JP7821620B2 - Toilet equipment - Google Patents

Description

This disclosure relates to a toilet device.

Conventionally, toilet devices equipped with a capacitance-type seating sensor on the toilet seat are known (see, for example, Patent Document 1). The toilet device described in Patent Document 1 detects seating by correcting capacitance based on the power supplied to the heater.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2020-185130

Toilet devices equipped with capacitance-type seating sensors may not be able to accurately detect when a user is seated due to variations in capacitance values caused by differences in the product and external environment.

The present disclosure aims to provide a toilet device equipped with a capacitance-type seating sensor that can accurately detect when a user is seated.

The present disclosure relates to a toilet device that includes a toilet seat, a capacitance-type seating sensor, and a correction control unit that corrects a reference value that serves as a basis for the detection value of the seating sensor when no one is seated on the toilet seat.

1 is a perspective view showing a toilet device according to an embodiment; FIG. 4 is a block diagram relating to correction control of a detection value of a seating sensor. 10 is a graph showing a detection value of a seat sensor when a user is seated. 10 is a graph showing a case where correction control of the reference capacitance value is performed by a correction control unit.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the toilet device 1 of this embodiment comprises a toilet bowl 2, a toilet seat 3, a toilet lid 4, a seating sensor 5, and a functional unit 6. The toilet seat 3 and the toilet lid 4 are attached above the toilet bowl 2 so as to be rotatable relative to the toilet bowl 2.

The seat sensor 5 is built into the toilet seat 3. The seat sensor 5 is electrically connected to the control unit 61 mounted on the functional unit 6. The seat sensor 5 is composed of a capacitance sensor that detects the capacitance value when a user sits on the toilet seat 3. The seat sensor 5 outputs the detected capacitance value Cr (detected value) of the capacitance to the control unit 61.

The functional unit 6 is located at the rear of the toilet bowl 2. As shown in Figure 1, the functional unit 6 includes a control unit 61. The control unit 61 receives the capacitance detection value Cr output from the seating sensor 5. The capacitance detection value Cr output by the seating sensor 5 is constantly sampled while the toilet device 1 is operating.

As shown in Figure 2, the control unit 61 has a seating detection unit 611 and a correction control unit 612.

As shown in Figure 3, the seating detection unit 611 detects that a user is seated on the toilet seat 3 when the capacitance change value Cd, which is the difference between the capacitance detection value Cr and the reference capacitance value Cb output from the seating sensor 5, is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. The graph shown in Figure 3 shows a case where a user sits at timing T1 and leaves the seat at timing T2. The seating detection unit 611 detects that a user is not seated on the toilet seat 3 when the capacitance change value Cd, which is the difference between the capacitance detection value Cr and the reference capacitance value Cb output from the seating sensor 5, is equal to or less than a predetermined value. For example, a time when a user is not seated on the toilet seat 3 is when the toilet lid 4 is closed.

The reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 is the value when the seat sensor 5 is not detecting anything and no one is seated on the toilet seat 3. The reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 is a reference value that serves as the basis for the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5. The detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5 is constantly sampled and is the value at the time of sampling. If the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5 falls outside the normal range R, an error occurs. The capacitance change value Cd is the value obtained by subtracting the reference capacitance value Cb from the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5.

In this embodiment, for example, the reference capacitance value Cb of the seat occupancy sensor 5, the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat occupancy sensor 5, and the capacitance change value Cd are each count values when the maximum value of the capacitance detection range of the seat occupancy sensor 5 is the maximum count value Cp.

For example, as shown in Figure 3, the seating detection unit 611 detects that a user is sitting on the toilet seat 3 when the capacitance change value Cd is in the range of Cd1 or greater, and detects that no person is sitting on the toilet seat 3 when the capacitance change value Cd is in the range of Cd2 or less.

When the reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 falls outside a predetermined normal range R, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb, which serves as the basis for the detected capacitance value Cr of the capacitance of the seat sensor 5. The normal range R is set, for example, to a predetermined range on the negative and positive sides of the target value of the reference capacitance value Cb, ranging from a lower limit value R1 to an upper limit value R2. The correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 when no one is seated on the toilet seat 3.

Specifically, when the reference capacitance value Cb1 falls outside the predetermined normal range R, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb2 to an adjustment value Rc closer to the center of the normal range R by lowering the count value multiple times in increments of the predetermined correction unit value Δc, as shown in Figure 4. The adjustment value Rc closer to the center of the normal range R does not need to be exactly in the center of the normal range R, but is a value within the normal range R that is closer to the center of the normal range R and has a range.

Conventionally, when the reference capacitance value Cb1 falls outside the specified normal range R, the count value is lowered multiple times in increments of the specified correction unit value Δc, and correction is terminated when the reference capacitance value Cb2 approaches the upper limit value R2 at which it enters the normal range R. As a result, an error occurs when the reference capacitance value Cb2 falls outside the specified normal range R immediately after correction. In contrast, in the present disclosure, the count value is lowered multiple times in increments of the specified correction unit value Δc, and the reference capacitance value Cb2 is corrected to an adjustment value Rc that is closer to the center of the normal range R. This makes it possible to prevent the reference capacitance value Cb1 from falling outside the specified normal range R immediately after correction, resulting in an error, compared to conventional methods of adjusting the reference capacitance value Cb to be near the upper limit value R2 of the normal range R.

The timing for performing corrections by the correction control unit 612 before the toilet device 1 is installed can include, for example, when the toilet device 1 is turned on, when the toilet device 1 is inspected for shipment at the factory, and when the toilet device 1 is installed.

Furthermore, after the toilet device 1 is installed, the timing at which the correction control unit 612 performs a correction can be, for example, timing based on time or time of day. For example, timing based on time or time of day can be when a predetermined amount of time has passed since the person left the seat, at a preset time in the middle of the night or in the morning, or at predetermined intervals. When performing a correction based on time or time of day, the correction control unit 612 can execute control to automatically perform the correction.

By setting the timing for correction by the correction control unit 612 to coincide with when the toilet device 1 is turned on, it is possible to adjust the capacitance value each time, even if the surrounding environment changes, for example.

By setting the timing for correction by the correction control unit 612 to coincide with the timing of the shipping inspection of the toilet device 1, it is possible to automatically adjust the timing during the shipping inspection process, for example.

If the timing for correction by the correction control unit 612 is set to the timing when the toilet device 1 is installed, the installer of the toilet device 1 can perform the correction by operating the remote control. Here, for example, even if the capacitance value changes due to changes in the surrounding environment, the installer can adjust it each time. For example, there is no need to turn off the power to the toilet device 1 before setting it up. This saves time required for setup and makes it easy to correct (adjust) the capacitance value.

When the timing of correction by the correction control unit 612 is based on time or time-of-day, it is possible to adjust the timing each time, even if the capacitance value changes due to changes in the surrounding environment, for example. When correction is performed automatically by the correction control unit 612, no manual correction operation is required, and therefore there is no need to include an explanation of correction control in the instruction manual or installation manual.

The toilet device 1 of this embodiment described above provides the following advantages:

The toilet device 1 of this embodiment includes a toilet seat 3, a capacitance-type seat sensor 5, and a correction control unit 612 that corrects the reference capacitance value Cb that serves as the basis for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5 when no one is seated on the toilet seat 3. This makes it possible to correct the reference capacitance value Cb that serves as the basis for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5 when no one is seated on the toilet seat 3. This prevents the reference capacitance value Cb of the seat sensor 5 from falling outside the specified normal range R and causing an error, allowing for accurate detection of a user sitting.

In this embodiment, the correction control unit 612 automatically corrects the reference capacitance value Cb, which serves as the basis for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5. This eliminates the need for manual correction operations, making it easy to correct the reference capacitance value Cb, which serves as the basis for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5.

In this embodiment, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb, which serves as the basis for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat occupancy sensor 5, at timing based on time or time of day. This allows the reference capacitance value Cb, which serves as the basis for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat occupancy sensor 5, to be corrected periodically. Therefore, it is possible to accurately detect whether the user is seated at any time.

In this embodiment, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb, which serves as the basis for the detection capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5, at least at the timing when the toilet device 1 is powered on, when the toilet device 1 is inspected, or when the toilet device 1 is installed. As a result, even if the surrounding environment changes and the capacitance value changes, correcting the reference capacitance value Cb, which serves as the basis for the detection capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5, makes it possible to accurately detect whether the user is sitting.

In this embodiment, the correction control unit 612 corrects the reference capacitance value Cb, which is the basis for the detected capacitance value Cr of the seat sensor 5, to an adjustment value Rc that is closer to the center of the normal range R of the reference capacitance value Cb. Compared to conventional methods of adjusting the reference capacitance value Cb to be near the upper limit value R2 of the normal range R, this method can prevent the reference capacitance value Cb from immediately falling outside the specified normal range R after correction, resulting in an error.

The above describes preferred embodiments of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to the above-described embodiments and can be modified as appropriate.

In the above embodiment, timings at which the correction control unit 612 performs a correction, prior to installation of the toilet device 1, include, for example, when the toilet device 1 is powered on, when the toilet device 1 is inspected for delivery at the factory, and when the toilet device 1 is installed. After installation of the toilet device 1, timings at which the correction control unit 612 performs a correction include, for example, timings based on time or time of day. However, the timing at which the correction control unit 612 performs a correction is not limited to one of these timings. Whether or not the correction control unit 612 performs a correction may be determined based on a combination of one or more of these timings and the timing at which the toilet lid 4 is closed (the user is not seated on the toilet seat 3).

1. Toilet device, 3. Toilet seat, 4. Toilet lid, 5. Sitting sensor, 612. Correction control unit

Claims (5)

Toilet seat and
A capacitance type seating sensor;
a correction control unit that corrects the reference value that is the basis for the detection value of the seat sensor when the reference value that is the basis for the detection value of the seat sensor falls outside a predetermined normal range when no one is seated on the toilet seat ,
The correction control unit adjusts the reference value, which is the basis for the detection value of the seat sensor, toward the normal range of the reference value multiple times in increments of a predetermined correction unit value, and corrects the adjustment value so that it is closer to the center of the normal range of the reference value . The toilet device of claim 1, wherein the correction control unit automatically corrects the reference value that serves as the basis for the detection value of the seating sensor. The toilet device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the correction control unit corrects the reference value that is the basis for the detection value of the seat sensor at least one of the following timings: a predetermined time has elapsed since the person left the seat; a predetermined time in the middle of the night or in the morning; and every predetermined time . A toilet device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the correction control unit corrects a reference value that serves as a basis for the detection value of the seating sensor at least one of the following times: when the toilet device is powered on, when the toilet device is inspected, and when the toilet device is installed. A toilet device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the correction control unit corrects the reference value that serves as the basis for the detection value of the seating sensor when the toilet lid is closed.