JP7584554B2 - Sanitary Equipment - Google Patents

Description

The technology disclosed in this specification relates to sanitary devices.

Patent document 1 discloses a technology for mixing foam into flush water in a toilet device.

JP 2022-087532 A

In the above-mentioned technology, foam is ejected from the side of the toilet body toward the toilet bowl. However, no consideration has been given to how to handle the foam when it is ejected.

This specification provides technology that can appropriately handle the foam that is ejected into the toilet bowl.

The technology disclosed in this specification relates to a sanitation device. The sanitation device includes a basin portion that receives foam, a supply portion that supplies a surfactant, a foam generation portion that generates the foam to be supplied to the basin portion using the surfactant supplied from the supply portion, and a control portion that executes a cleaning process that is initiated by the generation of the foam in the basin portion, and the control portion may change the form of the foam while the cleaning process is being executed.

1 shows a perspective view of a toilet device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the toilet body and toilet seat taken at the center in the left-right direction and perpendicular to the left-right direction. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a discharge unit according to the first embodiment. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the toilet bowl and the upper flange portion taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 shows a side view of the discharge portion of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the discharge member of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between a water discharge port and a discharge member in the first embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a side view of the discharge member of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 shows a plan view of the discharge member of the first embodiment. A bottom view of the foam ejection member of the first embodiment is shown. A cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI of FIG. 9 is shown. 3 shows a flowchart of a cleaning process according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which water is stored in a water storage section of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which foam has accumulated in the toilet bowl of the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which foam accumulated in a toilet bowl of the first embodiment is swirling. FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a state in which foam accumulated in a toilet bowl of the first embodiment is swirling. FIG. 13 is a front view of a urinal device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a urinal device according to a third embodiment, taken along a line perpendicular to the left-right direction at the center in the left-right direction. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the discharge of foam in a urinal device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the discharge of foam in a urinal device according to a third embodiment. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a waste sink device for ostomates according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a waste sink device for ostomates according to a fourth embodiment, taken at the center in the left-right direction and perpendicular to the left-right direction.

First Embodiment
(Configuration of the toilet device 10)
As shown in Fig. 1, the toilet device 10 is a flush toilet. The toilet device 10 is fixed to a floor surface when in use. The toilet device 10 may be, for example, a so-called wall-hung flush toilet that is fixed to a wall.

The toilet device 10 includes a toilet portion 12, a toilet seat 14, a functional portion 16, a tank 18 (see FIG. 2), a discharge portion 40, a control portion 100, and a seating sensor 90. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the left-right direction at the center of the left-right direction of the toilet bowl 22. As shown in FIG. 2, the toilet portion 12 includes a toilet body 20 and an upper end flange portion 30. The toilet body 20 is made of ceramic. The toilet body 20 includes a toilet bowl 22 that receives waste. The toilet body 20 includes a tank 18 at the lower end of the toilet body 20. The tank 18 stores flushing water for flushing the toilet bowl 22. The toilet device 10 includes a flush button (not shown) electrically connected to the discharge portion 40. When the flush button is operated by a user, flushing water is discharged from the tank 18 through the discharge portion 40 to the toilet bowl 22. The functional unit 16 may have functions such as an opening and closing function that automatically opens and closes the toilet lid (not shown) in accordance with the user's actions, a local cleaning function, a hot air drying function, a deodorizing function, etc.

In the toilet device 10, flush water in the tank 18 may be supplied to the toilet bowl 22 by operating a lever arranged on the toilet device 10, in addition to operating the flush button. The flush button may be arranged on a remote controller that is electrically connected to the discharge unit 40 either wired or wirelessly. The flush water in the tank 18 may be supplied to the toilet bowl 22 even without operation by the user. For example, flush water in the tank 18 may be supplied to the toilet bowl 22 when the user is not detected by the sensor.

The toilet seat 14 is attached to the toilet body 20 so that it can be opened and closed. A user sits on the toilet seat 14. The toilet seat 14 has an opening 14a. A seating sensor 90 is arranged on the toilet seat 14. When a user sits on the toilet seat 14, the toilet seat 14 moves downward. The seating sensor 90 detects the up and down movement of the toilet seat 14, thereby detecting the user sitting and leaving the seat. In a modified example, the seating sensor 90 may be a contact sensor, an infrared sensor, a capacitance sensor, or the like that directly detects the user. In addition to the seating sensor 90, a human presence sensor (e.g., an infrared sensor, a camera, etc.) that detects the user may also be used.

Hereinafter, the direction in which the toilet seat 14 and the functional unit 16 are lined up is referred to as the front-rear direction. In the front-rear direction, the side on which the toilet seat 14 is arranged relative to the functional unit 16 is referred to as the front side of the front-rear direction, and the opposite side is referred to as the rear side. The horizontal direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is referred to as the left-right direction. In the left-right direction, the rear side of the paper in FIG. 1 is referred to as the right side, and the front side of the paper in FIG. 1 is referred to as the left side. The left and right directions correspond to the left and right as seen by a user facing the toilet device 10. The vertical direction perpendicular to the front-rear direction is referred to as the up-down direction. In the up-down direction, the side on which the tank 18 is arranged relative to the toilet body 20 is referred to as the lower side, and the opposite side is referred to as the lower side.

The toilet bowl 22 has a shape that is generally recessed downward. The toilet bowl 22 has a water storage section 24 that is located at the bottom end of the toilet bowl 22. The toilet body 20 has a drain pipe 36 that communicates with the water storage section 24, and a drain outlet 34 that opens into the water storage section 24. Water is stored in the water storage section 24 up to the water surface WS. The water surface WS coincides with the curved position 36a of the drain pipe 36. In other words, when flush water is not being supplied to the toilet bowl 22, the area below the water surface WS is referred to as the water storage section 24.

The water storage section 24 is connected to a drain pipe 36 through a drain outlet 34. The drain pipe 36 extends upward from the drain outlet 34. The drain pipe 36 bends downward at a curved position 36a and extends downward. The drain pipe 36 extends to the outside of the toilet bowl section 12.

At the top end of the toilet bowl 22, there is disposed an upper end flange portion 30 that goes around the upper end edge 22a of the toilet bowl 22. The upper end flange portion 30 is disposed at the top end of the toilet body 20. The upper end flange portion 30 protrudes inward from the upper end edge 22a so as to face the surface of the toilet bowl 22. The lower surface 30a of the upper end flange portion 30 is disposed vertically in the up-down direction.

The toilet bowl 22 has a front surface 23, a side surface 26, and a rear surface 25 in the area above the water collection section 24. The front surface 23 is a surface located in front of the front edge WS1 of the water surface WS. The side surface 26 is a surface that extends rearward from the rear end of the front region 22 along both the left and right ends of the water surface WS. The side surface 26 extends to the rear end of the water surface WS. The rear region 24 is depicted in Figure 6 by multiple parallel horizontal lines, and is an area that connects the rear ends of the side regions 26 on both the left and right sides along the rear edge WS2 of the water surface WS.

The front surface 23 has a linear shape 23a that slopes backward, i.e., toward the water surface WS, as it proceeds downward from the upper edge 22a, and a curved shape 23b that curves downward from the bottom end of the linear shape 23a to the water surface WS. In a "curved shape that curves downward," in a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction, a line segment representing a surface located between any two points of the curved shape is located below the line connecting the any two points. The linear shape 23a extends in the tangent direction of the curved shape 23b. The boundary between the linear shape 23a and the curved shape 23b is smooth and continuous without any steps. The front surface 23 has a curved shape 23b that curves downward in a cross section perpendicular to the front-back direction at any position in the front-back direction. The front surface 23 is similar in a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction at any position in the left-right direction of the toilet bowl 22. The front surface 23 does not have a shape that bulges upward.

In a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction at the center of the left-right direction of the toilet bowl 22, the portion of the water collection section 24 located below the front surface 23 has a linear shape that slopes backward as it extends downward.

The linear shape 23a has a plane that slopes downward from the upper edge 22a toward the water surface WS in a cross section perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction at any position in the front-to-rear direction. The curved shape 23b curves downward from the lower end of the linear shape 22a to the water surface WS in a cross section perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction at any position in the front-to-rear direction.

In a modified example, in a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction at the center of the left-right direction of the toilet bowl 22, the front surface 23 may have a shape other than the straight shape 23a and the curved shape 23b. For example, the front surface 23 may have a straight shape 23a, a curved shape that curves downward at an intermediate position from the lower end of the straight shape 23a to the water surface WS, and a straight shape that slopes toward the water surface WF as it progresses downward from the lower end of the curved shape to the water surface WS. For example, the front surface 23 may have a curved shape that curves downward from the upper edge 22a. In the front surface 23, curved shapes with different curvatures may be arranged continuously. The front surface 23 may be composed of only one of the straight shape 23a and the curved shape 23b. The same applies to the front surface 23 in a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction. When the front surface 23 is composed only of the curved shape 23b and the water storage section 24 is composed of a straight shape, the radius of curvature of the front surface 23 is smaller than the radius of curvature of the water storage section 24. In a modified example, in a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction at the center of the left-right direction of the toilet bowl 22, the portion of the water storage section 24 located below the front surface 23 may have a downwardly curved shape. In this case, the radius of curvature of the front surface 23 in a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction at the center of the left-right direction of the toilet bowl 22 may be smaller than or equal to the radius of curvature of the water storage section 24.

The side surface 26 has different shapes in the front and rear parts in a cross section perpendicular to the front-rear direction. The front part of the side surface 26 has a curved shape that continues from the front surface 23 and curves downward. The curved shape extends beyond the water surface WS to the water pool 24. As shown in FIG. 4, the side surface 26 has a straight line shape 26a that slopes downward from the upper edge 22a toward the water surface WS, a curved shape 26b that curves downward at an intermediate position between the bottom end of the straight line shape 26a and the water surface WS, and a curved shape 26c that curves upward from the bottom end of the curved shape 26b to the water surface WS. The curved shape 26c extends beyond the water surface WS to the water pool 24. The part that has the curved shape 26c is the rear part, and the part that does not have the curved shape 26c is the front part. The boundary between the front part and the rear part may be the position of the drain 34 in the front-rear direction.

In a modified example, the side surface 26 may be configured with at least one of a straight shape 26a and a curved shape 26b throughout, or may not have a curved shape 26c. In this case, the lower portion of the side surface 26 of the water storage section 24 may have a curved shape that curves upward.

As shown in FIG. 2, in a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction at the center of the left-right direction of the toilet bowl 22, the rear surface 25 has a straight line shape 25a that slopes forward, i.e., toward the water surface WS, as it proceeds downward from the upper edge 22a, a curved shape 25b that curves downward at an intermediate position between the bottom end of the straight line shape 25a and the water surface WF, and a curved shape 25c that curves upward from the bottom end of the curved shape 25b to the water surface WS. The straight line shape 25a may be parallel in the up-down direction. The rear surface 25 is located behind the rear edge of the opening 14a of the toilet seat 14. This makes it difficult for the user to see the rear surface 25.

(Configuration of Discharge Section)
Discharge unit 40 discharges flush water in tank 18 into toilet bowl 22. Discharge unit 40 discharges foam generated by mixing a surfactant and water into toilet bowl 22. As shown in Fig. 3, discharge unit 40 includes pump 42, communication pipe 44, switching valve 46, branch pipes 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d, discharge nozzles 50 and 52, discharge opening 54, and foam discharge unit 61.

The pump 42 draws in the cleaning water in the tank 18 and pressurizes it. The pump 42 sends the pressurized cleaning water to the communication pipe 44. The communication pipe 44 is connected to the pump 42. The communication pipe 44 defines a flow path through which the cleaning water flows. The communication pipe 44 is connected to a switching valve 46. The switching valve 46 connects the communication pipe 44 to at least one of the branch pipes 48a, 48b, 48c, and 48d. The discharge nozzle 50 is connected to the branch pipe 48a. When the communication pipe 44 is connected to the branch pipe 48a via the switching valve 46, the cleaning water is discharged from the discharge nozzle 50 into the toilet bowl 22. The discharge member 60 of the foam discharge section 61 is connected to the branch pipe 48b. When the communication pipe 44 is connected to the branch pipe 48b via the switching valve 46, flushing water is discharged from the discharge member 60 into the toilet bowl 22. A discharge nozzle 52 is connected to the branch pipe 48c. When the communication pipe 44 is connected to the branch pipe 48c via the switching valve 46, flushing water is discharged from the discharge nozzle 52 into the toilet bowl 22. A discharge opening 54 is connected to the branch pipe 48d. When the communication pipe 44 is connected to the branch pipe 48d via the switching valve 46, flushing water is discharged from the discharge opening 54 into the toilet bowl 22.

As shown in FIG. 4, the discharge nozzles 50, 52 and the discharge member 60 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The discharge nozzle 50 is arranged near the upper end of the toilet bowl 22. The discharge nozzle 50 has an opening 50a that is long in the vertical direction. The discharge nozzle 52 is arranged symmetrically with the discharge nozzle 50. As shown in FIG. 2, the discharge opening 54 opens into the water storage section 24. The discharge opening 54 opens from the front side toward the drain outlet 34 on the back side. When flush water is discharged from the discharge opening 54, the flush water in the water storage section 24 is drained into the drain pipe 36 together with the flush water from the discharge opening 54. Waste in the water storage section 24 and objects floating in the water in the water storage section 24 are also discharged from the drain pipe 36 to the outside of the toilet body 20.

As shown in FIG. 3, the foam discharge unit 61 includes a switching valve 62, an ejector 64, supply pipes 65 and 66, a discharge member 60, and a storage tank 68. The ejector 64 is connected to the pump 42 via a supply pipe 65. A switching valve 62 is disposed in the supply pipe 65. The switching valve 62 switches between a state in which the pump 42 and the ejector 64 are connected via the supply pipe 65, and a state in which the supply pipe 65 is blocked to block the pump 42 and the ejector 64.

A storage tank 68 is connected to the ejector 64. A surfactant such as detergent is stored in the storage tank 68. A communication pipe 68a extending from the storage tank 68 is connected to the ejector 64. An air vent pipe 69 (see FIG. 6) is connected to the ejector 64. The air vent pipe 69 is connected to the atmosphere. The ejector 64 generates negative pressure in the ejector 64 by reducing the cross-sectional area of the flow path of the cleaning water supplied from the supply pipe 65. The negative pressure generated in the ejector 64 draws the surfactant and air into the ejector 64. As a result, the cleaning water, the surfactant, and the air are mixed, and foam is generated. A supply pipe 66 that connects the ejector 64 to the discharge member 60 is connected to the downstream side of the ejector 64. The foam generated in the ejector 64 passes through the supply pipe 66 and is discharged from the discharge member 60 to the toilet bowl 22. The supply pipe 66 merges with the branch pipe 48b downstream of the ejector 64. A check valve is provided at the downstream end of the ejector 64 to prevent cleaning water from flowing back from the branch pipe 48b to the ejector 64.

Figures 5 and 6 show the configuration of each part of the discharge unit 40. All parts of the discharge unit 40, except for the branch pipe 48d and the discharge opening 54, are housed in the toilet body 20 at the rear side of the toilet bowl 22. In the toilet body 20, each part of the discharge unit 40 is contained in a small space. In each of Figures 5 and 6, some of the configuration has been simplified to prioritize ease of viewing.

Figure 7 shows a vertical cross section directly below the lower surface 30a of the upper flange portion 30 of the toilet body 20. The discharge nozzle 50 is accommodated in the accommodation space 70 of the toilet body 20. The toilet body 20 has a water outlet 70a arranged in front of the discharge nozzle 50. The water outlet 70a is arranged at the front end of the accommodation space 70. The water outlet 70a has an opening area larger than the opening area of the opening 50a of the discharge nozzle 50. The flushing water discharged from the discharge nozzle 50 is supplied to the toilet bowl 22 from the water outlet 70a. The discharge nozzle 52 is accommodated in the accommodation space 72, just like the discharge nozzle 50. The accommodation space 72 has a water outlet 72a similar to the accommodation space 70.

The discharge member 60 is positioned further back than the water outlets 70a, 72a. The foam discharged from the discharge member 60 can be discharged from the further back than the water outlets 70a, 72a into the toilet bowl 22. This allows the foam to clean the back end of the toilet bowl 22.

(Configuration of Discharge Member)
The discharge member 60 will be described with reference to Figures 8 to 11. The discharge member 60 is attached to the rear surface 25 on the rear side of the toilet bowl 22. The discharge member 60 is inserted into a through hole 25a that penetrates the toilet bowl 22. The discharge member 60 has a thread that meshes with a nut 60x. The discharge member 60 is fixed to the toilet bowl 22 by sandwiching the toilet bowl 22 together with the nut 60x. The discharge member 60 protrudes from the rear surface 25 to the inside of the toilet bowl 22. The discharge member 60 is composed of an upper surface 60a, a front surface 60b, a lower surface 60c, left and right side surfaces 60d, 60e, and a connecting surface 60g.

As shown in FIG. 9, two discharge ports 60f, 60f are arranged on the upper surface 60a of the discharge member 60. The discharge port 60f opens upward. The upper surface 60a is inclined downward from the rear surface 25 of the toilet bowl 22 toward the front side. A connecting surface 60g is connected to the front end of the upper surface 60a. The connecting surface 60g faces downward. As shown in FIG. 8, the connecting surface 60g is bent and connected from the upper surface 60a toward the rear side. As shown in FIG. 10, six discharge ports 60j, 60j, ... are arranged on the connecting surface 60g. The discharge port 60j opens downward.

As shown in FIG. 8, the front surface 60b is connected to the inner end of the connecting surface 60g. The front surface 60b faces the front side. The front surface 60b is located below the six discharge ports 60j, 60j, .... The side surfaces 60d, 60e are arranged on the left and right sides of the front surface 60b. The side surfaces 60d, 60e are located below the upper surface 60a. As shown in FIG. 10, the side surfaces 60d, 60e are each arranged with a discharge port 60h. The discharge ports 60h, 60h extend from the upper end to the lower end of each of the side surfaces 60d, 60e. The side surfaces 60d, 60e are connected at the lower end to the lower surface 60c. The discharge ports 60h, 60h extend beyond the lower ends of each of the side surfaces 60d, 60e to the left and right ends of the lower surface 60c.

The lower surface 60c faces downward. The lower surface 60c has an outlet 60k between the outlets 60h, 60h. The outlet 60k faces downward. Each of the outlets 60f, 60j, 60h, 60k is connected to the inner space 60m of the discharge member 60. As shown in FIG. 11, the discharge member 60 has a cylindrical portion 60n that defines the inner space 60m that is connected to the supply pipe 66. The inner end of the cylindrical portion 60n is inserted into the supply pipe 66. The inner space 60m extends in the extension of the supply pipe 66. A collision surface 60p is located on the inner side of the front surface 60b. The collision surface 60p is located at the front end of the inner space 60m.

As shown by the arrows in the inner space 60m in FIG. 11, the foam flowing from the supply pipe 66 into the inner space 60m collides with the collision surface 60p and spreads in the vertical and horizontal directions. The foam that collides with the collision surface 60p is discharged from the multiple outlets 60f, 60j, 60h, 60k into the toilet bowl 22. This allows the foam discharged from the discharge member 60 to be discharged in multiple directions, upward, downward, left, and right, from the multiple outlets 60f, 60j, 60h, 60k. This makes it easier for the foam to spread over the surface of the toilet bowl 22.

The foam discharged from the discharge ports 60j, 60j, ... flows downward on the front surface 60b. This allows the foam to clean the front surface 60b. The front surface 60b faces the toilet bowl 22, as does the rear surface 25 of the toilet bowl 22. The water surface WS of the water storage section 24 is located below the front surface 60b. When a user uses the toilet device 10, the water stored in the water storage section 24 splashes, making it easy for dirt to adhere to the front surface 60b. With this configuration, the front surface 60b, which is prone to adhesion of dirt, can be cleaned with foam.

The upper surface 60a is cleaned by the foam discharged from the outlet 60f. The lower surface 60c is cleaned by the foam discharged from the outlets 60h and 60k. The side surfaces 60d and 60e are cleaned by the foam discharged from the outlets 60h and 60h, respectively. With the discharge member 60, the foam discharged from the discharge member 60 can clean the part exposed from the toilet bowl 22.

In the modified example, the position and number of openings in the discharge member 60 are not limited. For example, the upper surface 60a may have one opening or a plurality of openings, three or more.

(Processing by the control unit)
As shown in Fig. 1, the control unit 100 is housed in the toilet body 20. The control unit 100 is communicatively connected to each of the pump 42, the switching valves 46, 62, the functional unit 16, and the seating sensor 90. The control unit 100 controls the pump 42, the switching valves 46, 62, the functional unit 16, and the seating sensor 90. The control unit 100 is further communicatively connected to operation units operated by the user, such as a flush button, a remote controller, etc.

The control unit 100 includes a CPU and a memory. The memory has a volatile and non-volatile storage section. The control unit 100 controls the pump 42, the switching valves 46, 62, the functional unit 16, and the seating sensor 90 by the CPU executing processing according to a computer program pre-stored in the memory.

When flushing water is to be supplied to the toilet bowl 22 by a user operation or the like, the control unit 100 controls the pump 42 and the switching valve 46 to supply flushing water to the toilet bowl 22 from the discharge nozzles 50, 52, the discharge member 60, and the discharge opening 54. Waste in the toilet bowl 22 is discharged to the outside of the toilet body 20 by the flushing water.

The control unit 100 performs a flushing process to clean the toilet bowl 22 with foam in addition to cleaning the toilet bowl 22 with flushing water. The flushing process is performed continuously while the toilet device 10 is in use.

As shown in FIG. 12, in the flushing process, in S12, the control unit 100 monitors whether the flushing conditions are met. The flushing conditions are stored in advance in the control unit 100. The flushing conditions include time conditions. For example, the flushing conditions include reaching a flushing time that is set in a time period when the toilet device 10 is unlikely to be used by a user (for example, at least one of early morning and late night). The flushing conditions may also include the number of times the user uses the device, and the frequency of use (i.e., the number of times the device is used in a specified period of time).

If the flushing condition is met (YES in S12), in S14, the control unit 100 determines whether the toilet device 10 is in use. Specifically, if the seating sensor 90 detects that the user is seated, the control unit 100 determines that the toilet device 10 is in use (YES in S14). If the seating sensor 90 does not detect that the user is seated, the control unit 100 determines that the toilet device 10 is not in use (NO in S14). If it is determined that the toilet device 10 is in use (YES in S14), the control unit 100 returns to S12. If it is determined that the toilet device 10 is in use (YES in S14), the control unit 100 does not execute the process from S16 onwards. In other words, foam is not discharged into the toilet bowl 22. With this configuration, foam is not supplied to the toilet bowl 22 when the toilet device 10 is in use. This prevents waste from staining the toilet bowl 22 after the foam has been dispensed.

If it is determined that the toilet device 10 is not in use (NO in S14), in S16, the control unit 100 operates the pump 42. In S16, the control unit 100 further connects the pump 42 to the ejector 64. Specifically, the control unit 100 switches the switching valve 62 to a state in which the pump 42 and the ejector 64 are connected. The switching valve 46 is maintained so that the connecting pipe 44 is not connected to any of the branch pipes 48a, 48b, 48c, and 48d. As a result, the flushing water in the tank 18 passes through the supply pipe 65 from the pump 42 and is sent to the ejector 64. In the ejector 64, negative pressure is generated by the narrowing of the flushing water flow path, and air flows into the ejector 64 through the ventilation pipe 69, and the surfactant flows into the ejector 64 through the connecting pipe 68a. In the ejector 64, bubbles are generated by mixing the flushing water, the surfactant, and the air. The foam passes through the supply pipe 66 and is discharged from the discharge member 60 into the toilet bowl 22. While flush water is being supplied to the ejector 64 by the pump 42, the foam continues to be discharged into the toilet bowl 22.

The supply pipe 66 is connected to the branch pipe 48b. However, the branch pipe 48b and the pump 42 are blocked by the switching valve 46. This prevents bubbles from passing through the branch pipe 48b and entering the pump 42.

In S18, the control unit 100 waits until the foam ejection period has elapsed since the start of foam ejection, i.e., since the pump 42 has been operated. The foam ejection period is, for example, 40 seconds. The foam ejection period is stored in advance in the control unit 100. In a modified example, the foam ejection period may be adjustable by the user. When the foam ejection period has elapsed (YES in S18), in S20, the control unit 100 stops the pump 42. Furthermore, the control unit 100 switches the switching valve 62 to a state in which the pump 42 and the ejector 64 are blocked.

In S22, the control unit 100 waits until the first standby period has elapsed. In the first standby period, foam floats on the water in the toilet bowl 22. The foam adheres to the surface of the toilet bowl 22. As a result, dirt adhering to the surface of the toilet bowl 22 is peeled off by the foam. As shown in FIG. 13, before the foam is discharged, water is stored in the water storage section 24. As shown in FIG. 14, when the foam is supplied, the foam BL accumulates in the toilet bowl 22. When the toilet bowl 22 is viewed from above, the foam BL covers 15% or more of the surface of the toilet bowl 22. When the toilet bowl 22 is viewed from above, the foam BL may cover the entire surface of the toilet bowl 22, or may cover 80% or more of the surface of the toilet bowl 22. The foam BL may cover any of the following proportions of the surface of the toilet bowl 22: 50% or more, 40% or more, 30% or more, or 20% or more.

The first waiting period is stored in advance in the control unit 100. The first waiting period is, for example, one minute. In a modified example, the first waiting period may be adjustable by the user. In a modified example, the first waiting period may not be set. In this case, the process of S22 is not executed, and S24 is executed following S20. When the first waiting period has elapsed (YES in S22), in S24, the control unit 100 switches the flow path of the cleaning water by connecting the communication pipe 44 to the branch pipe 48c using the switching valve 46. The control unit 100 further connects the communication pipe 44 to the branch pipe 48b using the switching valve 46.

In S26, the control unit 100 operates the pump 42. As a result, cleaning water is discharged from the discharge nozzle 52 into the toilet bowl 22. As shown in FIG. 15, the cleaning water discharged from the discharge nozzle 52 flows along the surface of the toilet bowl 22 in the direction of the arrow (i.e., clockwise when viewed from above). As a result, the foam in the toilet bowl 22 is swirled in the direction of the arrow by the cleaning water. The cleaning water is also discharged from the discharge member 60. In a modified example, the communication pipe 44 and the branch pipe 48b may be blocked by the switching valve 46. In this case, the cleaning water is not discharged from the discharge member 60. The control unit 100 adjusts the output of the pump 42 (e.g., the current value of the pump 42) to make the flow rate of the cleaning water in the branch pipe 48c supplied to the discharge nozzle 52 faster than the flow rate of the cleaning water in the supply pipe 65 supplied to the ejector 64 in S16. This makes it possible to increase the swirling speed of the foam. It is possible to make it easier to peel off dirt on the surface of the toilet bowl 22 by the foam.

In S26, the control unit 100 causes the discharge nozzle 52 to discharge cleaning water into the toilet bowl 22 for a predetermined period of time. In S30, the control unit 100 determines whether or not the swirling of the foam has been completed. Specifically, the control unit 100 stores in advance either the number of times to swirl the foam (e.g., four times) or the period (e.g., 20 seconds). If the number of times to swirl the foam is stored in the control unit 100, the control unit 100 determines that the swirling of the foam is completed when the number of times to swirl the foam stored in advance has been completed after the determination of YES in S22 (YES in S30). If the number of times to swirl the foam stored in advance has not been completed after the determination of YES in S22, the control unit 100 determines that the swirling of the foam is not completed (NO in S30). The number of times to swirl the foam is counted as one each time cleaning water is discharged from one of the discharge nozzles 50, 52 in S26.

If it is determined that the swirling of the foam is not complete (NO in S30), the process returns to S24, and the control unit 100 switches the flow path of the cleaning water. Specifically, the control unit 100 connects the communication pipe 44 and the branch pipe 48a by the switching valve 46. The communication pipe 44 and the branch pipe 48b are connected. In S26, the control unit 100 operates the pump 42. This causes cleaning water to be discharged from the discharge nozzle 50 to the toilet bowl 22. As shown in FIG. 16, the cleaning water discharged from the discharge nozzle 50 flows along the surface of the toilet bowl 22 in the direction of the arrow (i.e. counterclockwise when viewed from above). As a result, the foam in the toilet bowl 22 is swirled in the direction of the arrow by the cleaning water. The cleaning water is also discharged from the discharge member 60. In a modified example, the communication pipe 44 and the branch pipe 48b may be blocked by the switching valve 46. In this case, the cleaning water is not discharged from the discharge member 60.

In the cleaning process, the foam in the toilet bowl 22 is alternately swirled clockwise and counterclockwise until it is determined in S30 that the swirling of the foam is complete (YES in S30). This allows the foam to remove dirt adhering to the surface of the toilet bowl 22. In the vertical direction, the upper end of the foam in the toilet bowl 22 is located above the discharge member 60 throughout the period during which the foam is swirling after being discharged. By allowing the foam to accumulate near the upper end of the toilet bowl 22, the foam in the toilet bowl 22 can be brought into contact with a wide area of the surface of the toilet bowl 22. This allows dirt adhering to the surface of the toilet bowl 22 to be removed over a wide area.

The front surface 22, side surface 26, and rear surface 25 of the toilet bowl 22 are not configured in a way that would hinder the swirling of foam. The shapes of the front surface 22, side surface 26, and rear surface 25 allow the foam to swirl smoothly.

In the processes from S24 to S30, no surfactant is supplied. This makes it possible to prevent an increase in the amount of foam in the toilet bowl 22 to which the surfactant has been supplied when swirling the foam in the toilet bowl 22. It is possible to prevent the foam from overflowing from the toilet bowl 22.

When it is determined that the swirling of the foam is completed (YES in S30), in S32, the control unit 100 stops the pump 42. In S34, the control unit 100 waits until the second waiting period has elapsed. In the second waiting period, similar to the first waiting period, the foam floats on the water in the toilet bowl 22. The foam adheres to the surface of the toilet bowl 22. As a result, dirt attached to the surface of the toilet bowl 22 is peeled off by the foam. In the second waiting period, similar to the first waiting period, when the toilet bowl 22 is viewed from above, the foam BL may cover 15% or more of the surface of the toilet bowl 22. The second waiting period is stored in advance in the control unit 100. The second waiting period is, for example, 1 minute. In a modified example, the second waiting period may be adjustable by the user. In a modified example, the second waiting period may not be set. In this case, the processing of S34 is not executed, and S36 may be executed following S32. When the second waiting period has elapsed (YES in S34), in S36, the control unit 100 uses the switching valve 46 to connect the communication pipe 44 to the branch pipe 48d. In S38, the control unit 100 operates the pump 42. Flush water is discharged from the discharge opening 54 into the water storage section 24. By discharging flush water pressurized by the pump 42 from the discharge opening 54 into the water storage section 24, the water stored in the water storage section 24 can be pushed into the drain pipe 36. This allows the water level in the toilet bowl 22 to be lowered.

When foam is discharged from the toilet bowl 22 to the outside of the toilet body 20, that is, in the processing of S36 and S38, after flushing water is discharged from the discharge opening 54 to the water storage section 24, the control unit 100 uses the switching valve 46 to connect the communication pipe 44 to the branch pipes 48a, 48b, and 48c, and to block the communication pipe 44 from the branch pipe 48d. As a result, flushing water is discharged from the discharge nozzles 50, 52 and the discharge member 60 to the water storage section 24. As a result, the foam adhering to the surface of the toilet bowl 22 can be collected near the discharge outlet 34. Next, the control unit 100 uses the switching valve 46 to block the communication pipe 44 from the branch pipes 48a, 48b, and 48c, and to connect the communication pipe 44 to the branch pipe 48d. The flushing water is discharged from the discharge opening 54 to the water storage section 24. The flush water pressurized by the pump 42 can push the foam collected near the drain outlet 34 into the drain pipe 36 together with the flush water. As a result, the drain pipe 36 is filled with foam and flush water. The foam and flush water in the drain pipe 36 are discharged into the piping that communicates with the drain pipe 36 by the siphon effect. This allows the water collected in the water storage section 24 and the foam in the toilet bowl 22 to be discharged outside the toilet body 20 via the drain outlet 34 and the drain pipe 36.

In a modified example, instead of the discharge opening 54, cleaning water may be discharged from at least one of the discharge nozzles 50, 52, so that the foam collected near the drain 34 is swept into the drain pipe 36 together with the cleaning water. In this case, the drain pipe 36 is filled with foam and cleaning water, and the foam and cleaning water in the drain pipe 36 can be discharged into a pipe communicating with the drain pipe 36 by the siphon effect. In a modified example, cleaning water may be discharged from at least one of the discharge nozzles 50, 52, together with the discharge opening 54, so that the foam collected near the drain 34 is swept into the drain pipe 36 together with the cleaning water.

In a modified example, the drain pipe 36 may be configured so that the bending position and bending direction can be changed. In this case, the water level in the toilet bowl 22 may be lowered by changing the bending of the drain pipe 36.

In S40, the control unit 100 stops the pump and ends the cleaning process. The control unit 100 uses the switching valve 46 to block communication between the communication pipe 44 and the branch pipes 48a, 48b, 48c, and 48d.

In the toilet device 10, a foam discharge member 60 is attached to the rear surface 25 of the toilet bowl 22. This allows foam to be discharged directly from the discharge member 60 onto the rear surface 25 of the toilet bowl 22. By locating the discharge member 60 on the rear side, foam can be supplied to the toilet bowl 22 from the rearmost position of the toilet bowl 22.

In the flushing process, in S16, flush water containing a surfactant is discharged into the toilet bowl 22. In S26, flush water not containing a surfactant, i.e., flush water with a surfactant concentration of 0%, is discharged into the toilet bowl 22. In the flushing process, the surfactant concentration of the flush water supplied to the toilet bowl 22 is changed. In a modified example, flush water containing a surfactant may be discharged into the toilet bowl 22 in S26. In this case, the surfactant concentration in S16 may be higher than the surfactant concentration in S26.

The toilet device 10 discharges foam into the toilet bowl 22 at a timing other than the flushing process. Specifically, the control unit 100 discharges foam into the toilet bowl 22 when the toilet seat 14 is opened. The control unit 100 connects the pump 42 and the ejector 64 via the switching valve 62 and operates the pump 42. This causes foam to be discharged into the toilet bowl 22. The amount of foam discharged into the toilet bowl 22 is less than that in the flushing process. After foam is discharged into the toilet bowl 22, the control unit 100 does not supply flushing water to the toilet bowl 22 until the timing to supply flushing water is determined by the user's operation or the like. This prevents urine from colliding with the toilet bowl 22 and the water accumulated in the water storage section 24 and splashing when the user urinates into the toilet bowl 22 while standing. When flushing water is supplied to the toilet bowl 22 by the user's operation or the like, the foam is discharged from the toilet bowl 22. The control unit 100 executes processes similar to those of S36 and S38 to expel foam from the toilet bowl 22.

The ejector 64 is an example of a "foam generating section." The supply pipe 65 is an example of a "first flow channel." The connecting pipe 44 and the branch pipes 48a and 48c are an example of a "second flow channel." The connecting pipe 44 and the branch pipe 48d are an example of a "third flow channel."

Second Embodiment
The toilet device 10 of this embodiment will be described in terms of differences from the first embodiment. In the toilet device 10 of this embodiment, the flushing process executed by the control unit 100 is different. In S16, the control unit 100 controls the amount of foam supplied over the foam discharge period. Specifically, during the foam discharge period, the control unit 100 varies the output of the pump 42. The control unit 100 varies the output of the pump 42 by adjusting the magnitude of the current flowing through the pump 42. At the beginning of the foam discharge period, the control unit 100 makes the output of the pump 42 relatively high by passing a relatively large current through the pump 42. From the middle to the end of the foam discharge period, the control unit 100 reduces the output of the pump 42 by reducing the current passed through the pump 42. During the period when the output of the pump 42 is relatively high, the energy of the flushing water flowing through the ejector 64 becomes high. The negative pressure generated within the ejector 64 becomes large. As a result, the amount of surfactant supplied to the ejector 64 increases, and the concentration of the surfactant contained in the foam increases. The amount of foam supplied increases. When the output of the pump 42 is reduced, the energy of the wash water flowing to the ejector 64 decreases. This reduces the negative pressure generated in the ejector 64. The amount of surfactant supplied to the ejector 64 decreases, and the concentration of the surfactant contained in the foam decreases. This reduces the amount of foam supplied.

With this configuration, by supplying a large amount of foam to the toilet bowl 22 at the beginning of the foam ejection period, foam can be supplied to the toilet bowl 22 in a short period of time. By reducing the amount of foam supplied at the end of the foam ejection period, foam can be prevented from overflowing from the toilet bowl 22.

In a modified example, at least one of the storage tank 68 and the communicating pipe 68a may be provided with a pump and/or a switching valve for supplying the surfactant to the ejector 64. When a pump is provided in at least one of the storage tank 68 and the communicating pipe 68a, the control unit 100 may adjust the amount of surfactant supplied by adjusting at least one of the output and operation period of the pump. When a switching valve is provided in at least one of the storage tank 68 and the communicating pipe 68a, the control unit 100 may adjust the amount of surfactant supplied by adjusting at least one of the opening degree of the switching valve and the communicating mechanism between the storage tank 68 and the ejector 64.

In a modified example, the control unit 100 may change the amount of foam supplied. For example, the control unit 100 may count the number of uses of the toilet device 10 using the seating sensor 90. The control unit 100 may execute the flushing process in a high-volume mode in which the amount of foam supplied is relatively large if the number of uses of the toilet device 10 since the previous flushing process is equal to or greater than a predetermined number. The control unit 100 may execute the flushing process in a low-volume mode in which the amount of foam supplied is relatively small if the number of uses of the toilet device 10 since the previous flushing process is less than a predetermined number. The control unit 100 may change the amount of foam supplied by adjusting any one of the pump output, operation period, and amount of surfactant supplied. In the toilet device 10, the user may be able to select between a high-volume mode and a low-volume mode. The control unit 100 may execute the flushing process in either the high-volume mode or the low-volume mode, depending on the user's selection. The amount of foam supplied may be changed to three or more stages.

The fluctuations in the surfactant concentration and the amount of foam supplied during the foam ejection period are not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the surfactant concentration in the foam may be low in the early stages and then gradually increased.

Third Embodiment
As shown in FIG. 17, the sanitary device of this embodiment is a urinal device 310. The urinal device 310 is used by a user while standing. The urinal device 310 includes a toilet body 320 and a discharge portion 340. The toilet body 320 is made of ceramic. The toilet body 320 includes an upper end wall 332, a pair of side walls 330, a rear wall 324, and a toilet bowl 322. The upper end wall 332 is disposed at the upper end of the toilet body 320. Each of the pair of side walls 330 extends downward from each of the left and right ends of the upper end wall 332. Each of the pair of side walls 330 extends at its lower end to the left and right center of the toilet body 320. The pair of side walls 330 are connected at the left and right center of the toilet body 320 at the lower end of the toilet body 320. The rear wall 324 is disposed at the rearmost part of the toilet body 320. The rear wall 324 is surrounded by an upper end wall 332 and a pair of side walls 330.

The toilet bowl 322 is surrounded by an upper end wall 332, a pair of side walls 330, and a rear wall 324. The toilet bowl 322 is the portion of the toilet body 320 that is below the upper end wall 332. As shown in FIG. 18, a drain pipe 336 is connected to the lower end of the toilet bowl 322 via a drain outlet 334. Water accumulates in the drain pipe 336.

A discharge section 340 is disposed near the upper end of the toilet body 320. The discharge section 340 includes a water discharge section 350 and a discharge member 360. In the water discharge section 350, flushing water stored in a tank (not shown) is pressurized by a pump in the same manner as in the toilet device 10, and discharged into the toilet bowl 322. The water discharge section 350 is attached to the rear wall 324. The flushing water discharged from the water discharge section 350 flows downward from the water discharge section 350, spreading out to the left and right along the rear wall 324.

The discharge member 360 is disposed above the water discharge section 350. The discharge member 360 is disposed on the rear wall 324. The discharge member 360 is attached to a gap disposed on the rear wall 324. The discharge member 360 is disposed over approximately the entire length of the rear wall 324 in the left-right direction. In the same manner as the toilet device 10, the discharge member 360 is configured such that the flushing water sent from the same pump as the water discharge section 350 passes through the ejector, causing surfactant and air to flow into the ejector. This causes foam to be generated in the ejector. The foam is discharged from the tip of the discharge member 360. A switching valve is disposed in the communication pipe extending from the pump, which switches between a state in which the pump and the water discharge section 350 are connected to each other and a state in which the pump and the discharge member 360 are connected to each other. The control unit 100 controls the switching valve.

The foam discharged from the discharge member 360 flows downward on the rear wall 324. The range over which the foam flows is wider than the range over which the cleaning water flows from the water discharger 350. After the foam is discharged, the cleaning water is discharged from the discharge member 360.

In a modified example, the discharge member 360 may not be provided. Both cleaning water and foam may be discharged from the water discharge section 350. In this case, the water discharge section 350 may spread the foam supplied from the ejector in the vertical and horizontal directions, and discharge it in multiple vertical and horizontal directions, similar to the discharge member 60 of the toilet device 10.

The urinal device 310 includes a control unit similar to the control unit 100 of the toilet device 10. The control unit may change the amount of foam depending on the pump output, the surfactant concentration, and the amount of surfactant supplied.

As shown in FIG. 19, when foam is supplied to the toilet bowl 322, foam BL3 accumulates on the water surface WS3 of the collected water. After supplying the foam, the control unit controls the discharge member 360 to supply flushing water. As a result, as shown in FIG. 20, the drain pipe 336 becomes filled with flushing water. A pipe extending to the sewer pipe is installed downstream of the drain pipe 336. When the flushing water in the drain pipe 336 reaches the pipe, the foam BL3 is discharged together with the flushing water in the drain pipe 336 by the siphon effect. With this configuration, it is not necessary to provide a separate dedicated component for discharging foam from the toilet bowl 322.

The urinal device 310 can clean the toilet bowl 322 with foam. By locating the discharge member 360 on the rear wall 324, foam can be discharged into the toilet bowl 322 without weakening the force of the foam.

In a modified example, the urinal device 310 may have a water discharger 350 disposed on the underside of the upper end wall 332 that defines the toilet bowl 322. Both cleaning water and foam may be discharged from the water discharger 350. In this configuration, cleaning water and foam flow through the upper end wall 332, just like the pair of side walls 330 and the rear wall 324. In a modified example, the water discharger 350 may be disposed on each of the upper end wall 332 and the rear wall 324.

Fourth Embodiment
As shown in FIG. 21 , the sanitary device of this embodiment is an ostomate waste sink device 410. The ostomate waste sink device 410 is used for excretion by a user who has an opening for excretion in the abdomen or the like. The ostomate waste sink device 410 includes a sink body 420 and a discharge part 440. The sink body 420 is made of ceramic. The sink body 420 has a shape with an inner side recessed downward. The sink body 420 includes a bowl portion 422 and a back side wall 424. The bowl portion 422 is surrounded by the peripheral wall of the sink body 420. The back side wall 424 is included in the peripheral wall surrounding the bowl portion 422. The back side wall 424 is located at the backmost part of the peripheral wall.

The basin portion 422 extends from the upper end to the lower end of the sink body 420. As shown in FIG. 22, a drain pipe 436 is connected to the lower end of the basin portion 422 via a drain outlet 434. Water is stored in the drain pipe 336.

The discharge part 440 is disposed near the upper end of the sink body 420. The discharge part 440 includes a discharge member 460. In addition to the discharge member 460, the discharge part 440 includes a pump, a communication pipe, an ejector, and a switching valve, similar to the toilet device 10. The switching valve switches between communication and blocking between the ejector and the pump, similar to the switching valve 62. The discharge member 460 pressurizes flushing water stored in a tank (not shown) by the pump, similar to the toilet device 10, and discharges it into the bowl part 422. The discharge member 460 is attached to the rear wall 424. The flushing water discharged from the discharge member 460 flows downward from the discharge member 460, spreading left and right along the rear wall 424. The discharge member 460 has the same configuration as the discharge member 60. The discharge member 460 spreads the foam in the vertical and horizontal directions and discharges it in multiple directions.

In the discharge member 460, as in the toilet device 10, surfactant and air are flowed into the ejector by passing the flushing water, which is pumped from the same pump as the flushing water. This generates foam in the ejector. The foam is discharged from the tip of the discharge member 460.

The foam discharged from the discharge member 460 flows downward on the rear wall 424. The discharge member 460 discharges both cleaning water and foam from the same discharge member 460. In a modified example, a discharge section that discharges either cleaning water or foam may be disposed in addition to the discharge member 460. In this case, the foam may be discharged so as to spread over a wider area than the cleaning water within the basin portion 422.

The ostomate waste sink device 410 has a control unit similar to the control unit 100 of the toilet device 10. The control unit may change the amount of foam depending on the pump output, the surfactant concentration, and the amount of surfactant supplied.

When foam BL4 is supplied to the basin portion 422, the foam accumulates on the water surface WS4 of the pooled water. After supplying the foam, the control unit controls the discharge member 460 to supply cleaning water. As a result, the foam BL4 is discharged from the drain pipe 436 together with the cleaning water.

The ostomate waste sink device 410 can clean the bowl 422 with foam. By locating the discharge member 460 on the rear wall 424, foam can be discharged into the bowl 422 without weakening the force of the foam.

The following are some aspects of the technology disclosed in this specification:

The first aspect is a sanitation device. The sanitation device includes a basin portion that receives foam, a supply portion that supplies a surfactant, a foam generating portion that generates the foam to be supplied to the basin portion using the surfactant supplied from the supply portion, and a control portion that executes a cleaning process that is initiated by the generation of the foam in the basin portion, and the control portion may change the form of the foam while the cleaning process is being executed.

In a second aspect, in the first aspect, the sanitary device further includes a first flow channel that flows water into the foam generating section, the foam generating section communicates with the first flow channel, and generates foam by mixing the surfactant supplied from the supply section with the water flowing through the flow channel, and the control section may change the form of the foam by changing the ratio of the surfactant to the water being mixed.

In a third aspect, in any one of the first and second aspects, the sanitary device may include a second water flow channel that flows water into the basin, and the control unit may change the form of the foam by flowing water into the basin after the foam is generated in the basin to cause the foam to swirl in the basin.

In a fourth aspect, in any one of the first to third aspects, the control unit may generate bubbles in the pot during the cleaning process such that, when the pot is viewed from above, 15% or more of the surface area of the pot is covered with the bubbles.

In a fifth aspect, in any one of the first to fourth aspects, the sanitary device includes a toilet apparatus having the basin portion, and the toilet apparatus further includes a water storage portion that stores water below the basin portion, a drainage path that communicates with the water storage portion, and a third water flow path that has an outlet in the water stored in the water storage portion, and the control unit may supply the water from the third water flow path to the water storage portion during the flushing process, thereby causing the foam in the basin portion to flow from the basin portion to the drainage path.

In a sixth aspect, in any one of the first to fifth aspects, the sanitary device includes a toilet device having the basin portion, the toilet device includes a water storage section that stores water below the basin portion, and a drainage path that communicates with the water storage section, and the control section may, during the flushing process, drain the foam in the basin portion from the basin portion to the drainage path when a predetermined first period has elapsed with the foam remaining on the water surface stored in the water storage section after the foam is generated in the basin portion.

In a seventh aspect, in any one of the first to sixth aspects, the sanitary device further includes a first flow channel for flowing water into the foam generating section and a second flow channel for flowing water into the basin section, and the control unit may change the state of the foam by flowing water into the basin section after the foam is generated in the basin section to swirl the foam in the basin section, and when swirling the foam in the basin section, may flow the water into the second flow channel at a flow rate different from the flow rate of the first flow channel when generating the foam.

In an eighth aspect, in any one of the first to seventh aspects, the sanitary device further comprises a first flow channel for flowing water into the foam generating section and a second flow channel for flowing water into the basin section, the foam generating section is connected to the first flow channel and generates foam by mixing the surfactant supplied from the supply section with the water flowing through the flow channel, and the control section changes the form of the foam by flowing water into the basin section after the foam is generated in the basin section to swirl the foam in the basin section, and may set the ratio of the surfactant to the water supplied to the basin section when swirling the foam in the basin section lower than the ratio of the surfactant to the water when generating the foam.

In a ninth aspect, in any one of the first to eighth aspects, the sanitary device includes a second water flow channel that flows water into the basin, and the control unit may change the form of the foam by flowing water into the basin and swirling the foam in the basin when a second predetermined period has elapsed after the foam is generated in the basin.

In a tenth aspect, in any one of the first to ninth aspects, the sanitary device further includes a first water flow passage that flows water into the foam generating section and a second water flow passage that flows water into the basin section, and the control unit may execute an aspect in which, after the foam is generated in the basin section, water is flowed into the basin section to cause the foam in the basin section to swirl in a first direction in the basin section, and an aspect in which, after swirl in the first direction, the foam in the basin section is swirl in a second direction different from the first direction.

In an eleventh aspect, in any one of the first to tenth aspects, the sanitary device includes a water storage section that stores water below the basin section, a drainage path that communicates with the water storage section, a second flow path that drains water into the basin section, and a third flow path that has an outlet in the water stored in the water storage section, and the control unit, after the foam is generated in the basin section, discharges water from the third flow path into the water storage section to drain the water stored in the water storage section into the drainage path, discharges water from the second flow path to drain the foam in the basin section below the toilet bowl, and may discharge the foam from the basin section via the drainage path by siphoning the foam using the flushing water.

Specific examples of the technology disclosed in this specification have been described in detail above. These are merely examples and do not limit the scope of the claims. The technology described in the claims includes various modifications and variations of the specific examples given above. Modifications of the above embodiments are listed below.

(1) The foam may be swirled in a direction other than clockwise and counterclockwise when viewed from above. For example, the foam may be swirled in the up-down direction or along a direction inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction. The discharge unit 40 may be provided with a discharge port that discharges wash water to swirl the foam in the up-down direction or along a direction inclined relative to a plane perpendicular to the up-down direction.

(2) Foam and foam-free cleaning water may be supplied to the toilet bowl 22 via a common supply pipe. For example, one of foam and foam-free cleaning water may be discharged from the discharge member 60 via the supply pipe 65, the ejector 64, and the connecting pipe 66. In this modified example, the supply pipe 65 is an example of the "first water flow channel" and the "second water flow channel."

The technical elements described in this specification or drawings have technical utility either alone or in various combinations, and are not limited to the combinations described in the claims at the time of filing. The technologies illustrated in this specification or drawings can achieve multiple objectives simultaneously, and achieving any one of those objectives is itself technically useful.

10: Toilet device, 18: Tank, 20: Toilet body, 22: Toilet bowl, 24: Water storage section, 40: Discharge section, 42: Pump, 44: Connecting pipe, 46, 62: Switching valve, 48a, 48b, 48c, 48d: Branch pipe, 50, 52: Discharge nozzle, 54: Discharge opening, 60: Discharge member, 61: Foam discharge section, 64: Ejector, 90: Seating sensor, 100: Control section, 310: Urinal device, 410: Ostomate waste sink device

Claims (10)

A bowl portion for receiving bubbles;
A supply unit for supplying a surfactant;
a foam generating section that generates the foam to be supplied to the basin section by using the surfactant supplied from the supply section;
a control unit that executes a cleaning process that is started by the generation of bubbles in the basin;
A first flow channel for flowing water to the bubble generating section;
A second water flow passage for flowing water into the basin portion,
The control unit is
changing the form of the foam while the cleaning process is being performed;
A sanitary device that performs the following steps: after the foam is generated in the basin, water is poured into the basin to cause the foam in the basin to swirl in a first direction in the basin; and, after the foam has swirled in the first direction, the foam is swirled in a second direction different from the first direction. the foam generating unit is connected to the first flow channel, and generates foam by mixing the surfactant supplied from the supply unit with the water flowing through the first flow channel;
The sanitary device of claim 1 , wherein the control unit changes the shape of the foam by changing a ratio of the surfactant to the water that is mixed. The sanitary device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the control unit changes the state of the foam by running water through the basin and swirling the foam in the basin after the foam is generated in the basin. The sanitary device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the control unit generates foam in the pot during the cleaning process so that 15% or more of the surface area of the pot is covered with the foam when the pot is viewed from above. The sanitary device includes a toilet device having the basin,
The toilet device comprises:
A water reservoir portion for storing water below the basin portion;
A drainage path communicating with the water reservoir;
A third water passage having a discharge port in the water stored in the water storage section,
The sanitary device according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit, during the cleaning process, supplies the water from the third flow channel to the water storage section, thereby causing the foam in the basin section to flow from the basin section to the drainage path. The sanitary device includes a toilet device having the basin,
The toilet device comprises:
A water reservoir portion for storing water below the basin portion;
A drainage path communicating with the water reservoir,
The sanitary device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the control unit, during the cleaning process, drains the foam in the basin from the basin into the drainage path when a predetermined first period has elapsed while the foam is present on the surface of the water stored in the water storage section after the foam is generated in the basin. The control unit is
After the bubbles are generated in the basin, water is poured into the basin to cause the bubbles in the basin to swirl in the basin, thereby changing the state of the bubbles;
The sanitary device according to claim 1 , wherein when the foam is swirled in the basin, the water is caused to flow through the second flow channel at a flow rate different from the flow rate through the first flow channel when the foam is generated. the foam generating unit is connected to the first flow channel, and generates foam by mixing the surfactant supplied from the supply unit with the water flowing through the first flow channel;
The control unit is
After the bubbles are generated in the basin, water is poured into the basin to cause the bubbles in the basin to swirl in the basin, thereby changing the state of the bubbles;
A sanitary device as described in any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the ratio of the surfactant to the water supplied to the bowl when the foam is swirled in the bowl is lower than the ratio of the surfactant to the water when the foam is generated. The sanitary device according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the control unit changes the state of the foam by flowing water through the basin to cause the foam to swirl in the basin when a second predetermined period has elapsed after the foam is generated in the basin. The sanitary device comprises:
A water reservoir portion for storing water below the basin portion;
A drainage path communicating with the water reservoir;
A third water passage having a discharge port in the water stored in the water storage section,
The control unit is
After the bubbles are generated in the basin, washing water is discharged from the third water flow channel into the water storage section, thereby causing the water stored in the water storage section to flow into the drainage path;
Water is discharged from the second water flow channel to cause the bubbles in the basin portion to flow below the basin portion,
The sanitary device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the foam is discharged from the basin through the drainage path by siphoning using the cleaning water.

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