JP2015190142A - urinal device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a urinal device excellent in sanitation, by cleaning the bowl inside of a urinal by further quickly detecting the human body of approaching or distantly separating to the urinal device, by minimizing a change in the maximum radiation intensity direction of a radio wave transmitted from a radio wave sensor, even if stripe-shaped irregularity is formed on a radio wave sensor installation surface of the urinal for a male.SOLUTION: A radio wave sensor is installed on a urinal reverse side sensor installation surface so that the maximum radiation intensity direction of a transmission wave transmitted from a transmission antenna, is made vertically incident to a surface of an irregular part, and so as to also pass through the apex of the irregular part, to the irregular part formed in a stripe shape in the longitudinal direction of a urinal.

Description

  The present invention relates to a urinal device provided with a radio wave sensor.

  There is known a urinal device that accurately detects a human body, urine, and the like by a detection signal from a radio wave sensor, controls opening and closing of a valve, and supplies cleaning water to a bowl surface of the urinal. Such a urinal device generally detects an approach of a user by an infrared sensor, but detects it by a radio wave sensor (for example, a Doppler sensor) using a microwave frequency band (300 MHz to 300 GHz). Products have also been developed, and their spread has already begun.

  The radio wave sensor detects an operation of a detection target by transmitting a radio wave of a predetermined frequency (for example, a frequency band of microwaves) and receiving a radio wave reflected by the detection target (for example, a user). Specifically, the detection signal is generated based on the transmitted radio wave and the received radio wave, and the operation of the detection target is detected based on the frequency of the detection signal. Unlike infrared rays, radio waves are relatively easy to transmit without being blocked by pottery, so even if the radio wave sensor of the urinal device is placed on the back side of the urinal, for example, the operation of the detection target is detected It is possible.

  In order to detect the human body approaching the urinal and the urine flow in a wider range and efficiently, it is optimal to install a radio wave sensor on the back side of the substantially central portion of the urinal. In particular, when trying to detect a urine flow with a small effective reflection cross-sectional area of radio waves, it is necessary to keep the radio wave intensity high after being transmitted from the radio wave sensor and passing through the urinal. On the other hand, part of the radio wave transmitted from the radio wave sensor is affected by reflection, attenuation, and the like depending on the distance from the radio wave sensor to the ceramic surface and the incident angle of the radio wave when passing through the urinal. Therefore, in patent document 1, the installation state of the radio wave sensor installed in the back side of a urinal is devised.

Japanese Patent No. 4117688

  In recent years, it has been desired to detect a human body approaching or moving away from the urinal device more quickly and clean the urinal bowl to maintain hygiene. Therefore, if the frequency of the radio wave transmitted / received from the radio wave sensor is increased, for example, the human body approaching or moving away from the urinal apparatus can be recognized more quickly by changing from the 10 GHz band to the 24 GHz band. On the other hand, in the manufacturing process of ceramic urinals, when the slurry poured from the left and right sides of the mold collides at the substantially central portion of the urinal, a streaky unevenness having a width of about 10 mm may be formed accidentally. is there. In addition, streaky irregularities may be formed as reinforcing ribs for the urinal body. The radio wave transmitted from the radio wave sensor is mainly radiated as a transmission wave from the transmission antenna. However, if the frequency band of the transmission wave is increased to improve the response, the wavelength of the transmission wave is shortened. Therefore, it becomes easy to be affected by reflection and attenuation when passing through the above-mentioned pottery, and the directivity is likely to change due to refraction and interference of the transmission wave depending on the pottery shape. Therefore, depending on the positional relationship between the streaky irregularities formed in the urinal and the transmission antenna, the directivity (maximum radiation intensity direction) of the transmission wave may change and the detection accuracy may be reduced.

  Specifically, when the direction of the maximum radiant intensity of the transmission wave transmitted from the radio wave sensor overlaps with the slope of the uneven portion, a time difference (phase state is not uniform) occurs when the transmission wave passes through the earthenware. As a result, the direction of the maximum radiation intensity of the transmission wave after passing through the pottery is changed, which causes a problem that a desired detection range cannot be secured.

  The present invention has been made in view of such a problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a transmission wave by an uneven portion when an uneven portion formed on the back side of a urinal is located in front of a transmission antenna of a radio wave sensor. By suppressing the effects of refraction and interference, and minimizing changes in the direction of the maximum radiation intensity of the transmitted wave, the human body approaching or moving away from the urinal device can be detected more quickly, and the inside of the urinal bowl can be washed. It is providing the urinal apparatus excellent in hygiene.

  In order to solve the above problems, a urinal apparatus according to the present invention transmits a transmission wave from a urinal to a predetermined detection area from the back side of the urinal, and is configured by at least one rectangular transmission electrode. Based on the detection signal, an antenna, a reception antenna that receives the reflected wave reflected by the transmission wave colliding with a user or urine in the detection area, a signal extraction unit that extracts the detection signal from the transmission wave and the reflected wave, and And a control unit having a function of cleaning the bowl surface of the urinal. On the back side of the urinal, an uneven portion formed in a streak shape in the front-rear direction of the urinal is formed. It is attached to the back side of a urinal so that the maximum radiation intensity direction may be perpendicularly incident on the surface of the concavo-convex portion.

  By doing so, the direction of the maximum radiant intensity of the transmission wave and the surface of the concavo-convex part are perpendicular, and even if the transmission wave is incident on the concavo-convex part, the direction of the maximum radiant intensity is hardly affected by refraction or interference. Therefore, since the change in the maximum radiation intensity direction of the transmission wave transmitted from the transmission antenna can be minimized, a desired detection area can be ensured.

  In the urinal apparatus according to the present invention, it is also preferable that the maximum radiation intensity direction passes through the apex of the concavo-convex portion formed substantially at the center in the left-right direction of the urinal.

  By doing in this way, the change of the maximum radiation intensity direction of the transmission wave which permeate | transmitted the earthenware can be minimized, and a desired detection area can be ensured in the center part of the urinal.

  In the urinal apparatus according to the present invention, it is also preferable that the transmission antenna is composed of a plurality of transmission electrodes, and the plurality of transmission electrodes are linearly arranged with a predetermined interval in the width direction of the urinal.

  By doing this, the interference surface where the radio wave intensity becomes stronger due to interference and strengthening of transmission waves transmitted from multiple transmission electrodes is in the toilet bowl vertical direction, so a person approaching an adjacent urinal is erroneously detected Can be prevented.

  According to the present invention, when the uneven portion formed on the back of the urinal is located in front of the transmission antenna of the radio wave sensor, the influence of the refraction and interference of the transmission wave by the uneven portion is suppressed, and the maximum of the transmission wave is suppressed. By minimizing the change in the radiant intensity direction, a human body approaching or moving away from the urinal device can be detected more quickly, and the inside of the urinal bowl can be washed to provide a urinal device with excellent hygiene. .

The figure which shows typically the state in which the water discharging apparatus 10 was installed in the urinal 500 for men. Sectional drawing of the top surface 501 periphery of the urinal 500 for men. The block diagram of the antenna unit 200. FIG. The perspective view which shows the antenna unit 200. FIG. Sectional drawing of the urinal 500 in the AA of FIG. The figure showing the positional relationship of the antenna unit 200 and the uneven | corrugated | grooved part 600. FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a change in radio wave intensity of a radio wave radiated from the transmission antenna 220 when the positional relationship between the transmission antenna 220 and the uneven portion 600 is the positional relationship illustrated in FIG. 6. FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a change in radio wave intensity when the antenna unit 200 is shifted to the right side with respect to the uneven portion 600 in FIG. 6. The top view of the public toilet room RM in which the several urinals 500 are installed. The figure which showed other embodiment of the antenna unit 200 of the urinal apparatus which concerns on this invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate the understanding of the description, the same constituent elements in the drawings will be denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and redundant description will be omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating a state in which a water discharge device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is installed in a male urinal 500. The water discharge device 10 is installed as a device for supplying washing water from above to the bowl portion BW of the male urinal 500. The water discharge device 10 includes a water supply pipe PI, an on-off valve 100, an antenna unit 200, a control unit 300, and a spreader 400.

  The water supply pipe PI is a pipe for receiving supply of water from a water pipe (water supply channel) (not shown). The downstream end of the water supply pipe PI is connected to the spreader 400. The spreader 400 is an outlet (water discharge portion) of water discharged from the water discharge device 10, and is disposed in an upper portion of the bowl portion BW. The water supplied from the water pipe is discharged from the spreader 400 after passing through the water supply pipe PI, and supplied to substantially the entire bowl portion BW as cleaning water.

  The on-off valve 100 is an electromagnetic on-off valve, and is disposed in the middle of the water supply pipe PI. The on-off valve 100 is opened and closed by the control unit 300 described later, and the discharge of water from the spreader 400 is started or stopped.

  The antenna unit 200 is a sensor for detecting that the user HB has approached the male urinal 500 without contact. The antenna unit 200 is a so-called radio wave sensor, which transmits a radio wave of a predetermined frequency toward the detection area SA where the approach of the user HB is to be detected, and the radio wave which collides with the user HB or the urine flow UR and returns. By receiving, the operation of the detection target existing in the detection area SA is detected.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view around the top surface 501 of the male urinal 500. As shown in FIG. 2, the antenna unit 200 is installed on a sensor installation surface 502 formed on the back side of the top surface 501 of the male urinal 500. The radio wave transmitted from the antenna unit 200 passes through the male urinal 500, which is a pottery, and travels toward the detection area SA. Thereafter, the radio wave reflected by the detection target passes through the male urinal 500 again and reaches the antenna unit 200 and is received by the antenna unit 200.

  The antenna unit 200 generates a detection signal based on the transmitted radio wave (hereinafter also referred to as “transmission wave SW”) and the received radio wave (hereinafter also referred to as “reflection wave RW”), and controls the detection signal. To the unit 300. This detection signal has a frequency (AC component) signal corresponding to the difference between the frequency of the transmission wave SW and the frequency of the reflected wave RW, and an intensity (DC component) signal corresponding to the distance from the detection target to the antenna unit 200. doing.

  The control unit 300 detects the operation of the detection target (approach of the user HB) based on the detection signal input from the antenna unit 200, and operates the on-off valve 100 based on the detection target to detect water from the spreader 400. Is controlled. Such a control part 300 is comprised with the computer apparatus provided with CPU, RAM, etc. FIG.

  In addition, although the water discharging apparatus 10 which concerns on this embodiment becomes a structure which detects the approach of the user HB and starts discharge of water as mentioned above, the start (usage condition) of the excretion by the user HB is carried out. The structure which detects and starts discharge of water may be sufficient. In this case, the antenna unit 200 detects the movement of the urine UR by radio waves. The detection area SA is set as an area for detecting the movement of the urine UR.

  The configuration of the antenna unit 200 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the antenna unit 200 includes an oscillation circuit 210, a transmission antenna 220, a reception antenna 230, and a mixer circuit 240.

  The oscillation circuit 210 is a circuit that generates a high-frequency signal (output signal) having a predetermined frequency based on a command from the control unit 300 and outputs the high-frequency signal toward the transmission antenna 220. The output signal from the oscillation circuit 210 is input to the transmission antenna 220 via the transmission line and also to the mixer circuit 240 described later.

  The transmission antenna 220 is an antenna for transmitting the transmission wave SW toward the detection area SA. When an output signal from the oscillation circuit 210 is input to the transmission antenna 220, the transmission signal is transmitted from the transmission antenna 220 to the detection area SA as a transmission wave SW. The frequency of the transmission wave SW is the same as the frequency of the output signal.

  The receiving antenna 230 is an antenna for receiving a radio wave (reflected wave RW) reflected by a detection target (user HB) in the detection area SA. When the receiving antenna 230 receives the reflected wave RW, the reflected wave RW is converted into an electric signal (received signal) by the receiving antenna 230 and input to the mixer circuit 240. The frequency of the received signal is the same as the frequency of the reflected wave RW.

  When the detection target reflecting the transmission wave SW is stationary, the frequency of the transmission wave SW and the frequency of the reflection wave RW coincide. On the other hand, when the detection target reflecting the transmission wave SW is moving, the frequency of the transmission wave SW and the frequency of the reflection wave RW do not match due to the Doppler effect. These frequency differences vary depending on the operating speed of the detection target.

  As described above, the mixer circuit 240 receives the output signal from the oscillation circuit 210 and the reception signal from the reception antenna 230. The mixer circuit 240 extracts a detection signal based on these, and transmits the detection signal to the control unit 300. As already described, the detection signal has a frequency (AC component) signal corresponding to the difference between the frequency of the transmission wave SW and the frequency of the reflected wave RW, and an intensity (DC) according to the distance from the detection target to the antenna unit 200. Component) signal. Therefore, the control unit 300 can detect the movement of the detection target by receiving the detection signal, and can control the discharge of water from the spreader 400 (opening / closing of the on-off valve 100) based on the movement. .

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the antenna unit 200. As shown in FIG. 4, the antenna unit 200 includes six patch antennas (221, 222, 231, 232, 233, 234) disposed on one surface of a flat substrate 201. A ground electrode (not shown) that acts as a ground with respect to the frequency of the transmission wave SW is arranged on substantially the entire back side. All of these patch antennas have the same shape and the same specifications. The excitation directions of all the patch antennas are directions parallel to the short sides of the rectangular substrate 201 (the direction indicated by the arrow AR1 in FIG. 4).

  Each patch antenna (221, 222, 231, 232, 233, 234) is an antenna having directivity. The directivity of this patch antenna will be described using the patch antenna 221 in FIG. The directivity of the patch antenna 221 is maximized in the direction perpendicular to the substrate 201 in FIG. 4 starting from the center point MP of the patch antenna 221. Therefore, when the patch antenna 221 is used as a transmission antenna, the transmission wave SW of the patch antenna 221 has a maximum radiation intensity in a direction perpendicular to the substrate 201 from the center point MP. Further, when the patch antenna 221 is used as a receiving antenna, the received wave RW that reaches the center point MP along the direction perpendicular to the substrate 201 can be received with the highest sensitivity.

  In the antenna unit 200 shown in FIG. 4, a transmission antenna 220 is configured by two patch antennas (221, 222) serving as transmission electrodes. The plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) are linearly spaced apart by a predetermined distance D, and are connected to each other via a transmission line including a power equal distribution circuit (not shown). Therefore, the area of the single rectangular region (the region surrounded by the dotted line DL1 in FIG. 4) that includes the entire outer shape of the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) without a gap is the effective aperture of the transmission antenna 220. It is an area. Further, the transmission wave SW transmitted from the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) constituting the transmission antenna 220 is radiated linearly polarized so that the excitation direction is the arrow AR1.

  Since the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) are connected by a transmission line composed of a power equal distribution circuit, the radio waves radiated from the transmission electrodes (221, 222) are radio waves having the same phase. Therefore, the radio waves radiated from the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) interfere with each other on the surface EP, which is equidistant from the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) shown in FIG.

  That is, the transmission wave SW of the transmission antenna 220 shown in FIG. 4 has a higher strength than the radio wave transmitted from one transmission electrode by interference and strengthening of radio waves transmitted from the plurality of transmission electrodes on the surface EP. It has radio waves. Therefore, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission wave SW transmitted from the transmission antenna 220 is an intersection of the line EP connecting the center point MP of the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) and the surface EP as shown in FIG. The direction is perpendicular to the substrate 201 starting from the center point CP.

  Further, in the transmission antenna 220 shown in FIG. 4, the radio waves transmitted from the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) interfere and strengthen each other on the surface EP, so that the transmission wave SW has a vertically long radiation pattern along the surface EP. .

  In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, the receiving antenna 230 is composed of four patch antennas (231, 232, 233, 234) that serve as receiving electrodes. The plurality of receiving electrodes (231, 232, 233, 234) are spaced apart from each other as shown in FIG. 4 and are arranged in a grid at each of the four corners of the square area. Are connected to each other by transmission lines. In other words, the receiving antenna 230 is not configured as a single receiving electrode as a whole, but has a configuration having four receiving electrodes divided into four. The area of the single square region (the region surrounded by the dotted line DL2 in FIG. 4) that includes the entire outer shape of the plurality of reception electrodes (231, 232, 233, 234) without gaps is equal to that of the reception antenna 230. Effective opening area.

  Note that the effective aperture areas of the transmission antenna 220 and the reception antenna 230 may be changed as appropriate depending on the shape and size of the patch antenna and the arrangement relationship between the plurality of antennas.

  The uneven | corrugated | grooved part 600 formed in the urinal 500 of this embodiment is demonstrated using FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the urinal 500 taken along the line AA in FIG. 2. FIG. 5A shows a case where the concavo-convex portion 600 is formed as a convex shape, and FIG. It is a figure in the case of being formed as a concave shape.

  The uneven portion 600 shown in FIG. 5A is formed by collision of mud poured from the left and right sides of the urinal 500 when the urinal 500 is manufactured. Therefore, in FIG. 5 (a), the concavo-convex portion 600 has a gentle left-right symmetrical convex shape, but in some cases, it may be formed as a concave shape as shown in FIG. 5 (b). In addition, the concavo-convex portion 600 is formed in a streak shape substantially parallel to the front-rear direction of the urinal 500 at the approximate center of the urinal 500 in the left-right direction. Here, the left-right direction of the urinal 500 is the direction of the arrow LR shown in FIG. 5, and the front-rear direction is the direction of the arrow FB perpendicular to the paper surface.

  The concavo-convex portion 600 thus formed has a width W of 5 mm to 15 mm and a height H of about 1 mm to 3 mm. In addition, the position where the surface of the convex / concave portion 600 of FIG. 5A is farthest from the sensor installation surface 502 is called the vertex 601 of the convex / concave portion 600, and the surface between the sensor installation surface 502 and the vertex 601 is the concave / convex portion. This is called 600 slope 602. On the other hand, in the concave / convex portion 600 of FIG. 5B, the vertex 601 of the concave / convex portion 600 is the position that is the lowest point of the concave shape, and the slope 602 is the sensor installation surface 502. And the surface between the vertices 601.

  As described above, the concavo-convex portion 600 may occur accidentally at the time of manufacture. However, if the concavo-convex portion is convex, it may be artificially formed as a rib for reinforcing a urinal. Further, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, the concavo-convex portion 600 is formed in the vicinity of the center line A1 in the left-right direction of the urinal 500. Further, in the following description, the case where the uneven portion 600 shown in FIG. 5A is formed in a convex shape will be described.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the positional relationship between the antenna unit 200 and the uneven portion 600. As shown in FIG. 6, when the antenna unit 200 is installed on the sensor installation surface 502 of the urinal 500, the antenna unit 200 is installed so that the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission antenna 220 passes through the apex 601 of the uneven portion 600. .

  Further, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmitting antenna 220 is installed so as to be perpendicular to the surface of the concavo-convex portion 600. In FIG. 6, a tangent plane at the vertex 601 of the uneven portion 600 is indicated by A2. Since the concavo-convex portion 600 has a gentle left-right symmetrical convex shape, the tangent plane A2 at the vertex 601 is substantially horizontal. In addition, the antenna unit 200 is installed with the maximum radiation intensity direction MD facing directly below the urinal 500 so that the detection area SA is directly below when viewed from the front of the urinal 500. Therefore, when the transmission antenna 220 is installed so that the maximum radiation intensity direction MD passes through the apex 601 of the uneven portion 600, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD and the tangential plane A2 of the uneven portion 600 are perpendicular to each other.

  Further, the antenna unit 200 is arranged such that the excitation direction AR1 of the transmission antenna 220 is parallel to the front-rear direction of the urinal 500. Therefore, the excitation direction AR1 of the transmission antenna 220 and the concavo-convex portion 600 formed in the front-rear direction of the urinal 500 are parallel, and the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) constituting the transmission antenna 220 are urinals. 500 are arranged in a straight line with a predetermined interval D in the left-right direction.

  The antenna unit 200 installed as described above is fixed to the installation surface 502 of the urinal 500 by an installation member 250 such as a bracket (not shown). The installation member 250 may be anything as long as it can fix the antenna unit 200 to the installation surface 502 and does not interfere with transmission and reception of radio waves by the antenna unit 200.

  A state when the transmission wave SW radiated from the transmission antenna 220 of the antenna unit 200 installed in this way passes through the urinal 500 will be described with reference to FIG. 7 shows the transmission wave SW radiated from the transmission antenna 220 when the positional relationship between the transmission antenna 220 and the uneven portion 600 formed on the sensor installation surface 502 of the urinal 500 is the positional relationship shown in FIG. It represents the change in radio field intensity. FIG. 7 is obtained by simulation, and the curve indicated by the alternate long and short dash line in FIG. 7 connects the ranges in which the transmission waves SW radiated from the transmission antenna 220 have the same radio wave intensity. . In this curve, the closer to the transmission antenna 220, the stronger the radio wave intensity, and the farther away, the weaker the radio wave intensity.

  In the installation state shown in FIG. 6, the maximum radiant intensity direction MD of the transmission wave SW of the transmission antenna 220 passes through the top of the concavo-convex portion 600 and enters perpendicularly to the surface of the concavo-convex portion 600. Therefore, the transmission wave SW incident on the concavo-convex portion 600 is not easily affected by refraction or interference when passing through the urinal 500.

  In addition, the transmission wave SW incident on the apex 601 of the concavo-convex portion 600 also enters the top surface 501 of the urinal 500 perpendicularly. Therefore, even when the transmission wave SW incident on the urinal 500 from the concavo-convex portion 600 exits from the top surface 501 to the surface side of the urinal 500, it is not easily affected by refraction or interference.

  Therefore, in the radio wave intensity of the transmission wave SW after passing through the urinal 500 shown in the simulation result of FIG. 7, the point of the same radio wave intensity farthest from the transmission antenna 220 may be on the central line A1 of the urinal 500. Recognize.

  Further, when the transmission antenna 220 includes a plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222), radio waves interfere on the interference surface EP and strengthen each other, so that the maximum radiation intensity direction MD is on the interference surface EP. Yes. For this reason, when radio waves radiated from the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) enter the concavo-convex portion 600, the phase of the radio waves passing through the pottery shifts when entering the asymmetrical position with respect to the center point CP. Arise. Accordingly, since the interference plane EP changes, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD also changes as a result. In the urinal apparatus of the present embodiment, the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) are arranged symmetrically on the left and right sides of the apex 601 of the concavo-convex portion 600, and therefore enter the symmetrical position of the inclined surface 602. For this reason, when the radio waves radiated from the plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222) are incident on the uneven portion 600, they are incident on a symmetrical position with respect to the vertex 601, so that the phase of the radio waves passing through the ceramic is shifted. Does not occur. Therefore, the interference surface EP does not change, and as a result, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD does not change.

  That is, since the transmission wave SW is not easily affected by refraction or interference when entering the concavo-convex portion 600 and passing through the urinal 500, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD (directivity) changes after passing through the urinal 500. Can be minimized.

  Moreover, in this embodiment, since the shape of the uneven | corrugated | grooved part 600 is left-right symmetric, when transmitting the urinal 500, the shift | offset | difference does not arise in the phase of the electromagnetic wave radiated | emitted from the some transmission electrode (221,222). It can be seen that the radio wave intensity of the transmitted wave SW after transmission is substantially symmetrical. Further, as described above, the concavo-convex portion 600 is formed at a substantially central portion of the urinal 500, and the maximum radiation intensity direction MD is directly below the urinal 500, so that the transmitted wave SW after transmission is transmitted. It can be seen that the maximum radiation intensity direction MD can be transmitted toward the central portion of the urinal.

  Further, if the frequency band of the transmission wave is increased to improve the response of the radio wave sensor, the wavelength of the transmission wave SW is shortened. Therefore, the unevenness portion 600 causes the maximum radiation intensity direction MD ( Although the antenna unit 200 is installed as described above, the change in the maximum radiation intensity direction MD (directivity) is minimized even when the antenna unit 200 is changed from the 10 GHz band to the 24 GHz band, for example. be able to.

  Next, FIG. 8 shows a change in radio wave intensity when the antenna unit 200 is shifted to the right side with respect to the concavo-convex portion 600 in FIG.

  In the state of FIG. 8, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission wave SW of the transmission antenna 220 is the normal direction of the transmission antenna 220 until it enters the sensor installation surface 502 of the urinal 500, as in FIG. 7. . However, when the maximum radiant intensity direction MD enters the concavo-convex portion 600, the light enters the inclined surface 602 of the concavo-convex portion 600, and thus the maximum radiant intensity direction MD is inclined with respect to the surface of the concavo-convex portion 600. Therefore, the transmission wave SW radiated from the transmission antenna 220 causes refraction and interference on the surface of the uneven portion 600, and the transmission wave SW incident on the urinal 500 side is affected by refraction and interference, and its directivity (maximum radiation). The intensity direction MD) changes.

  Furthermore, when the transmission wave SW whose maximum radiation intensity direction MD has changed when entering the urinal 500 side passes through the urinal 500 and exits from the top surface 501 of the urinal 500 to the surface side, the urinal 500 again. The top surface 501 is affected by refraction and interference. Therefore, in FIG. 7, it can be seen that the maximum radiation intensity direction MD is greatly deviated from the center line A <b> 1 of the urinal 500.

  Further, when the transmission antenna 220 includes a plurality of transmission electrodes (221, 222), radio waves radiated from the transmission electrodes (221, 222) are asymmetrical with respect to the center point CP. The phase shift occurs in the radio wave passing through the pottery. Therefore, the interference surface EP of the radio wave transmitted through the pottery changes due to interference, and the maximum radiation intensity direction MD also changes accordingly.

  As described above, when the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission wave SW is incident on the inclined surface 602 of the concavo-convex portion 600, the transmission wave SW changes under the influence of refraction and interference when passing through the urinal 500. The MD cannot be directed to the central part of the urinal 500.

  Although FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 have been described using the case where the concavo-convex portion 600 is formed in a convex shape, the concavo-convex portion 600 may be concave as described above. Even when the concavo-convex portion 600 is formed in a concave shape, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission antenna 220 passes through the apex of the concavo-convex portion 600 and enters the surface of the concavo-convex portion 600 perpendicularly. By installing the antenna unit 200, the change in the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission wave SW after passing through the urinal 500 can be minimized.

  Further, as described above, in the antenna unit 200 of the urinal apparatus of the present embodiment, the radiation pattern of the transmission wave SW of the transmission antenna 220 is a vertically long radiation along the plane EP parallel to the excitation direction AR1 of FIG. It becomes a pattern. By attaching the antenna unit 200 to the urinal 500 such that the surface EP is parallel to the front-rear direction of the urinal 500, the left-right direction detection area SA of the urinal 500 is changed to the front-rear direction detection area SA. On the other hand, it can be narrowed, and it is possible to prevent the person HB using the adjacent urinal 500 from being detected and accidental water discharge.

  FIG. 9 is a plan view of a public toilet room RM in which a plurality of urinals 500 are installed. In the toilet room RM, four male urinals 500 are arranged along one wall surface, and such wall surfaces face each other. As a result, a total of eight male urinals 500 (and the water discharge device 10) are arranged in the toilet room RM.

  In such a toilet room RM, since the user HB uses the urinal 500, if the detection area SB of the urinal 500 on the left is expanded in the left-right direction when moving along the flow line FL, The transmission wave SW transmitted from the transmission antenna 220 of the urinal 500 is reflected by the HB using the urinal 500. Therefore, when the reflected wave RW is received in the urinal 500 on the left side, the discharge of water may start.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, by installing the sensor unit 200 so that the detection area SA of the urinal 500 is vertically long in the front-rear direction of the urinal 500, the user HB who uses the adjacent urinal 500 can False detection can be prevented.

  As described above, the urinal device according to the present invention transmits the transmission wave SW from the back side of the urinal 500 to the predetermined detection area SA from the back side of the urinal 500, and is composed of at least one rectangular transmission electrode. An antenna 220, a receiving antenna 230 that receives a reflected wave RW reflected by the transmitted wave SW colliding with a user HB or urine UR in the detection area SA, and a signal that extracts a detection signal from the transmitted wave SW and the reflected wave RW An extraction unit, and a control unit 300 having a function of cleaning the bowl surface BW of the urinal 500 based on the detection signal. The back side of the urinal 500 is formed in a streak shape in the front-rear direction of the urinal 500. The transmitting / receiving antenna 220 is attached to the back side of the urinal so that the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission wave SW is perpendicularly incident on the surface of the unevenness portion 600. It is characterized in.

  By doing so, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission wave SW and the surface of the concavo-convex part 600 are perpendicular to each other, and even if the transmission wave SW is incident on the concavo-convex part 600, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD is affected by refraction and interference. I hardly receive it. Therefore, since a change in the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission wave SW transmitted from the transmission antenna 220 can be minimized, a desired detection area can be ensured.

  In the urinal device according to the present invention, it is also preferable that the maximum radiation intensity direction MD passes through the apex 601 of the concavo-convex portion 600 formed at the approximate center of the urinal 500 in the left-right direction.

  By doing so, the change in the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission wave SW can be minimized, and a desired detection area can be secured in the central portion of the urinal 500.

  In the urinal apparatus according to the present invention, it is also preferable that the transmission antenna 220 is composed of a plurality of transmission electrodes, and the plurality of transmission electrodes are linearly arranged at a predetermined interval in the width direction of the urinal.

  In this way, the interference surface where the radio wave intensity is increased by the interference and strengthening of the transmission waves SW transmitted from the plurality of transmission electrodes is in the toilet bowl vertical direction. It is possible to prevent detection.

  Then, other embodiment of the antenna unit 200 of the urinal apparatus based on this invention is described using FIG. In the antenna unit 200 shown in FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B, the transmission antenna 220 is composed of one patch antenna 221 serving as a transmission electrode.

  As shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, when the transmission antenna 220 is composed of one transmission electrode 221, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD starts from the center point MP of the transmission electrode 221. The direction is perpendicular to 201.

  As described above, when the transmission antenna 220 including one transmission electrode 221 is installed in the urinal 500, the excitation direction AR1 of the transmission electrode 221 is preferably set to the front-rear direction of the urinal 500. Thus, when the antenna unit 200 is attached to the front of the urinal 500 as shown in FIG. 10D, the transmission wave SW can easily pass through the urinal 500. It is known (for example, see Patent Document 1).

  In addition, as described above, by setting the maximum radiation intensity direction MD of the transmission antenna 220 to pass through the vertex 601 of the concavo-convex portion 600 of the urinal 500 perpendicularly to the tangential plane A2 of the vertex 601, Even if the transmission wave SW is incident on the concavo-convex portion 600, the maximum radiation intensity direction MD can be installed so that it is hardly affected by refraction or interference.

  Therefore, when the transmission antenna 220 is composed of one transmission electrode 221, when the antenna unit 200 is tilted forward by making the excitation direction AR1 of the transmission electrode 221 parallel to the concavo-convex portion 600, The radio wave intensity of the transmission wave SW that passes through the urinal 500 can be further increased.

  For the same reason, even when the transmission antenna 220 is constituted by two transmission electrodes 221 as shown in FIG. 10C, the excitation direction AR1 is parallel to the long side of the substrate 201. If it is, it is also preferable to install the excitation direction AR1 so as to be the front-rear direction of the urinal 500, similarly to the antenna unit 200 of FIGS. 10 (a) and 10 (b).

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Water discharging apparatus 100: On-off valve 200: Antenna unit 201: Board | substrate 210: Oscillation circuit 220: Transmission antenna 221: Transmission electrode (patch antenna)
230: Reception antenna 231, 232, 233, 234: Reception electrode (patch antenna)
240: Mixer circuit 250: Installation member 300: Control unit 400: Spreader 500: Male urinal 501: Top surface 502: Sensor installation surface 600: Concavity and convexity 601: Apex 602: Slope BW: Bowl part HB: User HW: Handwasher PI: Water supply pipe RM: Toilet room RW: Reflected wave SW: Transmitted wave SA: Detection area UR: Urine flow

Claims (3)

A urinal,
Transmitting a transmission wave from the back side of the urinal to a predetermined detection area, and a transmission antenna composed of at least one rectangular transmission electrode;
A receiving antenna that receives a reflected wave reflected by the transmitted wave colliding with a user or urine in the detection region;
A signal extraction unit for extracting a detection signal from the transmission wave and the reflected wave;
A controller having a function of cleaning the bowl surface of the urinal based on the detection signal,
On the back side of the urinal is formed an uneven portion formed in a streak shape in the front-rear direction of the urinal,
The urinal apparatus, wherein the transmitting antenna is attached to a back side of the urinal so that a maximum radiation intensity direction of the transmission wave is perpendicularly incident on a surface of the uneven portion.   The urinal device according to claim 1, wherein the maximum radiation intensity direction passes through a vertex of the concavo-convex portion formed substantially at the center in the left-right direction of the urinal. The transmission antenna is composed of a plurality of the transmission electrodes,
The urinal device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the plurality of transmission electrodes are arranged in a straight line at a predetermined interval in a width direction of the urinal.

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