Flush toilet unit

Abstract

Disclosed is a flush toilet unit, which is capable of measuring a urine volume with a high degree of accuracy without making a significant change to a conventional water-closet structure. The flush toilet unit ( 1 ) of the present invention comprises a bowl ( 12 ) for receiving urine of a user therein, a trap portion ( 15 ) fluidically connected to the bowl and adapted to guide a pooled water in the bowl to a sewer pipe and to form a water seal relative to the sewer pipe, pooled-water discharge means ( 34, 35 ) for lowering a pooled-water level in the bowl to a given water level which is below an overflow water level in the trap portion, water-level measurement means ( 46 ) for measuring a water-level variation between the lowered pooled-water level set by the pooled-water discharge means and a water level in the bowl after urination by the user, urine-volume calculation means for calculating a volume of urine voided into the bowl by the user, in accordance with the water-level variation value measured by the water-level measurement means, and water supply means for supplying water into the bowl to return the pooled-water level in the bowl to the overflow water level.

1 . A flush toilet unit comprising: 
 a bowl for receiving urine of a user therein;    a trap portion fluidically connected to said bowl, and adapted to guide a pooled water in said bowl to a sewer pipe and to form a water seal relative to said sewer pipe;    pooled-water discharge means for lowering a pooled-water level in said bowl to a given water level which is below an overflow water level in said trap portion;    water-level measurement means for measuring a water-level variation between said lowered pooled-water level set by said pooled-water discharge means and a water level in said bowl after urination by the user;    urine-volume calculation means for calculating a volume of urine voided into said bowl by the user, in accordance with the water-level variation value measured by said water-level measurement means; and    water supply means for supplying water into said bowl to return the pooled-water level in said bowl to said overflow water level.    
   
   
       2 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said pooled-water discharge means includes: 
 a discharge passage for fluidically connecting a discharge port formed in said trap portion at a height equal to said given water level, to said sewer pipe or a sewer system; and    a discharge valve interposed in said discharge passage.    
   
   
       3 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said pooled-water discharge means includes syphon-phenomenon generation means for injecting water into said trap portion to generate a syphon phenomenon so as to discharge the pooled water from said bowl.  
   
   
       4 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said pooled-water discharge means is designed to be activated in response to a manual operation by the user or in response to an automatic detection of the user when using said flush toilet unit.  
   
   
       5 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said pooled-water discharge means is designed to be automatically activated in response to completion of one cycle of a urine-volume measuring operation, so as to make ready to perform a next cycle of the urine-volume measuring operation.  
   
   
       6 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises deodorization means for eliminating odor reversely flowing from said sewer pipe, wherein said pooled-water discharge means is operable to lower a pooled-water level in said bowl to a given water level which is below a water-seal water level in said trap portion.  
   
   
       7 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 6 , wherein said deodorization means is at least either one selected from the group consisting of a suction device for sucking air in said bowl, an air supply device for supplying air into said sewer pipe, and a water sending device for sending water into said sewer pipe.  
   
   
       8 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises alarm means for indicating to the user information that it is prohibited to put any object other than urine in said bowl at least during a period from initiation of water discharge by said pooled-water discharge means until said water supply means supplies water into said bowl to return the pooled-water level in said bowl to said overflow water level.  
   
   
       9 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises urine-flow-rate calculation means for calculating a urine flow rate in accordance with a water-level variation per unit time which is measured by said water-level measurement means.  
   
   
       10 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises urination-time calculation means for calculating a time-period of urination in accordance with a water-level variation per unit time which is measured by said water-level measurement means.  
   
   
       11 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises feces-voiding detection means for detecting voiding of feces by the user in accordance with a waveform of a temporal water-level variation which is measured by said water-level measurement means, said feces-voiding detection means being operable to detect the voiding of feces in accordance with a frequency component contained in said water-level variation waveform and/or an amplitude variation behavior in said water-level variation waveform.  
   
   
       12 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 11 , wherein said urine-volume calculation means is operable, when said feces-voiding detection means detects voiding of feces, to estimate a variation value of the pooled-water level to be caused by said voided feces, and correct the calculated urine volume in accordance with said estimated variation value.  
   
   
       13 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said water supply means is operable, when said lowered pooled-water level set by said pooled-water discharge means is maintained in said bowl for a given time-period, to discontinue a urine-volume measuring operation and supply water into said bowl so as to raise the pooled-water level to said overflow water level.  
   
   
       14 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a urine-sample collection device for collecting a part of urine voided by the user, wherein said urine-volume calculation means is operable to add a volume of said partial urine collected by said urine-sample collection device and a volume of the remaining urine voided into said bowl so as to calculate said volume of urine voided by the user.  
   
   
       15 . A flush toilet unit comprising: 
 a bowl for receiving urine of a user therein;    a trap portion fluidically connected to said bowl, and adapted to guide a pooled water in said bowl to a sewer pipe and to form a water seal relative to said sewer pipe;    pooled-water measurement means for measuring a pooled-water level in said bowl;    a water-feed valve for feeding water into said bowl therethrough;    control means for control said water-feed valve in such a manner that a pooled water in said bowl before initiation of an operation for measuring a volume of urine voided by the user is set at a given water level which is below an overflow water level in said trap portion and above a water-seal water level in said trap portion; and    urine-volume calculation means for calculating a volume of urine voided into said bowl by the user, in accordance with said given water level, and a water level in said bowl which is measured by said water-level measurement means after urination by the user.    
   
   
       16 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 15 , wherein said water-level measurement means includes a pressure sensor for detecting a pooled-water pressure in said bowl.  
   
   
       17 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 15 , wherein said control means is operable, after completion of an operation for flushing said bowl, to control said water-feed valve in accordance with the pooled-water level in said bowl which is measured by said water-level measurement means, so as to return the pooled-water level in said bowl to said given water level for a next cycle of the urine-volume measuring operation.  
   
   
       18 . A flush toilet unit comprising: 
 a bowl for receiving urine of a user therein;    a trap portion fluidically connected to said bowl, and adapted to guide a pooled water in said bowl to a sewer pipe and to form a water seal relative to said sewer pipe;    pooled-water measurement means for measuring a pooled-water level in said bowl;    urine-volume calculation means for calculating a volume or flow rate of urine voided by the user, in accordance with the water level measured by said water-level measurement means;    constant-water charge/discharge means for charging a given volume of water into said bowl or discharging a given volume of water from said bowl; and    correction means for correcting a calculated value from said urine-volume calculation means in accordance with a variation in water level which is caused by said water charge or discharge by said constant-water charge/discharge means.    
   
   
       19 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 18 , wherein said correction means stores a water-level variation curve representing a relationship between a volume and a level of pooled water in said bowl, said correction means being operable to calculate a pooled-water level in said bowl before urination by the user, in accordance with said water-level variation curve and a difference between a first water level and a second water level which are measured by said water-level measurement means, respectively, before and after charge of said given volume of water by said constant-water charge/discharge means, and then correct a calculated value from said urine-volume calculation means, in accordance with said calculated water level.  
   
   
       20 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 18 , wherein said correction means stores a water-level variation curve representing a relationship between a volume and a level of pooled water in said bowl, said correction means being operable to calculate a pooled-water level in said bowl before urination by the user, in accordance with said water-level variation curve and a difference between an overflow water level and a second water level which are measured by said water-level measurement means, respectively, before and after discharge of said given volume of water by said constant-water charge/discharge means, and then correct a calculated value from said urine-volume calculation means, in accordance with said calculated water level.  
   
   
       21 . A flush toilet unit comprising: 
 a bowl for receiving urine of a user therein;    a trap portion fluidically connected to said bowl, and adapted to guide a pooled water in said bowl to a sewer pipe and to form a water seal relative to said sewer pipe;    a discharge conduit extending from an inlet port provided in said ball or said trap portion at a position below an overflow water level therein, to an outlet port located at a given height above said inlet port and below said overflow water level;    a water-level setting valve adapted to be selectively opened or closed so as to enable or preclude fluid communication between said inlet and outlet ports of said discharge conduit;    water-level measurement means for measuring a water-level variation between a pooled-water level in said bowl which is set at said given height by opening said water-level setting valve, and a water level in said bowl after urination by the user in the state after said water-level setting valve is closed; and    urine-volume calculation means for calculating a volume of urine voided into said bowl by the user, in accordance with the water-level variation value measured by said water-level measurement means.    
   
   
       22 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 21 , which further comprises syphon-phenomenon generation means for injecting water into said trap portion to generate a syphon phenomenon so as to discharge the pooled water from said bowl, wherein said water-level setting valve is operable to be opened after a pooled-water level in said bowl is lowered by said syphon-phenomenon generation means, so as to set the pooled-water level in said bowl to said given height.  
   
   
       23 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 22 , which further comprises water supply means adapted to supply water into said bowl so as to raise a pooled-water level in said bowl, wherein said water supply means and said water-level setting valve are operable, after a pooled-water level in said bowl is lowered by said syphon-phenomenon generation means, to supply water into said bowl and to be opened, respectively, so as to set the pooled-water level in said bowl to said given height.  
   
   
       24 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 21 , wherein said water-level measurement means includes a pressure conduit fluidically connected to said bowl, and a pressure sensor associated with said pressure conduit, wherein a portion or whole of said discharge conduit additionally serves as said pressure conduit, whereby the water in said bowl is discharged through said pressure conduit.  
   
   
       25 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 21 , wherein said urine-volume calculation means is operable to calibrate said water-level measurement means in a state when a pooled-water level in said bowl is set at said given height or said overflow water level.  
   
   
       26 . A flush toilet unit comprising: 
 a bowl for receiving urine of a user therein;    a trap portion fluidically connected to said bowl, and adapted to guide a pooled water in said bowl to a sewer pipe and to form a water seal relative to said sewer pipe;    pooled-water discharge means for discharging said pooled water from said bowl;    a pooling-water tank for storing a given volume of water to be supplied to said bowl in the state after said pooled water is discharged by said pooled-water discharge means;    water-level measurement means for measuring a water-level variation between a pooled-water level in said bowl after said given volume of water is supplied from said pooling-water tank to said bowl, and a water level in said bowl after urination by the user; and    urine-volume calculation means for calculating a volume of urine voided into said bowl by the user, in accordance with the water-level variation value measured by said water-level measurement means.    
   
   
       27 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 26 , wherein said pooled-water discharge means includes syphon-phenomenon generation means for injecting water into said trap portion to generate a syphon phenomenon so as to discharge the pooled water from said bowl.  
   
   
       28 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 26 , which further comprises forced supply means for forcedly supplying the water stored in said pooling-water tank, into said bowl.  
   
   
       29 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 26 , which further comprises water-feed means operable to feeding water to said pooling-water tank in such a manner as to spill an excess part of said fed water out of said pooling-water tank to regulate a volume of water to be stored in said pooling-water tank.  
   
   
       30 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 26 , which further comprises a sewer-pipe pressure sensor for detecting an internal pressure of said sewer pipe, and water supply means operable, when a given value or more of pressure fluctuation is detected by said sewer-pipe pressure sensor, to supply water into said bowl so as to raise a pooled-water level in said bowl.  
   
   
       31 . A flush toilet unit comprising: 
 a bowl for receiving urine of a user therein;    a trap portion fluidically connected to said bowl, and adapted to guide a pooled water in said bowl to a sewer pipe and to form a water seal relative to said sewer pipe;    water-level measurement means for measuring a pooled-water level in said bowl;    a water-feed valve having an outlet port fluidically connected to a water-feed port for feeding water into said bowl therethrough and an inlet port fluidically connected to a supply source of water to be fed to said bowl, said water-feed valve being designed to be selectively opened and closed, respectively, to enable and preclude fluid communication between said outlet and inlet ports;    a feed-water trap pipe having a first end fluidically connected to said inlet port and a second, opposite, end fluidically connected to said sewer pipe, said feed-water trap pipe being designed to be precluded from having fluid communication between said first and second ends when said water-feed valve is opened, and to release water supplied from said water supply source to said sewer pipe when said water-feed valve is closed;    control means for controlling said water-feed valve in such a manner that a pooled water in said bowl is set at a given water level; and    urine-volume calculation means for calculating a volume of urine voided into said bowl by the user, in accordance with said given water level, and a water level in said bowl which is measured by said water-level measurement means after urination by the user.    
   
   
       32 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 31 , wherein said control means is operable to control said water-feed valve in accordance with the water level in said bowl which is measured by said water-level measurement means.  
   
   
       33 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 31 , which further comprises a sanitary washing device, wherein said control means is operable to adjust the water level in said bowl using water discharged from said sanitary washing device into said bowl.  
   
   
       34 . The flush toilet unit according to  claim 31 , which further comprises constant-pressure means having a pressure head maintained at a constant value, wherein said water-level measurement means includes a pressure sensor for detecting a pooled-water pressure in said bowl, said pressure sensor being designed to be calibrated through fluid communication with said constant-pressure means.