Abstract: A washing water supply apparatus 1 for supplying washing water to a toilet has valve members A and B opening/closing an opening leading to the toilet from a washing water source, cam members 8 and 9 opening/closing the valve members A and B directly, and a driving source 2 driving the cam members 8 and 9 rotatably. By opening/closing the above-mentioned opening of each of valve members A and B gradually corresponding to cam face shapes of the cam members 8 and 9, generation of water hammer phenomenon is prevented.

Abstract: A moisture control construction material is enhanced in decorativeness and improved in stain-resistance by glazing the surfaces thereof. The material is prepared by mixing soil material and clay, molding the mixture to a body, applying glate on the body and firing the body. The body may be performed biscuit firing before glazing. The moisture-absorbing-and-desorbing-performance thereof in each 8-hour cycle is more than 80 g/m2. The body has prosity of 20-25%. More than 40% of pores of the body have a radius of less than 0.1 &mgr;m.

Abstract: One hundred volt AC power is conducted from a plug to a heater of a water tank through 100V lines. The 100V lines are provided with an electricity supply controlling element. Direct current 5V is conducted from the 100V lines to a microcomputer 15 through a power-supply circuit formed with a transformer, a rectifier circuit and the like. The electricity supply controlling element receives a control signal through the signal line to keep the water temperature in the water tank at a predetermined temperature. The signal line is provided with a tipover switch and a float switch on the way thereof, thereby securely stopping the operation of the electricity supply controlling element when the water tank is tilted or turned over. The tipover switch is one with a smaller capacity, thereby reducing its cost.

Abstract: A porous sintered body in which the leaching amounts of heavy metals are small and having high availability contains 0.5-15 weight % of B2O3, preferably contains 20-60 weight % of Al2O3, 18-60 weight % of SiO2, 1-12 weight % of the sum of Na2O, K2O, Li2O, and P2O5, 1-30 weight % of the sum of CaO, SrO, BaO, and MgO, and 0.5-15 weight % of B2O3.

Abstract: A formed building material is provided of which front surface is allowed to be glazed, thereby improving its decorative property and improving its soil resistance and which has hazardous substance adsorbing function. This formed building material is produced by baking, a glaze is applied to a front surface of a main body of the formed building material, and the specific surface area of the main body is 10 m2/g or more. The main body has porosity of 20-50%, and more than 40% of pores of the main body have a radius of less than 0.1 &mgr;m. The glaze forms a glass layer on 90% or less of the entire surface area of the main body and/or the maximum thickness of the glass layer formed by the glaze is 300 &mgr;m or less. The formed building material is attached to a lower portion of a wall and/or a floor of a room.

Abstract: A washing water supply apparatus 1 for supplying washing water to a toilet has valve members A and B opening/closing an opening leading to the toilet from a washing water source, a cam members 8 and 9 opening/closing the valve members A and B directly, and a driving source 2 driving the cam members 8 and 9 rotatably. By opening/closing the above-mentioned opening of each of valve members A and B gradually corresponding to cam face shapes of the cam members 8 and 9, generation of water hammer phenomenon is prevented.

Abstract: In a hot and cold water mixing device, the slope in a medium-temperature range is gently, and the slopes in a low-temperature range and a high-temperature range are steep. When the target temperature of water mixture is set in the medium-temperature range, a combined biasing force of serially-arranged bias springs acts on a main shaft leftwards, a biasing force of a temperature-sensitive spring acts on the main shaft rightwards, and these biasing forces balance with each other so that the main shaft and valve elements are stopped. When a handle is turned to enter into the high-temperature range exceeding, e.g. 50° C., a slide shaft biases the main shaft leftwards only with the second bias spring. When the handle is turned to enter into the low-temperature range, e.g. below 30° C., the slide shaft biases the main shaft only with the first bias spring leftwards.

Abstract: A connecting clip for a toilet seat, including a nut and an operating member mounted thereon. The nut includes a plurality of semicylinders that are connected to each other, and which have inner peripheral surfaces that together define a female screw portion, whereby the nut can be screwed onto a bolt. The nut further includes engaging members provided at one longitudinal end thereof to connect the plurality of semicylinders together, the opposite longitudinal end including a connecting portion, such as a hinge member. The operating member engages the nut and is movable between first and second positions, wherein in the first position the semicylinders are compressed such that the nut is adapted to threadingly engage the bolt on which it is to be mounted. In the second position of the operating member, the semicylinders are allowed to spread apart from one another such that the nut no longer threadingly engages the bolt. In this position, the nut may be moved axially along the bolt.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting seated condition for toilet seat which detects whether the change in input voltage of determining circuit, over predetermined time, in response to electrostatic capacity is existed or not. When the change is existed, the present apparatus computes and renews the set value 1 for detecting un-seated condition and the set value 2 for detecting seated condition based on the changed input potential.Accordingly, the present apparatus is the apparatus for detecting whether a human is seated or un-seated on a toilet seat using electrostatic capacity and the present invention can reduce the error in detection caused by the change in electrostatic capacity owing to a person, temperature and humidity.

Abstract: A green body of a vessel-shaped piece of sanitary ware made by slip casting, such as a washbasin, is demolded by a robot having an arm provided at its free end with a suction pad which is brought into contact with the outer surface of the bottom of the green body to hold it by suction. The green body is, then, rotated or otherwise moved for finishing by a stationary device, while it is held by the robot. The robot enables the automatic demolding and finishing of the green body.

Abstract: A green body molded in a pressurized slip casting machine is loaded onto a pallet and sent to a conveyor. An image of the green body is picked up from above by a CCD camera, and whether the green body is a rectangular tank or a triangular tank is distinguished. When the green body is a rectangular tank holes are made in it by a first holemaking device, and when the green body is a triangular tank holes are made in it by a second holemaking device. After that, water removal, shape correction, deburring and the like are carried out automatically.

Abstract: An automatic toilet flushing system which detects when a user sits on the toilet for use and, instead of operating a flush handle for flushing, performs flushing in association with the user's action of standing up to leave the toilet. A forced flushing sensor is also provided so that water can be flowed for flushing through deliberate action of the user.

Abstract: An artificial marble sheet is formed of a pair of carrier films, an SMC layer and a resin concrete layer which has plasticity but does not contain glass fibers laminated between the carrier films. A method of manufacturing the artificial marble sheet as defined above which includes forming a resin concrete layer which has plasticity but does not contain glass fiber on a first carrier film, forming an SMC layer on a second carrier film and bringing the resin concrete layer and the SMC layer into an intimate contact to each other. Carrier films are removed from the artificial marble sheet and press molding is applied under heating such that the resin concrete layer is located on the side of the surface of the product.

Abstract: A toilet seat box device to be mounted on the rear part of the top of a toilet contains a nozzle for spraying washing water onto the buttocks of the person using the toilet and a water flow adjustment valve for adjusting the flow of water supplied to the nozzle. The toilet box device has a projecting part on one side which projects toward the front of the toilet. A washing strength dial for operating the water flow adjustment valve is located on the side of the projecting part, and an axle rotated by the dial is mechanically connected to the water flow adjustment valve by gears.

Abstract: A method of applying porous building plates includes applying plate-like porous building plates having pores on the surfaces and then jointing them by means of a coated joint method. In the method, the pores on the surfaces of the porous building plates are packed with an acid soluble substance and then the plates are joined by means of a coated joint method. Subsequently, the surfaces of the porous building plates are washed with an acid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sewage treatment apparatus formed of an aeration chamber; and a settling chamber, into which aerated water is introduced from the aeration chamber for sedimentation of sludges. In this apparatus, the settling chamber is disposed upwardly of the aeration chamber. A bottom portion of the settling chamber serves as a hopper unit having a surface tapered downwards to an opening for discharging the sludges. A washing water supply unit for flowing out the washing water for washing away the deposited sludges is provided towards the hopper unit.

Abstract: A filter of a water purifying apparatus main body which is housed in a sink is made as a positive electrode, and a DC voltage is applied, by a dry battery cell, between the filter and a negative electrode in a purified water passage. Thus, microbes are prevented from proliferating in tap water which remains in the water purifying apparatus main body. A discharge pipe of the water faucet used exclusively for purified water is made as a negative electrode, and a DC voltage is applied, by the dry battery cell, between the positive electrode in the outlet of a cartridge and the discharge pipe. Thus, microbes are prevented from proliferating in tap water which remains in the water faucet used exclusively for purified water.

Abstract: A urinal having a smell release function, comprising: a bowl unit including a drain trap provided at the bottom thereof; a urinal shell unit for surrounding the bowl unit with an air space being interposed between the bowl unit and the shell unit itself; and smell inlets through which the air space communicates with at least one of an interior of the bowl unit and a lower external surface of the urinal. In this urinal the air space communicates with a secondary side of the drain trap, and a fan for blowing the air within the air space towards the secondary side of the drain trap is provided in the vicinity of the drain trap.