JP7724122B2 - Sanitary equipment components and their manufacturing method - Google Patents

Description

The technology disclosed in this specification relates to sanitary equipment components and their manufacturing methods.

Patent Document 1 discloses a Western-style toilet, which is an example of a sanitary equipment component.

JP 2014-65640 A

Sanitary equipment components are formed, for example, by firing material components. This specification provides a novel method for manufacturing sanitary equipment components formed by firing, and a novel sanitary equipment component that is the fired product.

The method for manufacturing a sanitary equipment component disclosed in this specification may include: placing an adhesive in a recess formed in a first component; arranging a second component on the first component so as to cover the recess; and firing the first component and the second component placed on the first component to form a first fired component from the first component, and forming a second fired component from the second component that is adhered to the first fired component with the adhesive.

The sanitary equipment component disclosed in this specification may comprise a first fired body and a second fired body adhered to the first fired body by an adhesive, and the first fired body may have a recess formed therein that opens toward the second fired body, and the adhesive may be present in at least a portion of the interior of the recess.

The sanitary equipment component disclosed in this specification may comprise a first fired body and a second fired body adhered to the first fired body by an adhesive, and a topcoat material may be applied to the edge of the boundary between the first fired body and the second fired body.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the sanitary equipment member. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of part II in the end surface cut along line A-A in FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a flow diagram showing a procedure for manufacturing a sanitary equipment component. 1 shows an end view of a second embodiment of a sanitary fitting; FIG. 10 shows an end view of the sanitary fitting of the third embodiment; FIG. 10 shows an end view of the fourth embodiment of the sanitary fitting; FIG. FIG. 10 shows an end view of the sanitary fitting of the fifth embodiment. FIG. 10 shows an end view of the sanitary fitting of the sixth embodiment. FIG. 10 shows an end view of the seventh embodiment of the sanitary fitting. FIG. 13 shows an end view of the sanitary fitting of the eighth embodiment. 13 shows an end view of the sanitary fitting of the ninth embodiment.

(First embodiment)
(Configuration of the sanitary equipment member 10: Figures 1 and 2)
The configuration of a sanitary facility component 10 will be described with reference to Figures 1 and 2. In this embodiment, the sanitary facility component 10 is sanitary ware, more specifically, a Western-style toilet bowl. In other embodiments, the sanitary facility component 10 may be a urinal, a washbasin, a basin, a bathtub, a kitchen sink, or the like.

As shown in FIG. 1, the sanitary equipment component 10 comprises a first fired body 12 and a second fired body 14. The first fired body 12 is formed by firing a first ceramic component. In this embodiment, the first ceramic component is VC (short for Vitreous China). Ceramic materials for the first ceramic component include, for example, porcelain-based materials, alumina, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, etc. The compounding ratio of each material constituting the first ceramic component is appropriately selected depending on the water absorption rate required for the first fired body 12. Specifically, the first fired body 12 is prepared so as to have a relatively low water absorption rate. The first ceramic component mainly contains 55 to 75 parts by mass of silicon dioxide and 20 to 40 parts by mass of alumina.

The second fired body 14 is located on the first fired body 12. In this embodiment, the structure of each fired body 12, 14 is simplified to facilitate understanding. That is, the shape of the top surface of the first fired body 12 and the shape of the bottom surface of the second fired body 14 are substantially the same, and a configuration is adopted in which the second fired body 14 is simply placed on the first fired body 12. However, the structure of each fired body 12, 14 may be more complex. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which the second fired body 14 covers the outer surface of the first fired body 12 so that the outer surface of the first fired body 12 is not visible from the outside.

The second fired body 14 is formed by firing a second ceramic member. In this embodiment, the second ceramic member is FC (short for Fire Clay) or FFC (short for Fine Fire Clay). The ceramic material of the second ceramic member includes, for example, a porcelain material, alumina, zirconia, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, etc. The compounding ratio of each material constituting the second ceramic member is different from the compounding ratio of each material constituting the first ceramic member. Specifically, the compounding ratio is adjusted so that the water absorption rate of the second fired body 14 is greater than that of the first fired body 12. The second ceramic member mainly contains 25 to 55 parts by mass of silicon dioxide and 40 to 70 parts by mass of alumina.

The first fired body 12 has a water receiving surface 10a, which is the surface along which flushing water flows to clean the inside of the toilet bowl. The second fired body 14 has a design surface 10b of the sanitary equipment component 10. A "design surface" is a surface that constitutes the appearance of the sanitary equipment component 10, in other words, a surface that is visible to the user of the sanitary equipment component 10. Therefore, in this embodiment, the outer surface of the first fired body 12 is also a design surface. If a more complex structure is adopted for each fired body 12, 14, the outer surface of the first fired body 12 may be covered by the second fired body 14, and the outer surface of the first fired body 12 may not be a design surface.

As shown in FIG. 2 , a first recess 12r is formed in the first fired body 12. The first recess 12r is open toward the second fired body 14. The first recess 12r is configured to extend around the entire circumference of the first fired body 12. In a modified example, the first recess 12r may be formed partially around the circumference of the first fired body 12. The first adhesive 16 is present throughout the entire interior of the first recess 12r. That is, the first recess 12r is filled with the first adhesive 16. In a modified example, the first adhesive 16 may be present only in a portion of the interior of the first recess 12r. In this embodiment, the first adhesive 16 is a glaze. The first adhesive 16 mainly contains 50 to 70 parts by mass of silicon dioxide, 5 to 20 parts by mass of alumina, and 0 to 20 parts by mass of calcium oxide. In a modified example, the first adhesive material 16 may be another adhesive material that melts when heated, such as a ceramic material, a glass material, a low-melting-point frit, or a metal brazing material.

A second adhesive 18 is present between the first fired body 12 and the second fired body 14. In this embodiment, the second adhesive 18 is made of the same material as the first adhesive 16, i.e., glaze. In a variant, the second adhesive 18 does not have to be made of the same material as the first adhesive 16, and may be one of the above-mentioned other adhesives that have the property of melting when heated.

A second recess 14r is formed in the second fired body 14. The second recess 14r is open toward the first fired body 12. The second recess 14r is configured to extend around the entire circumference of the second fired body 14. In a modified example, the second recess 14r may be formed partially around the circumference of the second fired body 14. The third adhesive 20 is present throughout the entire interior of the second recess 14r. In other words, the second recess 14r is filled with the third adhesive 20. In this embodiment, the third adhesive 20 is made of the same material as the first and second adhesives 16, 18, i.e., glaze. In a modified example, the third adhesive 20 does not have to be made of the same material as the first and second adhesives 16, 18, and may be any of the above-mentioned other adhesives that have the property of melting when heated.

The second recess 14r is located opposite the first recess 12r. Therefore, in the longitudinal cross section of each fired body 12, 14, the first adhesive 16, the second adhesive 18, and the third adhesive 20 form a cross shape. This can increase the adhesive strength between the first fired body 12 and the second fired body 14. In a modified example, the second recess 14r does not have to face the first recess 12r.

The adhesives 16, 18, and 20 bond the ceramic members (i.e., the fired bodies 12 and 14) together when they are simultaneously fired to form the fired bodies 12 and 14. In a modified example, the second adhesive 18 may be omitted. As described above, in this embodiment, the adhesives 16, 18, and 20 are made of the same material. This can increase the adhesive strength between the first fired body 12 and the second fired body 14.

A top coat material 22 is applied to both ends of the boundary between the first fired body 12 and the second fired body 14 (i.e., the inner and outer surfaces of the sanitary equipment component 10). In this embodiment, the top coat material 22 is a glaze. As a result, even if gaps occur between the fired bodies 12, 14, they are covered by the top coat material 22, giving the sanitary equipment component 10 a good appearance. In particular, because the top coat material 22 is applied to the inner surface of the sanitary equipment component 10 (i.e., the water-receiving surface 10a), it is possible to prevent excrement, cleaning water, etc. from entering the gaps between the fired bodies 12, 14.

The first ceramic member (i.e., VC) used to form the first fired body 12 shrinks relatively significantly during firing (i.e., shrinks more than the second ceramic member). This results in dense particles forming the first fired body 12, resulting in extremely low water absorption. Therefore, the first fired body 12 is suitable for applications requiring water. The second ceramic member (i.e., FC or FFC) used to form the second fired body 14 shrinks less during firing (i.e., shrinks less than the first ceramic member). Therefore, for example, if a second ceramic member with a sharp shape is prepared, the second fired body 14 can be formed while maintaining that shape to some extent. This allows for the formation of a second fired body 14 with excellent design appeal. In a variant, the first fired body 12 may be FC or FFC, and the second fired body 14 may be VC.

The water absorption rates of the fired bodies 12, 14 will now be explained. The water absorption rate of the first fired body 12 is in the range of approximately 0% or more and approximately 1% or less. This range of water absorption rate makes it suitable for applications that require the body to receive water. The water absorption rate of the second fired body 14 is in the range of approximately 5% or more and approximately 20% or less. This range of water absorption rate makes it less likely for the shape to change before and after firing, making it suitable for applications that require decorative features. The water absorption rate of the second fired body 14 is preferably in the range of approximately 5% or more and approximately 15% or less, and more preferably in the range of approximately 10% or more and approximately 15% or less.

Water absorption can be measured as follows: After firing, the test piece is dried at 100°C for at least 24 hours, and then its mass (i.e., dry mass) is measured. The test piece is then immersed in room temperature water for 24 hours, and its mass (i.e., water-absorbed mass) is measured. The water absorption is then calculated using the formula "Water absorption (%) = {(water-absorbed mass - dry mass) / dry mass} x 100." Measurements are taken for three test pieces, and the average value is used as the measured value.

(Method of manufacturing the sanitary equipment component 10: FIG. 3)
A manufacturing method of the sanitary facility component 10 will be described with reference to FIG. 3 . First, in S12, a first ceramic component and a second ceramic component are molded. The ceramic materials for each ceramic component are as described above. Examples of raw materials for each ceramic component include feldspar, pottery stone, kaolin, clay, alumina, and silica stone. A predetermined amount of water is added to a mixture of the raw materials in a first predetermined ratio, and the mixture is then pulverized using a ball mill or the like to prepare a base slurry for the first ceramic component. A predetermined amount of water is added to a mixture of the raw materials in a second predetermined ratio different from the first predetermined ratio, and the mixture is then pulverized using a ball mill or the like to prepare a base slurry for the second ceramic component. The base slurry for the first ceramic component is then sealed in a first mold having a convex portion for forming a first recess, and the first ceramic component having the first recess formed therein is molded. The base slurry for the second ceramic member is poured into a second mold having a protrusion for forming the second recess, and the second ceramic member having the second recess is molded. Each ceramic member is then dried at 45 to 50°C. The formation of each recess is not limited to the above. For example, after each ceramic member without a recess is molded, the recess may be formed by machining such as cutting.

In this embodiment, the volume of the first recess in the first ceramic member is approximately 100% or more and approximately 200% or less of the volume of the gap between the first ceramic member and the second ceramic member. Therefore, the first recess can accommodate an appropriate amount of first adhesive material 16 that is neither too small nor too large. Similarly, the volume of the second recess in the second ceramic member is approximately 100-200% of the volume of the gap between the first ceramic member and the second ceramic member. Therefore, the second recess can accommodate an appropriate amount of third adhesive material 20. Alternatively, the volume of each recess may be less than 100% or more than 200% of the volume of the gap.

In S14, adhesives 16, 18, and 20 are applied to the first ceramic member and the second ceramic member, respectively. Specifically, the first adhesive 16 is applied (i.e., filled) into the first recess of the first ceramic member, and the third adhesive 20 is applied (i.e., filled) into the second recess of the second ceramic member. The second adhesive 18 is applied to the surface of the first ceramic member facing the second ceramic member and the surface of the second ceramic member facing the first ceramic member. Each adhesive 16, 18, and 20 is a blend of glaze ingredients such as silica sand, feldspar, lime, clay, and zinc oxide. A predetermined amount of water is then added to the blended materials, which are then pulverized using a ball mill or similar to prepare each adhesive 16, 18, and 20.

In S16, a second ceramic member is placed on the first ceramic member. This causes the second ceramic member to cover the first recess of the first ceramic member, and the first ceramic member to cover the second recess of the second ceramic member.

In S18, a top coat material 22 is applied to both ends of the boundary between the first ceramic member and the second ceramic member. Specifically, the top coat material 22 in a slurry form is applied by spraying or the like. The top coat material 22 may be prepared in the same manner as the adhesives 16, 18, and 20.

In S20, the first ceramic member and the second ceramic member are fired simultaneously. In this embodiment, the firing temperature is approximately 1200 to 1300°C. As a result, a first fired body 12 is formed from the first ceramic member, and a second fired body 14 is formed from the second ceramic member.

During firing of the first ceramic member, the first ceramic member shrinks and the first adhesive 16 melts, causing at least a portion of the first adhesive 16 contained in the first recess to move out of the first recess. In particular, because the first ceramic member has a large shrinkage rate, a large amount of the first adhesive 16 moves out of the first recess. This allows the first adhesive 16 to be sufficiently supplied between the first ceramic member and the second ceramic member. Although the second ceramic member has a small shrinkage rate, it also shrinks. At this time, at least a portion of the third adhesive 20 contained in the second recess moves out of the second recess. This allows the third adhesive 20 to be supplied between the first ceramic member and the second ceramic member. The second adhesive 18 is present between the first ceramic member and the second ceramic member. This allows the ceramic members (i.e., the fired bodies) to be bonded together by the adhesives 16, 18, and 20. This completes the formation of the sanitary equipment component 10. The adhesives 16, 18, and 20 may extend beyond the boundary edges of the fired bodies 12 and 14 to fill the gaps between the fired bodies 12 and 14. In this case, the step of applying the topcoat material 22 in step S18 may be omitted.

Consider a comparative example in which no recesses are formed in the first and second ceramic members (i.e., the first and third adhesives 16, 20 are not present). In particular, consider a first comparative example in which the first and second ceramic members are fired separately, and a second comparative example in which the first and second ceramic members are fired simultaneously. In the first comparative example, the first and second ceramic members are fired separately, and then an adhesive is applied between each fired body to bond the fired bodies. In the first comparative example, two firings are required to form each fired body. In the second comparative example, the first and second ceramic members are fired simultaneously with an adhesive applied between them. In this case, only one firing is required to form each fired body. However, due to differences in shrinkage between the ceramic members during firing, distortion and cracks occur at the bonding surfaces of the ceramic members, resulting in reduced adhesive strength.

In this embodiment, the ceramic components are fired simultaneously, so only one firing is required to form each fired body. Furthermore, when firing the ceramic components, the first and third adhesives 16, 20 contained in the recesses are supplied between the ceramic components. Therefore, even if distortion or cracks occur on the bonding surfaces between the ceramic components, the first and third adhesives 16, 20 are supplied to fill them, preventing a decrease in adhesive strength.

Second Embodiment
As shown in Figure 4, in this embodiment, the topcoat material 22 (see Figure 2) is not applied to either the inner surface or the outer surface of the sanitary equipment member 10. According to this embodiment, the step S18 in Figure 3 can be omitted.

(Third embodiment)
5, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of each of the recesses 12r, 14r is semicircular. In a modified example, the cross-sectional shape of each of the recesses 12r, 14r may be triangular.

(Fourth embodiment)
6, in this embodiment, the first recess 12r is smaller than the second recess 14r. In a variant, the first recess 12r may be larger than the second recess 14r.

Fifth Embodiment
As shown in FIG. 7, in this embodiment, the second adhesive 18 is not present around the first recess 12r and the second recess 14r.

Sixth Embodiment
8, in this embodiment, the first recess 12r extends obliquely upward toward the second recess 14r. The second recess 14r extends obliquely downward toward the first recess 12r. In this embodiment, too, the second recess 14r can be said to be located opposite the first recess 12r.

Seventh Embodiment
9, in this embodiment, three first recesses 12r are formed in the first fired body 12. Three second recesses 14r, the same number as the first recesses 12r, are formed in the second fired body 14. Each second recess 14r is located opposite a corresponding first recess 12r. This configuration can increase the adhesive strength between the first fired body 12 and the second fired body 14 compared to a configuration in which one first recess 12r and one second recess 14r are formed.

Eighth Embodiment
10, in this embodiment, the second recess 14r is not formed in the second fired body 14. That is, the third adhesive 20 is not present.

Ninth Embodiment
11 , in this embodiment, the first sintered body 12 does not have a first recess 12r, and the second sintered body 14 does not have a second recess 14r. That is, the first adhesive 16 and the third adhesive 20 are not present. According to this embodiment, it is not necessary to form a recess in step S12 of FIG. 3 , and step S14 can be omitted.

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.

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

10: Sanitary equipment component, 12: First fired body, 12r: First recess, 14: Second fired body, 14r: Second recess, 16: First adhesive, 18: Second adhesive, 20: Third adhesive, 22: Topcoat

Claims (14)

accommodating an adhesive material in a recess formed in the first member;
disposing a second member on the first member so as to cover the recess; and
simultaneously firing the first member and the second member disposed relative to the first member, thereby forming a first fired body from the first member, and forming a second fired body from the second member that is adhered to the first fired body by the adhesive;
A method for manufacturing a sanitary equipment component comprising: 2. The method for manufacturing a sanitary equipment component according to claim 1, wherein when the first component and the second component are fired, the adhesive melts, causing at least a portion of the adhesive contained in the recess to move outside the recess. The method for manufacturing a sanitary facility component according to claim 1, wherein, when the first component and the second component are fired, the first component shrinks, causing at least a portion of the adhesive contained in the recess to move out of the recess. The method for manufacturing a sanitary equipment component according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the adhesive is any one of glaze, ceramic material, glass material, low-melting point frit, and metal brazing material. the adhesive is a first adhesive , and the method further comprises disposing a second adhesive between the first member and the second member;
When the first member and the second member are fired, the first fired body and the second fired body are bonded together by the second adhesive.
A method for producing a sanitary equipment member according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The method for manufacturing a sanitary facility component according to claim 5, wherein the first adhesive and the second adhesive are the same material. The method for manufacturing a sanitary facility component according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the shrinkage rate of the first component is greater than the shrinkage rate of the second component when the first component and the second component are fired. The method for manufacturing a sanitary equipment component according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the volume of the recess is 100% or more and 200% or less of the volume of the gap between the first component and the second component. the recess is a first recess,
the adhesive is a first adhesive ,
The method further includes accommodating a third adhesive in a second recess formed in the second member;
The method for manufacturing a sanitary facility member according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first fired body and the second fired body are bonded together by the third adhesive when the first member and the second member are fired. The method for manufacturing a sanitary facility component according to claim 9, wherein the second recess is located opposite the first recess. The method for manufacturing a sanitary facility component according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising applying a topcoat material to the edge of the boundary between the first component and the second component. A first fired body;
a second fired body bonded to the first fired body by an adhesive;
Equipped with
a recessed portion that opens toward the second fired body is formed in the first fired body;
The adhesive is present in at least a portion of the interior of the recess.
Sanitary equipment components. The sanitary equipment component according to claim 12, wherein a topcoat material is applied to the edge of the boundary between the first fired body and the second fired body. the first fired body has a water receiving surface for receiving water;
The sanitary equipment component according to claim 12 or 13 , wherein the second fired body has a design surface that constitutes the external appearance of the sanitary equipment component.