JP7615508B2 - Toilet seat device - Google Patents

Description

Aspects of the present invention generally relate to toilet seat devices.

A toilet seat device is known that can suppress the growth of bacteria and dirt in the bowl of the toilet by discharging cleaning water (sterilizing water) such as hypochlorous acid water, which has oxidative decomposition and bleaching properties, into the bowl of the toilet (for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, a toilet seat device with a mist cleaning function is known that cleans every corner of the toilet by turning ozone water, electrolytic sterilizing water, or high-temperature water into a mist of about 0.1 to 50 μm and delivering this mist to not only the bowl but also the toilet seat, toilet lid, and rim of the toilet using an air current (for example, Patent Document 2).

Patent No. 5029930 JP 2007-138605 A

The cleanliness of the toilet seat apparatus can be maintained by spraying a mist (cleaning water) onto the toilet bowl and toilet seat. However, in the conventional technology described above, the spray device that sprays the mist is installed below the toilet seat, which may make it difficult to land the mist on the surface of the toilet seat on which the user sits and sterilize it.

The present invention was made based on the recognition of such problems, and aims to provide a toilet seat device that can efficiently land mist on the toilet seat surface.

The first invention is a toilet seat device comprising a toilet seat part having a toilet seat surface on which a user sits, a toilet seat back surface located behind the toilet seat surface, and an opening penetrating between the toilet seat surface and the toilet seat back surface, a spray device positioned below the toilet seat surface and spraying a mist, an air blower device that blows air toward the inside of the toilet bowl to generate an air current inside the toilet bowl, and a control device having a toilet seat surface mist mode that causes the mist to land on the toilet seat surface by controlling the spray device and the air blower device, and the control device is characterized in that when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the air blower device so that the flow rate from the opening toward the toilet seat surface is higher than the flow rate between the toilet seat back surface and the upper surface of the rim of the toilet bowl when the toilet seat part is closed.

This toilet seat device uses airflow from the opening in the toilet seat toward the surface of the toilet seat, allowing mist to land on the surface of the toilet seat from a spray device located below the surface of the toilet seat. In addition, because the airflow with a high flow rate flows from the opening in the toilet seat toward the surface of the toilet seat, a large amount of mist can land on the surface of the toilet seat. In addition, because the airflow with a low flow rate is controlled to flow between the underside of the toilet seat and the upper surface of the rim of the toilet bowl, it is possible to prevent a large amount of mist from landing on the underside of the toilet seat and not reaching the surface of the toilet seat.

The second invention is a toilet seat device according to the first invention, characterized in that the inner wall of the toilet bowl has an opening projection section that projects the opening of the toilet seat section downward, and when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the air blower device so that the main stream of the airflow blown from the air blower device is directed toward the opening projection section.

With this toilet seat device, an air current can be collided with the projection of the opening of the toilet bowl to form an ascending air current, allowing a large volume of air current to flow from the opening of the toilet seat toward the surface of the toilet seat. This allows the mist to land efficiently on the surface of the toilet seat.

The third invention is a toilet seat device according to the first or second invention, characterized in that, when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the air blower to blow a straight air current from the air blower toward the inner wall of the toilet bowl, and to form an updraft that rises toward the toilet seat surface after the straight air current collides with the inner wall of the toilet bowl, and at least a portion of the mist sprayed from the sprayer interferes with the updraft without interfering with the straight air current.

Since the straight air current collides with the inner wall of the toilet bowl, mist riding on the straight air current is likely to adhere to the inner wall of the toilet bowl, making it difficult for the mist to reach the surface of the toilet seat. However, with this toilet seat device, at least a portion of the mist is allowed to interfere with the ascending air current without interfering with the straight air current, so most of the mist can be delivered to the surface of the toilet seat without coming into contact with the inner wall of the toilet bowl.

The fourth invention is the toilet seat device according to the third invention, characterized in that, when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the direction of the straight airflow blown from the blower device to be directed downward relative to the direction of the mist sprayed from the spray device.

With this toilet seat device, the straight airflow is positioned below the spray direction of the mist, so interference between the mist and the straight airflow can be reduced. This reduces the amount of mist riding on the straight airflow, and allows the mist to ride on the rising airflow efficiently.

The fifth invention is a toilet seat device according to the fourth invention, characterized in that the spray device and the air blower are provided in a main body placed behind the toilet bowl, the main body has an air outlet located below the surface of the toilet seat and for sending air from the air blower toward the inside of the toilet bowl, and an outlet located below the surface of the toilet seat and for discharging the mist sprayed from the spray device toward the inside of the toilet bowl, and the air outlet and the outlet are arranged apart in the left-right direction.

With this toilet seat device, the air outlet and the discharge port are spaced apart in the left-right direction, so even if the air outlet and the discharge port are located at the same height, it is possible to reduce interference between the mist discharged from the discharge port and the straight airflow sent out from the air outlet.

The sixth invention is the fifth invention, which is a toilet seat device further comprising a nozzle for cleaning the private parts of a user seated on the surface of the toilet seat, the air outlet being disposed on one side of the nozzle in the left-right direction, and the exhaust port being disposed on the other side of the nozzle in the left-right direction.

This toilet seat device increases the distance between the air outlet and the discharge port, further reducing interference of the mist with the linear airflow.

The seventh invention is a toilet seat device according to any one of the third to sixth inventions, characterized in that, when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the air blower device so that the rising air current swirls inside the toilet bowl when viewed from above.

This toilet seat device allows the mist to land over a wide area on the toilet seat surface by swirling the rising air current.

The eighth invention is a toilet seat device according to the seventh invention, characterized in that the air blowing device has an airflow direction changing unit that changes the blowing direction of the airflow, and the control device, when executing the toilet seat surface mist mode, controls the airflow direction changing unit to switch between a state in which the rising airflow swirls inside the toilet bowl in a first swirl direction when viewed from above, and a state in which the rising airflow swirls inside the toilet bowl in a second swirl direction that is opposite to the first swirl direction.

This toilet seat device reverses the swirling airflow inside the toilet bowl, allowing the mist to land efficiently over a wide area on both sides of the toilet seat surface.

The ninth invention is a toilet seat device according to the eighth invention, characterized in that the control device has a local drying mode in which the airflow direction changing unit directs the airflow direction of the straight airflow toward the center of the toilet bowl.

This toilet seat device uses a combined air blower for spraying mist onto the toilet seat surface and for drying local areas, making it possible to make the toilet seat device more compact than if separate air blowers were provided for each. It also reduces the cost of the toilet seat device.

The tenth invention is the toilet seat device according to the ninth invention, characterized in that the air blower has an air blowing section that changes the air volume, and the control device controls the air blowing section so that the air volume in the toilet seat surface mist mode is smaller than the air volume in the local drying mode.

With this toilet seat device, the spot drying performance can be improved by increasing the air volume of the blower. Furthermore, if the same air volume is used in the toilet seat surface mist mode as in the spot drying mode, the airflow that collides with the inner wall of the toilet bowl will rise along the inner wall of the toilet bowl, and more air will flow between the underside of the toilet seat and the top surface of the rim. Therefore, when executing the toilet seat surface mist mode, it is easier to create an ascending air current that heads toward the toilet seat surface by setting the air volume smaller than the air volume in the spot drying mode.

The eleventh invention is a toilet seat device according to any one of the seventh to tenth inventions, characterized in that the spray device has a motor and a spray section formed in a plate shape and rotated by the motor, and the control device controls the motor to switch between a state in which the spray section rotates in a first rotation direction and a state in which the spray section rotates in a second rotation direction that is opposite to the first rotation direction when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed.

With this toilet seat device, mist is sprayed on both the left and right sides of the toilet seat surface by reversing the rotation of the spray unit. This allows the mist to land efficiently over a wide area on both sides of the toilet seat surface.

According to this aspect of the present invention, mist can be efficiently deposited on the surface of the toilet seat.

1 is a perspective view showing a toilet device according to an embodiment of the present invention; 2 is a cross-sectional view of the toilet device in FIG. 1 as viewed from the direction of arrows AA. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a main part of a toilet seat device. 4(a) to 4(e) are plan and perspective views showing the main body of the toilet seat device. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an airflow direction changing portion of the air blower device. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the main body and the spray device in FIG. 4(c) as viewed from the direction of arrows BB. 7(a) and 7(b) are schematic diagrams showing the state of air flow speed in the toilet seat surface mist mode. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the airflow and the mist when the mist lands on the right side of the toilet seat surface. FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the airflow and the mist when the mist lands on the left side of the toilet seat surface. FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which mist is entrained on an airflow in a first swirling direction. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which mist is entrained on an airflow in a second swirling direction. FIG. FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which mist is entrained on a straight air current. 13(a) and 13(b) are schematic diagrams showing modified examples of the airflow direction changing section.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, like components are designated by like reference numerals and detailed description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a toilet device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the toilet device in FIG. 1 as viewed from the direction of arrows AA.

The toilet device 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a Western-style seated toilet (hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, simply referred to as "toilet 100") and a toilet seat device 10. The toilet 100 has a concave bowl portion 101 that receives waste. The toilet seat device 10 is installed on top of the toilet 100.

The toilet seat device 10 comprises a main body 12 placed behind the toilet bowl 100, a toilet seat 14 pivotally supported by the main body 12, a spray device 60 having a spray unit 62 that sprays mist M onto at least one of the interior of the toilet bowl 100 and the toilet seat 14, and a control device 70 that controls the spray device 60. A toilet lid 16 pivotally supported by the main body 12 is provided on the rear side of the toilet seat 14.

The toilet seat 14 has a toilet seat surface 14a on which a user sits, a toilet seat back surface 14b located behind the toilet seat surface 14a, and an opening 14c that penetrates between the toilet seat surface 14a and the toilet seat back surface 14b. The toilet seat surface 14a faces the toilet lid 16 when the toilet lid 16 is closed. The toilet seat back surface 14b faces the upper surface 103 of the rim portion 102 when the toilet seat 14 is closed (lowered). The opening 14c is located in the center of the toilet seat 14 and penetrates the bowl portion 101. The state in Figure 1 shows the toilet seat 14 closed and the toilet lid 16 open (raised). When closed, the toilet lid 16 covers the toilet seat surface 14a of the toilet seat 14 from above.

The main body 12 is provided with a seating detection sensor 20 that detects when a user sits on the toilet seat 14. The main body 12 also includes a body washing function unit 58 that washes the body parts (such as the buttocks) of the user who sits on the toilet seat 14. When the seating detection sensor 20 detects a user who sits on the toilet seat 14, and the user operates a manual operation unit 24 such as a remote control, the washing nozzle of the body washing function unit 58 (hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, simply referred to as the "nozzle 58a") can be advanced into the bowl 101 of the toilet 100. In addition, the toilet seat device 10 shown in FIG. 1 shows a state in which the nozzle 58a is advanced into the bowl 101. The main body 12 also includes an air blower 31 and a spray device 60. The front wall 12a of the main body 12 is provided with an air outlet 120 that blows air from the air blower 31 toward the inside of the toilet bowl 100, and an outlet 124 that discharges the mist M sprayed from the sprayer 60 toward the inside of the toilet bowl 100, spaced apart in the left-right direction.

The tip of the nozzle 58a is provided with one or more water outlets. The nozzle 58a can spray water from the water outlets at its tip to clean the private parts (such as the buttocks) of a user seated on the toilet seat 14 (toilet seat surface 14a). In this specification, "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left side," and "right side" are directions seen from the perspective of a user sitting on the toilet seat 14 with their back to the open toilet lid 16.

As shown in FIG. 2, the toilet 100 has a rim portion 102 disposed on top of the bowl portion 101. The rim portion 102 is an annular portion that forms the upper edge of the toilet 100. The rim portion 102 has an upper surface 103 and an inner wall surface 104. The upper surface 103 faces the underside surface 14b of the closed toilet seat portion 14.

The inner wall of the toilet 100 (bowl portion 101) has an opening projection portion 101a. The opening projection portion 101a is a portion of the inner wall of the toilet 100 that is a downward projection of the opening 14c of the toilet seat portion 14. In other words, the opening projection portion 101a is a portion of the inner wall of the toilet 100 that can be seen through the opening 14c in a plan view from above. As shown in FIG. 2, the opening projection portion 101a is located below the rim portion 102 on the inner wall of the toilet 100. The opening projection portion 101a is bowl-shaped with a curved surface, and water is stored below it.

For example, when a user operates the toilet flushing function using a switch provided on the manual operation unit 24 (remote control) or when the user stands up from the toilet seat 14, a toilet flushing operation (an operation for discharging waste from within the bowl portion 101 and cleaning the surface of the bowl portion 101) is performed. In the toilet flushing operation, cleaning water is supplied into the bowl portion 101.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of the main parts of the toilet seat device.
FIG. 3 shows the main configurations of the waterway system and the electrical system.
The seating detection sensor 20 can detect whether or not a user is seated on the toilet seat 14. The seating detection sensor 20 detects whether a user is sitting or leaving the seat. The seating detection sensor 20 can be a microwave sensor, a distance measuring sensor (infrared light projecting sensor), an ultrasonic sensor, a tact switch, a capacitance switch (touch sensor), or a distortion sensor.

When using contact sensors such as a tactile switch, electrostatic sensor, and strain sensor, these contact sensors are provided on the toilet seat 14. When a user sits on the toilet seat 14, the tactile switch is pressed by the user's weight. Alternatively, the user comes into contact with the electrostatic sensor. Alternatively, pressure is applied to the strain sensor by the user's weight. The user's sitting can be detected by the electrical signals from these sensors.

The human body detection sensor 22 can detect a user in front of the toilet bowl 100, i.e., a user who is located away from the toilet seat 14 toward the front. In other words, the human body detection sensor 22 can detect a user who has entered the toilet room and is approaching the toilet seat 14. As such a human body detection sensor, for example, a pyroelectric sensor, a microwave sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, or a distance sensor (infrared projector sensor) can be used. The human body detection sensor 22 may detect a user who has just opened the door to the toilet room and entered, or a user who is about to enter the toilet room, i.e., a user who is in front of the door about to enter the toilet room. For example, when a microwave sensor is used, it is possible to detect the presence of a user through the door of the toilet room.

The manual operation unit 24 is an operation unit that allows the user to spray disinfectant water at any timing, for example. The manual operation unit 24 is a remote control having switches or buttons, and when the user operates the manual operation unit 24, operation information (signal) instructing the user to spray disinfectant water is sent to the control unit 70. The control unit 70 controls the disinfection device 54, the spray device 60, and the air blower 31 based on the operation information. This allows the user to spray disinfectant water by operating the manual operation unit 24. The manual operation unit 24 may also have switches or buttons for the user to operate each function of the toilet seat device 10 in addition to spraying disinfectant water. When an operation corresponding to each function is performed, the operation information is sent to the control unit 70, and the control unit 70 controls the operation of each part of the toilet seat device 10 based on the operation information.

Also provided inside the main body 12 are a toilet seat motor 26, a toilet lid motor 28, a toilet seat heater 30, an air blower 31, a hot air heater 34, and an air direction changer 36. The toilet seat motor 26 electrically rotates the toilet seat 14 to open and close based on commands from the control device 70. The toilet lid motor 28 electrically rotates the toilet lid 16 to open and close based on commands from the control device 70.

The toilet seat heater 30 is provided, for example, inside the toilet seat 14. The toilet seat heater 30 has, for example, a ring-shaped metal member provided around the periphery of an opening 14c formed in the center of the toilet seat 14. The toilet seat heater 30 heats the toilet seat 14 by being energized based on a command from the control device 70. The toilet seat heater 30 may be, for example, a tubing heater, a sheath heater, a halogen heater, or a carbon heater. The metal member is made of, for example, aluminum or copper. The metal member may be in a variety of shapes, such as a sheet, wire, or mesh.

The blower 31 blows air toward the inside of the toilet bowl 100, thereby generating an airflow inside the toilet bowl 100. The blower 31 is controlled by the control device 70. The blower 31 has an air blowing section 32, a hot air heater 34, and an airflow changing section 36. The air blowing section 32 is, for example, a fan provided inside the main body section 12. The air blowing section 32 operates based on a command from the control device 70. The air blowing section 32 can blow air toward the inside of the toilet bowl 100 (inside the bowl section 101) by, for example, rotating the blades in response to the rotation of a motor. The air blowing section 32 sends the mist M sprayed from the spray device 60 to the toilet bowl 100 and the toilet seat section 14 by carrying the mist M on the wind. The air blowing section 32 is an airflow changing section that can change the airflow (airflow speed) by, for example, controlling the rotation of a motor.

When the local drying mode is executed, the air blower 31 blows air to the local areas of the user sitting on the toilet seat 14, thereby drying the local areas of the user. The hot air heater 34 warms the air sent to the outside of the main body 12 by the air blower 32. This allows hot air to be sent toward the local areas of the user, thereby drying the local areas.

The airflow changer 36 changes the direction of the airflow sent from the main body 12 into the toilet 100. The airflow changer 36 changes the airflow (wind direction) flowing inside the toilet 100, allowing the mist M sprayed from the spray device 60 to land on the intended part of the toilet 100 or the toilet seat 14. In addition, when drying the user's private parts, the airflow changer 36 directs the airflow direction toward the center of the toilet 100. The specific configuration of the airflow changer 36 will be described later.

In the waterway system, the toilet seat device 10 has pipes 40 to 43, an electromagnetic valve 50, a vacuum breaker 52, a sterilization device 54, a switching valve 56, a nozzle 58a, a nozzle cleaning chamber 58c, and a spray device 60. These are arranged inside the main body 12.

The pipe 40 is for directing water supplied from a water supply source (not shown), such as a waterworks or a water tank, to the spray device 60, the nozzle 58a, etc. An electromagnetic valve 50 is provided upstream of the pipe 40. The electromagnetic valve 50 is an electromagnetic valve that can be opened and closed, and controls the supply of water based on commands from a control device 70 provided inside the main body 12.

A vacuum breaker 52 is provided downstream of the solenoid valve 50 on the pipeline 40. The vacuum breaker 52 has, for example, a flow path for flowing water, an air intake port for taking air into the flow path, and a valve mechanism for opening and closing the air intake port. The valve mechanism closes the air intake port when water is flowing through the flow path, and opens the air intake port when the water flow stops to take air into the flow path. In other words, the vacuum breaker 52 takes in air when there is no water flow in the pipeline 40. For example, a float valve is used as the valve mechanism. The vacuum breaker 52 takes in air into the pipeline 40 as described above, thereby promoting drainage of water, for example, from the portion of the pipeline 40 downstream of the vacuum breaker 52. The vacuum breaker 52 promotes drainage of water, for example, from the nozzle 58a and the spray device 60.

Downstream of the vacuum breaker 52 on the pipeline 40, a sterilization device 54 that generates sterilized water is provided. The sterilization device 54 generates sterilized water that contains, for example, hypochlorous acid. An example of the sterilization device 54 is an electrolytic cell unit. The electrolytic cell unit electrolyzes tap water flowing through a space (flow path) between an anode plate (not shown) and a cathode plate (not shown) by controlling the current from the control device 70. Note that the sterilized water is not limited to water that contains hypochlorous acid. The sterilized water may be, for example, a solution containing metal ions such as silver ions or copper ions, a solution containing electrolytic chlorine or ozone, acidic water or alkaline water, etc. The sterilization device 54 is not limited to an electrolytic cell, and may be any configuration that can generate sterilized water.

In the pipe 40, a changeover valve 56 is provided downstream of the sterilization device 54. Downstream of the changeover valve 56, the nozzle 58a and nozzle cleaning chamber 58c of the body cleansing function unit 58, and the spray device 60 are provided. The pipe 40 is branched by the changeover valve 56 into a pipe 41 that guides water to the nozzle 58a, a pipe 42 that guides water to the nozzle cleaning chamber 58c, and a pipe 43 that guides water to the spray device 60. The changeover valve 56 controls the opening and closing of each of the pipes 41, 42, and 43 based on a command from the control device 70. In other words, the changeover valve 56 controls the supply of water to the nozzle 58a, the nozzle cleaning chamber 58c, and the spray device 60. The changeover valve 56 also changes the flow rate of water supplied downstream.

The body washing function unit 58 has a nozzle 58a, a nozzle motor 58b, a nozzle washing chamber 58c, and a nozzle damper 58d. When not in use, the nozzle 58a is located behind the nozzle damper 58d and stored in the main body 12. When washing the human body parts, the nozzle 58a receives a driving force from the nozzle motor 58b, presses the nozzle damper 58d, which can be opened and closed relative to the main body 12, and advances into the bowl part 101 of the toilet 100. The nozzle motor 58b is driven based on a command from the control device 70. When the nozzle 58a advances forward from the main body 12, it discharges water from the water outlet to wash the human body parts. The nozzle washing chamber 58c washes the outer peripheral surface (body) of the nozzle 58a by spraying sterilized water or tap water from the water outlet provided inside it.

The spray device 60 has a spray section 62 that sprays mist M onto at least one of the inside of the toilet 100 (bowl section 101) and the toilet seat section 14. The spray device 60 turns tap water or sterilized water generated by the sterilization device 54 into a mist, and sprays the mist M from the spray section 62 through the outlet 124 onto the bowl section 101, the rim section 102, and the toilet seat section 14. In other words, the spray device 60 causes the mist M of sterilized water or the mist M of tap water to land on the bowl section 101, the rim section 102, and the toilet seat section 14. The specific configuration of the spray device 60 will be described later. In this specification, "landing water" refers to water (sterilized water or tap water) adhering to the surface of an object.

The control device 70 uses a circuit that receives power from a power supply circuit (not shown). The control device 70 includes an integrated circuit such as a microcomputer. The control device 70 controls the toilet seat motor 26, toilet lid motor 28, toilet seat heater 30, blower 31, solenoid valve 50, vacuum breaker 52, sterilization device 54, switching valve 56, nozzle motor 58b, and spray device 60 based on detection information from the human body detection sensor 22 or seating detection sensor 20 that detects the user, and operation information from the manual operation unit 24.

The control device 70 receives detection information from the human body detection sensor 22 (a signal indicating the presence or absence of a user) and detection information from the seat detection sensor 20 (a signal indicating the presence or absence of a user sitting), and controls the operation of each part of the toilet seat device 10 based on the received detection information. The control device 70 also executes a local drying mode for drying the local parts (such as the buttocks) of the user sitting on the toilet seat 14, for example, based on operation information from the manual operation unit 24. When executing the local drying mode, the control device 70 directs the blowing direction of the straight airflow toward the center of the toilet bowl 100 using the air direction change unit 36.

The control device 70 executes a mist mode in which a mist M of tap water or disinfectant water is sprayed into the toilet bowl 100 (bowl portion 101) and onto the toilet seat portion 14. The mist mode is executed, for example, before or after the user uses the toilet device 1. The mist mode is also executed at predetermined time intervals or by learning and controlling the time periods when the toilet device 1 is not in use. The mist mode may also be executed based on the operation information of the manual operation unit 24.

Here, the control device 70 executes a toilet seat surface mist mode in which mist M lands on the toilet seat surface 14a. In this case, the control device 70 controls the blower device 31 and the spray device 60 to control the landing position of the mist M. The specific control of the toilet seat surface mist mode by the control device 70 will be described later.

4(a) to 4(e) are plan and perspective views showing the main body of the toilet seat device.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an airflow direction changing portion of the air blowing device.
As shown in Fig. 4(a), the spray device 60, the nozzle damper 58d, and the air supply damper 36a are located at the rear upper part of the bowl part 101 when the toilet seat device 10 is installed on the top of the toilet 100. Fig. 4(b) shows an enlarged view of a part of Fig. 4(a). In Fig. 4(b), the front wall part 122 of the main body part 12 located in front of the spray device 60 is broken away to show the spray device 60 and the storage chamber 121 in which the spray part 62 is housed. Figs. 4(c) to 4(e) are enlarged perspective views showing the periphery of the spray device 60, the nozzle damper 58d, and the air supply damper 36a.

The nozzle damper 58d is rotatably supported on the front wall 12a of the main body 12. The nozzle damper 58d (nozzle 58a) is located between the discharge port 124 and the air outlet 120. When the nozzle 58a is retracted inside the main body 12, it is located behind the nozzle damper 58d. When washing a private part of the human body, the nozzle 58a comes into contact with the nozzle damper 58d, rotates the nozzle damper 58d to open it, and advances from inside the main body 12.

The air blower damper 36a is located to the left of the nozzle damper 58d and is rotatably supported on the front wall 12a of the main body 12. The air blower damper 36a constitutes part of the air direction changing section 36. The air blower 32, the hot air heater 34, and the louvers 36c of the air direction changing section 36 are arranged behind the air blower damper 36a.

The air blower damper 36a covers the air blower 120 of the main body 12. That is, the air blower 120 is disposed on one side (left side) of the nozzle 58a (nozzle damper 58d) in the left-right direction. The air blower 120 is located below the toilet seat surface 14a and blows air from the air blower 31 toward the inside of the toilet 100. That is, the air blower 120 is located between the toilet 100 and the toilet seat 14 on the rear side of the toilet 100. The air sent from the air blower 32 is sent from the air blower 120 into the toilet 100 with the air direction controlled by the air direction changer 36.

Figure 4(c) shows the state in which the blower 31 is stopped, while Figures 4(d) and 4(e) show the state in which the blower 31 is operating and blowing air into the bowl section 101. As shown in Figure 4(c), when the blower 31 is stopped, the blower damper 36a is closed. As shown in Figure 4(d), when the blower section 32 is operating, the blower damper 36a rotates and opens due to the pressure of the air (wind pressure) sent from the blower section 32. As a result, the blower 31 blows air from the upper rear of the bowl section 101 to the lower front of the bowl section 101, for example, as shown by arrow C. When the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, air is blown in the direction of arrow C.

In the state shown in FIG. 4(e), the amount of air sent by the blower 32 is greater (or the air speed is higher) than in the state shown in FIG. 4(d). In this case, the blower damper 36a rotates further to open compared to the state shown in FIG. 4(d). As a result, the blower device 31 blows air from the upper rear of the bowl portion 101 toward the upper front of the bowl portion 101, as shown by arrow D, for example. That is, as shown in FIG. 4(d), when the amount of air sent by the blower 32 is small, air is sent into the bowl portion 101 from the blower port 120 at a large angle to the horizontal plane. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4(e), when the amount of air sent by the blower 32 is large, air is sent into the bowl portion 101 at a smaller angle to the horizontal plane (an angle closer to the horizontal plane) than when the amount of air is small.

In this way, the direction of the wind sent from the blower 32 is changed in the vertical direction by the blower damper 36a of the wind direction changing unit 36. That is, the control device 70 controls the vertical wind direction according to the air volume (wind speed) of the blower 31 (blower 32). In this case, even if the air volume sent from the blower 32 is the greatest, the mainstream of the airflow (the part with the fastest flow speed) is parallel to the horizontal plane or diagonally downward by the blower damper 36a.

When the toilet seat mist mode is executed, the control device 70 reduces the air volume and blows the main airflow diagonally downward relative to the horizontal plane. This causes a straight airflow to be blown from the air outlet 120 toward the inner wall of the toilet 100 (more specifically, the opening projection 101a). In this case, the opening projection 101a is a surface facing upward (toward the opening 14c). This allows the straight airflow to collide (reflect) with the opening projection 101a of the toilet 100, generating an ascending airflow toward the opening 14c of the toilet seat 14.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5, a louver 36c that can be rotated by a motor 36b is provided behind the air blower damper 36a. The motor 36b and the louver 36c change the left-right direction of the air in the bowl portion 101, and constitute part of the air direction changing unit 36. The control device 70 drives the motor 36b to change the direction of the louver 36c and control the left-right direction of the air blown from the air outlet 120 into the bowl portion 101. In FIG. 5, the louver 36c is tilted to the right in order to blow air to the right side of the toilet bowl 100. This causes the air to flow along the inner surface of the toilet bowl 100, creating a clockwise or counterclockwise swirling flow inside the toilet bowl 100.

When the toilet seat mist mode is executed, the control device 70 changes the orientation of the louvers 36c, causing the main airflow to swirl inside the toilet 100 (bowl portion 101) when viewed from above. Then, by carrying the mist M sprayed from the spray device 60 onto the airflow generated by the air blown by the blower device 31, it is possible to control the range on which the mist M lands and the amount of the mist M that lands in each range.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the main body and the spray device in FIG. 4(c) as viewed from the direction of arrows BB.
The main body 12 is provided with a storage chamber 121 in which the spray unit 62 of the spray device 60 is stored. The storage chamber 121 has a front wall 122 that covers the front of the spray unit 62, a bottom wall 123 that covers the lower part of the spray unit 62, and an outlet 124 provided between the front wall 122 and the bottom wall 123. The storage chamber 121 is a space surrounded in the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions except for the outlet 124, and water W (tap water or sterilized water generated by the sterilization device 54) is supplied inside.

The front wall portion 122 constitutes a part of the front wall 12a of the main body portion 12. The bottom wall portion 123 constitutes a part of the bottom wall 12b of the main body portion 12. The front wall portion 122 and the bottom wall portion 123 may be provided integrally with the main body portion 12, or may be provided separately from the main body portion 12.

The outlet 124 is provided between the front wall 122 and the bottom wall 123. The outlet 124 is located between the lower end 122a of the front wall 122 and the front end 123a of the bottom wall 123, and communicates between the inside of the bowl 101 and the storage chamber 121. That is, the outlet 124 is located below the toilet seat surface 14a and releases the mist M sprayed from the spray device 60 toward the inside of the toilet 100. Since the front wall 122 covers the entire front side of the spray device 60, for example, even if urine or wastewater splashed from the bowl 101 enters the storage chamber 121 through the outlet 124, it is possible to prevent it from reaching the spray device 60.

The outlet 124 is open even when the mist M is not being sprayed. In other words, the outlet 124 is not blocked by an openable cover or the like, and always communicates between the inside of the toilet 100 and the storage chamber 121. This improves the breathability of the storage chamber 121, allowing residual water in the storage chamber 121 to be dried efficiently and preventing scale from forming in the storage chamber 121.

As shown in Figures 4 and 6, the outlet 124 is located at the lower end of the main body 12, and is disposed on the other side (right side) of the nozzle 58a (nozzle damper 58d) in the left-right direction. That is, the air outlet 120 and the outlet 124 are disposed at a distance in the left-right direction. In this case, the nozzle damper 58d (58a) is disposed between the air outlet 120 and the outlet 124. As a result, a predetermined distance is provided between the air outlet 120 and the outlet 124. This makes it possible to prevent the wind blown out from the air outlet 120 and the mist M discharged from the outlet 124 from immediately interfering with each other.

As shown in FIG. 4, the outlet 124 is a horizontally elongated slit that is longer in the horizontal direction (left-right direction) than in the vertical direction (up-down direction). This makes it difficult for urine or wastewater that travels from the top to the bottom (toward the outlet 124) on the front surface 122b of the front wall portion 122 to seep into the storage chamber 121 through the outlet 124.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6, the upper surface 123b of the bottom wall portion 123 is inclined downward toward the discharge port 124. This allows the water W supplied into the storage chamber 121 to flow along the upper surface 123b of the bottom wall portion 123 and be discharged from the discharge port 124 into the bowl portion 101. This reduces the amount of residual water remaining on the upper surface 123b of the bottom wall portion 123, thereby suppressing the growth of scale and bacteria in the storage chamber 121.

The spray device 60 is provided inside the main body 12. When the toilet seat device 10 is installed on top of the toilet bowl 100, the spray device 60 is positioned below the toilet seat 14 and sprays mist M into the toilet bowl 100. Here, the state in which the spray device 60 is positioned below the toilet seat 14 means that at least a part of the spray device 60 (the spray part 62 in this example) is below the toilet seat 14. As a result, the mist M of tap water or disinfecting water is sprayed into the toilet bowl 100 from below the toilet seat 14.

The spray device 60 has a motor 61 and a spray section 62 formed in a plate shape and rotated by the motor 61. The rotation of the motor 61 is controlled by a control device 70. The spray section 62 is formed as a circular disk and is disposed in the storage chamber 121. In other words, the spray section 62 is surrounded on all sides.

A water supply port 43a of the pipe 43 is provided above the spray unit 62. Water W (tap water or sterilized water generated by the sterilization device 54) is supplied from the water supply port 43a to the upper surface 62a of the spray unit 62. When the motor 61 rotates, the rotational driving force is transmitted to the spray unit 62, causing the spray unit 62 to rotate. When water W is supplied while the spray unit 62 is rotating, the spray unit 62 sprays the water W in a mist form. In other words, the spray device 60 is a rotary atomization type that generates mist M by rotating the spray unit 62.

The number of water supply ports 43a of the pipe 43 is not limited to one, and multiple ports may be provided. FIG. 6 shows a case where one water supply port 43a is provided. For example, by arranging multiple water supply ports 43a at approximately equal intervals along the outer periphery of the spray section 62, it is possible to suppress bias in the particle size and flow rate of the mist M around the spray device 60 and perform uniform spraying.

When the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the spray device 60 sprays the mist M above the straight air current sent out from the air outlet 120. This allows the mist M to be carried by the rising air current generated inside the toilet bowl 100, and to land efficiently on the toilet seat surface 14a.

The rotation direction of the motor 61 of the spray device 60 is controlled by the control device 70. That is, when the toilet seat mist mode is executed, the control device 70 controls the motor 61 to switch between a state in which the spray unit 62 rotates in a first rotation direction (e.g., clockwise) and a state in which the spray unit 62 rotates in a second rotation direction (e.g., counterclockwise) that is the opposite direction to the first rotation direction. In this case, the control device 70 controls the rotation direction of the motor 61 according to the wind direction of the blower device 31, thereby efficiently placing the mist M on the rising air current.

As shown in FIG. 6, the spray section 62 is, for example, conical in shape and has an inclined surface 62b that slopes downward from the upper end side to the lower end side (radially outward) of the upper surface 62a onto which the water W is dripped (supplied). The inclined surface 62b of the spray section 62 slopes toward the discharge port 124 on the front wall section 122 side. The spray section 62 sprays mist M from the radially outer end 62c of the inclined surface 62b.

As a result, the water W dropped onto the upper surface 62a of the rotating spray unit 62 spreads out in a film shape on the spray unit 62 due to centrifugal force, and is emitted from the end 62c. That is, the spray unit 62 sprays the mist M radially when viewed from above (in a plan view). In addition, the spray unit 62 has an inclined surface 62b, so that the mist M is sprayed diagonally downward relative to the horizontal plane. That is, the water W dropped onto the upper surface 62a of the spray unit 62 is sprayed radially (horizontally) from the end 62c toward the outlet 124.

Here, the water W splits from the end 62c of the spray unit 62 toward the discharge port 124 while remaining in a film form, or splits after becoming thread-like, and then becomes fine particles (mist M). The particle size and ejection speed of the mist M can be controlled by the rotation speed of the spray unit 62, i.e., the rotation speed of the motor 61. In this case, the higher the rotation speed, the smaller the particle size of the mist M. The rotation speed of the motor 61 is set by experiments, simulations, etc. based on the shape and size of the spray unit 62. The particle size of the mist M can also be controlled by adjusting the flow rate of the water W supplied to the spray device 60 from the water supply port 43a of the pipe 43.

The particle size is the particle size of the particles present in the air before landing on the bowl 101 and the toilet seat 14, for example, the Sauter mean particle size (total volume/total surface area). The mist M refers to a particle size ranging from 10 micrometers (μm) to 300 μm. If the particle size of the mist M is less than 10 μm, it will take a long time to wet the target areas such as the bowl 101, the rim 102, and the toilet seat 14. In addition, when using disinfectant water containing hypochlorous acid, if the particle size of the mist M is less than 10 μm, the concentration of hypochlorous acid in the mist M is likely to attenuate, and the disinfection performance is likely to decrease. On the other hand, if the particle size of the mist M is greater than 300 μm, the mist M is difficult to diffuse, making it difficult to spray the mist M over a wide area.

The toilet seat device 10 according to this embodiment has the configuration described above. Next, the operation of the toilet seat surface mist mode executed by the control device 70 will be described.
FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the state of air flow speed in the toilet seat surface mist mode.
Fig. 7(a) is a cross-sectional view of the toilet device as seen from the side, and Fig. 7(b) is a plan view of the toilet device as seen from above.

The control device 70 drives the spray unit 62 to spray mist M while water W is being supplied from the pipe 43 (water supply unit) to the upper surface 62a of the spray unit 62. In this manner, the cleanliness of the toilet seat device 10 can be maintained by spraying mist M onto the inside of the toilet bowl 100 and the toilet seat 14. However, if the spray device that sprays the mist is installed below the toilet seat, it may be difficult to land the mist on the surface of the toilet seat on which the user sits and sterilize it. Therefore, in this embodiment, a toilet seat surface mist mode is executed to effectively land the mist M on the toilet seat surface 14a even when the spray device is installed below the toilet seat.

The control device 70 executes a toilet seat surface mist mode in which mist M lands on the toilet seat surface 14a by controlling the spray device 60 and the air blower 31. In this toilet seat surface mist mode, mist M of disinfecting water is sprayed from the spray device 60. The control device 70 causes the mist M to land on the toilet seat surface 14a by carrying the mist M on the wind blown out from the air blower 31, while preventing the mist M from landing on the toilet seat back surface 14b.

As shown in FIG. 7, in the toilet seat surface mist mode, the airflow inside the toilet 100 is divided into an airflow flowing outward from the opening 14c of the toilet seat 14, and an airflow flowing outward from between the rim 102 and the toilet seat 14. In this case, the flow velocity V1 of the airflow flowing outward from the opening 14c of the toilet seat 14 is higher than the flow velocity V2 of the airflow flowing outward from between the rim 102 and the toilet seat 14. In other words, when executing the toilet seat surface mist mode, the control device 70 controls the air blower 31 so that the flow velocity V1 flowing from the opening 14c toward the toilet seat surface 14a is higher than the flow velocity V2 flowing between the toilet seat back surface 14b and the upper surface 103 of the rim 102 of the toilet 100 with the toilet seat 14 closed (V1>V2).

In this case, the flow velocity V1 can be measured at a position X on the same plane as the seat surface 14a, a distance L1 (e.g., L1 = 10 mm) from the tip of the inner circumference of the opening 14c toward the rear. The flow velocity V2 can be measured at a position Y on the front end side of the seat 14, a distance L2 (e.g., L2 = 20 mm) forward from the gap S between the top surface 103 of the rim 102 and the seat back surface 14b.

The air blown from the blower section 32 of the blower device 31 is blown from the blower opening 120 of the main body 12 toward the inside of the toilet bowl 100. In this case, the blower opening 120 is located at approximately the same height as the gap S between the rim section 102 and the toilet seat section 14. Therefore, when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the air volume of the blower section 32 is reduced and the blower damper 36a is opened slightly. More specifically, the control device 70 controls the blower section 32 so that the air volume in the toilet seat surface mist mode is smaller than the air volume in the spot drying mode.

As a result, as shown in FIG. 7(a), a straight airflow C1 is blown out from the air outlet 120 in a diagonally downward direction at a large angle to the horizontal plane. That is, in the toilet seat surface mist mode, the straight airflow C1 is blown out from the air outlet 120 toward the opening projection portion 101a on the inner wall of the toilet 100. Then, after colliding with the opening projection portion 101a (the inner wall of the toilet 100), the straight airflow C1 blown out from the air outlet 120 forms an updraft C2 that rises toward the toilet seat surface 14a (opening 14c).

The control device 70 then sprays the mist M of sterilizing water generated by the sterilizing device 54 from the spray device 60 toward the inside of the toilet bowl 100. In this case, the spray device 60 sprays the mist M parallel to the horizontal plane or diagonally downward. At least a portion of the mist M sprayed from the spray device 60 interferes with the ascending air current C2 without interfering with the straight air current C1. In other words, when executing the toilet seat surface mist mode, the control device 70 controls the blowing direction of the straight air current C1 blown from the blower device 31 so that it is directed downward relative to the spraying direction of the mist M sprayed from the spray device 60.

In the toilet seat mist mode, the motor 61 of the spray device 60 rotates at high speed. This causes the mist M with small particle size to be sprayed at a high flow rate from the spray section 62 of the spray device 60. The outlet 124 from which the mist M is sprayed and the air outlet 120 from which the straight airflow is sent out are located on either side of the nozzle damper 58d.

As a result, the mist M is sprayed toward the front of the toilet bowl 100 while minimizing interference with the straight air current C1, and can be carried by the rising air current C2 at the tip of the toilet bowl 100. The rising air current C2 containing the mist M is then guided to the toilet seat surface 14a from the opening 14c of the toilet seat 14, allowing the mist M to land on the toilet seat surface 14a. In other words, if the mist M is carried by the straight air current C1, much of the mist M will land on the inner wall of the toilet bowl 100. Therefore, in the toilet seat surface mist mode, the mist M is carried by the rising air current C2, allowing the mist M to land efficiently on the toilet seat surface 14a.

Next, a case where the mist M is spread over the entire toilet seat surface 14a to sterilize the entire toilet seat surface 14a will be described.
FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the airflow and the mist when the mist lands on the right side of the toilet seat surface.
FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing the relationship between the airflow and the mist when the mist lands on the left side of the toilet seat surface.
FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the mist is entrained on the air current in the first swirling direction.
FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the mist is entrained on the air current in the second swirling direction.
FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which mist is entrained on an air current moving in a straight direction.

When the toilet seat mist mode is executed, the control device 70 controls the blower device 31 so that the ascending air current C2 swirls inside the toilet bowl 100 in a top view. Specifically, the control device 70 controls the airflow direction change unit 36 to switch between a state in which the ascending air current C2 swirls inside the toilet bowl 100 in a first swirl direction in a top view and a state in which the ascending air current C2 swirls inside the toilet bowl 100 in a second swirl direction that is the opposite direction to the first swirl direction. As shown in Figures 8, 10, and 12, the first swirl direction can be a direction in which the ascending air current C2 swirls clockwise inside the toilet bowl 100. On the other hand, as shown in Figures 9 and 11, the second swirl direction can be a direction in which the ascending air current C2 swirls counterclockwise inside the toilet bowl 100. The first swirl direction may be counterclockwise and the second swirl direction may be clockwise.

As shown in Figures 8 and 10, to generate an updraft C21 in the first swirling direction (clockwise), the motor 36b of the airflow direction changing unit 36 is operated to tilt the louvers 36c to the left. This causes a straight airflow C11 to be sent out from the air outlet 120 of the main body 12 toward the left side (left inner surface) of the toilet 100. This straight airflow C11 is reflected by the inner wall (opening projection portion 101a) of the toilet 100, generating an updraft C21 that flows toward the right front end. This updraft C21 in the first swirling direction passes through the opening 14c of the toilet seat 14 to the right side portion 140 of the toilet seat surface 14a.

In this case, the control device 70 operates the motor 61 so that the spray unit 62 of the spray device 60 rotates in the first rotation direction (clockwise). As a result, the mist M is sprayed radially from the outlet 124 of the storage chamber 121 in the same direction as the first swirling direction of the ascending air current C21. This allows the mist M to be efficiently carried by the ascending air current C21 swirling in the first swirling direction. As a result, the mist M carried by the ascending air current C21 in the first swirling direction can be delivered to the right side portion 140 of the toilet seat surface 14a. Therefore, the mist M can be efficiently landed on the right side portion 140 of the toilet seat surface 14a.

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 9 and 11, to generate an ascending air current C22 in the second swirling direction (counterclockwise), the motor 36b of the airflow direction changing unit 36 is operated to tilt the louver 36c to the right. This causes a straight air current C12 to be sent out from the air outlet 120 of the main body 12 toward the right side (right inner surface) of the toilet 100. This straight air current C12 is reflected by the inner wall (opening projection portion 101a) of the toilet 100, generating an ascending air current C22 that flows toward the left front end side. This ascending air current C22 in the second swirling direction passes through the opening 14c of the toilet seat 14 to the left side portion 141 of the toilet seat surface 14a.

In this case, the control device 70 operates the motor 61 so that the spray unit 62 of the spray device 60 rotates in the second rotation direction (counterclockwise). As a result, the mist M is sprayed radially from the outlet 124 of the storage chamber 121 in the same direction as the second swirling direction of the ascending air current C22. This allows the mist M to be efficiently carried by the ascending air current C22 swirling in the second swirling direction. As a result, the mist M carried by the ascending air current C22 in the second swirling direction can be delivered to the left portion 141 of the toilet seat surface 14a. Therefore, the mist M can be efficiently landed on the left portion 141 of the toilet seat surface 14a.

Also, as shown in FIG. 12, when the louvers 36c of the airflow changing section 36 are not tilted to the left or right, a straight airflow C13 flows in a straight direction from the air outlet 120 toward the front end of the toilet 100. In this case, since the air outlet 120 is located toward the left side in the left-right direction, an updraft C23 is generated in the first swirling direction (clockwise).

In this case, by rotating the spray unit 62 of the spray device 60 in the first rotation direction, the mist M can be efficiently entrained on the ascending air current C23. Then, by entraining the mist M on this ascending air current C23, the mist M can be efficiently landed on the front end portion 142 of the toilet seat surface 14a.

Thus, the toilet seat device 10 according to this embodiment executes a toilet seat surface mist mode that efficiently lands the mist M on the toilet seat surface 14a. In this toilet seat surface mist mode, by using the airflow (upward airflow C2) from the opening 14c of the toilet seat portion 14 toward the toilet seat surface 14a, the mist M can be landed on the toilet seat surface 14a from the spray device 60 located below the toilet seat surface 14a. In addition, since the airflow with a high flow rate flows from the opening 14c of the toilet seat portion 14 toward the toilet seat surface 14a, a large amount of mist M can be landed on the toilet seat surface 14a. In addition, since the airflow with a low flow rate is controlled to flow between the toilet seat back surface 14b and the upper surface 103 of the rim portion 102 of the toilet bowl 100, it is possible to prevent a large amount of mist M from landing on the toilet seat back surface 14b and not reaching the toilet seat surface 14a.

In the toilet seat surface mist mode, the air blower 31 is controlled so that the main stream of the airflow blown from the air blower 31 is directed toward the opening projection portion 101a. This allows an ascending air current C2 to be generated from inside the toilet bowl 100 toward the opening 14c. Then, by carrying the mist M on this ascending air current C2, the mist M can be made to land on the toilet seat surface 14a.

That is, the straight airflow C1 sent out from the air outlet 120 collides with the inner wall of the toilet bowl 100, and the mist M riding on the straight airflow C1 easily adheres to the inner wall of the toilet bowl 100, making it difficult for the mist M to reach the toilet seat surface 14a. However, with this toilet seat device 10, at least a portion of the mist M is made to interfere with the ascending airflow C2 without interfering with the straight airflow C1, so most of the mist M can be delivered to the toilet seat surface 14a without coming into contact with the inner wall of the toilet bowl 100.

In addition, because the straight air current C1 is located below the spray direction of the mist M, interference between the mist M and the straight air current C1 can be reduced. Therefore, the amount of mist M riding on the straight air current C1 can be reduced, and the mist M can be efficiently carried by the rising air current C2.

In addition, by providing a nozzle 58a (nozzle damper 58d) between the air outlet 120 from which the straight airflow C1 is blown out and the discharge port 124 from which the mist M is sprayed, a predetermined distance is provided between the air outlet 120 and the discharge port 124. This reduces interference between the mist M sprayed from the discharge port 124 and the straight airflow C1 immediately after it is blown out from the air outlet 120.

In addition, by controlling the blower 31 and the sprayer 60, the mist M can be caused to land on the entire toilet seat surface 14a, improving the hygiene of the toilet seat device 10. That is, the control device 70 controls the blower 31 to generate an ascending air current C2 in a first swirling direction and a second swirling direction. The control device 70 then controls the sprayer 60 so that the mist M efficiently rides on the ascending air current C2. For example, the control device 70 can make it easier for the mist M to ride on the ascending air current C2 generated in the toilet bowl 100 by controlling the direction of the ascending air current C2 sent out from the blower 31 and the direction of the mist M sprayed from the sprayer 60 to be the same. This allows the mist M to land on a wide area of the toilet seat surface 14a.

13(a) and 13(b) are schematic diagrams showing modified examples of the wind direction changing unit. In the above embodiment, the case where the wind is blown in one direction by the louver 36c to change the direction of the ascending air current C2 is described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, as in the modified example shown in FIG. 13(a), the wind direction changing unit 360 may be able to blow wind in multiple directions (for example, two directions of the arrows C14 and C15). In this case, the wind volume in each of the multiple directions may be adjustable. Also, as in the modified example shown in FIG. 13(b), the wind direction changing unit 361 may change the direction of the air current by utilizing the Coanda effect. In this case, when the wind volume is large, the wind is blown in the direction of the arrow C16, and when the wind volume is small, the wind is blown in the direction of the arrow C17. Also, the wind direction may be changed by forming a sub-flow path in the wind flow path, or the wind direction may be changed by using a self-oscillating fluid element or the like.

In the above embodiment, the spray device 60 is a rotary atomizer that rotates the spray section 62 onto which water W is dropped to generate mist M. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and an ultrasonic atomizer may be used as the spray device, for example. An ultrasonic atomizer irradiates ultrasonic waves to the liquid to turn the liquid into a mist. A two-fluid nozzle may be used as the spray device, for example. A two-fluid nozzle sprays both gas and liquid to turn the liquid into a mist. The direction of the mist sprayed from the spray device may be controlled, for example, by changing the orientation of the spray device itself.

The above describes the embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Any design modifications made by a person skilled in the art to the above-mentioned embodiments are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they include the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, dimensions, material, arrangement, installation form, etc. of each element of the toilet bowl, toilet seat device, etc. are not limited to those exemplified, and can be modified as appropriate. Furthermore, each element of each of the above-mentioned embodiments can be combined to the extent technically possible, and such combinations are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they include the features of the present invention.

LIST OF SYMBOLS 1 Toilet device, 10 Toilet seat device, 12 Main body, 12a Front wall, 12b Bottom wall, 14 Toilet seat, 14a Toilet seat surface, 14b Toilet seat back, 14c Opening, 16 Toilet lid, 20 Sitting detection sensor, 22 Human body detection sensor, 24 Manual operation unit, 26 Toilet seat motor, 28 Toilet lid motor, 30 Toilet seat heater, 31 Air blower, 32 Air blower unit, 34 Warm air heater, 36 Air direction change unit, 36a Air blower damper, 36b Motor, 36c Louver, 40, 41, 42, 43 Pipe, 43a Water supply port, 50 Solenoid valve, 52 Vacuum breaker, 54 Sterilization device, 56 Switching valve, 58 Body cleansing function unit, 58a nozzle, 58b nozzle motor, 58c nozzle cleaning chamber, 58d nozzle damper, 60 spray device, 61 motor, 62 spray unit, 62a upper surface, 62b inclined surface, 62c end, 70 control device, 100 toilet, 101 bowl unit, 101a opening projection unit, 102 rim unit, 103 upper surface, 104 inner wall surface, 120 air outlet, 121 storage chamber, 122 front wall unit, 122a lower end, 122b front surface, 123 bottom wall unit, 123a front end, 123b upper surface, 124 outlet, 140 right side portion, 141 left side portion, 142 front end portion, 360 Airflow change section, 361 Airflow change section, C1 Straight airflow, C2 Updraft, M Mist, S Gap, W Water, V1 Flow velocity, V2 Flow velocity

Claims (9)

A toilet seat portion having a toilet seat surface on which a user sits, a toilet seat back surface located on the back side of the toilet seat surface, and an opening penetrating between the toilet seat surface and the toilet seat back surface;
A spray device that is disposed below the surface of the toilet seat and sprays a mist;
a blower device that blows air toward the inside of the toilet bowl to generate an airflow inside the toilet bowl;
a control device having a toilet seat surface mist mode for controlling the spray device and the air blower to land the mist on the toilet seat surface;
Equipped with
When the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the air blower so that the flow rate from the opening toward the toilet seat surface is higher than the flow rate between the toilet seat back surface and the upper surface of the toilet rim when the toilet seat is closed.
When the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the air blower to blow a straight air current from the air blower toward an inner wall of the toilet bowl, and to form an ascending air current that rises toward the toilet seat surface after the straight air current collides with the inner wall of the toilet bowl,
At least a part of the mist sprayed from the spray device interferes with the ascending air current without interfering with the straight air current,
The toilet seat device is characterized in that, when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the direction of the straight-line airflow blown from the blower device to be downward relative to the spray direction of the mist sprayed from the spray device. The inner wall of the toilet bowl has an opening projection portion in which the opening of the toilet seat portion is projected downward,
The toilet seat device according to claim 1, wherein, when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the air blower device so that a mainstream of the airflow blown from the air blower device is directed toward the opening projection portion. The spray device and the blower device are provided in a main body placed behind the toilet bowl,
The main body portion is
an air outlet located below the surface of the toilet seat and configured to blow air from the air blowing device toward the inside of the toilet bowl;
an outlet located below the surface of the toilet seat and configured to release the mist sprayed from the spray device toward the inside of the toilet bowl;
having
3. The toilet seat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the blower opening and the exhaust opening are arranged to be spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction. A nozzle is provided for washing the private parts of a user seated on the surface of the toilet seat,
The air outlet is disposed on one side of the nozzle in a left-right direction,
The toilet seat apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the discharge port is disposed on the other side of the nozzle in the left-right direction. The toilet seat device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the air blower so that the rising air current swirls inside the toilet bowl when viewed from above. The air blowing device has an airflow direction changing unit that changes the blowing direction of the airflow,
The toilet seat device described in claim 5, characterized in that, when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the air direction changing unit to switch between a state in which the rising air current swirls inside the toilet bowl in a first swirl direction when viewed from above, and a state in which the rising air current swirls inside the toilet bowl in a second swirl direction that is opposite to the first swirl direction. The toilet seat device according to claim 6, characterized in that the control device has a local drying mode in which the airflow direction change unit directs the straight airflow toward the center of the toilet bowl. The air blowing device has an air blowing unit that changes the air volume,
The toilet seat device according to claim 7, wherein the control device controls the air blower so that the air volume in the toilet seat surface mist mode is smaller than the air volume in the spot drying mode. The spray device includes a motor and a plate-shaped spray unit rotated by the motor.
The toilet seat device described in any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that, when the toilet seat surface mist mode is executed, the control device controls the motor to switch between a state in which the spray unit rotates in a first rotation direction and a state in which the spray unit rotates in a second rotation direction that is opposite to the first rotation direction.

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