JP7727436B2 - Portable and retractable toilets - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to portable and stowable toilets.

Patent Document 1 discloses a portable toilet with a toilet bowl mounted on a platform. This portable toilet can be moved to any desired location, such as near the user, using a pair of casters attached to the platform, one at the front and one at the back.

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-43091

In the toilet described in Patent Document 1, the platform extends forward and to both sides from the front edge of the toilet bowl, making it easy for dirt to adhere to the projecting parts of the platform when urinating. One possible solution to this problem is to move the front edge of the platform back to a position behind the front edge of the toilet bowl. In this case, the front casters are positioned behind the center of the toilet seat, making the mobile toilet unstable when the user sits on the seat.

This disclosure was made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and aims to solve the problem of ensuring stability when sitting on the toilet seat while preventing dirt from adhering to it.

The portable toilet of the present disclosure comprises a toilet apparatus with a toilet seat, a base plate that supports the toilet apparatus in a placed state, and a support member that supports the base plate in a state where it is raised above the floor surface, with at least a portion of the support member being positioned within an area surrounded by the outer periphery of the toilet seat in a plan view. In this disclosure, "placing" simply means placing it on an upper surface. In this disclosure, "supporting" means supporting it in a state where it does not shift position, and includes both a form in which it is fixed to prevent it from floating up, and a form in which it is not fixed to prevent it from floating up.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a portable toilet in a use position in the first embodiment; Side view of a portable toilet in use position Plan view of the portable toilet in the stowed position Front view of a portable toilet in the stowed position FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged plan view of FIG. Side view of a portable toilet in use position Enlarged side cross-sectional view of a portable toilet Front view of a portable toilet in use position Plan view of the carriage in the use position Side view of the dolly in the stowed position Front view of the trolley in the use position

<Embodiment 1>
A first embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 1 to 11. As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a storage toilet 10 of the present disclosure includes a portable toilet 11 and a cabinet 50. The portable toilet 11 is configured to include a toilet bowl device 12 and a cart 20.

In the following description, the front-to-back direction of the portable toilet 11 is defined as the front side (the positive direction of the X axis in Figures 1-7, 9, and 10) of a user normally seated on the toilet seat 19 of the toilet device 12, and the rear side is defined as the user's back side. The up-and-down direction of the portable toilet 11 is defined as the positive direction of the Z axis in Figures 2, 4, 6-8, 10, and 11. The left-to-right direction of the portable toilet 11 is based on the orientation of the user's body seated on the toilet seat 19. The positive direction of the Y axis in Figures 1, 3, 5, 8, 9, and 11 is defined as the left side. The left-to-right direction and width direction are used interchangeably.

<Toilet device 12>
As shown in Figures 5 to 8, the toilet apparatus 12 has a toilet body 13 and a toilet seat 19 placed on the top surface of the toilet body 13. When viewed from above, the toilet apparatus 12 has a generally bullet-shaped planar shape. The front end of the toilet apparatus 12 is generally semicircular. The front-to-rear central portion and rear end of the toilet apparatus 12 are generally rectangular. The planar shape of the toilet apparatus 12 is formed by the toilet seat 19 and the equipment storage section 18. The front-to-rear dimension of the toilet apparatus 12 is longer than the width dimension of the toilet apparatus 12. The width dimension is the dimension in the left-to-right direction.

As shown in Figure 7, the toilet body 13 has an outer wall 14 that forms the outer periphery of the toilet body 13, and a toilet bowl 15 that is located inside the outer wall 14. Inside the toilet body 13, a storage chamber 16 is formed that is surrounded by the outer wall 14 and secured below the toilet bowl 15. The storage chamber 16 is open to the underside of the toilet body 13. As shown in Figures 6 and 9, a pair of left and right fixing portions 17 are formed to protrude from the outer surface of the rear end of the toilet body 13. The fixing portions 17 have a shape that has a bottom portion that protrudes rearward from the rear surface of the toilet body 13, and a protrusion that protrudes upward from the bottom portion.

As shown in Figure 9, the shape of the outer peripheral edge 13E at the lower end of the toilet body 13 is roughly bullet-shaped, similar to the planar shape of the toilet device 12. As shown in Figure 8, the front view shape of the toilet body 13 when viewed from the front is such that the width dimension gradually increases upward. The width dimension of the toilet body 13 is greatest at the upper end of the toilet body 13 and smallest at the lower end of the toilet body 13.

As shown in Figure 6, when viewed from the right, the side view shape of the toilet body 13 has a shape in which the front-to-rear dimension gradually increases upward. The front-to-rear dimension of the toilet body 13 is greatest at the upper end of the toilet body 13 and is smallest at the lower end of the toilet body 13. In side view, the front edge of the toilet body 13 in the vertical direction is inclined in an overhanging manner so as to slope forward. The upper end of the front edge of the toilet body 13 is located forward of the lower end of the front edge of the toilet body 13.

Attached to the rear end of the top surface of the toilet body 13 is an equipment housing 18 that houses functional devices (not shown) to improve the usability of the toilet device 12. Functional devices include a private parts washing device for washing the buttocks, a toilet bowl flushing device, a sound dummy device, a toilet seat opening/closing device, a toilet seat heating device, a hot air device, and a deodorizing device.

The toilet seat 19 is positioned to cover the area of the upper surface of the toilet body 13 that is forward of the equipment storage section 18. The toilet seat 19 is bullet-shaped and symmetrical in plan view. The toilet seat 19 has an opening 19H that connects the upper and lower surfaces of the toilet seat 19. The opening 19H has a symmetrical shape. As shown in Figure 6, the front-to-rear center position 19C of the opening 19H is located rearward of the front end 13F of the lower end of the toilet body 13. When a user sits on the toilet seat 19, the user's center of gravity is located either at the same position as the front-to-rear center position 19C of the opening 19H in plan view, or at a position close to the front-to-rear center position 19C.

<Cart 20>
5 and 9 to 11, the cart 20 comprises one base plate 21, first to third support members 31, 35, 38, one movement operating member 39, and one bearing 42. The cart 20 is a member that supports the toilet device 12 and a drainage device 46, which will be described later. The mobile toilet 11 is formed by attaching the toilet device 12 and the drainage device 46 to the cart 20. The front-to-rear dimension of the mobile toilet 11 is set to be larger than the left-to-right dimension of the mobile toilet 11. The shape of the mobile toilet 11 in a plan view is symmetrical overall, except for the bearing 42, the movement operating member 39, the locking device 61, etc.

The base plate 21 is made of a metal plate and has a bilaterally symmetrical shape in a plan view. The base plate 21 has a mounting portion 22, an installation portion 25, and a pair of left and right reinforcing portions 26. The mounting portion 22 is a horizontal, flat plate. As shown in Figure 9, the mounting portion 22 has a generally bullet-shaped shape in a plan view, similar to the shape of the toilet device 12 in a plan view. The mounting portion 22 is composed of a generally rectangular rear plate portion 24 and a generally semi-elliptical front plate portion 23 that protrudes forward from the front end of the rear plate portion 24. The boundary between the front plate portion 23 and the rear plate portion 24 in the fore-and-aft direction is located at the same position as the front end of the reinforcing portion 26, which will be described later. The entire mounting portion 22, including the front plate portion 23 and the rear plate portion 24, is generally bullet-shaped. As shown in Figure 8, the width dimension W1 of the rear plate portion 24 is smaller than the maximum width dimension W2 of the toilet device 12 and larger than the maximum width dimension W3 of the lower end of the toilet body 13. As shown in Figure 9, the maximum width dimension W4 of the front plate portion 23 is smaller than the width dimension W1 of the rear plate portion 24.

As shown in Figure 10, the installation portion 25 is shaped like a horizontal plate. The installation portion 25 extends horizontally rearward from the rear edge of the rear plate portion 24. The front edge of the installation portion 25 and the rear edge of the rear plate portion 24 are connected by a step. The installation portion 25 is set at a height slightly lower than the rear plate portion 24. The installation portion 25 is generally rectangular with a width dimension greater than its front-to-rear dimension. The width dimension of the installation portion 25 is greater than the width dimension of the mounting portion 22.

As shown in Figures 8 to 11, the pair of reinforcing portions 26 includes a pair of left and right side plate portions 27, a pair of left and right upper plate portions 28, and a pair of left and right rear plate portions 29. The pair of side plate portions 27 rise upward at right angles from both left and right side edges of the rear plate portion 24 and extend in the front-to-rear direction like elongated walls. The front-to-rear direction formation area of the side plate portions 27 ranges from the front end of the rear plate portion 24 to the rear end of the rear plate portion 24. The pair of upper plate portions 28 extend outward in the width direction from the upper edges of the side plate portions 27 and are positioned higher than the placement portion 22 and the installation portion 25. The pair of upper plate portions 28 are elongated in the front-to-rear direction and have a horizontal, flat plate shape. The front-to-rear direction formation area of the upper plate portions 28 is the same range as the rear plate portion 24 and the side plate portions 27. The pair of rear plate portions 29 are flat plate-shaped portions that rise upward from both left and right end edges of the front end edge of the installation portion 25. The rear plate portion 29 is connected at a right angle to both the rear end edges of the side plate portions 27 and the rear end edges of the top plate portion 28. The rear plate portion 29 increases the rigidity of the side plate portions 27 and the top plate portion 28. The area of the base plate 21 that combines the rear side plate portion 24 and the pair of reinforcing portions 26 constitutes the reinforcing area 30.

As shown in Figures 9 to 11, the first support member is composed of a single front caster 31 attached to the front plate portion 23 of the base plate 21. As shown in Figures 9 and 10, a rectangular cutout 32, seen from above, penetrating the front plate portion 23 from top to bottom is formed in the center of the front plate portion 23 in the left-right direction. A bracket 33 made of a metal plate with a hat-shaped cross section is fixed to the upper surface of the front plate portion 23 so as to cover the cutout 32 from above. The bracket 33 has a horizontal support plate portion 34 positioned higher than the mounting portion 22. A front caster 31 is fixed to the lower surface of the support plate portion 34 so as to be able to rotate freely around a vertical axis 31A. The front caster 31 penetrates the cutout 32, and most of the upper portion of the front caster 31 is positioned above the front plate portion 23. The lower end of the front caster 31 protrudes slightly downward from the underside of the mounting portion 22, allowing it to roll on the floor surface 66. The vertical shaft 31A of the front caster 31 is located in the center of the base plate 21 in the left-right direction.

The second support member is composed of a pair of symmetrical support legs 35. As shown in Figures 9 to 11, the pair of support legs 35 are attached to the front ends of both the left and right reinforcement parts 26. The support legs 35 are positioned slightly rearward of the front caster 31. The pair of support legs 35 are separated in the left-right direction into a position spaced to the left of the front caster 31 and a position spaced to the right of the front caster 31. The support legs 35 have vertically elongated lifting legs 36 and lifting/lowering operation units 37 for raising and lowering the lifting legs 36. When the lifting/lowering operation units 37 are operated so that they are obliquely upward to hold the lifting legs 36 in the raised position, the lower ends of the lifting legs 36 are raised above the floor surface 66.

As shown in Figures 2, 5, 6, 8-11, when the lifting/lowering operation unit 37 is operated so that it faces diagonally downward and the lifting legs 36 are held in the lowered position, the lower ends of the lifting legs 36 come into contact with the floor surface 66, and the portions of the base plate 21 to which the support legs 35 are fixed are raised. Because the front casters 31 and the support legs 35 are positioned at approximately the same position in the front-to-rear direction, when the lifting legs 36 are held in the lowered position, the front casters 31 are slightly raised from the floor surface 66. The lower end surfaces of the support legs 35 are made of a non-slip material such as rubber, and are placed in contact with the floor surface 66. This prevents the support legs 35 from slipping on the floor surface 66. The height of the lifting/lowering operation unit 37 is set lower than the toilet seat 19.

The third support member is composed of a pair of symmetrical rear casters 38. The pair of rear casters 38 are attached to the rear ends of both the left and right reinforcement parts 26. The pair of rear casters 38 are positioned rearward of the front casters 31 and the support legs 35. The pair of rear casters 38 are separated in the left-right direction into positions spaced to the left of the front casters 31 and positions spaced to the right of the front casters 31. The rear casters 38 are fixed to the underside of the horizontal upper plate 28, which is positioned higher than the mounting part 22, so that they can freely rotate around the vertical axis 38A. The lower ends of the rear casters 38 protrude slightly downward from the underside of the mounting part 22, allowing them to roll on the floor surface 66.

The support legs 35 are positioned between the front casters 31 and rear casters 38 in the front-to-rear direction. The support legs 35 are positioned closer to the front casters 31 than the rear casters 38 in the front-to-rear direction. The rear casters 38 and the support legs 35 are spaced apart in the front-to-rear direction. Even when the lifting legs 36 of the support legs 35 are held in the lowered position and the portions of the base plate 21 to which the support legs 35 are fixed are slightly raised, the portions of the base plate 21 to which the rear casters 38 are attached do not rise, and the pair of rear casters 38 are maintained in a state where they are placed on the floor surface 66.

As shown in Figures 5, 6, 9, and 10, the movement operating member 39 is attached to the base plate 21. The movement operating member 39 has a support pillar 40 and a grip 41. The support pillar 40 is elongated in the vertical direction, and the lower end of the support pillar 40 is fixed to the front end of the right-side reinforcement part 26. As shown in Figure 5, the support pillar 40 and grip 41 are positioned rearward of the rear end 19R of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. As shown in Figure 6, the grip 41 protrudes horizontally rearward from the upper end of the support pillar 40. The height of the support pillar 40 and grip 41 is set slightly lower than the top end of the toilet device 12. The height of the grip 41 is set to the same height as the toilet seat 19.

The bearing portion 42 is cylindrical with its axis oriented in the vertical direction. As shown in Figures 5, 6, 9, and 10, the bearing portion 42 is attached to the rear end of the right upper plate portion 28. The bearing portion 42 is attached to the rear end of the upper plate portion 28. In the front-rear direction, the bearing portion 42 is located behind the rear end of the base plate 21, i.e., the center of the cart 20 in the front-rear direction, and behind the rear caster 38. In the left-right direction, the bearing portion 42 is located further right than the right edge of the mounting portion 22. A locking hole 43 that engages with a locking device 61, described below, is formed in the rear plate portion 24. As shown in Figure 3, the locking hole 43 is located diagonally forward and to the left of the bearing portion 42. As shown in Figure 9, a pair of left and right mounting holes 44 are formed in the mounting portion 22. The pair of mounting holes 44 are located near the pair of reinforcing portions 26 in the left-right direction.

The toilet device 12 is attached to the base plate 21. With the toilet device 12 attached, the toilet body 13 rests on almost the entire area of the front plate portion 23 of the mounting portion 22 and on the front half area of the rear plate portion 24. The fixing portion 17 at the rear end of the toilet body 13 is aligned with the mounting hole 44 of the base plate 21, and the bolt 45 that passes through the fixing portion 17 is inserted through the mounting hole 44. The toilet device 12 is fixed to the base plate 21 by tightening a nut (not shown) onto the bolt 45 below the base plate 21. The fixing portion 17 and mounting hole 44 are located near the rear ends of the pair of reinforcing portions 26. As shown in Figure 7, the bracket 33 and front casters 31 protruding upward from the top surface of the base plate 21 are housed in the storage chamber 16 of the toilet body 13.

As shown in Figure 9, the curved front end region of the outer periphery 13E of the lower end of the toilet body 13 and the outer periphery 23E of the front plate-shaped portion 23 are similar in shape. The outer periphery 13E of the lower end of the toilet body 13 is slightly smaller than the outer periphery 23E of the front plate-shaped portion 23. The outer periphery 13E of the lower end of the toilet body 13 is offset inward by a certain distance from the outer periphery 23E of the front plate-shaped portion 23 in a plan view. Because the toilet body 13 is made of ceramic, the dimensional tolerance of the outer periphery 13E of the lower end of the toilet body 13 is relatively large. By setting the offset, it is possible to reliably position the entire area of the toilet body 13 within the range of the upper surface of the front plate-shaped portion 23. Depending on the dimensional variations of the toilet body 13, the radial offset between the outer periphery 13E of the lower end of the toilet body 13 and the outer periphery 23E of the front plate-shaped portion 23 may be uneven in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 5, the front-to-rear center position 19C of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19 is located rearward of the front end 21F of the base plate 21. In a plan view, the vertical axis 31A of the front caster 31 is located within the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19 and is located rearward of the front-to-rear center position 19C of the opening 19H. In a plan view, the pair of support legs 35 are arranged to sandwich the toilet apparatus 12 from both the left and right sides. The pair of support legs 35 are located at the same position as the rear end 19R of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19 in the front-to-rear direction, or at a position rearward of the rear end 19R of the opening 19H. The vertical axis 38A of the pair of rear casters 38 is located rearward of the rear end of the toilet apparatus 12. The support legs 35 are located between the vertical axis 31A of the front caster 31 and the vertical axis 38A of the rear caster 38 in the front-to-rear direction. The support leg 35 is positioned closer to the vertical axis 31A of the front caster 31 in the front-to-rear direction than the vertical axis 38A of the rear caster 38.

As shown in FIG. 6 , a drainage device 46 is attached to the base plate 21. The drainage device 46 is a device that drains water from the toilet apparatus 12 and is fixed to the base plate 21 while placed on the installation section 25. The drainage device 46 is positioned rearward and spaced apart from the toilet apparatus 12. A drainage pipe 47 for draining water from the toilet apparatus 12 is routed between the front surface of the drainage device 46 and the rear surface of the toilet apparatus 12. In the front-to-rear direction, the drainage device 46 is positioned rearward of the rear caster 38 and the bearing section 42. Water is supplied to the toilet apparatus 12 using a water supply device (not shown) separate from the drainage device 46. The water supply device may be a water supply facility piped to the building or a portable water tank. The mobile toilet 11 is constructed by attaching the toilet apparatus 12 and drainage device 46 to the cart 20.

<Cabinet 50>
The cabinet 50 is installed in a patient room in a medical facility, a nursing home, a room in a general home, or the like. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the cabinet 50 is arranged along the wall surface of a room. As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, a washbasin 51 and a faucet 52 are provided at the left end of the cabinet 50 when facing the front. A storage space 53 is provided within the cabinet 50. The storage space 53 is a space for storing the entire mobile toilet 11 when the mobile toilet 11 is not in use. The position within the storage space 53 in the cabinet 50 where the mobile toilet 11 is stored is defined as the storage position.

As shown in Figures 2 and 4, the front panel 54 of the cabinet 50 has a communication opening 55 that connects the outside of the cabinet 50 with the interior (storage space 53). The communication opening 55 has a rectangular shape in front view, with its width greater than its height. The lower end of the opening area of the communication opening 55 is open to face the floor 66. As shown in Figure 4, the height dimension of the communication opening 55, i.e., the opening dimension H from the floor 66 to the upper edge of the communication opening 55, is set to be slightly larger than the height dimension of the mobile toilet 11. In other words, the height dimension H of the communication opening 55 is set to the minimum dimension required for the mobile toilet 11 to pass through the communication opening 55. The communication opening 55 can be opened and closed by an opening/closing member 56 consisting of a folding door. The communication opening 55 may be left open at all times. A paper holder 57 and a handle 58 are attached to the opening/closing member 56. A pair of handrails 59 are provided on the front panel 54 above the communication opening 55, and can be flipped up when not in use.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a rotating shaft 60 with its axis oriented in the vertical direction is installed inside the storage space 53. The bearing portion 42 of the mobile toilet 11 is fitted onto the rotating shaft 60 so as to be rotatable relative to the rotating shaft 60. As shown in Figures 5 and 6, a ring-shaped stopper 67 is fixed to the rotating shaft 60. The stopper 67 is positioned either in contact with the upper surface of the bearing portion 42 or in close proximity to and facing the upper surface of the bearing portion 42. The installation position of the rotating shaft 60 in the depth direction of the storage space 53 is close to the communication opening 55. The installation position of the rotating shaft 60 in the width direction of the storage space 53 is close to the left end of the opening area of the communication opening 55 as viewed from the cabinet 50. The position of the rotating shaft 60 in the mobile toilet 11 is close to the rear end of the right edge of the cart 20. The rotation shaft 60 is located at a position spaced to the right and left of the right end of the toilet device 12, and at a position spaced rearward of the rear end of the toilet device 12.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, a locking device 61 is installed within the storage space 53. As shown in Figures 6, 10, and 11, the locking device 61 has a guide member 62, a locking pin 63, and a locking operation part 64. The guide member 62 is a vertically elongated column. The locking pin 63 is also vertically elongated and is guided by the guide member 62 so that it can be raised and lowered. The locking operation part 64 is located at the upper end of the guide member 62 and is an operation part for raising and lowering the locking pin 63 between an unlocked position and a locked position that is lower than the unlocked position.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the locking device 61 is located between the rotation shaft 60 and the communication opening 55 in the depth direction of the storage space 53. As shown in Figures 1, 3, and 4, the locking device 61, like the rotation shaft 60, is located near the left end of the communication opening 55 in the width direction of the storage space 53. As shown in Figure 4, the locking operation part 64 is located above the center position 55C of the communication opening 55 in the height direction.

<Actions and Effects of First Embodiment>
The portable toilet 11 moves between the storage position shown in Figures 3 and 4 and the use position shown in Figures 1 and 2 by rotating horizontally through an angle range of 90° around the rotation axis 60. When the portable toilet 11 is in the storage position, the entire portable toilet 11 is contained within the storage space 53 of the cabinet 50. The front and rear of the portable toilet 11 are parallel to the front panel 54 of the cabinet 50. The rotation axis 60 and locking device 61 are disposed inside the cabinet 50. When the communication opening 55 is closed with the opening/closing member 56, not only the portable toilet 11 but also the rotation axis 60 and locking device 61 are covered by the opening/closing member 56. When the portable toilet 11 is not in use, the appearance of the cabinet 50 is maintained in good condition.

When using the portable toilet 11, the lifting legs 36 of the support legs 35 are held in the raised position while the portable toilet 11 is in the storage position. Next, the grip 41 of the movement operating member 39 is grasped and pulled toward the outside of the cabinet 50 to move the portable toilet 11 from the storage position to the use position. At this time, the front caster 31 and the pair of rear casters 38 roll on the floor surface 66, while the portable toilet 11 is rotated 90° clockwise around the rotation axis 60 in a plan view.

The triangular area with the front caster 31 and the pair of rear casters 38 as vertices is defined as the support base surface when not in use. Because the center of gravity of the mobile toilet 11 is located within the support base surface when not in use in a plan view, there is no risk of the mobile toilet 11 tipping over while in motion. Even when the mobile toilet 11 is stopped in the storage position or the use position, there is no risk of the mobile toilet 11 tipping over.

When the portable toilet 11 is moved between the storage position and the use position, the toilet device 12 passes through the communication opening 55. When the portable toilet 11 is moved to the use position, the entire toilet device 12 is positioned outside the cabinet 50. The rear end of the cart 20 and the drainage device 46 remain housed within the storage space 53 in both the use position and the storage position. The front and rear of the toilet device 12 are oriented perpendicular to the front panel 54 of the cabinet 50. Space is provided on both the left and right sides of the toilet device 12 for a caregiver to stand and move around while assisting the user.

After moving the portable toilet 11 to the use position, the lock operation portion 64 of the locking device 61 is operated to insert the lock pin 63 into the lock hole 43 of the cart 20. The lock pin 63 engages with the lock hole 43, securing the portable toilet 11 in the use position. Around the same time as operating the locking device 61, the lifting operation portions 37 of the left and right support legs 35 are operated to lower the lifting legs 36. This operation supports the front end portion of the base plate 21 on the pair of left and right lifting legs 36. The base plate 21 is supported at four points, including the pair of left and right lifting legs 36 and the pair of rear casters 38. The toilet device 12 is now ready for use.

When a user sits on the toilet seat 19, the user's center of gravity is located within the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. The center of gravity of the portable toilet 11 itself is located behind the rear end 19R of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. The rectangular area with the pair of left and right support legs 35 and the pair of left and right rear casters 38 as vertices is defined as the support base surface during use. When the user sits on the toilet seat 19, the center of gravity of the portable toilet 11 and the user is located within the support base surface during use in a plan view, so the portable toilet 11 does not tilt. When the user sits on the front end of the toilet seat 19, the center of gravity of the portable toilet 11 and the user may move forward outside the support base surface during use in a plan view. At this time, the bearing portion 42 abuts against the stopper 67 of the rotating shaft 60 from below, so the rear end of the portable toilet 11 does not lift off the floor surface 66.

As shown in Figures 1 and 5, the portable toilet 11 has a pair of overhanging portions 65 that are positioned to overhang outward to the left and right from the toilet apparatus 12. The overhanging portions 65 include a reinforcement portion 26, a pair of left and right support legs 35, a pair of left and right rear casters 38, and a movement operating member 39. The pair of overhanging portions 65 are positioned rearward of the front-to-rear center position 19C of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. When a user sits on the toilet seat 19, while sitting on the toilet seat 19, or when standing up from the toilet seat 19, the user's legs do not come into contact with the overhanging portions 65. The front plate-shaped portion 23, which is the area of the base plate 21 forward of the overhanging portions 65, is positioned only in the area inside the outer circumferential edge 12E of the toilet apparatus 12 in a plan view. The user's feet do not come into contact with the front plate-shaped portion 23.

The front casters 31 are attached to the support plate portion 34 of the base plate 21, which is positioned higher than the mounting portion 22 on which the toilet device 12 is placed. The rear casters 38 are also attached to the upper plate portion 28, which is positioned higher than the mounting portion 22. The height of the mounting portion 22 and the toilet device 12 is kept low, allowing the user to place the soles of their feet stably on the floor surface 66 when sitting on the toilet seat 19, providing a comfortable seating experience.

After using the toilet device 12 and the user leaves the toilet seat 19, the portable toilet 11 is moved to the storage position. At this time, the lifting legs 36 of the support legs 35 are raised, and the lock pin 63 of the locking device 61 is raised and removed from the lock hole 43. Then, the grip 41 of the movement operating member 39 is grasped and the portable toilet 11 is pushed and moved to the storage position.

The portable toilet 11 of this embodiment 1 comprises a toilet apparatus 12 with a toilet seat 19, a base plate 21 that supports the toilet apparatus 12 in a placed state, and front casters 31 that support the base plate 21 in a state where it is raised above the floor surface 66. The toilet apparatus 12 has a toilet body 13 in which a toilet bowl 15 is formed.

At least a portion of the front casters 31 are positioned within the area surrounded by the outer periphery 19E of the toilet seat 19 in a plan view, and are positioned within the area surrounded by the outer periphery 13E of the lower end of the toilet body 13 in a plan view. When a user sits on the toilet seat 19, the front casters 31 support the user's weight from directly below, keeping the posture of the mobile toilet 11 stable. In order to support the weight of a user seated on the toilet seat 19, there is no need for the base plate 21 to extend forward or to the left and right sides from the front end of the toilet device 12. This prevents the base plate 21 from becoming soiled with urine when a user urinates while standing in front of the toilet device 12.

The mobile toilet 11 is equipped with a pair of support legs 35 that support the base plate 21 while keeping it above the floor surface 66. The pair of support legs 35 are positioned rearward of the front caster 31, and are separated into a position to the right of the front caster 31 and a position to the left of the front caster 31. The front caster 31 and the pair of support legs 35 further stabilize the position of the mobile toilet 11.

The pair of support legs 35 are positioned behind the front-to-rear center position 19C of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. In the area forward of the support legs 35, there is no need to provide base plates 21 on either side of the toilet apparatus 12 as a means for positioning the support legs 35. This prevents the feet of a user seated on the toilet seat 19 from hitting the base plates 21.

In the portable toilet described in JP 10-42991 A, the platform plate extends forward and to the left and right from the front end of the toilet, making it easy for urine stains to adhere to the projecting portions of the platform plate during urination. In contrast, the platform 20 of the portable toilet 11 disclosed herein is designed so that urine stains do not easily adhere to the base plate 21. The platform 20 has a base plate 21 that supports the toilet device 12 when placed on it. The toilet device 12 has a toilet seat 19. The base plate 21 has a front plate-shaped portion 23 and a rear plate-shaped portion 24. The front plate-shaped portion 23 forms the area of the base plate 21 that is forward of the rear end 19R of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. The rear plate-shaped portion 24 forms the area of the base plate 21 that is rearward of the rear end 19R of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19.

The reinforcement region 30 of the base plate 21 is the region of the base plate 21 rearward of the rear end 19R of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. The maximum width dimension W4 of the front plate-shaped portion 23 is set smaller than the maximum width dimension W5 of the reinforcement region 30. With this configuration, urine stains are less likely to adhere to the base plate 21 when a user urinates while standing in front of the toilet device 12. This prevents the feet of a user seated on the toilet seat 19 from hitting the base plate 21. The front plate-shaped portion 23 of the base plate 21 is positioned within the outer periphery 19E of the toilet seat 19 in a plan view. This prevents urine stains from adhering to the base plate 21 when a user urinates while standing in front of the toilet device 12. This reliably prevents the feet of a user seated on the toilet seat 19 from hitting the base plate 21.

A portion of the front caster 31 in the height direction, i.e., the upper end region of the front caster 31, is housed within the housing chamber 16 of the toilet body 13. Compared to when the front caster 31 is attached to the underside of the base plate 21 and the entire front caster 31 is positioned below the underside of the base plate 21, the mobile toilet 11 of this embodiment 1 can keep the height of the toilet device 12 from the floor surface 66 low.

The portable toilet described in JP 10-42991 A has handrails that can be gripped to move the portable toilet. However, because the handrails are positioned to sandwich the toilet seat 19 from both sides, there is a risk that the user's clothing may get caught on the handrails when sitting on the toilet seat. In contrast, the portable toilet 11 of this embodiment 1 is equipped with a movement operating member 39 that prevents the clothing of a user seated on the toilet seat 19 from getting caught. The portable toilet 11 has a base plate 21 on which the toilet device 12 is placed, and the base plate 21 is equipped with a movement operating member 39 that can be pushed and pulled horizontally.

The movement operating member 39 has a support pillar 40 extending upward from the base plate 21 and a grip 41 attached to the support pillar 40. The support pillar 40 is positioned rearward of the rear end 19R of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. Like the support pillar 40, the grip 41 is also positioned rearward of the rear end 19R of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. When a user sits on or leaves the toilet seat 19, there is no risk of the user's body coming into contact with the support pillar 40 or grip 41, or their clothing getting caught on the support pillar 40 or grip 41.

A pair of reinforcing parts 26 are formed on both left and right edges of the base plate 21, positioned rearward of the rear end 19R of the opening 19H of the toilet seat 19. A mounting hole 44 is formed in the area of the base plate 21 between the pair of reinforcing parts 26. The fixing part 17 of the toilet device 12 is fixed to the mounting hole 44. The area of the base plate 21 to which the fixing part 17 is fixed is made more rigid by the reinforcing parts 26, allowing the toilet device 12 to be stably fixed to the base plate 21.

The portable toilet described in JP 10-42991 A can be moved between a storage position inside the cabinet 50 and a use position outside the cabinet 50. In this case, if the portable toilet 11 is rotated on the floor surface 66 around a vertical rotation axis, the trajectory of the portable toilet can be stabilized. When the portable toilet 11 is moved to the use position, it is preferable to lock the portable toilet with a locking device to prevent it from moving. However, if the rotation axis and locking device are left exposed outside the cabinet 50, the design is not good.

In contrast, the storage toilet 10 of this first embodiment can enhance its design. The storage toilet 10 includes a portable toilet 11, a cabinet 50, and a vertical rotation axis 60. The portable toilet 11 includes a cart 20 having front casters 31 and rear casters 38, and a toilet device 12 mounted on the cart 20. The rotation axis 60 supports the portable toilet 11 so that it can rotate on a floor surface 66 between a storage position and a use position. When the portable toilet 11 is in the storage position, the portable toilet 11 is stored within the cabinet 50. When the portable toilet 11 is moved to the storage position, the lifting/lowering operation unit 37 of the pair of left and right support legs 35, which is located on the front side of the cabinet 50, is operated to lower the lifting leg 36 and place it on the floor surface 66. This prevents the portable toilet 11 from shifting from the storage position. When the portable toilet 11 is in the use position, the toilet device 12 is located outside the cabinet 50. Once the portable toilet 11 is moved to the use position, it is held in that position by the locking function of the locking device 61. The rotating shaft 60 and locking device 61 are stored inside the cabinet 50. As not only the portable toilet 11 but also the rotating shaft 60 and locking device 61 are stored inside the cabinet 50, it has an excellent design.

The cabinet 50 has a front panel 54, which is formed with a communication opening 55 through which the portable toilet 11 passes as it moves between the storage position and the use position. The locking device 61 is equipped with a locking operation unit 64 for performing locking and unlocking operations. As shown in Figure 4, the locking operation unit 64 is positioned above the vertical center height 55C of the communication opening 55 of the cabinet 50. When operating the locking operation unit 64, the operator does not have to bend at a shallower angle, thereby reducing the strain on the operator.

<Other Embodiments>
The present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings, and the following embodiments, for example, are also included within the technical scope of the present disclosure.

Front caster as first support member: Multiple front casters may be provided. In a plan view, a portion of the front caster may extend outside the outer periphery of the toilet seat. In a plan view, the entire front caster may be positioned outside the outer periphery of the toilet seat. In a plan view, the entire front caster may be positioned within the outer periphery of the toilet seat, with a portion of the front caster extending outside the outer periphery of the lower end of the toilet body. The entire front caster may be positioned below the underside of the base plate. The front caster may be a fixed caster that does not rotate around a vertical axis.

Support leg as second support member: The support leg may be positioned in the same position as the front caster in the front-to-back direction, in the center of the toilet seat opening in the front-to-back direction, or forward of the center of the toilet seat opening in the front-to-back direction. A configuration in which the second support member is not provided between the first and third support members in the front-to-back direction is also possible.

The third support member is the rear caster: The base plate is supported by a rotating shaft, and of the pair of left and right rear casters, the one closest to the rotating shaft can be removed. The rear caster can also be a fixed caster that does not rotate around a vertical axis.

Configuration for supporting a portable toilet so that it can be movably moved: This is not limited to the configuration of embodiment 1 above, but may also be a configuration in which the base plate is supported by a rotating shaft and two casters, or a configuration in which the base plate is supported by at least three casters without a rotating shaft.

Movement operating member: The support pole of the movement operating member may be positioned at the same position as the rear end of the toilet seat opening in the front-to-rear direction, or may be positioned further forward than the rear end of the toilet seat opening. The grip of the movement operating member may extend either forward or to the side from the support pole. The grip of the movement operating member may be designed to be folded along the support pole when not in use. The movement operating member may be made by integrating the support pole and grip using a bent pipe or the like. The height of the grip may be the same as the toilet seat.

Rotation axis: The rotation axis may be located outside the cabinet. The rotation axis may be located in the center of the base plate in the left-right direction, or to the left of the center position in the left-right direction of the base plate.

Locking device: The locking device may be located outside the cabinet. The locking operation part of the locking device may be located below the vertical center height of the cabinet's communication opening.

Base plate: The boundary between the front and rear sections of the base plate, which have different maximum width dimensions, may be at the rear end of the toilet seat opening, or may be further forward than the rear end of the toilet seat opening. The outer peripheral shape of the front end region of the base plate may be the same bullet shape as the outer peripheral shape of the bottom end of the toilet device, or it may be a smaller bullet shape than the outer peripheral shape of the bottom end of the toilet device.

Fixing structure for toilet device: An upward-facing bolt may be provided on the base plate, passed through a mounting hole in the fixing part of the toilet device, and a nut may be tightened onto the bolt protruding above the fixing part.

10...foldable toilet, 11...portable toilet, 12...toilet device, 13...toilet body, 15...toilet bowl, 13E...outer edge of lower end of toilet body, 19...toilet seat, 19E...outer edge of toilet seat, 19H...toilet seat opening, 19C...central position in the front-to-rear direction of the toilet seat opening, 19R...rear end of toilet seat opening, 21...base plate, 23...front plate-shaped portion (portion of base plate forward of the rear end of the toilet seat opening), 24...rear plate-shaped portion (portion of base plate rearward of the rear end of the toilet seat opening), 2 7...reinforcement part, 31...front caster (first support member), 35...support leg (second support member), 39...movement control member, 40...support column, 41...grip, 50...cabinet, 55...communication opening, 55C...vertical center height of communication opening, 60...rotation shaft, 61...locking device, 64...locking control member, 66...floor surface, W4...maximum width of the base plate in front of the rear end of the toilet seat opening, W5...maximum width of the base plate in back of the rear end of the toilet seat opening

Claims (10)

a toilet apparatus having a toilet seat;
a base plate that supports the toilet device in a placed state;
a support member that supports the base plate in a state where the base plate is lifted off a floor surface,
At least a portion of the support member is disposed within an area surrounded by an outer periphery of the toilet seat in a plan view,
A portable toilet in which the maximum width dimension of the portion of the base plate forward of the rear end of the opening of the toilet seat is smaller than the maximum width dimension of the portion of the base plate rearward of the rear end of the opening of the toilet seat. The portable toilet of claim 1, wherein a portion of the base plate forward of the rear end of the toilet seat opening is positioned within the outer periphery of the toilet seat in a plan view. a toilet apparatus having a toilet seat;
a base plate that supports the toilet device in a placed state;
a support member that supports the base plate in a state where the base plate is lifted off the floor surface;
a movement operation member that is provided on the base plate and can be pushed and pulled in a horizontal direction,
At least a portion of the support member is disposed within an area surrounded by an outer periphery of the toilet seat in a plan view,
the movement operation member has a support column extending upward from the base plate and a grip attached to the support column,
A portable toilet in which the support pillar is positioned rearward of the rear end of the opening of the toilet seat. the support member is a first support member,
a pair of second support members that support the base plate in a state where the base plate is lifted off the floor surface;
A portable toilet as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the pair of second support members are arranged rearward of the first support member and at a position to the right of the first support member and a position to the left of the first support member. A portable toilet as described in claim 4, wherein the pair of second support members are positioned rearward of the center position in the front-to-rear direction of the toilet seat opening. The toilet device has a toilet body having a toilet bowl portion formed therein,
The portable toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein at least a portion of the support member is disposed within an area surrounded by the outer peripheral edge of the lower end of the toilet body in a plan view. A portable toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a portion of the support member in the height direction is housed within the toilet device. a pair of reinforcing portions formed on both left and right edges of the base plate and positioned rearward of the rear end of the toilet seat opening;
The portable toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the toilet device is fixed to an area of the base plate sandwiched between the pair of reinforcing parts. The portable toilet according to any one of claims 1 to 8;
Cabinet and
a rotation shaft that supports the portable toilet so that the portable toilet can rotate between a storage position where the portable toilet is stored in the cabinet and a use position where the toilet device is disposed outside the cabinet;
a locking device that holds the portable toilet in the use position;
The rotating shaft is housed in the cabinet,
The locking device is housed within the cabinet. the cabinet has a communication opening through which the portable toilet passes during movement between the storage position and the use position;
The locking device includes a locking operation unit for performing a locking operation and an unlocking operation,
The storage toilet according to claim 9, wherein the locking operation part is disposed above the center height in the up-down direction of the communication opening of the cabinet.