Toilet system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11013377-B2
Application number	US-201816499051-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 17, 2018
Priority date	Mar 27, 2017
Publication date	May 25, 2021
Grant date	May 25, 2021

Abstract

The toilet system includes: a detection unit (a door lock sensor, a seating sensor, a rotation sensor, a toilet washing switch, etc.) which detects a situation inside a toilet stall; and a control unit which determines, based on a detection result of the detection unit, that the toilet stall is in a vacant state or in an used state, and further makes at least one of a determination that the toilet stall in the used state is in a state immediately after a start of use and a determination that the toilet stall in the used state is in a state immediately before an end of use, and outputs a signal including determination results.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A toilet system comprising:
a detection unit configured to detect a situation inside a toilet stall; and
a control unit configured to determine, based on a detection result of the detection unit, that the toilet stall is in a vacant state or in a used state, is configured to make at least one of a determination that the toilet stall in the used state is in a state immediately after a start of use or a determination that the toilet stall in the used state is in a state immediately before an end of use, and is configured to output a signal including determination results.

2. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to make, based on a change in the detection result of the detection unit, at least one of a determination that the toilet stall has changed from the state immediately after the start of use to the used state or a determination that the toilet stall has changed from the used state to the state immediately before the end of use.

3. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein, the control unit is configured to make the determination that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use once a plurality of predetermined conditions is satisfied.

4. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein, when the detection unit detects a predetermined situation after the control unit determines that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use, the control unit is configured to determine that the toilet stall has changed to the used state.

5. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to make at least a determination that the toilet stall is in the state immediately after the start of use.

6. The toilet system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to make at least a determination that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use.

7. The toilet system of claim 2 , wherein, the control unit is configured to make the determination that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use once a plurality of predetermined conditions is satisfied.

8. The toilet system of claim 2 , wherein, when the detection unit detects a predetermined situation after the control unit determines that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use, the control unit is configured to determine that the toilet stall has changed to the used state.

9. The toilet system of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to make at least a determination that the toilet stall is in the state immediately after the start of use.

10. The toilet system of claim 2 , wherein the control unit is configured to make at least a determination that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use.

11. The toilet system of claim 3 , wherein, when the detection unit detects a predetermined situation after the control unit determines that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use, the control unit is configured to determine that the toilet stall has changed to the used state.

12. The toilet system of claim 6 , wherein, the control unit is configured to make the determination that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use once a plurality of predetermined conditions is satisfied.

13. The toilet system of claim 6 , wherein, when the detection unit detects a predetermined situation after the control unit determines that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use, the control unit is configured to determine that the toilet stall has changed to the used state.

14. The toilet system of claim 7 , wherein, when the detection unit detects a predetermined situation after the control unit determines that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use, the control unit is configured to determine that the toilet stall has changed to the used state.

15. The toilet system of claim 10 , wherein, the control unit is configured to make the determination that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use once a plurality of predetermined conditions is satisfied.

16. The toilet system of claim 10 , wherein, when the detection unit detects a predetermined situation after the control unit determines that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use, the control unit is configured to determine that the toilet stall has changed to the used state.

17. The toilet system of claim 12 , wherein, when the detection unit detects a predetermined situation after the control unit determines that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use, the control unit is configured to determine that the toilet stall has changed to the used state.

18. The toilet system of claim 15 , wherein, when the detection unit detects a predetermined situation after the control unit determines that the toilet stall is in the state immediately before the end of use, the control unit is configured to determine that the toilet stall has changed to the used state.

Assignees

• Lixil Corp

Inventors

• Katsurayama Hideki
• Matsuda Nobuyuki
• Ue Haruka
• Okawa Taku
• Yukitake Yohei
• Kouno Yoshitaka

Classifications

• E03D1/00

  Water flushing devices with cisterns {; Setting up a range of flushing devices or water-closets; Combinations of several flushing devices} · CPC title

• E03D2201/00

  Details and methods of use for water closets and urinals not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• A47K17/00 Primary

  Other sanitary equipment not covered by the other groups of this subclass {; Holders for toilet brushes} · CPC title

• E03D9/00

  Sanitary or other accessories for lavatories (hand tools for cleaning the toilet bowl A47K11/10; seats or covers for closets A47K13/00; body supports, other than seats for closets A47K17/02; devices for preventing contamination of drinking-water pipes E03C1/10 ){; Devices for cleaning or disinfecting the toilet room or the toilet bowl; Devices for eliminating smells (cleaning, disinfecting or deodorising the seat A47K13/30)} · CPC title