Portable toilet

Abstract

To provide a portable toilet capable of adjusting a leg length in a stepless manner regardless of the shape of a leg bottom part coming into contact with a floor surface.SOLUTION: A portable toilet 10 comprises a toilet bowl body 50, a leg 100 with a leg bottom part 131 coming into surface contact with a floor surface, disposed on the toilet bowl body 50, and a stepless adjustment mechanism 260 for adjusting, in a stepless manner, a leg length which is a length of the leg 100 extending from the toilet bowl body 50. When the leg length is adjusted by the stepless adjustment mechanism 260, the leg bottom part 131 is configured not to be rotated.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a portable toilet.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, a portable toilet including a toilet body and legs provided on the toilet body has been known. In this type of portable toilet, the height of the toilet body can be changed according to the physique of the user. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a portable toilet provided with a mechanism for adjusting the length of legs extending downward from the toilet body.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the portable toilet described in Patent Document 1, the adjuster for height adjustment, which is a leg structure provided at the lower part of the toilet body, has an adjuster body to which a screw part is attached and a nut screwed and fastened to the screw part. When the adjuster body is rotated, the adjuster body moves in the vertical direction along the screw part. That is, the length of the leg is adjusted and the height of the toilet body is changed.

[0005] By the way, the bottom of the adjuster body, which is the part in contact with the floor surface among the leg structures of Patent Document 1, rotates together with the adjuster body. Since the bottom of Patent Document 1 is circular, the same shape is obtained even when the adjuster body rotates. However, when the part is not circular, the shape of the part located on the front side, for example, may be different due to the rotation of the adjuster body. In such a case, the support of the toilet body by the legs may become unstable. Therefore, depending on the shape of the part in contact with the floor surface, it may be difficult to perform stepless adjustment.

[0006] This invention has been made in view of the above, and its purpose is to provide a portable toilet that can adjust the length of its legs steplessly, regardless of the shape of the bottom of the legs that contact the floor surface. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The portable toilet according to the present invention comprises a toilet bowl body, legs provided on the toilet bowl body and having bases that make surface contact with the floor surface, and a stepless adjustment mechanism that continuously adjusts the leg length, which is the length the legs extend from the toilet bowl body. The bases of the legs are configured not to rotate when the leg length is adjusted by the stepless adjustment mechanism.

[0008] According to the portable toilet of the present invention, when the leg length is adjusted steplessly by the stepless adjustment mechanism, the base of the legs does not rotate. Therefore, even when the leg length is adjusted by the stepless adjustment mechanism, the base of the legs always faces the same direction. In other words, the height of the toilet bowl can be changed by adjusting the leg length steplessly, regardless of the shape of the base of the legs. Furthermore, because the base of the legs does not rotate, there is a high degree of freedom in the shape of the base of the legs.

[0009] According to one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the stepless adjustment mechanism is a screw-type mechanism that adjusts the leg length by rotation, and the leg base is configured not to rotate when the stepless adjustment mechanism is rotated.

[0010] According to the above embodiment, the leg length can be adjusted by rotating the stepless adjustment mechanism. When the stepless adjustment mechanism is rotated, the base of the leg does not rotate. Therefore, even when the leg length is adjusted by rotating the stepless adjustment mechanism, the base of the leg always faces the same direction.

[0011] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the leg has a leg body that is located above the leg base and extends in the vertical direction, and the stepless adjustment mechanism is positioned between the leg base and the leg body and is configured to be rotatable relative to the leg base, so that the distance between the leg body and the leg base can be adjusted steplessly by the rotation of the stepless adjustment mechanism.

[0012] According to the above embodiment, the length of the legs themselves can be adjusted steplessly by rotating the stepless adjustment mechanism to adjust the distance between the leg body and the base of the legs. At this time, since the stepless adjustment mechanism rotates relative to the base of the legs, the orientation of the base of the legs does not change. Furthermore, since the distance between the leg body and the base of the legs can be adjusted steplessly, the height of the toilet bowl can be easily adjusted.

[0013] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the leg body is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a first cylindrical portion having a first screw groove formed on its outer circumferential surface, and the stepless adjustment mechanism has a second cylindrical portion that is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a second screw groove formed on its inner circumferential surface that engages with the first screw groove, and the distance between the leg body and the leg base is adjusted steplessly by rotating the second cylindrical portion relative to the first cylindrical portion.

[0014] According to the above embodiment, since only the second cylindrical part needs to be rotated, the distance between the main body and the base of the legs can be easily adjusted. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to touch the base of the legs, it is possible to prevent the user's hands from getting dirty.

[0015] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, a regulating member is provided on the base of the leg and located inside the leg body, and regulating member is provided which restricts the distance between the base of the leg and the leg body to be greater than a predetermined length, wherein the leg body has a regulating wall portion which does not come into contact with the regulating piece when the distance is less than the predetermined length, and which comes into contact with the regulating piece when the distance is the predetermined length.

[0016] According to the above aspect, it is possible to prevent the bottom portion of the leg from detaching from the leg main body portion by accidentally rotating the stepless adjustment mechanism too much.

[0017] According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, the toilet body is configured to be tiltable, and the leg has a first leg surface that is in surface contact with the floor surface when the toilet body is not tilted, and a second leg surface that is located in front of the first leg surface and is in surface contact with the floor surface when the toilet body is tilted.

[0018] According to the above aspect, even if the stepless adjustment mechanism is rotated, the positional relationship between the first leg surface and the second leg surface with respect to the toilet body does not change. Therefore, even if the height of the toilet body is adjusted, the toilet body can be stably supported.

[0019] According to another preferred aspect of the present invention, the leg includes a front leg and a rear leg located behind the front leg, and the stepless adjustment mechanism is provided only on one of the front leg and the rear leg.

[0020] According to the above aspect, it is easier to finely adjust the height of the toilet body by using either the front leg or the rear leg, and the operation is simplified. Also, compared to the case where stepless adjustment mechanisms are provided on both the front leg and the rear leg, the structure is simplified and cost reduction can be achieved.

Effect of the Invention

[0021] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a portable toilet that can adjust the length of the legs steplessly regardless of the shape of the bottom portion of the legs that contact the floor surface.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0022] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable toilet according to an embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portable toilet according to an embodiment. [Figure 3]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portable toilet according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a toilet body according to an embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a front leg and its surrounding structure. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a front leg and its surrounding structure. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view showing the bottom portions of the front leg and the rear leg. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a side view showing the portable toilet during normal use as viewed from the right. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a side view showing the portable toilet during tilting as viewed from the right. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a bottom view showing the bottom portions of the front leg and the rear leg. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the distance between the leg main body portion and the bottom portion is widest by the stepless adjustment mechanism. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the ring member is removed and the adjustment button is pressed. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a side view showing the state where the leg main body portions of the front leg and the rear leg are the longest.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] Hereinafter, embodiments of the portable toilet according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. It should be noted that the embodiments described here are not intended to limit the present invention in particular. Also, members and parts having the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations are omitted or simplified as appropriate.

[0024] Figures 1, 2, and 3 are perspective views of the portable toilet 10 according to this embodiment. Figure 1 shows the lid 15 in the closed position. Figure 2 shows the lid 15 in the open position (lid 15 raised). Figure 3 shows the lid 15 and toilet seat 20 in the open position (lid 15 and toilet seat 20 raised). In the following description, the symbols F, Rr, L, R, U, and D in the drawings represent the front, back, left, right, up, and down, respectively, as viewed from the perspective of a user sitting on the toilet bowl 50. However, these directions are defined for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the installation configuration of the portable toilet 10 or the present invention in any way.

[0025] As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, the portable toilet 10 is a toilet primarily used by elderly people and people with disabilities, and is suitable for use in assistance. Furthermore, the portable toilet 10 is not a toilet fixed to the floor, but a movable toilet. The portable toilet 10 comprises a lid 15, a toilet seat 20, a receiving plate 30, a bucket 40, a toilet bowl body 50, a backrest 70, armrests 80, and legs 100.

[0026] The lid 15 is a component that is placed over the toilet seat 20. As shown in Figure 1, in this embodiment, the lid 15 is a substantially rectangular component and is attached to the rear of the toilet bowl body 50 via a hinge (not shown) provided on its rear edge. The lid 15 is detachably attached to the toilet bowl body 50. The lid 15 rotates around the hinge as an axis. The lid 15 has a hinge (not shown) attached to its middle section in the front-to-back direction. The lid 15 can be folded at its middle section in the front-to-back direction by the hinge. The folded lid 15 can pass through an opening 71 provided in the backrest 70. By passing the lid 15 through the opening 71 provided in the backrest 70, the position of the lid 15 can be appropriately changed between a position where it is placed on the toilet seat 20 in front of the backrest 70 (see Figure 1) and a position where it is pulled up behind the backrest 70 (see Figure 2).

[0027] As shown in Figure 2, the toilet seat 20 is positioned in the center of the top of the toilet bowl 50. The toilet seat 20 is attached to the rear of the support plate 30 via a hinge (not shown). The toilet seat 20 rotates relative to the support plate 30 around the hinge. The toilet seat 20 can be appropriately changed between a position where it is positioned on top of the toilet bowl 50 (see Figure 2) and a position where it is lifted up from the top of the toilet bowl 50 (see Figure 3). The toilet seat 20 has a seat surface 21 where the user's buttocks rest. An opening 22 is formed in the center of the toilet seat 20.

[0028] The support plate 30 is positioned on top of the toilet bowl body 50. The support plate 30 is detachably mounted on the toilet bowl body 50. The toilet seat 20 is positioned on top of the support plate 30. The support plate 30 rotatably supports the toilet seat 20. The support plate 30 and the toilet seat 20 are integrated. As shown in Figure 3, an opening 31 is formed in the center of the support plate 30. The support plate 30 is also referred to as the toilet.

[0029] Bucket 40 is a bucket that receives the user's excrement and may be called a "waste receptacle". Bucket 40 is a deep, bottomed container with an open top. Bucket 40 is placed below the toilet seat 20. Bucket 40 is stored in the toilet bowl body 50 in a predetermined orientation. Bucket 40 is placed in the opening 31 of the receiving plate 30. Bucket 40 is detachably stored in the receiving plate 30. As shown in Figure 2, a lid 42 (bucket lid) is attached to the opening of bucket 40, and when using the portable toilet 10, the lid 42 is removed. Also, when the portable toilet 10 is not in use, it is advisable to put the lid 42 on bucket 40 to prevent odor leakage.

[0030] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the toilet bowl body 50. As shown in Figure 4, the toilet bowl body 50 has a main body 51, a storage section 52, and leg support sections 55. The main body 51 is formed in a roughly rectangular parallelepiped shape. A receiving plate 30 (see Figure 3) is placed on the upper part of the main body 51. The storage section 52 is located in the center of the main body 51 and is a recessed area that slopes downwards. A bucket 40 is stored in the storage section 52. The leg support sections 55 are located at the four corners of the main body 51, front, back, left, and right. The leg support sections 55 have through holes 55H that penetrate vertically. The legs 100 (see Figure 1) are inserted into the through holes 55H. The leg support sections 55 are the parts that support the legs 100. As will be described later, the toilet bowl body 50 is configured to be tiltable by adjusting the leg length of the rear legs 110Rr (see Figure 1) of the legs 100.

[0031] As shown in Figure 1, the backrest 70 comprises a left column 71L, a right column 71R, a backrest section 72, and a cushion 73. The left column 71L and the right column 71R extend upward from both the left and right sides of the toilet bowl body 50, respectively. The backrest section 72 spans the upper ends of the left column 71L and the right column 71R. The backrest section 72 extends in the left-right direction. The cushion 73 is attached to the front of the backrest section 72. The cushion 73 is made of, for example, polypropylene resin or a foamed soft resin material. The area enclosed by the left column 71L, the right column 71R, and the backrest section 72 forms an opening 71 for passing the lid 15 forward and backward.

[0032] As shown in Figure 1, the armrest 80 has a left armrest 80L positioned to the left of the lid 15 and a right armrest 80R positioned to the right of the lid 15. The left armrest 80L and the right armrest 80R have roughly the same structure. The left armrest 80L and the right armrest 80R each have an armrest body 81 on which the user's elbow rests, and a first support column 82 and a second support column 83 extending downward from the armrest body 81. The armrest body 81 extends in the front-rear direction. The second support column 83 is positioned behind the first support column 82. The left armrest 80L and the right armrest 80R are provided on the toilet bowl body 50. The left armrest 80L and the right armrest 80R are configured to be height-adjustable relative to the toilet bowl body 50. The left armrest 80L and the right armrest 80R can be removed from the toilet bowl body 50 as appropriate according to the needs of the user or caregiver.

[0033] As shown in Figure 1, the legs 100 are provided on the toilet bowl body 50. The legs 100 include a pair of front legs 110F and a pair of rear legs 110Rr located behind the front legs 110F. The front legs 110F and rear legs 110Rr are configured to allow adjustment of their leg length, which is the length extending from the toilet bowl body 50. The pair of front legs 110F have a symmetrical structure with respect to the left-right direction. That is, the adjustment buttons 218, which will be described later, are located on the inside and face each other. The pair of rear legs 110Rr have a symmetrical structure with respect to the left-right direction. That is, the adjustment buttons 218 are located on the inside and face each other. The rear legs 110Rr are provided with casters 115 for movement. The casters 115 are formed integrally with the leg base 131, which will be described later. The caster 115 is in contact with the floor when the toilet bowl 50 is horizontal (i.e., the height from the first leg surface 141 of the front leg 110F, described later, to the toilet seat 20 is the same as the height from the first leg surface 141 of the rear leg 110Rr, described later). The caster 115 is located above the floor when the toilet bowl 50 is horizontal and does not need to be in contact with the floor. The caster 115 may be detachably attached to the rear leg 110Rr. Note that the front leg 110F and the rear leg 110Rr have roughly the same structure, except that the front leg 110F is provided with a stepless adjustment mechanism 260, described later; therefore, the front leg 110F will be described below.

[0034] Figure 5 is an exploded perspective view of the right front leg 110F and its surrounding structure. As shown in Figure 5, the leg 100 has a leg body 121, a leg base 131, and a regulating member 150. The leg body 121 is an example of a first leg. The leg base 131 is an example of a second leg. In this embodiment, in the front leg 110F, the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 are formed separately, while in the rear leg 110Rr, the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 are formed integrally.

[0035] As shown in Figure 5, the leg body 121 is located above the leg base 131. The leg body 121 extends in the vertical direction. The leg body 121 has a hollow leg portion 122 that extends in the vertical direction and a first cylindrical portion 124 located below the leg portion 122. The leg portion 122 and the first cylindrical portion 124 are integrally formed. As shown in Figure 6, the leg body 121 has a regulating wall portion 128 between the leg portion 122 and the first cylindrical portion 124. The regulating wall portion 128 is a wall that restricts the movement of the regulating member 150. The regulating wall portion 128 has an insertion hole 129 into which a part of the protruding member 135 of the leg base 131, which will be described later, is inserted. The insertion hole 129 penetrates the regulating wall portion 128 in the vertical direction.

[0036] As shown in Figure 5, the leg portion 122 has a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape. Multiple leg-side engaging portions 123 are formed on the outer circumferential surface of the leg portion 122 (in this case, the left and right surfaces). The leg-side engaging portions 123 are recessed inward (horizontally) from the outer circumferential surface of the leg portion 122. Note that the leg-side engaging portions 123 may be through holes penetrating the leg portion 122. The multiple leg-side engaging portions 123 are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The multiple leg-side engaging portions 123 are arranged at equal intervals. For example, the leg-side engaging portions 123 are provided at intervals of 0.3 cm to 3 cm (preferably 0.7 cm to 1.5 cm; for example, 1 cm). The leg-side engaging portions 123 engage with the main body-side engaging portions 220, which will be described later.

[0037] As shown in Figure 5, the first cylindrical portion 124 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The outer shape of the first cylindrical portion 124 is larger than the outer shape of the leg portion 122. That is, the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 124 is located outside the outer circumferential surface of the leg portion 122. A first screw groove 125 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the first cylindrical portion 124. As shown in Figure 6, a protruding wall 127 extending downward from the regulating wall portion 128 is formed inside the first cylindrical portion 124. The protruding wall 127 is formed outward from the insertion hole 129. Note that the rear leg 110Rr does not have the first cylindrical portion 124 because the leg body portion 121 and the leg base portion 131 are formed integrally.

[0038] The base portion 131 makes surface contact with the floor. As shown in Figure 5, the base portion 131 has a base member 132, a grip member 138 attached to the lower surface of the base member 132, and a protruding member 135 that protrudes upward from the base member 132. The rear leg 110Rr does not have a protruding member 135 because the leg body portion 121 and the base portion 131 are formed integrally.

[0039] As shown in Figure 5, the base member 132 is formed in a flattened shape. The outer shape of the base member 132 is larger than the outer shape of the screen body 121. The base member 132 is formed from a different material than the screen body 121.

[0040] As shown in Figure 6, the grip member 138 is attached to the back surface of the base member 132. The grip member 138 is formed from, for example, a rubber material or an elastomer material. Preferably, the rubber material and elastomer material have a durometer type A hardness of 30 to 90 degrees in accordance with JIS K 6253-3. Examples of rubber materials include silicone rubber, natural rubber, nitrile rubber, and butyl rubber. Examples of elastomer materials include olefin-based elastomers and styrene-based elastomers. Such a grip member 138 firmly fixes the portable toilet 10 to the floor surface when the user uses the portable toilet 10. As shown in Figure 7, the grip member 138 has a first leg surface 141 and a second leg surface 142. The first leg surface 141 is located behind the second leg surface 142. The angle between the first leg surface 141 and the floor surface is different from the angle between the second leg surface 142 and the floor surface. The first leg surface 141 is the surface that makes surface contact with the floor when the toilet bowl body 50 is not inclined (see Figure 8). In this embodiment, the first leg surface 141 is a horizontal surface. The second leg surface 142 is the surface that makes surface contact with the floor when the toilet bowl body 50 is inclined, as will be described later (see Figure 9). In this embodiment, the second leg surface 142 is an inclined surface. The second leg surface 142 extends upward as it goes forward. The second leg surface 142 is located in front of the leg base 121. The angle difference between the first leg surface 136 and the second leg surface 137 is 10° or less (for example, 1° or more and 10° or less. Preferably 2° or more and 9° or less. More preferably 3° or more and 7° or less. Even more preferably 3° or more and 6° or less. Even more preferably 3° or more and 5° or less. Here, it is 3°).

[0041] As shown in Figure 8, the first leg surface 141 makes surface contact with the floor surface MM when the difference between the leg length RrL of the rear leg 110Rr and the leg length FL of the front leg 110F is a first length. As shown in Figure 9, the second leg surface 142 makes surface contact with the floor surface MM when the difference between the leg length RrL of the rear leg 110Rr and the leg length FL of the front leg 110F is a second length that is longer than the first length (for example, the first length + a few centimeters (for example, 1 cm to 5 cm, or 2 cm)). At this time, the first leg surface 141 does not make surface contact with the floor surface MM. In this embodiment, the leg length FL of the front leg 110F is the vertical distance from the lower end of the stopper member 240 attached to the clamping member 230 (see Figure 6), which will be described later, to the first leg surface 141 of the leg base 131, and the leg length RrL of the rear leg 110Rr is the vertical distance from the lower end of the stopper member 240 attached to the clamping member 230 to the first leg surface 141 of the leg base 131. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 8, when the leg length RrL of the rear leg 110Rr and the leg length FL of the front leg 110F are at their shortest, the leg length FL is longer than the leg length RrL. When the leg length FL and the leg length RrL are the same when the leg length RrL of the rear leg 110Rr and the leg length FL of the front leg 110F are at their shortest, the first length described above becomes zero.

[0042] As shown in Figure 10, the shapes of the first and second leg surfaces 141 and 142 of the front leg 110F are different from those of the first and second leg surfaces 141 and 142 of the rear leg 110Rr. The area of ​​the first leg surface 141 of the front leg 110F is larger than the area of ​​the second leg surface 142 of the front leg 110F. The area of ​​the first leg surface 141 of the rear leg 110Rr is larger than the area of ​​the second leg surface 142 of the rear leg 110Rr. The area of ​​the first leg surface 141 of the rear leg 110Rr is larger than the area of ​​the first leg surface 141 of the front leg 110F. The area of ​​the second leg surface 142 of the rear leg 110Rr is larger than the area of ​​the second leg surface 142 of the front leg 110F.

[0043] As shown in Figure 5, the protruding member 135 is integrally formed with the base member 132. As shown in Figure 6, the protruding member 135 is inserted into the leg body 121. The protruding member 135 has a base portion 135A that is inserted into the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 (described later) and rotatably supports the stepless adjustment mechanism 260, a stepped portion 135B located above the base portion 135A and preventing the protruding member 135 from being inserted into the leg body 121 by more than a predetermined amount, a tip portion 135C located above the stepped portion 135B and to which a restricting member 150 (described later) engages, and a support portion 135D provided inside the base portion 135A and supporting the restricting member 150. The protruding member 135 is a tapered projection that protrudes outward in stages from the tip portion 135C toward the base portion 135A. The stepped portion 135B is formed to be in contact with the protruding wall 127. The stepped portion 135B contacts the protruding wall 127, restricting the upward movement of the protruding member 135. The tip portion 135C has an insertion hole 135H into which the restricting member 150 is inserted. The tip portion 135C is inserted into an insertion hole 129 formed in the restricting wall portion 128 of the main body portion 121.

[0044] As shown in Figure 6, the restricting member 150 is provided between the leg body 121 and the leg base 131. The restricting member 150 restricts the distance LS between the leg base 131 and the leg body 121 from exceeding a predetermined length. The distance LS is the distance between the lower end of the first cylindrical portion 124 of the leg body 121 and the upper end of the base member 132 of the leg base 131, as shown in Figure 6. The restricting member 150 has a rod-shaped member 151 that extends vertically and is formed in a rod shape, a first restricting piece 152 provided at the upper end of the rod-shaped member 151, and a second restricting piece 153 provided at the lower end of the rod-shaped member 151. The rod-shaped member 151 is inserted into an insertion hole 135H formed in the tip portion 135C of the protruding member 135. The rod-shaped member 151 is supported by the support portion 135D of the protruding member 135. The first restricting piece 152 is locked to the tip portion 135C. The first restricting piece 152 is locked to the tip portion 135C so as not to rotate beyond a predetermined angle. The first restricting piece 152 is located inside the leg body portion 121. The second restricting piece 153 is locked to the support portion 135D. The second restricting piece 153 is located inside the leg base portion 131. As shown in Figure 11, the first restricting piece 152 contacts the restricting wall portion 128 of the leg body portion 121 when the distance LS between the leg base portion 131 and the leg body portion 121 is at its largest distance LSL. This prevents the distance LS between the leg body portion 121 and the leg base portion 131 from widening beyond the largest distance LSL. On the other hand, the first restricting piece 152 does not contact the restricting wall portion 128 of the leg body portion 121 when the distance LS between the leg base portion 131 and the leg body portion 121 is less than the largest distance LSL (see Figure 6).

[0045] As shown in Figure 5, the portable toilet 10 is equipped with a leg length adjustment mechanism 200. The leg length adjustment mechanism 200 is configured to adjust the leg length, which is the length that the legs 100 extend from the toilet bowl body 50. The leg length adjustment mechanism 200 is provided on the front leg 110F and the rear leg 110Rr, respectively. The leg length adjustment mechanism 200 provided on the front leg 110F includes a stepped adjustment mechanism 210 that adjusts the leg length in steps and a stepless adjustment mechanism 260 that adjusts the leg length in a stepless manner. On the other hand, the leg length adjustment mechanism 200 provided on the rear leg 110Rr includes a stepped adjustment mechanism 210 that adjusts the leg length in steps. The stepped adjustment mechanism 210 is an example of a length adjustment locking mechanism.

[0046] The stepped adjustment mechanism 210 is configured to perform a fixing operation (see Figure 6) to fix the legs 100 to the toilet bowl body 50 and a release operation (see Figure 12) to make the legs 100 movable relative to the toilet bowl body 50. The stepped adjustment mechanism 210 is a mechanism that adjusts the leg length of the legs 100 in steps by the fixing operation and the release operation. As shown in Figure 5, the stepped adjustment mechanism 210 includes a ring member 215, a clamping member 230, and a stopper member 240. As shown in Figure 6, the ring member 215 and the clamping member 230 are fixed to the leg support portion 55 of the toilet bowl body 50. That is, the ring member 215 and the clamping member 230 are part of the toilet bowl body 50.

[0047] As shown in Figure 5, the ring member 215 has a cylindrical main body portion 216, an adjustment button 218 protruding outward from the outer circumferential surface of the main body portion 216, a main body-side engaging portion 220 protruding inward from the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion 216, and an extension portion 222 (see Figure 6) extending downward from the main body portion 216.

[0048] The adjustment button 218 is configured to move when pressed. As shown in Figure 12, when pressed, the adjustment button 218 moves horizontally (to the right in this case) relative to the clamping member 230 and the leg 100 (leg body portion 121). When the adjustment button 218 is pressed, the leg 100 can be moved relative to the toilet body 50. That is, as shown in Figure 12, when the adjustment button 218 is pressed, the engagement between the body-side engaging portion 220 and the leg-side engaging portion 123 of the leg 100 is released, and the leg 100 can be moved vertically relative to the toilet body 50 (release operation). With the adjustment button 218 pressed, the leg length can be adjusted (changed) by changing the leg-side engaging portion 123 that engages with the body-side engaging portion 220. Figure 13 is a side view showing the state in which the leg lengths of the front leg 110F and the rear leg 110Rr are at their longest. In the example shown in Figure 13, no adjustment is made using the stepless adjustment mechanism 260. Note that, as will be described later, when the stopper member 240 is attached to the clamping member 230, the adjustment button 218 cannot be pressed (see Figure 6). As shown in Figure 6, when the adjustment button 218 is not pressed, the legs 100 can be fixed to the toilet body 50. When the adjustment button 218 is not pressed, the adjustment button 218 is biased away from the clamping member 230 by a coil spring 238, which will be described later, provided between the back surface of the adjustment button 218 and the clamping member 230 (i.e., in the direction in which the body-side engaging portion 220 is inserted into the leg-side engaging portion 123; in this case, to the left). In other words, when the adjustment button 218 is not pressed, the body-side engaging portion 220 and the leg-side engaging portion 123 engage, and the legs 100 can be fixed to the toilet body 50 (fixing operation).

[0049] As shown in Figure 6, the main body-side engaging portion 220 is provided on the main body portion 216 of the ring member 215. That is, the main body-side engaging portion 220 is provided on the toilet bowl body 50. The main body-side engaging portion 220 protrudes inward (horizontally; in this case, to the left) from the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion 216. The main body-side engaging portion 220 is provided on the opposite side of the adjustment button 218. The main body-side engaging portion 220 is linked to the movement of the adjustment button 218. The main body-side engaging portion 220 engages with the leg-side engaging portion 123 of the leg 100. The main body-side engaging portion 220 is inserted into the leg-side engaging portion 123. Multiple (for example, 4) main body-side engaging portions 220 are provided on the inner circumferential surface of the main body portion 216. The multiple main body-side engaging portions 220 are spaced apart in the vertical direction. The multiple main body-side engaging portions 220 are spaced equally apart. The spacing of the main body-side engaging portions 220 is the same as the spacing of the leg-side engaging portions 123. The main body-side engaging portions 220 are provided at intervals of, for example, 0.3 cm to 3 cm (preferably 0.7 cm to 1.5 cm; for example, 1 cm).

[0050] As shown in Figure 6, the extension portion 222 is housed in a groove 236 formed in the second clamping member 232 of the clamping member 230, which will be described later. A stopper member 240 is detachably attached to the outside of the extension portion 222.

[0051] As shown in Figure 6, the clamping member 230 is a member capable of clamping the leg 100 from the side. The clamping member 230 has a first clamping member 231 and a second clamping member 232, which are divided in a cross section (vertical plane) along the longitudinal direction of the clamping member 230. The leg 100 is clamped from the side by the first clamping member 231 and the second clamping member 232. The first clamping member 231 and the second clamping member 232 include a first portion 233 that is inserted into the ring member 215 and a second portion 234 that is formed in a semicircular shape and has male screw grooves 237 formed on its outer circumference. The first portion 233 is located above the second portion 234. The first portion 233 of the first clamping member 231 has a spring receiving recess 235 for holding a coil spring 238. The coil spring 238 is provided between the clamping member 230 and the ring member 215, biasing the ring member 215 outward. The second portion 234 of the second clamping member 232 has a groove 236 formed therein, which accommodates the extended portion 222 of the ring member 215. The upper end of the first portion 233 is provided with a locking claw 239 that engages with the leg support portion 55.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5, the stopper member 240 is formed in a ring shape. The leg body portion 121 of the leg 100 is inserted into the stopper member 240. A female screw groove 242 is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the stopper member 240. The female screw groove 242 is screwed into the male screw groove 237 of the clamping member 230. The stopper member 240 is a so-called nut. As shown in Figure 6, when the female screw groove 242 of the stopper member 240 is screwed into the male screw groove 237 of the clamping member 230, the leg body portion 121 of the leg 100 is clamped by the clamping member 230. Also, when the female screw 242 and the male screw groove 237 are screwed together, the stopper member 240 is located outside the extension portion 222 of the ring member 215, so even if the adjustment button 218 is pressed, the adjustment button 218 does not move. In other words, the stopper member 240 restricts the movement of the adjustment button 218. The position of the stopper member 240 when it restricts the movement of the adjustment button 218 is defined as the first position P1.

[0053] On the other hand, as shown in Figure 12, when the stopper member 240 is rotated relative to the clamping member 230 and removed from the clamping member 230, that is, when the female screw groove 242 of the stopper member 240 is not screwed into the male screw groove 237 of the clamping member 230, the leg body portion 121 of the leg 100 is not clamped by the clamping member 230. Also, when the female screw 242 and the male screw 237 are not screwed together, the stopper member 240 is not located outside the extension portion 222 of the ring member 215, so the adjustment button 218 can be pressed. In other words, the stopper member 240 allows the movement of the adjustment button 218. The position of the stopper member 240 when it allows the movement of the adjustment button 218 is called the second position P2. The stopper member 240 is provided to be movable between the first position P1 (see Figure 6) and the second position P2. When the stopper member 240 is removed from the clamping member 230, the stopper member 240 is located on the first cylindrical portion 124.

[0054] The stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is a screw-type mechanism that adjusts the leg length of the leg 100 steplessly by rotation. As shown in Figure 6, the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is provided between the leg body 121 and the leg base 131. The stepless adjustment mechanism 260 adjusts the distance LS between the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 steplessly. In Figure 6, the distance LS between the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 is the smallest distance LSS. In Figure 11, the distance LS between the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 is the largest distance LSL.

[0055] As shown in Figure 5, the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 has a second cylindrical portion 262 that is formed in a cylindrical shape. The second cylindrical portion 262 has an outer peripheral wall 263 located on the outside, an inner peripheral wall 264 located inside the outer peripheral wall 263, and a connecting wall 265 (see Figure 6) that connects the lower end of the outer peripheral wall 263 and the lower end of the inner peripheral wall 264. As shown in Figure 6, the outer peripheral wall 263 extends in the vertical direction. The outer peripheral wall 263 is formed in a ring shape when viewed from above. The inner peripheral wall 264 is inclined so that it becomes more inward from the bottom to the top. The inner peripheral wall 264 is formed in a ring shape when viewed from above. The vertical length of the inner peripheral wall 264 is shorter than the vertical length of the outer peripheral wall 263. The connecting wall 265 extends in the horizontal direction. A second screw groove 266 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the outer peripheral wall 263. The second screw groove 266 engages with the first screw groove 125 formed in the first cylindrical portion 124 of the script body portion 121.

[0056] As shown in Figure 6, the second cylindrical portion 262 of the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is configured to be rotatable relative to the first cylindrical portion 124 of the leg base 121. By rotating the second cylindrical portion 262 relative to the first cylindrical portion 124, the distance LS between the leg base 121 and the leg base 131 can be adjusted steplessly. For example, by rotating the second cylindrical portion 262 in a first direction relative to the first cylindrical portion 124, the distance LS between the leg base 121 and the leg base 131 can be widened (see Figure 11). On the other hand, by rotating the second cylindrical portion 262 in a second direction opposite to the first direction relative to the first cylindrical portion 124, the distance LS between the leg base 121 and the leg base 131 can be narrowed (see Figure 6). The distance LS between the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 is, for example, in the range from 0 mm to the vertical distance (hereinafter referred to as the pitch width) of the leg-side engaging portion 123 of the stepped adjustment mechanism 210. The distance LS is also in the range from, for example, the minimum distance between the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 (for example, a few mm) to a value greater than the pitch width. Furthermore, the distance LS can be adjusted to a value greater than the pitch width. The second cylindrical portion 262 of the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is inserted into the protruding member 135 of the leg base 131, but since the second cylindrical portion 262 and the protruding member 135 are not connected, the second cylindrical portion 262 can rotate relative to the protruding member 135 around the protruding member 135. Therefore, even when the second cylindrical portion 262 is rotated, the protruding member 135 does not rotate, and the orientation of the leg base portion 131 does not change (the second leg surface 142 is always positioned in front of the first leg surface 141). Thus, in this embodiment, the leg base portion 131 is configured not to rotate when the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is rotated.

[0057] Figure 8 shows the portable toilet 10 in its normal state, where the toilet bowl 50 is not tilted. Figure 9 shows the portable toilet 10 in a tilted state, where the toilet bowl 50 is tilted forward. That is, the seat surface 21 of the toilet seat 20 (see Figure 2) is tilted downwards towards the front compared to the normal state. When using the portable toilet 10 in a tilted state, the seat surface 21 of the toilet seat 20 can be suitably tilted by appropriately adjusting the leg length adjustment mechanisms 200 of the front leg 110F and the rear leg 110Rr, respectively, so that the height from the first leg surface 141 of the rear leg 110Rr to the toilet seat 20 is raised by several centimeters (for example, 1 cm to 5 cm, for example, 2 cm) relative to the height from the first leg surface 141 of the front leg 110F to the toilet seat 20. At this time, as shown in Figure 9, the second leg surface 142 of the front leg 110F and the second leg surface 142 of the rear leg 110Rr make surface contact with the floor surface MM.

[0058] The portable toilet 10 of this embodiment is made of a resin material. Specifically, the lid 15, toilet seat 20, receiving plate 30, bucket 40, toilet bowl body 50, backrest 70, armrests 80, and legs 100 are all made of a resin material. As the resin material, from the viewpoint of stain resistance (ease of wiping), rigidity, impact resistance, and moldability, for example, polypropylene resin, ABS resin, polyvinyl chloride resin, polycarbonate resin, polyester resin, etc. can be used. In particular, from the viewpoint of moldability, polypropylene resin and ABS resin can be preferably used. Each of the above parts is manufactured, for example, by injection molding.

[0059] As described above, in the portable toilet 10 of this embodiment, when the leg length is adjusted steplessly by the stepless adjustment mechanism 260, the base 131 of the leg 100 does not rotate. Therefore, even when the leg length is adjusted by the stepless adjustment mechanism 260, the base 131 of the leg always faces the same direction. In other words, regardless of the shape of the base 131 of the leg, the height of the toilet bowl body 50 from the floor can be changed by adjusting the leg length steplessly. Furthermore, since the base 131 of the leg does not rotate, there is a high degree of freedom in the shape of the base 131 of the leg.

[0060] In the portable toilet 10 of this embodiment, the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is a screw-type mechanism that adjusts the leg length by rotation, and the leg base 131 is configured not to rotate when the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is rotated. According to the above embodiment, the leg length can be adjusted by rotating the stepless adjustment mechanism 260. When the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is rotated, the leg base 131 of the leg 100 does not rotate. Therefore, even when the leg length is adjusted by rotating the stepless adjustment mechanism 260, the leg base 131 always faces the same direction.

[0061] In the portable toilet 10 of this embodiment, the legs 100 are located above the base portion 131 and have a leg body portion 121 that extends in the vertical direction. The stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is positioned between the base portion 131 and the leg body portion 121 and is configured to rotate relative to the base portion 131. By rotating the stepless adjustment mechanism 260, the distance between the leg body portion 121 and the base portion 131 is adjusted steplessly. With this configuration, the length of the legs themselves can be adjusted steplessly by rotating the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 to adjust the distance between the leg body portion 121 and the base portion 131. At this time, since the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 rotates relative to the base portion 131, the orientation of the base portion 131 does not change. Furthermore, since the distance between the leg body portion 121 and the base portion 131 can be adjusted steplessly, the height of the toilet bowl body 50 can be easily adjusted.

[0062] In the portable toilet 10 of this embodiment, the leg body 121 has a first cylindrical portion 124 formed in a cylindrical shape with a first screw groove 125 formed on its outer circumference, and the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 has a second cylindrical portion 262 formed in a cylindrical shape with a second screw groove 266 that screws into the first screw groove 125 formed on its inner circumference, and the distance between the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 is adjusted steplessly by rotating the second cylindrical portion 262 relative to the first cylindrical portion 124. With this configuration, it is easy to adjust the distance between the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 because only the second cylindrical portion 262 needs to be rotated. Furthermore, since it is not necessary to touch the leg base 131, it is possible to prevent the user's hands from getting dirty.

[0063] The portable toilet 10 of this embodiment includes a restricting member 150 which has a first restricting piece 152 provided on the base of the legs 131 and located inside the leg body 121, and which restricts the distance LS between the base of the legs 131 and the leg body 121 from exceeding a predetermined length. The leg body 121 has a restricting wall portion 128 which does not contact the first restricting piece 152 when the distance LS is less than the predetermined length, and contacts the first restricting piece 152 when the distance LS is the predetermined length. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent the base of the legs 131 from detaching from the leg body 121 due to accidentally rotating the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 too much.

[0064] In the portable toilet 10 of this embodiment, the toilet bowl 50 is configured to be tiltable, and the legs 100 have a first leg surface 141 that makes surface contact with the floor when the toilet bowl 50 is not tilted, and a second leg surface 142 that is located in front of the first leg surface 141 and makes surface contact with the floor when the toilet bowl 50 is tilted. With this configuration, the positional relationship between the first leg surface 141 and the second leg surface 142 with respect to the toilet bowl 50 does not change even when the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is rotated. For this reason, the toilet bowl 50 can be stably supported even when the height of the toilet bowl 50 is adjusted.

[0065] In the portable toilet 10 of this embodiment, the legs 100 include a front leg 110F and a rear leg 110Rr located behind the front leg 110F, and the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is provided on only one of the front leg 110F and the rear leg 110Rr (in this case, the front leg 110F). Fine-tuning the height of the toilet bowl body 50 is easier and simpler if done on either the front leg 110F or the rear leg 110Rr. Furthermore, compared to the case where the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is provided on both the front leg 110F and the rear leg 110Rr, the structure is simplified and costs can be reduced.

[0066] Preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the embodiments described above are merely illustrative, and the present invention can be implemented in various other forms.

[0067] In the embodiment described above, the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 was provided only on the front leg 110F, but is not limited to this. The stepless adjustment mechanism 260 may be provided only on the rear leg 110Rr. Alternatively, the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 may be provided on both the front leg 110F and the rear leg 110Rr. Furthermore, the portable toilet 10 does not need to be equipped with the stepless adjustment mechanism 260.

[0068] In the embodiment described above, the stepless adjustment mechanism 260 is a screw-type mechanism that adjusts the leg length of the leg 100 steplessly by rotation, but is not limited to this. The stepless adjustment mechanism 260 may be a mechanism that adjusts the leg length of the leg 100 steplessly by a method other than rotation. The stepless adjustment mechanism 260 may be, for example, a mechanism in which the leg body 121 slides vertically relative to the leg base 131, and a mechanism that fastens the leg body 121 and the leg base 131 together with a screw.

[0069] In the embodiment described above, the stepped adjustment mechanism 210 engages and disengages the leg-side engaging portion 123 and the main body-side engaging portion 220 by pressing the adjustment button 218, but is not limited to this. The mechanism may be configured to engage and disengage the leg-side engaging portion 123 and the main body-side engaging portion 220 by another structure such as a lever instead of the adjustment button 218.

[0070] In the embodiment described above, the casters 115 for movement were provided on the rear legs 110Rr, but they may also be provided on the front legs 110F.

[0071] A cushion made of a foamed, soft resin material may be placed on the surface of the seat surface 21 of the toilet seat 20 (the surface on which the user sits).

[0072] The grip member 138 of the base portion 131 may have other leg surfaces in addition to the first leg surface 141 and the second leg surface 142. If the grip member 138 has a third leg surface as another leg surface, for example, when the front leg 110F is longer than the rear leg 110Rr and the toilet body 50 is installed so that it is tilted backward by 3°, the third leg surface is formed to make surface contact with the floor surface. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 10 Portable toilets 50 Toilet bowl 100 legs 110F front leg 110Rr Rear Leg 121 Script body part 124 First cylindrical part 125 First thread groove 128 Restrictive wall section 131 Leg bottom 141 1st leg surface 142 Second leg surface 150 Regulating members 152 1st regulation piece 260 Stepless adjustment mechanism 262 Second cylindrical part 266 Second thread groove LS interval

Claims

1. The toilet bowl itself, The legs have a base that makes surface contact with the floor, and the legs are provided on the toilet bowl body, The system includes a stepless adjustment mechanism for steplessly adjusting the leg length, which is the length of the leg extending from the toilet bowl body. The leg has a screen body that is located above the base of the leg and extends in the vertical direction. The base of the leg has a base member and a protruding member that protrudes upward from the base member. The aforementioned screen body is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a first cylindrical portion on its outer surface which has a first screw groove formed thereon. Inside the first cylindrical portion, a protruding wall is provided that can come into contact with the protruding member. The stepless adjustment mechanism is formed in a cylindrical shape and has a second cylindrical portion having a second screw groove formed on its inner circumferential surface that engages with the first screw groove. The stepless adjustment mechanism is a screw-type mechanism that adjusts the leg length by rotation, and is positioned between the base of the leg and the main body of the leg, and is configured to be rotatable relative to the base of the leg. The second cylindrical portion is configured to allow for stepless adjustment of the distance between the leg body and the leg base by rotating the second cylindrical portion relative to the first cylindrical portion. A portable toilet configured such that the base of the legs does not rotate when the second cylindrical portion is rotated relative to the first cylindrical portion, by the contact between the protruding member and the protruding wall.

2. A toilet bowl body, The legs have a base that makes surface contact with the floor, and the legs are provided on the toilet bowl body, The system includes a stepless adjustment mechanism for steplessly adjusting the leg length, which is the length of the leg extending from the toilet bowl body. The leg has a screen body that is located above the base of the leg and extends in the vertical direction. The stepless adjustment mechanism is a screw-type mechanism that adjusts the leg length by rotation, and is positioned between the base of the leg and the main body of the leg, and is configured to be rotatable relative to the base of the leg. The base of the leg is configured not to rotate when the stepless adjustment mechanism is rotated. The stepless adjustment mechanism is configured to allow the distance between the main body of the screen and the bottom of the legs to be adjusted steplessly by rotating. The leg base is provided with a regulating piece located inside the leg body, and the regulating member is provided to restrict the distance between the leg base and the leg body from exceeding a predetermined length. The stand body has a regulating wall that does not contact the regulating piece when the distance is less than the predetermined length, and contacts the regulating piece when the distance is the predetermined length, in a portable toilet.

3. A toilet bowl body, The legs have a base that makes surface contact with the floor, and the legs are provided on the toilet bowl body, The system includes a stepless adjustment mechanism for steplessly adjusting the leg length, which is the length of the leg extending from the toilet bowl body. The leg base is configured not to rotate when the leg length is adjusted by the stepless adjustment mechanism. The toilet bowl body is configured to be tiltable, A portable toilet having legs having a first leg surface that makes surface contact with the floor when the toilet bowl body is not tilted, and a second leg surface located in front of the first leg surface that makes surface contact with the floor when the toilet bowl body is tilted.

4. The aforementioned leg includes a front leg and a rear leg located behind the front leg. The portable toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stepless adjustment mechanism is provided on only one of the front leg and the rear leg.

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