Sanitary device

Abstract

The deodorization device of a sanitary device includes a case fixed to a rear portion of a toilet bowl, and a passage having a inlet hole and an outlet hole disposed in the case, a deodorant located in the inlet hole side in the passage, an electric fan located in the outlet hole side in the passage to face the outlet hole. When the electric fan is operated, the unpleasant odor gas is absorbed from the inlet hole and is removed the unpleasant odor by the deodorant. The odor free gas is discharged from the outlet hole.

Description

[0001] This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 with respect to Japanese Patent Application No. 2002-137298 filed on May 13, 2002, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a sanitary device. More especially, the present invention pertains to a deodorization device of a sanitary device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Generally, a sanitary device for washing an anus and/or the private parts comprises a deodorization device for removing an unpleasant odor produced from bodily wastes. A known deodorization device of the sanitary device is provided with a case fixed at a rear part of a toilet bowl. The case includes a passage having an inlet hole and outlet hole, a deodorant located in the inlet hole side in the passage, and an electric fan located in the outlet hole side in the passage. The passage is usually formed into an L-shape or crank shape. When the electric fan is operated, the unpleasant odor gas is absorbed from the inlet hole and is removed by the deodorant, and then the odor free gas is discharged from the outlet hole. The electric fan is disposed in a vertical direction in the case. The outlet hole is formed in the bottom of the case. The odor free gas is delivered by the electric fan and is discharged from the outlet hole through the L-shaped or crank shaped passage.

[0004] However, because the passage for sending the odor free gas to an outside is L-shaped or crank shaped, the odor free gas collides with a corner of the Passage. This causes a turbulent flow of the odor free gas. This results in reducing the efficiency of the electric fan.

SUMARRY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a deodorization device of a sanitary device which avoids the above described problems.

[0006] According to an aspect of the invention the deodorization device of the sanitary device comprises a case fixed at a rear part of a toilet bowl. The case includes a passage having an inlet hole and an outlet hole, a deodorant located in the inlet hole side in the passage, and an electric fan located in the outlet hole side in the passage to face the outlet hole. When the electric fan is operated, the unpleasant odor gas is sucked from the inlet hole and is removed by the deodorant. The odor free gas is discharged from the outlet hole.

BRIEF DISCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sanitary device seen from one side, according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0008] FIG. 2 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 1 but seen from the other side;

[0009] FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a control mechanism of the sanitary device of FIG. 1;

[0010] FIG. 4 is a perspective view seen from one side showing an inside of the case of the sanitary device of FIG, 1;

[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view seen from the other side showing the inside of the case of the sanitary device of FIG. 1;

[0012] FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a hose of the sanitary device supported by the case;

[0013] FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing a cross section of main parts of deodorization device of the sanitary device; and

[0014] FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing an electric fan disposed in the deodorization device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] An embodiment of a sanitary device according to the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 8.

[0016] A sanitary device 10 provided with a case 14 fixed at an upper portion of a rear side of a toilet bowl 12. The case 14 has a first control mechanism 20, a second control mechanism 30, an electro magnetic valve 40, a hot water tank 50 for keeping the hot water heated by a heater 52 and a nozzle mechanism 60.

[0017] The electromagnetic valve 40 is placed inside the case 14 and is positioned at one side thereof (left side as viewed in FIG. 5). The valve 40 is connected with a water supply source 70 through a hose 42 and also is connected with the hot water tank 50 through a hose 44. When the electromagnetic valve 40 is opened by an operation of the first control mechanism, the hot water in the hot water tank 50 is supplied to a nozzle 62 for washing buttocks (a nozzle 64 for washing pubic part as a bidet) through a switching valve 66. The nozzle for washing buttocks (the nozzle for washing pubic part as a bidet) is extended into the toilet bowl 12. The hot water sprayed form the nozzle 62 (nozzle 64) to the buttocks (pubic part) of the use. Depending on an operation of the switching valve 66, the hot water is supplied to either the nozzle 62 or the nozzle 64.

[0018] The hot water tank 50 is disposed at the other side of the inside of the case 14. The hot water in the hot water tank 50 is heated by the heater 52. A temperature of the water is always detected by a temperature sensor 54. The temperature signal detected by the sensor 54 is sent to a CPU 32 of the second control mechanism 30. When the water temperature reaches a predetermined temperature, the CPU 32 turns a triac 34 ON. When the triac 34 is ON, the heater 52 is conducted through an electric power source 90 to keep the water to the predetermined temperature.

[0019] As described above, the hot water tank 50 is fluidically connected to the water supply source 70 through the hose 44, the electro magnetic valve 40 and the hose 42. A pipe 72 is disposed between the water supply source 70 and the hose 42. One end of the pipe 72 is connected to the water supply source 70, and the other end of the pipe 72 is connected to one end 42a of the hose 42 in orthogonal manner. The hose 42 supplies water from the water supply source to the hot water tank 50. In other wards, the hose 42 serves as a water supply source for the hot water tank 50. As shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the pipe 72 and the end 42a of the hose 42 is placed at a left side of the case 14.

[0020] As illustrated in FIG. 4, a drain port 100 is formed at the right side of the hot water tank 50. The drain port 100 is connected with an end of an inverse L-shaped drain pipe 110 provided with a valve (not shown). The other end of the drain pipe 110 is extended form a bottom wall of the case 14 to the a floor and is positioned in a predetermined height from the floor in order to place in a bucket at a bottom of the other end of the drain pipe 110 (not shown). After the bucket placed under the other end of the drain pipe 110, water inside the hot water tank 50 is discharged by opening the valve. The other end of the drain pipe 110 is placed at the right side of the case 14 and the case 14 is placed at the opposite side of the pipe 72 for supplying water. Thus, the water is discharged smoothly without interferences between the bucket and the pipe 72 for supplying water and an electric wire. (not shown)

[0021] The hot water tank 50 is formed by two parts, a part 50 A and a part 50B. The part 50A of the hot water tank 50 is provided with an opening flange 50X and also the other part 50B of the hot water tank 50 is provided with an opening flange 50Y. These flanges are integrated by welding respective opening flanges 50X and 50Y. The surface enclosed by the connected opening flanges 50X and 50 Y is extended in a vertical direction relative to the case. The parts of 50A, 50B forming the hot water tank 50 is formed by molding. Thus, when an entire shape of the opening flange 50X (50Y) is viewed from a front direction of the water tank 50, the enclosed area of the opening flange 50X (50Y) becomes the largest. Accordingly if the outer shape of the front portion 50A (the rear portion 50B) of the hot water tank 50 is fitted to an inner shape of the case 14 and shapes of the other components in the case 14, a dead-space between the outer shape of the front portion 50 A (the rear portion 50 B) and the inner shape of the case 14 can be reduced.

[0022] The CPU 32 of the second control device 30, a triac 34 and other components, such as an electric device 36 are fixed on a board 38 housed in a board case 80. The triac 34 and the electronic device 36 are bridged by a cooling plate 82. The cooling plate 82 is formed in a horseshoe shape. The hose 44 connecting the electro magnetic valve 40 with the hot water tank 50 is extended through the in side of the case 14. The hose 44 is retained at the horseshoe portion of the cooling plate 82. The triac 34, the CPU 32, and the other electronic device 36 are heated to 60° C. and 40° C. respectively. Water supplied to the hot water tank 50 is heated by the generated heat from the triac 34, the CPU 32 and the electronic device 36. Water supplied into the hot water tank 50 has been heated to a predetermined temperature, and accordingly the water to be sprayed from the nozzle 62 (or 64) has enough temperature which will not make a user feel uncomfortable. Also negative effect due to dew condensation on electronic devices resulting from a difference in temperature between the inside and outside of the hose 44 can be avoided.

[0023] Finally, a deodorization device 200 will be explained with reference to FIG. 4, FIG. 7 and FIG. 8. The deodorization device 200 provides with a passage 202. The passage 202 is formed between a cover 204 detachably fixed on a left side of a base plate 142 of the case 14 and the base plate 142. The cover 204 is formed with an inlet hole 206 exposed to the inside the toilet bowl, and the inlet hole 206 is provided with a detachable cartridge type deodorant 208. A number of holes 144 are formed at the left side of the base plate 142 and the holes 144 communicate with the inside of the toilet bowl 12. These holes 144 serve as the outlet hole of the passage 202. Pedestals 222 have pins 220 at each tip end. The pedestals 222 enclosing the outlet hole 144 are formed integrally with the base plate 142 at the left side. Holes 234 formed in the body 232 of the electric fan 230 are mounted on the pedestals through pins 220. Consequently, the electric fan 230 is placed on pins 220 with keeping the height of the pedestals 222 in parallel.

[0024] The deodorization device 200 is provided with passage 202 fixed on the case 14. The deodorization device 200 includes inlet hole 206 and outlet hole 144, the deodorant 208 is places on the inlet hole 206 side in the passage 202. The electric fan 230 is placed on the outlet hole side in the passage 202 to face the outlet hole 144. A space between the electric fan 230 and the deodorant 208 serves as a passage 202A, and a space between the electric fan 230 and the outlet hole 144 serves as a second passage 202 B..

[0025] After washing a human body part by the operation of the above described nozzle mechanism 60, the electric fan is activated by a deodorization switch (not shown). The unpleasant odor gas is absorbed from inlet hole 206 and the gas is turned to be odor free by the deodorant 208. The odor free gas is discharged from the outlet hole 114 to the inside of the toilet bowl.

[0026] In the deodorization device 200, the gas flow route is as follows: the unpleasant odor gas flows from the inlet hole 206 and unpleasant odor is removed by the deodorant 208 provided in the hole 206. The odor free gas then flows form the first passage 202A to the second passage 202B by the operation of the electric fan 230 and then the odor free gas is discharged from the outlet hole 144 to the inside of the toilet bowl. The second passage 202B is cylindrically shaped without having any bending portion, so that the gas can flow smoothly. The electric fan would not receive any excess load. The outlet hole 144 communicates with inside of the toilet bowl, thus the noise of the electric fan 230 is transmitted to the inside of the toile bowl through the outlet hole 144. Therefore the noise would not leak to the toilet space.

[0027] In addition, the outlet hole 144 can be formed at a side portion of the case 14. In such a case, the electric fan 230 is placed in passage 222 to face the outlet hole 144.

[0028] The principles, preferred embodiment and mode of operation of the present invention have been described in the foregoing specification. However, the invention which is intended to be protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without departing from the sprit of the present invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes and equivalents which fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims, be embraced thereby.

Claims

1. A deodorization device of a sanitary device comprising:

a case fixed to a rear portion of a toilet bowl,

the case being defined therein with a passage having an inlet hole and an outlet hole,

a deodorant positioned in the inlet.hole side in the passage, and

an electric fan positioned in the outlet hole side in the passage to face the outlet hole,

wherein the deodorant turns an odor gas absorbed from the inlet hole into an odor free gas and the odor free gas is discharged from the outlet hole into the toilet bowl by an operation of the electric fan.

2. A deodorization device of a sanitary device according to claim 1, wherein the passage includes a first passage between the electric fan and the deodorant, a second passage between the electric fan and outlet hole and the second passage is cylindrically shaped, so that the odor free gas can flow into the toilet bowl without generating any turbulence.

3. A deodorization device of a sanitary device according to claim 2, wherein one end of the outlet hole faces the electric fan and the other end of the outlet hole exposed to the inside of the toilet bowl.

4. A deodorization device of a sanitary device according to claim 1, wherein the outlet hole is positioned vertically with respect to the toilet bowl and the other end of the outlet hole is positioned at lower side of the case.