Patent Publication Number: US-2003229938-A1

Title: Sanitary device

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  42   a  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  42   a  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  50 B. The part  50 A of the hot water tank  50  is provided with an opening flange  50 X and also the other part  50 B of the hot water tank  50  is provided with an opening flange  50 Y. These flanges are integrated by welding respective opening flanges  50 X and  50 Y. The surface enclosed by the connected opening flanges  50 X and  50  Y is extended in a vertical direction relative to the case. The parts of  50 A,  50 B forming the hot water tank  50  is formed by molding. Thus, when an entire shape of the opening flange  50 X ( 50 Y) is viewed from a front direction of the water tank  50 , the enclosed area of the opening flange  50 X ( 50 Y) becomes the largest. Accordingly if the outer shape of the front portion  50 A (the rear portion  50 B) 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  202 A, 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  202 A to the second passage  202 B 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  202 B 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.