Toilet device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10136773-B2
Application number	US-201615281552-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 30, 2016
Priority date	Oct 1, 2015
Publication date	Nov 27, 2018
Grant date	Nov 27, 2018

Abstract

A toilet device includes a toilet seat device, a radio wave sensor, and a controller. The toilet seat device is provided on a toilet bowl. The controller is configured to operate the toilet seat device based on a signal outputted from the radio wave sensor. The radio wave sensor is being operable for detecting presence of a human body in a first area including front of the toilet seat device, detecting motion of a human body in a second area including the front of the toilet seat device and a region outside the first area, and determining sensing of the human body based on detection result of the motion of the human body and detection result of the presence of the human body.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A toilet device comprising:
a toilet seat device provided on a toilet bowl;
a radio wave sensor; and
a controller configured to operate the toilet seat device based on a signal outputted from the radio wave sensor,
the radio wave sensor being operable for:
detecting presence of a human body in a first area including front of the toilet seat device,
detecting motion of the human body in a second area including the front of the toilet seat device and a region outside the first area, and
determining sensing of the human body based on detection result of the motion of the human body and detection result of the presence of the human body, and
determining that the sensed human body has an intention of using the toilet seat device.

2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the radio wave sensor further detects the human body's approaching or leaving the toilet seat device in the second area, and
the radio wave sensor determines sensing of the human body based on detection result of the human body's approaching or leaving the toilet seat device, the detection result of the motion of the human body, and the detection result of the presence of the human body.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the toilet seat device includes a toilet lid, and
the controller opens the toilet lid when the radio wave sensor has determined that the human body has been sensed.

4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the radio wave sensor modifies condition of the detection in the first area so that a human body is more likely to be detected, when the toilet device has been used though it has not been determined that the human body has been sensed.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the radio wave sensor determines sensing of the human body based on the detection result in the second area irrespective of the detection result in the first area, when the toilet device has been used though it has not been determined that the human body has been sensed.

Assignees

• Toto Ltd

Inventors

• Tsuiki Shoichi
• Tanogashira Yuta
• Tsujita Masami

Classifications

• E03C1/057

  touchless, i.e. using sensors · CPC title

• G01S7/411

  Identification of targets based on measurements of radar reflectivity (G01S7/415 takes precedence) · CPC title

• A47K13/10 Primary

  Devices for raising and lowering {; Collapsible or rotating seats or covers} · CPC title

• E03D5/105 Primary

  touchless, e.g. using sensors · CPC title

• G01S13/56

  for presence detection {(presence detection using near field arrangements G01V3/00, e.g. G01V3/08, G01V3/12; burglar, theft or intruder alarms with electrical actuation G08B13/22 - G08B13/26)} · CPC title