Western-style toilet with foot health monitor

Abstract

The Western-style toilet with foot health management device according to the present invention includes a main body having storage compartments at the front lower end and part of the rear lower end, and a foot health management device that is installed in the storage compartment of the main body and can be expanded and adjusted by the user's operation.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a Western-style toilet, and more particularly to a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device. [Background technology]

[0002] Western-style toilets, which are used by people to relieve themselves while sitting on them, are also called Western-style toilets or seated toilets. They are used very frequently in daily life and play an important role as an essential item. Western-style toilets are designed to be sat on and are primarily placed in bathrooms in homes, so they can be used for resting or washing even when not using the toilet. However, to date, there have been no examples of additional functions being commercially available other than those related to toilet use, such as private washing.

[0003] On the other hand, washing feet is an important and frequently performed activity in the bathroom in daily life. The feet secrete three times more sweat than other parts of the body, and because they have almost no sebaceous glands, they are prone to dryness and roughness. If you don't take good care of your feet, you are at risk of developing various foot diseases such as athlete's foot. Especially in these times when epidemic viruses are prevalent and air pollution caused by fine dust is severe, it is important to keep your feet clean after going outside in order to protect your health.

[0004] Generally, when washing feet, one bends over and reaches down to the feet, washing every inch of the feet with their hands. However, this movement is difficult for people with lumbar disc herniation, pregnant women, and elderly people who have difficulty maintaining balance. Because of the movement limitations, these people often find it very difficult to wash their feet themselves, and there are also safety issues such as slipping.

[0005] Therefore, conventional foot health management devices such as foot washing machines have been placed near the Western-style toilet, which acts as a seat, so that users can wash their feet safely, or have been attached to the Western-style toilet. However, they are still far from being effective because they are accompanied by various unnecessary problems, including wastewater treatment.

[0006] Therefore, if the foot health management device could be stored at the bottom of the Western-style toilet as a single product, it would be very convenient to manage foot health, but with general Western-style toilets, there is not enough space at the bottom, making it very difficult to attach the foot health management device.

[0007] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a typical Western-style toilet 1 is composed of a toilet bowl 2, a sewage outlet 2a for the toilet bowl, a trap 3, and an external sewage pipe connector 3a that connects to a sewage outlet 5 on the toilet floor. The overall structure is symmetrical about the center line on the left and right, which is convenient for manufacturing. However, when adding a foot washing device, the trap 3 and the external sewage pipe connector 3a are located at the center of the bottom of the toilet bowl 2, which leaves little space for installing the related equipment. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to provide a Western-style toilet with a storage space secured below the main body so that a foot health management device with foot washing and foot bathing functions can be easily attached. In particular, the present invention aims to provide a Western-style toilet that can secure storage space for a foot health management device by eccentrically positioning the trap and external wastewater pipe connection part of existing toilets (which in this invention are integrated into a "wastewater discharge unit") on the left or right side and connecting them to the toilet tank, rather than being located symmetrically on the left and right sides of the center line connecting the front and rear of the main body. The problems to be solved by the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other problems not mentioned here will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] A Western-style toilet according to one embodiment of the present invention includes a main body having storage compartments at the front lower end and a portion of the rear lower end, and a foot health management device that is installed in the storage compartment of the main body and can be expanded and adjusted by a user.

[0010] In this case, the main body is formed across the front upper end and rear end, and includes a toilet tank having a wastewater discharge outlet on the center line (the center line connecting the front and rear of the Western-style toilet), and a wastewater discharge unit that is connected to the wastewater discharge outlet of the toilet tank and is positioned eccentrically away from the center line to discharge wastewater to the outside.

[0011] In this case, the wastewater discharge unit is composed of a trap connected to the wastewater discharge port of the toilet tank and arranged in an eccentric direction away from the center line, and an external wastewater pipe connector connected to the trap and arranged in the same eccentric direction away from the center line as the trap, discharging wastewater to the outside.

[0012] On the other hand, another main body according to the present invention includes a toilet tank formed across the front upper end and rear end and having a wastewater discharge outlet eccentrically positioned to either the left or right of the center line (the center line connecting the front and rear of the center of the Western-style toilet), and a wastewater discharge unit connected to the wastewater discharge outlet of the toilet tank and eccentrically positioned on the same side as the wastewater discharge outlet of the toilet tank to discharge wastewater to the outside.

[0013] In this case, the wastewater discharge unit is composed of a trap that is connected to the wastewater discharge outlet of the toilet tank and is arranged eccentrically from the center line on the same side as the wastewater discharge outlet, and an external wastewater pipe connector that is connected to the trap and is arranged eccentrically on the same side as the wastewater discharge outlet of the toilet tank, and discharges wastewater to the outside.

[0014] The foot care device according to the present invention includes a foot washing basin, a user input unit, and a driving unit. The foot washing basin has an inner space where a user's feet are placed and a wastewater outlet at its bottom.

[0015] The user input unit is provided on the outside of the foot washing basin and displays the operation status of the foot health management device and provides buttons for various functions. The driving unit adjusts the foot washing basin forward and backward in response to a command signal from the user input unit.

[0016] The foot washing basin can be deployed or installed using a sliding method that allows the foot washing basin to move back and forth (forward and backward), a folding method that allows the foot washing basin to be folded or expanded, or a combination of these methods.

[0017] First, in the case of the sliding type, the foot health management device is adjusted by sliding from the storage part of the main body to the front and rear of the main body, thereby opening and closing the inner space of the foot washing basin where the user's feet are placed.

[0018] In the case of the folding type, the foot health management device is folded and placed in the storage section of the main body, and can be rotated forward and backward to be unfolded or adjusted by the user's operation. In this case, the foot health management device includes a foot washing basin having an inner space where the user's feet are placed, a user input unit providing buttons for various functions, and a driver for adjusting the foot washing basin to be unfolded forward and backward in response to a command signal from the user input unit. The foot washing basin is set by default to be folded and placed in the storage section of the main body, and can be adjusted by sliding and rotating forward and backward to be unfolded or adjusted by the user's operation.

[0019] At this time, when the foot washing basin is installed in the storage section of the main body, the inner box is kept stacked inside the outer box that forms the exterior, and when it is deployed in front of the main body, the outer box rotates and is placed on the bottom, and then the inner box rises to the top of the outer box.

[0020] In this case, if necessary, a connecting part made of elastic rubber material is provided airtight between the inner and outer boxes, and the inner and outer boxes may include a variable wall body that is elastically deformed in accordance with the lower end of the toilet tank at a portion that abuts the lower end of the toilet tank when installed in the storage portion of the main body, and a fixed wall body that is located at a portion that does not abut the lower end of the toilet tank and is airtightly connected to both ends of the variable wall body.

[0021] At both ends of the storage section of the main body, outer walls are arranged to airtightly protect the moving section of the foot washing basin and support the front of the main body.

[0022] An inner wall is arranged inside the storage section of the main body, and the gap between the lower end of the inner wall and the toilet floor is sealed, thereby preventing bad odors from entering the room through the sewage outlet on the toilet floor.

[0023] The lower end of the foot washing basin may be provided with at least one support stand that is provided so that the foot washing basin is level with the bottom.

[0024] The foot health management device includes a spray unit that sprays predetermined cleaning water toward the inner space of the foot washing basin, a foot detection sensor that detects the position of the user's feet placed in the inner space of the foot washing basin, and a control unit that adjusts the spray angle of the spray unit according to the position of the user's feet detected by the foot detection sensor.

[0025] In this case, the foot health management device may further include a bubble generator disposed at the bottom of the foot washing basin for generating bubbles toward the soles of the user. Here, it is preferable that the sprayer sprays the washing water when the bubble generator is turned on.

[0026] The foot washing basin of the foot health care device may further include a toe washing unit placed in the inner space for washing between the toes of the user.

[0027] The toe washing unit includes a toe spray nozzle that sprays washing water between the user's toes, and a washing member that is attached to the outside of the toe spray nozzle and removes contaminants trapped between the user's toes.

[0028] The jetting section includes one or more side jet nozzles arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the foot washing basin to jet water to the side, and upward jet nozzles arranged on the bottom of the foot washing basin to jet water upward, where the nozzles arranged at the front end are positioned higher than the nozzles arranged at the rear end.

[0029] The spray unit may further include a downward spray nozzle that sprays water toward the inner bottom of the foot washing basin, a cleaning solution nozzle that is disposed inside the foot washing basin and sprays cleaning solution, and a spray valve that is connected between the downward spray nozzle and the cleaning solution nozzle and can selectively adjust whether or not the downward spray nozzle and the cleaning solution nozzle spray.

[0030] The foot health care device may further include a heel washing unit rotatably installed at the rear end of the inside of the foot washing basin to wash the heels of the user.

[0031] In this case, it is preferable that the heel cleaning portion is disposed so as to have a predetermined inclination along the shape of the heel.

[0032] For this purpose, the heel washing unit includes a rotating member connected to the rear end of the inside of the foot washing basin in the width direction or length direction and having a rotatable structure, a detachable brush having a rough outer surface and having a structure surrounding the rotating member, and an actuator that rotates the rotating member by the control unit.

[0033] The heel cleaning unit may include a position adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the rotating member using a control unit.

[0034] Meanwhile, the foot health care device must use the toilet's wastewater pipe or a separate sewer line to drain wastewater from the foot washing basin, and therefore may further include a wastewater drain located between the drain and the wastewater drain on the toilet floor.

[0035] In this case, the sewage outlet on the toilet floor may be a sewage outlet for a Western-style toilet that treats sewage from the Western-style toilet, or a sewage outlet for treating sewage, but since there is generally only a sewage outlet for a Western-style toilet on the toilet floor in the space below the Western-style toilet, it is more preferable to discharge sewage to the sewage outlet of the Western-style toilet. Here, the sewage outlet may be formed as a partial modification of the sewage piping of the main body.

[0036] That is, the wastewater discharge unit may include a wastewater inlet pipe connected to the wastewater outlet of the foot washing basin, a wastewater discharge pipe connected to the wastewater outlet on the toilet floor, and a U-shaped odor blocking unit disposed between the wastewater inlet pipe and the wastewater discharge pipe to block odors flowing in from the wastewater outlet on the toilet floor. [Effects of the Invention]

[0037] According to the present invention, the problem of space constraints can be solved by attaching a foot health care device to the front lower part of a Western-style toilet in a foldable manner. In particular, the present invention provides practicality and convenience by simultaneously adopting automatic and manual folding methods for the foot health care device. The foot health care device of the present invention can wash the toes in the foot washing basin, and can discharge wastewater from the foot washing basin to a wastewater outlet on the floor of the toilet without introducing odors. Therefore, the foot health care device attached to the Western-style toilet according to the present invention allows the user to thoroughly wash between the toes, and allows for convenient drainage of wastewater without having to worry about the inflow of bad odors, allowing for foot washing and foot bathing in a very comfortable environment. Furthermore, the present invention allows the user to use the toilet cover as a chair, providing convenience and practicality. In addition, the foot health care device attached to the Western-style toilet of the present invention has a structure that allows the soles of the feet and between the toes to be washed thoroughly without bending over or using hands, making it possible for physically handicapped people with limited mobility to easily wash and bathe their feet. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0038] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a conventional Western-style toilet. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a side view of a conventional Western-style toilet showing the A-A' cross section shown in FIG. 1. [Figure 3] 1 is a diagram illustrating a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1A to 1C are diagrams sequentially illustrating an example of operation of a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1A to 1C are diagrams sequentially illustrating an example of operation of a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] 1A to 1C are diagrams sequentially illustrating an example of operation of a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 1 is a plan view schematically showing a wastewater discharge unit of a Western-style toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a front view showing the cross section BB′ shown in FIG. 7. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing a modified example of the toilet tank and wastewater discharge unit in the Western-style toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a front view showing the CC' cross section shown in FIG. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a partial side view showing the cross section DD' shown in FIG. 10. [Figure 12] 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a wastewater discharge unit of a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 13] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of the operation of a foot health management device in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the front. FIG. [Figure 14] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a Western-style toilet with a foot health care device according to an embodiment of the present invention, showing an example of the operation of the foot health care device from the rear; FIG. [Figure 15] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of a bubble generating unit in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating an example of the operation of the heel cleaning unit in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 17] 10A and 10B are diagrams illustrating a modified example of the operation of the heel cleaning section in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 18] 1 is a diagram showing a toe spray nozzle in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 19] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the operation of the toe cleaning section in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 20] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the operation of the toe cleaning section in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 21] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the operation of the toe cleaning section in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 22] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the operation of the toe cleaning section in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 23] 10 is a diagram showing a modified example of the operation of the toe cleaning section in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 24] 1 is a diagram illustrating a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 25] A side view showing the connection structure of the foot washing basin, taken along the F-F' cross section shown in Figure 3. [Figure 26] A side view showing the connection structure of the foot washing basin, taken along the F-F' cross section shown in Figure 3. [Figure 27] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing a wastewater discharge unit of a Western-style toilet according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 28] FIG. 10 is a plan view schematically showing a modification of the toilet tank and wastewater discharge unit in a Western-style toilet according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] The advantages and features of the present invention, as well as methods for achieving them, will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below and may be embodied in various different forms. These embodiments are provided solely to complete the disclosure and to fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The present invention is defined by the claims. Meanwhile, the terms used in this specification are for the purpose of describing the embodiments and are not intended to limit the present invention. In this specification, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include the plural forms unless otherwise stated. When used in the specification, "comprises" or "comprising" does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other components, steps, operations, and / or elements other than those already stated.

[0040] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Since the basic structure of the Western-style toilet according to the present invention is the same as that of a conventional Western-style toilet, for the sake of ease of explanation and to promote understanding, a description of the structure of the Western-style toilet itself will be omitted. Instead, the foot health management device attached to the Western-style toilet and the structure and operation of attaching the foot health management device to the Western-style toilet will be described and illustrated in detail.

[0041] FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 4 to 6 are diagrams sequentially showing an example of the operation of a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, a Western-style toilet 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which a foot health management device 100 is attached in a foldable manner.

[0043] Such a Western-style toilet 10 includes a main body 200 forming an overall frame, a seat 300, and a cover 400.

[0044] A storage compartment 210 is formed at the front lower end of the main body 200. The storage compartment 210 is a storage space capable of storing the foot health management device 100 and is large enough to accommodate the foot washing basin 110 of the foot health management device 100. A toilet basin 230 is provided in the section spanning the front and rear upper and lower ends of the main body 200 (145).

[0045] Outer walls 220 are disposed on both ends of the storage section 210 of the main body 200 to airtightly protect the rotation section of the foot washing basin 110 and to support the main body 200. The outer walls 220 may be disposed outside the foot washing basin 110 and may be integral with the main body 200 or may be separate.

[0046] Here, the outer wall 220 surrounds both ends of the foot washing basin 110 and supports the front end of the main body 200 on the bottom, dispersing the load that is applied to the front end of the main body 200 when a user sits on the Western-style toilet 10. As a result, the outer wall 220 can prevent damage from the load applied to the front end of the Western-style toilet 10. A shielding structure is formed between the bottom end of the outer wall and the toilet floor, sealed with a separate finishing material (e.g., silicone, concrete, etc.).

[0047] The foot health management device 100 is basically folded and placed in the storage section 210 of the main body 200, and can be expanded and adjusted forward and backward by the user's operation.

[0048] The foot health management device 100 includes a foot washing basin 110, a user input unit 130, a driving unit 101, and a control unit 140.

[0049] The foot washing basin 110 can hermetically house electronic components capable of driving the foot health management device 100, and also includes a board on which a circuit that integrates and connects various cables and wires is mounted, as well as various components connected to it.

[0050] The foot washing basin 110 basically has a space inside where the feet can be placed and has an open top. The foot washing basin 110 is structured so that it can be placed in the storage section 210 of the main body 200, and can be rotated forward and backward from the open side of the main body 200 to open and close the Western-style toilet 10.

[0051] At least one support stand (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the foot washing basin 110 so that the foot washing basin 110 is level with the bottom. The height of the support stand may be the same as the height of the lower end and bottom surface of the foot washing basin 110, or the support stand may be relatively higher.

[0052] Such a support stand can be rotatably incorporated into the foot washing basin 110 when the foot washing basin 110 is folded into the main body 200, and can protrude to support the foot washing basin 110 when the foot washing basin 110 is placed on the bottom for use. Alternatively, the support stand can be detachable and can be attached to or detached from the foot washing basin 110 as needed.

[0053] The user input unit 130 is installed outside the foot washing basin 110 and displays the operating status of the device and provides buttons for various functions. The user input unit 130 can be preset in various ways.

[0054] The driving unit 101 serves to adjust the foot washing basin 110 forward and backward in response to a command signal from the user input unit 130. The driving unit 101 may have a structure that electrically slides using an electric linear actuator (not shown) and / or a folding structure that rotates and unfolds by connecting an electric cylinder (not shown) to the foot washing basin 110. As another example, the user may manually assemble and / or detach the foot washing basin 110 from the main body 200 to open and close it.

[0055] The control unit 140 is a single component that can control the entire device in an integrated manner, and when the user input unit 130 presses a button for a corresponding function according to a user's operation command, it controls the operation of the device corresponding to that function.

[0056] Next, the operational relationships between the components of the Western-style toilet 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 and FIGS. 4 to 6 in turn.

[0057] Figures 4 to 6 show one embodiment for explaining the storage and deployment structure of the Western-style toilet 10 and the foot health management device 100. As shown in the figure, a hinge shaft 102, a connecting rod 103, and a rail 104 are arranged between the inner side of the storage section 210 of the main body 200 and the outer side of the foot washing basin 110.

[0058] The hinge shaft 102 is installed on the outer side of the foot washing basin 110, and the connecting rod 103 is connected between the hinge shaft 102 and the rail 104. The rail 104 is arranged on the inner side of the storage section 210 of the main body 200. In this case, the driving section 101 is an electric linear actuator that is connected to the rail 104 to move the connecting rod 103 horizontally, or is coupled to the connecting rod 103 to move horizontally on the rail 104.

[0059] In addition, the drive unit 101 is provided with another electric cylinder between the foot washing basin 110 and the inside of the storage section 210 of the main body 200, and can drive the foot washing basin 110 to fold or unfold inside the storage section 210 of the main body 200 around the hinge axis 102.

[0060] The basic drive mechanism is as follows:

[0061] In normal use, i.e., when the foot health management device 100 is not in use, it is stored in the main body 200 as shown in Fig. 3. When the foot washing tub 110 is stored in the storage section 210 of the main body 200, the internal box 112 is maintained stacked inside the external box 111 that forms the exterior. A connector 113 made of a stretchable rubber material is provided airtight between the internal box 112 and the external box 111. This connector 113 is configured to be folded when the internal box 112 is stacked inside the external box 111.

[0062] During operation, when a user who intends to use the foot health management device 100 inputs an operation signal through the user input unit 130, the control unit 140 analyzes the signal and transmits a driving command to the driving unit 101, so that the foot health management device is unfolded from the main body 200.

[0063] First, as shown in Figure 3, the foot health management device 100 begins to rotate around the hinge shaft 102 and is positioned horizontally at the bottom. Then, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, it moves forward horizontally a predetermined distance on the rails 104. The forward position of the foot health management device 100 is a position where the user can comfortably place their feet when sitting on the toilet.

[0064] 6, the outer box 111 is placed on the bottom, and then the inner box 112 is raised to a height determined above the outer box 111. The connection part 113 maintains an airtight seal between the inner box 112 and the outer box 111 to prevent washing water from leaking out. In the illustrated example, the foot washing basin 110 has a structure in which the inner box 112 and the outer box 111 are stacked in two layers, but this is only one example, and the foot washing basin 110 may have a structure in which multiple layers are stacked in n layers.

[0065] When the foot washing tub 110 is installed in the storage section 210 of the main body 200, the inner box 112 and the outer box 111 are provided with variable walls 111b, 112b at the portions that contact the lower end of the toilet tub 230.

[0066] The variable walls 111b and 112b are made of an elastically deformable rubber material, which includes natural rubber and synthetic rubber, and is preferably made of one of silicone, urethane, and latex.

[0067] In particular, latex is a material in the form of fine polymer particles dispersed in an aqueous solution, and is one of the most widely used materials, so it is highly versatile depending on the application and environment.

[0068] As a result, the variable walls 111b, 112b can elastically deform to fit the outer shape of the lower end of the toilet tub 230 when the foot washing tub 110 is installed in the storage section 210 of the main body 200 (when it is located inside the front part of the main body).

[0069] At this time, fixed walls 111a and 112a are positioned at both ends of the variable walls 111b and 112b so as not to come into contact with the lower end of the toilet tub 230.

[0070] Meanwhile, when the foot washing basin 110 of the foot health management device 100 is repeatedly rotated in the storage section 210 of the main body 200, an impact may be applied to the contact area, causing wear to that area. Therefore, the main body 200 may be provided with a buffer section (not shown) that absorbs the impact at the contact area with the rear end of the foot washing basin 110.

[0071] On the drawing, the Western-style toilet cover 400 according to the present invention appears to be no different from existing covers, but in order to provide convenience for the user when using the foot health management device 100, the cover 400 according to the present invention is in the form of a chair that rotates on a rotating shaft (not shown) and has a backrest (not shown).

[0072] For example, the cover 400 of a Western-style toilet has a double-layered structure, with the lower layer consisting of a basic seat (not shown) on which the user can sit, and the upper layer consisting of a backrest.

[0073] In this case, the basic seat may have a seat groove (not shown) recessed in the area where the user sits. When the backrest overlaps the basic seat, the backrest has a shape and size that corresponds to the seat groove.

[0074] That is, the backrest is maintained in a horizontal position when inserted into the seat groove, and maintained in a vertical position against the user's back when removed from the seat groove and rotated at a radius of approximately 90 degrees. The rotation between the backrest and the basic seat can be performed manually by the user or automatically by the function of another button (not shown).

[0075] A cushion (not shown) made of a waterproof material is disposed between the backrest and the seat groove, and is replaceable and can be selectively attached and detached between the backrest and the seat groove.

[0076] FIG. 7 is a plan view schematically showing a wastewater discharge unit of a Western-style toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 8 is a front view showing the cross section taken along line BB' shown in FIG.

[0077] Before explaining Figure 7, in order to understand the structural features of the wastewater discharge unit according to the present invention, let us look at the structure of a conventional Western-style toilet (Figures 1 and 2). The conventional Western-style toilet has a symmetrical structure based on the center line, and the trap connected to it and the part connected to the wastewater discharge outlet on the toilet floor are also formed in a symmetrical structure.

[0078] Traps usually use a siphon structure, but recently there have been attempts to reduce the amount of water used by using variable traps.

[0079] Such a conventional toilet structure is generally advantageous in terms of ease of manufacturing and cost reduction, but has the disadvantage of being structurally limited in order to provide a separate driving component as in the present invention.

[0080] If the trap were to have a symmetrical structure with respect to the toilet tub, there would be a space restriction at the bottom of the toilet tub where the drive components could be installed.

[0081] The Western-style toilet 10 in FIGS. 7 and 8 presents a structure different from conventional ones, since a drive component, the foot health management device 100, is provided in a storage section 210 that forms a storage space at the front lower end of the main body 200.

[0082] That is, the sewage discharge unit 232 connected between the sewage discharge outlet 231 of the toilet tank 230 and the sewage discharge outlet (5 in Figure 11) on the toilet floor is positioned off-center to either the left or right of the center line of the toilet tank 230.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 8, the wastewater discharge unit 232 is not located in the central space below the toilet tub 230 within the storage compartment 210. This allows the central space below the toilet tub 230 to be used when designing a separate slide device or installing related drive components, thereby solving the problem of conventional space limitations at low cost.

[0084] The wastewater discharge unit 232 includes a trap 232a and an external wastewater pipe connector 232b. The trap 232a is eccentrically disposed on either side of the center line of the toilet cistern 230 within the housing 210 of the main body 200, with one end connected to the wastewater discharge port 231 of the toilet cistern 230. The external wastewater pipe connector 232b is formed on the other end of the trap 232a and is connected to the wastewater discharge port on the floor of the toilet.

[0085] In this way, there is no problem with drainage even if trap 232a is twisted approximately 45 degrees to either the left or right with respect to the center line of toilet tub 230. Moreover, since the drive components can be installed on the other side of the lower end of toilet tub 230 where sewage discharge unit 232 is not installed (the empty space within storage section 210), in this case, the structure of sewage discharge unit 232 has the structural advantage of being able to make maximum use of the space.

[0086] Figure 9 is a plan view schematically showing a modified example of a toilet tank and a wastewater discharge unit, Figure 10 is a front view showing the CC' cross section shown in Figure 9, and Figure 11 is a partial side view showing the DD' cross section shown in Figure 10.

[0087] The wastewater discharge unit 232' and the toilet cistern 230' shown in Figures 9 to 11 have structural features that allow space to be secured for installing a foot health management device within the storage section 210', as shown in Figures 7 and 8 described above.

[0088] Here, the toilet tub 230' is eccentrically disposed in the storage compartment 210', tilting downward to one side based on the center line of the Western-style toilet 10. A wastewater discharge port 231' is provided at the eccentric lower end of the toilet tub 230'. A wastewater discharge unit 232' is disposed at the lower end of the toilet tub 230' to discharge wastewater to the outside.

[0089] The trap 232a' of the wastewater discharge unit 232' is connected at one end to the wastewater discharge outlet 231' of the toilet tank 230' so that it is eccentrically positioned on the same side as the toilet tank 230' within the storage section 210' of the main body 200' based on the left-right center line of the toilet tank 230'.

[0090] An external wastewater pipe connection 232b' formed at the other end of the trap 232a' is connected to a wastewater outlet 5 on the floor of the toilet.

[0091] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view schematically illustrating a wastewater discharge unit of a foot health care device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0092] The wastewater discharge unit 150 shown in FIG. 12 includes a wastewater inlet pipe 151 , an odor blocking unit 152 , and a wastewater discharge pipe 153 .

[0093] The sewage inlet pipe (151; a horizontal pipe at the front end of the U-shaped pipe) is connected to the sewage outlet of the foot washing basin (110 in FIGS. 4 and 6) and passes through a connecting hole (not shown) in the main body (200 in FIGS. 3 to 8, 200' in FIGS. 9 to 11). Here, the connecting hole is a hole through which the sewage inlet pipe 151 can pass. This connecting hole is formed in the section where the sewage outlet 150 is connected to the main body (200 in FIGS. 3 to 8, 200' in FIGS. 9 to 11).

[0094] The odor blocking unit (152; U-shaped pipe) is placed between the sewage inlet pipe 151 and the sewage outlet pipe 153 to block odors flowing in from the sewage outlet on the floor of the toilet. For this reason, the odor blocking unit 152 is preferably realized by a U-shaped pipe or a dedicated valve to block bad odors flowing in from the sewage outlet on the floor of the toilet.

[0095] The sewage discharge pipe (153; a vertical pipe at the rear end of the U-shaped pipe) has its front end connected to the odor blocking part 152 and its rear end connected to the sewage discharge outlet on the toilet floor or the trap in the toilet tank.

[0096] Here, the sewage discharge section 150 may be formed as an assembly in which the sewage inlet pipe 151, the odor blocking section 152, and the sewage discharge pipe 153 are separate parts, or these components may be combined into one and molded integrally with the sewage piping 201 of the main body 200.

[0097] Meanwhile, the wastewater discharge part 150 may be included in a flange (not shown) used to connect the wastewater pipe of a Western-style toilet (10 in Figs. 3-8) to the wastewater outlet on the toilet floor. For example, the wastewater discharge part 150 may be included in an eccentric flange so that the eccentric flange can be deformed to discharge wastewater from the foot washing basin (110 in Figs. 4-6).

[0098] The foot health management device (100 in Figs. 3 to 9) periodically discharges clean water to fill the odor blocking part 152. This is to prevent dirty water from accumulating in the U-shaped odor blocking part 152. It is preferable to maintain an airtight state around the odor blocking part 152.

[0099] 13 and 14 are cross-sectional views showing an example of the operation of a foot health monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present invention, respectively, from the front and rear.

[0100] 13 and 14, the foot washing basin 110 has a structure in which the user's feet are accommodated, and the bottom plate is provided with a cleaning plate 114 on which the user's feet are placed.

[0101] The cleaning plate 114 is basically flat, but can be modified to have an upwardly protruding central portion (where the arch of the foot is located).

[0102] The cleaning plate 114 has a plurality of upwardly projecting protrusions 114a arranged at intervals. The protrusions 114a effectively assist in washing the soles of the feet and maintain a constant distance between the sole or the nozzles (upward spray nozzles: 124) formed on the sole and the feet. The protrusions 114a preferably have a shape that provides a rough feel when they come into contact with the soles of the feet, providing an acupressure effect, and also scrubbing and washing the feet.

[0103] Meanwhile, the protrusion 114a may act as a frame that takes the shape of the foot by elastically deforming the portion on which the foot is placed or by recessing downward, so that the foot can be stably placed on the cleaning plate 114.

[0104] The cleaning plate 114 can be detachable from the foot washing basin 110 and can be configured to be replaceable. Alternatively, the cleaning plate 114 can be formed on the bottom of the foot washing basin 110 by forming protrusions on the area where the feet are placed, i.e., a part or all of the area on the bottom of the foot washing basin 110.

[0105] The foot washing basin cover (not shown) covers a portion (front portion) of the top surface of the foot washing basin 110 to prevent water from splashing outward and provides an area where downward jet nozzles 122 (described later) are provided.

[0106] The foot washing basin cover is detachable from the foot washing basin 110 and may be rotatable by connecting a hinge shaft (not shown) to one side of the front end of the foot washing basin 110.

[0107] The spray unit 120 sprays washing water toward the inner space of the foot washing basin 110. The washing water is basically water, but may contain a cleaning liquid.

[0108] The spray unit 120 includes a side spray nozzle 123 and an upward spray nozzle 124, and may optionally include a downward spray nozzle 122 formed on the bottom surface of the foot washing basin cover.

[0109] One or more side jet nozzles 123 are arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the foot washing basin 110 to jet water to the side. Such side jet nozzles 123 jet water from positions provided on the inner wall of the foot washing basin 110 in a direction downward from the horizontal direction. Since the washing water is sprayed from the inside left and right sides of the foot washing basin 110, the soles of the feet can be washed by twisting the ankles.

[0110] Meanwhile, the front end of the bottom of the foot washing basin 110 can be configured to be higher than the rear end, and the position of the side spray nozzle 123 facing the toes can be configured to be higher. In this way, the direction of the sprayed washing water becomes closer to vertical, making it possible to wash the top of the foot and toes more effectively.

[0111] The upward jet nozzles 124 are arranged at intervals on the bottom surface of the cleaning plate 114 and jet water upward to clean the soles of the feet. At this time, the spray pressure of the upward spray nozzle 124 is preferably configured so that the height of the sprayed cleaning water is maintained within the height of the foot washing basin 110 in order to prevent the cleaning water from splashing out of the foot washing basin 110. Alternatively, the spray pressure of the upward spray nozzle 124 can be increased when washing the soles of the feet, and the spray pressure can be immediately adjusted to a weaker level when it is detected that the feet have been removed from the cleaning plate.

[0112] One or more downward spray nozzles 122 are arranged inside a cover (not shown) to spray cleaning water downward. If an additional downward spray nozzle 122 is provided, it is effective for cleaning the top of the foot and the toes.

[0113] A separate external washing water supply unit (160 in FIG. 18) and / or washing liquid supply unit (not shown) is connected to the spray unit 120. Washing water is supplied through an external water supply pipe, and a water tank unit (not shown) for storing washing water can be provided inside the foot washing basin 110 to adjust the spray pressure. For example, if the water pressure in the water supply pipe is higher than necessary, the water tank unit acts as a buffer to maintain an appropriate spray pressure, and if the spray pressure of the washing water needs to be higher than the water pressure in the water supply pipe, a piston (not shown) connected to the water tank unit is operated to increase the spray pressure.

[0114] The cleaning liquid supply unit is supplied with cleaning liquid from an external cleaning liquid supply device (not shown) or is a cartridge type. The cleaning liquid supply unit is connected to the cleaning liquid nozzles 125. In another embodiment, the cleaning liquid supply unit is connected to all the nozzles of the spray unit 120, so that each nozzle of the spray unit 120 sprays the cleaning liquid alternately with the cleaning water or mixes the cleaning liquid with the cleaning water and sprays it.

[0115] That is, the downward spray nozzle 122, the side spray nozzle 123, the upward spray nozzle 124 and the cleaning liquid nozzle 125 are connected to one pipe, and a spray valve (not shown) is provided at each branched portion so that cleaning water and / or cleaning liquid can be selectively sprayed.

[0116] Alternatively, for convenience of construction, only the downward jet nozzle 122 and the cleaning liquid nozzle 125 may be connected to one pipe, with a jet valve disposed therebetween to selectively jet the cleaning water and / or the cleaning liquid.

[0117] The operation of the ejection unit 120 is controlled by a control unit (140 in FIGS. 4 to 6) according to user input via a user input unit (130 in FIGS. 4 to 6) or according to predetermined control logic.

[0118] At this time, in order to prevent water from splashing outside the foot washing basin 110, it is preferable that the spraying unit 120 sprays water when the foot washing basin 110 is filled with a predetermined amount of water. Here, the predetermined amount can be measured by the height at which the washing water inside the foot washing basin 110 is filled, which is preset by the user, and this setting can be changed according to the environment.

[0119] The spray pressure, spray pattern, and spray angle of the cleaning water and / or cleaning liquid sprayed by the spray unit 120 can be variously combined or controlled, as will be described later. The spray unit 120 displays whether the power is on or off by an LED (not shown) electrically connected to a user input unit (130 in FIGS. 4 to 6).

[0120] FIG. 15 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of operation of the bubble generating unit in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0121] Referring to FIG. 15, the foot health management device (100 in FIGS. 13 and 14) may further include a bubble generator 190 that is disposed at the bottom (bottom surface of the cleaning plate) of the foot washing basin (110 in FIGS. 13 and 14) and generates bubbles toward the soles of the user's feet.

[0122] When washing water is sprayed into the section while bubbles are being generated, the resistance of the water is weakened, the washing power is increased, and the user can feel a refreshing sensation due to the bubbles. The bubble generating unit 190 adjusts the flow rate of the injected gas and the shape of the bubbles so as to obtain optimal contact efficiency when the gas is brought into contact with a solid or liquid for absorption or reaction.

[0123] FIG. 16 is a diagram schematically illustrating an example of the operation of the heel cleaning section in the Western-style toilet with foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 16, the foot health management device (100 in FIGS. 3 to 6) according to the present invention may further include a heel cleaning unit 180.

[0124] The heel cleaning unit 180 is rotatably installed at the rear end (where the heel is located) of the foot health management device 100 to clean the heel more thoroughly and remove calluses from the heel. The heel cleaning unit 180 is arranged with a predetermined inclination to fit the shape of the heel.

[0125] The heel cleaning unit 180 includes a rotating member 181 , a brush 182 , and an actuator 183 .

[0126] The rotating member 181 has a structure in which it is rotatable and connected to the rear end of the inside of the foot washing basin (110 in Figs. 13 and 14) in the width direction or the length direction. Such a rotating member 181 has rotating pins 181a at both ends in the length direction.

[0127] The brush 182 is the part that directly contacts between the user's toes and has a structure surrounding the rotating member 181. The outer surface of the brush 182 is rough, so that it can effectively remove contaminants (such as dead skin) between the toes. For ease of cleaning, the brush 182 is preferably detachable from the rotating member 181.

[0128] When a command signal generated by a user operating the user input unit 130 is transmitted to the control unit 140 , the actuator 183 can rotate the rotation member 181 via the control unit 140 .

[0129] FIG. 17 is a diagram schematically showing a modified operation of the heel cleaning section in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 17, the heel cleaning unit 180 may be arranged to be inclined at a predetermined angle along the shape of the heel, and may be configured to be composed of three units to surround the heel.

[0130] At this time, the position of the heel cleaning unit 180 can be adjusted in the horizontal and vertical directions via the position adjustment unit 184. The driving mechanism of the actuator 183, the user input unit 130, and the control unit 140 is the same as that shown in FIG. 16, and therefore will not be described here.

[0131] Meanwhile, another configuration example of the heel cleaning unit 180 is configured so that one rotation shaft moves laterally in a direction perpendicular to the direction of arrangement of the rotation shaft to clean the heel and / or toe. Since the heel cleaning unit 180 and the cleaning plate (114 in Figures 13 and 14) are all located near the bottom surface (bottom) of the foot washing basin (110 in Figures 3 to 6), it is preferable to reduce the size of the cleaning plate 114 and install the heel cleaning unit 180 in the remaining space, spaced a predetermined distance from the cleaning plate 114, in order to reduce or eliminate mutual mechanical interference.

[0132] As another embodiment, a toe cleaning unit (not shown) may be provided at the front end of the foot health management device (100 in FIGS. 3 to 6) in addition to the heel cleaning unit 180. The toe cleaning unit has the function of cleaning and massaging the toes, which correspond to the area between the arch of the foot and the toes, and its specific structure is substantially the same as that of the heel cleaning unit described above.

[0133] Additionally, the foot health management device 100 according to the present invention may include a heating unit (not shown) for heating the washing water. The heating unit heats the washing water before spraying using a water heater, an electric heater, or the like, so that warm washing water is sprayed.

[0134] FIG. 18 is a diagram schematically showing a toe spray nozzle in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0135] Referring to FIG. 18, the foot health management device further includes a toe spray nozzle 171. The toe spray nozzles 171 are spaced apart across the width of the cleaning plate 114 (114 in Figures 13 and 14) so ​​as to be positioned between the toes placed longitudinally on the cleaning plate, and spray water between the toes.

[0136] The toe spray nozzle 171 is positioned between the toes and has a shape that can be adjusted in width left and right or length up and down based on the toes shown in FIG. The toe spray nozzle 171 is cylindrical and has a plurality of nozzles 171a on its outer surface. The toe spray nozzle 171 is connected to the cleansing water supply unit 160 and functions to spray cleansing water to the outside. The cleansing water supplied from the cleansing water supply unit 160 is sprayed to the outside (between the user's toes) through the plurality of nozzles 171a.

[0137] As shown in the figure, the toe spray nozzle 171 is pillar-shaped, but the toe spray nozzle 171 may have a tapered shape at the top that widens from the top to the bottom, making it easier to insert toes.

[0138] The toe spray nozzle 171 may be adjustable to move up and down and may have a structure that allows it to spray water while rotating.

[0139] Since the shape and size of the toes of each person using the foot health management device 100 according to the present invention are different, the toe spray nozzle 171 can be moved by a predetermined distance (installation interval) in the width (and / or length) direction of the cleaning plate 114 according to the shape of the user's toes so that it can be applied to an unspecified number of people.

[0140] The position of the toe spray nozzle 171 for each user is stored in a storage device (not shown), and can be configured to be moved to the stored position for each user later by a simple operation of the user input unit (130 in FIGS. 4 to 6). For example, if two people, A and B, who have different sizes and shapes of toes, use the foot health management device 100, A operates the user input unit (for example, presses button 1), and the toe spray nozzle 171 automatically moves to a position that matches A's toes, and B operates the user input unit (for example, presses button 2), and the toe spray nozzle 171 automatically moves to a position that matches B's toes.

[0141] The operation and control of the foot health care device (100 in FIGS. 1 to 12) according to the present invention will now be described. The operations of the various electric / electronic devices of the foot health care device 100 according to the present invention, including the spray unit 120, the cleaning solution nozzle 125, and the user input unit (130 in FIGS. 4 to 6), are controlled by a control unit (not shown).

[0142] First, the control of the injection pressure and the injection operation will be specifically described.

[0143] The foot health management device 100 according to the present invention can control each nozzle to spray sequentially in order to maintain the spray pressure of each nozzle above a certain level. For example, the upward spray nozzle 124, the side spray nozzle 123, and the toe spray nozzle 171 can be operated in this order to maintain the spray pressure above a certain level. If necessary, a pressure pump (not shown) can be used to increase the spray pressure, and it goes without saying that two or more nozzles can be controlled to spray simultaneously if the appropriate spray pressure can be maintained.

[0144] On the other hand, in order to enhance the cleaning and massaging effects, each nozzle can be controlled to spray at a spray pressure that varies with time.

[0145] Various combinations of spraying methods for the cleaning water and cleaning liquid are possible. For example, when the spraying unit 120 sprays cleaning water, the water and cleaning liquid may be sprayed alternately from the same nozzle or in a predetermined spray pattern, or a mixture of water and cleaning liquid may be sprayed, or only water may be sprayed. Alternatively, the cleaning liquid may be controlled to be sprayed only from a dedicated nozzle (cleaning liquid nozzle 125).

[0146] To enhance the cleaning and massaging effects, the spray angle of each nozzle of the spray unit 120 can be adjusted left / right or up / down, and it is preferable that the spray angle of the side spray nozzle 123 and the upward spray nozzle 124 is limited to a predetermined range so that water does not splash outside the foot washing basin 110.

[0147] The control of the injection pressure, injection method, and injection angle is performed by the control unit (140 in Figures 4 to 6) through user operation using the user input unit (130 in Figures 4 to 6) or by preset control logic.

[0148] FIG. 19 is a diagram schematically showing an example of operation of the toe washing section in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 19, the toe washing unit 170 includes a toe spray nozzle 171, a washing member 172, and a rotating piece 173.

[0149] A cleaning member 172 is rotatably attached to the top of the toe spray nozzle 171. The cleaning member 172 has a cylindrical shape with an open bottom. A rotating piece 173 is located at the top end of the cleaning member 172 and can rotate coaxially with the cleaning member 172.

[0150] In the toe washing unit 170, the washing member 172 connected to the rotating piece 173 covers a part of the upper end of the toe spray nozzle 171 and rotates in the axial direction to wash between the toes. That is, the washing member 172 has a structure that rotates in conjunction with the rotating piece 173 when the rotating piece 173 rotates due to the washing water sprayed from the spray unit 120.

[0151] The cleaning member 172 is the part that comes into direct contact with the skin to remove foreign matter, including various calluses, between the toes, and is made of a hard sponge made of rubber or urethane, which is made of synthetic resin. The outer periphery of the cleaning member 172 may have a plurality of protrusions formed at intervals.

[0152] Here, a bearing (not shown) for assisting the rotation of the cleaning member 172 may be provided between the inner circumferential surface of the cleaning member 172 and the outer circumferential surface of the toe spray nozzle 171 .

[0153] 20 to 23 are diagrams schematically showing modified operational examples of the toe washing section in a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0154] The cleaning member 172' shown in Figures 20 to 23 has a cylindrical shape with an open bottom, and is axially rotatable while surrounding the outside of the toe spray nozzle 171'. However, the cleaning member 172' in Figures 20 to 23 has a different rotation method from the previously described embodiment.

[0155] Before explaining this rotation method, the structures of the toe spray nozzle 171' and the cleaning member 172' will be explained.

[0156] As shown in FIG. 21, the toe spray nozzle 171' has a structure that allows it to rotate with the cleaning member 172' inserted therein.

[0157] To this end, toe spray nozzle 171' has a cleansing water guide groove 171b', a spray nozzle 171a', and a rotating shaft 171c'. Cleansing water guide grooves 171b' are recessed and spaced apart along the length of the outer circumferential surface of toe spray nozzle 171'. Spray nozzles 171a' are formed through cleansing water guide groove 171b' and spaced apart. Rotating shaft 171c' is connected to a rotating shaft connecting groove 172b' formed on the inner surface of cleaning member 172'.

[0158] The cleaning member 172' has a plurality of nozzles 172a' that communicate with the nozzles 171a' of the toe spray nozzle 171'.

[0159] Fig. 22(a) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E' in Fig. 20, and Fig. 22(b) is an example in which a cleaning member cover 174' is added to Fig. 22(a). Referring to Fig. 22(a) and (b), the injection port 172a' has a structure in which it penetrates obliquely with respect to the axis of the cleaning member 172'.

[0160] The spray nozzle 172a' of the cleaning member 172' is structured to be connected to the cleaning water guide groove 171b' of the toe spray nozzle 171'.

[0161] Here, the cleaning water guide groove 171b' is a space through which water flows, and has the function of allowing the cleaning water flowing into the cleaning member 172' through the toe spray nozzle 171' to be sprayed out continuously without interruption.

[0162] As shown in FIG. 23, when the cleaning water supplied from the cleaning water supply unit 160 is sprayed through the nozzle 171a' of the toe spray nozzle 171' to the nozzle 172a', the nozzle 172a' induces the rotation of the cleaning member 172' by the spray pressure.

[0163] The cleaning member 172' is designed to rotate by the force of the cleaning water being sprayed through the nozzle 172a', so if it is made of a soft material, it may not rotate easily between the user's toes. Therefore, the cleaning member 172' is made of a hard material that allows it to rotate, and has multiple protrusions on its outer surface to assist in cleaning.

[0164] The cleaning member cover 174' is replaceable and is clamped to the outer periphery of the cleaning member 172'. That is, the cleaning member cover 174' is replaceable to maintain cleanliness, as the contact surface may become contaminated when removing contaminants from between the user's toes. In this case, it is preferable that the cover hole 174a' of the cleaning member cover 174' communicates with the injection port 172a'.

[0165] The toe washing unit 170' has toe washing nozzles 171' that extend vertically upward and are arranged one or more between each of the user's toes, and rotates to wash and massage between the toes. The cleaning member 172' surrounding the toe cleaning nozzle 171' may have one or more protrusions on its outer surface to enhance cleaning power and massage effect, and the body of the cleaning member 172' itself may be hard, but the protrusions may be soft.

[0166] An embodiment of the automatic cleaning operation of the foot health management device 100 according to the present invention will now be described.

[0167] The automatic cleaning function comprises a foot placement detection step, a cleaning liquid spraying step, and a foot cleaning step. The foot placement detection step is a step of detecting that a foot is placed on the cleaning plate 114. The cleaning liquid spraying step is a step in which the control unit receives foot position information values ​​detected by a foot detection sensor (not shown) and drives the cleaning liquid nozzle 125 of the spray unit 120 to spray cleaning liquid. The foot cleaning step is a step in which water is sprayed from the water spray nozzle unit to wash the feet after a first waiting time has elapsed after the cleaning liquid has been sprayed.

[0168] Optionally, the system may be configured to further include a foot separation detection step in which a foot detection sensor detects that the foot has left the cleaning plate 114, and an internal cleaning step in which cleaning water is sprayed from the spray unit 120 to clean the internal space of the foot washing tub 110 after the second waiting time has elapsed.

[0169] Here, the first and second waiting times refer to times that are preset in the process, and can be changed by the user.

[0170] The user can set various presettings using the user input unit (130 in FIGS. 4 to 6). Basic values ​​such as the spray pressure of the spray unit 120, the first and second standby times of the automatic cleaning function, and the amount of cleaning liquid sprayed can be set.

[0171] The foot placement detection step is performed by a foot detection sensor.

[0172] The foot detection sensor can be realized by providing a light receiving unit (not shown) and a light emitting unit (not shown) on the left and right inner walls of the foot washing basin 110, or by providing a pressure sensor on the bottom of the cleaning plate 114.

[0173] The foot detection sensor transmits information values ​​to the control unit, detecting the position of the foot approaching the cleaning plate 114 or the pressure value when the foot is placed on the cleaning plate 114. The control unit is electrically connected to the foot detection sensor, compares the information value transmitted from the foot detection sensor with a preset reference value, and controls the spray unit 120 if the result matches the reference value.

[0174] In the foot washing step, the control unit controls the spray unit 120 to automatically wash the inner storage space of the foot washing basin 110 for a preset time. Here, the preset time is calculated based on statistics accumulated from various data, and the initial setting may be different for each function, or the setting may be set by the user. To improve the effect of foot washing, the spraying method, spray pressure, and spray angle of the washing water and cleaning solution are automatically changed according to user input or preset logic.

[0175] The internal cleaning step is performed when the user pulls their feet back after washing their feet. When it detects that the user's feet have been removed from the cleaning plate 114, the control unit stops driving the spray unit 120, and the control unit controls the spray unit 120 to clean the inside of the foot washing basin 110 using the automatic cleaning function.

[0176] To clean the inside of the foot health management device 100, the control unit adjusts the spray angle and sprays cleaning water toward the cleaning plate 114 for a preset time. The set time can be changed by the user. Alternatively, a contamination sensor (not shown) can be used to detect the degree of cleaning of the cleaning plate, and the cleaning time of the cleaning plate can be changed until the appropriate level of cleaning is achieved.

[0177] The cleaning water sprayed in the internal cleaning step may be a mixture of cleaning liquid having stronger cleaning power than the cleaning water used for foot cleaning. For this purpose, the cleaning liquid reservoir is configured to store cleaning liquid for cleaning the cleaning plate separately from the cleaning liquid for foot cleaning.

[0178] The present invention has been described above with reference to several preferred embodiments. The present invention has a structure that allows the soles of the feet and between the toes to be washed thoroughly without bending over or using hands, making it possible for physically handicapped people with limited mobility to wash their feet easily.

[0179] In addition, the foot health care device can solve the problems of conventional care by being equipped with a function to automatically clean the device after foot washing and foot bathing. In this case, the foot health care device after the user's foot washing and foot bathing may be provided with an ultraviolet lamp (not shown) or a dryer (not shown) inside the cover of the body to eradicate bacteria and remove moisture.

[0180] Figure 24 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a Western-style toilet with a foot health management device according to one embodiment of the present invention, Figure 25 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the foot washing basin by the F-F' cross section shown in Figure 3, Figure 26 is a side view showing a schematic diagram of the connection structure of the foot washing basin by the F-F' cross section shown in Figure 3, Figure 27 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a wastewater discharge unit of a Western-style toilet according to another embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 28 is a plan view showing a schematic diagram of a modified example of the toilet basin and wastewater discharge unit in a Western-style toilet according to another embodiment of the present invention.

[0181] As shown in Figures 24 to 28, a Western-style toilet 500 according to another embodiment of the present invention has a structure in which a foot health management device 520 is attached in a sliding manner, unlike the Western-style toilet 10 described above. Here, the foot health management device 520 has the same functional characteristics as the foot health management device 100 described above. Therefore, only the structural differences will be described, and other similar parts will be omitted.

[0182] Basically, the foot health management device 520 can slide back and forth from the storage compartment 515 inside the Western-style toilet 500 .

[0183] Sliding rails (not shown) and casters (not shown) that can move on the sliding rails are provided at the connection points between the upper and lower ends of the foot washing basin 521 and the inside of the main body 510. The sliding rails may be long enough to accommodate the path along which the foot washing basin 521 can move forward and backward, ensuring stable sliding movement of the foot washing basin 521. Stoppers (not shown) may be provided on the sliding rails at each unit length to allow the foot washing basin 521 to stop stably.

[0184] The foot washing basin 521 may have a structure that allows it to slide electrically via an electric linear actuator (not shown) provided within the main body 510, but it goes without saying that in another embodiment, it may have a structure that allows it to slide manually.

[0185] At this time, the variable wall body 522 formed on the inner wall of the foot washing basin 521 is the part that abuts against the lower end of the toilet basin 512, and is made of a material that can variably deform its shape to match the shape of the lower end of the toilet basin 512.

[0186] Meanwhile, in order to install the sliding-related components in the storage portion 515 formed under the toilet tub 512, a sufficient space must be secured.

[0187] For this reason, as shown in Figure 27, the Western-style toilet 500 is configured so that the wastewater discharge unit 514, which is located in close proximity to the sliding-related components, is eccentrically disposed on either side of the left-right center line of the toilet cistern 512. In this case, the toilet cistern 512 is formed symmetrically with respect to the left-right center line, but in order to further secure space, as shown in Figure 28, the wastewater discharge port 513' of the toilet cistern 512' is asymmetrically eccentrically disposed.

[0188] In this case, the Western-style toilet 500 also has a wastewater discharge unit 514' connected to the wastewater discharge port 513' of the toilet tank 512', which is eccentrically positioned on the same side as the toilet tank 512', thereby ensuring space for installing sliding-related components.

[0189] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and it goes without saying that various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0190] As described above, the embodiment of the present invention not only functions as a toilet even in a small space, but also allows the user to wash and massage their feet while seated on the toilet. [Explanation of symbols]

[0191] 1: Traditional Western-style toilet 2: Toilet tank 2a: Sewage outlet of toilet tank 3: Trap 3a: External wastewater pipe connection 5: Wastewater outlet on toilet floor 10: Western-style toilet 100: Foot health management device 101: Drive unit 102: Hinge shaft 103: Connecting rod 104: Rail 110: Foot washing tank 111: External box 111a: Fixed wall 111b: Variable wall 112: Inner box 112a: Fixed wall 112b: Variable wall body 113: Connection part 114: Cleaning plate 114a: Protrusion 120: Injection section 122: Downward injection nozzle 123: Side injection nozzle 124: Upward injection nozzle 125: cleaning liquid nozzle 130: user input unit 140: Control unit 150: Sewage discharge unit 151: Sewage inlet pipe 152: Odor blocking section 153: Sewage discharge pipe 160: Cleaning water supply section 170, 170': Toe cleaning section 171, 171': Toe spray nozzle 171a, 171a': Injection nozzle 171b': Cleaning water guide groove 171c': Rotating shaft 172, 172': Cleaning member 172a, 172a': Injection nozzle 172b': Rotating shaft connecting groove 173: Rotating piece 174': Cleaning member cover 174a': Cover hole 180: Heel cleaning area 181: Rotating member 181a: Rotating pin 182: Brush 183: Actuator 184: Position adjustment unit 190: Bubble generation unit 200, 200': Main body 210, 210': Storage section 220, 220': Exterior wall 230, 230': Toilet tank 231: Sewage outlet 232: Sewage discharge unit 232a: Trap 232b: External sewage pipe connection 300: Western-style toilet seat 400: Western-style toilet cover 500: Western-style toilet 510, 510': Main body 511: Exterior wall 512, 512': Toilet tank 513, 513': Sewage outlet 514, 514': Sewage discharge unit 514a, 514a': Trap 514b, 514b': External sewage pipe connection part 515: Storage section 520: Foot health management device 521: Foot washing tank 522: Variable wall 530: Western-style toilet seat 540: Western-style toilet cover

Claims

1. A Western-style toilet, a main body having a storage section at a front lower end and a part of a rear lower end; a foot health management device having a foot washing basin, which is installed in the storage section of the main body and can be expanded and adjusted by a user's operation; The body includes: a toilet cistern formed across the front upper end and rear end and having a wastewater discharge outlet on a center line (a center line connecting the front and rear of the Western-style toilet); a wastewater discharge unit connected to a wastewater discharge port of the toilet tank, eccentrically disposed away from the center line, and configured to discharge wastewater to the outside; The foot health management device includes: The toilet is folded and placed in the storage section of the main body, and can be rotated forward and backward by the user's operation, allowing for expansion and adjustment.

2. The wastewater discharge unit comprises: a trap connected to the wastewater outlet of the toilet tank and eccentrically disposed away from the center line; 2. The Western-style toilet according to claim 1, further comprising an external wastewater pipe connector connected to the trap, positioned off the center line in the same eccentric direction as the trap, and configured to discharge wastewater to the outside.

3. A Western-style toilet, a main body having a storage section at a front lower end and a part of a rear lower end; a foot health management device having a foot washing basin, which is installed in the storage section of the main body and can be expanded and adjusted by a user's operation; The body includes: a toilet tank formed across the front upper end and rear end, and having a wastewater discharge outlet positioned off-center to either the left or right of the center line (the center line connecting the front and rear of the center of the Western-style toilet); a wastewater discharge unit connected to the wastewater discharge port of the toilet tank, disposed eccentrically from the center line on the same side as the wastewater discharge port of the toilet tank, and discharging wastewater to the outside; The foot health management device includes: The toilet is folded and placed in the storage section of the main body, and can be rotated forward and backward by the user's operation, allowing for expansion and adjustment.

4. The wastewater discharge unit comprises: a trap connected to the wastewater outlet of the toilet tank and eccentrically disposed on the same side of the wastewater outlet of the toilet tank from the center line; 4. The Western-style toilet according to claim 3, further comprising an external wastewater pipe connection portion connected to the trap and eccentrically positioned from the center line on the same side as the wastewater outlet of the toilet tank, for discharging wastewater to the outside.

5. The foot health management device includes: The Western-style toilet according to any one of claims 1 and 3, characterized in that the storage section of the main body is slidably adjusted forward and backward from the main body to open and close the inner space of the foot washing basin where the user's feet are placed.

6. The foot health management device includes: a foot washing tank having an inner space in which a user's feet are placed; a user input unit that provides buttons for various functions; a driving unit for adjusting the foot washing basin forward and backward in response to a command signal from the user input unit, 4. The Western-style toilet according to claim 1, wherein the foot washing basin is set by default to be folded and installed in the storage section of the main body, and can be slid forward and backward on the main body and rotated for deployment adjustment by user operation.

7. The foot washing tank is When the device is installed in the storage compartment of the main body, the inner box is kept stacked inside the outer box that forms the exterior appearance.

7. The toilet according to claim 6, wherein when unfolded from the main body, the outer box rotates to rest on the bottom, then moves horizontally forward, and the inner box rises to the top of the outer box.

8. Between the inner and outer boxes:

8. The Western-style toilet according to claim 7, wherein the connecting portion is made of elastic rubber material and is airtight.

9. The inner / outer box comprises: a variable wall body that is elastically deformed in accordance with the lower end of the toilet tub when the toilet tub is installed in the storage section of the main body and that abuts against the lower end of the toilet tub; 8. The Western-style toilet according to claim 7, further comprising a fixed wall body located at a position not in contact with the lower end of the toilet tub and airtightly connected to both ends of the variable wall body.

10. outer walls for supporting the front of the main body are disposed on both ends of the storage section of the main body; 8. The Western-style toilet according to claim 7, wherein the outer wall maintains airtightness between the foot washing basin and the outer wall when the foot washing basin rotates.

11. An inner wall is disposed inside the storage section of the main body, The Western-style toilet according to claim 10, characterized in that a sealing structure is formed between the lower end of the inner wall and the toilet floor to prevent bad odors from entering the room through a sewage outlet on the toilet floor.

12. The foot health management device includes: A spray unit that sprays predetermined washing water toward the inner space of the foot washing tub; a foot detection sensor that detects the position of a user's feet placed in the inner space of the foot washing basin; 7. The Western-style toilet according to claim 6, further comprising a control unit that adjusts the spray angle of the spray unit in accordance with the position of the user's feet detected by the foot detection sensor.

13. The foot health management device includes: The foot washing device further includes a bubble generating unit disposed at the bottom of the foot washing tank for generating bubbles, The injection unit is 13. The Western-style toilet according to claim 12, wherein the bubble generating unit sprays cleaning water while the bubble generating unit is on.

14. The foot washing tank of the foot health management device has: The toe cleaning unit is further configured to clean between the toes of the user, and is placed in the inner space. The toe cleaning section is a toe spray nozzle that sprays cleaning water between the user's toes; 13. The Western-style toilet according to claim 12, further comprising a cleaning member attached to the outside of the toe spray nozzle to remove contaminants trapped between the user's toes.

15. The injection unit is One or more side spray nozzles are arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the foot washing basin to spray water sideways; an upward jet nozzle provided at the bottom of the foot washing basin for jetting water upward; 13. The Western-style toilet according to claim 12, wherein the side jet nozzles are arranged such that the nozzles arranged at the front end are higher than the nozzles arranged at the rear end.

16. The injection unit is a downward jet nozzle that jets water toward the inner bottom of the foot washing tank; a cleaning liquid nozzle disposed inside the foot washing tank for spraying cleaning liquid; 16. The toilet of claim 15, further comprising a spray valve connected between the downward spray nozzle and the cleaning liquid nozzle, for selectively adjusting whether or not the downward spray nozzle and the cleaning liquid nozzle spray.

17. The foot health management device includes: The foot washing device further includes a heel washing unit rotatably mounted on an inner rear end of the foot washing basin for washing the heels of a user.

13. The Western-style toilet according to claim 12, wherein the heel cleaning portion is disposed at a predetermined incline that conforms to the shape of the heel.

18. The heel cleaning unit includes: a rotating member connected to the rear end of the foot washing basin in the width direction or the length direction and having a rotatable structure; a detachable brush having a structure surrounding the rotating member and a rough outer surface; 18. The Western-style toilet according to claim 17, further comprising an actuator that rotates the rotating member in response to the control unit.

19. The heel cleaning unit includes:

19. The Western-style toilet according to claim 18, further comprising a position adjustment unit that adjusts the position of the rotating member by means of the control unit.

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