JP7730468B2 - Toilet lid and seat - Google Patents

Description

Aspects of the present invention generally relate to toilet covers and seats.

Toilet lids and seats manufactured by molding materials containing resin have been known for some time (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Such toilet lids and seats are made from inexpensive resins such as polypropylene (PP). However, when toilet lids and seats are molded using resins such as PP, the surface hardness is low, which creates the problem of the surface being easily scratched by dry wiping with toilet paper, etc.

One possible solution to this problem is to increase the surface hardness of the toilet lid or seat. One possible way to increase the surface hardness of the toilet lid or seat is to use heat and cool molding (H&C molding), in which a heater is installed in the mold used to form the toilet lid or seat, and resin is injected into the heated mold, maintaining the high temperature of the resin for a predetermined period of time while it hardens. With this type of molding method, the gradual solidification process of the resin increases the crystallization of the surface of the toilet lid or seat, thereby increasing the surface hardness of the toilet lid or seat.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2000-308601

However, increasing the degree of surface crystallinity increases the amount of shrinkage of the molded product, resulting in a problem of significant dimensional change over time after the molded product is removed from the mold. Therefore, applying this molding method to toilet lids and seats risks reducing dimensional accuracy. A cushioning member is attached to the underside of the toilet lid or seat to absorb the impact when the toilet lid or seat is closed. This cushioning member is attached, for example, by fitting into a recessed portion provided on the underside of the toilet lid or seat. Therefore, if the dimensional accuracy of the underside of the toilet lid or seat decreases, it may become impossible to form the recessed portion in the desired shape, making it impossible to attach the cushioning member.

This aspect of the present invention was developed in recognition of this problem, and aims to provide a toilet lid and toilet seat that can improve the dimensional accuracy of the underside while preventing scratches on the surface caused by wiping, etc.

One aspect of the present invention is a toilet lid that is attached to a toilet bowl in an openable and closable manner, comprising: a toilet lid main body that contains a crystalline resin and is positioned above the bowl of the toilet bowl when closed; a toilet lid hinge that is located behind the toilet lid main body when closed and allows the toilet lid main body to rotate; and a toilet lid cushion member that is attached to the toilet lid main body, wherein the toilet lid main body has an upper surface that is exposed upward when closed and a lower surface that is exposed downward when closed, and the lower surface has a toilet lid recess to which the toilet lid cushion member is attached, and the surface hardness of the lower surface is less than that of the upper surface.

This aspect of the present invention provides a toilet lid and toilet seat that can improve the dimensional accuracy of the underside while preventing scratches on the surface caused by wiping, etc.

1 is a perspective view illustrating a toilet device according to an embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the toilet lid according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the toilet seat according to the embodiment. 4(a) to 4(c) are cross-sectional views showing a part of the manufacturing process of the toilet lid. 10 is a table showing an example of experimental results.

Hereinafter, embodiments 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 descriptions thereof will be omitted where appropriate.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a toilet device according to an embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a portion of the toilet lid according to the embodiment.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the toilet seat according to the embodiment.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line A1-A2 shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B1-B2 shown in FIG.
1 and 2 show the toilet seat and toilet lid in an open position, while Fig. 3 shows the toilet seat in a closed position.
As shown in Figures 1 to 3, the toilet device 100 according to the embodiment comprises a Western-style seated toilet bowl (hereinafter simply referred to as "toilet bowl") 10, a casing 20, a toilet lid 30, and a toilet seat 40.

The toilet 10 has a bowl portion 11 that is recessed downward. The bowl portion 11 of the toilet 10 receives waste such as urine and feces from the user. The bowl portion 11 has a rim 11a and an opening 11h surrounded by the rim 11a.

In this specification, the upper side as seen from the perspective of a user sitting on the toilet seat 40 will be referred to as "upper side," and the lower side as seen from the perspective of a user sitting on the toilet seat 40 will be referred to as "lower side." Furthermore, the left and right directions as seen from a user sitting on the toilet seat 40 with their back to the open toilet lid 30 will be referred to as "left side" and "right side," respectively, and the front and back directions will be referred to as "front" and "rear," respectively.

A casing 20 is provided above the rear of the bowl portion 11 of the toilet 10. Inside the casing 20, for example, an electric toilet lid opening/closing unit for opening and closing the toilet lid 30 and an electric toilet seat opening/closing unit for opening and closing the toilet seat 40 are housed. The casing 20 may also house, for example, a nozzle unit for cleaning the user's private parts.

The toilet lid 30 and toilet seat 40 are each capable of being opened and closed relative to the toilet bowl 10. The toilet lid 30 and toilet seat 40 are each pivotally supported relative to the casing 20.

The toilet lid 30 has a toilet lid main body 31, a toilet lid hinge 32, and a toilet lid cushion member 33. When closed, the toilet lid main body 31 is located above the bowl 11 and toilet seat 40. When closed, the toilet lid main body 31 covers the bowl 11 and the toilet seat 40 from above.

The toilet lid hinge portion 32 is located behind the toilet lid main body portion 31 in the closed state. The toilet lid hinge portion 32 is, for example, molded integrally with the toilet lid main body portion 31. The toilet lid hinge portion 32 may, for example, be molded separately from the toilet lid main body portion 31 and attached to the toilet lid main body portion 31. The toilet lid hinge portion 32 is rotatably supported relative to the casing 20 by fitting onto the output shaft of an electric toilet lid opening/closing unit housed inside the casing 20. The electric toilet lid opening/closing unit opens and closes the toilet lid 30 by rotating the toilet lid main body portion 31 via the toilet lid hinge portion 32.

The toilet lid cushion member 33 is a separate member from the toilet lid main body 31 and is attached to the toilet lid main body 31. The toilet lid cushion member 33 is made of, for example, an elastomer, and absorbs the impact when the toilet lid main body 31 hits the toilet seat 40.

The toilet lid main body 31 has a toilet lid upper surface 31a and a toilet lid lower surface 31b. The toilet lid upper surface 31a is exposed upward in the closed state. The toilet lid upper surface 31a faces upward in the closed state. The toilet lid lower surface 31b is exposed downward in the closed state. The toilet lid lower surface 31b faces downward in the closed state. For example, the toilet lid lower surface 31b faces the toilet seat 40 in the closed state.

A toilet lid recess 31c is provided on the toilet lid underside 31b. When the toilet lid recess 31c is closed, it is recessed upward. A toilet lid cushion member 33 is attached to the toilet lid recess 31c. The toilet lid cushion member 33 is attached to the toilet lid recess 31c, for example, by fitting into the toilet lid recess 31c.

The toilet lid main body 31 contains a crystalline resin. The toilet lid hinge 32 contains, for example, a crystalline resin. Crystalline resin is a thermoplastic resin that has crystallinity. Examples of crystalline resins that can be used include PP or polybutylene terephthalate (PBT).

The toilet lid main body 31 and the toilet lid hinge 32 may further contain an inorganic filler. The inorganic filler is a filler (filling agent) made of an inorganic material. For example, a fibrous inorganic filler such as glass fiber is used as the inorganic filler. The inorganic filler does not have to be fibrous. The inorganic filler may also be a mineral such as an acicular mineral, a plate-like mineral, or a frit-type mineral. When glass fiber is used as the inorganic filler, it is preferable to use glass fiber with a fiber diameter of 6 μm to 24 μm (e.g., approximately 13 μm) and a length of 10 μm to 3000 μm (e.g., approximately 300 μm to 1000 μm). The amount of inorganic filler contained in the toilet lid main body 31 or the toilet lid hinge 32 is preferably 5 to 30 parts by weight (e.g., approximately 10 parts by weight) per 100 parts by weight of the crystalline resin and inorganic filler combined.

The surface hardness of the toilet lid underside 31b is less than the surface hardness of the toilet lid upper side 31a. The surface hardness of the toilet lid upper side 31a is preferably pencil hardness B or higher. The surface hardness of the toilet lid upper side 31a is preferably pencil hardness F or lower. The surface hardness of the toilet lid underside 31b is preferably pencil hardness 2B or lower. The surface hardness of the toilet lid underside 31b is preferably pencil hardness 3B or higher.

The surface hardness of the toilet lid hinge portion 32 is, for example, less than the surface hardness of the toilet lid upper surface portion 31a. The surface hardness of the toilet lid hinge portion 32 is, for example, the same as the surface hardness of the toilet lid lower surface portion 31b. The surface hardness of the toilet lid hinge portion 32 is preferably a pencil hardness of 2B or less. Furthermore, the surface hardness of the toilet lid hinge portion 32 is preferably a pencil hardness of 3B or more.

Surface hardness can be determined as a pencil hardness in accordance with JIS K 5600-5-4:1999. Pencil hardness of less than 6B, which is not specified in JIS K 5600-5-4:1999, can be determined in the same manner as JIS K 5600-5-4:1999 using Mitsubishi Pencil Co., Ltd.'s Hi-uni series pencils.

The surface hardness of the toilet lid upper surface 31a is, for example, the surface hardness at any position that overlaps vertically with the opening 11h of the bowl portion 11 in the closed state. The surface hardness of the toilet lid lower surface 31b is, for example, the surface hardness at a position that overlaps vertically with the position where the surface hardness of the toilet lid upper surface 31a was measured in the closed state. The surface hardness of the toilet lid hinge portion 32 is, for example, the surface hardness of the flat portion of the hinge bearing portion into which the output shaft of the electric toilet lid opening/closing unit is fitted.

The toilet seat 40 has a toilet seat main body 41, a toilet seat hinge 42, and a toilet seat cushion member 43. In the closed state, the toilet seat main body 41 is located above the bowl 11. In the closed state, the toilet seat main body 41 has an opening 41h that penetrates in the vertical direction.

The toilet seat hinge portion 42 is located behind the toilet seat main body 41 in the closed state. The toilet seat hinge portion 42 is, for example, molded integrally with the toilet seat main body 41. The toilet seat hinge portion 42 may, for example, be molded separately from the toilet lid main body 31 and attached to the toilet seat main body 41. The toilet seat hinge portion 42 is rotatably supported relative to the casing 20 by fitting onto the output shaft of an electric toilet seat opening/closing unit housed inside the casing 20. The electric toilet seat opening/closing unit opens and closes the toilet seat 40 by rotating the toilet seat main body 41 via the toilet seat hinge portion 42.

The toilet seat cushion member 43 is a separate member from the toilet seat main body 41 and is attached to the toilet seat main body 41. The toilet seat cushion member 43 is made of, for example, an elastomer, and absorbs the impact when the toilet seat main body 41 hits the rim 11a of the bowl portion 11.

The toilet seat main body 41 has an upper seat surface 41a and a lower seat surface 41b. The upper seat surface 41a is exposed upward in the closed state. The upper seat surface 41a faces upward in the closed state. The upper seat surface 41a is the seating surface on which a user sits. The lower seat surface 41b is exposed downward in the closed state. The lower seat surface 41b faces downward in the closed state. For example, the lower seat surface 41b faces the rim 11a of the bowl portion 11 in the closed state.

A toilet seat recess 41c is provided on the toilet seat underside 41b. When the toilet seat is closed, the toilet seat recess 41c is recessed upward. A toilet seat cushion member 43 is attached to the toilet seat recess 41c. The toilet seat cushion member 43 is attached to the toilet seat recess 41c, for example, by fitting into the toilet seat recess 41c.

As shown in FIG. 3, the toilet seat 40 is hollow and includes a bottom plate 45, an upper plate 46, a first connecting member 47, and a second connecting member 48. The bottom plate 45 includes a toilet seat lower surface portion 41b. The toilet seat lower surface portion 41b corresponds to the underside of the bottom plate 45 in the closed state. The upper plate 46 is located above the bottom plate 45 in the closed state. In this example, the upper plate 46 has a first portion 46a including the toilet seat upper surface portion 41a, a second portion 46b extending downward from one end of the first portion 46a, and a third portion 46c extending downward from the other end of the first portion 46a. The toilet seat upper surface portion 41a corresponds to the upper surface of the first portion 46a in the closed state. The first connecting member 47 is provided on the inner periphery of the toilet seat 40 and connects the bottom plate 45 and the second portion 46b of the upper plate 46. The second joining member 48 is provided on the outer periphery of the toilet seat 40 and joins the bottom plate 45 and the third portion 46c of the top plate 46. The toilet seat hinge portion 42 is composed of, for example, the bottom plate 45 and the top plate 46.

The toilet seat main body 41 contains a crystalline resin. The toilet seat hinge 42 contains, for example, a crystalline resin. The toilet seat main body 41 and the toilet seat hinge 42 may further contain an inorganic filler. The crystalline resin and inorganic filler may be the same as those exemplified in the description of the toilet lid 30. The amount of inorganic filler to be blended may also be the same as that exemplified in the description of the toilet lid 30.

The surface hardness of the toilet seat lower surface 41b is less than the surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface 41a. The surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface 41a is preferably pencil hardness B or higher. The surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface 41a is preferably pencil hardness F or lower. The surface hardness of the toilet seat lower surface 41b is preferably pencil hardness 2B or lower. The surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface 41a is preferably pencil hardness 3B or higher.

The surface hardness of the toilet seat hinge portion 42 is, for example, less than the surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface portion 41a. The surface hardness of the toilet seat hinge portion 42 is, for example, the same as the surface hardness of the toilet seat lower surface portion 41b. The surface hardness of the toilet seat hinge portion 42 is preferably a pencil hardness of 2B or less. Furthermore, the surface hardness of the toilet seat hinge portion 42 is preferably a pencil hardness of 3B or more.

The surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface 41a is, for example, the surface hardness at any position that overlaps vertically with the rim 11a of the bowl portion 11 in the closed state. The surface hardness of the toilet seat lower surface 41b is, for example, the surface hardness at a position that overlaps vertically with the position where the surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface 41a was measured in the closed state. The surface hardness of the toilet seat hinge portion 42 is, for example, the surface hardness of the flat portion of the hinge bearing portion into which the output shaft of the toilet seat electric opening and closing unit is fitted.

The manufacturing process for the toilet lid 30 and toilet seat 40 according to the embodiment will be described below.
4(a) to 4(c) are cross-sectional views showing a part of the manufacturing process of the toilet lid according to the embodiment.
As shown in Figures 4(a) to 4(c), the toilet lid 30 is manufactured by molding using molds M1 and M2. Mold M1 is equipped with a heating section H and a cooling section C1. Mold M2 is equipped with a cooling section C2, but does not have a heating section.

In the manufacturing process, as shown in FIG. 4(a), material X, including the crystalline resin described above, is first filled into the space formed by mold M1, heated by heating unit H, and unheated mold M2. At this time, material X is filled into the space formed by mold M1 and mold M2 while heated to a temperature higher than that of mold M1. In other words, material X is filled into the space formed by mold M1, heated to a temperature equal to or higher than minus 70°C below the heat distortion temperature (ISOR 75) and lower than the temperature of the injection cylinder, and unheated mold M2 while heated by the injection cylinder. As a result, material X is gradually cooled on the side in contact with mold M1 and rapidly cooled on the side in contact with mold M2. Next, as shown in FIG. 4(b), mold M1 is cooled by cooling unit C1, and mold M2 is cooled by cooling unit C2, thereby cooling and hardening material X inside mold M1 and mold M2. Next, as shown in Figure 4(c), the toilet lid 30 formed by hardening material X is removed from molds M1 and M2.

In this way, material X, which has been heated to a higher temperature than mold M1, is filled into mold M1 heated by heating unit H, and material X is gradually cooled. Then, mold M1 is further cooled by cooling unit C1 to harden material X, thereby forming the upper surface 31a of the toilet lid 30. This promotes crystallization near the surface of the upper surface 31a of the toilet lid 30, thereby increasing the surface hardness of the upper surface 31a of the toilet lid 30. Furthermore, by providing a heating unit H on mold M1 on the side of the upper surface 31a of the toilet lid and not providing a heating unit on mold M2 on the side of the lower surface 31b of the toilet lid, the surface hardness of the lower surface 31b of the toilet lid can be made less than the surface hardness of the upper surface 31a of the toilet lid.

Hereinafter, this molding method, in which a heating section is provided in at least one of the molds M1 and M2 and material X is gradually cooled and hardened, will be referred to as "heat and cool molding (H&C molding)." In contrast, a molding method, in which neither mold M1 nor M2 has a heating section and material X is rapidly cooled and hardened, will be referred to as "normal molding."

When the toilet lid hinge portion 32 is molded integrally with the toilet lid main body portion 31, for example, no heating portion is provided in the portion of the mold that contacts the hinge bearing portion used to mold the toilet lid hinge portion 32. This allows the surface hardness of the toilet lid hinge portion 32 to be less than the surface hardness of the toilet lid upper surface portion 31a.

While the manufacturing process for the toilet lid 30 is described in Figures 4(a) to 4(c), the toilet seat 40 can also be manufactured using a similar method. The toilet seat 40 can be manufactured, for example, by creating the bottom plate 45 and top plate 46 using the method described above and then joining the bottom plate 45 and top plate 46 with the first joining member 47 and the second joining member 48. By molding the toilet seat top surface 41a of the top plate 46 using a mold M1 equipped with a heating element H and molding the toilet seat bottom surface 41b of the bottom plate 45 using a mold M2 equipped with no heating element, the surface hardness of the toilet seat bottom surface 41b can be made smaller than the surface hardness of the toilet seat top surface 41a.

Alternatively, when molding the top plate 46, heating units can be provided on both mold M1 and mold M2, except for mating locations where high dimensional accuracy is required, and when molding the bottom plate 45, heating units can be not provided on either mold M1 or mold M2, thereby making the surface hardness of the toilet seat underside 41b less than the surface hardness of the toilet seat upper side 41a. In other words, the bottom plate 45 can be molded using "normal molding."

In addition, instead of providing a heating section H on the mold M1, the surface of the mold M1 that forms the molded product may be coated with a heat insulating material. By coating the surface of the mold M1 with a heat insulating material, the cooling rate of the heated and melted material X is slowed down, thereby achieving the same effect as H&C molding.

In addition, instead of providing a heating section H in the mold M1, warm water or pressurized warm water may be run through the cooling section C1. By running warm water or pressurized warm water through the cooling section C1, the temperature of the mold M1 becomes higher than in normal molding, thereby achieving the same effect as H&C molding.

FIG. 5 is a table showing an example of the experimental results.
The surface hardness of each molded article (Experimental Examples 1 to 11) molded using the materials shown in each table in Figure 5 by normal molding, H&C molding, or adiabatic molding is measured and the results are shown in Figure 5. The scratch resistance and dimensional stability of the recesses and hinges of each molded article are also shown in Figure 5. Note that PP Type A used in Experimental Examples 1 and 11, PP Type B used in Experimental Examples 2 to 5, PP Type C used in Experimental Examples 6 and 8 to 10, and PP Type D used in Experimental Example 7 are all polypropylene (PP), but each has a different structure.

In normal molding, the mold temperatures for the top side (cavity side), bottom side (core side), and hinge section are set to the temperatures shown in Figure 5, the heated and melted material is filled into the mold, and the mold is cooled using the cooling section, causing the material to cool and harden inside the mold, resulting in a molded product.

In H&C molding, the mold temperatures for the top, bottom, and hinge sections were set to the temperatures shown in Figure 5, the heated and melted material was filled into the mold and gradually cooled, and the mold was further cooled in the cooling section, thereby cooling and hardening the material inside the mold to obtain a molded product.

For the adiabatic molding, the mold on the top side was coated with an insulating material, and the mold temperatures for the top, bottom, and hinge sections were set to the temperatures shown in Figure 5. The heated and melted material was then filled into the mold and gradually cooled, and the material was cooled and hardened inside the mold to obtain the molded product.

Surface hardness was measured in accordance with JIS K 5600-5-4:1999.

To evaluate scratch resistance, a piece of felt was attached to the tip of a rubbing tester, and toilet paper, which is likely to be used when cleaning toilet lids and seats, was placed on top of it. The surface of the molded product was rubbed back and forth five times, and the scratch resistance of the molded product after the test was evaluated. The molded product was visually inspected after the test for scratch resistance, with scratches on the entire rubbed area rated as "X", scratches on only part of the rubbed area rated as "△", and scratches on the entire rubbed area rated as "○". The load during the test was 3 kg on the top surface and 1 kg on the bottom surface.

The dimensional stability of the recesses and hinges was evaluated by leaving the resulting molded products at room temperature for 48 hours and then measuring the dimensions of the recesses and hinges. Dimensional stability was evaluated as follows: "Good" indicates a tolerance of the medium grade or less as specified in JIS B 0405:1991; "Good" indicates a tolerance greater than the medium grade and less than the middle grade of the coarse grade; and "Poor" indicates a tolerance greater than the middle grade of the coarse grade.

As shown in Figure 5, in Experimental Example 1, where the surface hardness of the upper surface, the surface hardness of the lower surface, and the surface hardness of the hinge were all less than 6B (7B), the dimensional stability of the recesses and hinges was good, but the scratch resistance of the upper surface was poor. Furthermore, in Experimental Example 9, where the surface hardness of the upper surface, the surface hardness of the lower surface, and the surface hardness of the hinge were all F, the scratch resistance was good, but the dimensional stability of the recesses and hinges was poor. In other words, when the surface hardness of the upper surface, the lower surface, and the hinge were the same, it was difficult to achieve both improved scratch resistance and ensure dimensional stability of the recesses and hinges.

In contrast, in Experimental Examples 2 to 8, 10, and 11, in which the surface hardness of the lower surface and the hinge portion was lower than that of the upper surface, scratch resistance was good and the dimensional stability of the recesses and hinge portions was also good. In particular, in Experimental Examples 2 to 4, 6 to 8, and 10, in which the surface hardness of the upper surface was a pencil hardness of B or higher, the scratch resistance of the upper surface was better than in Experimental Examples 1, 5, and 11, in which the surface hardness of the upper surface was a pencil hardness of less than B. Furthermore, in Experimental Examples 2 to 6, 8, and 10, in which the surface hardness of the lower surface and the hinge portion was a pencil hardness of 3B or higher, the scratch resistance of the lower surface was better than in Experimental Examples 1, 7, and 11, in which the surface hardness of the lower surface and the hinge portion was a pencil hardness of less than 3B. Furthermore, in Experimental Examples 2 to 7 and 10, where the surface hardness of the lower surface and hinge portion was a pencil hardness of 2B or less, the dimensional stability of the recesses and hinge portions was better than in Experimental Examples 8 and 9, where the surface hardness of the lower surface and hinge portion was a pencil hardness of more than 2B. In other words, it was suggested that by setting the surface hardness of the upper surface to a pencil hardness of B or more and the surface hardness of the lower surface and hinge portion to a pencil hardness of 3B or more and 2B or less, it is possible to achieve a better balance between scratch resistance and dimensional stability of the recesses and hinge portions.

Furthermore, the results of Experimental Examples 4 and 11 suggest that adding an inorganic filler such as glass fiber increases the surface hardness compared to when no inorganic filler is added.

Toilet lids and toilet seats based on the above-described embodiments may take the following forms, for example:

The first aspect is a toilet lid that is attached to a toilet bowl so that it can be opened and closed. The toilet lid contains a crystalline resin and comprises a toilet lid main body that is located above the bowl of the toilet bowl when closed, a toilet lid hinge that is located behind the toilet lid main body when closed and allows the toilet lid main body to rotate, and a toilet lid cushion member that is attached to the toilet lid main body. The toilet lid main body has a toilet lid upper surface that is exposed upward when closed and a toilet lid lower surface that is exposed downward when closed, the toilet lid lower surface has a toilet lid recess to which the toilet lid cushion member is attached, and the surface hardness of the toilet lid lower surface is less than the surface hardness of the toilet lid upper surface.

The underside of the toilet lid is often wiped with the lid in the open position. When wiping with the lid in the open position, the user is less likely to apply strong force. Therefore, the surface of the underside of the toilet lid is less likely to be scratched when wiping. On the other hand, the upper surface of the toilet lid is often wiped with the lid closed. When wiping with the lid closed, the user is more likely to apply strong force due to their body weight, etc. Therefore, the upper surface of the toilet lid is more likely to be scratched when wiping than the lower surface of the toilet lid. In contrast, according to the first aspect, by relatively increasing the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet lid, scratches on the easily scratched upper surface of the toilet lid can be reduced by wiping, etc. On the other hand, because the underside of the toilet lid is less likely to be scratched than the upper surface of the toilet lid, scratches on the surface of the toilet lid can be reduced even if the surface hardness is relatively low. Furthermore, according to the first aspect, the surface hardness of the underside of the toilet lid can be made relatively low, which allows the mold temperature to be relatively low when hardening the resin when molding the underside of the toilet lid. This reduces dimensional changes over time due to increased shrinkage in the underside of the toilet lid, improving dimensional accuracy. Therefore, the toilet lid recess can be formed in the desired shape on the underside of the toilet lid, and the toilet lid cushion member can be properly attached to the toilet lid recess.

The second aspect is a toilet lid according to the first aspect, characterized in that the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet lid is pencil hardness B or higher, and the surface hardness of the lower surface of the toilet lid is pencil hardness 2B or lower.

According to the second aspect, by setting the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet lid to a pencil hardness of B or higher, scratches on the surface of the upper surface of the toilet lid caused by wiping or other actions can be more reliably prevented. Furthermore, by setting the surface hardness of the lower surface of the toilet lid to a pencil hardness of 2B or less, the dimensional accuracy of the lower surface of the toilet lid can be more reliably improved.

The third aspect is a toilet lid according to the second aspect, characterized in that the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet lid is a pencil hardness of F or less.

According to the third aspect, by setting the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet lid to a pencil hardness of F or less, it is possible to manufacture toilet lids more easily while preventing scratches on the surface of the upper surface of the toilet lid. For example, by combining known techniques such as adding glass fiber and H&C molding with PP, which is widely used as a toilet lid material due to its low cost, it is possible to manufacture toilet lids with upper surfaces that have sufficient hardness at low cost.

The fourth aspect is a toilet lid according to the second or third aspect, characterized in that the surface hardness of the underside of the toilet lid is 3B or higher on the pencil hardness scale.

According to the fourth aspect, by setting the surface hardness of the underside of the toilet lid to a pencil hardness of 3B or higher, scratches on the surface of the underside of the toilet lid caused by wiping or other actions can be more reliably prevented.

A fifth aspect is a toilet lid according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, characterized in that the toilet lid hinge portion contains a crystalline resin and the surface hardness of the toilet lid hinge portion is less than the surface hardness of the toilet lid upper surface portion.

According to the fifth aspect, the surface hardness of the toilet lid hinge portion is made smaller than the surface hardness of the toilet lid top surface, thereby improving the dimensional accuracy of the toilet lid hinge portion. This allows the output shaft of the electric toilet lid opening/closing unit for opening and closing the toilet lid to be properly fitted into the toilet lid hinge portion.

The sixth aspect is a toilet seat that can be opened and closed relative to a toilet bowl, the toilet seat comprising a crystalline resin and a toilet seat main body that is positioned above the bowl of the toilet bowl in the closed state, a toilet seat hinge that is located behind the toilet seat main body in the closed state and allows the toilet seat main body to rotate, and a toilet lid cushion member that is attached to the toilet seat main body, the toilet seat main body having an upper surface that is exposed upward in the closed state and a lower surface that is exposed downward in the closed state, the lower surface of the toilet seat having a toilet seat recess to which the toilet seat cushion member is attached, and the surface hardness of the lower surface of the toilet seat is lower than the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet seat.

The underside of a toilet seat is often wiped with the seat in the open position. When wiping with the seat in the open position, the user is less likely to apply strong force. As a result, the surface of the underside of the toilet seat is less likely to be scratched when wiping. On the other hand, the upper surface of a toilet seat is often wiped with the seat closed. When wiping with the seat closed, the user is more likely to apply strong force due to their body weight, etc. As a result, the upper surface of the toilet seat is more likely to be scratched when wiping than the underside of the toilet seat. In contrast, according to the sixth aspect, by relatively increasing the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet seat, scratches on the upper surface of the toilet seat, which is more likely to be scratched when wiping, can be reduced. On the other hand, the surface of the underside of the toilet seat is less likely to be scratched when wiping, etc., because the surface of the seat is less likely to be scratched when wiping, etc. Furthermore, according to the sixth aspect, the surface hardness of the toilet seat underside can be made relatively low, which allows the mold temperature to be relatively low when hardening the resin during molding of the toilet seat underside. This reduces dimensional changes over time due to increased shrinkage in the toilet seat underside, improving dimensional accuracy. Therefore, the toilet seat recess can be formed in the desired shape on the toilet seat underside, and the toilet seat cushion member can be properly attached to the toilet seat recess.

The seventh aspect is a toilet seat according to the sixth aspect, characterized in that the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet seat is pencil hardness B or higher, and the surface hardness of the lower surface of the toilet seat is pencil hardness 2B or lower.

According to the seventh aspect, by setting the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet seat to a pencil hardness of B or higher, scratches on the surface of the upper surface of the toilet seat caused by wiping or other actions can be more reliably prevented. Furthermore, by setting the surface hardness of the lower surface of the toilet seat to a pencil hardness of 2B or less, the dimensional accuracy of the lower surface of the toilet seat can be more reliably improved.

The eighth aspect is a toilet seat according to the seventh aspect, characterized in that the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet seat is a pencil hardness of F or less.

According to the eighth aspect, by setting the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet seat to a pencil hardness of F or less, the upper surface of the toilet seat can be manufactured more easily while preventing scratches on the surface. For example, by using PP, which is widely used as a toilet seat material due to its low cost, as a base material, and combining it with well-known techniques such as the addition of glass fiber and H&C molding, it is possible to manufacture a toilet seat with an upper surface that has sufficient hardness at low cost.

A ninth aspect is a toilet seat according to the seventh or eighth aspect, characterized in that the surface hardness of the underside of the toilet seat is 3B or higher on the pencil hardness scale.

According to the ninth aspect, by setting the surface hardness of the underside of the toilet seat to a pencil hardness of 3B or higher, scratches on the surface of the underside of the toilet seat caused by wiping or other cleaning can be more reliably prevented.

A tenth aspect is a toilet seat according to any one of the sixth to ninth aspects, characterized in that the toilet seat hinge portion contains a crystalline resin, and the surface hardness of the toilet seat hinge portion is less than the surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface portion.

According to the tenth aspect, the surface hardness of the toilet seat hinge portion is made smaller than the surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface, thereby improving the dimensional accuracy of the toilet seat hinge portion. This allows the output shaft of the electric toilet seat opening/closing unit for opening and closing the toilet seat to be properly fitted into the toilet seat hinge portion.

As described above, the embodiments provide a toilet lid and toilet seat that can improve the dimensional accuracy of the underside while preventing scratches on the surface caused by wiping, etc.

The above describes the embodiments of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Design modifications made by a person skilled in the art to the above-described embodiments are also included within the scope of the present invention as long as they incorporate the features of the present invention. For example, the shape, dimensions, materials, arrangement, installation form, etc. of each element of the toilet lid, toilet seat, etc. are not limited to those exemplified and can be modified as appropriate.
Furthermore, the elements of each of the above-described 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.

10 Toilet bowl, 11 Bowl portion, 11a Rim, 11h Opening, 20 Casing, 30 Toilet lid, 31 Toilet lid main body portion, 31a Toilet lid upper surface portion, 31b Toilet lid lower surface portion, 31c Toilet lid recess portion, 32 Toilet lid hinge portion, 33 Toilet lid cushion member, 40 Toilet seat, 41 Toilet seat main body portion, 41a Toilet seat upper surface portion, 41b Toilet seat lower surface portion, 41c Toilet seat recess portion, 41h Opening, 42 Toilet seat hinge portion, 43 Toilet seat cushion member, 45 Bottom plate, 46 Top plate, 46a-46c First to third portions, 47, 48 First and second joining members, 100 Toilet device, C1, C2 Cooling portion, H Heating portion, M1, M2 mold, X material

Claims (10)

A toilet lid that can be opened and closed relative to a toilet bowl,
a toilet lid body portion containing a crystalline resin and positioned above the bowl portion of the toilet in a closed state;
a toilet lid hinge portion provided at the rear of the toilet lid main body portion in a closed state for pivoting the toilet lid main body portion;
a toilet lid cushion member attached to the toilet lid main body;
Equipped with
The toilet lid main body is formed of a single member and has a toilet lid upper surface that is exposed upward in the closed state and a toilet lid lower surface that is exposed downward in the closed state,
The toilet lid underside is provided with a toilet lid recess to which the toilet lid cushion member is attached,
A toilet lid characterized in that the surface hardness of the lower surface of the toilet lid is lower than the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet lid. The surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet lid is B or higher in pencil hardness,
2. The toilet lid according to claim 1, wherein the surface hardness of the underside of the toilet lid is 2B or less in pencil hardness. The toilet lid according to claim 2, characterized in that the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet lid is a pencil hardness of F or less. A toilet lid as described in claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the surface hardness of the underside of the toilet lid is 3B or higher on the pencil hardness scale. The toilet lid hinge portion contains a crystalline resin,
The toilet lid according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the surface hardness of the toilet lid hinge portion is less than the surface hardness of the toilet lid upper surface portion. A toilet seat that can be opened and closed relative to a toilet bowl,
a toilet seat body portion containing a crystalline resin, positioned above the bowl portion of the toilet in a closed state , and having an upper plate and a bottom plate ;
a toilet seat hinge portion provided at the rear of the toilet seat main body in a closed state for pivoting the toilet seat main body;
a toilet seat cushion member attached to the toilet seat main body;
Equipped with
The upper plate is formed of a single member,
The upper plate has a toilet seat upper surface portion that is exposed upward in a closed state,
The bottom plate has a toilet seat lower surface portion that is exposed downward in a closed state,
The toilet seat underside is provided with a toilet seat recess to which the toilet seat cushion member is attached,
A toilet seat characterized in that the surface hardness of the lower surface of the toilet seat is lower than the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet seat. The surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet seat is B or higher in pencil hardness,
7. The toilet seat according to claim 6, wherein the surface hardness of the lower surface of the toilet seat is equal to or less than 2B in pencil hardness. The toilet seat according to claim 7, characterized in that the surface hardness of the upper surface of the toilet seat is a pencil hardness of F or less. A toilet seat as described in claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the surface hardness of the underside of the toilet seat is 3B or higher on the pencil hardness scale. the toilet seat hinge portion contains a crystalline resin,
10. The toilet seat according to claim 6, wherein the surface hardness of the toilet seat hinge portion is less than the surface hardness of the toilet seat upper surface portion.