CN100496367C - Toilet device that detects human body, and human body detecting method - Google Patents

Abstract

A toilet device has a distance measuring section for measuring the distance to an obstacle, and a deciding section. The deciding section compares a preset threshold value with the measured value from the distance measuring section. If the measured value from the distance measuring section is smaller than the threshold value, it is decided that a human body is present. This threshold value can be changed. In this arrangement, when a toilet device is to be installed in a large toilet room, the threshold value for the deciding section may be changed to a greater value, so that a person entering the toilet room can be immediately detected.

Description

Toilet device for detecting human body and method for detecting human body

technical field

The present invention relates to a toilet device and a human body detection method capable of accurately detecting the presence position of a user.

Background technique

Previously, this toilet device detected the human body through a light sensor.

A first example of a conventional toilet device is shown in FIG. 19 . In this toilet device, a main body 81, a toilet seat 82 connected to the main body 81 so as to be rotatable, and a cover 83 are provided. The main body 81 is provided with a control circuit (not shown in the figure), an opening and closing device (not shown in the figure) of the cover 93 , and a sensor unit 84 . The lid 83 and the toilet seat 82 are provided with openings 85 through which infrared rays projected and returned by the sensor unit 84 can pass. After the sensor unit 84 detects the presence of a person, it sends a signal to the control circuit to allow the opening and closing device of the cover 83 to operate to automatically open the cover 83 . In addition, after the sensor unit 84 detects that the person is gone, it sends a signal to the control circuit to operate the opening and closing device to automatically close the lid 83 . Such a toilet device is disclosed in, for example, JP-A-2001-299644.

The structure and size of the bathroom in which the toilet installation is installed is various. In contrast, in the conventional configuration described above, the detection distance for judging the presence of a person is constant. Therefore, a good usability cannot be given to all users. The problem is described below.

Restrooms have various structures due to architectural reasons, and the distance from the main body to the wall or door is 40 cm or less in the direction of the front end of the toilet seat, and 2 m or more in the wide one. In addition, the detection distance of the sensor must be assumed to be the case where the distance of the wall or door is the closest. This is because if the detection distance is farther than the wall or door, the wall or door is judged as a human body. Therefore, it is necessary to set the detection distance to around 30cm from the subject. But in such a setting, if in a relatively open bathroom, the human body can only be detected when it is very close to the toilet device.

One of the functions that operate upon detection of a human body is an automatic opening and closing function of the cover 83 . With this function, the lid 83 is opened after a human body is detected, and the lid 83 is closed when a human body is not detected after a certain period of time. By opening the lid 83 automatically, the burden on the body bending over to open the lid 83 is reduced. Alternatively, it is also possible to reduce the mental burden of a person who does not want to touch the cover 83 for hygienic reasons. In addition, by automatically closing the lid 83, the appearance can be improved when not in use, and the heat generation of the heated toilet seat can be suppressed to reduce power consumption.

The user expects the lid 83 to open when entering the toilet. However, in the conventional toilet device, a human body can be detected and the lid 83 can be opened only when it is quite close to the toilet device. Therefore, especially in a relatively open toilet, a good sense of use cannot be obtained.

A second example of the conventional toilet device is shown in FIG. 20 . In this toilet device, the human body is detected by the optical sensor 91, and the open and closed state of the lid 93 is detected by the optical sensors 96A and 96B. The sitting/non-sitting of the human body on the toilet seat 92 is judged by the detection values of these two. Such a toilet device is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. Hei 05-71281.

However, in the above conventional structure, if the toilet seat 92 passes in front of the sensor 91 while the toilet seat 92 is being opened and closed, the sensor 91 judges that the user is sitting on the toilet seat 92 by mistake. Specifically, such a misjudgment occurs when the toilet seat 92 is opened or closed when the male urinates or performs a cleaning action.

If misjudgment is carried out like this under the state that the user does not sit on the toilet seat 92, then, for example, in the cleaning of toilet, touches the operating part 97 of toilet device, will carry out from cleaning nozzle (not shown). The action of various functions such as spraying washing water in the middle. In this way, the cleansing water is sprayed on the face, or scattered around. In addition, the deodorizing function is automatically started due to the detection of seating, and the power saving mode is canceled, thereby wasting power.

As mentioned above, both misjudging that the user does not exist and misjudging the existence of the user will cause inconvenience. That is, if the position and situation of the user cannot be correctly judged, the function of the toilet device cannot be fully brought into play.

Contents of the invention

The toilet device of the present invention includes a distance measuring unit and a judging unit that detect the distance between obstacles. The determination unit compares a preset threshold value with the measured value of the distance measuring unit, and determines the presence of a human body when the measured value of the distance measuring unit is smaller than the threshold value. This threshold is variable.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating control processing operations of the toilet device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the toilet device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram of a remote control device of the toilet device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a toilet device in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a part of the configuration of the toilet device in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

7 is a circuit diagram of a toilet seat state recognition unit in a closed state of the toilet device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

8 is a circuit diagram of a toilet seat state recognition unit in a closed state of the toilet device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

9 is a schematic diagram illustrating the characteristics of the seating detection unit in the seated/unseated state of the toilet seat of the toilet device by the user according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 10 is a schematic diagram illustrating the characteristics of the seating detection unit when opening and closing the toilet seat of the toilet device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the toilet device in Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a circuit diagram illustrating another toilet seat state recognition unit of the toilet device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention.

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a toilet device in Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

Fig. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a part of the configuration of the toilet device in Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

Fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the toilet device in Embodiment 4 of the present invention.

Fig. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a part of the configuration of the toilet device in Embodiment 5 of the present invention.

Fig. 17 is a block diagram illustrating a part of the configuration of the toilet device in Embodiment 6 of the present invention.

Fig. 18 is a block diagram illustrating a part of the configuration of the toilet device in Embodiment 7 of the present invention.

Fig. 19 is a perspective view illustrating a conventional toilet device.

Fig. 20 is a perspective view illustrating another conventional toilet device.

Detailed ways

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In addition, in each embodiment, the same part as the previous embodiment is described with the same code|symbol, and detailed description is abbreviate|omitted.

(Embodiment 1)

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a toilet device in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the operation of its control processing.

The main body 1 has a washing water spout part 2 that spouts warm water toward a part of the human body. An openable and closable toilet seat 3 and a cover 4 are attached to the main body 1, and a distance measuring unit 5 for measuring the distance to obstacles is also attached. The remote control device 6 has an operation unit and a display unit corresponding to the functions of the toilet device (for example, a washing function, a drying function, a deodorizing function, and a toilet seat heating function), and sends signals to the main body 1 . The judging unit 7 compares the distance to the obstacle measured by the distance measuring unit 5 with a preset threshold value, and judges that a person has entered the bathroom in the following cases.

(distance to obstacles) ≤ (threshold)...(1)

In addition, the threshold value of the determination part 7 can be changed.

The main body 1 is a case made of resin or the like, and the washing water spout part 2 is a nozzle made of resin or metal or the like. The toilet seat 3 and the cover 4 are made of resin, metal, wood, or the like. The distance measuring unit 5 is composed of, for example, a light emitting unit that emits infrared rays or the like, and a sensor that receives the reflected light, and the judging unit 7 is composed of a microcomputer.

Next, operations and functions will be described with reference to the flowchart in FIG. 3 . When someone enters the bathroom, the light emitted by the distance measuring unit 5 is reflected by the human body and enters the distance measuring unit 5 . The distance measuring unit 5 measures the distance to the person based on the time between the emission and the incident ( S1 ). The distance measuring unit 5 sends the measured value to the judging unit 7 . The judging unit 7 compares the measured value with a threshold value, and judges that a person has entered the bathroom based on the above formula (1) (S2). In addition, when no one enters, the light emitted by the distance measuring unit 5 is emitted by the wall of the bathroom, etc., and expression (1) is not satisfied. In this case, return to S1, and the distance measuring unit 5 continues to measure the distance.

After the judging unit 7 judges that someone has entered (S3), the lid driving unit 21 is activated to open the lid 4 (S4). In this way, the user does not need to bend over to open the lid 4 by hand, and can directly sit on the toilet device. That is, the physical burden of bending over to open the lid 4 is reduced. In addition, if the lid 4 is automatically opened as soon as someone enters the bathroom, the mental burden of people who do not want to touch the lid 4 due to hygienic concerns can be reduced. In addition, if the judging unit 7 does not detect a person within a certain period of time, it is judged that no one is present, and the lid driving unit 21 can be operated to close the lid 4 . By automatically closing the lid 4, the appearance can be improved when not in use, and the heat dissipation of the toilet seat heating (function for warming the surface of the toilet seat 3) can be suppressed to reduce power consumption. The cover driving unit 21 can be configured by, for example, a combination of a motor and a gear, or a combination of a direct drive by a motor, a pump, and a damper. In addition, after the judging part 7 judges that someone has entered the bathroom, it can also drive other functions such as the deodorizing part 22 and the heating part 23 to make the user more comfortable.

In addition, as described above, the threshold value of the determination unit 7 is set in advance. It is best to make this threshold variable. The size and structure of the toilet are various. For example, if it is a toilet far from the toilet device to the door (that is, an open toilet), the judgment unit 7 can detect the toilet after the user enters the toilet and is quite close to the toilet device. human body. That is, although the user wishes to open the lid 4 as soon as he enters the toilet, the lid 4 will only open automatically when he is quite close to the toilet device. In this case, it will not bring a better sense of use to the user. Therefore, when the toilet device is installed in a bathroom where the wall and the door are far away, the threshold value is changed so as to be increased. In this way, as soon as the user enters the bathroom, the cover 4 will be opened immediately, giving people a good sense of use. Conversely, when the distance to a wall or door is short, or in a bathroom where there is an obstacle causing the distance measuring unit 5 to react, it is preferable to set the threshold value to be small in order to prevent malfunction.

In addition, the distance measuring unit 5 can be configured at a low cost by being configured with an optical sensor that emits light such as infrared rays and detects a distance using reflected light from an object. In addition, by configuring an ultrasonic sensor utilizing reflection of ultrasonic waves, it is possible to ensure good detection accuracy without being affected by differences in reflectivity of clothing. In general, black clothing tends to be difficult to detect because of its low light reflectance, but such erroneous detection can be prevented. By configuring with a pyroelectric sensor, etc., since it reacts only to objects whose temperature is higher than room temperature, the detection accuracy of the human body is improved. In addition, although it is shown in FIG. 1 that the distance measuring part 5 is provided on the right side facing the toilet device, it may be provided on the left side. In particular, it is ideal to improve the detection accuracy if it is set corresponding to the position of the door of the toilet, and it is more desirable if the position of the distance measuring unit 5 itself can be changed according to the toilet. In addition, since the door of the toilet is often located on the front of the toilet device, the distance measuring unit 5 can be provided at approximately the center of the main body 1 of the toilet device. In this case, in order to prevent the distance measuring unit 5 from misdetecting the cover 4 as a user when the cover 4 is closed, a notch is provided in the cover 4 so that when the cover 4 is closed, the distance from the distance measuring unit The light of 5 is not reflected by the cover 4.

(Embodiment 2)

Fig. 4 is a configuration diagram illustrating a remote control device of the toilet device in Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The determination unit 7 has a display unit 8 , a switching unit 9 , a calibration unit 10 , and a storage unit 11 . In addition, an operation unit and a display unit corresponding to functions of the toilet device (for example, a washing function, a drying function, a deodorizing function, and a toilet seat heating function) are omitted.

Next, the operation and function will be described. The judging unit 7 has a plurality of thresholds, and these thresholds can be switched by the operation of the switching unit 9 . For example, set the threshold to a minimum (near) value when shipped from the factory. That is, in the initial state, it is set to a state in which a wall or a door is not mistakenly detected as a person even in the narrowest bathroom. In the case of installing the toilet device in a wide bathroom, etc., when the person enters the bathroom and wishes to automatically open the lid 4 further away, the threshold value is switched to a larger (far) value by the switching unit 9 . By doing this, the distance to detect the human body becomes longer, and the lid 4 is opened at an earlier stage. In this way, the opening time of the lid 4 can be easily changed according to the size of the bathroom and the preference of the user.

The display unit 8 displays a currently valid threshold among the plurality of thresholds. In this way, the user can easily perform switching while viewing and confirming the current setting. In FIG. 4 , display devices such as LEDs are used to show three levels of thresholds of "near", "middle" and "far". Here, if there are more thresholds, finer settings can be made, and indicators such as liquid crystals can be used instead of display devices such as LEDs. In order to issue a switching command to the switching part 9, it is possible to provide a button or a switch that is sequentially switched by pressing it multiple times, or a knob (rotary potentiometer) or a sliding potentiometer. In this way, the threshold can be easily set. In addition, in the case of the potentiometer type, it is ideal to be able to estimate the currently effective threshold value according to the position of the potentiometer knob. In addition, it is also possible to increase the threshold value and increase the threshold value steplessly in terms of feel.

Next, a method of setting a threshold using the calibrator 10 will be described. When the toilet device is installed in the bathroom, the calibration unit 10 is activated, and the threshold value is set based on the distance to the obstacle measured by the distance measuring unit 5 at that time. Usually the distance to the wall or door of the toilet is used as the reference distance. The relationship between the distance to the obstacle (the distance measured by the distance measuring unit 5) and the threshold should be:

(threshold value)=(distance to obstacles)—(margin value), specifically, the margin value is preferably about 10 cm, but is preferably set according to the measurement accuracy of the distance measuring unit 5 . A value closest to the above-mentioned measured value may be selected from a plurality of threshold values included in the determination unit 7 .

In addition, a dedicated button or switch may be provided as an operation method of the calibration unit 10 . In addition, it is also possible to set special operations for buttons or switches that are originally used for other purposes. For example, the calibration section 10 is activated by simultaneously operating a plurality of buttons or switches. As described above, since the calibration unit 10 can set the threshold most suitable for the actual bathroom, finer and more user-friendly detection performance can be obtained.

It is preferable to store the currently valid threshold value in the storage unit 11 composed of a nonvolatile memory or the like. When the threshold value is stored on the remote controller 6 side, the threshold value is initialized when the battery is exhausted or replaced, and when the threshold value is stored on the main body 1 side, the threshold value is initialized during a power failure or when the plug is pulled out. If the currently valid threshold is stored in the storage unit 11, the trouble of the user having to reset the threshold again and again can be avoided.

In addition, in the above description, the display unit 8 , the switching unit 9 , the calibration unit 10 , and the storage unit 11 are provided in the determination unit 7 and arranged in the remote control device 6 . This is because when setting the threshold value, the operator needs to keep a certain distance away from the distance measuring unit 5 in order to prevent himself from being detected as an obstacle. In this case, it is ideal to be able to perform the setting operation by remote control. In addition, the determination unit 7 may be provided in the toilet device, and the display unit 8, the switching unit 9, the calibration unit 10, and the storage unit 11 may be provided in the toilet device together. All or part of the display unit 8, the switching unit 9, the calibration unit 10, and the storage unit 11 may also be provided in other places (for example, a place in the toilet device separate from the judging unit 7, or the remote control device 6). In particular, since the display unit 8 , the switching unit 9 , and the calibration unit 10 need to be visually recognized and operated by humans, it is ideal to install them in the remote control device 6 in terms of ease of operation. In addition, the change in the condition of the bathroom generally only occurs when redecorating or moving, and the frequency is very small. Therefore, it can usually be installed in a place where the toilet device is not easy to see. Alternatively, it can be installed in a place where the remote control device 6 is not easy to see, such as the inside or the inside with a cover structure. In this way, it is very neat from the appearance, which is very ideal. In addition, the switching unit 9 and the calibrating unit 10 may not be installed at the same time, but only one that needs to be installed.

In addition, in addition to automatically opening and closing the lid 4 through human body detection by the judging unit 7 , a lid opening and closing switch 12 for electrically opening and closing the lid 4 by manual commands may also be provided in the remote control device 6 . Likewise, a toilet seat opening and closing switch 13 for electrically opening and closing the toilet seat 3 by a manual command may also be provided. At this time, when an order to close the lid 4 is issued by the lid opening and closing switch 12, even if the judging portion 7 detects a human body, the lid 4 is not automatically opened, and the lid closing command from the lid opening and closing switch 12 is given priority. . In this way, for example, when cleaning and tidying up the toilet device, it is desirable to prevent the lid 4 from being opened arbitrarily. Here, the cover closing command issued once is not permanently effective, and after a certain period of time (for example, after 5 minutes), the cover closing command becomes invalid and becomes the human body detection standby state of the judging unit 7 . In this way, the next time someone enters the toilet for convenience, the lid 4 can be automatically opened as usual. In addition, the invalidation of the cover close command can also be performed by a method performed when a human body is not detected after the cover close command, in addition to the method performed after a certain period of time has elapsed.

(Embodiment 3)

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a toilet device according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an operation related to sitting control. In the toilet device of this embodiment, in addition to the configuration of Embodiment 1, a seat occupancy detection unit (hereinafter referred to as a detection unit) 33, a seated judgment unit (hereinafter referred to as a judgment unit) 34, a toilet seat state recognition unit, and a toilet seat state recognition unit are further provided in the main body 1. (hereinafter referred to as a recognition unit) 35 and a seating determination setting unit (hereinafter referred to as a setting unit) 36 . In addition, the operation box 37 is provided on the side and is in contact with the main body 1 . In addition, a setting switching button is provided on the operation box 37 to perform various settings such as setting of the temperature of the washing water sprayed from the washing water spraying unit 2 . Other configurations are the same as those of Embodiment 1.

The detection part 33 which consists of an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, etc. has the same structure as the distance measuring part in Embodiment 1, and detects seated/non-seated. That is, when not seated, since there is no obstacle within a given distance, it is detected as not seated. Sitting is detected because the human body approaches within a given distance when sitting.

The structure of the identification part 35 is shown in FIG.7, FIG.8. The identification unit 35 is constituted by a switch 38 , a power supply 39 , and an opening and closing detection control unit (hereinafter referred to as a control unit) 40 . What is shown in FIG. 7 is the closed state of the toilet seat 3, and the switch 38 is closed at this time, and the control part 40 detects that the electric current from the power supply 39 flows in the circuit. Moreover, as shown in FIG. 8, when the toilet seat 3 becomes an open state, the switch 38 is opened, and the control part 40 detects that an electric current does not flow.

The judging unit 34 judges seated/not seated based on the detection results of the detection unit 33 and the recognition unit 35 . It is set in the setting unit 36 whether or not to perform the judgment of seated/not seated based only on the judgment result of the judgment unit 34 .

FIG. 9 : is a characteristic diagram explaining the detection part 33 based on the seated/unseated state of the toilet seat 3 by a user. Fig. 10 is a characteristic diagram of the detection unit 33 when the toilet seat 3 is in the open-close state. Fig. 11 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the toilet device according to the present embodiment. The control operation will be described in detail below.

As shown in FIG. 9 , after the object approaches the detection unit 33 , the detection value of the detection unit 33 increases, and after the object moves away from the detection unit 33 , the detection value of the detection unit 33 decreases. When a user sits on the toilet seat 3, the detection part 33 detects a user and detects that there exists an approaching object (S11, 12). In this case, since the toilet seat 3 is closed, the recognition part 35 detects that the toilet seat 3 is closed (S13, 14). The judging unit 34 thus judges the seating (S15).

On the other hand, for example, when a male urinates or opens the toilet seat 3 for cleaning, the detection unit 33 detects the toilet seat 3 to know that there is an approaching object (S11, 12). This state will be described with reference to FIG. 10 . In the above case, when the toilet seat 3 crosses the front of the detection part 33, the vicinity of the detection part 33 is blocked. Therefore, the detection value increases, and the detection unit 33 detects the presence of an approaching object. In addition, since the recognition part 35 confirmed that the toilet seat 3 is not closed, the judgment result of the detection part 33 and the recognition part 35 is sent to the judgment part 34 immediately after detecting that the toilet seat is open (S13, 14). When the detection results of the detection unit 33 and the identification unit 35 are different, the determination unit 34 determines that the seat is not seated based on the two detection results ( S16 ). By doing so, misjudgment is eliminated.

In addition, another configuration of the recognition unit 35 will be described with reference to the circuit diagram of FIG. 12 . The identification part 35 has the magnet 41, the coil 42, and the control part 40 interlocked with opening and closing of the toilet seat 3. The magnet 41 is provided so as to pass inside the circle portion of the coil 42 . In addition, the control unit 44 is connected to both ends of the coil 42 and detects the flow and direction of the current.

During the opening and closing operation of the toilet seat 3, the magnet 41 passes through the inside of the coil 42, and an electric current is generated by electromagnetic induction. The generated electric current is detected by the control part 40, and opening and closing of the toilet seat 3 are detected by recognizing an opening and closing operation|movement.

The control unit 40 also determines whether it is an opening operation or a closing operation based on the flow of the current. If an opening or closing action can be recognized, a sanitary cleaning device can be selected and a service adapted to the respective situation can be carried out. For example, when an opening action is detected, it can be assumed that a man is urinating or cleaning, so that the medicine for preventing contamination of the toilet can be flushed out. In addition, when the closing operation is detected, the deodorizing unit 22 and the like can be activated in order to deodorize the inside of the toilet.

Moreover, the recognition part 35 can acquire the same effect also with the angle detection sensor which recognizes the rotation of the toilet seat 3 other than the above. Moreover, when the toilet seat 3 automatically performs an opening and closing operation by electric power, the opening and closing of the toilet seat 3 can be detected by detecting the drive current for automatic opening and closing operation. By configuring the recognition unit in this way, it is also possible to avoid misdetection of seating in the same manner.

Next, the setting unit 36 will be described. The setting unit 36 sets whether or not the seated/not-seated determination is to be made based only on the determination result of the determination unit 34 . The setting of the setting part 36 is performed with the setting switch button etc. on the operation box 37. As shown in FIG.

When it is judged that the seat is seated by the detection part 33 and the recognition part 35, since the toilet seat 3 is in an open state, the judgment part 34 judges that the seat is not seated, and therefore, the action of the function that only works when cleaning or when the seat is judged is not performed. confirm. For example, the cleaning water is sprayed from the cleaning water spouting unit 2 only when the judging unit 34 judges that it is seated, but in the state where the toilet seat 3 is opened, since the judging unit 34 judges that it is not seated, the cleaning water jetting unit 2 does not spray the cleaning water. action confirmation.

However, by using the setting part 36, setting is set so that the sitting judgment is performed based only on the detection result of the detection part 33 regardless of the detection result of the recognition part 35, and the judgment part 34 judges that it is a sitting when the toilet seat 3 is opened. That is, S14 is skipped in FIG. 11 . Therefore, the cleaning water is sprayed from the cleaning water spraying unit 2 to check the operation.

In this embodiment, the recognition part 35 which detects the opening and closing state of the toilet seat 3 is used facing the detection part 33 which judges that it is seated even when the user does not sit on the toilet seat 3. As a result, misjudgment of seated/not seated can be prevented. In this way, during the cleaning of the bathroom, it is possible to prevent the operation of each function such as spraying the washing water from the washing water spraying part 2 by touching the operation part of the sanitary washing device, thereby preventing the cleaning from being hindered. In addition, it is also possible to prevent waste of electric power due to malfunction of functions when not in use. In addition, by providing the setting unit 36, repair and operation confirmation can be efficiently performed.

In the present embodiment, the inconvenience caused by the judgment of seating and the misjudgment of seating in the unseated state has been described, but the same configuration as that of the first embodiment is also provided. Additional functions that make the user more comfortable can be activated as soon as the user enters the bathroom.

In addition, the judgment part 7, the judgment part 34, and the setting part 36 may be comprised integrally. In addition, the detecting unit 33 and the distance measuring unit 5 may also be served by a single sensor. In this case, in order to realize both functions, the installation position and direction of the sensor are appropriately set. That is, when the sensor is provided as shown in FIG. 5 , the door is located in front of the toilet seat 3 . In addition, a sensor may be provided in the side part of the toilet seat 3, and in this case, the door is provided in the side opposite to the side where a sensor is provided with respect to the toilet seat 3. As shown in FIG.

In addition, the operations and effects described in the present embodiment can be exhibited without the inherent configuration of the first embodiment.

(Embodiment 4)

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of a toilet device according to Embodiment 4 of the present invention, and Fig. 14 is a block diagram illustrating a part of the configuration. The toilet device of the present embodiment, in addition to the structure of Embodiment 1, is also provided with a seating detection unit (hereinafter referred to as a detection unit) 53, a seating determination unit (hereinafter referred to as a determination unit) 52, a lid closing action, etc. in the main body 1. A detection unit (hereinafter referred to as a detection unit) 54 . Other configurations are the same as those of Embodiment 1.

The detection unit 33 is provided in front of the main body 1 with the same configuration as the third embodiment, and detects the presence or absence of a human body in front of the main body 1 as a value. The detection part 54 has the same structure as the toilet seat state recognition part demonstrated using FIG. The detection unit 54 is a cover state detection unit that detects whether the cover is being closed. The judging part 52 is comprised of a microcomputer etc., Based on the detection result of the detection part 33 and the detection part 54, it judges the presence or absence of the human body on the toilet seat 3, that is, sitting/not sitting. The lid drive unit 21 closes the lid 4 when judging by the judgment unit 52 that there is no human body, and opens the lid 4 when judging that there is a human body. In addition, the action of closing the lid 4 is prohibited for a predetermined time (equivalent to the time from when the user enters the room to when the user takes a seat) after the judging unit 7 judges that someone has entered the room.

Next, the operation of the toilet device configured as described above will be described. Fig. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the toilet device in this embodiment.

First, the user of the toilet device opens the lid 4 (S21). The opening operation of the lid 4 may be performed manually or by driving the lid driving unit 21 with a switch or the like. Alternatively, as described in Embodiment 1, the user's entry into the room may be detected, and the lid 4 may be opened by the lid driving unit 21 . After the user sits on the toilet seat 3, the detection part 33 detects the human body in front of the main body 1 as a value (S22). This state is the same as that described using FIG. 9 in the third embodiment. That is, the detection value of the detection unit 33 is changed according to the distance to the object existing in the detection area, the detection value is larger as the distance is closer, and the detection value is smaller as the distance is farther. The presence of an approaching object is detected when the detection value of the detection unit 33 is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold (S23). At this time, since the lid 4 is still in the open state, the detecting unit 54 detects that the closing operation is not performed (S24). In this way, the judging unit 52 judges that there is a person (sitting). If the judging unit 52 judges that the seat is seated, functions such as the washing water spout unit 2 and the deodorizing unit 22 are activated to make the user more comfortable.

Thereafter, when the user finishes using the toilet device and stands up from the toilet seat 3, the lid 4 is fully opened. At this time, since there is no object in the detection area of the detection part 33, the detection value of the detection part 33 becomes small and becomes below a threshold value. The state of change of the detection value of the detection unit 33 at this time is the same as that described in the third embodiment using FIG. 10 . That is, when the cover 4 is fully opened, there is no object in the detection area of the detection part 33 , so the detection value of the detection part 33 is relatively small. The same is true when the cover 4 is closed and not located in the detection area of the detection unit 33 , the detection value of the detection unit 33 is small.

However, when the cover 4 enters the detection area of the detection unit 33 by closing, the detection unit 33 recognizes the cover 4 as an obstacle, and thus the detection value of the detection unit 33 increases. Afterwards, the closing operation of the cover 4 is continued, and when the object is outside the detection area of the detection unit 33 , since there is no object in the detection area of the detection unit 33 , the detection value of the detection unit 33 becomes small. Also in the state where the lid 4 is completely closed, the detection value of the detection unit 33 is small.

In this way, after the cover 4 continues to close and enters the detection area of the detection unit 33 , the detection unit 33 detects the cover 4 , and the detection value of the detection unit 33 increases. When the judging unit 52 judges that the seat is not seated based only on the detected value of the detecting unit 33 , the judging unit 52 judges that the seat is seated when the detected value reaches the threshold value. Afterwards, if the lid drive unit 21 performs the closing operation of the lid 4 based on the judgment result, the lid 4 starts opening again before it is completely closed. That is, even if the user has finished using and the person has left, the judging unit 52 misjudges that there is a human body and starts the opening action of the cover 4 .

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14 , when the detection unit 54 detects the closing operation of the lid 4, even if the detection value of the detection unit 33 exceeds the threshold value, the determination unit 52 does not care about the detection value of the detection unit 33. Judge that there is no human body.

That is, in FIG. 15 , after the user stands up, the detection unit 33 detects that the user is not seated (S22, S23). In this way, the judging unit 52 judges that the seat is not seated (S26), and starts the operation of closing the lid 4 (S27). Here, even if the detection unit 33 recognizes the cover 4 (S22, S23), and the detection unit 54 detects the closing operation of the cover 4, the determination unit 52 determines that the seat is not seated (S24, 26). Therefore, the lid driving section 21 continues to close the lid 4 . That is, if the detection unit 54 detects that the lid 4 is being opened and closed, the determination unit 52 continues to open and close the lid 4 regardless of the detection value of the detection unit 33 .

As described above, after the user finishes using the toilet device and the judging unit 52 judges that there is no human body, the lid 4 starts closing operation. The detecting unit 54 detects the closing operation of the lid 4, and the judging unit 52 judges that there is no human body. Therefore, even if the detection value of the detecting unit 33 changes, the closing operation of the lid 4 is continued to be completely closed. In this way, malfunction of the cover 4 is prevented.

In addition, in the present embodiment, when the closing operation of the lid 4 is detected by the detection unit 54 , the detection unit 33 detects the presence of the lid 4 as a value, and the determination unit 52 determines that the seat is not seated. In addition, when the closing operation of the cover 4 is detected by the detection part 54, the detection part 33 may not detect the value more than a threshold value, and the judgment part 52 may judge that it is not seated by doing so. In addition, it is also possible to perform control such that even if the detection unit 33 detects a value, the value becomes equal to or less than a threshold value, whereby the determination unit 52 determines that the seat is not seated. If use any kind of structure, and detection part 33 does not detect object, then let judging part 52 judge as not seated, just can continue to carry out the closing action of lid 4 like this, it is closed completely, prevents the misoperation of lid 4.

In addition, the toilet device has a deodorizing unit 22, and the deodorizing unit 22 can be driven while the lid 4 is open. In this case, since the malfunction of the cover 4 can be prevented by the said structure, the malfunction of the deodorizing part 22 can be prevented, and waste of electric power can be prevented.

In addition, even when the user intentionally closes the lid 4 for cleaning, the malfunction of the lid 4 can be similarly prevented, and the hindrance to cleaning can be prevented.

As described above, in the toilet device of the present embodiment, even if the lid 4 is closed in the absence of people, the judgment unit 52 does not misjudge the lid 4 as a human body, and the lid 4 can be closed reliably. By doing so, it is possible to prevent malfunction of the cover 4 and prevent waste of electric power.

(Embodiment 5)

Fig. 16 is a block diagram illustrating a part of the configuration of the toilet device in Embodiment 5 of the present invention. The basic configuration of the toilet device of the present embodiment is the same as that of the fourth embodiment, except that it has a lid position detection unit (hereinafter referred to as a detection unit) 51 instead of a lid closing operation detection unit 54 .

The detection unit 51 detects the position of the cover 4 . The detection unit 51 is a cover state detection unit that detects whether the cover 4 is being closed. In this way, it is recognized whether or not the cover 4 is located in the detection area of the seating detection unit (hereinafter referred to as the detection unit) 33 . When the cover 4 is located in the detection area of the detection unit 33, even if the detection value of the detection unit 33 exceeds the threshold value, the seating judgment unit (hereinafter referred to as the judgment unit) 52 also judges whether or not the detection value of the detection unit 33 exceeds the threshold value. People (not seated). In addition, an optical sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, an infrared sensor, an angle sensor, or the like is used as the detection unit 51 . In FIG. 13 , the detection unit 51 is constituted by an angle sensor, and is provided in a mounting portion of the cover 4 to the main body 1 . When the detection part 51 is comprised with an optical sensor etc., it can be installed beside the toilet seat 3. As shown in FIG.

With this configuration, when the user finishes using the toilet device and the judging unit 52 judges that there is no human body, the closing operation of the lid 4 starts. Afterwards, after the determination unit 51 recognizes that the position of the cover 4 is within the detection area of the detection unit 33 , the determination unit 52 determines that there is no human body. Therefore, even if the detected value of the detection unit 33 changes, the closing operation of the lid 4 is continued until it is completely closed, thereby preventing malfunction of the lid 4 . That is, the same effect as that of Embodiment 4 can be obtained. The same is true for the prevention of waste of electric power due to the linkage of the deodorizing unit 22 and the removal of inconvenience during cleaning.

In addition, in the present embodiment, when the detection unit 51 detects that the closed position of the cover 4 is within the detection area of the detection unit 33, the detection unit 33 detects the cover 4 as a value, and the determination unit 52 determines that the seat is not seated. . In addition, when the closed position of the lid 4 is within the detection area of the detection unit 33 , the detection unit 51 can prevent the detection unit 33 from detecting a value greater than or equal to the threshold value. In addition, when the closed position of the cover 4 is within the detection area of the detection part 33, it is also possible to control it so that even if the detection part 33 detects a value, it is controlled to be below a threshold value, or it is controlled so that the detection part 33 does not detect the value. out the object. Regardless of the configuration, the lid 4 can continue to perform the closing operation until it is completely closed, thereby preventing malfunction of the lid 4 .

In addition, in the present embodiment, when the lid 4 is opened, priority is given to the opening operation. By doing so, it is possible to prevent the lid 4 from being closed when the judging unit 52 determines that the seat is not seated during the closing operation of the lid 4 . That is, if the detection unit 51 detects that the cover 4 is being opened and closed, the determination unit 52 continues to open and close the cover 4 regardless of the detection value of the detection unit 33 .

As described above, in the toilet device according to the present embodiment, even if the lid 4 closes without a human body, the determination unit 52 does not judge the lid 4 as a human body, and the lid 4 can be closed reliably. By doing so, it is possible to prevent malfunction of the cover 4 and to prevent waste of electric power.

(Embodiment 6)

Fig. 17 is a block diagram illustrating a part of the configuration of the toilet device in Embodiment 6 of the present invention. The basic configuration of the toilet device of the present embodiment is the same as that of the toilet device of Embodiment 4, but it is different in that the cover drive unit 21 is used instead of the cover closing operation detection unit 54 .

The lid drive unit 21 automatically opens and closes the lid 4 after being energized. In the present embodiment, whether or not the lid 4 is located within the detection area of the seating detection section (hereinafter referred to as the detection section) 33 is determined by judging whether the lid driving section 21 is energized. That is, the cover drive unit 21 functions as a cover state detection unit that detects whether the cover 4 is being closed. When the cover 4 is located in the detection area of the detection unit 33, even if the detection value of the detection unit 33 exceeds the threshold value, the seating determination unit (hereinafter referred to as the determination unit) 52 judges that there is no People (not seated). The cover drive unit 21 is an electric unit (not shown) constituted by a motor or the like mounted on a shaft (not shown) connecting the cover 4 and the main body 1 . The determination unit 52 determines whether the cover 4 is located in the detection area of the detection unit 33 based on the energization of the cover drive unit and the direction of the current, and detects that the cover 4 is being closed.

With this configuration, the same effect as that of Embodiment 4 can be obtained. The same is true for the prevention of waste of electric power due to the linkage of the deodorizing unit 22 and the removal of inconvenience during cleaning.

In addition, in the present embodiment, when it is determined that the cover drive unit 21 is energized and it is known that the closed position of the cover 4 is within the detection area of the detection unit 33, after the detection unit 33 detects the cover 4 as a value, The judging unit 52 judges that the seat is not seated. In addition, when the cover 4 is located in the detection area of the detection part 33, the detection part 33 may not detect the value more than a threshold value. In addition, even if the detection unit 33 detects a value, it may be controlled to be equal to or less than a threshold value, or the detection unit 33 may be controlled so as not to detect an object. Regardless of the configuration, the lid 4 can continue to perform the closing operation until it is completely closed, thereby preventing malfunction of the lid 4 .

As described above, in the toilet device according to the present embodiment, even if the lid 4 closes without a human body, the determination unit 52 does not judge the lid 4 as a human body, and the lid 4 can be closed reliably. By doing so, it is possible to prevent malfunction of the cover 4 and to prevent waste of electric power.

(Embodiment 7)

Fig. 18 is a block diagram of a toilet device in Embodiment 7 of the present invention. The basic configuration of the toilet device of this embodiment is the same as that of the fourth embodiment, but it is different in that a lid closing operation timing unit (hereinafter referred to as a timing unit) 71 is used instead of the lid closing operation detection unit 54 .

The timer unit 71 detects the closing operation of the cover 4, and starts counting the time from the closing operation. Whether or not the lid 4 is located in the detection area of the seating detection unit (hereinafter referred to as the detection unit) 33 is determined by counting the time from the closing operation of the lid 4 . That is, the timer unit 71 functions as a lid state detection unit that detects whether the lid 4 is being closed.

The time from the start of the closing operation of the cover 4 to the entry of the cover 4 into the detection area of the detection unit 33 is measured in advance (as a predetermined time). Thereafter, when the time counted by the timer unit 71 does not exceed the predetermined time after the closing operation of the cover 4 starts, the cover 4 is located outside the detection area of the detection unit 33 . When the time of the cover 4 counted by the timer unit 71 exceeds the predetermined time, the cover 4 is located in the detection area of the detection unit 33 . When the cover 4 is located in the detection area of the detection unit 33, even if the detection value of the detection unit 33 exceeds the threshold value, the seating determination unit (hereinafter referred to as the determination unit) 52 judges that there is no People (not seated).

The timing unit 71 is constituted by, for example, a timer circuit that starts timing by using an angle sensor as a trigger. In FIG. 13, it is arranged in the mounting part of the cover 4 to the main body 1. It is also possible to use a light sensor or the like as a trigger to detect the closing action of the cover 4 .

With this configuration, the same effect as that of Embodiment 4 can be obtained. The same is true for the prevention of waste of electric power due to the linkage of the deodorizing unit 22 and the removal of inconvenience during cleaning.

In addition, in the present embodiment, the time from the start of the closing operation of the lid 4 is counted by the timer unit 71 . In this way, when the cover 4 is located in the detection area of the detection unit 33 , the detection unit 33 detects the cover 4 as a value, and the determination unit 52 determines that there is no human body. In addition, when the cover 4 is located in the detection area of the detection part 33, the detection part 33 may not detect the value more than a threshold value. In addition, even if the detection unit 33 detects a value, it may be controlled to be equal to or less than a threshold value, or the detection unit 33 may be controlled so as not to detect an object. Regardless of the configuration, the lid 4 can continue to perform the closing operation until it is completely closed, thereby preventing malfunction of the lid 4 .

As described above, in the toilet device according to the present embodiment, even if the lid 4 closes without a human body, the determination unit 52 does not judge the lid 4 as a human body, and the lid 4 can be closed reliably. By doing so, it is possible to prevent malfunction of the cover 4 and to prevent waste of electric power.

In addition, in Embodiments 4 to 7, regarding the judgment of sitting, the prevention of false judgment of being seated in the unseated state and the inconvenience caused by this were described, but the same configuration as that of Embodiment 1 may also be used. . In this way, when the user enters the room, other functions that make the user more comfortable can be activated immediately.

In addition, the judging unit 7 and the judging unit 52 may be configured integrally. In addition, a single sensor may also serve as the detection unit 33 and the distance measuring unit 5 . In this case, properly set the installation position and direction of the sensor to realize the functions of both. That is, when the sensor is provided as shown in FIG. 13 , the door is located in front of the toilet seat 3 . Moreover, the sensor may be installed in the side part of the toilet seat 3, and in this case, the door is located in the side opposite to the side where the sensor was installed with respect to the toilet seat 3.

In addition, the configurations described in Embodiments 4 to 7 may be added to the configuration of Embodiment 3. In this way, it is possible to make the user more comfortable in any scene such as when the user enters the toilet, when the user sits on the toilet seat 3 , and when the user stands up from the toilet seat 3 and closes the lid 4 . The configurations described in this embodiment can be combined as such within a possible range.

In addition, the operations and effects described in Embodiments 4 to 7 can be exhibited without having the specific configuration of Embodiment 1.

Industrial application

According to the present invention, it is possible to detect that someone has entered the bathroom, and to automatically perform operations such as opening and closing the lid. In addition, since the threshold value to be compared with the distance measured by the distance measuring unit can be changed, it is possible to optimize the human body detection distance for bathrooms of various sizes.

Claims (15)

1. a toilet device is characterized in that: have

Carry the toilet seat of sitting human body; And

Be measured to the range finding portion of the distance between the barrier; And

By the distance that above-mentioned range finding portion is measured, judge the 1st judging part that has or not of human body;

From a plurality of threshold values, switch to the switching part of 1 threshold value that above-mentioned the 1st judging part compared;

The display part that shows 1 above-mentioned threshold value in above-mentioned a plurality of threshold values that above-mentioned the 1st judging part compared,

Above-mentioned the 1st judging part, with above-mentioned range finding portion measured to the distance between this barrier, with compare by predefined 1 the above-mentioned threshold value of described switching part in above-mentioned a plurality of threshold values, above-mentioned range finding portion measured to the distance between this barrier than 1 above-mentioned threshold value of above-mentioned a plurality of threshold values of above-mentioned setting hour, be judged as and have human body.

2. toilet device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that, comprising:

Remote control with above-mentioned switching part and above-mentioned display part.

3. toilet device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that:

Also have according to distance between the barrier of given position, set the calibration portion of 1 above-mentioned threshold value of above-mentioned a plurality of threshold values that above-mentioned the 1st judging part compared.

4. toilet device as claimed in claim 3 is characterized in that, also comprises:

Remote control with above-mentioned calibration portion.

5. toilet device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that:

The storage part that also has 1 above-mentioned threshold value of when no power, also preserving the setting in above-mentioned a plurality of threshold value.

6. toilet device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that:

Also have the lid that covers above-mentioned toilet seat top, and when there is human body in above-mentioned the 1st judgement section judges, open the lid drive division of above-mentioned lid automatically.

7. toilet device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that: also have

Detect 1st test section near state of this barrier to above-mentioned toilet seat; And

Detect the identification part of the open and-shut mode of above-mentioned toilet seat; And

By above-mentioned the 1st test section and above-mentioned identification part, judge human body to above-mentioned toilet seat the seat the 2nd judging part,

Detect above-mentioned toilet seat in above-mentioned identification part and be under the situation of open mode, above-mentioned the 2nd judging part is no matter the testing result of above-mentioned the 1st test section how, all is being judged as not seat.

8. toilet device as claimed in claim 7 is characterized in that:

Also have no matter the testing result of above-mentioned identification part how, all only according to the detection of above-mentioned the 1st test section will above-mentioned the 2nd judging part judgement be set at seat seat judgement configuration part.

9. toilet device as claimed in claim 7 is characterized in that:

Also have the rinse water ejection portion of cleaning facing to seat this human body on above-mentioned toilet seat,

Above-mentioned the 2nd judgement section judges be when seat, start above-mentioned rinse water ejection portion.

10. toilet device as claimed in claim 1 is characterized in that also having:

Cover the lid on the top of above-mentioned toilet seat; And

Detect 1st test section near state of this barrier to above-mentioned toilet seat; And

Detect the 2nd test section of the open and-shut mode of above-mentioned lid; And

By above-mentioned the 1st test section and above-mentioned the 2nd test section, judge human body to above-mentioned toilet seat the seat the 3rd judging part,

Detect at above-mentioned the 2nd test section under the situation of closing motion of above-mentioned lid, above-mentioned the 3rd judging part is no matter the testing result of above-mentioned the 1st test section how, all is being judged as not seat.

11. toilet device as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that:

Above-mentioned the 2nd test section moves towards closing direction by detecting above-mentioned lid, detects the closing motion of above-mentioned lid.

12. toilet device as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that:

Above-mentioned the 2nd test section by detecting the position of above-mentioned lid, detects the closing motion of above-mentioned lid.

13. toilet device as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that:

Also have the lid drive division of closing above-mentioned lid by being energized automatically,

Above-mentioned the 2nd test section by detecting the energising to above-mentioned lid drive division, detects the closing motion of above-mentioned lid.

14. toilet device as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that:

Above-mentioned the 2nd test section carries out timing by lid being begun the closing motion time afterwards, detects the closing motion of above-mentioned lid.

15. toilet device as claimed in claim 10 is characterized in that:

Also have the lid drive division of closing above-mentioned lid by being energized automatically,

Above-mentioned the 3rd judgement section judges for not when seat, start above-mentioned lid drive division.

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