Urinal and method for manufacturing urinal

Abstract

In the present invention, a stable decoration is applied to a bowl section of a urinal. A urinal (1) has a bowl section (12) in which a drain outlet (13) is formed. The bowl section (12) includes a transparent resin main body (120) having a concave receiving surface (121) exposed at the front, and a rear surface (123) facing the side opposite from the receiving surface (121), and a decorative section (11) applied to the rear surface (123) of the main body (120). The decorative section (11) is provided so as to be visible from the front through the main body (120).

Description

Urinal and method of manufacturing the same

[0001] TECHNICAL FIELD The present disclosure relates to urinals and methods of manufacturing urinals.

[0002] Resin urinals have been known in the art (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Using resin urinals has the advantages of reducing the weight of the urinal and improving moldability.

[0003] JP 2018-104978 A

[0004] In the conventional urinals described above, it is not easy to apply stable decoration to the bowl portion. This is because, for example, if the surface of the bowl portion is decorated by printing or the like, there is a problem that the decorated portion is likely to be worn or damaged when the surface of the bowl portion is cleaned.

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present disclosure is to provide a urinal that can apply stable decoration to the bowl portion, and a manufacturing method thereof.

[0006] A urinal according to one aspect of the present disclosure has a bowl portion with a drain opening formed therein, the bowl portion including a main body portion made of transparent resin and a decorative portion applied to the back surface of the main body portion. The main body portion has a concave receiving surface exposed to the front and a back surface facing the opposite side to the receiving surface. The decorative portion is provided so as to be visible from the front through the main body portion.

[0007] A method for manufacturing a urinal according to one aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a urinal having a bowl portion with a drain outlet formed therein using a transparent resin sheet, and includes a decorating process for decorating the back side of the resin sheet at a portion that will form the bowl portion, and a suction process for sucking the resin sheet into a mold.

[0008] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a urinal according to one embodiment. Fig. 2 is a perspective view showing one step in a method for manufacturing the urinal. Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing another step in the method for manufacturing the urinal. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a resin sheet for molding the urinal. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a mold used to mold the urinal. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a molded member molded using the resin sheet.

[0009] 1. One Embodiment A method for manufacturing a urinal according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the embodiment described below is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure, and various modifications can be made depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved. Furthermore, each diagram illustrating the following embodiment is a schematic diagram, and the size and thickness of each component in the diagram and their respective ratios do not necessarily reflect the actual dimensions.

[0010] (Urinal) As shown in Figure 1, a urinal 1 in one embodiment is a stall urinal exclusively for urination. The urinal 1 has a concave bowl portion 12 used to receive urine from a user. The urinal 1 is molded to be lightweight using a resin sheet 2. The urinal 1 has a hollow structure that is open at the rear.

[0011] The up-down, left-right, and front-to-back directions used in describing the configuration of the urinal 1 are based on the installed state of the urinal 1. The front is the direction in which a user faces the urinal 1, and the bowl portion 12 is open to the front. The up-down, left-right, and front-to-back directions are perpendicular to one another.

[0012] The structure of the urinal 1 will now be described in more detail. The bowl portion 12 of the urinal 1 includes a receiving surface 121 that is long in the vertical direction, and a bottom surface 125 that connects to the lower end of the receiving surface 121. The receiving surface 121 is configured as a concave curved surface that is recessed backward. The bottom surface 125 extends forward from the lower end of the receiving surface 121. A drain port 13 is formed in the bottom surface 125. Urine and flushing water that hit the receiving surface 121 and flow down are collected in the bottom surface 125 and then discharged through the drain port 13.

[0013] In addition to the bowl portion 12 , the urinal 1 has a pair of side walls 14 , a front wall 16 and a top wall 18 .

[0014] The pair of side walls 14 are formed to extend rearward from both left and right ends of the receiving surface 121 of the bowl portion 12. The pair of side walls 14 are positioned at a distance from each other in the left-right direction, sandwiching the bowl portion 12 therebetween. The pair of side walls 14 are inclined so that the further rearward the portions of the side walls 14 are, the greater the distance from each other in the left-right direction.

[0015] The front wall 16 includes a portion 161 that extends upward from the front end of the bottom surface 125 of the bowl portion 12. This portion 161 extends obliquely upward and forward from the front end of the bottom surface 125 and faces the lower part of the receiving surface 121 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0016] The upper wall 18 is located above the bowl portion 12. The upper wall 18 is formed to extend rearward from the upper end of the receiving surface 121 of the bowl portion 12.

[0017] The pair of side walls 14, the front wall 16, and the top wall 18 of the urinal 1 are formed continuously in the circumferential direction surrounding the bowl portion 12. The front wall 16 is positioned so as to connect the lower ends of the pair of side walls 14. The top wall 18 is positioned so as to connect the upper ends of the pair of side walls 14.

[0018] The urinal 1 further has an undercut portion 19. The undercut portion 19 is a portion of the bowl portion 12 that is not visible when the urinal 1 is viewed from the front. The undercut portion 19 is a portion that is surrounded by the lower portion of the bowl portion 12 and a portion 161 of the front wall 16, and is open upward.

[0019] In one embodiment of the urinal 1, the bowl portion 12 includes a main body portion 120 made of transparent resin and a decorative portion 11 that decorates the main body portion 120. The front surface of the main body portion 120 forms a concave receiving surface 121, and the back surface of the main body portion 120 forms a back surface 123 (see Figure 4) of the bowl portion 12. The receiving surface 121 and the back surface 123 of the bowl portion 12 face in opposite directions.

[0020] The decorative portion 11 is applied to the back surface of the main body portion 120, in other words, to the back surface 123 of the bowl portion 12. The decorative portion 11 (i.e., the decorative portion applied to the back surface of the transparent main body portion 120) can be seen from the front through the transparent main body portion 120. A user can see the decorative portion 11 on the back side through the transparent main body portion 120. Therefore, to a user, it appears as if the decoration is applied to the concave receiving surface 121 exposed to the front.

[0021] The main body part 120 being transparent means that the decorative part 11 on the back surface of the main body part 120 is visible from the front. Here, "transparent" also includes translucency as long as the decorative part 11 on the back surface of the main body part 120 is visible from the front.

[0022] In one embodiment, the urinal 1 is decorated on the entire back side of the urinal 1, including the bowl portion 12. In other words, the entire urinal 1, including the bowl portion 12, the pair of side walls 14, the front wall 16, and the top wall 18, comprises a main body made of transparent resin and a decorative portion 11 applied to the back side of this. The decorative portion 11 on the back side is visible from the front through the transparent main body of the entire urinal 1, and to the user it appears as if the entire exposed surface of the urinal 1 is decorated.

[0023] In detail, each of the pair of side walls 14 of the urinal 1 includes a transparent resin portion 140, and the back surface of this resin portion 140 is decorated. The decoration on the back surface of the resin portion 140 can be seen from the front through the resin portion 140. Here, "transparent" also includes translucency, as long as the decoration on the back surface of the resin portion 140 can be seen from the front.

[0024] The front wall 16 of the urinal 1 includes a transparent resin portion 160, and the back surface of this resin portion 160 is decorated. The decoration on the back surface of the resin portion 160 can be seen from the front through the resin portion 160. Here, "transparent" also includes translucency, as long as the decoration on the back surface of the resin portion 160 can be seen from the front.

[0025] The upper wall 18 of the urinal 1 includes a transparent resin portion 180, and the back surface of this resin portion 180 is decorated. The decoration on the back surface of the resin portion 180 can be seen from the front through the resin portion 180. Here, "transparent" also includes translucency, as long as the decoration on the back surface of the resin portion 180 can be seen from the front.

[0026] (Method for Manufacturing Urinal) A method for manufacturing a urinal 1 according to one embodiment is a method for manufacturing a urinal 1 having a bowl portion 12 in which a drain port 13 is formed, using a molding system 9 shown in FIG. 2 and other figures.

[0027] The molding system 9 is a system that uses a transparent resin sheet 2 to manufacture the urinal 1 having the above-described configuration.

[0028] The molding system 9 includes a mold 3 , a second mold 4 , a conveying device 5 and a lifter 6 .

[0029] (Mold) The mold 3 is used to shape the resin sheet 2 into the shape of the urinal 1. The mold 3 is formed on the upper surface 301 of the base 30 which has a rectangular plate shape.

[0030] The mold 3 has a shape that conforms to the outer shape of the urinal 1 that will ultimately be molded. The mold 3 protrudes upward from the upper surface 301 of the base 30. The upwardly protruding surface of the mold 3 forms the molding surface against which the resin sheet 2 is in close contact.

[0031] The mold 3 is formed to be long in one direction, and a recess 32 that is long in one direction is formed on the top surface of the mold 3. The recess 32 is a portion for molding the bowl portion 12 of the urinal 1. The recess 32 has a shape that corresponds to the bowl portion 12.

[0032] As shown in Figure 5 and other figures, recess 32 includes a surface 321 that corresponds to receiving surface 121 of bowl portion 12, and a surface 325 that corresponds to bottom surface 125 of bowl portion 12. Surface 321 is configured as a concave curved surface that is long in one direction. Surface 325 extends from one end of surface 321 in the longitudinal direction. A hole 33 that corresponds to drain port 13 is formed in surface 325.

[0033] Furthermore, the mold 3 has a pair of wall portions 34 corresponding to a pair of side walls 14 of the urinal 1, a wall portion 36 corresponding to the front wall 16 of the urinal 1, and a wall portion 38 corresponding to the top wall 18 of the urinal 1.

[0034] The pair of walls 34 have a shape for molding the pair of side walls 14 of the urinal 1. The wall 36 has a shape for molding the front wall 16 of the urinal 1. The wall 38 has a shape for molding the top wall 18 of the urinal 1. The pair of walls 34, the wall 36, and the wall 38 of the mold 3 are formed continuously in the circumferential direction surrounding the recess 32.

[0035] The mold 3 further has a portion 39 that corresponds to the undercut portion 19 of the urinal 1. This portion 39 is surrounded by one longitudinal end of the recess 32 of the mold 3 and a part of the wall portion 36.

[0036] 2 and other figures, the mold 3 is formed with a plurality of air intake holes 31. The air intake holes 31 are used to draw a vacuum into the resin sheet 2 into the mold 3. The molding system 9 is configured to perform vacuum drawing by sucking air through the air intake holes 31 using a suction means such as a vacuum pump.

[0037] (Second Mold) The second mold 4 is used to bring a part of the resin sheet 2 into close contact with the mold 3. As shown in Fig. 2 etc., the second mold 4 is attached to the lower surface 401 of the base 40. The base 40 has, for example, a rectangular plate shape.

[0038] The second mold 4 protrudes downward from the lower surface 401 of the base 40. The second mold 4 has an outer shape that is long in one direction. The second mold 4 is configured to press a part of the resin sheet 2 from above, thereby causing the part of the resin sheet 2 to adhere closely to the recess 32 of the mold 3.

[0039] The second mold 4 has an end surface 45 that constitutes one end surface in the longitudinal direction of the second mold 4, and a recessed portion 47 located above the end surface 45. The end surface 45 is, for example, a flat surface.

[0040] End surface 45 of second mold 4 faces horizontally and faces surface 325 of mold 3 (i.e., the portion of mold 3 that corresponds to bottom surface 125 of bowl portion 12) in the pushing process described below. Recessed portion 47 of second mold 4 is located opposite portion 39 of mold 3 (i.e., the portion of mold 3 that corresponds to undercut portion 19 of urinal 1) in the pushing process described below.

[0041] When the urinal 1 is molded, part of the resin sheet 2 is rolled up into the recessed portion 47 of the second mold 4. As a result, the undercut portion 19 of the urinal 1 is prevented from being molded to be thin.

[0042] Furthermore, a positioning protrusion 48 is provided on the lower surface 401 of the base 40. The protrusion 48 is a protruding piece that protrudes downward from the lower surface 401. The protrusion 48 is inserted into the recess 32 of the mold 3, thereby positioning the second mold 4 relative to the mold 3.

[0043] (Transport Device) The transport device 5 is configured to move the mold 3 in the vertical direction. The transport device 5 preferably includes an electric cylinder, an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electromagnetic solenoid, or an electric motor as a driving means.

[0044] (Lifter) The lifter 6 is configured to move the second mold 4 in the up and down direction. The lifter 6 preferably includes an electric cylinder, an air cylinder, a hydraulic cylinder, an electromagnetic solenoid, or an electric motor as a driving means.

[0045] In one embodiment of the manufacturing method for the urinal 1, the following decorating step, heating step, covering step, pushing step, and suction step are carried out.

[0046] (Decoration process) In the decoration process, the back surface of the transparent resin sheet 2, which is the portion that will form bowl portion 12, is decorated by, for example, inkjet printing. Here, the back surface of resin sheet 2 is the portion that will form back surface 123 of bowl portion 12 after molding. The front surface of resin sheet 2 is the portion that will form receiving surface 121 of bowl portion 12 after molding.

[0047] (Heating Step) The heating step is carried out following the decorating step.

[0048] In the heating step, the molding system 9 uses a heater to heat the resin sheet 2. The heated resin sheet 2 softens.

[0049] (Coating Step) The coating step is carried out following the heating step.

[0050] In the covering step, the resin sheet 2 heated in the heating step is placed over a mold 3 for forming the urinal 1 (see FIG. 2).

[0051] Specifically, the resin sheet 2 softened by heating is held in a stretched state between a mold 3 and a second mold 4 positioned above it. The mold 3 and the resin sheet 2 positioned above the mold 3 are positioned at a distance in the vertical direction. At this point, the mold 3 and the resin sheet 2 are not in contact with each other. Similarly, the resin sheet 2 and the second mold 4 positioned above the resin sheet 2 are positioned at a distance in the vertical direction. At this point, the resin sheet 2 and the second mold 4 are not in contact with each other.

[0052] In the covering step, air is blown from below to above the resin sheet 2 through the air supply path while the resin sheet 2 is held between the mold 3 and the second mold 4. As a result, the heated resin sheet 2 expands upward, and the resin sheet 2 is elongated.

[0053] Next, in the covering step, the lifter 6 is lowered. When the lifter 6 is lowered, the second mold 4 comes into contact with the upper surface of the resin sheet 2, and the second mold 4 is pressed against the resin sheet 2 softened by heating, thereby deforming the resin sheet 2. As a result, the surface of the second mold 4 is covered with the resin sheet 2.

[0054] (Pressing Step) The pressing step is carried out after the covering step.

[0055] In the pushing step, the conveying device 5 is raised. When the conveying device 5 is raised, the second mold 4 is inserted into the recess 32 of the mold 3. The resin sheet 2 is sandwiched between the surface of the second mold 4 and the inner surface of the recess 32.

[0056] At this time, the second mold 4 is pressed against the resin sheet 2 from above, so that the resin sheet 2 is pressed against the inner surface of the recess 32. In the pressing step, the lower end surface 45 of the recess 47 of the second mold 4 is positioned opposite the portion 39 of the mold 3.

[0057] (Suction Step) The suction step is performed following the pushing step.

[0058] In the suction step, the resin sheet 2 is sucked onto the molding surface of the mold 3 by vacuuming. In this way, the molded member 1A shown in FIG.

[0059] Specifically, a vacuum is drawn using suction means such as a vacuum pump to suck air through the multiple air intake holes 31 in the mold 3. As a result, the resin sheet 2 sandwiched between the recess 32 of the mold 3 and the second mold 4 is tightly attached to the molding surface of the mold 3 by the negative pressure, and is shaped into the shape of the urinal 1.

[0060] (Removal Step) The removal step is carried out following the suction step.

[0061] In the removal step, the lifter 6 is raised, and then the molded member 1A is removed from the mold 3. Then, the molded member 1A removed from the mold 3 is subjected to trimming or numerically controlled (NC) processing to remove unnecessary portions from the molded member 1A, thereby obtaining the urinal 1.

[0062] (Details of Resin Sheet) The following describes the detailed structure of the resin sheet 2 used to form the urinal 1.

[0063] The resin sheet 2 is, for example, a transparent thermoplastic resin sheet having a rectangular outer shape.

[0064] The resin sheet 2 being transparent means that when the back surface of the resin sheet 2 (i.e., the portion that constitutes the back surface 123 of the bowl portion 12 after molding) is decorated in the decorating process, the decoration can be seen from the front surface (i.e., the surface opposite the back surface of the resin sheet 2) of the resin sheet 2. Here, "transparent" also includes the case where the decoration on the back surface of the resin sheet 2 is semi-transparent, as long as it can be seen through the front surface of the resin sheet 2.

[0065] 4, the resin sheet 2 has a plurality of transparent resin layers 21 and 22. The plurality of resin layers 21 and 22 are, for example, a first resin layer 21 and a second resin layer 22.

[0066] The first resin layer 21 is a transparent resin layer that constitutes the outermost layer of the resin sheet 2. The outermost layer here is the layer that forms the front surface of the molded urinal 1. The first resin layer 21 is an acrylic resin layer that constitutes the surface of the resin sheet 2.

[0067] The second resin layer 22 is a transparent resin layer provided on the back side of the first resin layer 21. The second resin layer 22 is formed of a second resin material containing, for example, ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) resin. Instead of or in addition to the ABS resin, the second resin material may contain at least one of PP (polypropylene) resin, PE (polyethylene) resin, PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resin, and ASA (acrylonitrile styrene acrylic rubber) resin.

[0068] The above-mentioned ABS resin, PP resin, PE resin, PET resin, and ASA resin are examples of resin materials with excellent moldability. Here, moldability refers to the ability to be molded into a desired shape without cracking, and includes the ability to be easily stretched by heating. Furthermore, the above-mentioned ABS resin, PP resin, PE resin, PET resin, and ASA resin are examples of resin materials with excellent flame retardancy.

[0069] The urinal 1 of one embodiment is formed from a resin sheet 2 including a first resin layer 21 and a second resin layer 22, so that the outermost layer of the resin sheet 2 (i.e., the first resin layer 21) can be endowed with high stain resistance and chemical resistance. The lower layer of the resin sheet 2 (i.e., the second resin layer 22) can be endowed with high formability and flame retardancy. Therefore, the resin sheet 2 as a whole has high stain resistance and chemical resistance, as well as high formability and flame retardancy.

[0070] 4, it is preferable that the thickness d2 of the second resin layer 22 is larger than the thickness d1 of the first resin layer 21. This allows the resin sheet 2 as a whole to exhibit high moldability.

[0071] In one embodiment, the second resin layer 22 includes a recycled layer 221 and a non-recycled layer 222. The recycled layer 221 is a layer formed from a recycled second resin material. The non-recycled layer 222 is a layer formed from a non-recycled second resin material, in other words, a virgin layer. The thickness d21 of the recycled layer 221 is preferably greater than the thickness d22 of the non-recycled layer 222. In the example of FIG. 4 , the recycled layer 221 forms a lower layer of the non-recycled layer 222, but the recycled layer 221 may also form an upper layer of the non-recycled layer 222. It is also possible for the entire second resin layer 22 to be formed from the recycled layer 221 or the non-recycled layer 222.

[0072] (Effects) In one embodiment of the urinal 1, the decorative portion 11, which can enhance the design of the urinal 1, is provided on the back surface 123, rather than on the receiving surface 121, of the bowl portion 12. Therefore, for example, when cleaning the receiving surface 121 of the bowl portion 12, the decorative portion 11 will not be worn or damaged due to physical force and / or the action of detergent. Moreover, users can see the decorative portion 11 on the back side through the transparent main body portion 120 of the bowl portion 12, and it appears as if the decoration is applied to the concave receiving surface 121. Therefore, with the urinal 1 of the first aspect, it is possible to apply a stable decoration to the bowl portion 12.

[0073] 2. Modifications The above embodiment is merely one of various embodiments of the present disclosure. The above embodiment can be modified in various ways depending on the design, etc., as long as the object of the present disclosure can be achieved.

[0074] Modifications of the above embodiment will be described below. In the description of the modifications, the same components as those described in the above embodiment will be assigned the same reference numerals and detailed description will be omitted. The various modifications listed below can be applied in appropriate combination.

[0075] In one embodiment, the urinal 1 is manufactured using the above-mentioned molding method, but the manufacturing method of the urinal 1 is not limited to this, and any known molding method can be adopted as long as it is capable of molding the main body 120 made of transparent resin.

[0076] In one embodiment, the entire back side of the urinal 1, including the bowl portion 12, is continuously decorated, but for example, the decoration applied to the back side of the bowl portion 12 and the decoration applied to the back side of the portion of the urinal 1 excluding the bowl portion 12 may be discontinuous. It is also possible that the back side of all or part of the portion of the urinal 1 excluding the bowl portion 12 is not decorated.

[0077] In one embodiment, the back surface of the resin sheet 2 is decorated by inkjet printing, but the decoration method is not limited to this, and other appropriate methods such as coating can be adopted as long as decoration can be applied.

[0078] 3. Summary As explained based on the above embodiment and modified examples, the urinal (1) of the first aspect has a bowl portion (12) in which a drain outlet (13) is formed. The bowl portion (12) includes a main body portion (120) made of transparent resin and having a concave receiving surface (121) exposed to the front and a back surface (123) facing the opposite side to the receiving surface (121). The back surface of the main body portion (120) is decorated so as to be visible from the front through the main body portion (120).

[0079] According to this aspect, the decorative portion is applied to the back side of the bowl portion (12), so that, for example, when the receiving surface (121) of the bowl portion (12) is cleaned, the decorative portion does not wear out or become damaged. Therefore, according to the urinal (1) of the first aspect, stable decoration can be applied to the bowl portion (12).

[0080] The urinal (1) of the second aspect is the same as that of the first aspect, but further including a pair of side walls (14) positioned at a distance from each other in the left-right direction across the bowl portion (12). Each of the pair of side walls (14) includes a transparent resin portion (140). The back surface of the resin portion (140) is decorated so as to be visible from the front through the resin portion (140).

[0081] According to this aspect, the decorative portions are applied to the backsides of the pair of side walls (14), so that, for example, cleaning the surfaces of the pair of side walls (14) will not cause wear or damage to the decorative portions. Therefore, according to the urinal (1) of the second aspect, stable decoration can be applied to the pair of side walls (14) in addition to the bowl portion (12).

[0082] The urinal (1) of the third aspect is the same as that of the first aspect, but further includes an upper wall (18) located above the bowl portion (12). The upper wall (18) includes a transparent resin portion (180). The back surface of the resin portion (180) is decorated so that it can be seen from the front through the resin portion (180).

[0083] According to this aspect, the decorative portion is applied to the back side of the upper wall (18), so that, for example, cleaning the surface of the upper wall (18) does not cause the decorative portion to be worn or damaged. Therefore, according to the urinal (1) of the third aspect, stable decoration can be applied to the upper wall (18) in addition to the bowl portion (12).

[0084] In a urinal (1) of a fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the bowl portion (12) has a plurality of resin layers (21, 22). The plurality of resin layers (21, 22) includes a first acrylic resin layer (21) provided at the frontmost side of the plurality of resin layers (21, 22), and a second ABS resin layer (22) provided behind the first resin layer (21).

[0085] According to this embodiment, the surface of the bowl portion (12) can be provided with high stain resistance and chemical resistance, and the bowl portion (12) as a whole can be provided with high moldability and flame retardancy.

[0086] The manufacturing method of the fifth aspect of the urinal (1) is a method for manufacturing a urinal (1) having a bowl portion (12) with a drain outlet (13) formed therein using a transparent resin sheet (2), and includes a decorating step of decorating the back side of the resin sheet (2) at the portion where the bowl portion (12) is formed, and a suction step of sucking the resin sheet (2) into a mold (3).

[0087] According to this aspect, the backside of the bowl portion (12) of the molded urinal (1) is decorated, so that, for example, when the surface of the bowl portion (12) is cleaned, the decorated portion on the backside will not be worn or damaged, and therefore, a urinal (1) can be obtained in which stable decoration is applied to the bowl portion (12).

[0088] In the urinal (1) of the sixth aspect, in the fifth aspect, the mold (3) includes a recess (32) for forming the bowl portion (12). In the suction step, the back side of the portion of the resin sheet (2) that will form the bowl portion (12) is sucked into the recess (32) of the mold (3).

[0089] According to this embodiment, the bowl portion (12) of the urinal (1) formed by suction into the mold (3) is decorated on its backside, so that, for example, when the surface of the bowl portion (12) is cleaned, the decorated portion on the backside does not wear out or become damaged, and therefore, a urinal (1) can be obtained with a stable decoration on the bowl portion (12).

[0090] In a seventh aspect of the urinal (1), in the sixth aspect, the urinal (1) further includes a pair of side walls (14) positioned at a distance from each other in the left-right direction across the bowl portion (12). The mold (3) further includes a pair of wall portions (34) for forming the pair of side walls (14). In the decorating step, decoration is applied to the back side of the resin sheet (2) at the portion where the pair of side walls (14) are formed. In the suction step, the back side of the resin sheet (2) at the portion where the pair of side walls (14) are formed is sucked to the pair of wall portions (34) of the mold (3).

[0091] According to this embodiment, the pair of side walls (14) of the urinal (1) formed by suction into the mold (3) are decorated on their rear surfaces, so that, for example, cleaning the surfaces of the pair of side walls (14) will not cause wear or damage to the decorated portions on the rear surfaces. Therefore, stable decoration can be applied to the pair of side walls (14) as well as the bowl portion (12).

[0092] In the urinal (1) of the eighth aspect, in the sixth aspect, the urinal (1) further includes an upper wall (18) located above the bowl portion (12). The mold (3) further includes a wall portion (38) for forming the upper wall (18). In the decorating step, decoration is applied to the back side of the portion of the resin sheet (2) that will form the upper wall (18). In the suction step, the back side of the portion of the resin sheet (2) that will form the upper wall (18) is sucked to the wall portion (38) of the mold (3).

[0093] According to this embodiment, the upper wall (18) of the urinal (1) formed by suction into the mold (3) is decorated on its backside, so that, for example, when the surface of the upper wall (18) is cleaned, the decorated portion on the backside does not wear out or become damaged. Therefore, stable decoration can be applied to the upper wall (18) as well as the bowl portion (12).

[0094] In a ninth aspect of the method for manufacturing a urinal, in any one of the fifth to eighth aspects, the resin sheet (2) has a plurality of resin layers (21, 22). The plurality of resin layers (21, 22) include a first acrylic resin layer (21) that forms the surface of the resin sheet (2), and a second ABS resin layer (22) that is provided on the back side of the first resin layer (21).

[0095] According to this embodiment, the surface of the bowl portion (12) can be provided with high stain resistance and chemical resistance by the first resin layer (21), and the bowl portion (12) as a whole can be provided with high moldability and flame retardancy by the second resin layer (22).

[0096] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Urinal 12 Bowl portion 120 Main body portion 121 Receiving surface 123 Back surface 14 Side wall 140 Resin portion 18 Top wall 180 Resin portion 13 Drain hole 2 Resin sheet 21 First resin layer 22 Second resin layer 3 Mold 32 Recess 34 Wall portion 38 Wall portion

Claims

1. A urinal having a bowl portion in which a drain hole is formed, wherein the bowl portion includes a main body made of transparent resin having a concave receiving surface exposed to the front and a back surface facing the opposite side to the receiving surface, and the back surface of the main body is decorated so that it can be seen from the front through the main body.

2. A urinal as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a pair of side walls positioned at a distance from each other in the left-right direction on either side of the bowl portion, each of the pair of side walls including a transparent resin portion, the rear surface of which is decorated so as to be visible from the front through the resin portion.

3. A urinal as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an upper wall located above the bowl portion, the upper wall including a transparent resin portion, the rear surface of the resin portion being decorated so as to be visible from the front through the resin portion.

4. A urinal according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the bowl portion has a plurality of resin layers, the plurality of resin layers including a first resin layer made of acrylic that is provided at the frontmost of the plurality of resin layers, and a second resin layer made of ABS that is provided behind the first resin layer.

5. A method for manufacturing a urinal having a bowl portion with a drain hole formed therein using a transparent resin sheet, comprising: a decorating step of decorating the back side of the resin sheet at a portion that will form the bowl portion; and a suction step of sucking the resin sheet into a mold.

6. A method for manufacturing a urinal as claimed in claim 5, wherein the mold includes a recess for forming the bowl portion, and in the suction step, the back side of the portion of the resin sheet that forms the bowl portion is sucked into the recess of the mold.

7. A method for manufacturing a urinal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the urinal further has a pair of side walls positioned at a distance from each other in the left-right direction on either side of the bowl portion, the mold further includes a pair of wall portions for forming the pair of side walls, the decorating process involves applying decoration to the back side of the resin sheet at the portion that forms the pair of side walls, and the suction process involves sucking the back side of the resin sheet at the portion that forms the pair of side walls onto the pair of wall portions of the mold.

8. A method for manufacturing a urinal as claimed in claim 6, wherein the urinal further has an upper wall located above the bowl portion, the mould further includes a wall portion for forming the upper wall, the decorating process applies decoration to the back side of the portion of the resin sheet that will form the upper wall, and the suction process sucks the back side of the portion of the resin sheet that will form the upper wall onto the wall portion of the mould.

9. A method for manufacturing a urinal according to any one of claims 5 to 8, wherein the resin sheet has a plurality of resin layers, and the plurality of resin layers include a first resin layer made of acrylic that forms the surface of the resin sheet, and a second resin layer made of ABS that is provided on the back side of the first resin layer.

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