Toilet equipment

Abstract

To provide a toilet device that comprises a capacitance-type seating sensor and that can accurately detect a user's seating.SOLUTION: A toilet device 1 comprises: a toilet seat 3; a capacitance-type seating sensor 5; and a correction control part 612 that corrects a reference value serving as a benchmark for a detection value of the seating sensor 5 in timing when a person does not sit on the toilet seat 3.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to toilet devices. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, toilet devices in which a capacitance-type seating sensor is provided on a toilet seat are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The toilet device described in Patent Document 1 performs control to detect seating by correcting capacitance based on the power supplied to the heater. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-185130 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Toilet devices equipped with a capacitance-type seating sensor may not be able to accurately detect whether a user is sitting due to variations in capacitance values ​​caused by differences in the product and external environment.

[0005] The present disclosure aims to provide a toilet device that includes a capacitance-type seating sensor and can accurately detect whether a user is seated. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present disclosure relates to a toilet device including a toilet seat, a capacitance-type seat sensor, and a correction control unit that corrects a reference value that serves as a basis for the detection value of the seat sensor when no one is seated on the toilet seat. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a toilet device according to an embodiment; [Figure 2]FIG. 4 is a block diagram relating to correction control of a detection value of a seating sensor. [Figure 3] 10 is a graph showing a detection value of a seat sensor when a user is seated. [Figure 4] 10 is a graph showing a case where correction control of the reference capacitance value is performed by a correction control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Figure 1, a toilet device 1 of this embodiment includes a toilet bowl 2, a toilet seat 3, a toilet lid 4, a seating sensor 5, and a functional unit 6. The toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 are attached above the toilet bowl 2 so as to be rotatable relative to the toilet bowl 2.

[0009] The seating sensor 5 is incorporated into the toilet seat 3. The seating sensor 5 is electrically connected to a control unit 61 mounted on the functional unit 6. The seating sensor 5 is composed of a capacitance sensor that detects a capacitance value when a user sits on the toilet seat 3. The seating sensor 5 outputs a detected capacitance value Cr (detected value) of the capacitance to the control unit 61.

[0010] The functional unit 6 is disposed at the rear of the toilet bowl 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the functional unit 6 includes a control unit 61. The control unit 61 receives the capacitance detection value Cr of the capacitance output from the seating sensor 5. The capacitance detection value Cr of the capacitance detected by the seating sensor 5 is constantly sampled while the toilet device 1 is in operation.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 61 includes a seating detection unit 611 and a correction control unit 612.

[0012] As shown in Fig. 3, the seating detection unit 611 detects that a user is seated on the toilet seat 3 when a capacitance change value Cd, which is the difference between the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance output from the seating sensor 5 and the reference capacitance value Cb, is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The graph shown in Fig. 3 shows a case where a user is seated at timing T1 and leaves the seat at timing T2. The seating detection unit 611 detects that a user is not seated on the toilet seat 3 when a capacitance change value Cd, which is the difference between the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance output from the seating sensor 5 and the reference capacitance value Cb, is equal to or less than a predetermined value. For example, a time when a user is not seated on the toilet seat 3 is when the toilet lid 4 is closed.

[0013] The reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 is the value when the seat sensor 5 is not detecting anything and no one is seated on the toilet seat 3. The reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 is a reference value that serves as a reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5. The detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5 is constantly sampled and is the value at the time of sampling. If the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5 falls outside the normal range R, an error occurs. The capacitance change value Cd is the value obtained by subtracting the reference capacitance value Cb from the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5.

[0014] In this embodiment, for example, the reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5, the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5, and the capacitance change value Cd are each count value when the maximum value of the detection range of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5 is the maximum count value Cp.

[0015] The seating detection unit 611 detects that a user is sitting on the toilet seat 3 when the capacitance change value Cd is in the range of Cd1 or more, as shown in Figure 3, and detects that no person is sitting on the toilet seat 3 when the capacitance change value Cd is in the range of Cd2 or less.

[0016] When the reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 falls outside a predetermined normal range R, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb, which serves as a reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5. The normal range R is set, for example, to a predetermined range on the negative and positive sides of the target value of the reference capacitance value Cb, ranging from a lower limit value R1 to an upper limit value R2. The correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 when no person is seated on the toilet seat 3.

[0017] Specifically, when the reference capacitance value Cb1 falls outside a predetermined normal range R, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb2 to an adjustment value Rc closer to the center of the normal range R by decreasing the count value multiple times in increments of a predetermined correction unit value Δc, as shown in Fig. 4. The adjustment value Rc closer to the center of the normal range R does not need to be exactly in the center of the normal range R, but is a value within the normal range R that is closer to the center of the normal range R and has a range.

[0018] In the past, when the reference capacitance value Cb1 fell outside the predetermined normal range R, the count value was decreased multiple times in increments of a predetermined correction unit value Δc, and correction was terminated when the reference capacitance value Cb2 reached near the upper limit value R2 at which it entered the normal range R. As a result, an error occurred immediately after correction, as the reference capacitance value Cb2 fell outside the predetermined normal range R. In contrast, in the present disclosure, the count value is decreased multiple times in increments of a predetermined correction unit value Δc, and the reference capacitance value Cb2 is corrected to an adjustment value Rc that is closer to the center of the normal range R. This makes it possible to prevent the reference capacitance value Cb1 from falling outside the predetermined normal range R and causing an error, compared to the conventional method of adjusting the reference capacitance value Cb to near the upper limit value R2 of the normal range R.

[0019] The timing for performing correction by the correction control unit 612 before the toilet device 1 is installed can include, for example, when the toilet device 1 is turned on, when the toilet device 1 is inspected for shipment at the factory, and when the toilet device 1 is installed.

[0020] Furthermore, after the toilet device 1 is installed, the timing at which the correction control unit 612 performs correction can be, for example, timing based on time or time of day. For example, timing based on time or time of day can be when a predetermined time has elapsed since a person left the seat, at a preset time in the middle of the night or in the morning, or at predetermined intervals. When performing correction based on time or time of day, the correction control unit 612 can execute control to automatically perform correction.

[0021] By setting the timing for correction by the correction control unit 612 to the timing when the toilet device 1 is turned on, it is possible to adjust the capacitance value each time, even if the surrounding environment changes and the capacitance value changes, for example.

[0022] By setting the timing for performing the correction by the correction control unit 612 to coincide with the timing of the delivery inspection of the toilet apparatus 1, it is possible to automatically adjust the timing during the delivery inspection process, for example.

[0023] If the timing for correction by the correction control unit 612 is set to the timing when the toilet device 1 is installed, the installer of the toilet device 1 can perform the correction by operating the remote control. Here, for example, even if the capacitance value changes due to a change in the surrounding environment, the installer can adjust it each time. For example, there is no need to turn off the power to the toilet device 1 before setting it up. This saves time required for setup, and makes it easy to correct (adjust) the capacitance value.

[0024] When the timing of correction by the correction control unit 612 is set based on time or time-of-day, it is possible to adjust the timing each time, even if the capacitance value changes due to a change in the surrounding environment, for example. When correction is automatically performed by the correction control unit 612, no manual correction operation is required, and therefore there is no need to include an explanation of correction control in the instruction manual or installation manual.

[0025] The toilet device 1 of this embodiment described above provides the following effects.

[0026] The toilet device 1 of this embodiment includes a toilet seat 3, a capacitance-type seat sensor 5, and a correction control unit 612 that corrects a reference capacitance value Cb that serves as a reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5 when no one is seated on the toilet seat 3. This makes it possible to correct the reference capacitance value Cb that serves as a reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5 when no one is seated on the toilet seat 3. This prevents the reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 from falling outside the predetermined normal range R and causing an error, making it possible to accurately detect whether a user is sitting.

[0027] In this embodiment, the correction control unit 612 automatically corrects the reference capacitance value Cb that serves as the reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat occupancy sensor 5. This eliminates the need for a manual correction operation, and makes it possible to easily correct the reference capacitance value Cb that serves as the reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat occupancy sensor 5.

[0028] In this embodiment, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb, which is the reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat occupancy sensor 5, at a timing based on time or a time of day. This allows the correction of the reference capacitance value Cb, which is the reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat occupancy sensor 5, to be performed periodically. Therefore, it is possible to accurately detect whether the user is seated at any time.

[0029] In this embodiment, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb that serves as the reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5 at least one of the following times: when the toilet device 1 is powered on, when the toilet device 1 is inspected, and when the toilet device 1 is installed. As a result, even if the capacitance value changes due to a change in the surrounding environment, correcting the reference capacitance value Cb that serves as the reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5 makes it possible to accurately detect that a user is sitting.

[0030] In this embodiment, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb, which is the reference for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5, to an adjustment value Rc that is closer to the center of the normal range R of the reference capacitance value Cb. Compared to the conventional method of adjusting the reference capacitance value Cb to be close to the upper limit value R2 of the normal range R, this can prevent the reference capacitance value Cb from immediately deviating from the predetermined normal range R after correction, resulting in an error.

[0031] While the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified as appropriate.

[0032] In the above embodiment, examples of timings at which the correction control unit 612 performs correction before the installation of the toilet device 1 include timings at which the toilet device 1 is powered on, timings at which the toilet device 1 is inspected for delivery at a factory, and timings at which the toilet device 1 is installed. Examples of timings at which the correction control unit 612 performs correction after the installation of the toilet device 1 include timings based on time or time of day. However, the timings at which the correction control unit 612 performs correction are not limited to one of these timings. Whether or not the correction control unit 612 performs correction may be determined based on a combination of one or more of these timings and timing at which the toilet lid 4 is closed (a timing at which the user is not seated on the toilet seat 3). [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1 toilet device, 3 toilet seat, 4 toilet lid, 5 seating sensor, 612 correction control unit

Claims

1. Toilet seat and A capacitance type seating sensor; a correction control unit that corrects the reference value that is the basis for the detection value of the seat sensor when the reference value that is the basis for the detection value of the seat sensor falls outside a predetermined normal range when no one is seated on the toilet seat, The correction control unit adjusts the reference value, which is the basis for the detection value of the seat sensor, toward the normal range of the reference value multiple times in increments of a predetermined correction unit value, thereby correcting the adjustment value to be closer to the center of the normal range of the reference value.

2. The toilet device according to claim 1 , wherein the correction control unit automatically corrects a reference value that is a reference for the detection value of the seating sensor.

3. The toilet device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the correction control unit corrects the reference value that is the basis for the detection value of the seat sensor at least one of the following timings: a predetermined time has elapsed since the person left the seat; a predetermined time in the middle of the night or in the morning; and every predetermined time.

4. The toilet device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the correction control unit corrects a reference value that serves as a basis for the detection value of the seat sensor at least at the timing of turning on the power of the toilet device, inspecting the toilet device, and installing the toilet device.

5. 5. The toilet apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the correction control unit corrects a reference value that is a reference for the detection value of the seat sensor when the toilet lid is closed.

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