Toto Ltd.

Kensuke Murata

Hiroshi Tsuboi

Shoichi Tsuiki

Masayuki Nagaishi

Tomoyuki Abe

Katsuhisa Tsuchiya

Masami Tsujita

Masanobu Kanashiro

Hitoshi Nakao

Naoto Tomiyama

Kengo Iwata

Toshio Koguro

Yuya Masahira

Hiroshi Mizoguchi

Tatsuya Fukutomi

Naoki Kabe

Youichi Murase

An automatic water faucet devicefor automatically discharging water when an object to be detected is detected has: a sensorthat detects the object; a first water discharge partthat performs foamy water discharge; a second water discharge partthat performs spray water discharge; and a controllerthat performs control for switching between the foamy water discharge from the first water discharge partand the spray water discharge from the second water discharge part, wherein the controllerperforms the foamy water discharge from the first water discharge partwhile the sensordetects the object, and when the sensorno longer detects the object, the controllerstops this foamy water discharge, and thereafter performs spray water discharge from the second water discharge partfor a predetermined period.

Automatic water faucet device

An automatic water faucet deviceincludes: an electrolysis tankthat electrolyzes water to generate electrolyzed water; a second water discharge partfor discharging the electrolyzed water, a second flow paththat extends from the electrolysis tankto the second water discharge part; a second solenoid valvethat switches between supply and blocking of normal water with respect to the electrolysis tank, and a controllerthat controls the electrolysis tankand the second solenoid valve. The controllerenergizes the electrolysis tankto discharge the electrolyzed water and thereafter stops the energization of the electrolysis tankand maintains an open state of the second solenoid valve, to stop the supply of the electrolyzed water to the second flow pathand to supply normal water to the second flow path

Water faucet device

Provided is an automatic faucet using a radio wave sensor, which is capable of preventing erroneous stop of water spouting, with a simple configuration. The automatic faucet () has a radio wave propagation space, a radio wave emitting port (), and directivity setting device. The directivity setting device is configured to direct a radio wave being emitted from the radio wave emitting port (), in such a manner that, during a water stopping state, the emitted radio wave lies along a spouting direction (A) along which washing water is to be spouted from a spout port (), and, during a water spouting state, a part of the radio wave emitted disposed offset in a direction C, with respect to the spout port () interferes with a region of a peripheral surface of a stream (W) facing in the direction C.

Automatic faucet

A water discharge system capable of preventing a mistaken detection to surely perform the stop of water discharge or continue the start of water discharge is provided. The water discharge system includes: a water discharge unit; a sensor unit configured to obtain information about an object to be detected through a reflected wave of a radiated radio wave; a control unit configured to control the start of water discharge from the water discharge unit based on a detective signal from the sensor unit; and a storage mechanics. The sensor unit is installed so that at least part of a radiated radio wave comes into contact with a discharged water flow discharged from the water discharge unit and receives the reflected wave reflected by the discharged water flow, and the control unit determines a state of the discharged water flow by checking a relationship between a first threshold set larger than amplitude of oscillation around a reference value of the detective signal in a water flow state in which only the start of water discharge from the water discharge unit is performed and amplitude of the detective signal received by the sensor unit.

Control of water discharge system by reflected wave detection threshold(s)

A urinal includes: a urinal body; a high-frequency sensor which radiates a radio beam obliquely passing through an upper surface of the urinal body toward a bowl and receives a reflected wave from an object so as to generate a detection signal; and a valve which discharges or stops flushing water to the urinal body in response to the detection signal. An angle formed between a first plane including the upper surface of the urinal body and a second plane including a radiation surface of an antenna of the high-frequency sensor is in a range of more than 0 degree to less than 90 degree. A cross line where the first plane and the second plane intersect with each other is substantially parallel to a horizontal direction of the urinal body. The radio beam is a linearly-polarized wave. An excitation direction of the radio beam intersects with the cross line. An intensity of the radio beam passing through the urinal body is larger than that of the radio beam reflected by the upper surface.

Urinal

There is provided a water discharge system. A water discharge system includes a water discharge portion; a sensor unit which acquires movement information about an object based on a radiated electric wave, and outputs a detecting signal; and a control unit which controls water discharge of the water discharge portion based on the detecting signal. When it is detected that the object is decelerated to a first threshold velocity or less, the control unit controls the water discharge portion to start the water discharge.

Water discharge system

A plurality of antenna electrodeson a substratecan be connected to a ground electrode on the substratevia connectors at spotsA-C,A-C,A-C, andA-C. Each connector can be opened/closed by a switch; or provided with a impedance varying device. Any one of the antenna electrodes may be connected to the ground electrode by the switch or the impedance varying device. The radio wave beam outputted from this antenna electrode shifts in phase from the radio wave beams outputted from the other antenna electrodes, whereby the direction of the integrated radio wave beam is inclined. Connecting one or another of the spotsA-C,A-C,A-C, andA-C to the ground electrode changes the direction and the magnitude of the integrated radio wave beam.

Microstrip antenna

A microstrip antenna has feed elementand parasitic elementson the front surface of substrate. Microwave electrical power is applied to feed element. Parasitic elementsare connected via through hole type leads passing through substrate, to switches upon the rear surface of substrate, respectively. By actuating the switches individually, parasitic elementsare individually switched between a grounded state and a float state. The direction of the radio beam emitted from the microstrip antenna is varied by selecting which of parasitic elementsis grounded and floated. A microwave signal source connects to feed elementvia an feed linevery much shorter than the wavelength, accordingly the transmission losses being low and the efficiency being excellent.

Growing community of inventors

Fukuoka, Japan

Kensuke Murata