 21, it is possible to control the toilet seat 12 not to be determined to be in an open state when the toilet seat 12 is opened or shifted slightly to an extent that does not capture a human body in the captured image.

[0033] In this embodiment, the image sensor 20 is installed on the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12, and is arranged in a direction facing the toilet drainage channel opening 14a so as to be able to capture an image of the interior direction of the toilet drainage channel 14 that discharges stool G from the water pool 11c of the toilet bowl 11. In this case, stool G that has rolled into the back side of the toilet drainage channel opening 14a in the toilet bowl 11 will not be in a blind spot, and the entire excreted stool G can be reliably captured.

[0034] In this embodiment, the lighting unit 23 can illuminate the toilet drainage channel 14 at a position deeper than the bottom surface of the water collecting portion 11c of the toilet bowl 11, so that the image sensor 20 can capture an image of the stool G more clearly.

[0035] In this embodiment, the image sensor 20 is disposed at a position where a human body is not captured in the field of view 20A of the image sensor 20. In this case, as described above, it is possible to prevent a human body from being captured in the field of view 20A captured by the image sensor 20 when the imaging control unit 22 determines that imaging is possible.

[0036] In this embodiment, the image sensor 20 is provided so that its brightness can be adjusted to match the illuminance inside the toilet bowl 11, so that the image of the stool G captured by the image sensor 20 can be captured more clearly.

[0037] In this embodiment, a camera cover 24 is placed between the image sensor 20 and the toilet bowl 11, and a masking print 24A is printed in the area of ​​the camera cover 24 where a human body would be captured within the range of the angle of view (field of view 20A) of the image sensor 20. In this case, it is possible to physically eliminate the capture of a human body in the captured image without adjusting the angle of view of the image sensor 20. This has the advantage that the area of ​​the masking print 24A can be easily changed depending on the position of the image sensor 20 and the shape of the toilet bowl 10.

[0038] The toilet seat device 1 according to this embodiment has a function of detecting dirt on the camera lens 20a of the image sensor 20 from an image captured by the image sensor 20 and outputting a signal indicating that cleaning is required. In this case, the camera lens 20a can be cleaned when a signal indicating that cleaning is required is received, so that an image that is always easy to see can be obtained, and a problem in which dirt on the camera lens 20a of the image sensor 20 makes it difficult to determine feces G appearing in the image can be prevented.

[0039] In this embodiment, a protective leg 5 is provided on the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12, which abuts against the upper surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11 when the toilet seat 12 is closed, thereby preventing the imaging range of the image sensor 20 from shifting due to bending of the toilet seat 12 caused by the weight of the user when sitting, and preventing the image sensor 20 from being damaged by stress from the toilet seat 12.

[0040] In this way, the toilet seat device 1 according to this embodiment can be used with peace of mind by capturing the target image while taking into consideration the privacy of the user.

[0041] Second embodiment 11, the toilet seat device 1A according to the second embodiment is configured such that the image sensor 20 is disposed at a position away from the rear surface 12a of the toilet seat 12 in the direction (downward) of the toilet bowl 11. For example, the image sensor 20 may be attached via a spacer (not shown) that serves as a sensor fixing portion (reflection prevention portion) of an appropriate shape provided on the rear surface 12a of the toilet seat 12, or may be configured such that the image sensor 20 is integrally molded with the toilet seat 12 in a shape that protrudes downward as the toilet seat 12.

[0042] In the second embodiment, the image sensor 20 is in a state of protruding downward inside the toilet bowl 11, so even if the buttocks M of a person seated on the toilet seat 12 is positioned lower than the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12, the image sensor 20 can be positioned lower than the underside Ma of the buttocks M, and the human body is physically not included in the field of view of the image sensor 20. In this way, in the second embodiment, it is possible to prevent a human body from being captured in an image captured by the image sensor 20, and the target image is captured with consideration for the user's privacy, allowing for safe use.

[0043] Third embodiment 12 shows a toilet seat device 1B according to a third embodiment, which has a portion (anti-reflection portion) of the toilet seat 12 where the thickness is increased, and is configured so that the buttocks M of a person seated on the toilet seat do not fall below the rear surface 12a of the toilet seat 12. The position of the image sensor 20 in this case is the same as in the first embodiment described above, and is provided directly on the rear surface 12a of the toilet seat 12.

[0044] In the third embodiment, the thickness of the toilet seat 12 itself is increased, resulting in a structure that can physically prevent the buttocks M, in particular, of the human body seated on the toilet seat 12 from being positioned lower than the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12. In the third embodiment, it is possible to prevent the human body from appearing in the image captured by the image sensor 20, and the target image is captured with consideration for the user's privacy, allowing for safe use.

[0045] (Fourth embodiment) 13 shows a toilet seat apparatus 1C according to a fourth embodiment, which has an opening reduction section (anti-reflection section) that reduces the diameter dimension (particularly the length dimension in the left-right direction X2) of the opening 12b of the toilet seat 12, and is configured so that the buttocks M of a person seated on the toilet seat do not fall below the rear surface 12a of the toilet seat 12. The position of the image sensor 20 in this case is the same as in the first embodiment described above, and is provided directly on the rear surface 12a of the toilet seat 12.

[0046] In the fourth embodiment, the opening 12b of the toilet seat 12 is made smaller, and therefore the structure can physically prevent the buttocks M, in particular, of the human body seated on the toilet seat 12 from being positioned lower than the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12. In the fourth embodiment, it is possible to prevent the human body from appearing in the image captured by the image sensor 20, and the target image is captured with consideration for the user's privacy, allowing for safe use.

[0047] Fifth embodiment In the above-described embodiment, the tilt sensor 21 housed in the toilet seat 12 is used as an opening / closing acquisition unit that detects whether the toilet seat 12 is open or closed, and opening / closing information is obtained from the tilt angle of the toilet seat 12, but this is not limited to this, and the opening / closing acquisition unit is used in the fifth embodiment shown in Fig. 14. In the fifth embodiment, a seating sensor (not shown) that detects when a person sits on the toilet seat 12 may be provided as another opening / closing acquisition unit of the toilet seat 12, and the image sensor 20 may be controlled to capture an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl 11 only when a person sitting on the seat is detected. A load sensor or the like can be used as the opening / closing sensor.

[0048] Sixth embodiment A toilet seat device 1D according to a sixth embodiment shown in FIG. 15 has a configuration in which an image sensor 20 is provided separately below the toilet seat 12. In the sixth embodiment, the area where the image sensor 20 is provided, i.e., the area below the toilet seat 12 that is separate from the toilet seat 12, is included in the back side of the toilet seat 12. In other words, the back side of the toilet seat 12 is defined to include the area below the toilet seat 12. The toilet seat device 1D is provided with a connecting bar 3 formed of, for example, a metal member so as to bridge the upper surface of the toilet bowl 10 (toilet bowl upper surface 10a) between the inside and outside of the toilet bowl. An image sensor 20 is attached to the underside 3c of the inner end 3a of the connecting bar 3 so as to capture an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl 10. The outer end 3b of the connecting bar 3 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the toilet bowl 10 by pasting or suction. The image sensor 20 is disposed below the toilet seat 12 and to the side of the rim 10A of the toilet bowl 10. Specifically, the image sensor 20 is disposed on the side of the rim 10A from a position at the same height as the toilet upper surface 10a to the side of the rim upper portion 10c and the standing surface 10d of the rim 10A. The image sensor 20 may be a sensor unit having the image sensor 20.

[0049] The connecting bar 3 is a band-like bar extending in one direction, bent in an L-shape from the toilet top surface 10a to follow the contour of the outer circumferential surface. The inner end 3a of the connecting bar 3 protrudes from the toilet top surface 10a toward the inside of the toilet 10. The outer end 3b is fixed to the toilet 10 with an adhesive. The means for fixing the connecting bar 3 to the toilet 10 may be a suction cup instead of an adhesive. In the case of a suction cup, it has the effect of being easy to attach and detach from the toilet 10, making cleaning and maintenance easier, and also makes it easier to adjust the position of the image sensor 20.

[0050] (First Modification) As shown in FIG. 16, in the first modification of the sixth embodiment described above, a weight 31 is provided at the toilet outer end 3b of the connecting bar 3 to balance the load with the image sensor 20 provided at the other toilet inner end 3a. The weight 31 is fixed, for example, by adhesive or the like, to the surface of the toilet outer end 3b facing outward, opposite the toilet 10 side. The weight 31 may be, for example, a metal member, or may be, for example, a camera function unit that functions as an image processing unit that processes data from the image sensor 20. In the first modification, the image sensor 20 is attached to the toilet 10 in a well-balanced position by the weight of the weight 31 by the connecting bar 3, and tilting or shifting of the image sensor 20 can be suppressed.

[0051] (Second Modification) The connecting bar 3 according to the second modified example shown in FIG. 17 is made of metal wire or sheet metal, and is bent into a substantially U-shape. The central portion 3d in the longitudinal direction of the connecting bar 3 is placed on the toilet upper surface 10a, and is biased so that an elastic force is generated in the direction in which the mutually opposing inner end 3a and outer end 3b approach each other (arrows F1 and F2 in FIG. 17). The image sensor 20 is attached to the inner end 3a. The connecting bar 3 is fitted and sandwiched on the upper part of the toilet 10 with the inner end 3a and outer end 3b open against the bias. In the first modified example, the image sensor 20 is attached to the toilet 10 in a well-balanced position by the weight of the weight 31 by the connecting bar 3, and the image sensor 20 can be prevented from tilting or shifting. The image sensor 20 is disposed on the side of the rim 10A. Specifically, the image sensor 20 is disposed on the side of the rim 10A, at a height position lower than the rim upper portion 10c, and on the side of the standing surface 10d of the rim 10A.

[0052] Seventh embodiment As shown in Figure 18, the toilet seat device 1E according to the seventh embodiment has an arrangement in which the image sensor 20 is fixed directly to the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12 via a fixing part 32 such as adhesive. The attachment position of the image sensor 20 to the toilet seat 12 is a position close to the inner periphery of the toilet seat 12, and is a position where the image sensor 20 attached does not interfere with the upper part of the toilet bowl 10 when the toilet seat 12 is closed (the state of Figure 18). As the seventh embodiment has a structure in which the image sensor 20 is simply fixed to the toilet seat 12, there is no need for a separate part such as the connecting bar 3 (see Figure 15) of the sixth embodiment described above, which has the advantages of easy attachment and reduced material costs.

[0053] Eighth embodiment In the toilet seat device 1F according to the eighth embodiment shown in FIG. 19, an image sensor 20 is attached to the toilet seat 12 via a second connecting bar 3A. The second connecting bar 3A is formed of, for example, a metal wire or sheet metal, and extends between the back surface 12a of the toilet seat 12 and the outside of the toilet seat 12. The image sensor 20 is attached to the lower surface 3c of the toilet bowl inner end 3a of the second connecting bar 3A so as to capture an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl 10. The toilet bowl outer end 3b of the second connecting bar 3A protrudes outward from the toilet seat 12. The toilet bowl outer end 30b is provided with a camera function unit 26 electrically connected to the image sensor 20. The camera function unit 26 is disposed in a state of being aligned along the outer surface 12c of the toilet seat 12. The center portion 3d of the second connecting bar 3A is fixed to the back surface 12a of the toilet seat 12 by a fixing means such as an adhesive or a suction cup. The camera function unit 26 has a function such as an image processing unit that processes data from the image sensor 20.

[0054] In the eighth embodiment, since the image sensor 20 can be later attached to the toilet seat 12 side via the second connecting bar 3A, a simpler structure can be achieved than when the image sensor 20 is attached to the toilet bowl 10.

[0055] Ninth embodiment A toilet seat apparatus 1G according to a ninth embodiment shown in Fig. 20 has an image sensor 20 attached to the toilet seat 12 via a third connecting bar 3B. The third connecting bar 3B is formed, for example, from a metal wire or sheet metal, and is bent into a substantially U-shape so as to span the top of the toilet seat 12. A central portion 3d in the longitudinal direction of the connecting bar 3 is placed on the toilet seat 12. An image sensor 20 is attached to the inner end 3a of the third connecting bar 3A so as to be able to capture an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl 10. The image sensor 20 attached to the third connecting bar 3A is provided so as to be located on the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12.

[0056] The third connecting bar 3A has a camera function unit 26 electrically connected to the image sensor 20, which is provided along the outer surface 12c of the toilet seat 12. The third connecting bar 3B is fixed by pressing the toilet outer end 3b from the outside with a pressing member 33 such as a screw, thereby pressing the toilet outer end 3b against the outer surface 12c of the toilet seat 12. The method of fixing the third connecting bar 3 to the toilet seat 12 is not limited to the above-mentioned pressing member 33, and other fixing methods may be used. For example, the central portion 3d of the third connecting bar 3B may be fixed to the upper surface 12d of the toilet seat 12 by a fixing means such as an adhesive or a suction cup. Alternatively, the toilet inner end 3a and the toilet outer end 3b facing each other may be biased so that an elastic force is generated in a direction in which they approach each other, and the toilet seat 12 is sandwiched from both sides to be attached.

[0057] Tenth embodiment The toilet seat devices 1H and 1I according to the tenth embodiment shown in Fig. 21 and Fig. 22 have a structure in which separate toilet seat units 4A and 4B are sandwiched between the toilet seat 12 and the toilet bowl upper surface 10a. In the first toilet seat unit 4A shown in Fig. 21, the image sensor 20 is fixed to the lower surface 41a of the toilet seat type insert member 41. In the second toilet seat unit 4B shown in Fig. 22, the image sensor 20 is built into the toilet seat type insert member 41. The toilet seat type insert member 41 is formed in substantially the same shape as the toilet seat 12 in a plan view, and is provided so as to open and close with respect to the toilet bowl upper surface 10a, either integrally with the toilet seat 12 or separately. When the toilet seat type insert member 41 is closed, the lower surface 41a is placed on the toilet bowl upper surface 10a, and the upper surface 41b is in contact with the rear surface 12a of the toilet seat 12. The image sensor 20 is attached so as to be able to capture an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl 10.

[0058] Although the embodiment of the toilet seat device according to the present disclosure has been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment.

[0059] For example, in the above embodiment, the image assessment device 2 may be provided with an image processing unit (not shown) that processes the target image acquired by the image sensor 20. In this case, the image processing unit can perform image processing to mask (hide or erase) an area in the target image in which a human body is captured.

[0060] In the above embodiment, an example of a toilet seat device 1 is shown having a toilet drainage channel 14 that drains water from the water collecting section 11c of the toilet bowl 11 toward the rear of the toilet 10, and an image sensor 20 is arranged in front of the toilet seat 12, but the toilet structure is not limited to this, and toilet seat devices of other structures may be used. For example, as in the toilet seat device 1D according to the fifth embodiment in Fig. 14, it is also possible to have a toilet drainage channel 14 that drains water from the water collecting section 11c toward the front of the toilet 10, and an image sensor 20 is arranged behind the toilet.

[0061] In this embodiment, in order to protect the image sensor 20, the toilet seat 12 has a protective leg 5 provided as a support that abuts against the upper surface 11b of the toilet bowl 11 on the underside 12a of the toilet seat 12 when the toilet seat 12 is closed, but the present invention is not limited to providing such a protective leg 5 and may be omitted. The support is not limited to the shape, number, etc. of the protective leg 5 of the above embodiment and may be set as appropriate.

[0062] In addition, the components in the above-described embodiments can be replaced with well-known components as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1, 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I...toilet seat device, 2...image judgment device, 5...protective leg (support part), 10...toilet bowl, 10A...rim, 11...toilet bowl, 11d...opening lower end surface, 12...toilet seat, 12a...back surface, 13...support member, 14...toilet drainage channel, 14a...toilet drainage channel opening, 20...image sensor, 20A...field of view, 20C...field of view center, 21...tilt sensor, 22...imaging control unit, 23...lighting unit, 24...camera cover, 24A...masking printing (shielding part), G...toilet, X1...front-back direction, X2...left-right direction, X3...up-down direction

Claims

1. A toilet seat disposed above the toilet bowl; A toilet seat device comprising: an image sensor provided on the rear side of the toilet seat for capturing an image of the internal space of the toilet bowl during excretion; and an anti-reflection unit for preventing a human body from being captured in a target image captured by the image sensor.

2. the anti-reflection unit is a shielding unit disposed within a range of an angle of view of the image sensor between the image sensor and the toilet bowl; 2. A toilet seat apparatus as claimed in claim 1.

3. The anti-reflection unit is a sensor fixing unit that protrudes the image sensor from the rear surface of the toilet seat. A toilet seat device according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The anti-reflection portion is a portion of the toilet seat that is thickened to prevent the buttocks and thighs of a person sitting on the toilet seat from descending below the rear surface of the toilet seat. A toilet seat apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The anti-glare portion is an opening reduction portion that reduces the opening of the toilet seat so that the buttocks or thighs of a person seated on the toilet seat do not fall below the rear surface of the toilet seat. A toilet seat apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. the reflection prevention unit is an image processing unit that processes the target image acquired by the image sensor, The image processing unit performs image processing to mask an area in the target image in which a human body is captured. A toilet seat apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The image sensor is capable of capturing an image of an internal direction of a drainage channel through which feces is discharged from a water collecting portion of the toilet bowl and is disposed in a direction facing an opening of the drainage channel. A toilet seat apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. A lighting unit is provided to illuminate the drainage channel on the back side of the bottom surface of the water storage portion of the toilet bowl.

8. A toilet seat arrangement as claimed in claim 7.

9. The image sensor is adjustable in brightness to match the illuminance inside the toilet bowl. A toilet seat apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The image sensor has a function of detecting dirt on the camera lens of the image sensor from an image captured by the image sensor and outputting a signal indicating that cleaning is required. A toilet seat apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. a support portion is provided that protrudes from the rear surface of the toilet seat and abuts against the upper surface of the toilet bowl when the toilet seat is closed; The image sensor is provided so as not to come into contact with the top surface of the toilet bowl. A toilet seat apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. the image sensor is disposed such that the center of the field of view of the image sensor faces beyond half of the surface of the water in the toilet bowl as viewed from the position of the image sensor; A toilet seat arrangement according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

Images