JP3852587B2 - Remote controller for toilet - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a battery-driven toilet remote controller, and more particularly to a technique for prompting battery replacement at an appropriate time.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a toilet remote controller for transmitting various signals for causing the local cleaning device main body to perform local cleaning, drying, and the like, a battery-driven remote controller has been used in many cases. Such remote controller toilet, as well as use the battery specified voltage as a driving source, the battery voltage is the battery voltage falls to the reference voltage set in advance by using the fact that decreases as the battery is depleted At some point in time, it was determined that the battery was almost exhausted, and there was a notification notifying the user so that the user could prepare a replacement battery.
[0003]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional toilet remote controller as described above, since the reference voltage to be compared with the battery voltage is constant regardless of the use environment, the battery nearing out is notified depending on the size and frequency of use of the toilet. There is a difference in the period from when the battery actually runs out until it becomes unusable, and in extreme cases, it may take more than half a year to be unusable after being notified. Further, depending on the use environment, there is a case where the transmission voltage does not reach before the battery voltage is reduced to the reference voltage and the transmission signal is not reached.
[0004]
In such a case, the user may replace the battery even though the battery is not fully used, or may be inconvenienced due to delay in preparing a new battery. There was a possibility of problems in terms of comfort.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above points. Regardless of the environment of use, the user is told that the battery is about to run out by an appropriate number of days before the battery is used up for an appropriate number of days. It is an object of the present invention to provide a toilet remote controller that can effectively notify the user.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The present invention to solve the above problems, a battery-operated toilet for remote controller 1 to transmit a signal to the local cleaning device body 3 installed in the toilet bowl 2, than the battery voltage V is the reference voltage V ₂ If the drops is provided with a notification means 22 for notifying the upcoming battery power to the user, with the first time continue to use until the battery voltage V reaches the lower V ₁ of the voltage available, the next time, the first battery the battery voltage V of a predetermined time before from the switching time point is stored as the reference voltage V ₂ and those characterized by using in. In this way, when the battery runs out for the second time or later , the notification means 22 can notify the user that the battery is about to run out before an appropriate number of days to prepare a new battery regardless of the usage environment. can Ru. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of problems such as replacement of the battery even though the battery is not fully used, or inconvenience due to delay in preparation of a new battery.
[0007]
In addition, the remote controller holder 4 for holding the toilet remote controller 1 is provided with a stock portion 14 of the unused battery 13, and a detection means 23 for determining whether or not the stock portion 14 is filled with the unused battery 13, It is also preferable to change the notification form immediately before the battery runs out by the notification means 22 according to the filling state detected by the detection means 23, and in this way, when the unused battery 13 is not stocked immediately before the battery runs out. Can urge the user to prepare the unused battery 13 more strongly due to the difference in the notification form.
[0008]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a toilet 2 installed in a toilet according to an embodiment of the present invention, a local cleaning device main body 3 installed in the toilet, and a remote controller holder (hereinafter abbreviated as a remote control holder) attached to the toilet side wall. ) A toilet remote controller (hereinafter abbreviated as a toilet remote controller) 1 held in 4 is shown. The toilet remote controller 1 is provided with an operation unit 6 composed of various switches and a display unit 7 composed of an LED or an LCD serving as a notification means 22 for battery shortage notification, and a transmitter unit 5 at an upper end portion. 8 or a battery 9 which is a dry battery for supplying power thereto. FIG. 6 shows a block diagram of the toilet remote control 1. And the receiving part 21 is provided in the local washing | cleaning apparatus main body 3 side, The various signals transmitted from the transmission part 5 by the control signal output from the control part 8 based on the signal from the operation part 6 are a toilet inner wall. By being received by the receiving unit 21 after being reflected, various remote operations such as local cleaning, drying, and deodorizing are performed. At this time, the signal arrival performance is determined by the influence of the use environment such as the size of the toilet, the material of the floor and ceiling materials, and the angle of reflection.
[0009]
As shown in exhaustion curve of FIG. 2, the battery voltage V of the toilet remote control 1 decreases gradually with the lapse of starting with using the number of days from the initial voltage V _0. The speed of consumption of the battery voltage V in the figure is the curve A when the usage frequency is 10 times / day, the curve B when the frequency is 20 times / day, and the case of 30 times / day. The curve C is different depending on the daily use frequency so that the slope is different from the curve C. Furthermore, the determined lower limit V ₁ of the available voltage is the signal arrival performance is influenced by the size or the like of the toilet, for example, if the use frequency is 20 times the transmit / day when described (the curve B), toilets While the battery voltage V drops to the lower limit V ₁ = V _1a when the area is 0.75 tsubo and the remote controller 1 for the toilet becomes unusable, it takes 180 days. It takes 240 days to reach the lower limit V ₁ = V _1b (<V _1a ) when it is 5 tsubo and becomes unusable, and when the area is 0.38 tsubo, the lower limit V ₁ = V _1c (< It takes 300 days to reach V _1b ) and become unusable.
[0010]
As described above, the lower limit V _{1 of the} usable voltage differs depending on the signal arrival performance, and the consumption speed until the lower limit V ₁ is reached and becomes unusable is different. reference voltage V ₂ is used as a reference for notifying a dead battery close to the user at the appropriate number of days only before the time point just previously prepared also varies in accordance with the signal arrival performance. Therefore, when the battery voltage V has decreased to the predetermined reference voltage V ₂ set in advance as in the prior art, it is determined that the battery is almost exhausted and the preparation for battery replacement is urged. It may take a long time until it becomes, or it may become unusable before display.
[0011]
Therefore, in this example, may be set to a predetermined initialization voltage V _2a is a representative value of the reference voltage V ₂ by default, as shown in FIG. 3, and the battery voltage V is less initialization voltage V _2a If it becomes, the display part 7 which is the notification means 22 will be lighted by the control signal from the control part 8, and it will notify a user that it is near battery exhaustion. The user continues using the battery voltage V until it reaches the lower limit V ₁ = V _1d of the usable voltage in this example and becomes unusable, and when the battery becomes unusable, the battery is replaced. storing in the control unit 8 so as not to disappear when the battery is replaced by a nonvolatile memory or a backup capacitor such as learning voltage V _2b is the reference voltage V ₂ of the next time the battery voltage V at the time also for example one week before than the exchange time Store in the circuit. Then, after the next time, when the battery voltage V gradually decreases from the initial voltage V ₀ and becomes equal to or lower than the learning voltage V _2b, which is the reference voltage V ₂ , the control unit 8 turns on the display unit 7 and prompts the user to soon run out of the battery. To be notified. The battery voltage V reaches the lower limit V ₁ = V _1d of the usable voltage and becomes unusable about one week after the display unit 7 starts to light up. 14 can be prepared by filling an unused battery 13.
[0012]
According to this, when the signal transmission performance differs depending on the use environment, for example, when the lower limit V _{1 of the} usable voltage is high, that is, when V ₁ = V _1e (> V _2a > V _1d ), In the initial stage, the lower limit V ₁ = V _1e is reached before the display unit 7 is turned on by the initial setting voltage V _2a and becomes unusable, but at the time one week before the battery is replaced. by storing the battery voltage V as the subsequent reference voltage V ₂ at which the learning voltage V _2c next _(> V _1e) in the display if the battery voltage V is less this learning voltage V _2c in the next time The unit 7 can be turned on to notify the user that the battery is about to run out. Therefore, the user can prepare a replacement unused battery 13 for about one week until it becomes unusable regardless of the use environment, and the use of the toilet remote control 1 is hindered when the battery runs out. The used battery 9 can be used up to the end of its life without coming, and it is also possible to avoid the natural use of the unused battery 13 that has been prepared too early.
[0013]
4 and 5 show the remote control holder 4. The remote control holder 4 has a lower support portion 11 extending forward from the lower end of a substantially rectangular plate-shaped attachment portion 10 fixed to the side wall of the toilet, and is supported sideways from the left and right ends of the attachment portion 10. The remote control holders 12 and 12 are extended, and the remote control holder 1 is supported by supporting the lower end of the toilet remote control 1 inserted from above with the lower support portion 11 and positioning both side ends with the side support portions 12 and 12. 4 is held. The lower support portion 11 of the remote control holder 4 is formed integrally with a stock portion 14 for preparing an unused battery 13, and the stock portion 14 has a hole with a circular cross section that opens laterally. 15, and the unused battery 13 is inserted into the hole 15 and filled therein.
[0014]
A detection switch 16 is built in a housing 20 that forms the outer shell of the toilet remote control 1, and a switch lever 17 formed of an elastic material is positioned slightly below the detection switch 16. This switch lever 17 fixes one end side to the inner side surface of the window portion 18 in the window portion 18 penetrating the lower surface of the housing 20, and a free button 19 provided on the lower surface of the detection switch 16. The contact portion 17a is formed by bending a substantially intermediate portion between the fixed end side and the free end side in a convex manner downward. Usually, only the contact portion 17 a of the switch lever 17 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the housing 20, and the portion other than the contact portion 17 a is held so as to be flush with the lower surface of the housing 20.
[0015]
The lower support portion 11 of the remote control holder 4 is provided with an opening (not shown) that communicates with the inside of the hole 15 of the stock portion 14, and the unused battery 13 is placed in the hole 15 as shown in FIG. When filled, the contact portion 17a of the switch lever 17 of the toilet remote control 1 held in the remote control holder 4 contacts the unused battery 13 in the hole 15 through the opening. Due to this contact, the switch lever 17 is bent so as to push the free end side upward, and the push button 19 of the detection switch 16 is pushed to detect the filling of the unused battery 13 and to output this detection signal to the control unit 8. It has become. On the other hand, when the unused battery 13 is not filled in the hole 15, the contact part 17a only protrudes into the hole 15 through the opening, and the switch lever 17 bends and pushes the button. Therefore, the detection signal of the unused battery 13 is not output to the control unit 8. In this example, the detection switch 16 and the switch lever 17 constitute the detection means 23 for determining whether or not the stock section 14 is in a state of being filled with the unused battery 13.
[0016]
In this example, the notification mode of battery shortage is different depending on whether the detection signal of the unused battery 13 by the detection switch 16 is input to the control unit 8 or not. Specifically, as described above, when the detection signal of the unused battery 13 is input near the end of the battery determined by the battery voltage V, a control signal for always lighting the display unit 7 is transmitted to the control unit. 8 when the battery is almost exhausted and the detection signal of the unused battery 13 is not input, the display unit 7 is always lit, and the display unit 7 is used every time the toilet remote control 1 is used, for example. 7 is blinked for several seconds, and a control signal for generating a warning sound from a buzzer portion (not shown) provided as a notification means 22 on the local cleaning device main body 3 side is output from the control portion 8. By doing in this way, when the unused battery 13 is not prepared in the stock unit 14, the preparation of the unused battery 13 is urged by active alerting, and when the unused battery 13 is prepared By simply notifying that the battery is about to run out, it is possible to suppress battery consumption and to prevent the user from feeling bothered by a buzzer sound.
[0017]
In this example, as described above, the display unit 7 and the buzzer unit are provided as the notification unit 22 for notifying the user that the battery is almost exhausted, and the display unit 7 is used for blinking and lighting, and the buzzer unit is sounded. The notification form may be different depending on the presence / absence of the alarm, but the notification form may be different only by the presence / absence of the warning sound of the buzzer without using the flashing and lighting of the display unit 7 properly, or the notification means without providing the buzzer 22 may be the display unit 7 only, and the notification form may be different only by lighting and flashing.
[0018]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the battery runs out for the second time or later, the battery is notified to the user by the notification means before an appropriate number of days to prepare a new battery regardless of the use environment. Ru can be notified of the close cut. As a result, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of problems such as replacement of the battery even though the battery is not fully used, or inconvenience due to delay in preparation of a new battery.
[0019]
In addition, in the invention described in claim 2, in addition to the effect of the invention described in claim 1, when an unused battery is not stocked immediately before the battery runs out, it is unused for the user due to the difference in the notification form. There is an effect that the preparation of the battery can be further strongly prompted.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram showing an installation state of an example toilet remote controller according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a battery voltage consumption curve of the above remote controller for toilet.
FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram showing a battery replacement time of the toilet remote controller according to the embodiment.
FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory views showing a state in which the toilet remote controller is mounted on the toilet remote controller holder. FIG. 4A is a front view, and FIG. 4B is a side view.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a toilet remote controller and an unused battery mounting method in the toilet remote controller holder same as above.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the toilet remote controller.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Remote controller for toilets 2 Toilet bowl 3 Local washing apparatus main body 4 Remote controller holder 7 Display part 14 Stock part 16 Detection switch 17 Switch lever 22 Notification means V battery voltage V ₂ reference voltage

Claims (2)

A battery-operated remote controller for toilets that sends a signal to the main body of the local cleaning device installed in the toilet. When the battery voltage drops below the reference voltage, the user is notified that the battery is nearly exhausted. Means for the first time until the battery voltage reaches the lower limit of the usable voltage, and after the next time, the battery voltage a predetermined time before the first battery replacement time is stored and used as the reference voltage. And remote controller for toilet.   The remote controller holder for holding the remote controller for the toilet is provided with an unused battery stock part, and provided with a detecting means for determining whether or not the stock part is in an unused battery filling state. 2. The toilet remote controller according to claim 1, wherein the notification mode of the battery shortage by the notification means is made different accordingly.

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