WO2024228252A1 - Flush button of flush toilet enabling attachment of drug solution supply device and water storage stank provided with same - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention enables attachment of a drug solution supply device to a type of water storage tank lacking a hand washing portion. A flush button 1 to be operated by a user to supply flushing water from a water storage tank 100 of a flush toilet into a toilet bowl comprises: a case 3 installed in a through-hole 104 formed in an upper portion of the water storage tank 100; an operation unit 2 which is stored in the case 3 and on which an operation of the user is executed; and an attachment member 4 to which a drug solution supply device 10 containing a drug solution is attached, the case 3 comprises a sidewall portion 30 to be inserted into the through-hole 104, the attachment member 4 comprises a guiding portion 7 provided with a flow passage 70 that guides the drug solution supplied from the drug solution supply device 10 into the water storage tank 100, and at least a part of the guiding portion 7 is disposed along the sidewall portion 30 and passes through the through-hole 104.

Description

A flush button for a flush toilet to which a drug supply device can be attached, and a water tank equipped with the flush button

This disclosure relates to a flush button for a flush toilet to which a medicinal liquid supply device can be attached, and a water storage tank equipped with the flush button.

A typical flush toilet has a water tank installed behind the toilet bowl to store water for flushing the toilet bowl (hereafter referred to as "flush water"), and is configured so that flush water from the tank is supplied into the toilet bowl by operating a lever on the side wall of the tank. The most common type of water tank is one with a hand-washing section. A water tank with a hand-washing section has a discharge pipe installed at the top of the tank to supply water for hand-washing (hereafter referred to as "hand-washing water"), and a tray is formed on the top of the tank to receive the hand-washing water discharged from the discharge pipe. The tray has a drain opening that introduces used hand-washing water into the inside of the tank.

　Conventionally, a chemical liquid supplying device containing a chemical liquid for cleaning or preventing stains on the toilet bowl has been attached to the toilet's water tank or toilet bowl. When the water tank is a type with a hand-washing section, for example, an on-tank type chemical liquid supplying device as described in Patent Document 1 is attached to the tray of the water tank. In an on-tank type chemical liquid supplying device, the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supplying device is introduced into the water tank together with the hand-washing water discharged into the tray, and is mixed with the flush water in the water tank. The flush water mixed with the chemical liquid is then supplied into the toilet bowl during flushing, thereby exerting the effect of cleaning the toilet bowl or preventing stains.

JP 2004-300861 A

The on-tank type medicinal liquid supply device described in Patent Document 1 cannot be attached to a water storage tank that does not have a tray for receiving hand-washing water. There are many types of water storage tanks that do not have a hand-washing section, and there is a need to be able to attach a medicinal liquid supply device to water storage tanks that do not have a hand-washing section.

The present disclosure focuses on the above-mentioned problems and aims to make it possible to attach a medicinal liquid supply device to a water tank that does not have a hand washing section, has a flush button on the top, and is configured so that flush water inside flows into the toilet bowl when the flush button is operated.

The subject of this disclosure is the cleaning button described in item 1 below, in order to solve the above problem.

Item 1. A flush button operated by a user to supply flush water from a water tank of a flush toilet into a toilet bowl,
A case is installed in a through hole formed in an upper portion of the water storage tank;
an operation unit that is accommodated in the case and that is operated by a user;
A mounting member to which a drug solution supplying device containing a drug solution is attached,
the case includes a side wall portion that is inserted into the through hole,
the attachment member includes a guide portion having a flow path for guiding the chemical solution supplied from the chemical solution supply device into the water storage tank,
A flush button, wherein at least a portion of the guide portion is disposed along the side wall portion and passes through the through hole.

The cleaning button of the present disclosure also includes the cleaning button described in the following item 2 as a preferred embodiment of the cleaning button described in item 1 above.

Item 2. The mounting member includes a support portion that supports the chemical solution supplying device from below and has an internal space that receives the chemical solution supplied from the chemical solution supplying device,
The guide portion is connected to the support portion,
2. The cleaning button described in item 1, wherein the support portion is provided with a communication portion that connects the internal space to the flow path, thereby enabling the flow of the chemical solution from the internal space to the flow path.

The cleaning button of the present disclosure also includes the cleaning button described in the following item 3 as a preferred embodiment of the cleaning button described in item 2 above.

Item 3. The cleaning button described in item 2, in which a guide surface is formed on the inner bottom of the support portion that is connected to the communication portion and that slopes downward toward the communication portion.

The cleaning button of the present disclosure also includes the cleaning button described in the following item 4 as a preferred embodiment of the cleaning button described in items 1 to 3 above.

Item 4. The cleaning button according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the induction portion is made of a plate material, and the plate material has one groove or multiple sawtooth grooves formed as the flow path.

The cleaning button of the present disclosure also includes the cleaning button described in the following item 5 as a preferred embodiment of the cleaning button described in item 4 above.

Item 5. A notch is formed in a portion of the circumferential direction of the side wall portion, the notch being cut in the up-down direction,
5. The cleaning button according to claim 4, wherein the guide portion includes a fitting portion that fits into the cutout portion.

The cleaning button of the present disclosure also includes the cleaning button described in the following item 6 as a preferred embodiment of the cleaning button described in item 5 above.

Item 6. The locking member further includes a ring-shaped locking member that is connected to the outer surface of the side wall portion so as to be movable in the up and down direction,
the case includes a flange portion exposed above the through hole,
Item 6. The flush button according to item 5, wherein the locking member is configured to secure the case to the top of the water tank by clamping the top of the water tank with the flange portion.

The cleaning button of the present disclosure also includes the cleaning button described in the following item 7 as a preferred embodiment of the cleaning button described in items 5 to 6 above.

Item 7. The cleaning button according to item 5 or 6, in which the fitting portion is provided with a cover portion that covers the flow path.

In order to solve the above problems, the subject of this disclosure is the flush toilet water tank described in Section 8 below.

Item 8. A flush toilet water tank,
The cleaning device includes a tank body for storing cleaning water, a lid body for closing an upper opening of the tank body, and a cleaning button fixed to the lid body,
The cleaning button is
a case that is installed in a through hole formed in the lid; and an operation unit that is accommodated in the case and that is operated by a user;
A mounting member to which a drug solution supplying device containing a drug solution is attached,
the case includes a side wall portion inserted into the through hole,
the mounting member includes a guide portion having a flow path that guides the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supply device into the tank body,
A water tank, wherein at least a portion of the guide portion is disposed along the side wall portion and passes through the through hole.

According to the present disclosure, a medicinal liquid supply device can be attached to a water tank without a hand washing section, which has a flush button on the top and is configured so that flush water inside flows into the toilet bowl when the flush button is operated.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a water tank of a flush toilet. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the water tank of FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cleaning button and the chemical liquid supplying device. FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the cleaning button and the chemical liquid supply device. 5(A) is a cross-sectional view of the chemical liquid supplying device (cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3), and FIG. 5(B) is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning button device (cross-sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 3). FIG. 6 is a front view of the container of the drug solution supplying device. 7A is a plan view of the support of the drug solution supplying device, FIG. 7B is a front view of the support, and FIG. 7C is a bottom view of the support. Figure 8 (A) is a plan view of the mounting member for the cleaning button, Figure 8 (B) is a front view of the mounting member, Figure 8 (C) is a side view of the mounting member, and Figure 8 (D) is a cross-sectional view of the mounting member (cross-sectional view along line CC in Figure 8 (B)). Figure 9(A) is a plan view of the cleaning button without the mounting part, Figure 9(B) is a front view of the cleaning button without the mounting part, Figure 9(C) is a bottom view of the cleaning button without the mounting part, and Figure 9(D) is a cross-sectional view of the cleaning button without the mounting part (cross-sectional view along line D-D in Figure 9(A)).

Below, an embodiment of the flush button and water tank of the disclosed flush toilet will be described with reference to the attached drawings.

Overview of the water tank

The water storage tank 100 shown in Figures 1 and 2 is installed behind the toilet bowl 110 and stores water for flushing the toilet bowl (flushing water). The water storage tank 100 comprises a bottomed tank body 101 with an opening at the top, and an openable and closable lid 102 that covers the top opening of the tank body 101. The flush button 1 is fixed to the top of the water storage tank 100. In this disclosure, the top of the water storage tank 100 is the lid 102.

Cleaning water is stored in the internal space of the tank body 101. The lid body 102 has a through hole 104 that penetrates the upper surface portion 103 of the lid body 102 in the thickness direction. The cleaning button 1 is installed in the through hole 104 of the lid body 102.

A drainage mechanism connected to the flush button 1 is provided inside the tank body 101. The drainage mechanism is configured to drain a predetermined amount of flush water from the tank body 101 and supply it into the toilet bowl in conjunction with the user's operation of the flush button 1. A water supply mechanism is also provided inside the tank body 101, which supplies flush water to the tank body 101 to make up for the amount of flush water lost due to drainage. The water supply mechanism is configured to replenish a predetermined amount of flush water from a water pipe into the tank body 101 depending on the flush water level in the tank body 101. The drainage mechanism and water supply mechanism are conventionally known mechanisms for this type of flush toilet, and a detailed description will be omitted here.

1 to 3, the flush button 1 is an operation button that is operated by a user to flush the toilet bowl after the user has used the toilet. The flush button 1 is configured to supply flush water from a water storage tank 100 into the toilet bowl when operated. The flush button 1 is also configured to have a chemical liquid supply device 10 removably attached thereto, and to guide the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supply device 10 into a tank body 101 on the water storage tank 100.

The medicinal liquid contains at least one of, for example, a cleaning component, a stain-preventing component, a disinfecting component, a fragrance component, and a deodorizing component. The medicinal liquid is mixed with the flushing water in the water storage tank 100 from an external medicinal liquid supply device 10, and the flushing water containing the medicinal liquid is supplied into the toilet bowl, thereby achieving effects such as flushing the toilet bowl, preventing stains on the toilet bowl, disinfecting the toilet bowl, fragrance the space inside the toilet, and deodorizing the space inside the toilet.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the cleaning button 1 includes an operation unit 2, a case 3, an attachment member 4, and a locking member 5. Below, each component that makes up the cleaning button 1 will be described. In addition, the chemical liquid supply device 10 that is attached to the cleaning button 1 will be described.

As shown in Fig. 2 to Fig. 5 and Fig. 9, the case 3 is a member that houses the operation unit 2. The case 3 is also installed in the through hole 104 of the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100, and is a member that attaches the operation unit 2 to the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100. The case 3 is formed into a circular cylindrical shape with a bottom in a plan view, and has an opening at the upper end. The operation unit 2 is housed in the internal space of the case 3 through the upper opening. Preferred examples of the material of the case 3 include synthetic resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate.

The case 3 is installed in the through hole 104 by inserting the cylindrical side wall portion 30 into the through hole 104 of the lid body 102 of the water storage tank 100 and placing the ring plate-shaped flange portion 32 provided at the upper end of the side wall portion 30 on the upper surface of the lid body 102. To improve the design of the flush button 1, it is preferable that the flange portion 32 exposed above the lid body 102 is covered with a ring-shaped decorative cover 8.

A spiral groove (male thread) 33 is formed on the outer surface of the side wall portion 30, except for the upper part of the side wall portion 30. The male thread 33 of the side wall portion 30 screws into a female thread 52 formed on the inner surface of the locking member 5, which will be described later.

A notch 34 cut in the vertical direction is formed in a portion of the circumferential direction of the side wall 30. The notch 34 extends from the upper end to the lower end of the side wall 30, and a notch 35 and a notch 80 are also formed in a portion of the circumferential direction of the flange portion 32 and the decorative cover 8 to match the notch 34 of the side wall 30. The width of the notches 34, 35, and 80 is approximately the same size as the width of the second guide portion 72 of the mounting member 4 described below.

The notches 34, 35, 80 formed in the side wall portion 30, the flange portion 32, and the decorative cover 8 are used to attach the mounting member 4 to the case 3, as will be described in detail later. Only one notch 34, 35, 80 may be formed in the side wall portion 30, the flange portion 32, and the decorative cover 8, or multiple notches may be formed at intervals in the circumferential direction. The number of notches 34, 35, 80 is preferably one or more and four, more preferably one or more and three or less, even more preferably one or more and two or less, and particularly preferably one. If multiple notches 34, 35, 80 are formed, the mounting member 4 can be attached to the case 3 at the position of any of the notches 34, 35, 80, so that the installation position of the mounting member 4 relative to the case 3, that is, the installation position of the drug solution supply device 10, can be freely changed.

1, looking from the toilet 110 toward the water storage tank 100, the installation position of the medicinal liquid supplying device 10 can be selected from the front side of the operation unit 2 (towards the toilet 110), the back side of the operation unit 2 (away from the toilet 110), and the right or left side of the operation unit 2. From the viewpoint of allowing the user to easily operate the operation unit 2, the installation position of the medicinal liquid supplying device 10 is preferably the back side of the operation unit 2, or the right or left side of the operation unit 2, and more preferably the back or right side of the operation unit 2.

In the side wall portion 30, a pair of projections 36 facing each other are provided at the upper ends of a pair of circumferential end faces that define the cutout portion 34. The pair of projections 36 extend in the vertical direction by the same amount as the thickness of the flange portion 32. The pair of projections 36 enter and fit into a recess 76 formed in a first guide portion 71 of the mounting member 4, which will be described later.

The disk-shaped bottom 31 of the case 3 is provided with a cylindrical guide portion 37 through which the slide shaft 23 of the operation unit 2, described below, is inserted. The guide portion 37 protrudes downward from the bottom 31. In this embodiment, since the operation unit 2 has two slide shafts 23, two guide portions 37 are provided on the bottom 31. The corresponding slide shafts 23 are inserted into each guide portion 37. The guide portion 37 guides the slide shafts 23 to slide straight up and down and the push plate 22 to move straight up and down.

The bottom 31 is provided with a pair of receiving portions 39 at positions sandwiching the notch 34 of the side wall portion 30 from the left and right. The receiving portions 39 protrude downward from the bottom 31. The receiving portions 39 are formed in an L-shaped plate shape when viewed from the bottom. A pair of protrusions 77 provided on the second guide portion 72 of the mounting member 4 described later fit into the pair of receiving portions 39.

Also, an annular protrusion 38 is provided on the bottom 31. The annular protrusion 38 protrudes upward from the bottom 31. The annular protrusion 38 is located on the opposite side of the bottom 31 from the guide portion 37. The slide shaft 23 of the operation unit 2 described below is inserted into the annular protrusion 38, and the annular protrusion 38 positions the elastic member 21 in a fixed position. In this embodiment, since the operation unit 2 has two slide shafts 23 and two elastic members 21, two annular protrusions 38 are provided on the bottom 31. The corresponding slide shaft 23 is inserted into each annular protrusion 38, and the corresponding elastic member 21 is positioned by each annular protrusion 38.

2 to 5, the locking member 5 is connected to the outer surface of the side wall 30 of the case 3 so as to be movable in the vertical direction, and is a member that fixes the case 3 to the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100. The locking member 5 is formed in a ring shape. Preferred examples of the material of the locking member 5 include synthetic resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate.

The locking member 5 includes an enclosing wall portion 50 that encloses the outer surface of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, and a flange portion 51 provided at the upper end of the enclosing wall portion 50. A spiral groove (female thread) 52 is formed on the inner surface of the enclosing wall portion 50. The locking member 5 is connected to the side wall portion 30 by screwing the female thread 52 of the enclosing wall portion 50 into the male thread 32 of the side wall portion 30. The locking member 5 moves toward the upper portion of the side wall portion 30 by rotating the enclosing wall portion 50 in a direction that tightens the screw relative to the side wall portion 30. On the other hand, the locking member 5 moves toward the lower portion of the side wall portion 30 by rotating the enclosing wall portion 50 in a direction that loosens the screw relative to the side wall portion 30.

The flange portion 51 of the locking member 5 clamps the lid body 102 of the water tank 100 between the flange portion 32 of the side wall portion 30, and the locking member 5 secures the case 3 to the lid body 102.

Description of Operation Unit As shown in Figures 1 to 5 and 9, the operation unit 2 is a member that is pushed by the user when flushing the toilet. The operation unit 2 comprises a push button section 20 and an elastic member 21. Two push button sections 20 and elastic members 21 make up a set, and in this embodiment, the operation unit 2 comprises two sets of push button sections 20 and elastic members 21. One set of push button sections 20 and elastic members 21 is operated for feces flushing, and the other set of push button sections 20 and elastic members 21 is operated for urination flushing.

The push button section 20 comprises a push plate 22 and a slide shaft 23 provided on the push plate 22. The push plate 22 is the part that is pressed from above by the user. The push plate 22 is formed in a semicircular plate shape in a plan view, and the combination of the two push plates 22 presents a circle in a plan view. The two push plates 22 have a diameter slightly smaller than the upper opening of the case 3, which presents a circle in a plan view. The two push plates 22 are positioned slightly above the upper opening of the case, and when pressed from above by the user, they pass through the upper opening of the case 3 and move into the case 3.

The slide shaft 23 is formed in a cylindrical shape that protrudes downward from the push plate 22 and has a circular shape when viewed from the bottom. The slide shaft 23 is inserted into the corresponding guide portion 37 of the bottom 31 of the case 3. A drainage mechanism arranged in the water storage tank 100 is connected to the lower end of the slide shaft 23. When the push plate 22 is pressed by the user, the slide shaft 23 slides downward, and in conjunction with the sliding of the slide shaft 23, the drainage mechanism drains a predetermined amount of flushing water from the tank body 101 and supplies it into the toilet bowl.

The elastic member 21 is disposed between the push plate 22 and the bottom 31 of the case 3. The elastic member 21 compresses when the push plate 22 moves downwards under pressure from the user, and when the pressure from the user on the push plate 22 is released, the elastic member 21 returns to its original state, and functions to urge the push plate 22 so that the push plate 22 moves upwards. The elastic member 21 is, for example, a coil spring. The coil spring can be maintained in a fixed position by arranging the coil spring on the bottom 31 of the case 3 so that the annular protrusion 38 fits into the lower end of the coil spring. Note that an elastic member other than a coil spring can be used for the elastic member 21 as long as it can perform the above-mentioned function.

1 to 5 and 8, the mounting member 4 is a member to which the chemical liquid supplying device 10 containing the chemical liquid is removably attached, and which receives the chemical liquid from the chemical liquid supplying device 10 and guides the chemical liquid into the tank body 101 of the water storage tank 100. The mounting member 4 includes a support part 6 that supports the chemical liquid supplying device 10 from below, and a guide part 7 that includes a flow path 70 that guides the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supplying device 10 into the tank body 101.

The support portion 6 is disposed near the case 3 on the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100. A portion of the guide portion 7 is disposed below the flange portion 32 and decorative cover 8 of the case 3 on the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100, another portion is disposed so as to pass through the through hole 104 of the lid 102, and the remainder is disposed within the tank body 101. Preferred examples of the material of the mounting member 4 include synthetic resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, and polyethylene terephthalate.

The support 6 is connected to a connecting portion 16, which is a part of the support 12 of the drug solution supply device 10. The support 6 is formed in a square cylindrical box shape with a bottom in a plan view. The support 6 receives and accommodates the lower part of the support 12 (connecting portion 16, guide portion 18, peripheral wall portion 19, etc.) inside, and the upper part of the support 12 (base portion 15, etc.) is placed on top. The vertical length of the support 6 is greater than the vertical length of the connecting portion 16, guide portion 18, and peripheral wall portion 19 of the support 12, so that even if the lower part of the support 12 is accommodated within the support 6, there is sufficient space below within the support 6. The internal space 60 of the support 6 accommodates the lower part of the support 12 at the upper part, and stores the drug solution supplied from the drug solution supply device 10 at the lower part.

As long as the support portion 6 can support the drug solution supplying device 10, the shape of the support portion 6 in a plan view may be, for example, a rectangle, another polygon, or a circle, or may be any other shape. From the viewpoint of stably supporting the drug solution supplying device 10, the shape of the support portion 6 in a plan view is preferably a polygon, and more preferably a square or rectangle.

The side wall of the support part 6 is provided with a communication part 61 at the boundary with the bottom, which connects the inside and outside of the support part 6. The communication part 61 is, for example, composed of a through hole that penetrates the side wall of the support part 6 in the thickness direction. The communication part 61 connects the internal space 60 of the support part 6 with the flow path 70 of the induction part 7 described below, allowing the medicinal liquid inside the support part 6 to flow through the flow path 70 of the induction part 7.

The inner bottom of the support part 6 (the upper surface of the bottom of the support part 6) is formed with a guide surface 62 that is connected to the communication part 61 and slopes downward toward the communication part 61. The presence of the guide surface 62 on the inner bottom of the support part 6 allows the medicinal liquid in the support part 6 to be guided to the communication part 61, and the medicinal liquid can flow smoothly into the flow path 70 of the guide part 7.

The guide surface 62 is preferably formed over a wide area of the inner bottom of the support part 6. For example, the inner bottom of the support part 6 is divided into two areas, an area on the communicating part 61 side and an area on the opposite side of the communicating part 61, and the area on the opposite side of the communicating part 61 is formed as a first guide surface 62A that slopes downward toward the communicating part 61. Furthermore, for the area on the communicating part 61 side of the inner bottom of the support part 6, the area in front of the communicating part 61 is formed as a second guide surface 62B that slopes downward toward the communicating part 61, and both the left and right areas of the communicating part 61 are formed as inclined surfaces 63 that slope downward toward at least one of the first guide surface 62A and the second guide surface 62B. This makes it possible to effectively guide the medicinal liquid in the support part 6 to the communicating part 61, and to prevent the medicinal liquid from remaining in the support part 6.

The induction section 7 connects the internal space 60 of the support section 6 with the internal space of the water storage tank 100, and supplies the chemical solution supplied from the chemical solution supply device 10 to the support section 6 into the tank body 101. The induction section 7 has a flow path 70 for the chemical solution over its entire length. The induction section 7 is made of, for example, a plate material, and is integrally formed with the support section 6. The induction section 7 has a concave shape with a single groove formed in the center in the width direction perpendicular to the length direction of the plate material, and the concave groove portion forms the flow path 70.

The shape of the groove formed in the induction section 7 as the flow path 70 is not particularly limited, but examples of the shape include a rectangle, semicircle, trapezoid, pentagon, etc. in cross section (cross section cut perpendicular to the length of the groove).

The number of grooves formed in the induction section 7 as the flow path 70 does not necessarily have to be one. For example, two or three horizontally aligned grooves may be formed as the flow path 70 in the plate material constituting the induction section 7, or multiple fine grooves may be formed in a sawtooth shape.

The induction section 7 includes a first induction section 71, a second induction section 72, and a third induction section 73. The first induction section 71 is located on the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100, and extends horizontally from the side wall of the support section 6 toward the case 3. The second induction section 72 extends downward from the tip of the first induction section 71 and passes through a through hole 104 in the lid 102. The third induction section 73 extends diagonally downward from the lower end of the second induction section 72 in the direction of the support section 6 (away from the case 3) within the tank body 101.

The inclination angle θ (shown in FIG. 8 (D)) of the third induction portion 73 relative to the second induction portion 72 may be greater than 90° and less than 180°. However, from the viewpoint of dripping the medicinal solution more continuously, the inclination angle θ is preferably 100° or more and 170° or less, more preferably 120° or more and 160° or less, and even more preferably 135° or more and 160° or less.

The first guide section 71 protrudes from the side wall of the support section 6 so that the flow path 70 connects to the communication section 61 of the support section 6 at the base end. The first guide section 71 extends horizontally from the side wall of the support section 6, but it is preferable that the groove bottom of the first guide section 71 slopes downward as it moves away from the side wall of the support section 6. This allows the drug solution flowing out from the communication section 61 of the support section 6 to be smoothly transported along the flow path 70 of the first guide section 71. The first guide section 71 may also extend diagonally downward from the side wall of the support section 6.

The second induction portion 72 is disposed so as to extend vertically along the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, and passes through the through hole 104 in the lid body 102 of the water storage tank 100. The vertical length of the second induction portion 72 is greater than the vertical length of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, and the lower portion of the second induction portion 72 protrudes downward beyond the lower end of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3. A portion of the second induction portion 72 forms an engagement portion that fits into the notch portion 34 formed in the side wall portion 30 of the case 3. The second induction portion 72 passes through the through hole 104 in the lid body 102 as the engagement portion is incorporated into the side wall portion 30 of the case 3.

A cover portion 74 that covers the flow path 70 is provided at the fitting portion of the second induction portion 72. At the fitting portion of the second induction portion 72, the flow path 70 is closed all around. The outer surface of the cover portion 74 is located inside the outer surface of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, and the cover member 4 does not interfere with the locking member 5 that is connected to the outer surface of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3.

The third induction section 73 is located within the tank body 101 of the water storage tank 100, and the tip of the third induction section 73 is the downstream end of the flow path 70 of the chemical solution. When the chemical solution flows to the tip of the third induction section 73, it falls from the tip of the third induction section 73 and is mixed with the cleaning water in the tank body 101. Because the third induction section 73 slopes downward toward the tip, the chemical solution can be smoothly transported along the flow path 70 of the third induction section 73 and mixed with the cleaning water.

The left and right side surfaces of the first guide portion 71 are formed with vertically extending recesses 76. When the fitting portion of the second guide portion 72 is inserted from below into the notch portion 34 of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3 and fitted into the notch portion 34, a pair of protrusions 36 provided on the side wall portion 30 of the case 3 enter and fit into the pair of recesses 76. This allows the second guide portion 72 to be stably attached to the side wall portion 30 of the case 3.

The left and right side surfaces of the lower part of the second guide part 72 are provided with protrusions 77 extending in the vertical direction. When the fitting part of the second guide part 72 is inserted from below into the notch part 34 of the side wall part 30 of the case 3 and fitted into the notch part 34, the pair of protrusions 77 enter and fit into a pair of receiving parts 39 provided on the bottom part 31 of the case 3. This allows the second guide part 72 to be stably attached to the side wall part 30 of the case 3.

1 to 5, the chemical liquid supplying device 10 contains a chemical liquid therein and supplies the chemical liquid to the outside. The chemical liquid supplying device 10 can be exemplified by a structure including a container 11 and a support 12 to which the container 11 is removably attached. The container 11 contains the chemical liquid therein. The support 12 supports the container 11 from below and plays a role in controlling the amount of the chemical liquid in the container 11 that is supplied to the outside.

As shown in Figs. 2 to 6, the container 11 has an internal space in which the liquid medicine is stored, and the liquid medicine is discharged from a cylindrical mouth 13 located at the center of the bottom of the container. A cap 14 made of, for example, a soft synthetic resin is removably attached to the mouth 13. The cap 14 closes the mouth 13 before the container 11 is attached to the support 12. When the container 11 is attached to the support 12, a cylindrical connection part 17 of the support 12 described later breaks through the bottom of the cap 14 from below, and the liquid medicine in the container 11 is discharged outside the container 11 through the connection part 17 on the inside of the mouth 13. The connection part 17 is fitted into the mouth 13 via a part of the cap 14.

The material of the container 11 can generally be a hard synthetic resin (e.g., polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.), glass, ceramic, metal, etc.

2 to 5 and 7, the support 12 includes a base 15, a coupling portion 16, a connection portion 17, and a guide portion 18. Preferred examples of the material of the support 12 include synthetic resins such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate.

The base 15 is the part of the support 12 that supports the container 11 from below. The base 15 is dish-shaped so that it can receive the lower part of the container 11 from below and accommodate the lower part of the container 11. A square opening is formed in the center of the base 15 when viewed from above, and a connecting part 16 is integrally formed around the central opening of the base 15.

The connecting portion 16 is a portion of the support 12 that is connected to the mounting member 4 of the cleaning button 1. The connecting portion 16 is connected to the mounting member 4 by fitting into the support portion 6 of the mounting member 4. The connecting portion 16 is formed in a square cylindrical box shape with a bottom in a plan view to match the shape of the support portion 6, which is a square box shape in a plan view, and protrudes downward from the base 15. A drug solution outlet hole 162 that penetrates the bottom portion 160 in the thickness direction is formed in the center of the bottom portion 160 of the connecting portion 16. In addition, legs 161 protrude downward from the four corners of the bottom portion 160 of the connecting portion 16. The four legs 161 function as guides when the connecting portion 16 is inserted into the support portion 6 from above and fitted into the support portion 6. The connecting portion 16 fits into the support portion 6, allowing the support 12 to be stably attached to the mounting member 4 of the cleaning button 1.

The connection part 17 is a part of the support 12 that is connected to the container 11 and discharges the liquid medicine in the container 11 to the guide part 18 described below. The connection part 17 is integrally formed with the bottom 160 of the coupling part 16. The connection part 17 is formed in a circular tubular shape in a plan view. The connection part 17 is concentric with the circular outflow hole 162 in a plan view and protrudes upward from the bottom 160 of the coupling part 16 so as to surround the outflow hole 162. The upper part of the connection part 17 is cut out at an angle and has a pointed tip. The connection part 17 breaks through the bottom of the cap 14 of the container 11 from below and fits into the mouth 13 of the container 11 via the cap 14, thereby connecting the container 11 to the support 12.

The guide portion 18 is a portion of the support 12 that guides the chemical solution discharged from the container 11 to the mounting member 4 of the cleaning button 1. The guide portion 18 is integrally formed with the bottom 160 of the connecting portion 16. The guide portion 18 is formed in a rectangular plate shape in a plan view. The guide portion 18 protrudes downward from the bottom 160 of the connecting portion 16 so as to cross the outflow hole 162 of the bottom 160 of the connecting portion 16. When the support 12 is attached to the mounting member 4 of the cleaning button 1, the lower end of the guide portion 18 does not reach the inner bottom of the support 6, and a space exists between the lower end of the guide portion 18 and the inner bottom of the support 6. The thickness of the guide portion 18 is smaller than the diameter of the outflow hole 162.

The guide portion 18 has a plurality of fine grooves 180 formed on its front and back main surfaces, extending in the vertical direction. The liquid medicine in the container 11 is discharged from the container 11 through the inside of the connection portion 17 that fits into the mouth portion 13, and is supplied to the guide portion 18 from the outlet hole 162 in the bottom portion 160 of the connecting portion 16. In the guide portion 18, the liquid medicine flows into the fine grooves 180, and flows down along the fine grooves 180 at a slow speed due to gravity and capillary action. The liquid medicine that has flowed down to the bottom end of the guide portion 18 then falls from the guide portion 18 and is received by the support portion 6 in the mounting member 4 of the cleaning button 1.

The support 12 further includes a peripheral wall portion 19 formed integrally with the bottom portion 160 of the connecting portion 16. The peripheral wall portion 19 is formed in a rectangular tubular shape in a plan view. The peripheral wall portion 19 protrudes downward from the bottom portion 160 of the connecting portion 16 at a distance from the guide portion 18 so as to surround the guide portion 18. The vertical length of the peripheral wall portion 19 is approximately the same as the vertical length of the guide portion 18.

According to the flush button 1 and water storage tank 100 of the present disclosure described above , as shown in FIG. 2, the flush button 1 fixed to the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100 is provided with an attachment member 4, and the chemical liquid supplying device 10 containing a chemical liquid can be attached to the attachment member 4. The chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supplying device 10 flows through the flow path 70 provided in the guide portion 7 of the attachment member 4, and is guided into the water storage tank 100 and mixed with the flush water in the water storage tank 100. This allows flush water containing the chemical liquid to be supplied into the toilet bowl when the toilet bowl is flushed. Thus, according to the present disclosure, the chemical liquid supplying device can be attached to a water storage tank of a type without a hand washing portion, and the chemical liquid can be supplied to the flush water in the water storage tank.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the guide section 7 that guides the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supply device 10 attached to the mounting member 4 into the water storage tank 100 is disposed along the side wall section 30 of the case 3 inserted into the through hole 104 of the lid body 102 of the water storage tank 100, passes through the through hole 104, and reaches the inside of the water storage tank 100. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the guide section 7 is not exposed much on the lid body 102 of the water storage tank 100 and is difficult to see from the outside, so that the chemical liquid can be supplied into the water storage tank 100 without damaging the appearance of the water storage tank 100.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, since the drug solution supplying device 10 is removable from the mounting member 4, if the drug solution in the drug solution supplying device 10 runs out, the drug solution supplying device 10 can be easily replaced.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the mounting member 4 includes a support portion 6 that supports the chemical liquid supply device 10 from below and has an internal space that receives the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supply device 10, and the chemical liquid supplied to the support portion 6 flows through the communication portion 61 into the flow path 70 of the guide path 7. This allows the chemical liquid supply device 10 to be stably installed on the water storage tank 100, as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the inner bottom of the support portion 6 is formed with a guide surface 62 (62A, 62B) that is connected to the communication portion 61 and slopes downward toward the communication portion 61. This allows the drug solution supplied to the support portion 6 to flow smoothly through the communication portion 61 to the flow path 70 of the guide path 7, as shown in FIG. 2.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the induction portion 7 is made of a plate material, and a portion of the induction portion 7 (the engagement portion) fits into the notch 34 formed in the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, so that the induction portion 7 passes through the through hole 104 in the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100 and reaches the inside of the water storage tank 100. As a result, as shown in FIG. 2, it is sufficient to form the through hole 104 in the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100 that is large enough to insert the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, and there is no need to perform special processing to pass the induction portion 7 through the through hole 104 in the lid 102.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, the case 3 is fixed to the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100 by sandwiching the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100 between the flange portion 32 of the case 3 and a ring-shaped locking member 5 connected to the outer surface of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3. The locking member 5 can move up and down on the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, and the vertical position of the locking member 5 can be changed according to the thickness of the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100. This allows the case 3 to be fixed to the lid 102 for various lids 102 of different thicknesses. In addition, the fitting portion of the guide portion 7 that fits into the cutout portion 34 of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3 is restrained by the locking member 5 to the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, so that the guide portion 7 can be stably fixed to the side wall portion 30 of the case 3.

Furthermore, according to the present disclosure, a cover portion 74 is provided to cover the flow path 70 of the medicinal liquid at the fitting portion of the induction portion 7, which fits into the notch portion 34 of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3 and passes through the through hole 104 of the lid body 102. This makes it possible to prevent the medicinal liquid from adhering to the lid body 102 when the medicinal liquid flows through the flow path 70 at the fitting portion of the induction portion 7, as shown in FIG. 2.

Although one embodiment of the present disclosure has been described above, the above embodiment is merely illustrative and not restrictive. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiment, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure.

For example, in the above embodiment, the case 3 is circular in a plan view, but the shape of the case 3 is not particularly limited. As a variation, the case 3 may be polygonal, such as a square or a regular hexagon, in a plan view, or may be another shape.

Also, for example, in the above embodiment, the operation unit 2 has two sets of push button parts 20 and elastic members 21, one for stool flushing and one for urination flushing. As a variation, the operation unit 2 may have only one set of push button parts 20 and elastic members 21, or may have three or more sets. The shape of the push plate 22 of the push button part 20 may be an appropriate shape depending on the shape of the case 3 in a plan view and the number of push plates 22.

Also, for example, in the above embodiment, the locking member 5 is connected to the side wall portion 30 of the case 3 so as to be movable in the vertical direction by screwing the female screw 52 into the male screw 33 of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, thereby fixing the case 3 to the lid body 102. As a modified example, the method of connecting the locking member 5 to the side wall portion 30 of the case 3 can be a method other than screwing the female screw 52 and the male screw 33. For example, the locking member 5 may be connected to the side wall portion 30 by fitting the side wall portion 30 that passes through the through hole 104 of the lid body 102 so as to fit snugly inside the locking member 5 without forming the female screw 52 and the male screw 33 on the locking member 5 and the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, thereby fixing the case 3 to the lid body 102. Note that the locking member 5 does not necessarily have to be movable in the vertical direction relative to the side wall portion 30 of the case 3.

Also, for example, in the above embodiment, a portion (fitting portion) of the induction portion 7 fits into the notch 34 of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, so that the induction portion 7 passes through the through hole 104 of the lid 102 of the water storage tank 100. As a modified example, a portion of the induction portion 7 may be made to crawl along the outer surface of the side wall portion 30 of the case 3, so that the induction portion 7 passes through the through hole 104.

Furthermore, for example, in the above embodiment, the mounting member 4 has a box-shaped support part 6 that supports the chemical liquid supplying device 10 from below and receives the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supplying device 10, and the chemical liquid supplying device 10 is removably attached to the support part 6. As a modified example, the shape of the support part 6 does not necessarily have to be box-shaped, and it can be changed to various shapes as long as it can support the chemical liquid supplying device 10 from below and receive the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supplying device 10. Note that the support part 6 does not have to be configured to receive the chemical liquid as long as it can support the chemical liquid supplying device 6, and it may be configured so that the flow path 70 of the induction part 7 receives the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supplying device 10.

Also, for example, in the above embodiment, the induction section 7 includes a first induction section 71, a second induction section 72, and a third induction section 73. As a modified example, the third induction section 73 extends in a direction away from the case 3 within the water storage tank 100, but the direction in which the third induction section 73 extends is not particularly limited. Alternatively, the induction section 7 does not include the third induction section 73, and includes only the first induction section 71 and the second induction section 72, and the chemical solution may fall from the tip of the second induction section 72 into the cleaning water in the water storage tank 100.

Also, for example, in the above embodiment, the induction section 7 is made of a plate material and is integrally formed with the support section 6. As a modified example, the induction section 7 may be made of a flexible tube. The material of the flexible tube is not particularly limited as long as it is flexible, but preferred examples include rubber, thermoplastic elastomer, and soft resin. An example of the material of the tube is silicone rubber. It is preferable that the contact angle of the medicinal liquid with the material of the inner surface of the tube is 90° or less. This allows the flow speed of the medicinal liquid inside the tube to be an appropriate speed that is not too slow.

When the induction section 7 is configured with a tube, the flow path 70 is the internal space of the tube. When the induction section 7 is configured with a tube, a through hole is formed as the communication section 61 in the side wall of the support section 6, and a cylindrical tube connection section having an internal space that is continuous with the through hole is provided.

When the guide section 7 is made of a tube, it is preferable to integrally form a splint with the support section 6 so that the tube can reach from the support section 6 into the water tank 100. The splint can be shaped in the same way as the guide section 7 in the above embodiment, which is made of a plate material, for example, and the shape of the tube extending between the support section 6 and the water tank 100 can be maintained by arranging the tube along the splint.

In addition, the chemical liquid supplying device 10 is not limited to the structure of the above embodiment, and various structures can be used for the chemical liquid supplying device 10 as long as it can store the chemical liquid and supply the chemical liquid in a predetermined amount at a time.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 cleaning button 2 operation unit 3 case 4 mounting member 5 lock member 6 support portion 7 guide portion 10 chemical liquid supply device 30 side wall portion of case 32 flange portion of case 34 cutout portion 61 communication portion 62 guide surface 70 flow path 74 cover portion 100 water storage tank 102 lid (upper portion of water storage tank)
104 Through hole

Claims (8)

A flush button that is operated by a user to supply flush water from a water tank of a flush toilet into a toilet bowl,
A case is installed in a through hole formed in an upper portion of the water storage tank;
an operation unit that is accommodated in the case and that is operated by a user;
A mounting member to which a drug solution supplying device containing a drug solution is attached,
the case includes a side wall portion inserted into the through hole,
the attachment member includes a guide portion having a flow path for guiding the chemical solution supplied from the chemical solution supply device into the water storage tank,
A flush button, wherein at least a portion of the guide portion is disposed along the side wall portion and passes through the through hole. the mounting member includes a support portion that supports the chemical solution supplying device from below and has an internal space that receives the chemical solution supplied from the chemical solution supplying device,
The guide portion is connected to the support portion,
The cleaning button according to claim 1 , wherein the support portion includes a communication portion that communicates the internal space with the flow path to allow the chemical solution to flow from the internal space to the flow path. The cleaning button according to claim 2, wherein the inner bottom of the support portion is formed with a guide surface that is connected to the communication portion and slopes downward toward the communication portion. The cleaning button according to claim 1, wherein the induction portion is made of a plate material, and the plate material has one groove or multiple sawtooth grooves formed therein as the flow path. A notch is formed in a circumferential portion of the side wall portion, the notch being cut in an up-down direction,
The flush button according to claim 4 , wherein the guide portion includes a fitting portion that fits into the cutout portion. 6. The flush button of claim 5,
The side wall portion further includes a ring-shaped locking member connected to the outer surface of the side wall portion so as to be movable in the up and down direction.
the case includes a flange portion exposed above the through hole,
The flush button is configured so that the locking member fixes the case to the top of the water tank by clamping the top of the water tank between the flange portion and the locking member. The cleaning button according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the fitting portion is provided with a cover portion that covers the flow path. A flush toilet water tank,
The cleaning device includes a tank body for storing cleaning water, a lid body for closing an upper opening of the tank body, and a cleaning button fixed to the lid body,
The cleaning button is
a case that is installed in a through hole formed in the lid; and an operation unit that is accommodated in the case and that is operated by a user;
A mounting member to which a drug solution supplying device containing a drug solution is attached,
the case includes a side wall portion inserted into the through hole,
the mounting member includes a guide portion having a flow path that guides the chemical liquid supplied from the chemical liquid supply device into the tank body,
A water tank, wherein at least a portion of the guide portion is disposed along the side wall portion and passes through the through hole.

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