Patent Abstract:
An adjustable water-spraying device for a user to clean themselves after relieving themselves includes a base, a first control valve, a second control valve and at least a water-spraying unit. The base includes a first space and a second space communicating with each other. The first control valve is set in the first space to control the water temperature, and the second control valve is set in the second space. The water-spraying unit is attached in a water outlet of the base, and extended into toilet seat unit. Thus, the second control valve determines the opening or closing water outlet to drive one of the water-spraying units to spurt water and clean the users&#39; anus.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to washing furniture in the bathroom, and more particularly to an adjustable water-spraying device mounted on a toilet seat unit. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    For the convenience and sanitary requirements of a user, washing equipment is added next to the side of a toilet seat unit to spray water to clean the user&#39;s anus. This is a so called hidro bidet shower. 
         [0005]    Conventional hidro bidet showers are divided into two kinds, mechanical and electronic type. In the mechanical washing equipment, the water is sprayed to clean the user&#39;s anus by conducting water to an adjutage with a conduit. 
         [0006]    However, the mechanical washing equipment only has a cold water spraying function and the water temperature or pressure cannot be modified. Moreover, the mechanical washing equipment cannot control the spraying position in accordance with different genders such that the requirements of different users cannot be satisfied. 
         [0007]    In the electronic washing equipment, an electrical circuit replaces the control device. A heating unit is also added to heat the water. A touch-panel microcomputer controls both the electrical circuit and the heating unit. Although the electronic washing equipment can modify water temperature, the cost thereof is very expensive and the power consumption caused by the heating unit increases. In addition, the leakage also occurs making the electronic device more difficult to sell. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    It is therefore an object to provide an adjustable water-spraying device to enable water heating, the water pressure adjustment and the spraying position adjustment so that the requirements of different users can be satisfied. 
         [0009]    It is therefore another object to provide an adjustable water-spraying device with a lower manufacturing cost and water temperature controllable function that also has low power consumption and no electrical leakage problem. 
         [0010]    In accordance with the foregoing description and objectives, an adjustable water-spraying device is provided and includes different controlled valves in different spaces to respectively modify the water temperature and the flow direction. Thus, both male and female users can choose their own spraying position and desirable water temperature. 
         [0011]    The water-spraying device is secured next to a toilet seat unit and includes a base, a first control valve, a second control valve and two water-spraying units. 
         [0012]    The base includes a first space, a second space, a cold water hole, a hot water hole, a first outlet and a second outlet. The first space is communicated with the second space. The cold water hole and the hot water hole communicate with the first space, and the first outlet and the second outlet communicate with the second space. The first control valve is secured in the first space and includes a rotatable knob and a valve core connected with the rotatable knob to control the opening and the flow. The second control valve is secured in the second space to control the opening between the first outlet and the second outlet. The water-spraying units are respectively linked with the first outlet and the second outlet, and include a conduit and a spraying tube associated with the conduit and extended to the toilet seat unit. By controlling the first control valve and the second control valve to modify the water temperature and the flow direction, and one of the water-spraying units is driven to spray the mixed water to clean. 
         [0013]    In accordance with another objective, an adjustable water-spraying device is provided and includes a base, at least one control valve and a water-spraying unit. 
         [0014]    The base includes a cold water hole, a hot water hole and an outlet. The control valve includes a valve core secured on the base to control the opening and the flow between the cold water hole and the hot water hole. The water-spraying unit includes a conduit linked with the outlet and a spraying tube associated with the conduit and extended to the toilet seat unit to spray the mixed water to clean. 
         [0015]    Therefore, the first step of the water-spraying device is to control the first control valve to modify the water temperature and the flow, and the second step is to control the second control valve to operate the desirable water-spraying unit to conform to the requirements of both male and female users. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the drawings, 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is an operational, perspective view of the first embodiment of a water-spraying device of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the water-spraying device in the  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a partial sectional view of a spraying tube of the water-spraying unit in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an operational, sectional view of a toilet seat unit with the water-spraying device in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a partial sectional view of a second control valve of the base in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the water-spraying device of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a top view of a third embodiment of the water-spraying device of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the water-spraying device of the present invention; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 9  is a sectional view along the cross-line  9 - 9  in  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts. 
         [0027]    While the specification concludes with claims defining the features of the invention that are regarded as novel, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from a consideration of the following description in conjunction with the figures, in which like reference numerals are carried forward. 
         [0028]    Refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 1  illustrates an operational, perspective view of the first embodiment of a water-spraying device.  FIG. 2  illustrates a sectional view of the water-spraying device in the  FIG. 1 . 
         [0029]    The water-spraying device  100  is secured next to a toilet seat unit  200  for the user to clean and includes a base  110 , a first control valve  120 , a second control valve  130  and two water-spraying units  140 . 
         [0030]    In this embodiment, the base  110  is secured on a toilet seat  210  of the toilet seat unit  200 . The base  110  includes a first space  111 , a second space  112 , a cold water hole  114 , a hot water hole  115 , a first outlet  116  and a second outlet  117 . The first space  111  is hollow and the second space  112  is communicated with the first space  111  via a guiding path  113 . The cold water hole  114  and the hot water hole  115  communicate with the first space  111  and are respectively coupled with a cold water tube A and a hot water tube B. The first outlet  116  and the second outlet  117  communicate with the second space  112 . 
         [0031]    The first control valve  120  is secured in the first space  111  and includes a rotatable knob  121 , a ceramic valve core  122  and a temperature indication ring  123 . The ceramic valve core  122  is connected with the knob  121  and the temperature indication ring  123  is covered on the valve core  122  and includes various temperature scales. The inner structure of the valve core  122  is similar to the ceramic valve core of the single lever mixer. By rotating the valve rod of the valve core  122  to control the flow, temperature and the opening between the cold water hole  114  and the hot water hole  115 . 
         [0032]    The second control valve  130  is secured in the second space  112  and includes a shaft  131 , a pulling block  132 , an upper blocking ring  133 , a lower blocking ring  134  and an elastomeric unit  135 . The shaft  131  is axially movable. The pulling block  132  is fastened on the shaft  131  and positioned out of the second space  112 . The upper blocking ring  133  is encircled in the middle of shaft  131  and corresponds to the first outlet  116 . The lower blocking ring  134  is encircled in the bottom of the shaft  131  and corresponds to the second outlet  117 . The elastomeric unit  135  is a bias spring and is set on the upper blocking ring  133  and against a top wall of the second space  112 . Normally, the upper blocking ring  133  encloses the first outlet  116 , and there is a drop between the lower blocking ring  134  and the second outlet  117 . 
         [0033]    Refer to  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  illustrates a partial sectional view of a spraying tube of the water-spraying unit in  FIG. 1 . The water-spraying units  140  are designed with different lengths and extended from the first outlet  116  and the second outlet  117  of the base  110  to the toilet seat unit  200 . The water-spraying units  140  respectively include a conduit  141  and a spraying tube  142  associated with the conduit  141 . The spraying tube  142  includes an immovable section  1421 , a movable section  1422 , a nozzle  1423  and a spring  1424 . The immovable section  1421  is connected with an end of the conduit  141  and located under the toilet seat  210 . The movable section  1422  is located in the immovable section  1421  and is movable axially. The nozzle  1423  includes multiple holes and is connected with an end of the immovable section  1421 . The spring  1424  is encircled on the movable section  1422  to provide resilience for the movable section  1422  after protruding elastically. Before the operation of the first control valve  120 , the movable section  1422  is covered in the immovable section  1421  to prevent from dejection attachment on the spraying tube  142 . 
         [0034]    Refer to  FIG. 2 . The user can see the predetermined temperature of the outputted water by the temperature indication ring  123  of the base  110 . Rotate the knob  121  clockwise or counter-clockwise to drive the valve rod of the valve core  122  to output water, and the cold water and the hot water are pumped into the first space  111  to mix to provide water at a desirable temperature. The mixed water is conducted to the second space  112  via the guiding path  113  and pumped to the short water-spraying unit  140  through the second outlet  117 . Refer to  FIG. 4 . The movable section  1422  of the short water-spraying unit  140  is pushed by the water pressure to protrude outward and spray the mixed water for the user to clean. Rotate the knob  121  progressively to enlarge the opening of the valve core  122 , and the water pressure is increased such that the protruding length of the movable section  1422  is relatively extended (shown as the dotted line). Refer to  FIG. 5 . When the pulling block  132  of the second control valve  130  is pulled upward, the shaft  131  is relatively moved upward and the first outlet  116  is opened (in this situation, the second outlet  117  is blocked by the lower blocking ring  134 ) to transfer the mixed water to the long water-spraying unit  140 . By spraying the mixed water with the long water-spraying unit  140 , it is convenient for female to clean in the menstrual period or pregnancy. 
         [0035]    After adjusting the valve core  122  of the first control valve  120  in a closed state by rotating the knob  121 , the shaft  131  of the second control valve  130  is move downward through pressing against the upper blocking ring  133  with the resilience of the elastomeric unit  135 . The shaft  131  therefore returns to the position shown in  FIG. 2 . In addition, the movable section  1422  of the water-spraying unit  140  is retracted into the immovable section  1421  with the resilience of the spring  1424 . 
         [0036]    Refer to  FIG. 6 .  FIG. 6  illustrates a sectional view of the second embodiment of the water-spraying device. The water-spraying device of the second embodiment includes a base  150 , a temperature control valve  160 , a switch valve  170  and two water-spraying units. The temperature control valve  160  is secured on the first space  151  of the base  150  and the switch valve  170  is secured in the second space  152  of the base  150 . The water-spraying units are respectively linked with the first outlet  155  and the second outlet  156  of the base  150 . 
         [0037]    The base  150  includes a first space  151 , a second space  152 , a cold water hole  153 , a hot water hole  154 , a first outlet  155  and a second outlet  156 . The first space  151  is communicated with the second space  152 . The cold water hole  153  and the hot water hole  154  communicate with the first space  151  and the first outlet  155  and the second outlet  156  communicate with the second space  152 . 
         [0038]    Compared to the second control valve  130  in the first embodiment, the temperature control valve  160  has precise temperature-regulation but without a water-restraint function. The temperature control valve  160  includes a hollow cylindrical substance  161 , a cold water inlet  162 , a hot water inlet  163 , a water exit  164 , a modified rod  165 , an adjusting knob  166 , a bias spring  167 , a valve  168  and an adjuster  169 . The cold water inlet  162 , the hot water inlet  163  and the water exit  164  are defined through the wall of the substance  161  and extended to the first space  151 . The modified rod  165  is located in the substance  160  pivotally. The adjusting knob  166  is connected with an end of the modified rod  165  and positioned out of the base  150 . The bias spring  167  is encircled in the modified rod  165 . The valve  168  corresponds to the cold water inlet  162  and the hot water inlet  163  and is pressed against another end of the modified rod  165 . The adjuster  169  is located in the bottom of the substance  161  and has an end against the valve  168 . The adjuster  169  is made of a shape memory alloy and deformed with a ratio in accordance with the temperature difference between the outputted water temperature and the predetermined water temperature. Through the shape memory feature, the water temperature variation of the predetermined water temperature is lessened. The cold water inlet  162  and the hot water inlet  163  respectively correspond to the cold water hole  153  and the hot water hole  154 , and there are two filtering units respectively set in the cold water hole  153  and the hot water hole  154  to filter the impurity in the raw water. 
         [0039]    The switch valve  170  includes a valve core  171  and a cap  172  wherein the outlet position of the valve core  171  is modified by rotating the cap  172  to control the flow and alter the flow direction. There are three water-outputted operation modes, outputted from the first outlet  155 , outputted from the second outlet  156  or closed both. 
         [0040]    The opening ratio between the cold water inlet  162  and the hot water inlet  163  is adjusted by rotating the adjusting knob  166  to drive the modified rod  165  to move the valve  168  corresponding to the cold water inlet  162  and the hot water inlet  163  whereby the water temperature is modified. Moreover, the opening and the flow direction are controlled by the switch valve  170  to selectively drive the long water-spraying unit or the short water-spraying unit to spray the mixed water. 
         [0041]    To prevent the temperature of the outputted water from being higher than the predetermined temperature such that the user is hurt by the over-heated water, the adjuster  169  of the temperature control valve  160  is expanded because of the heat to produce a force against to the elasticity of the bias spring  167  and the valve  168  is moved upward. Through this method, the hot water inlet  163  is abridged and the cold water inlet  162  is broadened such that the temperature of mixed water stored in the substance  161  is dropped. Contrarily, the valve  168  is moved downward to broaden the hot water inlet  163  and abridge the cold water inlet  162  to raise the mixed water temperature when the temperature of the outputted water is lower than the predetermined temperature. Therefore, the adjuster  169  variation is gradually reduced when the outputted water temperature is close to the predetermined water temperature until the predetermined water temperature is equal to the outputted water temperature. 
         [0042]    Refer to  FIG. 7 . In the third embodiment, the water-spraying device  100  is secured on the toilet seat unit  200  through a position seat  190 . The position seat  190  is locked to the toilet seat  210  by at least one groove  191 , and the spraying tube  142  of the water-spraying unit  140  is fastened at the bottom of the position seat  190  such that the position seat  190  is set between the toilet seat unit  200  and the toilet seat  210 . 
         [0043]    As embodied and broadly described herein, the water-spraying device of the embodiment has the following effects: 
         [0044]    1. The water temperature and the spraying position are respectively modified in separated steps. In the first step, the temperature of the mixed water in the first space  111  is controlled via the first control valve  120  and the temperature control valve  160 . In the second step, the long water-spraying unit  140  and the short water-spraying unit  140  are driven via the second control valve  130  and the switch valve  170  in accordance with the spraying request of the different gender. 
         [0045]    2. The water pressure can be controlled by the first control valve  120  and the protrusive length of the movable section  1422  of the spraying tube  142  is altered based on the water pressure variation to adjust the nozzle  1423  spraying position. 
         [0046]    3. Because the water-spraying device is constructed with mechanical members, the manufacturing cost is reduced, the leakage problem is solved and the power consumption is reduced such that the product competitiveness is raised. In addition, the water-spraying device can be applied to various toilet seat unit to provide a convenient assembly. 
         [0047]    Refer to  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 9 . The water-spraying unit of the fourth embodiment is a single spraying tube formation. The water-spraying device includes a base  310 , a control valve  320  and a water-spraying unit  330 . 
         [0048]    The base  310  includes a cold water hole  311 , a hot water hole  312  and an outlet  313  wherein the cold water hole  311  and the hot water hole  312  can be respectively linked with the tubes. 
         [0049]    The control valve  320  includes a valve core  321 , a shaft  322 , a water-division plate  323 , an aqueduct  324  and an aqueduct  325 . The valve core  321  is secured in the base  310  and is similar to the valve core  122  in the first embodiment. The water-division plate  323  is connected with the bottom of the shaft  322 . The aqueduct  324  corresponds to the cold water hole  311  and the hot water hole  312 , and the aqueduct  325  corresponds to the outlet  313  to control the opening and the flow between the cold water hole  311  and the hot water hole  312 . 
         [0050]    The water-spraying unit  330  includes a conduit  331  associated with the outlet  313  and a spraying tube  332  associated with the conduit  331  and extended to the toilet seat unit. The spraying tube  332  is the same as the spraying tube in the first embodiment, so there is no more detailed description. 
         [0051]    Rotate the shaft  322  of the valve core  321  clockwise or counter-clockwise to rotate the water-division plate  323  to vary the corresponding position between the aqueduct  324 , the aqueduct  325 , the cold water hole  311 , the hot water hole  312  and the outlet  313 . The water temperature emitted from the spraying tube  332  is higher when the overlapped opening for the hot water hole  312  is larger than the cold water hole  311 . Contrarily, the water temperature emitted from the spraying tube  332  is lower when the overlapped opening for the cold water hole  311  is larger than the hot water hole  312 . Moreover, the opening of the outlet  313  affects the flow and the protruding length of the spraying tube  332  is relatively controlled by the flow. 
         [0052]    Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, their spirit and scope of the appended claims should no be limited to the description of the preferred embodiments contained herein. 
         [0053]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

Technology Classification (CPC): 4