Flush water tank device and flush toilet device equipped with same

Abstract

To provide a flush water tank device capable of sufficiently condensing water vapor generated within the flush water tank device and effectively suppressing the outflow of water vapor. [Solution] The present invention is a flush water tank device (4) that stores flush water for flushing a toilet, and has a flush water tank body (26) that stores flush water for flushing a toilet, and an exhaust passage (44) that extends from an inlet (44a) through which air flows into the flush water tank body to an exhaust port (44b) that communicates with air outside the flush water tank body, and is characterized in that at least one heat dissipation wall (46) is provided inside the exhaust passage to promote condensation of moisture contained in the air that flows in from the flush water tank body through the inlet, and this heat dissipation wall extends along the exhaust passage.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a flush water tank apparatus, and in particular to a flush water tank apparatus that stores flush water for flushing a toilet, and a flush toilet apparatus that is equipped with the same. [Background technology]

[0002] JP 2015-68054 A (Patent Document 1) describes a toilet apparatus. This toilet apparatus has a toilet bowl body, a sealed flush water tank that stores flush water for flushing the toilet bowl body, and a casing that houses this flush water tank. This toilet apparatus also has an intake pipe that connects the inside of the sealed flush water tank with the space outside the flush water tank in the casing, so that air can be drawn in from the outside when the flush water in the sealed flush water tank is discharged. Water vapor generated by the evaporation of the flush water in the flush water tank is condensed in the intake pipe and then discharged, preventing the water vapor from spreading inside the casing and adversely affecting electrical equipment and the like inside the casing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-68054 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the toilet apparatus described in Patent Document 1 has the problem that the water vapor that flows out from the flush water tank cannot be sufficiently condensed inside the intake pipe, and the outflow of water vapor cannot be sufficiently suppressed.

[0005] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a flush water tank device that can sufficiently condense water vapor generated within the flush water tank device and effectively prevent the outflow of water vapor, and a flush toilet device equipped with the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention is a flush water tank device that stores flush water for flushing a toilet, and has a flush water tank body that stores flush water for flushing a toilet, and an exhaust passage that extends from an inlet into which air flows inside the flush water tank body to an exhaust port that is in communication with air outside the flush water tank body, and is characterized in that at least one heat dissipation wall is provided inside the exhaust passage to promote condensation of moisture contained in the air that flows in from the flush water tank body through the inlet, and this heat dissipation wall extends along the exhaust passage.

[0007] According to the present invention configured in this manner, a heat dissipation wall that promotes condensation of moisture contained in the air that flows in from the flush water tank body through the inlet is provided inside the exhaust passage, so the water vapor contained in the air that flows in from the flush water tank body can be sufficiently condensed and the water vapor that flows out from the flush water tank body can be sufficiently reduced. Also, because the heat dissipation wall extends along the exhaust passage, even if a heat dissipation wall is provided inside the exhaust passage, the flow resistance of the exhaust passage does not become excessively large. Therefore, when flush water is discharged from the flush water tank body, sufficient outside air can be drawn in through the exhaust passage, with no substantial adverse effect on the discharge of the flush water.

[0008] In the present invention, preferably, at least a portion of the exhaust passage is formed by an outer wall surface that comes into contact with the air outside the flush water tank body, and the heat dissipation wall is formed so as to extend from the outer wall surface into the exhaust passage.

[0009] According to the present invention configured in this way, the heat dissipation wall is formed to extend from the outer wall surface into the exhaust passage, so heat from the heat dissipation wall is dissipated into the air outside the flush water tank body via the outer wall surface. This makes it possible to maintain the heat dissipation wall at a relatively low temperature, allowing condensation to occur effectively on the heat dissipation wall.

[0010] In the present invention, preferably, a portion of the exhaust passage is formed by the inner wall surface that comes into contact with the air inside the flush water tank body, and the heat dissipation wall is separated from the inner wall surface.

[0011] Generally, when the temperature inside the flush water tank body is higher than the outside air temperature, the amount of water vapor flowing into the exhaust passage increases. According to the present invention configured as described above, the heat dissipation wall is separated from the inner wall surface, so heat inside the flush water tank body is less likely to be transferred to the heat dissipation wall via the inner wall surface, and the heat dissipation wall can be kept at a relatively low temperature even when the temperature inside the flush water tank body is high. This allows condensation to occur effectively on the heat dissipation wall.

[0012] In the present invention, preferably, at least two heat dissipation walls are provided, two of which are formed to extend parallel to one another within the exhaust passage, and at least a portion of the space between the two parallel-extending heat dissipation walls is connected to the space outside the cleaning water tank body.

[0013] According to the present invention configured in this manner, at least a portion of the space between the two heat dissipation walls extending in parallel is connected to the space outside the cleaning water tank body, so that the heat dissipation wall facing the inside of the exhaust passage can be cooled directly from the back side by air outside the cleaning water tank body, thereby effectively cooling the heat dissipation wall.

[0014] In the present invention, the heat dissipation wall preferably extends from the outer wall surface into the exhaust passage and is composed of two wall surfaces that extend parallel to each other within the exhaust passage and a wall surface that connects the tips of these two wall surfaces, and the space between the two parallel extending wall surfaces is connected to the space outside the flush water tank body.

[0015] According to the present invention configured in this manner, the heat dissipation wall has two wall surfaces that extend parallel from the outer wall surface into the exhaust passage, the tips of these wall surfaces are connected to each other, and the space between them is connected to the space outside the cleaning water tank body, so that the entire two parallel extending wall surfaces can be cooled directly from the back side, thereby fully enhancing the heat dissipation effect.

[0016] In the present invention, preferably, the exhaust passage comprises an outer wall surface that comes into contact with the air outside the cleaning water tank body, and an inner wall surface that comes into contact with the air inside the cleaning water tank body, the inner wall surface being a double wall, and the heat dissipation wall is arranged to connect the surface of the double wall that does not come into contact with the air inside the cleaning water tank body to the outer wall surface.

[0017] According to the present invention configured in this way, the inner wall surface is a double wall, and the heat dissipation wall is provided to connect the surface of the double wall that does not come into contact with the air inside the flush water tank body to the outer wall surface. As a result, while heat from inside the flush water tank body is not easily transferred to the heat dissipation wall, heat from the heat dissipation wall is transferred to the outer wall surface and dissipated to the outside of the flush water tank body, so the heat dissipation wall can be maintained at a relatively low temperature and condensation can be effectively generated on the heat dissipation wall.

[0018] In the present invention, it is preferable that the device further includes a lid member that covers the top of the cleaning water tank body, the exhaust passage being provided in the lid member, and heat dissipation fins being provided on the outer surface of the lid member, and the heat dissipation fins and the heat dissipation wall being approximately perpendicular when viewed from above.

[0019] According to the present invention configured in this manner, an exhaust passage is provided in the cover member, and heat dissipation fins are provided on the outer surface of the cover member.The heat dissipation fins and the heat dissipation wall are approximately perpendicular when viewed from above, so that the heat dissipation wall in the exhaust passage and the heat dissipation fins on the outer surface of the cover member can be easily molded simultaneously by resin molding.

[0020] The present invention is also a flush toilet apparatus equipped with a flush water tank apparatus, characterized by having a flush toilet main body and a flush water tank apparatus of the present invention attached to the rear of the flush toilet main body, for storing flush water used to clean the flush toilet main body. [Effects of the Invention]

[0021] According to the flush water tank device and flush toilet device equipped with it of the present invention, water vapor generated within the flush water tank device can be sufficiently condensed, and the outflow of water vapor can be effectively suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, taken along line II-II in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a flush water supply system in a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a flush water tank apparatus provided in a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an enlarged front cross-sectional view of the upper part of the flush water tank provided in the flush toilet apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a lid member provided in a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a lid member provided in a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lid member portion of a flush water tank apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a first lid member that forms part of the lid member in a flush water tank assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Next, a flush water tank apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention and a flush toilet apparatus equipped with it will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Fig. 1 is a plan view showing a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a side cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Fig. 1.

[0024] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the flush toilet apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a siphon jet type flush toilet, and comprises a ceramic flush toilet main body 2, a resin toilet seat and toilet lid (not shown) placed on the top surface of this flush toilet main body 2, and a flush water tank apparatus 4 placed at the upper rear of the flush toilet main body 2, and covered by a resin cover (not shown).

[0025] The flush toilet body 2 is formed with a bowl portion 6 for receiving waste, a drain trap pipe 8 provided at the bottom of the bowl portion 6 for discharging waste by siphon action, a rim spout 10 for rim water spouting, a rim water conduit 12 for guiding flush water to the rim spout, a jet spout 14 for jet water spouting, and a jet water conduit 16 for guiding flush water to the jet spout 14.

[0026] Bowl portion 6 has a bowl-shaped waste receiving surface 18, a rim portion 20 formed along the upper edge of bowl portion 6, and a shelf portion 21 formed between waste receiving surface 18 and rim portion 20. Bowl portion 6 also has a pot portion 22 formed in the area below waste receiving surface 18 and connected to drain trap pipe line 8. A water sealing surface W is formed inside pot portion 22.

[0027] The drain trap pipeline 8 has an inlet portion 8a, an ascending pipeline 8b extending upward from the inlet portion 8a, a descending pipeline 8c extending downward from the ascending pipeline 8b, and a top portion 8d located between the descending pipeline 8c and the ascending pipeline 8b and defining the seal water level. Here, the lower end of the descending pipe 8c of the drain trap pipe 8 is connected to a drain pipe (not shown) via a drain socket (not shown).

[0028] When looking at the flush toilet body 2 from the front, the rim spout 10 is formed on the rear left side of the rim portion 20. The rim spout 10 spouts flush water forward, and this flush water swirls around the inner circumferential surface of the rim portion 20 and the shelf surface of the shelf portion 21 as it flows down to the waste receiving surface 18.

[0029] The rim water conduit 12 is formed in a tapered shape with the flow path cross section gradually becoming smaller towards the rim water outlet 10. Flush water is supplied to the rim water conduit 12 from the water mains via the flush water tank device 4, and flush water is discharged from the rim water outlet 10 due to the water supply pressure of the water mains.

[0030] Jet water outlet 14 is formed in the bottom of bowl portion 6. Jet water outlet 14 is positioned opposite inlet 8a of drain trap pipe 8 and is directed toward inlet 8a of drain trap pipe 8. Jet water outlet 14 ejects flush water toward inlet 8a of drain trap pipe 8, and this flush water flows into drain trap pipe 8, activating the siphon action.

[0031] The jet water conduit 16 comprises an upstream flow path 16a that extends forward from the flush water tank device 4, a curved flow path 16b that curves from this upstream flow path, and a downstream flow path 16c that extends rearward from this curved flow path and connects to the jet water spouting port 14. Flush water is supplied to the jet water conduit 16 from the flush water tank body 26 (Figure 3) of the flush water tank device 4, and the head pressure of the flush water causes the flush water to be spouted from the jet water spouting port 14.

[0032] Next, with new reference to Figures 3 to 7, the flush water tank apparatus 4 provided in the flush toilet apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained. Figure 3 is a block diagram showing a flush water supply system in a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a perspective view of a flush water tank apparatus 4 provided in a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 5 is a front cross-sectional view showing an enlarged view of the upper part of a flush water tank apparatus 4 according to this embodiment. Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged perspective views of a lid member provided in a flush water tank apparatus 4 according to this embodiment.

[0033] As shown in Figure 3, the flush water tank device 4 is composed of a valve unit 24 that starts and stops the supply of flush water from the water line, and a flush water tank body 26 made of resin that stores the flush water supplied through the valve unit 24.

[0034] The valve unit 24 has built-in constant flow valve 30, tank water supply solenoid valve 32, rim water discharge solenoid valve 34, and controller 35 that controls the tank water supply solenoid valve 32 and rim water discharge solenoid valve 34. Diaphragm valves (not shown) are each built into the tank water supply solenoid valve 32 and rim water discharge solenoid valve 34, and the supply of flush water is started and stopped by opening and closing these diaphragm valves. The flush water tank main body 26 is also equipped with a drain valve 36, a float switch 38, and a vacuum breaker 40. In addition to a diaphragm valve, the tank water supply solenoid valve 32 may also be equipped with a manually operated valve that is opened and closed manually.

[0035] In this embodiment, the flush water tank body 26 is a small resin tank with a volume of approximately 2 liters. The lower part of the flush water tank body 26 is positioned below the upper surface of the rim part 20 of the flush toilet body 2, and above the top 8d of the drain trap pipe 8. This makes the flush toilet apparatus 1 a low-silhouette type toilet. Also, in this embodiment, the flush water in the flush water tank body 26 is discharged from the jet spout 14 by gravity.

[0036] Stop valve 28 is configured to stop the water supplied from water pipe 28a during maintenance, etc., and tap water that passes through stop valve 28 flows into valve unit 24 as flushing water. Therefore, during normal use, stop valve 28 is used in the "open" state. The constant flow valve 30 is provided downstream of the stopcock 28 and is configured to regulate the water supplied from the water main to a predetermined flow rate before allowing it to flow out. The water flowing out of this constant flow valve 30 branches off and flows into a tank water supply solenoid valve 32 and a rim water discharge solenoid valve 34, respectively.

[0037] The tank water supply electromagnetic valve 32 is opened and closed based on the user's flushing operation, and flush water that flows out from the tank water supply electromagnetic valve 32 flows into the flush water tank body 26 and is stored there. The rim water discharge solenoid valve 34 is opened and closed based on the user's flushing operation, and the flush water flowing out from the rim water discharge solenoid valve 34 is discharged from the rim water outlet 10 of the flush toilet main body 2 via the rim water conduit 12.

[0038] The controller 35 is configured to receive control signals from a remote control 35a operated by the user and control the opening and closing of the tank water supply solenoid valve 32 and the rim water discharge solenoid valve 34. The controller 35 is also configured to control the tank water supply solenoid valve 32 based on a detection signal from a float switch 38.

[0039] Drain valve 36 is provided on the bottom surface of flush water tank main body 26, and is opened based on the user's flushing operation, causing flush water stored in flush water tank main body 26 to be discharged from rim spout 10 via jet water conduit 16. Drain valve 36 is also configured to be pulled up from drain outlet 26a by toilet flushing motor 36a provided on the top of flush water tank main body 26, opening drain outlet 26a. Toilet flushing motor 36a is configured to pull up drain valve 36 at a predetermined timing based on a control signal from controller 35 when the toilet is being flushed.

[0040] The float switch 38 is configured to detect the water level in the flush water tank main body 26, and is configured to detect when the water level in the flush water tank main body 26 reaches a predetermined storage water level and send a detection signal to the controller 35.

[0041] The vacuum breaker 40 is positioned inside the flush water tank main body 26 above a predetermined stored water level, and is provided downstream of the rim water discharge solenoid valve 34 and upstream of the rim water conduit 12. As a result, if negative pressure occurs on the side of the rim water discharge solenoid valve 34, air is drawn in from the vacuum breaker 40, preventing flush water from flowing back from the rim water discharge port 10 side to the rim water discharge solenoid valve 34 side. Also, if flush water flows back from the rim water discharge port 10 side, the backflowing flush water flows out of the vacuum breaker 40 and flows into the flush water tank main body 26.

[0042] Next, the structure of the flush water tank device 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in Figure 4, the flush water tank main body 26 is a resin tank in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape, and is attached to the rear of the flush toilet main body 2, and is configured to store flush water used to flush the flush toilet main body 2. A drain outlet 26a is provided on the bottom of the flush water tank main body 26, and this drain outlet 26a is configured to be opened and closed by a drain valve 36.

[0043] The jet water conduit 16 provided in the flush toilet main body 2 is connected downstream of this drain outlet 26a, and when the drain valve 36 is opened, flush water in the flush water tank main body 26 is discharged into the jet water conduit 16 of the flush toilet main body 2. As a result, flush water for flushing the toilet passes through the jet water conduit 16 and is discharged from the jet water spout 14. In this embodiment, flush water in the flush water tank main body 26 is only discharged from the jet water spout 14, but the present invention can also be applied to flush toilet apparatuses of the type in which the entire amount of flush water used for flushing is supplied from a flush water tank apparatus.

[0044] Furthermore, the flush water tank main body 26 is a resin container that is open at the top for storing flush water, but the upper opening is covered by the lid member 42. Also, the above-mentioned vacuum breaker 40 is housed on the underside of the lid member 42, and the toilet flush motor 36a for pulling up the drain valve 36 is located on the upper side of the lid member 42. Furthermore, an exhaust passage 44 (Figure 5) is formed inside the lid member 42, and the space inside the flush water tank main body 26 and the space above the lid member 42 (outside air) are substantially in communication only via the exhaust passage 44. In other words, the flush water tank main body 26 is a sealed flush water tank.

[0045] Furthermore, in this embodiment, lid member 42 is made up of two members: a first lid member 42a positioned above drain outlet 26a, and a second lid member 42b that houses vacuum breaker 40, and covers the upper opening of flush water tank body 26. That is, lid member 42 is made up of first lid member 42a and second lid member 42b connected together, and exhaust passage 44 is provided so as to cross first lid member 42a and second lid member 42b. In addition, toilet flushing motor 36a is attached to the top surface of second lid member 42b, rearward of exhaust passage 44 (Figure 5).

[0046] Next, the structure of the exhaust passage 44 provided in the cover member 42 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5, exhaust passage 44 is a passage formed inside lid member 42, and extends from inlet 44a, through which air from inside flush water tank body 26 flows in, to exhaust port 44b, which is in communication with the outside air outside flush water tank body 26. As mentioned above, in this embodiment, flush water tank apparatus 4 (flush water tank body 26) is covered by a resin cover (not shown). However, because air can easily flow between the space inside and the space outside this cover, in this specification, the air above lid member 42, even though it is inside the cover, is referred to as "outside air." Also, in this specification, the inside of flush water tank body 26 means the space surrounded by flush water tank body 26 and lid member 42, and the outside of flush water tank body 26 means the outside of flush water tank body 26 and lid member 42.

[0047] Furthermore, the exhaust passage 44 extends laterally from an inlet 44a formed near the center of the flush water tank body 26 to an exhaust port 44b near one end of the flush water tank body 26, and is oriented in the width direction of the flush water tank body 26. Furthermore, the upstream portion of the exhaust passage 44 where the inlet 44a is formed is formed by the second cover member 42b, which constitutes a part of the cover member 42. Furthermore, the downstream portion of the exhaust passage 44 where the exhaust port 44b is formed is formed by the first cover member 42a, which constitutes a part of the cover member 42. In other words, the upstream and downstream portions of the exhaust passage 44 are formed by separate members. Furthermore, the inlet 44a of the exhaust passage 44 is formed in the second cover member 42b so as to open to the bottom wall 44c of the exhaust passage 44. Meanwhile, the exhaust port 44b of the exhaust passage 44 is formed in the first cover member 42a so as to open to the side of the first cover member 42a (to the right in FIG. 5).

[0048] Furthermore, a heat dissipation wall 46 is provided inside the exhaust passage 44, extending along the exhaust passage 44 in the longitudinal direction of the exhaust passage 44. This heat dissipation wall 46 is provided to promote condensation of moisture contained in the air that flows into the exhaust passage 44 from inside the flush water tank body 26 through the inlet 44a. In other words, water vapor generated by the evaporation of the stored flush water is present in the space inside the flush water tank body 26. If this air containing a lot of water vapor flows directly into the space outside the flush water tank body 26, the humidity will increase in the space inside the resin cover (not shown) that is provided to surround the flush water tank body 26. Because electrical components such as the toilet flush motor 36a are housed inside this resin cover, if the humidity in the space inside the resin cover increases and condensation occurs, it will cause malfunctions in the electrical components. Therefore, in the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, a heat dissipation wall 46 is provided inside the exhaust passage 44, causing the water vapor contained in the air that flows into the exhaust passage 44 to condense on the heat dissipation wall 46, thereby reducing the water vapor that flows out from the exhaust port 44b of the exhaust passage 44.

[0049] Next, the configuration of the exhaust passage 44 and the heat dissipation wall 46 provided therein will be described with reference to FIGS. Figures 6 and 7 are perspective views showing the first cover member 42a that constitutes part of the cover member 42. Figure 6 is a view of the exhaust passage 44 of the first cover member 42a from the exhaust port 44b side (from the right side in Figure 5), and Figure 7 is a view of the exhaust passage 44 of the first cover member 42a from the inlet 44a side (from the left side in Figure 5).

[0050] 6 and 7, the exhaust passage 44 provided in the first cover member 42a is a passage surrounded by a bottom wall 44c, a ceiling wall 44d, a first side wall 44e, and a second side wall 44f. The heat dissipation wall 46 is a wall surface provided to hang down from the ceiling wall 44d of the exhaust passage 44.

[0051] As shown in Figure 7, bottom wall 44c is a wall surface that forms the floor of exhaust passage 44, with the upper side of bottom wall 44c being the internal space of exhaust passage 44 and the lower side being the space inside flush water tank body 26. Also, first side wall 44e is a wall surface that forms one side of exhaust passage 44, with one side (the right side in Figure 7) being the internal space of exhaust passage 44 and the other side (the left side in Figure 7) being the space inside flush water tank body 26. Therefore, in this embodiment, bottom wall 44c and first side wall 44e make up the "inner wall surface" that comes into contact with the air inside flush water tank body 26.

[0052] On the other hand, ceiling wall 44d is a wall surface that forms the ceiling surface of exhaust passage 44, with the lower side of ceiling wall 44d being the internal space of exhaust passage 44 and the upper side being the space outside flush water tank body 26. Also, second side wall 44f is a wall surface that forms one side of exhaust passage 44, with one side (the left side in Figure 7) being the internal space of exhaust passage 44 and the other side (the right side in Figure 7) being the space outside flush water tank body 26. Therefore, in this embodiment, ceiling wall 44d and second side wall 44f make up the "outer wall surface" that comes into contact with the air outside flush water tank body 26.

[0053] Thus, in this embodiment, some wall surfaces of the exhaust passage 44 are made up of "inner wall surfaces" that come into contact with the air inside the flush water tank body 26, and other wall surfaces are made up of "outer wall surfaces" that come into contact with the air outside the flush water tank body 26. The heat dissipation wall 46 is formed to extend into the exhaust passage 44 from the ceiling wall 44d, which is the "outer wall surface," and is separated from the bottom wall 44c and first side wall 44e, which are the "inner wall surfaces." As a result, heat from the air inside the flush water tank body 26 is not easily transferred to the heat dissipation wall 46, but heat exchange occurs easily between the heat dissipation wall 46 and the ceiling wall 44d, and the temperature of the heat dissipation wall 46 becomes close to the temperature of the air outside the flush water tank body 26.

[0054] Furthermore, the heat dissipation wall 46 is formed to extend into the exhaust passage 44 from the ceiling wall 44d, which is the outer wall surface. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation wall 46 is composed of a first heat dissipation wall 46a and a second heat dissipation wall 46b that hang down from the ceiling wall 44d, and a third heat dissipation wall 46c that connects the lower ends of these heat dissipation walls. That is, the heat dissipation wall 46 composed of the first heat dissipation wall 46a, the second heat dissipation wall 46b, and the third heat dissipation wall 46c is configured as a wall surface with a U-shaped cross section as a whole. Of these heat dissipation walls, the first heat dissipation wall 46a and the second heat dissipation wall 46b extend parallel to each other through the exhaust passage 44. Furthermore, the space between the first heat dissipation wall 46a and the second heat dissipation wall 46b is in communication with the space outside the flush water tank body 26, as shown in FIG. 6. For this reason, the back side of each heat dissipation wall comes into direct contact with the air outside the flush water tank body 26, and the temperature of the heat dissipation wall 46 becomes close to the temperature of the air outside the flush water tank body 26.

[0055] Furthermore, when the drain valve 36 inside the flush water tank body 26 is pulled up and flush water is discharged from the drain port 26a during toilet flushing, outside air is drawn into the flush water tank body 26 through the exhaust passage 44. Here, if the flow path resistance of the exhaust passage 44 is high, outside air cannot be drawn in quickly, which would hinder the discharge of flush water from the drain port 26a. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation wall 46 provided inside the exhaust passage 44 extends along the exhaust passage 44, and so even if the heat dissipation wall 46 is provided, the flow path resistance of the exhaust passage 44 is kept low and does not hinder the discharge of flush water.

[0056] Next, the operation of the flush toilet device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to Figures 1 and 3. First, when the user operates the toilet flush switch (not shown) on the remote control 35a, a flush command signal is sent to the controller 35. On receiving the flush command signal, the controller 35 sends a control signal to the rim water spouting solenoid valve 34 of the valve unit 24, causing it to open. As a result, flush water supplied from the water supply passes through the rim water spouting solenoid valve 34, vacuum breaker 40 and rim water conduit 12 and is discharged from the rim water outlet 10. The flush water discharged from the rim water outlet 10 forms a swirling flow above the waste receiving surface 18 of the bowl section 6, cleaning the waste receiving surface 18.

[0057] When a predetermined time has elapsed after the rim water discharge solenoid valve 34 has been opened, the controller 35 sends a control signal to the toilet flushing motor 36a, which causes the toilet flushing motor 36a to raise the drain valve 36. This opens the drain valve 36, and flush water that has been stored in the flush water tank main body 26 is discharged from the jet spout 14 through the jet water conduit 16. This induces a siphon phenomenon in the drain trap pipe 8, and the flush water and waste in the bowl section 6 are discharged through the drain trap pipe 8. At this time, the flush water in the flush water tank main body 26 is discharged, while outside air is drawn into the flush water tank main body 26 through the exhaust passage 44.

[0058] Controller 35 also sends a control signal to tank water supply solenoid valve 32 of valve unit 24, causing it to open. As a result, flush water supplied from the water line passes through tank water supply solenoid valve 32 and is supplied into flush water tank main body 26.

[0059] Furthermore, when the water level inside flush water tank main body 26 drops to a predetermined level, drain valve 36 closes drain outlet 26a, stopping water from being discharged from jet water spout 14. Even after drain outlet 26a is closed, rim water discharge solenoid valve 34 remains open, and flush water supplied from the water mains is discharged from rim water discharge outlet 10. When the water is discharged from rim water discharge outlet 10, causing the water level inside bowl section 6 to rise to a predetermined level and refilling is complete, controller 35 sends a control signal to rim water discharge solenoid valve 34 of valve unit 24, causing it to close.

[0060] Meanwhile, because tank water supply solenoid valve 32 remains open even after drain valve 36 is closed, the flush water that flows into flush water tank main body 26 causes the water level in flush water tank main body 26 to rise. When the water level in flush water tank main body 26 rises to a predetermined storage water level, float switch 38 detects this and a detection signal is sent to controller 35. On receiving a detection signal from float switch 38, controller 35 sends a control signal to tank water supply solenoid valve 32, causing it to close. This completes the supply of water to flush water tank main body 26 and one toilet flush.

[0061] Furthermore, when the flush toilet apparatus 1 is on standby, some of the flush water stored within the flush water tank body 26 evaporates, becoming water vapor, and flows out through the exhaust passage 44 together with the air within the flush water tank body 26. In particular, when the temperature of the stored flush water is relatively high, a lot of the flush water evaporates and becomes water vapor. Then, when the outside air temperature outside the flush water tank body 26 is relatively low, the generated water vapor is likely to condense. In the flush water tank apparatus 4 of this embodiment, a heat dissipation wall 46 is provided in the exhaust passage 44, so the water vapor contained in the air that flows out through the exhaust passage 44 is easily condensed by the heat dissipation wall 46. For this reason, the water vapor contained in the outflowing air can be effectively condensed within the exhaust passage 44, and the amount of water vapor that flows out through the exhaust passage 44 and from the exhaust port 44b is reduced.

[0062] Also, because the heat dissipation wall 46 is separated from the bottom wall 44c and first side wall 44e, which are inner wall surfaces, the temperature is less likely to rise even when the temperature inside the flush water tank body 26 is high. Furthermore, because the heat dissipation wall 46 extends from the ceiling wall 44d, which is the outer wall surface, heat from the heat dissipation wall 46 is conducted to the ceiling wall 44d and dissipated from the ceiling wall 44d into the outside air. For this reason, the heat dissipation wall 46 is cooled by the outside air, allowing the heat dissipation wall 46 to be maintained at a relatively low temperature, making it easier to condense water vapor that comes into contact with the heat dissipation wall 46.

[0063] According to the flush water tank apparatus 4 of the first embodiment of the present invention, a heat dissipation wall 46 that promotes condensation of moisture contained in the air that flows in from the flush water tank main body 26 through the inlet 44a is provided inside the exhaust passage 44, so the water vapor contained in the air that flows in from the flush water tank main body 26 can be sufficiently condensed and the water vapor that flows out from the flush water tank main body 26 can be sufficiently reduced. Also, because the heat dissipation wall 46 extends along the exhaust passage 44, even if the heat dissipation wall 46 is provided inside the exhaust passage 44, the flow path resistance of the exhaust passage 44 does not become excessively large. For this reason, when flush water is discharged from the flush water tank main body 26, outside air can be sufficiently drawn in through the exhaust passage 44, with no substantial adverse effect on the discharge of the flush water.

[0064] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank apparatus 4 of this embodiment, the heat dissipation wall 46 is formed so as to extend from the ceiling wall 44d, which is the outer wall surface, into the exhaust passage 44, so the heat of the heat dissipation wall 46 is dissipated via the ceiling wall 44d into the air outside the flush water tank body 26. For this reason, the heat dissipation wall 46 can be maintained at a relatively low temperature, and condensation can be effectively generated on the heat dissipation wall 46.

[0065] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank apparatus 4 of this embodiment, the heat dissipation wall 46 is separated from the bottom wall 44c and first side wall 44e, which are the inner wall surfaces, so heat from within the flush water tank body 26 is not easily transferred to the heat dissipation wall 46 via the bottom wall 44c or first side wall 44e, and the heat dissipation wall 46 can be maintained at a relatively low temperature even when the temperature inside the flush water tank body 26 is high. This allows condensation to occur effectively on the heat dissipation wall 46.

[0066] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the space between the first heat dissipation wall 46a and the second heat dissipation wall 46b, which extend in parallel, is connected to the space outside the flush water tank main body 26, so that the first heat dissipation wall 46a and the second heat dissipation wall 46b, which face the inside of the exhaust passage 44, can be cooled directly from the back side by air outside the flush water tank main body 26, and the heat dissipation wall 46 can be effectively cooled.

[0067] Furthermore, according to the flushing water tank device 4 of this embodiment, the heat dissipation wall 46 comprises a first heat dissipation wall 46a and a second heat dissipation wall 46b which extend parallel to each other from the outer wall surface, the ceiling wall 44d, into the exhaust passage 44, and the tips of these walls are connected to each other by a third heat dissipation wall 46c, and the space between them is connected to the space outside the flushing water tank main body 26, so that the entire first heat dissipation wall 46a and second heat dissipation wall 46b which extend parallel to each other can be cooled directly from the back side, thereby sufficiently enhancing the heat dissipation effect.

[0068] Next, a flush water tank apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention, and a flush toilet apparatus equipped with it, will be described with reference to Figures 8 and 9. The flush water tank apparatus of this embodiment differs from the first embodiment described above in the structure of the exhaust passage provided in the lid member that covers the flush water tank body. Therefore, below, only the parts of the second embodiment of the present invention that differ from the first embodiment will be explained, and explanations of similar configurations, actions, and effects will be omitted.

[0069] Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lid member in a flush water tank assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a perspective view of a first lid member that makes up part of the lid member in a flush water tank assembly according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[0070] In the second embodiment of the present invention, the exhaust passage is also formed inside the cover member. As shown in Figure 8, like the first embodiment, the cover member 50 is made up of a first cover member 50a and a second cover member 50b, and is attached so as to cover the top of the flush water tank body. Also in this embodiment, an exhaust passage 52 is provided so as to cross the first cover member 50a and the second cover member 50b.

[0071] As shown in Figure 8, exhaust passage 52 extends from inlet 52a formed on the underside of first cover member 50a to exhaust port 52b formed on the side of second cover member 50b. Air from inside the flush water tank body flows into inlet 52a, and exhaust port 52b is in communication with the outside air outside the flush water tank body. Also, in this embodiment, exhaust passage 52 is oriented in the width direction of the flush water tank body, extending laterally from inlet 52a located at one end of the flush water tank body to exhaust port 52b located near the center.

[0072] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, two heat dissipation walls 54 are provided inside the exhaust passage 52 formed in the first lid member 50a, extending along the exhaust passage 52 in the longitudinal direction of the exhaust passage 52. That is, inside the first lid member 50a, the exhaust passage 52 is divided into three passages by the two heat dissipation walls 54 extending in parallel. These heat dissipation walls 54 are provided to promote condensation of moisture contained in air that flows into the exhaust passage 52 from inside the flush water tank body through the inlet 52a (Figure 8). That is, by providing the heat dissipation walls 54 inside the exhaust passage 52, water vapor contained in the air that flows into the exhaust passage 52 is condensed on the heat dissipation walls 54, thereby reducing the water vapor that flows out from the exhaust port 52b (Figure 8) of the exhaust passage 52.

[0073] Next, as shown in Figure 9, the exhaust passage 52 provided in the first lid member 50a is a passage surrounded by a bottom wall 56, a ceiling wall 58, a first side wall 60, and a second side wall 62. The heat dissipation wall 54 is a wall surface provided to connect the ceiling wall 58 and bottom wall 56 of the exhaust passage 52. In this embodiment, the bottom wall 56 and the first side wall 60 form the "inner wall surface" that comes into contact with the air inside the flush water tank body, and the ceiling wall 58 and the second side wall 62 form the "outer wall surface" that comes into contact with the air outside the flush water tank body.

[0074] Here, the bottom wall 56 and first side wall 60, which are the inner wall surfaces that make up the exhaust passage 52, are each composed of a double wall. That is, the bottom wall 56 is a double wall composed of an inner wall portion 56a located on the inside of the exhaust passage 52 and an outer wall portion 56b located on the outside, and the first side wall 60 is a double wall composed of an inner wall portion 60a located on the inside of the exhaust passage 52 and an outer wall portion 60b located on the outside. As a result, spaces are provided between the inner wall portion 56a and the outer wall portion 56b of the bottom wall 56, and between the inner wall portion 60a and the outer wall portion 60b of the first side wall 60, respectively, and the spaces between the inner wall portions and the outer wall portions are insulated. The inner wall portion 56a of the bottom wall 56 and the inner wall portion 60a of the first side wall 60 are the surfaces of the double walls that do not come into contact with the air inside the flush water tank body.

[0075] As described above, in this embodiment, some wall surfaces of exhaust passage 52 are made up of "inner wall surfaces" that come into contact with the air inside the flush water tank body, and other wall surfaces are made up of "outer wall surfaces" that come into contact with the air outside the flush water tank body. Heat dissipation wall 54 extends to connect ceiling wall 58, which is the "outer wall surface," with inner wall portion 56a of bottom wall 56, which is the "inner wall surface." Here, heat is insulated between inner wall portion 56a and outer wall portion 56b of bottom wall 56, which is the "inner wall surface." As a result, heat from the air inside the flush water tank body is not easily transferred to heat dissipation wall 54, but heat exchange occurs easily with ceiling wall 58, and the temperature of heat dissipation wall 54 becomes close to the temperature of the air outside the flush water tank body.

[0076] 8 and 9, a plurality of heat dissipation fins 64 are provided on the outer surface (top surface) of the first cover member 50a. In this embodiment, these fins 64 are formed on the outside of the ceiling wall 58 and the second side wall 62, which are the outer wall surfaces of the exhaust passage 52. By providing the heat dissipation fins 64 on the outer surface of the first cover member 50a in this manner, heat exchange between the first cover member 50a and the outside air is promoted, and the temperatures of the ceiling wall 58 and the second side wall 62 of the exhaust passage 52 become closer to the outside air temperature. As a result, heat from the heat dissipation wall 54 extending from the ceiling wall 58 can be easily dissipated into the outside air, and the temperature of the heat dissipation wall 54 can be maintained low.

[0077] Furthermore, each fin 64 is oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to the exhaust passage 52 in a top view. As a result, the heat dissipation wall 54 extending along the exhaust passage 52 and each fin 64 are generally perpendicular to each other in a top view. In this embodiment, the first cover member 50a is integrally molded from resin. Therefore, when injection-molding the first cover member 50a, it is necessary to inject resin into a mold (not shown) and then remove an elongated mold (not shown) from the portion that will become the exhaust passage 52. Meanwhile, a plurality of fins 64 are molded on the outside of the exhaust passage 52, generally perpendicular to the exhaust passage 52. As a result, when the elongated mold (not shown) that molded the exhaust passage 52 is removed from the injection-molded first cover member 50a, the molded fins 64 engage with the outer mold, making it easy to remove the mold from the exhaust passage 52. This allows the heat dissipation wall 54 inside the exhaust passage 52 and the heat dissipation fins 64 on the outer surface of the first lid member 50a to be easily molded simultaneously by resin molding.

[0078] Furthermore, in the flush toilet device of this embodiment as well, when the toilet is flushed, the drain valve inside the flush water tank body is pulled up and flush water is discharged from the drain port, and outside air is drawn into the flush water tank body through the exhaust passage 52. In this embodiment, the heat dissipation wall 54 provided inside the exhaust passage 52 extends along the exhaust passage 52, and therefore, even though the heat dissipation wall 54 is provided, the flow resistance of the exhaust passage 52 is kept low and does not interfere with the discharge of flush water.

[0079] Furthermore, when the flush toilet device is on standby, water vapor generated when part of the flush water in the flush water tank body evaporates flows into the exhaust passage 52 together with the air inside the flush water tank body. In the flush water tank device of this embodiment, a heat dissipation wall 54 is provided in the exhaust passage 52, so the water vapor contained in the air that flows out through the exhaust passage 52 can easily be condensed by the heat dissipation wall 54. For this reason, the water vapor contained in the outflowing air can be effectively condensed inside the exhaust passage 52, and the amount of water vapor that flows out through the exhaust passage 52 and from the exhaust port 52b is reduced.

[0080] Furthermore, although the heat dissipation wall 54 is connected to the bottom wall 56, which is the inner wall surface, it is connected to the inner wall portion 56a of the bottom wall 56, which is insulated from the air inside the flush water tank body, so the temperature does not easily rise even when the temperature inside the flush water tank body is high. Furthermore, because the heat dissipation wall 54 extends from the ceiling wall 58, which is the outer wall surface, heat from the heat dissipation wall 54 is conducted to the ceiling wall 58 and dissipated from the ceiling wall 58 to the outside air. Also, because the ceiling wall 58 and the second side wall 62 are provided with heat dissipation fins 64, the heat conducted to these wall surfaces is quickly dissipated to the outside air. For this reason, the heat dissipation wall 54 is cooled by the outside air, allowing the heat dissipation wall 54 to be maintained at a relatively low temperature, making it easy for water vapor that comes into contact with the heat dissipation wall 54 to condense.

[0081] According to the flush water tank apparatus of the second embodiment of the present invention, bottom wall 56, which is the inner wall surface, is made up of a double wall, and heat dissipation wall 54 is provided to connect inner wall portion 56a of the double wall, which is the side that does not come into contact with the air inside the flush water tank body, to ceiling wall 58, which is the outer wall surface. Because of this, while heat from inside the flush water tank body is not easily transferred to heat dissipation wall 54, heat from heat dissipation wall 54 is transferred to ceiling wall 58 and dissipated to the outside of the flush water tank body, heat dissipation wall 54 can be maintained at a relatively low temperature and condensation can be generated effectively on heat dissipation wall 54.

[0082] Furthermore, according to the flush water tank device of this embodiment, the exhaust passage 52 is provided in the first cover member 50a, and heat dissipation fins 64 are provided on the ceiling wall 58 and second side wall 62, which are the outer surfaces of the first cover member 50a, and the heat dissipation fins 64 and the heat dissipation wall 54 are approximately perpendicular when viewed from above, so the heat dissipation wall 54 in the exhaust passage 52 and the heat dissipation fins 64 on the outer surface of the first cover member 50a can be easily molded simultaneously by resin molding.

[0083] Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, various modifications can be made to the above-described embodiments. For example, in the above-described embodiments, the lid member is composed of two members, a first lid member and a second lid member, but it may also be composed of one member. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] 1 Flush toilet device 2 Flush toilet body 4 Cleaning water tank device 6 Bowl section 8 Drain trap pipe 8a Entrance 8b Ascending pipe 8c descending pipe 8d top 10 Rim Spout 12 Rim Waterway 14 Jet outlet 16 Jet Waterway 16a Upstream channel 16b Bent flow path 16c Downstream channel 18 Waste receiving surface 20 Rim 21 Shelf 22 Pressure Points 24 Valve unit 26 Cleaning water tank body 26a Drain port 28 Stop valve 28a Water pipes 30 Constant flow valve 32 Tank water supply solenoid valve 34 Rim water outlet solenoid valve 35 Controller 35a Remote Control 36 Drain valve 36a Toilet flush motor 38 Float switch 40 Vacuum Breaker 42 Lid member 42a First cover member 42b Second cover member 44 Exhaust passage 44a Inlet 44b Exhaust port 44c Bottom wall (inner wall) 44d Ceiling wall (outer wall surface) 44e First side wall (inner wall) 44f 2nd side wall (outer wall surface) 46 Heat dissipation wall 46a First heat dissipation wall 46b Second heat dissipation wall 46c Third heat dissipation wall 50 Lid member 50a First cover member 50b second cover member 52 Exhaust passage 52a Inlet 52b Exhaust port 54 Heat dissipation wall 56 Bottom wall (inner wall) 56a Inner wall 56b Exterior wall 58 Ceiling wall (outer wall surface) 60 First side wall (inner wall) 60a Inner wall 60b External wall 62 2nd side wall (outer wall surface) 64 Finn

Claims

1. A flush water tank device that stores flush water for flushing a toilet, a flush water tank body that stores flush water for flushing the toilet; an exhaust passage extending from an inlet into which air flows inside the flush water tank body to an exhaust port communicating with air outside the flush water tank body, A flush water tank device characterized in that at least one heat dissipation wall is provided inside the exhaust passage to promote condensation of moisture contained in the air that flows in from the flush water tank body through the inlet, and this heat dissipation wall extends along the exhaust passage.

2. A flush water tank device as described in claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the exhaust passage is formed by an outer wall surface that comes into contact with the air outside the flush water tank body, and the heat dissipation wall is formed to extend from the outer wall surface into the exhaust passage.

3. 2. A flush water tank apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a portion of the exhaust passage is formed by an inner wall surface that comes into contact with the air inside the flush water tank body, and the heat dissipation wall is separated from the inner wall surface.

4. A flush water tank device as described in claim 1, wherein at least two heat dissipation walls are provided, two of which are formed to extend parallel to each other within the exhaust passage, and at least a portion of the space between the two parallel-extending heat dissipation walls is connected to the space outside the flush water tank body.

5. A flush water tank device as described in claim 2, wherein the heat dissipation wall extends from the outer wall surface into the exhaust passage and is composed of two wall surfaces that extend parallel to each other within the exhaust passage and a wall surface that connects the tips of these two wall surfaces, and the space between the two parallel extending wall surfaces is connected to the space outside the flush water tank body.

6. A flushing water tank device as described in claim 1, wherein the exhaust passage has an outer wall surface that comes into contact with the air outside the flushing water tank body and an inner wall surface that comes into contact with the air inside the flushing water tank body, the inner wall surface being a double wall, and the heat dissipation wall is arranged to connect the side of the double wall that does not come into contact with the air inside the flushing water tank body to the outer wall surface.

7. A flush water tank device as described in claim 1, further comprising a lid member that covers the top of the flush water tank body, the exhaust passage being provided in the lid member, and heat dissipation fins being provided on the outer surface of the lid member, the heat dissipation fins and the heat dissipation wall being approximately perpendicular when viewed from above.

8. A flush toilet device equipped with a flush water tank device, A flush toilet body, a flush water tank device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, attached to the rear of the flush toilet body and used to store flush water for flushing the flush toilet body; A flush toilet apparatus comprising:

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