JPH01299929A - Washing device for toilet stool - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To save water by making a water supply valve open and close delicately thereby making it possible to flush a very small amount of water by means of expanding and contracting precisely piezo-electric element of a laminated type piezo-electric actuator which is installed in a water supply system being connected to a toilet stool. CONSTITUTION:A laminated type piezo-electric actuator 4 is constituted of a plunger and a piezo-electric element assembly which is composed of four piezo-electric elements placed concentricly on the outer face of the plunger. A water supply system 1, wherein a stopcock 12, a water supply valve 13 equipped with the actuator 4 and an atmospheric air switching valve 14 are fit to a water supply pipe 11, is connected to a toilet stool 3. And when an user sits down on th stool seat 2, a sitting sensor 5 sends detection signal to a controller 6, the controller 6 sends starting signal to the actuator 4, the actuator 4 expands and contracts the piezo-electric element precisely and releases the water supply valve 13 delicately and makes washing water for pre-washing water to flow to the toilet stool 3.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a toilet bowl cleaning device. For more details,
This invention relates to an improvement in a device that performs pre-cleaning by pouring a small amount of cleansing water into the toilet bowl before using the toilet in order to prevent staining and the like.

[Prior Art 1] Conventionally, as a toilet bowl cleaning device that performs pre-cleaning, for example, the one described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 109832/1983 is known.

This conventional toilet bowl cleaning device is equipped with a seating sensor that detects when the user is seated, and controls a solenoid valve installed in the water supply system connected to the toilet. It allows flushing water to flow into the toilet bowl.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] In the conventional toilet bowl cleaning device described above, since the flow of flushing water is controlled by a solenoid valve, it is not possible to precisely adjust the flushing water for pre-flushing, which requires only a very small amount. However, there is a problem in that more washing water than necessary is flushed out and the washing water is wasted.

The present invention has been made to solve these problems, and its purpose is to provide a toilet bowl cleaning device that enables pre-cleaning while saving water.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the toilet bowl cleaning device according to the present invention is arranged in a water supply system connected to a toilet, and moves a plunger by expanding and contracting a piezoelectric element. An operation signal is sent to the stacked piezoelectric actuator based on the detection signal from the water supply valve, which is driven to open and close by the stacked pressure actuator, and the seating sensor, which detects when the user is seated on the toilet bowl. A means comprising a controller is adopted.

[Function] According to the above-mentioned means, the water supply valve can be delicately opened and closed by the precise expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element of the laminated piezoelectric actuator, so that the purpose of enabling water-saving pre-cleaning is achieved.

"Example" Hereinafter, an example of the toilet bowl cleaning device according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG.
Water stop valve 12. Water supply valve 13. A water supply system 1 consisting of atmosphere release valves (vacuum breakers) 14 arranged in series is connected to a toilet 21.
It is connected to i3.

The water supply valve 13 has a laminated piezoelectric actuator 4 that opens and closes it, and is shown in detail in FIGS. 4 and later, which will be described later.

Further, the toilet bowl 3 is provided with a seating height 5 that selectively detects whether or not a user is sitting on the toilet seat 2.

This seating hinge 5 uses an optical system and a sound wave system to seat the user's toilet seat 2.
A structure that detects whether a user is sitting on the toilet seat 2 based on the presence of the user on the toilet seat 2, or a structure that detects a user's seating based on the pressure applied to the toilet seat 2 using a pressure system, etc. are optional, and the location around the toilet bowl 3 is suitable for detection in each prefecture. established in

The laminated piezoelectric actuator 94 and the seating sensor 5 are linked by a controller 6, and a detection signal from the seating sensor 5 is sent as an operation signal to the laminated piezoelectric actuator 4 via the controller 6. There is. It should be noted that an operation panel 8 having a set button 7, and operation buttons 9 and 10 for feces washing and urine washing is connected to the controller 6.

The control structure for such an embodiment is shown in detail in FIG.

That is, if the set button 7 of the operation panel 8 is turned ON, when the user sits on the toilet seat 2 of the toilet bowl 3, the seating sensor 5 detects this state (ON state). Note that the set button 7 is not necessarily required, and may have a structure that can be detected at all times. The detection signal of the seating sensor 5 enters the input interface 62 of the controller 6, and an opening operation signal is transmitted from the output interface 65 to the laminated piezoelectric actuator 4 via the microblossom sensor 63.

Therefore, the water supply valve 13, which is driven to open and close by the laminated piezoelectric actuator 4, is opened, and the pre-flushing water is allowed to flow into the toilet bowl 3. This state can be continued until the user finishes using the toilet and stands up from the toilet seat 2, or can be stopped after a certain period of time. In addition, when the detection signal of the OFF state of the seater 5 is detected, a closing operation signal is sent to the laminated piezoelectric actuator 4, and the water supply valve 13 remains closed. The controller 6 also sends an opening operation signal to the actuator 4 when an operation signal is generated by operating the operation button 9.10.

By providing the controller 6 with the mechanism 64, it becomes possible to limit or adjust the pre-cleaning time to a constant value.

Regarding the closing operation signal for the above-mentioned laminated piezoelectric actuator 4, if the water supply valve 13 is provided with a return spring or the like to have a normally closed valve structure, the laminated piezoelectric actuator 4
It is sufficient to release the opening operation signal for .

FIG. 4 and subsequent figures show the specific structure of the laminated piezoelectric actuator 4.

This laminated piezoelectric actuator 1G has a front and back wall 41a.

A plunger 742 is installed concentrically in the casing 41 surrounded by the casing 41b so as to move forward and backward along the @ line, and four piezoelectric elements 43a, 43b, 43c are concentrically mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the plunger 42. It is constructed by arranging a piezoelectric element assembly 43 consisting of 43d.

A diaphragm valve 13a constituting the water supply valve 13 is attached to the tip of the brangelet 42, and the opening 13b, also constituting the water supply valve 13, can be opened and closed by this diaphragm valve 13a.

The piezoelectric elements 43c and 43d are arranged in the center of the casing 41, and are fixed to the tip of a holder 44 whose base end is fixed to the casing 41. In addition, an elastic bridge 4 whose base end is fixed to piezoelectric cords 43c and 43d
5.46 is shaped like a beam with its tip extending toward the front and rear walls 41a and 41b. The piezoelectric elements 43a, 43b are attached to the outer peripheral surface of the tip of the elastic bridge 45, 46, and crumbling rings 47, 48 are fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the elastic bridge 45, 46.

Such piezoelectric elements 43a, 43b, 43c, 4
3d expands in the axial direction and contracts in the radial direction when the power is turned on, and returns to its original size when the power is turned off.

That is, the piezoelectric elements 43a and 43b reduce their diameters to clamp the plunger 42 when energized, and release the clamp on the plunger p42 when not energized. On the other hand, the piezoelectric elements 43C and 436 extend in the axial direction on the blank 42 when energized, and contract on the plunge 1242 and return to their original lengths when not energized. The plunger 42 includes four piezoelectric elements 43a.

43b, 43c, and 43d can be moved in the axial direction by controlling them with the controller 6 based on the information stored in the memory 64.

The piezoelectric elements 43a, 43b, 43c, and 43d are cylindrical elements formed by laminating a large number of piezoelectric element pieces in the axial direction of the plunger 42, as shown in FIG.

It is configured to expand by applying voltage to electrodes provided at both ends of the cylinder. Note that the piezoelectric element piece can be made of, for example, a piezoelectric ceramic, and C is a ferroelectric material having an ABO3 perovskite crystal structure, and P Z T (p
H (Zr, Ti) (h ) system.

P L Z T (Pb(Zr, Ti)03) system, P
T (PbTiOz) system.

A ternary system based on PZT can be used. Moreover, piezoelectric elements 43a, 43b, 43c, 43
d can also be formed by laminating a large number of thin ring-shaped piezoelectric element pieces in the axial direction around the axis of the plunger 42, as shown in FIG. In this case, the direction in which the voltage is applied is changed by 90 degrees.

In FIG. 5, a U-shaped or 7-shaped packing 49 with low sliding resistance is attached between the front wall 41a and the plunger 42, thereby increasing the watertightness of the actuator 4. Also, this Patsukin 49. It is also possible to adhere a low friction coefficient, wear-resistant material such as fluororesin or polyethylene resin to any sliding portion of the plunger 42.

Furthermore, piezoelectric elements 43a, 43b, 43c, 43
d may have not only a circular cross section but also a rectangular cross section, or may be formed from divided pieces as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

In addition, since the plunger 42 can be clamped many times by the clamping rings 47 and 48 located inside the piezoelectric elements 43a and 43b, it has a small expansion coefficient, hardness 1 strength, creep resistance, and wear resistance. ■It is desirable to have a high quality melon, for example, one made of ceramic material is considered.

Such an actuator 4 performs operations as shown in FIGS. 10 to 12.

That is, based on the 10 grams of operation order set in the memory 64 of the controller 6, the piezoelectric element 4 is
The voltage to 3a is released, the clamping ring 47 is retracted, and the plunger 42 is clamped. Next, as shown in FIG. 11, when a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric elements 43c and 43d to extend them, the piezoelectric cords 43a and 43b move in the direction of the arrow. At this time, the plunger 1 is moved by the clamping ring 41 on the 43a side.
Since ν42 is clamped, the plunger 42 also moves in the direction of the arrow. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 12, a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 43a to release the clamping of the plunger 42 by the clamping ring 47, and at the same time, a voltage is applied to the piezoelectric element 43b to retract the clamping ring 48 and move the plunger 42. 42 and roughly piezoelectric element 43
When the voltages on piezoelectric elements 43c and 43d are released, piezoelectric elements 43c and 4
3d contracts in the direction of the arrow and returns to its original length, so the plunger 42 further moves in the direction of the arrow.

By repeating this operation, plunge i? 42
can be moved like an inchworm with a stroke of μmA-da or sub-μm'A-da.

Therefore, when this laminated piezoelectric actuator 4 is used, the water supply valve 13 can be opened and closed precisely and accurately, and is extremely effective in controlling the flow of water 7 for cleaning the receiving claw.

[Effect of the Invention 1 As described above, the toilet bowl cleaning device according to the present invention enables delicate opening and closing of the water supply valve through precise expansion and contraction of the piezoelectric element of the laminated piezoelectric actuator, thereby enabling water-saving pre-flushing. It has the effect of becoming.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the toilet cleaning device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of the controller in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a control flow diagram shown in FIG. 1, and FIG. is a sectional view showing the main part of Fig. 1 (stacked piezoelectric actuator), Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of the main part of Fig. 4, and Figs. 6 to 9 show the main part of Fig. 5 (piezoelectric element). Cross-sectional views shown in Figures 10 to 1
Figure 2 is an operational diagram of the 8N layer type piezoelectric actuator. 1...Water supply system 13...Water supply valve 2...Flight
Seat 3...Toilet bowl 4...Laminated piezoelectric actuator 5...Seat sensor 6...Controller Patent applicant Toto Beski Co., Ltd. Agent
Person Hayakawa name change
″+(5 Figure 2 to Figure 7 4z Figure 9 43m Figure 6 Figure δ

Claims (1)

[Claims] A water supply valve that is disposed in a water supply system connected to the toilet and is driven to open and close by a laminated piezoelectric actuator that expands and contracts a piezoelectric element to move a plunger, and a seating sensor that detects when a user is seated on the toilet; A toilet bowl cleaning device comprising: a controller that outputs at least an operation signal for pre-cleaning to a laminated piezoelectric actuator based on a detection signal of a seating sensor.