BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for wiping the buttocks with paper.
2. Related Art
Apparatuses described in JP-A-2012-172486, JP-A-2011-062532, JP-A-2011-144623, JP-A-2011-143233, JP-A-2011-200627, JP-A-2009-263859, and JP-A-2009-061126 are conventionally known as a buttock wiping apparatus. Many of the known buttock wiping apparatuses wipe buttocks by inserting a wiping arm to which toilet paper is attached into a gap between a toilet bowl and a toilet seat surface. Typically, the toilet seat is raised by using a toilet seat elevating apparatus to create a gap between the toilet bowl and the toilet seat surface. The disclosed known buttock wiping apparatuses also include an invention without a toilet seat elevating apparatus.
A simple part for providing a gap between a toilet bowl and a toilet seat surface has been desired to be developed at low cost. An object of the present invention is to provide a buttock wiping apparatus that adopts a simple part for providing a gap between a toilet bowl and a toilet seat surface.
SUMMARY
The present invention has the following features to solve the above problem. An aspect of the present invention provides a buttock wiping apparatus including a wiping arm to which paper is attachable, a wiping arm driving unit for driving the wiping arm, and a raising part provided between a toilet seat and a toilet bowl. The wiping arm driving unit inserts the wiping arm through a passage part provided in the raising part, and performs a wipe operation.
Moreover, another aspect of the present invention provides a buttock wiping apparatus including a wiping arm to which paper is attachable, a wiping arm driving unit for driving the wiping arm, and a raised toilet seat. The wiping arm driving unit inserts the wiping arm through a passage part provided in the toilet seat, and performs a wipe operation.
It is preferred to further include a closing part for closing the passage part.
According to the present invention, the raising part and the raised toilet seat are used to form the passage part, and the wiping arm is inserted through the passage part to wipe the buttocks. Therefore, a simple part for providing a gap between a toilet bowl and a toilet seat surface is provided at low cost. Moreover, by providing the closing part, the prevention of water and the like from entering the passage part, a main body, and the like, and the prevention of its resultant failure, contamination, and insanitation become possible.
These and other objects, features, aspects, and effects of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a buttock wiping apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating a toilet seat, a raising part, and a toilet bowl in the embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the raising part;
FIG. 4 is a side view schematically illustrating a toilet seat and a toilet bowl in another embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the toilet seat;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the raising part or the toilet seat that is provided with a closing part;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a state where the closing part is opened; and
FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an example of a wiping arm.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a functional configuration of a buttock wiping apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, the buttock wiping apparatus 1 includes a wiping arm driving unit 2, a wiping arm 3, an operating unit 4, and a paper attachment part 5. The wiping arm 3 is a device to which toilet paper automatically or semi-automatically folded or wound by the paper attachment part 5 can be attached. The wiping arm 3 is provided with various actuators that can move a portion where the toilet paper is attached frontward, backward, left, right, up and down, as appropriate. Moreover, an actuator for holding the toilet paper is provided to the wiping arm 3. The actuator of the wiping arm 3 is driven by control of the wiping arm driving unit 2. The operating unit 4 is a device for a user to instruct the wiping arm driving unit 2 to perform operations such as a wipe. The user himself/herself may attach the toilet paper to the wiping arm 3 without providing the paper attachment part 5. A basic mechanism of such a buttock wiping apparatus 1 is a known mechanism disclosed in JP-A-2012-172486, JP-A-2011-062532, JP-A-2011-144623, JP-A-2011-143233, JP-A-2011-200627, JP-A-2009-263859, and JP-A-2009-061126, and is a mechanism that has already been manufactured by the applicant. Therefore, the mechanism can be implemented even without the detailed description. The buttock wiping apparatus 1 is disposed on the side, back, or the like of a toilet bowl. The buttock wiping apparatus 1 may be integrated with a toilet seat and the toilet bowl or may be a separate body.
FIG. 2 is a side view schematically illustrating a toilet seat 7, a raising part 8, and a toilet bowl 9 in the embodiment. In the embodiment, the raising part 8 is provided between the toilet seat 7 and the toilet bowl 9. The raising part 8 is provided to raise the upper surface level of the toilet seat 7, and also functions as a device for facilitating transfer from a wheelchair and helping a person with lower limb weakness to stand up. For example, the raising part 8 without a passage part 6 has been commercialized by Toto Ltd. and the like as what is called a raised toilet seat (trade name: Raised toilet seat). However, in the present invention, the raising part 8 is not limited to what is called a raised toilet seat. For example, a plurality of columnar devices may be used as a raising part.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the raising part 8. The passage part 6 of a size that allows the insertion of the wiping arm 3 is hollowed out in the raising part 8. The wiping arm driving unit 2 inserts the wiping arm 3 through the passage part 6, and moves the wiping arm 3 forward, backward, left, right, up, and down to wipe water and dirt on the buttocks. It is preferred that the toilet seat 7 be accompanied with a warm-water cleansing apparatus, and the buttocks be wiped by the wiping arm 3 while being cleansed with warm water. However, it does not limit the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a side view schematically illustrating a toilet seat 7a and the toilet bowl 9 in another embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the toilet seat 7a. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the buttocks may be wiped by using the raised toilet seat 7a higher than a normal toilet seat instead of the raising part 8, providing a passage part 6a in the raised toilet seat 7a, and inserting the wiping arm 3 through the passage part 6a. The raised toilet seat 7a without the passage part 6a has also been commercialized by Toto Ltd. and the like as a raised toilet seat with a warm-water cleansing apparatus (trade name: Warmlet G), but a toilet seat is not limited to this.
It is preferred that the raising part 8 and the raised toilet seat 7a be attached operably and closably.
Water may enter the buttock wiping apparatus 1 from the passage parts 6 and 6a. Accordingly, an automatic shutter window or the like may be provided to close the passage parts 6 and 6a except when the buttocks are wiped. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate an example of a closing part of such passage parts 6 and 6a. As illustrated in FIG. 6, a closing part 10 made of a plate-shaped member is attached by a hinge part 11 to the passage parts 6 and 6a of the raising part 8 and the raised toilet seat 7a. An elastic member for applying a force in a closing direction may be provided to the hinge part 11. Consequently, the hinge part 11 is automatically closed. However, even if such an elastic member is not provided to the hinge part 11, the closing part 10 can be closed automatically by its own weight.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, the wiping arm 3 to which toilet paper 12 is attached is exposed so as to push up the closing part 10 when being exposed from the passage part 6 or 6a. The wiping arm driving unit 2 operates so as to drop the toilet paper 12 in the toilet bowl and return the wiping arm 3 to its original position, when finishing a wipe.
As illustrated in FIG. 8, for example, a holding end part 3a having a convex opening/closing part 3b for holding the toilet paper 12 may be provided at an end of a pipe part 3c of the wiping arm 3. When the wiping arm 3 with such a structure is used, the closing part 10 is caught on the holding end part 3a if the wiping arm 3 is retracted into the passage part 6 or 6a with the opening/closing part 3b turned to the up side. Thus, for example, if being retracted with the holding end part 3a turned to the down side, the wiping arm 3 can enter in the passage part 6 or 6a in such a manner than the pipe part 3c slides the closing part 10. After the wiping arm 3 is housed, the orientation of the holding end part 3a is adjusted to an appropriate position. The operation is not limited to the example of FIG. 7, and the wiping arm 3 may be exposed with the holding end part 3a turned to the down side also upon the exposure of the wiping arm 3.
The closing part 10 for closing the passage parts 6 and 6a can prevent water and the like from entering the passage parts 6 and 6a, the main body, and the like, and prevents its resultant failure, contamination, and insanitation, irrespective of the operation method of the wiping arm 3. The structure of the closing part 10 is not limited to the above example, and may have a mechanism for opening and closing with an electric motor and the like, or may be a structure for sliding up and down to open and close, or for sliding left and right to open and close.
The shape, size, and the like of the passage parts 6 and 6a are designed to the shape and movement path of the wiping arm 3 as appropriate, and are not limited to those illustrated in the drawings.
In this manner, according to the embodiments of the present invention, the buttocks are wiped by using the raising part 8 or the raised toilet seat 7a, forming the passage part 6 or 6a, and inserting the wiping arm through the passage part 6 or 6a. Therefore, a simple part for providing a gap between the toilet bowl and the toilet seat surface is provided at low cost.
The present invention has been described in detail. However, the above-mentioned description is merely the illustrations of the present invention in every respect, and does not aim to limit its scope. It is needless to say that various improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
The present invention provides a buttock wiping apparatus, and is industriously applicable.
Patent Application
20140096335
