Electrical opening and closing type toilet bowl and opening and closing method for the same

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an electrical opening and closing type toilet bowl. The toilet bowl includes a main toilet bowl body, a toilet cover, a motor assembly, a friction hinge, and a detection means. The toilet cover is coupled to the main toilet bowl body in a hinged manner so as to be able to rotate and is configured to open and close the main toilet bowl. The motor assembly is mounted on the main toilet bowl body and electrically operates the toilet cover. The friction hinge allows the toilet cover to be manually opened and closed in the state in which external power necessary to operate the motor assembly and the detection means is completely interrupted, and a detection means. The detection means has one magnet and two hall sensors so as to detect the opening and closing of the toilet cover and the motion of the toilet cover.

1 . An electrical opening and closing type toilet bowl, comprising:
 an opening and closing means coupled to a main toilet bowl body in a hinged manner, and configured to open and close the main toilet bowl body; and   an electrical means mounted in the main toilet bowl body and configured to electrically operate the opening and closing means;   wherein the opening and closing means is automatically opened and closed by the electrical means, which is controlled in response to an external input signal or motion of the opening and closing means.   
   
   
       2 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising detection means for detecting opening and closing of the opening and closing means, and motion of the opening and closing means,
 wherein the detection means controls a rotational direction and operation of the electrical means.   
   
   
       3 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the detection means comprises one magnetic body mounted in the opening and closing means, and two hall sensors, that is, first and second hall sensors, which are mounted on the main toilet bowl body and operate in response to magnetic force of the magnetic body,
 wherein the first hall sensor operates in response to the magnetic force of the magnetic body when the opening and closing means is closed, and the second hall sensor operates in response to the magnetic force of the magnetic body when the opening and closing means is opened.   
   
   
       4 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 3 , further comprising a friction hinge for allowing the opening and closing means to be manually opened and closed when external power necessary to operate the electrical means and the first and second hall sensors is completely interrupted. 
   
   
       5 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the friction hinge comprises:
 a connection bracket configured such that a first arm thereof is coupled with a rotational shaft of the electrical means so that the rotational shaft can rotate, and such that a second arm is fixedly mounted on the opening and closing means; and   a pair of friction rings inserted into the rotational shaft such that a predetermined frictional force is applied to the rotational shaft.   
   
   
       6 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein a torque caused by the frictional force of the friction rings is greater than a torque caused by a driving force of the electrical means, but is less than a torque caused by external force that is applied to the opening and closing means at a time of manual opening and closing. 
   
   
       7 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 6 , wherein the electrical means comprises a reducer that increases driving force by decreasing a number of rotations of the rotational shaft,
 wherein the reducer comprises a plurality of planetary gears and a plurality of carriers, which are mounted in an axial direction of the rotational shaft.   
   
   
       8 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein operation of the electrical means is stopped when the first or second hall sensor detects magnetic force, and
 a subsequent rotational direction of the electrical means is determined to be a direction in which the opening and closing means is opened or closed by the first or second hall sensor, which has detected magnetic force.   
   
   
       9 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 8 , further comprising a friction hinge for allowing the opening and closing means to be manually opened and closed when external power necessary to operate the electrical means and the first and second hall sensors is completely interrupted. 
   
   
       10 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the friction hinge comprises:
 a connection bracket configured such that a first arm thereof is coupled with a rotational shaft of the electrical means so that the rotational shaft can rotate, and such that a second arm is fixedly mounted on the opening and closing means; and   a pair of friction rings inserted into the rotational shaft such that a predetermined frictional force is applied to the rotational shaft.   
   
   
       11 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein a torque caused by the frictional force of the friction rings is greater than a torque caused by a driving force of the electrical means, but is less than a torque caused by external force that is applied to the opening and closing means at a time of manual opening and closing. 
   
   
       12 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 11 , wherein the electrical means comprises a reducer that increases driving force by decreasing a number of rotations of the rotational shaft,
 wherein the reducer comprises a plurality of planetary gears and a plurality of carriers, which are mounted in an axial direction of the rotational shaft.   
   
   
       13 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein the electrical means operates when variation in intensity of magnetic force attributable to motion of the opening and closing means is detected by the first or second hall sensor. 
   
   
       14 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 13 , further comprising a friction hinge for allowing the opening and closing means to be manually opened and closed when external power necessary to operate the electrical means and the first and second hall sensors is completely interrupted. 
   
   
       15 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the friction hinge comprises:
 a connection bracket configured such that a first arm thereof is coupled with a rotational shaft of the electrical means so that the rotational shaft can rotate, and such that a second arm is fixedly mounted on the opening and closing means; and   a pair of friction rings inserted into the rotational shaft such that a predetermined frictional force is applied to the rotational shaft.   
   
   
       16 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 15 , wherein a torque caused by the frictional force of the friction rings is greater than a torque caused by a driving force of the electrical means, but is less than a torque caused by external force that is applied to the opening and closing means at a time of manual opening and closing. 
   
   
       17 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 16 , wherein the electrical means comprises a reducer that increases driving force by decreasing a number of rotations of the rotational shaft,
 wherein the reducer comprises a plurality of planetary gears and a plurality of carriers, which are mounted in an axial direction of the rotational shaft.   
   
   
       18 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein, when the opening and closing means is closed, the first hall sensor detects magnetic force, the rotational direction of the electrical means is determined to be a direction in which the opening and closing means is opened, and the opening and closing means is automatically opened until the second hall sensor detects magnetic force and the electrical means is stopped when the external input signal is received or the opening and closing means is moved by external force, and
 when the opening and closing means is opened, the second hall sensor detects magnetic force, the rotational direction of the electrical means is determined to be a direction in which the opening and closing means is closed, and the opening and closing means is automatically closed until the first hall sensor detects magnetic force and the electrical means is stopped when the external input signal is received or the opening and closing means is moved by external force.   
   
   
       19 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 18 , further comprising a friction hinge for allowing the opening and closing means to be manually opened and closed when external power necessary to operate the electrical means and the first and second hall sensors is completely interrupted. 
   
   
       20 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the friction hinge comprises:
 a connection bracket configured such that a first arm thereof is coupled with a rotational shaft of the electrical means so that the rotational shaft can rotate, and such that a second arm is fixedly mounted on the opening and closing means; and   a pair of friction rings inserted into the rotational shaft such that a predetermined fictional force is applied to the rotational shaft.   
   
   
       21 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 20 , wherein a torque caused by the frictional force of the friction rings is greater than a torque caused by a driving force of the electrical means, but is less than a torque caused by external force that is applied to the opening and closing means at a time of manual opening and closing. 
   
   
       22 . The toilet bowl as set forth in  claim 21 , wherein the electrical means comprises a reducer that increases driving force by decreasing a number of rotations of the rotational shaft,
 wherein the reducer comprises a plurality of planetary gears and a plurality of carriers, which are mounted in an axial direction of the rotational shaft.   
   
   
       23 . An opening and closing method for an electrical opening and closing type toilet bowl, the opening and closing method comprising:
 (a) detecting opening and closing of opening and closing means using a magnetic body, mounted in the opening and closing means, and first and second hall sensors, mounted on a main toilet bowl body, and determining a rotational direction of electrical means;   (b) causing the opening and closing means to be automatically opened and closed by operating the electrical means in response to an external input signal; and   (c) stopping the electrical means when magnetic force is detected by the first or second sensor.   
   
   
       24 . The opening and closing method as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein, at the detecting the opening and closing of the opening and closing means, the first hall sensor operates in response to magnetic force of the magnetic body when the opening and closing means is closed, and the second hall sensor operates in response to magnetic force of the magnetic body when the opening and closing means is opened,
 wherein the rotational direction of the electrical means is determined to be a direction in which the opening and closing means is opened when magnetic force is detected by the first hall sensor, and is determined to be a direction in which the opening and closing means is closed when magnetic force is detected by the second hall sensor.   
   
   
       25 . The opening and closing method as set forth in  claim 23 , wherein, at the stopping the electrical means, the first hall sensor operates in response to magnetic force of the magnetic body when the opening and closing means is closed, and the second hall sensor operates in response to magnetic force of the magnetic body when the opening and closing means is opened,
 wherein a subsequent rotational direction of the electrical means is determined to be a direction in which the opening and closing means is opened when magnetic force is detected by the first hall sensor, and the rotational direction of the electrical means is determined to be a direction in which the opening and closing means is closed when magnetic force is detected by the second hall sensor.   
   
   
       26 . The opening and closing method as set forth in  claim 23 , further comprising, after the detecting the opening and closing of the opening and closing means, detecting motion of the opening and closing means, which is caused by external force, and operating the electrical means,
 wherein, when the first or second hall sensor detects variation in magnetic force, attributable to the opening and closing means, the opening and closing means is automatically opened and closed by causing the electrical means to operate in the opening or closing direction, determined at the detecting the opening and closing of the opening and closing means.