DEVICE FOR A TOILET SEAT WHICH CAN BE USED AS A BIDET, AND TOILET AND TOILET SEAT COMPRISING SAID DEVICE

Abstract

 The device (2) comprises a water discharge pipe (5), and means to avoid the contamination by backflow, and it is characterized in that it comprises a tank (4) with: a) a water inlet (9) which is positioned above the water level (h) and an overflow (8) to give outlet to the water, b) a water outlet (10) which is connected to the discharge pipe (5) through a pump (11), c) a circuit (12) to force a predetermined flow of the water from said inlet (9) to said outlet (10), said circuit being associated to a heat source (14), and d) at least one level sensor (13), said device comprising a processing and control unit (7) configured to order the intake of water in the tank (4) in accordance with a signal emitted by said level sensor (13).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for a toilet seat which can be used as a bidet and to a toilet and toilet seat comprising said device. In particular, the present invention relates to a device for a toilet seat which can be used as a bidet which complies with European standard EN 1717 of protection against contamination by backflow of the water from sanitary installations.

Background of the invention

[0002] In the European market there is a large variety of toilets which can be used as a bidet, also known with the name of electronic bidets. These toilets or electronic bidets incorporate in the seat a device with a discharge pipe or tube of water for anal and/or perineal washing and, also typically, a drying unit. The heating of the washing water discharged by the tube is carried out via an intermediate water tank or reservoir which incorporates a heat source.

[0003] Some devices of the toilets which can be used as a bidet described in the previous paragraph incorporate means to avoid the contamination by backflow of waste water and comply with European standard EN 1717 for the protection against the contamination of sanitary installations. However, they have the drawback that their seats are very voluminous and high, so that their installation is unattractive for the user. Said European legislation makes is necessary to hydraulically isolate the intermediate washing water tank from the supply system. However, it has been observed that this conditions the seat design.

[0004] Patent EP2447426 discloses a toilet which can be used as a bidet compatible with the European legislation but with a seat of approximately 100 mm in height, which is very high and voluminous for the user. This toilet incorporates an intermediate tank or reservoir which heats the washing water and is partly inserted in a cavity of the porcelain toilet bowl of the toilet. This detail conditions the design of the toilet bowl.

[0005] In light of the above, there is a clear need for providing a toilet which can be used as a bidet, with a compact design and seat with similar appearance to that of a conventional toilet, and which, at the same time, complies with European standard EN 1717 for the protection against contamination by backflow of waste water.

Description of the invention

[0006] The objective of the present invention is that of providing a device for a toilet seat, which can be used as a bidet which has the advantages that will be described below.

[0007] In accordance with this objective, according to a first aspect, the present invention provides a device for a toilet seat which can be used as a bidet, comprising a water discharge pipe for anal and/or perineal washing, and means to avoid the contamination by backflow of the water from the system which supplies said discharge pipe. The device is characterized in that it comprises a tank for storing and heating the washing water discharged by said pipe, which includes;

a. A water inlet which is positioned above the water level (h) of the tank and an overflow to give outlet to the water when the water level of the tank exceeds a predetermined height (hmax), making it possible for this water inlet and the overflow to avoid the contamination by backflow of waste water,

b. a water outlet which is connected to the discharge pipe through a water discharge pump,

c. a circuit to force a predetermined flow of the water from said inlet to said outlet, said circuit being associated to a heat source to heat the water during its flow, and

d. at least one level sensor to emit a signal when the water level (h) of the tank goes down,

said device comprising a processing and control unit configured to order the intake of water in the tank in accordance with the signal emitted by said level sensor, and adjusting the power of the circuit heat source in accordance with a signal emitted by a water temperature sensor and/or by a user presence sensor.

[0008] In accordance with a second and third aspect, the present invention relates to a seat and to a toilet, which incorporates the claimed device, and which has the advantage that they are of compact design and appearance very similar to conventional seats and toilets which do not have bidet functions.

[0009] The present invention has the special characteristic that the storage and heating of the discharge pipe washing water is carried out in a tank of height limited by an overflow to give outlet to the water in the event of backflow, and a water inlet which is positioned above the water level of the tank.

[0010] The overflow gives outlet to the water when the level of the tank exceeds a predetermined height, for example, a height (hmax) comprised between 15 mm and 40 mm, and the water inlet of the tank is situated at least 20 mm above the maximum level (hmax) of water in the tank to avoid the contamination in the event of backflow.

[0011] The tank claimed incorporates at least one level sensor susceptible of sending a signal to a processing and control unit to order the intake of water when the water level goes down, when the washing water is discharged. To heat the water, the tank incorporates a circuit which forces the flow of the water from the inlet to an outlet. This circuit is associated to a heat source, for example, an electrical resistance to heat the water during the flow. A processing and control unit adjusts the power of the circuit heat source in accordance with a signal emitted by a temperature sensor and/or a user presence sensor. This presence sensor may be, for example, a capacitive sensor mounted on the toilet seat, or an infrared sensor.

[0012] Thanks to these characteristics, a device for a toilet seat is obtained which, on the one hand, complies with the European protection legislation EN1717, since the overflow can give possible outlet to contaminated water in the event of backflow, and on the other hand, it enables a design of the toilet seat of reduced height and capacity without losing efficiency in the supply of hot washing water.

[0013] Indeed, despite the fact that the device has the characteristic that the storage of the washing water is carried out in a tank of height and capacity limited by the overflow and the support of the seat, the water heating can be carried out very efficiently and in a very short response time (less than 50 seconds), since the heating circuit is configured to guarantee the heating whilst the level sensor associated to the processing and control unit keeps the water level constant when the washing water is discharged.

[0014] The devices of the state of the art with reservoirs which incorporate heating resistors have an average response time (heating time of the water when the user presence sensor is activated) which is normally greater than 2 minutes, whilst in the present invention this time is always less than 50 seconds. Furthermore, as already commented, in some devices of the state of the art, the hot water reservoir or tank is partially inserted in a cavity of the toilet bowl of the toilet, so that the design of the toilet bowl of the toilet is conditional upon the water heating tank.

[0015] According to a preferred embodiment, the capacity of the water storage and heating tank is less than 0.5 I, preferably, less than 0.35 I, and advantageously, the water heating circuit is associated to a heat source comprising a heating element (for example, an electrical resistance) configured to apply a power inside the tank greater than 1500 W.

[0016] It has been observed that this power is necessary to ensure a thermal leap of the water of up to 30 ºC and a discharge (Qs) of washing water greater than 0.5 l/min, for example, of up to 1 l/min. The heating element can be designed preferably by way of a tubular electrical resistance with a predetermined length in accordance with the density of energy to apply to achieve the desired thermal leap at the end of the flow.

[0017] Preferably, the pump which drives the water through the discharge pipe or tube is configured to provide a discharge flow rate (Qs) comprised between 0.5 l/min and 1 l/min. This flow rate is necessary to provide an adequate feeling of cleanliness to the user.

[0018] Advantageously, the water storage and heating tank configures a first module of a support piece of the device which is dimensioned to be able to be mounted on the upper plane of the toilet bowl of a toilet without the need to be inserted in a cavity of the toilet bowl.

[0019] Indeed, the device claimed can be mounted on a seat without the need to resort to a specific toilet bowl design as occurs in some of the devices of the state of the art, which include cavities to partially house the water storage and heating tank. Advantageously, the tank of the device claimed is integrated in the internal space of a casing the dimensions whereof do not exceed 75 mm in height, so that the device can be mounted and dismantled from the upper plane of the toilet bowl of a toilet without the need to be inserted partially in the toilet bowl.

[0020] Preferably, the washing water discharge pipe is mounted in a second module of the support piece of the device and, optionally, the device may include a drying unit for the user of the toilet which is mounted on a third module of said support piece.

[0021] This modular configuration facilitates the assembly and dismantling of the device's components. Furthermore, as the tank configures a module of the device, a very simple and compact design is obtained which is of greatly reduced dimensions.

[0022] Advantageously, said support piece of the device incorporates a metal portion configured to dissipate the heat from a switch associated to the heating element which provides the heat source. This metal portion may be in contact with the porcelain of the toilet bowl when the seat support is mounted on the upper plane of the toilet bowl.

[0023] According to a preferred embodiment, the washing water discharge pipe is a tube which can be displaced with a substantially curved longitudinal profile. This tube is mounted on a module of a support piece of the device which is dimensioned to be able to be mounted on the upper plane of the toilet bowl of a toilet. The tube is displaced outside the support to a position of use when the user activates the motor that actuates it.

[0024] The curved profile contributes to obtaining a design height of the seat that is greatly reduced, which is less than 60 mm. Thanks to this, a seat is obtained with an appearance very similar to that which is mounted on a conventional toilet without the functions of bidet.

[0025] The present invention also relates to a seat comprising the device claimed, and preferably, it refers to a toilet seat comprising a seat ring and a toilet lid which are joined in articulated and detachable form to a casing of the support piece of the device claimed.

[0026] Likewise, the present invention relates to a toilet which can be used as a bidet comprising the seat with the device claimed, and a body which acts by way of toilet bowl whereon said seat is mounted. Preferably, the body or toilet bowl of the toilet comprises a notch wherethrough the discharge pipe or tube of the device emerges to carry out the washing.

[0027] In the present invention, heating element is understood to be a conventional resistor element, for example, a tubular electrical heating resistance or, alternatively, an instantaneous heating electrical resistance, such as, for example a resistance of ceramic type.

Brief description of the figures

[0028] For a better understanding of all of the aforementioned, drawings are attached wherein, schematically and only by way of non-limiting example, a practical embodiment is represented.

Figure 1 is an exploded view of a toilet seat comprising the device claimed.

Figure 2 is an exploded view of the water storage and heating tank of the device.

Figure 3 is a section of the tank of figure 2 which shows the overflow and the water inlet situated above.

Figure 4 is a plan view which shows the flow of the water heating circuit from the inlet to the outlet which is connected to the discharge pipe.

Figure 5 is a side view of the washing water discharge pipe or tube in two positions.

Figures 6 and 7 show two perspective views of a toilet which incorporates a seat and the device claimed. In figure 6, the lid and the ring of the seat are in vertical position. In figure 7, only the seat lid has been lifted in vertical position.

Figures 8 and 9 show two side views of a toilet which incorporates a seat and the device claimed. In these figures, the reduced height of the seat similar to that of a conventional seat is observed in detail.

Description of a preferred embodiment

[0029] Below, a preferred embodiment is described of the device of the present invention incorporated in a toilet seat which can be used as a bidet, which complies with European standard EN 1717 for the protection of sanitary installations against contamination by backflow.

[0030] Figure 1 shows an exploded view of the seat 1 which incorporates the device 2 claimed. This device 2 comprises a washing water storage and heating tank 4, a washing water discharge pipe or tube 5 from the tank 4 and a drying unit 6. The discharge tube 5 has a curved longitudinal profile and can be displaced from a detracted internal position to an external position of use to carry out the washing (see figure 5).

[0031] As can be observed in figure 1, in the embodiment described the device 2 is mounted on a support piece which is modular and has three differentiated modules;

• A first module 3a which configures the water storage and heating tank 4 for the perineal and/or anal washing,
• A second module 3b wherein the washing water discharge tube 5 is mounted, and
• A third module 3c wherein the drying unit 6 and a processing and control unit 7 of the device 2 is mounted.

[0032] As can be seen in detail in figure 2, the first module 3a of the support piece configures the washing water storage and heating tank 4 wherein the heat source is housed. This tank 4 has the special characteristic that it incorporates:

• an overflow 8 to give outlet to the water and avoid the contamination by backflow when the water level (h) exceeds a predetermined height (hmax),
• A water inlet 9 which is positioned above the water level of the tank,
• An outlet 10 which is connected to the discharge tube 5 through a water discharge pump 11,
• A circuit 12 to force the flow of the water from the inlet 9 to the outlet 10, and
• A level sensor 13 to emit a signal when the water level (h) of the tank 4 goes down.

[0033] In the embodiment described, the height of the overflow 8 has been set at 25 mm and the water inlet 9 is situated at least 20 mm above the water level, so that if the tank water becomes contaminated, it can never reach the potable water system.

[0034] As can be seen in figures 2 and 3, the tank 4 water storage capacity is very reduced, for example, 0.30 I, so that this tank is very easy to integrate inside a casing 21 of the device 2 which is coupled to modules 3a, 3b, 3c of the support piece and which is associated to the toilet 15 seat 1. The substantially curved longitudinal profile of the tube 5 also contributes to facilitating the integration of the device 2 in a seat 1 of very reduced height, such as that represented in figures 6 to 8 (of an approximate height of 60 mm).

[0035] To be able to heat the washing water, the tank 4 heating circuit 12 incorporates a tubular electrical resistance 14 to apply a power of approximately 1650 W (see figure 4). This power is adequate to guarantee the heating of the system washing water and at the same time supply an outlet flow rate of the water discharge pump 11 of 1 l/min. This flow rate is necessary to provide an adequate sensation of cleanliness to the user.

[0036] As has been commented in the description of the invention, the device 2 claimed makes it possible to supply hot water in a very short response time (less than 50 seconds), thanks to the combined action of said heating circuit 12 and the level sensor 13 of the tank 4 which is associated to a processing and control unit 7 configured to order the intake of water every time the water level goes down. This same processing and control unit 7 adjusts the power of the resistance 14 of the circuit 12 in accordance with a signal emitted by a temperature sensor and/or a user presence sensor, through a phase control. This phase control applies a power percentage of the resistance 14 in accordance with an algorithm based on a PID control (Proportional-Integral-Derivative).

[0037] In the device 2 claimed, when the sensor detects the presence of a user, the processing and control unit 7 activates the electrical resistance 14 of the circuit 12 so that in approximately 30 seconds the reduced volume of water of the tank (0.30 l) acquires the desired temperature. When the user activates the water discharge through the tube 5, the processing and control unit 7 immediately enables the system water intake which is controlled by the level sensor 13, at the same time that the circuit 12 forces the flow of the incoming water to the outlet 10 to guarantee its heating with a high-power electrical resistance 14.

[0038] The devices of the state of the art existing in the European market which use tubular electrical resistances have the drawback that they have response times for the supply of hot water from the tank of around two minutes, or over two minutes. Nevertheless, these times are too long for the toilet user, since in practice, the user ends up using water with a temperature lower than that desired.

[0039] Figures 6 to 8 show a toilet 15 which can be used as a bidet which incorporate a seat 1 comprising the device 2 claimed. The seat 1 has a lid 16 and a seat ring 17 which are joined in articulated and detachable form to the casing 21 of the device 2 which is coupled to three modules 3a, 3b, 3c of the support piece. The user presence sensor is disposed on this casing 21, which in the embodiment described is an infrared sensor 22.

[0040] As can be seen in figures 6 and 7, modules 3a, 3b, 3c of the support piece of the device 2 are dimensioned so that they can be mounted on the upper plane 18 of the toilet bowl 19 of the toilet 15. The casing 21 of the device 2 which is coupled to said modules 3a, 3b, 3c, has an orifice 21 a wherethrough the washing water discharge tube 5 emerges when it is in position of use. The toilet bowl 19 has a notch 20 to allow the outlet of the tube 5 through the orifice 21 a of the casing 21.

[0041] The present invention provides a seat 1 for a toilet 15 which can be used as a bidet which has a plurality of advantages;

• It has a very short response time for the supply of hot washing water, less than 50 seconds,
• It has a reduced design height, less than 75 mm when the lid 16 is closed on the seat ring 17 (see figure 9) and,
• It complies with European standard EN 1717 for the protection against contamination by backflow of water from the system.

[0042] Despite the fact that reference has been made to a specific embodiment of the invention, it is evident for a person skilled in the art that the device 2 described is susceptible to numerous variations and modifications and that all the details mentioned can be replaced by other technically equivalent ones, without departing from the scope of protection defined by the attached claims For example, although in this description reference has been made to an electrical resistance 14 as heat source for the washing water heating circuit 12, alternatively, it would also be possible to use an electrical resistance of ceramic type to instantaneously heat the tank 4 water by means of an alternative washing water circuit.

Claims

1. Device (2) for a seat (1) of a toilet (15) which can be used as a bidet, comprising a water discharge pipe (5) for anal and/or perineal washing, and means to avoid the contamination by backflow of the water of the system which supplies said discharge pipe (5), characterized in that it comprises a tank (4) for storing and heating the washing water discharged by said pipe, said tank (4) including:

a. a water inlet (9) which is positioned above the water level (h) of the tank (4) and an overflow (8) to give outlet to the water when the water level (h) of the tank (4) exceeds a predetermined height (hmax), with this water inlet (9) and this overflow (8) making it possible to avoid the contamination by backflow of waste water,

b. a water outlet (10) which is connected to the discharge pipe (5) through a water discharge pump (11),

c. a circuit (12) to force a predetermined flow of the water from said inlet (9) to said outlet (10), said circuit being associated to a heat source (14) to heat the water during its flow, and

d. at least one level sensor (13) to emit a signal when the water level (h) of the tank (4) goes down,
said device comprising a processing and control unit (7) configured to order the intake of water in the tank (4) in accordance with a signal emitted by said level sensor (13), and for adjusting the power of the heat source (14) of the circuit (2) in accordance with a signal emitted by a water temperature sensor and/or by a user presence sensor (22).

2. Device (2) according to claim 1, wherein the capacity of said water storage and heating tank (4) is less than 0.5 I, preferably, less than 0.35 l.

3. Device (2) according to any of claims 1 to 2, wherein said circuit (12) is associated to a heat source comprising a heating element (14) configured to apply a power inside the tank greater than 1500 W.

4. Device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the pump (11) which drives the water through the discharge pipe (5) is configured to provide an outlet flow rate (Qs) comprised between 0.5 l/min and 1 l/min.

5. Device (2) according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein said overflow (8) is configured to give outlet to the water and avoid the contamination by backflow when the water level of the tank (4) exceeds a height (hmax) comprised between 15 mm and 40 mm.

6. Device (2) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the water inlet (9) of the tank (4) is situated at least 20 mm above the water level (hmax) of the tank (4).

7. Device (2) according to claim 1, wherein the water storage and heating tank (4) configures a module (3a) of a support piece of the device (2) which is dimensioned to be able to be mounted on the upper plane (18) of the toilet bowl (19) of a toilet (15) without the need to be inserted in a cavity of the toilet bowl (19).

8. Device (2) according to claim 7, wherein the discharge pipe (5) of the washing water is mounted in a second module (3b) of the support piece of the device (2).

9. Device (2) according to claim 8, comprising a drying unit (6) for the user of the toilet (15) which is mounted in a third module (3c) of the support piece of the device (2).

10. Device (2) according to claim 7, wherein said support piece incorporates a portion of metal base configured to dissipate the heat from a switch associated to a heating element (14) which provides the heat source.

11. Device (2) according to claim 1, wherein the water discharge pipe is a tube (5) with a substantially curved longitudinal profile which can be displaced to an external position to carry out a washing.

12. Device (2) according to claim 11, wherein said tube (5) is mounted in a module (3b) of a support piece of the device (2) which is dimensioned to be able to be mounted on the upper plane (18) of the toilet bowl (19) of a toilet (15).

13. Device (2) according to claim 1, wherein said processing and control unit (7) adjusts the power of the circuit heat source in accordance with a signal emitted by an infrared sensor (22) which is mounted on a casing (21) of the device (2) associated to the toilet (15) seat (1).

14. Toilet (15) seat (1) which can be used as a bidet, characterized in that it comprises a device (2) according to any of claims 1 to 13.

15. Toilet (15) which can be used as a bidet comprising a seat (1) and a body which acts by way of toilet bowl (19) whereon said seat (1) is mounted, characterized in that it comprises a device (2) according to any of claims 1 to 13.

Drawing