Abstract:
The present invention discloses an automatic toilet cleaning device. A toilet seat is provided above a bowl and includes a toilet lid and a seat plate. By a means of infrared induction, the toilet lid can be opened automatically when a user is approaching and can be closed automatically after using the toilet. Furthermore, a seat plate cleaning unit provided on the toilet lid can be used to automatically clean the seat plate and an inner rim of the toilet. Therefore, in addition to preventing the user from manually touching the toilet, the present invention can also keep the seat plate and the toilet at the cleanest state at any time.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    a) Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an automatic toilet cleaning device, and more particularly to a device which is able to wash clean a toilet seat plate and the toilet automatically. 
         [0003]    b) Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    An ordinary toilet structure is composed of a toilet body and a toilet seat, wherein the toilet body is provided with a bowl and a water tank which spouts water to the bowl. Under an ideal condition of use, dirt in the bowl can be flushed out through the water spouting function of the water tank to keep clean an interior of the bowl. The toilet seat, on the other hand, is provided above the bowl and includes a toilet lid and a seat plate, wherein a user can sit on the bowl by the seat plate when he or she uses the toilet and the toilet lid can be covered on the bowl when the toilet is not used, to keep a toilet room clean and pretty. 
         [0005]    However, the toilet seat plate or peripheries of the bowl can be usually stained by splashing or an inappropriate use when the toilet is used. This condition occurs particularly easily in a public place and toilets in the public place can not only get dirty easily but easily become a propagation platform of germs. As a result, many people will carry a great psychological pressure when using the toilets in the public place or will be even forced to use the toilets by squatting or with a gesture like playing an acrobatics, with a purpose of reducing a chance of directly contacting the toilets and ambient environment thereof. 
         [0006]    On the other hand, it will become a rather annoying issue when one is forced to lift the toilet lid or the seat plate first before using the toilet in the public place. Accordingly, a toilet seat which can automatically wash clean the seat plate and the toilet is developed by the present inventor, allowing the toilet to be used cleanlier, more hygienically, conveniently and comfortably. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    The primary object of the present invention is to provide an automatic toilet cleaning device to solve the issue that the user needs to lift the toilet lid and the seat plate manually and to keep the toilet seat plate clean at any time. 
         [0008]    To achieve the aforementioned object, the automatic toilet cleaning device of the present invention includes a seat plate which is pivoted at an upper rim of a bowl, a toilet lid which is pivoted and covered at the upper rim of the bowl to cover the seat plate, a toilet lid open-close unit which is connected to the toilet lid to control an open-close state of the toilet lid, a seat plate cleaning unit which is provided on the toilet lid, and a control unit which is provided close to the bowl. When implementing, the toilet seat is further provided with a flushing unit which is disposed at the upper rim of the bowl to clean skin between buttocks of the user, an operating interface of the flushing unit being integrated on the aforementioned control unit. 
         [0009]    The said toilet lid open-close unit is provided with a water feed end to fetch a water source, an air port end to connect a pneumatic device, and a cleaning head which is connected to the aforementioned water feed end and the air port end and can encircle along an outline of the seat plate. The control unit is provided with at least one infrared inductive switch. When the infrared inductive switch detects that the user is approaching, the control unit will activate the toiled lid open-close unit to open the toilet lid automatically. Whereas, when the infrared inductive switch detects that the user has left, the control unit will drive the toilet lid to be closed and activate the seat plate cleaning unit after the toiled lid has been closed, allowing the cleaning head to encircle and spray the seat plate, followed by enabling the cleaning head to air dry the seat plate, thereby achieving the object of automatically cleaning the seat plate. 
         [0010]    The said toilet lid open-close unit includes a first motor gear assembly to drive the toilet lid pivoting. The seat plate cleaning unit includes a guiding rail which surrounds a lower rim of the toilet lid, a concealed conduit which is buried in the toilet lid to connect the water feed end and the air port end, a rotation connector which is connected with the concealed conduit, an open conduit which is connected with the rotation connector and is exposed at the lower rim of the toilet lid, an extension tube which is inserted at an end of the open conduit to mount the cleaning head at a tail end, a spring which is sheathed at an exterior of the extension tube, a pulley unit which is provided at a tail end of the cleaning head to fit with the guiding rail, and a second motor gear assembly which is buried in the toilet lid to drive the open conduit rotating and is electrically connected to the aforementioned control unit. When the second motor gear assembly drives the open conduit rotating, through guiding of the guiding rail and extension of the spring, an extension length of the extension tube can be changed following a change of span of the guiding rail. 
         [0011]    Another object of the present invention is to provide the automatic toilet cleaning device, wherein a second cleaning head is provided and is pivoted at a side end of the cleaning head, such that the second cleaning head can swing and pivot relative to the cleaning head and wash simultaneously inner peripheries of the bowl along with a displacement of the cleaning head, thereby flushing clean the inner peripheries of the bowl where dirt is easily accumulated. 
         [0012]    At a same time when the cleaning head is carrying out the cleaning operation, the second cleaning head is suspended along with natural down-swing of the cleaning head. The second cleaning head is provided with a second linear water injection nozzle which injects cleaning water to flush the inner peripheries of the bowl simultaneously. Furthermore, the cleaning head is provided with a bypass assembly which is connected between a water injection chamber and the second cleaning head, allowing the water injection chamber to supply water to the second cleaning head. Besides, the cleaning head is disposed with a movement stop button to restrict a down-swing angle of the second cleaning head. The movement stop button is pushed by a hydraulic pressure to be protruded, thereby restricting the down-swing angle of the second cleaning head. 
         [0013]    In comparison to the prior art, the present invention is at least provided with following features and advantages:
       1. The infrared induction technology is used to detect the approaching user, allowing the toilet lid to be opened automatically. This can solve the annoying problem of the conventional toilet that the toile lid has to be lifted manually by the user.   2. The infrared induction technology is used to detect that the user has left, allowing the toilet lid to be closed automatically and automatically activating the seat plate cleaning unit, such that the seat plate can be cleaned in time after each use, thereby solving the problem that the seat plate and the bowl can get dirty easily.   3. The toilet lid can cover the upper rim of the bowl and completely cover the seat plate, preventing the cleaning water from sliding off an outer rim of the toilet and splashing and allowing the seat plate to be blown dry or sucked dry quickly when the pneumatic device blows or sucks air, thereby quickly accomplishing cleaning the seat plate and the upper rim of the bowl.       
 
         [0017]    Besides, a rear side of an inner rim of the bowl can be provided with an odor discharge orifice which can be connected externally to a ventilation system of a building or an open outdoor space, thereby improving comfortableness in using the toilet. 
         [0018]    To enable a further understanding of the said objectives and the technological methods of the invention herein, the brief description of the drawings below is followed by the detailed description of the preferred embodiments. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a three-dimensional perspective view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  shows a top view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a schematic view of a position where a seat plate cleaning unit is provided, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  shows a three-dimensional perspective view of a seat plate cleaning unit, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  shows a top view of a seat plate cleaning unit, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  shows a local cutaway view of a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  shows a schematic view of an encircling operation of a seat plate cleaning unit, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  shows a schematic view of a bowl which is provided with an odor discharge orifice, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  shows a schematic view of a seat plate cleaning unit of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  shows a cutaway view of a cleaning head of a second embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  shows a schematic view of a cleaning head of a third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  shows a schematic view of a cleaning head, which is not operating, of a third embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0031]      FIG. 13  shows a schematic view of an operation of a cleaning head of a third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , it shows a three-dimensional perspective view and a top view of a first embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the drawings, a toilet seat is provided above a toiled body  10  and comprises a seat plate  20 , a toilet lid  30 , a toilet lid open-close unit  40 , a seat plate cleaning unit  50 , a control unit  60  and a flushing unit  70 . The toilet body  10  is provided with a bowl  11  and a water tank  12  which supplies water to the bowl  11 . 
         [0033]    The seat plate  20  is pivoted at an upper rim of the bowl  11 , and the toiled lid  30  is pivoted at the upper rim of the bowl  11  to completely cover the seat plate  20  when covering. 
         [0034]    The toilet lid open-close unit  40  is connected to the toilet lid  30  to control an open-close state of the toilet lid  30 . The toilet open-close unit  40  includes a hollow pivot  41  which is connected to the toilet lid  30 , at least one set of first motor gear assembly  42  which is connected to the hollow pivot  41  to drive the toilet lid  30  pivoting. 
         [0035]    The seat plate cleaning unit  50  is provided on the toilet lid  30  and is provided with a water feed end  51  (co-constructed with the aforementioned hollow pivot  41 ) to fetch a water source, an air port end  52  (co-constructed with the aforementioned hollow pivot  41 ) to connect a pneumatic device, and a cleaning head  53  which is connected to the aforementioned water feed end  51  and the air port end  52  to encircle along an outline of the seat plate  20 . The cleaning head  53  is provided with at least one linear opening  531  corresponding to the seat plate  20  and two linear openings  531  are provided in the drawings for description. 
         [0036]    The control unit  60  is provided close to the bowl  11  and is provided with at least one infrared inductive switch. A solenoid valve which controls water supply of the water feed end  51  and the pneumatic device which feeds and discharges air at the air port end  52  are connected at the control unit  60 . 
         [0037]    When the infrared inductive switch detects that a user is approaching, the control unit  60  will activate the toilet lid open-close unit  40  to open the toilet lid  30  automatically; whereas, when the infrared inductive switch detects that the user has left, the control unit  60  will activate the toilet lid open-close unit  40  to close the toilet lid  30  and activate the seat plate cleaning unit  50  after the toilet lid  30  has been closed, allowing the cleaning head  53  to encircle and spray the seat plate  20 , followed by enabling the cleaning head  53  to encircle and air dry the seat plate  20  (blowing or sucking air), thereby achieving the object of automatically cleaning the seat plate  20 . In addition, a spout operation of the water tank  12  is controlled by a solenoid valve which is electrically connected with the control unit  60 , allowing the water tank  12  to spout water automatically when the infrared inductive switch detects that the user has left. 
         [0038]    The flushing unit  70  is provided at the upper rim of the bowl  11  to clean skin between buttocks of the user. An operating interface of the flushing unit  70  is integrated on the aforementioned control unit  60 , facilitating the user to operate and control. 
         [0039]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 to 5 , it shows a schematic view of a position where a seat plate cleaning unit is provided, a three-dimensional perspective view of a seat plate cleaning unit and a top view of a seat plate cleaning unit, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The detail structure of the seat plate cleaning unit  50  disclosed in the drawings further includes a guiding rail  54  which surrounds at a lower rim of the toilet lid  30 , a concealed conduit  55  which is buried in the toilet lid  30  to connect the water feed end  51  and the air port end  52 , a rotation connector  56  which is connected with the concealed conduit  55 , an open conduit  57  which is connected at the rotation connector  56  and is exposed at the lower rim of the toilet lid  30 , an extension tube  571  which is inserted at an end of the open conduit  57  to mount the cleaning head  53  at a tail end, a spring  572  which is sheathed at an exterior of the extension tube  571 , a pulley unit  58  which is provided at a tail end of the cleaning head  53  to fit with the guiding rail  54 , and a second motor gear assembly  59  which is buried in the toilet lid  30  to drive the open conduit  57  rotating. The second motor gear assembly  59  is electrically connected at the aforementioned control unit  60  and is provided with at least a motor  591 , a worm shaft  592  and a transmission gear  593 ; whereas the pulley unit  58  disclosed in the present embodiment is constituted by plural pulleys. 
         [0040]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , it shows a local cutaway view of a first embodiment of the present invention. When the toilet lid  30  is covered at the upper rim of the bowl  11 , the entire upper rim of the bowl  11  will be shielded and the entire seat plate  20  will be covered completely. Therefore, when water is sprayed, air is blown or sucked at the linear opening  531  at a bottom end of the cleaning head  53 , cleaning water can be prevented from leaking out of the toilet. 
         [0041]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , it shows a schematic view of an encircling operation of a seat plate cleaning unit, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. When the second motor gear assembly  59  drives the open conduit  57  rotating, an extension length of the extension tube  571  can be changed through guiding of the guiding rail  54  and an extension function of the spring  572 , following a change of span of the guiding rail  54 , allowing the cleaning head  53  to encircle along the seat plate  20  to carry out the cleaning operation. 
         [0042]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , it shows a schematic view of a bowl which is provided with an odor discharge orifice, according to a first embodiment of the present invention. As it is inevitable to result in unbearable odor when using the toilet, upon implementing the present invention, a rear side of an inner rim of the bowl  11  can be provided with an odor discharge orifice  13 , a rear end of which can be connected externally to a ventilation system of a building or an open outdoor space wherein a natural chimney effect or a means of installing a powerless windmill can be employed to improve the discharge effect. 
         [0043]    Referring to  FIG. 9  and  FIG. 10 , it shows a schematic view of a seat plate cleaning unit and a cutaway view of a cleaning head, according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment provides a technological means by which water supply and sucking dry can be conducted simultaneously. The difference of the seat plate cleaning unit  50  disclosed by the present embodiment from that disclosed by the first embodiment lies in that an interior of the concealed conduit  55  is transfixed with an inner concealed conduit  55   a , wherein the inner concealed conduit  55   a  is connected with the water feed end  51  and a holding space formed between peripheries of the inner concealed conduit  55   a  and an inner wall of the concealed conduit  55  is connected with the air port end  52 . 
         [0044]    The open conduit  57  and the extension tube  571  are connected with the aforementioned inner concealed conduit  55   a , allowing cleaning water to flow through. Exterior sides of the open conduit  57 , the extension tube  571  and the spring  572  are sheathed with an extensible outer open conduit  57   a  and a holding space formed between the outer open conduit  57   a  and the open conduit  57 , the extension tube  571  and the spring  572  is connected with the concealed conduit  55 , allowing high pressure gas to flow through. 
         [0045]    As shown in  FIG. 10 , the cleaning head  53  of the second embodiment of the present invention includes a water injection chamber  53   a  which is connected with the extension tube  571  and two air suction chambers  53   b  which are provided respectively at two sides of the water injection chamber  53   a  to connect the outer open conduit  57   a.    
         [0046]    A bottom end of the water injection chamber  53   a  is provided with at least one linear water injection nozzle  531   a  toward the seat plate  20  (two nozzles in the drawing), and there are at least one linear air suction port  531   b  respectively at bottom ends of air suction chambers  53   b  at two sides, toward the seat plate  20 . An aperture of the linear water injection nozzle  531   a  is smaller than that of the linear air suction port  531   b  and a proper spray distance is kept between the linear water injection nozzle  531   a  and the seat plate  20 ; whereas, the linear air suction port  531   b  keeps at a closer distance to the seat plate  20 . 
         [0047]    When performing the cleaning operation, the linear water injection nozzle  531   a  will inject water to the seat plate  20  for cleaning. At this time, the linear air suction ports  531   b  at two sides can suck air simultaneously, thereby sucking dry the cleaning water at a same time. Thus, the seat plate  20  and the peripheries of the seat plate  20  can manifest a dry configuration after cleaning, and the cleaning water will not be easily sprayed onto the seat plate  20 . 
         [0048]    Referring to  FIGS. 11 to 13 , it shows a schematic view of a cleaning head, a schematic view of a cleaning head which is not operating and a schematic view of an operation of a cleaning head, according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The cleaning head of the present embodiment is an altered implementation derived from the second embodiment. A rear end of the cleaning head  53  is extended with a shelter  532  to shield the spring  572  and a side end of the cleaning head  53  is pivoted with a second cleaning head  533  which can swing and pivot relative to the cleaning head  53 . In addition, the cleaning head  53  is provided with a bypass assembly  534  which is connected between the water injection chamber  53   a  and the second cleaning head  533 , allowing the water injection chamber  53   a  to supply water to the second cleaning head  533 . The second cleaning head  533  is provided with a second linear water injection nozzle  533   a , and the pulley unit  58  described in the present embodiment is formed by a single pulley. 
         [0049]    At a same time when the cleaning head  53  swings downward to a horizontal state to perform the cleaning operation, the second cleaning head  533  will swing downward naturally to manifest a suspension state. At this time, the cleaning water that is injected from the second linear water injection nozzle  533   a  can result in a wider cleaning angle and wash simultaneously the peripheries of the inner side of the bowl  11 , along with the displacement of the cleaning head  53 . Therefore, the locations of the inner peripheries of the bowl  11 , close to an upper side where dirt is easily accumulated, can be flushed clean. 
         [0050]    On the other hand, the cleaning head  53  is provided with a movement stop button  535  which is used to restrict a down-swing angle of the second cleaning head  533 . The movement stop button  535  penetrates the cleaning head  53  and enters into the water injection chamber  53   a . When a water flow is filled into the water injection chamber  53   a , the movement stop button  533  can be pushed by a hydraulic pressure to be protruded, thereby restricting the down-swing angle of the second cleaning head  533 . 
         [0051]    Accordingly, when the user approaches the toilet, the toilet lid  30  will be opened automatically and the odor generated when the toilet is being used will be removed immediately from the odor discharge orifice  13 . On the other hand, when the user leaves, the toilet lid  30  will be closed automatically and the seat plate  20  will be washed clean and air dried immediately by the seat plate cleaning unit  50 . As a result, the comfortableness in using the toilet is improved significantly, allowing the toilet to be used cleanlier and more hygienically. 
         [0052]    It is of course to be understood that the embodiments described herein is merely illustrative of the principles of the invention and that a wide variety of modifications thereto may be effected by persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.