Toilet seat and toilet bowl

Abstract

To properly sterilize a toilet seat with a simple configuration which suppresses the upsizing and cost increase of a toilet seat device.SOLUTION: A toilet seat device comprises: a toilet seat; a toilet lid that covers the toilet seat so as to form a predetermined space between the toilet lid and a sitting surface of the toilet seat in a closed state; a mist generating device communicating with an outlet disposed so as to be exposed to the predetermined space, and generating sterilized water mist; and a control device for controlling the mist generating device. In the toilet lid, a peripheral wall part extending to surround at least part of the circumferential edge of the toilet seat in the closed state, is disposed on the circumferential edge. The control device operates the mist generating device to perform sterilization, in the state where the toilet lid is closed, in such a manner that the sterilized water mist is generated and blown out from the outlet.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Technical Field

[0004] , , , , , ,

[0005] , , , , , , ,

[0001] The present invention relates to a toilet seat device.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, as this type of toilet seat device, there has been proposed one that generates sterilized water and sprays the mist of the sterilized water onto the toilet seat, toilet bowl, etc. for sterilization. For example, Patent Document 1 describes one that performs warm air drying in which air heated by a heater is blown by a fan in order to suppress the stickiness of the toilet seat after sterilization. Further, Patent Document 2 describes one that controls a spraying device so that the particle size of the sprayed mist changes in order to suppress the stickiness of the toilet seat after sterilization.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

[0006] To achieve the above-mentioned main objective, the present invention employs the following means.

[0007] The toilet seat device of the present invention is Toilet seat and A toilet lid that covers the toilet seat so as to form a predetermined space between it and the seating surface of the toilet seat when it is closed, A mist generating device that communicates with an outlet provided to be exposed to the predetermined space and generates disinfectant water mist, A control device for controlling the mist generating device, A toilet seat device equipped with, The toilet lid has a peripheral wall portion that extends around at least a part of the outer edge of the toilet seat when closed, The control device performs a disinfection process by operating the mist generating device so that the disinfectant water mist is generated and blown out from the outlet when the toilet lid is closed. This is the gist of it.

[0008] In the toilet seat device of the present invention, disinfection is performed by operating a mist generating device so that disinfectant water mist is generated and blown out from an outlet when the toilet lid is closed. Since the toilet lid has a peripheral wall portion that surrounds at least a part of the outer edge of the toilet seat, it is possible to suppress leakage of disinfectant water mist outside the predetermined space and prevent the disinfectant water mist from being blown out more than necessary. As a result, stickiness on the seating surface is suppressed and the drying time of the disinfectant water mist can be shortened, so there is no need to provide a separate device such as a drying heater. Therefore, the toilet seat can be properly disinfected with a simple configuration that keeps costs down.

[0009] The toilet seat device of the present invention is provided with a blower that communicates with the air outlet and is capable of forming a swirling flow that swirls along the seating surface within a predetermined space by blowing air from the air outlet toward one side in the left-right width direction of the toilet seat, and the control device may operate the mist generating device and the blower device so that the disinfecting water mist is blown out from the air outlet together with the airflow during the disinfection treatment. In this way, a swirling flow is formed within the predetermined space by the airflow of the blower, so that the blown-out disinfecting water mist can spread and adhere uniformly to the entire seating surface of the toilet seat, thereby disinfecting the entire seating surface more effectively.

[0010] In the toilet seat device of the present invention, the control device may, after the discharge of the disinfectant water mist has ended, operate the blower to blow air from the outlet into the predetermined space while the mist generating device is not operating, thereby performing a drying treatment on the seat surface. In this way, drying is performed by blowing air in a swirling flow, so the entire seat surface can be dried quickly without providing a drying heater or the like.

[0011] In the toilet seat device of the present invention, an opening and closing device for automatically opening and closing the toilet lid may be provided, and the control device may, after the discharge of the disinfectant water mist has ended, control the opening and closing device to open the toilet lid in order to perform the drying process of the seat surface. In this way, the seat surface can be exposed and air-dried. Furthermore, as described above, since stickiness of the seat surface is suppressed, proper drying can be performed even when the toilet lid is in the open position during the drying process.

[0012] In the toilet seat device of the present invention, the control device may perform the drying process after a predetermined disinfection time has elapsed since the end of the discharge of the disinfecting water mist. This allows for disinfection of the toilet seat before drying.

[0013] In the toilet seat device of the present invention, the blower may be operated to form the swirling flow in the predetermined space before operating the mist generating device, and then the disinfection treatment may be started. This increases the swirling properties of the disinfectant water mist from the start of the disinfection treatment, allowing the disinfectant water mist to adhere more uniformly to the entire seating surface of the toilet seat, thereby enabling more effective disinfection.

[0014] In the toilet seat device of the present invention, a blower device is provided that communicates with the air outlet and blows air from the air outlet into the predetermined space. The control device operates the mist generating device and the blower device so that, in the disinfection process, the blower device stops blowing air before or when the blowing of the disinfectant water mist from the air outlet is finished, and after the blowing of the disinfectant water mist is finished, the device waits for a predetermined time after the blowing of the disinfectant water mist is finished before ending the disinfection process. In this way, the blower device prevents the disinfectant water mist from remaining suspended in the predetermined space, and the disinfectant water mist can be quickly attached to the seat surface during the waiting period after the blowing of the disinfectant water mist is finished, thereby enabling proper disinfection.

[0015] In the toilet seat device of the present invention, the control device may activate the blower to blow air into the predetermined space before activating the mist generating device, and then start the disinfection process. In this way, the disinfectant water mist can be blown out while an airflow is formed in the predetermined space, so that the disinfectant water mist can quickly spread to areas far from the outlet. For this reason, the disinfectant water mist can be blown out in a short time and the seat surface can be disinfected more effectively.

[0016] In the toilet seat device of the present invention, a notification unit is provided to notify the user, and the control device may control the notification unit to notify that the disinfection process is in progress. In this way, the user can be made aware that the disinfection process is in progress, and even if the disinfectant water mist leaks outside the designated space, the user can recognize that this is not a malfunction. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0017] [Figure 1] It is an external perspective view of the toilet bowl 1 to which the toilet seat device 10 is attached. [Figure 2] It is an external perspective view of the toilet seat device 10 with the toilet seat lid 14 closed. [Figure 3] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the toilet seat device 10. [Figure 4] It is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the configuration of the toilet seat 13 and the toilet seat lid 14. [Figure 5] It is a flowchart showing an example of a toilet seat disinfection treatment routine. [Figure 6] It is a flowchart showing an example of disinfection treatment. [Figure 7] It is a time chart showing an example when disinfection treatment is performed. [Figure 8] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the state where disinfection water mist is blown out. [Figure 9] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the state where disinfection water mist is blown out. [Figure 10] It is a flowchart showing the disinfection treatment of the first modification example. [Figure 11] It is a time chart when performing the disinfection treatment of the first modification example. [Figure 12] It is a flowchart showing the disinfection treatment of the second modification example. [Figure 13] It is a time chart when performing the disinfection treatment of the second modification example. [Figure 14] It is a block diagram showing the configuration of the toilet seat device 10B of the modification example. [Figure 15] It is a flowchart showing the disinfection treatment of the third modification example. [Figure 16] It is a time chart when performing the disinfection treatment of the third modification example. [Figure 17] It is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between the standby time and the adhesion amount of the disinfection water mist. [Figure 18] It is a flowchart showing the disinfection treatment of the fourth modification example. [Figure 19]This is a time chart for the disinfection process of the fourth modified example. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0018] Next, embodiments for carrying out the present invention will be described.

[0019] Figure 1 is an external perspective view of a toilet bowl 1 with a toilet seat device 10 attached, Figure 2 is an external perspective view of the toilet seat device 10 with the toilet lid 14 closed, and Figure 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the toilet seat device 10. As shown in Figure 1, the toilet seat device 10 is attached to the top surface of the toilet bowl 1 and comprises a toilet seat device body 12, a toilet seat 13 and toilet lid 14 supported on the toilet seat device body 12 so as to be openable and closable, an operation panel 18 that allows the user to perform various operations, and a control device 20 that controls the entire device. In this embodiment, the left-right direction, front-back direction, and up-down direction are as shown in Figure 1.

[0020] The toilet seat unit 12 includes a toilet lid opening and closing device 16 that automatically opens and closes the toilet lid 14, a mist generating device 31 and a blower fan 33 that generate and spray disinfectant water mist to disinfect the toilet seat 13. Although not shown in the figures, the toilet seat unit 12 also includes a heat exchange unit that heats the water (washing water) supplied from a water supply channel connected to a water supply pipe (water pipe), a switching valve that switches the flow rate and supply destination of the washing water, a washing nozzle that discharges the washing water supplied via the switching valve to a part of the human body, and a movement mechanism that moves the washing nozzle forward and backward.

[0021] The toilet lid opening / closing device 16 comprises an opening / closing motor 16a and a rotation angle sensor 16b, and automatically opens and closes the toilet lid 14 by transmitting the driving force of the opening / closing motor 16a via a transmission gear and output shaft (not shown). The rotation angle sensor 16b is, for example, a rotary potentiometer that detects the rotation angle of a detection gear (not shown) provided on the output shaft. In addition to automatic opening and closing by the opening / closing motor 16a of the toilet lid opening / closing device 16, the toilet lid 14 can also be opened and closed manually by the user. The toilet seat 13 may also be configured to open and close automatically in the same way as the toilet lid 14.

[0022] The mist generator 31 includes, for example, an electrolytic device that electrolyzes water supplied from a water supply channel to produce disinfectant water (electrolyzed water) containing hypochlorous acid, and an atomizing device that releases the disinfectant water mist, which is formed into a mist by ultrasonic vibration, into the discharge channel 32. The generator is not limited to producing disinfectant water containing hypochlorous acid; it may also produce ionized water containing silver ions, or ozonated water containing ozone. Furthermore, the generator is not limited to producing disinfectant water mist by ultrasonic vibration; it may also produce disinfectant water mist by pressurization or other means.

[0023] The blower fan 33 is configured to blow air into the air passage 34 by being driven by a motor (not shown). The air passage 34 has an outlet (squirt port) 35 as an open end, and a discharge passage 32 is connected upstream of the outlet 35. Therefore, the disinfectant water mist released from the mist generator 31 into the discharge passage 32 flows into the air passage 34 and is blown out from the outlet 35 by the airflow of the blower fan 33. The blower fan 33 can be operated independently of the mist generator 31.

[0024] Here, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view showing part of the configuration of the toilet seat 13 and toilet lid 14. Note that Figure 4 shows the cross-section of the right end in the width direction (left-right direction). As shown in the figure, the toilet lid 14, which covers the toilet seat 13 when closed, is configured to form a space S between itself and the seating surface (upper surface) of the toilet seat 13. The toilet lid 14 is also provided with a peripheral wall portion 14a that extends from the outer edge toward the toilet seat 13 (downward side) so as to surround the front and both left and right sides of the outer edge of the toilet seat 13 (seating surface). Furthermore, a sealing member 15 made of an elastic material such as rubber is attached to the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 14a. This sealing member 15 seals the gap between the side of the toilet seat 13 and the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 14a when the toilet lid 14 is closed.

[0025] As shown in Figure 1, a seat detection sensor 24 is provided on the front of the toilet seat unit body 12 at the center in the width direction (left-right direction) to detect when a user is seated on the toilet seat 13. The toilet seat 13 is supported so as to be openable and closable at both ends of the toilet seat unit body 12 in the width direction via hinge shafts. The air outlet 35 of the air duct 34 is provided as an opening on the front of the toilet seat unit body 12 so as to be exposed to the space S. Specifically, the position of the air outlet 35 in the width direction is between the center position where the seat detection sensor 24 is provided and one end of the toilet seat unit body 12 in the width direction (the right end in Figure 1), and is located on the end side. In addition, the position of the air outlet 35 in the height direction is located between the seating surface of the toilet seat 13 and the lower surface of the toilet lid 14.

[0026] The control panel 18 includes an open / close switch 18a for instructing the opening and closing of the toilet lid 14, a disinfection switch 18b for the user to instruct disinfection of the toilet seat 13, and a stop switch 18c for instructing the user to stop disinfection and other operations. In addition, the control panel 18 also includes a wash switch for instructing local washing, and various adjustment switches for adjusting the washing strength and washing position.

[0027] The control device 20 includes a CPU, ROM, RAM, input / output ports, etc. (not shown). The control device 20 receives signals via input ports, such as detection signals from a human body detection sensor 22 that detects a person (user) in the toilet stall (room) where the toilet seat device 10 is installed, detection signals from a seat detection sensor 24 that detects when a user sits on the toilet seat 13, operation signals from various operation switches on the operation panel 18, and detected angles from the rotation angle sensor 16b. The control device 20 calculates the angle (opening degree) of the toilet lid 14 based on the rotation angle input from the rotation angle sensor 16b and detects whether the toilet lid 14 is open or closed. The control device 20 also outputs signals via output ports, such as an open / close signal to the toilet lid opening / closing device 16, an operation signal to the mist generator 31, an operation signal to the blower fan 33, and a lighting signal to an indicator lamp 26 located on the top surface of the toilet seat device body 12.

[0028] Next, we will explain the operation of the toilet seat device 10 configured in this way, in particular, the operation when disinfecting the seating surface of the toilet seat 13. Figure 5 is a flowchart of an example of a toilet seat disinfection process routine.

[0029] In the toilet seat disinfection routine shown in Figure 5, the control device 20 determines whether the seat detection sensor 24 is off (S100) and whether the human body detection sensor 22 is off (S110). If it determines that either the seat detection sensor 24 or the human body detection sensor 22 is on, the toilet seat disinfection routine is terminated. On the other hand, if the control device 20 determines that both the seat detection sensor 24 and the human body detection sensor 22 are off, that is, that no user is seated on the toilet seat 13 and there is no user in the toilet stall, it determines whether the disinfection process has already been performed during that absence (S120). If the absence occurs after the disinfection process has been performed in S150 (described later), the control device 20 determines in S120 that the disinfection process has already been performed and terminates the toilet seat disinfection routine. Note that even if the disinfection process is performed in S150, the control device 20 clears the disinfection process execution history if the seat detection sensor turns on again and the toilet seat 13 is used. Therefore, if a user who has used the toilet seat 13 leaves the toilet stall, S120 will determine that the disinfection process has not been performed.

[0030] If the control device 20 determines in S120 that the disinfection process has not been performed, it determines whether the toilet lid 14 is open or not (S130). If the control device 20 determines that the toilet lid 14 is open, it closes the toilet lid 14 using the toilet lid opening / closing device 16 to close it (S140), then performs the disinfection process (S150), and ends the toilet seat disinfection process routine. Alternatively, if the control device 20 determines that the toilet lid 14 is closed, it skips S140, performs the disinfection process (S150), and ends the toilet seat disinfection process routine.

[0031] Figure 6 is a flowchart showing an example of a disinfection process, and Figure 7 is a time chart showing an example of a disinfection process. In the disinfection process shown in Figure 6 (S150), the control device 20 first activates the mist generator 31 (S200) and the blower fan 33 (S210). This starts the generation of disinfectant water mist, and the generated disinfectant water mist is blown out from the outlet 35 (time t0 in Figure 7). The control device 20 also lights up the indicator lamp 26 to indicate that the disinfection process is underway (S220).

[0032] Figures 8 and 9 are explanatory diagrams showing an example of how disinfectant water mist is blown out, with the closed toilet lid 14 shown by a dotted line and the flow of disinfectant water mist indicated by arrows. In this embodiment, since the outlet 35 is provided on the right end side of the toilet seat device body 12, the disinfectant water mist blown out from the outlet 35 is prevented from falling into the toilet bowl 1 through the central opening of the toilet seat 13 and can flow along the right side of the seating surface of the toilet seat 13 (see Figure 8). Alternatively, the outlet 35 (air passage 34) may be configured so that the blowing direction is diagonal (front right direction) to encourage the disinfectant water mist to flow to the right side of the seating surface of the toilet seat 13. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 4, since the space S is sealed by the sealing member 15 on the outer edge of the toilet seat 13, it is possible to prevent the disinfectant water mist from leaking out of the space S from the outer edge of the seating surface. This allows the disinfectant mist to flow in a swirling pattern along the seat surface (see Figure 9), ensuring that the disinfectant mist is evenly distributed and adhered uniformly to the entire seat surface of the toilet seat 13. Furthermore, the indicator lamp 26 is illuminated, informing the user entering the toilet stall that disinfection is in progress. This prevents the user from mistakenly believing that smoke is being generated due to some malfunction, even if the disinfectant mist leaks outside the space S.

[0033] Once the disinfectant water mist is started to be blown out, the control device 20 waits for a predetermined mist blowing time to elapse (S230). The mist blowing time is determined appropriately based on the amount of disinfectant water mist blown out (generated) per unit time and the amount of mist required for disinfection, and is set to a time of several minutes, for example. When the mist blowing time has elapsed in S230, the control device 20 stops the operation of the mist generator 31 (S240, time t1). In S240, the blower fan 33 is kept running without stopping. Therefore, the airflow from the outlet 35 is maintained, and the disinfectant water mist adhering to the seating surface of the toilet seat 13 is dried by the airflow. That is, in S240 (time t1), the blowing of disinfectant water mist ends and blow-drying using the blower fan 33 begins. Alternatively, in S240, the operation of the blower fan 33 may be stopped once and then restarted. Furthermore, the amount of air blown by the blower fan 33 may be changed depending on whether disinfectant water mist is being sprayed or air drying is being performed.

[0034] The control device 20 then waits for a predetermined air-drying time to elapse (S250). The air-drying time is determined appropriately based on the amount of disinfectant water mist blown out (amount generated, amount attached) and the amount of air blown per unit time, and is set to a time of several minutes, for example. When the air-drying time has elapsed in S250, the control device 20 ends the air-drying by stopping the operation of the blower fan 33 (S260, time t2), turns off the notification lamp 26 (S270), and ends the disinfection process. Although not shown in the illustration, if the toilet lid 14 is opened or the stop switch 18c is operated during the disinfection process in Figure 6 (S150), the operation of the mist generator 31 and the blower fan 33 is stopped, the notification lamp 26 is turned off, and the disinfection process ends.

[0035] In the toilet seat device 10 described above, the blower fan 33 creates a swirling flow within the space S, allowing the sprayed disinfectant mist to adhere uniformly to the entire seating surface of the toilet seat 13, thereby properly disinfecting the entire surface. Furthermore, since the toilet lid 14 is provided with a peripheral wall portion 14a that covers the outer edge of the toilet seat 13, it is possible to suppress the leakage of disinfectant mist outside the space S. This prevents the spraying of more disinfectant mist than necessary, thus reducing stickiness on the seating surface of the toilet seat 13 and shortening the drying time of the disinfectant mist. Therefore, there is no need to provide a separate device such as a drying heater. Thus, the toilet seat 13 can be properly disinfected with a simple configuration that keeps costs down.

[0036] Furthermore, by blowing out the disinfectant water mist and then performing air drying, the entire seating surface can be quickly dried by the swirling airflow, thus preventing the next user from feeling uncomfortable due to stickiness on the toilet seat 13 (seating surface) when they sit on it.

[0037] Furthermore, since a sealing member 15 that seals the gap with the toilet seat 13 is provided on the inner surface of the peripheral wall portion 14a, it is possible to more reliably suppress the leakage of disinfectant water mist outside the space S.

[0038] The disinfection process is not limited to the embodiment described above, but may be performed as follows. Figure 10 is a flowchart showing the disinfection process of the first modified example, and Figure 11 is a time chart for performing the disinfection process of the first modified example. In the modified examples, the same steps as in the embodiment are given the same step numbers and their explanations are omitted.

[0039] In the first modified example of the disinfection process, when the mist blowing time elapses in S230, the control device 20 stops the operation of the mist generator 31 and the blower fan 33, and ends the blowing of disinfectant water mist (S240b, time t11 in Figure 11). Then, it waits for a predetermined disinfection time (disinfection time after blowing) to elapse (S242), and when the disinfection time has elapsed (time t12 in Figure 11), it activates the blower fan 33 to start blow-drying (S244). The predetermined disinfection time is set to, for example, a few minutes to about ten minutes. Also, blow-drying is carried out until the blow-drying time has elapsed, as in the embodiment (S250, S260, time t13 in Figure 11).

[0040] Thus, in the first modified example, the operation of the blower fan 33 is stopped to stop the airflow from the outlet 35, and the system waits for a predetermined disinfection time to elapse with the disinfectant water mist adhering to the seating surface of the toilet seat 13. This allows for a longer disinfection time to be secured and promotes disinfection, thereby enhancing the disinfection effect.

[0041] Furthermore, Figure 12 is a flowchart showing the disinfection process of the second modified example, and Figure 13 is a time chart for the disinfection process of the second modified example. In the disinfection process of the second modified example, the control device 20 operates the blower fan 33 (S202, time t20 in Figure 12) while the operation of the mist generator 31 is stopped, that is, before starting the operation of the mist generator 31, and lights up the notification lamp 26 (S204). Next, the control device 20 waits for a predetermined swirling flow formation time, which is the time required to form a swirling flow, to elapse (S206). This makes it possible to form a swirling flow (pre-disinfection swirling flow) in the space S before blowing out the disinfectant water mist. When the swirling flow formation time has elapsed in S206, the control device 20 starts the operation of the mist generator 31 and blows out the disinfectant water mist (S200b, time t21 in Figure 12).

[0042] Then, when the mist blowing time elapses in S230, the control device 20 stops the operation of the mist generator 31 and the blower fan 33 (S240b), opens the toilet lid 14 using the toilet lid opening / closing device 16 (S262, time t22 in Figure 12), and waits for a predetermined natural drying time to elapse (S264). The natural drying time is set to be longer than the blow-drying time, for example, several minutes to about ten minutes. When the natural drying time elapses in S264, the control device 20 closes the toilet lid 14 using the toilet lid opening / closing device 16 (S266), and then turns off the indicator lamp 26 in S270, ending the sterilization process.

[0043] Thus, in the second modified example, by forming a swirling flow beforehand and then blowing out the disinfectant water mist, the swirling properties of the disinfectant water mist within the space S can be enhanced, allowing the disinfectant water to adhere more uniformly to the seating surface of the toilet seat 13. In particular, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of disinfectant water near the outlet 35. As a result, the disinfecting effect on the entire seating surface of the toilet seat 13 can be further enhanced. Furthermore, once the blowing of the disinfectant water mist is finished, the toilet lid 14 is left open to allow it to air dry while disinfecting, thereby enhancing the disinfecting effect while suppressing stickiness on the seating surface of the toilet seat 13.

[0044] In this second modification, the toilet lid 14 was left open for natural drying after the disinfectant mist was released, but the invention is not limited to this, and blow-drying may be performed as in the embodiment. Alternatively, as in the first modification, natural drying or blow-drying may be performed after a predetermined disinfection time has elapsed since the disinfectant mist was released. Natural drying may also be performed in the embodiment and the first modification. Furthermore, the toilet seat 13 may be dried by both natural drying and blow-drying.

[0045] Figure 14 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a modified toilet seat device 10B. As described in the embodiment of the toilet seat device 10, the toilet seat device 10B includes, within the toilet seat device body 12, a heat exchange unit 12b that heats the washing water supplied from a water supply channel 12a connected to a water supply pipe, a switching valve 12c that switches the flow rate and supply destination of the washing water, washing nozzles (posterior washing nozzle 12d and bidet washing nozzle 12e) that discharge the washing water supplied via the switching valve 12c to various parts of the human body, and a moving mechanism (not shown) that moves each washing nozzle 12d and 12e forward and backward. In addition, the toilet seat device 10B may also include a water temperature sensor 12f that detects the temperature of the washing water output from the heat exchange unit 12b, as well as a flow sensor that detects the flow rate of the washing water and a pulsating pump that adjusts the strength of the washing. The heat exchange unit 12b is configured as an instantaneous heat exchange unit that can instantaneously heat the circulating washing water, for example, by incorporating a ceramic heater with a rated output of about 1200W. Furthermore, the heat exchange unit 12b has the capacity to heat the hot water used for localized cleaning to a temperature higher than that of the hot water used (for example, around 30-40°C). Note that the heat exchange unit is not limited to an instantaneous type; it may also be configured as a hot water storage type heat exchange unit comprising a tank for storing cleaning water and a heater for heating the cleaning water stored in the tank.

[0046] Furthermore, the switching valve 12c can switch the supply destination of the washing water to either the posterior washing nozzle 12d, the bidet washing nozzle 12e, or the electrolytic device 31a of the mist generator 31. The electrolytic device 31a electrolyzes the supplied washing water (water containing chloride ions) to produce disinfectant water containing hypochlorous acid. The hypochlorous acid water (disinfectant water) produced by the electrolytic device 31a is turned into a mist by ultrasonic vibrations of the atomizing device 31b and released as disinfectant water mist into the discharge channel 32. Since the electrolytic device 31a is supplied with hot water heated by the heat exchange unit 12b via the switching valve 12c, the electrolytic device 31a can produce hypochlorous acid water from hot water. Here, the disinfectant effect of hypochlorous acid water tends to increase with increasing water temperature. Therefore, by setting the hot water supplied to the electrolytic device 31a to a relatively high temperature (e.g., 40°C) compared to the hot water used for localized cleaning, or to a higher temperature (e.g., 60°C or 70°C), it is possible to generate hypochlorous acid water with a high disinfecting effect. Furthermore, by heating the hot water supplied to the electrolytic device 31a to a constant temperature using the heat exchange unit 12b, the effects of fluctuations in water temperature due to seasonal and ambient temperature changes can be suppressed, and hypochlorous acid water can be generated stably. As a result, the disinfecting effect of the disinfecting water mist can be stably exerted, preventing uneven disinfection. It should also be noted that the system may be configured to allow the switching valve 12c to discharge any remaining cleaning water in the supply path to the electrolytic device 31a before starting the supply of hot water to the electrolytic device 31a. In addition, even if hypochlorous acid water remains in the electrolytic device 31a, the concentration will not decrease rapidly for several days, such as 2-3 days, so the disinfecting effect will not be significantly reduced.

[0047] Furthermore, the toilet seat device 10B may, like the toilet seat device 10 of the embodiment, form a swirling flow by blowing air from the outlet 35, but is not limited to this. That is, in the embodiment described above, the formation of a swirling flow may be promoted by configuring the outlet 35 (air passage 34) so ​​that the blowing direction is oblique, but it is sufficient to blow air into the space S, and the position and blowing direction of the outlet 35 do not have to be limited to one suitable for a swirling flow.

[0048] The configuration of the modified toilet seat device 10B can be applied to the above-described embodiment and the first and second modified embodiments. That is, in the above-described embodiment and the first and second modified embodiments, hypochlorous acid water is generated from hot water heated by the heat exchange unit 12b by the electrolytic device 31a, and the seating surface of the toilet seat 13 can be disinfected using the disinfectant water mist obtained by misting the hypochlorous acid water. Furthermore, the toilet seat device 10B can also be applied to the third and fourth modified embodiments described below.

[0049] Figure 15 is a flowchart showing the disinfection process of the third modified example, and Figure 16 is a time chart for the disinfection process of the third modified example. In the disinfection process of Figure 15, the process from S200 to S230 is performed in the same way as in the disinfection process of Figure 6. Therefore, disinfectant water mist is blown out together with the airflow (time t30 in Figure 16). However, as mentioned above, S210 is not limited to forming a swirling flow. When the mist blowing time elapses in S230, the control device 20 stops the operation of the mist generator 31 and the air blower fan 33 (S240b, time t31 in Figure 16), and waits for a predetermined waiting time to elapse with the toilet lid 14 in the closed state (S242b). The predetermined waiting time is, for example, several tens of seconds to several minutes. When the predetermined waiting time has elapsed (time t32 in Figure 16), the control device 20 turns off the notification lamp 26 in S270 and terminates the disinfection process.

[0050] Here, Figure 17 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the relationship between waiting time and the amount of disinfectant water mist deposited. The horizontal axis shows the waiting time (elapsed time) after the mist generator 31 stops operating, and the vertical axis shows the measured amount of disinfectant water mist deposited on the seating surface of the toilet seat 13. The amount deposited is the weight of the disinfectant water mist deposited on a circular plate placed in a closed space S. The solid line shows the progress of the third modified example in which the operation of the blower fan 33 is stopped along with the operation of the mist generator 31, and the dotted line shows the progress when the blower fan 33 is kept running as a comparative example. As shown in the figure, in the comparative example in which the blower fan 33 is kept running, the disinfectant water mist continues to float in space S even after time has passed and does not easily adhere to the seating surface, so the amount deposited hardly changes over the time shown in Figure 17. On the other hand, in the third modified example, where the blower fan 33 is stopped and put into standby mode, it is possible to prevent the disinfectant water mist from remaining suspended in the air and to encourage the disinfectant water mist to fall (adhere to the seating surface), so the amount of adhering mist increases significantly over time. As a result, in the third modified example, even if the amount of disinfectant water mist sprayed and the spraying time are reduced, it is possible to secure the necessary amount of adhering mist in a short time and properly disinfect the seating surface.

[0051] Figure 18 is a flowchart showing the disinfection process of the fourth modified example, and Figure 19 is a time chart for performing the disinfection process of the fourth modified example. In the disinfection process of Figure 18, similar to the disinfection process of Figure 12, the blower fan 33 is activated before starting the operation of the mist generator 31 (S202b, time t40 in Figure 19), the indicator lamp 26 is lit in S204, and a predetermined airflow formation time, which is the time required to form an airflow in the space S, is waited for to elapse (S206b). As mentioned above, S202b is not limited to forming a swirling flow. That is, in S202b and S206b of the fourth modified example, it is sufficient for an airflow to be formed from the outlet 35 toward the front in the space S, and the airflow formation time may be shorter than the swirling flow formation time in S206 of Figure 12.

[0052] When the airflow formation time elapses in S206b, the control device 20 starts operating the mist generator 31 in S200b to blow out disinfectant water mist (time t41 in Figure 19). Thereafter, the same process as in S230 to S270 in Figure 15 is performed. That is, when the mist blowing time elapses in S230, the control device 20 stops the operation of the mist generator 31 and the blower fan 33 in S240b (time t42 in Figure 19), and when a predetermined waiting time elapses in S242b (time t43 in Figure 19), the indicator lamp 26 is turned off in S270, ending the disinfection process.

[0053] In this fourth modification, by pre-forming an airflow within the space S before blowing out the disinfectant water mist, the disinfectant water mist can quickly reach areas far from the outlet 35, allowing the disinfectant water to adhere to the seating surface of the toilet seat 13 in a short time. In particular, it suppresses the accumulation of disinfectant water near the outlet 35, allowing it to adhere uniformly to the seating surface. This further enhances the disinfecting effect on the entire seating surface of the toilet seat 13. Also, in the fourth modification, as in the third modification, the operation of the blower fan 33 is stopped and put into standby mode when the blowing of the disinfectant water mist ends, which promotes the adhesion of the disinfectant water mist to the seating surface. Therefore, it is possible to secure the necessary amount of adhesion in a short time and properly disinfect the entire seating surface.

[0054] In the third and fourth modifications, hypochlorous acid water is generated by the electrolytic device 31a from hot water heated by the heat exchange unit 12b, and the disinfectant water mist produced by atomizing this hypochlorous acid water is used, thereby enhancing the disinfecting effect. In this configuration, the toilet seat device 10B is configured such that the heat exchange unit 12b heats the hot water (washing water) supplied to the electrolytic device 31a, but it is not limited to this configuration, and a dedicated heat exchange unit may be provided in the supply path from the switching valve 12c to the electrolytic device 31a to heat the water. Alternatively, the electrolytic device 31a is not limited to generating hypochlorous acid water from hot water, but may also generate hypochlorous acid water from washing water at room temperature.

[0055] In the third and fourth modifications, the operation of the mist generator 31 is stopped at S240b, and the operation of the blower fan 33 is also stopped, that is, the blower fan is stopped at the same time as the discharge of the disinfectant water mist ends, but the invention is not limited to this. The blower fan 33 may be stopped before the operation of the mist generator 31 is stopped, so as to stop the blower fan before the discharge of the disinfectant water mist ends.

[0056] In the embodiments and modifications, the notification lamp 26 is turned on when the disinfection process starts and turned off when the disinfection process ends, but it is not limited to this. For example, in order to prevent the disinfectant water mist from being mistaken for smoke, the notification lamp 26 may be turned on at least while the disinfectant water mist is being blown out, and turned off when the blowing of the disinfectant water mist stops. Alternatively, the notification lamp 26 may be turned on while the blower fan 33 is operating and turned off when the blower fan 33 stops operating. In addition, a speaker may be provided instead of or in addition to the notification lamp 26 to notify the user that disinfection is in progress by sound (voice message, notification sound, etc.). Alternatively, the notification unit such as the notification lamp 26 or speaker may not be provided, and it may not be necessary to notify the user that disinfection is in progress. Furthermore, a notification lamp may be provided to notify the user when disinfection is complete, so that the user can easily recognize whether the toilet seat 13 is disinfected or not. This notification lamp may be a different notification lamp (second notification lamp) from notification lamp 26, or notification lamp 26 may be illuminated in a manner different from that during the disinfection process.

[0057] In this embodiment, the peripheral wall portion 14a of the toilet lid 14 is provided so as to surround the front and both left and right sides of the outer edge of the toilet seat 13, but it is not limited to this, and it is sufficient if it surrounds at least a part of the outer edge of the toilet seat 13.

[0058] In this embodiment, the air outlet 35 is positioned to the right of the center of the toilet seat unit body 12, and by blowing air towards the right side of the toilet seat 13, a swirling airflow is formed where air flows clockwise. However, the invention is not limited to this. As long as the air is blown towards one side in the width direction of the toilet seat 13, the air outlet 35 may be positioned to the left of the center of the toilet seat unit body 12, or it may be positioned in the center of the toilet seat unit body 12. Alternatively, by blowing air towards the left side of the toilet seat 13, a swirling airflow is formed where air flows counterclockwise. Furthermore, as explained in the configuration of the toilet seat unit 10B, the invention is not limited to forming a swirling airflow; it is sufficient if air is blown from the air outlet 35 by the operation of the blower fan 33.

[0059] In this embodiment, a blower fan 33 is provided as a blower device, but the invention is not limited to this, and a blower fan 33 may not be provided. Even without a blower fan 33, it is possible to perform disinfection by generating disinfectant water mist and blowing (releasing) the disinfectant water mist from the outlet 35. This makes it possible to disinfect the toilet seat 13 with an even simpler configuration.

[0060] In this embodiment, a toilet seat device 10 equipped with a toilet lid opening / closing device 16 is illustrated, but the invention is not limited to this and may also be applied to a toilet seat device without a toilet lid opening / closing device 16. In such a case, if the toilet seat disinfection routine determines in S130 that the toilet lid 14 is in the open state, the toilet seat disinfection routine can be terminated as is.

[0061] In this embodiment, the control device 20 automatically performed disinfection of the toilet seat 13, but it is not limited to this. The control device 20 may also perform disinfection of the toilet seat 13 based on the operation of the disinfection switch 18b, that is, in response to a disinfection instruction from the user.

[0062] The correspondence between the main elements of this embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem will be explained. In this embodiment, the toilet seat 13 corresponds to the "toilet seat", the toilet lid 14 corresponds to the "toilet lid", the mist generating device 31 corresponds to the "mist generating device", and the control device 20 corresponds to the "control device". The toilet lid opening / closing device 16 corresponds to the "opening / closing device". The blower fan 33 corresponds to the "blowing device". The notification lamp 26 corresponds to the "notification unit".

[0063] Furthermore, the correspondence between the main elements of this embodiment and the main elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem is merely an example to specifically explain how this embodiment can be used to implement the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem, and does not limit the elements of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem. In other words, the interpretation of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem should be based on the description in that section, and this embodiment is merely one specific example of the invention described in the section on means for solving the problem.

[0064] Although embodiments for carrying out the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited in any way to these embodiments, and it is of course possible to carry it out in various forms without departing from the spirit of the present invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0065] This invention can be used in industries such as the manufacturing of toilet seat devices. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0066] 1 Toilet bowl, 10 Toilet seat unit, 12 Toilet seat unit body, 12a Water supply channel, 12b Heat exchange unit, 12c Switching valve, 12d Rear wash nozzle, 12e Bidet wash nozzle, 12f Water temperature sensor, 13 Toilet seat, 14 Toilet lid, 14a Peripheral wall section, 15 Sealing member, 16 Toilet lid opening / closing device, 16a Opening / closing motor, 16b Rotation angle sensor, 18 Operation panel, 18a Wash switch, 18b Open / close switch, 18c Sterilization switch, 18d Stop switch, 20 Control device, 22 Human body detection sensor, 24 Seating detection sensor, 26 Notification lamp, 31 Mist generator, 31a Electrolyzer, 31b Atomizer, 32 Discharge channel, 33 Blower fan, 34 Air channel, 35 Outlet, S Space.

Claims

1. Toilet seat and A toilet lid that covers the toilet seat so as to form a predetermined space between it and the seating surface of the toilet seat when it is closed, A mist generating device that communicates with an outlet provided to be exposed to the predetermined space and generates disinfectant water mist, A control device for controlling the mist generating device, A toilet seat device equipped with, The toilet lid has a peripheral wall portion that extends around at least a part of the outer edge of the toilet seat when closed, The control device performs a disinfection process by operating the mist generating device so that the disinfectant water mist is generated and blown out from the outlet when the toilet lid is closed. The aforementioned air outlet is provided on the toilet seat device body such that its height is located between the seating surface and the lower surface of the toilet lid. Toilet seat device.

2. Toilet seat and A toilet lid that covers the toilet seat so as to form a predetermined space between it and the seating surface of the toilet seat when it is closed, A mist generating device that communicates with an outlet provided to be exposed to the predetermined space and generates disinfectant water mist, A blower that communicates with the aforementioned outlet and blows air, A control device for controlling the mist generating device and the blowing device, A toilet seat device equipped with, The toilet lid has a peripheral wall portion that extends around at least a part of the outer edge of the toilet seat when closed, The control device performs a disinfection process by operating the mist generating device and the blowing device so that the disinfectant water mist is generated and blown out from the outlet when the toilet lid is closed. The disinfectant water mist is blown out from the outlet by the airflow of the blower and then flows within the predetermined space in a swirling flow that rotates horizontally along the seating surface. Toilet seat device.

3. A toilet seat device according to claim 2, The swirling flow of the disinfectant water mist makes at least one rotation along the seating surface. Toilet seat device.

4. A toilet seat and A toilet lid that covers the toilet seat so as to form a predetermined space between it and the seating surface of the toilet seat when it is closed, A mist generating device that communicates with an outlet provided to be exposed to the predetermined space and generates disinfectant water mist, A blower that communicates with the aforementioned outlet and is capable of forming a swirling flow that rotates horizontally along the seating surface within the predetermined space by blowing air from the outlet toward one side of the width direction of the toilet seat, A control device for controlling the mist generating device and the blowing device, A toilet seat device equipped with, The toilet lid has a peripheral wall portion that extends around at least a part of the outer edge of the toilet seat when closed, The aforementioned air outlet is positioned such that its height is between the seating surface and the lower surface of the toilet lid. The control device performs a disinfection process by operating the mist generating device and the blowing device so that the disinfectant water mist is generated and blown out from the outlet when the toilet lid is closed, and in the disinfection process, the mist generating device and the blowing device are operated so that the disinfectant water mist is blown out from the outlet together with the airflow. Toilet seat device.

5. A toilet seat device according to claim 4, The control device, after stopping the discharge of the disinfectant water mist, operates the blower to blow air from the outlet into the predetermined space while the mist generator is not operating, thereby drying the seat surface. Toilet seat device.

6. A toilet seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The toilet lid is equipped with an opening and closing device that automatically opens and closes the lid, After the control device has finished blowing out the disinfectant mist, it controls the opening and closing device to open the toilet lid, thereby drying the seat surface. Toilet seat device.

7. A toilet seat device according to claim 5 or 6, The control device performs the drying process after a predetermined disinfection time has elapsed since the end of blowing out the disinfectant mist. Toilet seat device.

8. A toilet seat device according to any one of claims 5 to 7 relating to claim 4, The control device operates the blower to form the swirling flow within the predetermined space before activating the mist generator, and then starts the sterilization process. Toilet seat device.

9. A toilet seat device according to claim 1 or 2, The system includes a blower that communicates with the aforementioned outlet and blows air from the outlet into the predetermined space, The control device operates the mist generator and the blower so that, during the disinfection process, the blower stops blowing the disinfectant mist from the outlet along with the airflow before or when the blowing of the disinfectant mist ends, and after the blowing of the disinfectant mist ends, it waits for a predetermined time before ending the disinfection process. Toilet seat device.

10. A toilet seat device according to claim 9, The control device activates the blower to blow air into the predetermined space before activating the mist generator, and then starts the disinfection process. Toilet seat device.

11. A toilet seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, It is equipped with a notification unit that notifies the user, The control device controls the notification unit to provide notification that the disinfection process is in progress. Toilet seat device.

12. A toilet seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, A toilet to which the aforementioned toilet seat device is attached, A toilet device equipped with a toilet bowl.

Images