Abstract
The present invention is a flush toilet apparatus (1) having a flush toilet main body (2) and a sanitary washing apparatus (18), with a bent supply pipe (28) extending so as to bend from the connecting base end portion (24) of a toilet seat rear portion to supply wash water to a sanitary washing apparatus, a wash water supply pipe (2) connected to this bent supply pipe, and an affixing member (14) for affixing the toilet seat to the flush toilet main body; whereby affixing holes (12) and a pipe opening (16) are provided on the top surface, and the pipe opening is formed outer side of the affixing holes, while the center point of the pipe opening is positioned on the front side of the affixing holes, and the pipe opening center point is positioned on the inside of the connecting base end portion.
Claims
1. A flush toilet apparatus comprising a flush toilet main body and a sanitary washing apparatus mounted on a rear portion of a top surface thereof, comprising: a bent supply pipe extending from a connecting base end portion toward an inside in a left-right direction of the flush toilet main body to supply wash water to the sanitary washing apparatus, the connecting base end portion being disposed on a side end portion of a bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus; a wash water supply pipe connected to the bent supply pipe, to supply the wash water into the bent supply pipe; and an affixing member, disposed between the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus and the top surface of the toilet main body, for affixing the sanitary washing apparatus to the flush toilet main body; wherein an affixing hole for affixing the affixing member to the flush toilet main body, and a pipe opening for admitting the wash water supply pipe are formed on the top surface of the toilet main body; the affixing hole and the pipe opening are formed so as to be covered by the sanitary washing apparatus mounted on the top surface; the pipe opening is positioned on an outer side of the affixing hole in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body, and a center point in a front-back direction of the pipe opening is positioned on a front side of a center point in a front-back direction of the affixing hole; the pipe opening is positioned on a same side of the connecting base end portion in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body as seen in top view, and the pipe opening, as seen in top view, is formed so that a center point in a left-right direction of the pipe opening is positioned on an inner side of the connecting base end portion in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body and the center point in the left-right direction of the pipe opening is positioned between the connecting base end portion and the affixing hole in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body.
2. The flush toilet apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pipe opening is formed so that its back end point in the front-back direction of the flush toilet main body is positioned on a rear side of a back end point in the front-back direction of the affixing hole.
3. The flush toilet apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bent supply pipe is connected so as to be rotatable relative to the connecting base end portion, and a leading end of the bent supply pipe, to which the wash water supply pipe connects, is moved by the rotation of the bent supply pipe in an approximately horizontal plane.
4. The flush toilet apparatus of claim 3, wherein the pipe opening is formed so that its back end point in the front-back direction, as seen in top view, is positioned on the front side of the connecting base end portion.
5. The flush toilet apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plumbing passageway, communicating with the pipe opening and opened toward the rear of the flush toilet main body, is provided in the flush toilet main body, wherein one of side wall surfaces forming the plumbing passageway is positioned on the inside of a vertical plane in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body, the vertical plane passing through the center point in the left-right direction of the pipe opening, whereby the one of the side wall surfaces guides a wash water supply pipe connected to the bent supply pipe.
6. The flush toilet apparatus of claim 5, wherein the side wall surfaces and a bottom wall surface of the plumbing passageway for guiding the wash water supply pipe are formed to slope downward, from the inside toward the outside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body.
7. The flush toilet apparatus of claim 5, wherein a bottom wall surface of the plumbing passageway is formed to slope downward toward the back of the flush toilet main body.
8. The flush toilet apparatus of claim 5, wherein a cross sectional area of the plumbing passageway is formed to gradually increase toward the back of the flush toilet main body.
9. The flush toilet apparatus of claim 1, wherein a water proofing member for constraining a penetration of water into the pipe opening is disposed between the top surface of the flush toilet main body and the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
(1) FIG. 1: A perspective view showing the exterior appearance of a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention.
(2) FIG. 2: A side view showing a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention with the reservoir tank removed.
(3) FIG. 3: A plan view of a flush toilet apparatus in a first embodiment of the invention.
(4) FIG. 4: A plan view of a flush toilet main body in a first embodiment of the invention showing the positional relationship between a flush toilet main body and a sanitary washing apparatus disposed above it.
(5) FIG. 5: An exploded perspective view in which the toilet seat sanitary washing apparatus, seat portion, and toilet seat cover are removed from a flush toilet main body in a first embodiment of the invention.
(6) FIG. 6: A rear face partial cross section showing the connection of wash water supply pipes and power supply cables to a sanitary washing apparatus in a first embodiment of the invention.
(7) FIG. 7: A side elevation of a flush toilet apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention.
EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
(8) Next, referring to the attached drawings, we explain preferred embodiments of the invention.
(9) First, referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, we explain a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
(10) Referring to FIGS. 1 through 4, we explain the basic structure of a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the exterior appearance of a flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention; FIG. 2 is a side elevation showing the flush toilet apparatus with the reservoir tank removed. FIG. 3 is a plan view of a flush toilet main body. FIG. 4 is a plan view of a flush toilet main body showing the positional relationship between a flush toilet main body and a sanitary washing apparatus disposed above it.
(11) As shown in FIG. 1, flush toilet apparatus 1 of the present embodiment has: a flush toilet main body 2, a toilet seat 4 disposed on the toilet top surface 2a of this flush toilet main body 2, and a reservoir tank 6 disposed at the rear portion of the toilet top surface 2a.
(12) As shown in FIG. 2, a bowl portion 2b for receiving waste, a discharge trap pipe 2c communicating with the bottom portion of this bowl portion 2b, a skirt portion 2d covering the perimeter side surface of the flush toilet main body 2, and a plumbing passageway 2e opening toward the back of the flush toilet main body 2 are formed on the flush toilet main body 2. Note that in the present embodiment the flush toilet main body 2 is made of ceramic, and is floor-mounted.
(13) As shown in FIG. 3, a rim portion is formed on the outer perimeter top portion of the bowl portion 2b, and a first spout port 10a and second spout port 10b are placed on this rim portion. User operation of an operating portion 6a (FIG. 1) disposed on the reservoir tank 6 causes flush water in the reservoir tank 6 to be discharged from each spout port. The waste receiving surface of the bowl portion 2b is flushed by the flush water spouted from these spout ports. Flush water flushing the bowl portion 2b passes through the discharge trap pipe 2c communicating with the bottom portion of the bowl portion 2b and is discharged from discharge pipe D together with waste.
(14) A skirt portion 2d (FIG. 2) in this embodiment is disposed on the entire perimeter of the side surface of the flush toilet main body 2, so as to surround the perimeter of the bowl portion 2b. Also, no skirt portion 2d is disposed above the rear surface side of the flush toilet main body 2, and a plumbing passageway 2e extending inward on the skirt portion 2d from the rear surface of the flush toilet main body 2 is disposed on this part.
(15) As shown in FIG. 3, a bowl portion 2b is opened on the front side of the toilet top surface 2a on the flush toilet main body 2, and a wash water supply hole 8 is disposed on the center in the left-right direction and the back end portion of the toilet top surface 2a. This wash water supply hole 8 is disposed on the inside of the flush toilet main body 2, and communicates with a center water conduit 8a extending toward the front of the flush toilet main body 2. This center water conduit 8a branches into a first water conduit 8b and a second water conduit 8c at the back of the bowl portion 2b; the first water conduit 8b extends along the outer perimeter of the bowl portion 2b up to a first spout port 10a disposed on the side portion of the bowl portion 2b; the second water conduit 8c extends to a second spout port 10b disposed on the rear portion of the bowl portion 2b. When flushing the bowl portion 2b, flush water accumulated in the reservoir tank 6 flows through the wash water supply hole 8 and into the flush toilet main body 2, then passes from the center water conduit 8a through the first and second water conduits to be discharged from the first and second spout ports, respectively.
(16) Note that in this Specification, the direction shown as the X axis in FIG. 3 is the front-back direction of the flush toilet main body 2, and the direction shown as the Y axis is the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2. Also, the right side in FIG. 3 is the front of the flush toilet main body 2, and the left side thereof is the rear of the flush toilet main body 2. In addition, the side of the flush toilet main body 2 close to the center axis line in the front-back direction (X axis direction) of the flush toilet main body 2 is the inside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2, while the side far from the center axis line is the outside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2.
(17) Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the toilet seat 4 has: a seat portion 4a on which a user sits, a toilet seat cover 4b covering this seat portion 4a, and a sanitary washing apparatus 18 disposed at the rear of the bowl portion 2b.
(18) The seat portion 4a is a ring-shaped member on which a user sits; it is disposed on the flush toilet main body 2 top surface 2a.
(19) The toilet seat cover 4b is placed so as to be rotatable about a horizontal axial line at its back end; at a closed position where it is directed approximately horizontally, it covers the seat portion 4a and the sanitary washing apparatus 18 from above; at the open position where it is directed approximately vertically, it exposes the seat portion 4a and the sanitary washing apparatus 18.
(20) The sanitary washing apparatus 18 is a functional unit, attached at the rear of the bowl portion 2b on the toilet top surface 2a and extending in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2; the toilet seat cover 4b is rotatably supported by the top end portion thereof.
(21) As shown in FIG. 4, the sanitary washing apparatus 18 comprises: a jet nozzle 18a for jetting wash water toward a user's perineum; a nozzle drive device 18b for driving this jet nozzle 18a; a heating device 18c for heating wash water to be jetted from the nozzle; and a microprocessor 18d for controlling these devices (the above not shown), and the like.
(22) Moreover, a wash water supply pipe 20 (FIG. 6) for supplying wash water to be jetted from the jet nozzle 18a, and a power supply cable 22 (FIG. 6) for supplying power to operate the nozzle drive device 18b and the microprocessor 18d etc. is connected to the sanitary washing apparatus 18. This wash water supply pipe 20 and power supply cable 22 are connected to the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus 18 (FIG. 6) and pulled to the rear of the flush toilet main body 2 through the plumbing passageway 2e.
(23) Next, referring to FIGS. 4 through 6, we explain a structure for attaching the toilet seat 4 to the flush toilet main body 2. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view with the toilet seat sanitary washing apparatus, seat portion, and toilet seat cover removed from the flush toilet main body. FIG. 6 is a rear face partial cross section showing the connection of wash water supply pipes and power supply cables to a sanitary washing apparatus, in which a portion of the sanitary washing apparatus housing cover and flush toilet main body are cut away.
(24) As shown in FIG. 4, two affixing holes 12 with circular cross sections are respectively disposed on the toilet top surface 2a of the flush toilet main body 2. These affixing holes 12 are disposed at left-right symmetrical positions on both sides of the center water conduit 8a (FIG. 3) extending into the interior of the flush toilet main body 2. Also, the affixing holes 12 are respectively disposed on the back side of the first water conduit 8b and second water conduit 8c (FIG. 3), which branch from the center water conduit 8a and extend to the left and right at the back of the bowl portion 2b. These affixing holes 12 are holes for affixing an affixing member 14 disposed between the toilet top surface 2a and the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus 18. The sanitary washing apparatus 18 is affixed through this affixing member 14 to the toilet top surface 2a on the flush toilet main body 2. Specifically, the affixing member 14 is affixed to the flush toilet main body 2 toilet top surface 2a by affixing two affixing bolts 14a to the affixing holes 12, and the bottom surface of the toilet seat 4 sanitary washing apparatus 18 is snap-fastened to the affixing member 14.
(25) Note that the affixing member may also be integrally formed with the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus. In this case, the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus is affixed to an affixing hole using predetermined affixing hardware, after the sanitary washing apparatus is disposed on the toilet top surface.
(26) In addition, as shown in FIG. 4, a pipe opening 16 with a circular cross section larger than the affixing holes 12 is disposed on the flush toilet main body 2 toilet top surface 2a, and flexible wash water supply pipes and power supply cables are connected to the sanitary washing apparatus 18 through this pipe opening 16. This pipe opening 16 is placed further to the outside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2 than the affixing holes 12. This pipe opening 16 and affixing holes 12 are formed at positions and dimensions such that they are completely covered by the toilet seat 4 sanitary washing apparatus 18 disposed on the toilet top surface 2a of the flush toilet main body 2. Therefore when the toilet seat 4 is disposed on the flush toilet main body 2, the pipe opening 16 and the affixing holes 12 are not visually perceived by a user. In addition, a packing 30, being a waterproof member, is disposed between the flush toilet main body 2 toilet top surface 2a and the sanitary washing apparatus 18 bottom surface, constraining the penetration of water into the pipe opening 16. I.e., a ring-shaped packing 30 is disposed so as to surround the pipe opening 16, and water penetrating onto the toilet top surface 2a is prevented from passing through the pipe opening 16 and penetrating into the interior of the flush toilet main body 2.
(27) Also, the center point C1 in the front-back direction of the pipe opening 16 is positioned further to the front of the flush toilet main body 2 than the center point C2 in the front-back direction of the affixing holes 12. Note also that in the present embodiment, because the pipe opening 16 and affixing holes 12 both have circular cross sections, the center point C1 in the front-back direction of the pipe opening 16 and the center point C2 in the front-back direction of the affixing holes 12 both match the center of the circle. In addition, the back end in the front-back direction of the pipe opening 16 is positioned further to the rear side of the flush toilet main body 2 than the back end in the front-back direction of the affixing holes 12. I.e., in the present embodiment the affixing holes 12 are formed in a region between the front end and the back end in the front-back direction of the pipe opening 16. In this manner, the pipe opening 16 is formed in an area surrounded by: a first water conduit 8b (FIG. 3) disposed on the outer perimeter of the bowl portion 2b, the affixing holes 12, and the side edge of the flush toilet main body 2.
(28) Here, as shown in FIG. 4, the flush toilet main body 2 generally shrinks overall toward the vicinity of the bowl portion 2b center point O during firing. Therefore the part between the affixing holes 12 and the pipe opening 16 also shrinks toward the center point O vicinity at this time. Here, because the tangent L1 passing through center point O and touching the pipe opening 16 and the tangent L2 passing through center point O and touching the affixing holes 12 are close to parallel, the stress acting on the part between the affixing holes 12 and the pipe opening 16 during shrinkage is relatively small. This enables the occurrence of cracking associated with shrinkage during firing to be constrained, so that flush toilet main body 2 yields can be improved.
(29) On the other hand, when the back end in the front-back direction of the pipe opening 16 is positioned further to the front of the flush toilet main body 2 than the back end in the front-back direction of the affixing holes 12, the angle formed by the tangents L1 and L2 increases. Therefore when shrinkage occurs due to firing, the stress acting on the part between the affixing holes 12 and the pipe opening 16 increases, and there is a risk that cracking will be more prone to occur.
(30) Next, referring to FIGS. 4 through 6, we explain the connection of the wash water supply pipe 20 and the power supply cable 22 to the sanitary washing apparatus 18.
(31) First, as shown in FIG. 6, the power supply cable 22 extends in approximately the vertical direction through the pipe opening 16, and is connected to the sanitary washing apparatus 18. At the same time, the wash water supply pipe 20 is connected to a connecting base end portion 24 within the sanitary washing apparatus 18. This connecting base end portion 24 is a cylindrical passageway for accepting, in an approximately vertical direction, piping which enables the in-flow of municipal water supplied through the wash water supply pipe 20 to be flowed in. The connecting base end portion 24, seen in plan view, is disposed on the side end portion of the rear portion of the sanitary washing apparatus 18; an electromagnetic valve 26 is connected at the top thereof. The inflow and cutoff of municipal water supplied through the wash water supply pipe 20 into the sanitary washing apparatus 18 is switched by this electromagnetic valve 26.
(32) As shown in FIG. 6, the connecting base end portion 24 is positioned on the outside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2 relative to the pipe opening 16. Stated another way, seen in plan view, the center point in the left-right direction of the pipe opening 16 is formed to be positioned more to the inside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2 than the connecting base end portion 24. At the same time, the bent supply pipe 28 extends from the connecting base end portion 24 so as to bend toward the inside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2, and the wash water supply pipe 20 is connected through the bent supply pipe 28 to the connecting base end portion 24.
(33) Also, as shown in FIG. 4, in the present embodiment the back end of the pipe opening 16, as seen in plan view, is positioned more to the front side of the flush toilet main body 2 than the center point C3 in the front-back direction of the connecting base end portion 24. Therefore when the wash water supply pipe 20 is pulled out toward the rear of the flush toilet main body 2 after the toilet seat 4 is installed on the flush toilet main body 2, this tension force acts on the wash water supply pipe 20 itself, and can be made to dissipate and act as compressive force on the bent supply pipe 28 as well. In contrast to this, if the back end of the pipe opening 16 is positioned further to the rear than the center point C3 of the connecting base end portion 24, then when the wash water supply pipe 20 is pulled toward the rear of the flush toilet main body 2, there is a risk that the wash water supply pipe 20 will contact the back end of the pipe opening 16 such that this becomes a fulcrum concentrating all of the tension on the wash water supply pipe 20, damaging the wash water supply pipe 20.
(34) Note that in the present embodiment, the bent supply pipe 28 is constituted by an outflow pipe portion 28a extending approximately in the vertical direction from the connecting base end portion 24, a bent supply pipe 28 extending in approximately the horizontal direction from the outflow pipe portion 28a, and a crank-shaped pipe member made up of an inflow pipe portion 28c extending in approximately the vertical direction from this horizontal pipe portion 28b. For this reason, the bent supply pipe 28 outflow pipe portion 28a extends approximately vertically downward from the connecting base end portion 24. In addition, the horizontal pipe portion 28b extends approximately parallel to the toilet top surface 2a toward the inside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2, above the toilet top surface 2a. Also, the inflow pipe portion 28c extends from the upstream end of the horizontal pipe portion 28b approximately vertically downward in the pipe opening 16, and the wash water supply pipe 20 is connected at the bottom end thereof.
(35) Also, in the present embodiment the bent supply pipe 28 outflow pipe portion 28a is rotatably connected to the connecting base end portion 24. Therefore when the bent supply pipe 28 is rotated about an approximately vertical axial line relative to the connecting base end portion 24, the end of the bent supply pipe 28 (the upstream end of the inflow pipe portion 28c) is moved within an approximately horizontal plane. However, because the connecting base end portion 24 is placed on the side end portion of the sanitary washing apparatus 18, the bent supply pipe 28 cannot be rotated to the position at which it will bend toward the outside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2.
(36) Note also that in the present embodiment, the bent supply pipe 28 is constituted by a pipe member bent in a crank shape, however the bent supply pipe 28 can also be constituted by an approximately L-shaped pipe member formed by an outflow pipe portion and a horizontal pipe portion, or by a pipe member in which a curved portion is gradually bent at a predetermined curvature radius, or the like. Also, in the present embodiment the bent supply pipe 28 curved portion is bent at 90, but the angle of the bend or curve may be freely set.
(37) Next, referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, we explain the constitution of the plumbing passageway 2e placed on the flush toilet main body 2.
(38) The plumbing passageway 2e is a passageway disposed to open toward the rear on the flush toilet main body 2, into which the wash water supply pipe 20 and power supply cable 22 are inserted and guided. As shown in FIG. 6, the plumbing passageway 2e is a passageway constituted by approximately flat wall surfaces consisting of its ceiling, floor, and two side surface, and has side wall surfaces 32a. The cross sectional area of this plumbing passageway 2e gradually increases toward the rear of the flush toilet main body 2.
(39) An inside side wall surface 32a and bottom wall surface 32b forming the plumbing passageway 2e are formed to slope from the inside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2 downward toward the outside. Also, the bottom wall surface 32b is formed to slope downward toward the rear of the flush toilet main body 2. In addition, the plumbing passageway 2e side wall surface 32a is positioned to be further inside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2 than the vertical plane P1 passing through the center point in the left-right direction of the pipe opening 16, and is constituted to guide the wash water supply pipe 20 and power supply cable 22 inserted from the pipe opening 16.
(40) Next we explain the installation procedure for a flush toilet apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention.
(41) First, as shown in FIG. 2, the flush toilet main body 2 is disposed and affixed on the floor so that the discharge trap pipe 2c on the flush toilet main body 2 can be connected to a discharge pipe D raised from the floor of the washroom where the flush toilet apparatus 1 is to be installed. Next, as shown in FIG. 5, the affixing member 14 is affixed to the toilet top surface 2a of the flush toilet main body 2 using two affixing bolts 14a.
(42) At the same time, the wash water supply pipe 20 is connected to the upstream end (inflow pipe portion 28c) of the bent supply pipe 28, and the downstream end (outflow pipe portion 28a) of the bent supply pipe 28 connecting the wash water supply pipe 20 is connected from the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus 18 to the connecting base end portion 24. Also, the power supply cable 22 connector is connected from the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus 18 to a connecting terminal (not shown). In this state, the ends of the wash water supply pipe 20 and power supply cable 22 are inserted from the pipe opening 16 on the toilet top surface 2a of the flush toilet main body 2, and are pulled from the rear surface side of the flush toilet main body 2 through the plumbing passageway 2e. In addition, the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus 18 is snap-fastened to the affixing member 14, which is affixed to the flush toilet main body 2, so that the toilet seat 4 is disposed at a predetermined position on the toilet top surface 2a. When this happens, the wash water supply pipe 20 and power supply cable 22 connected to the sanitary washing apparatus 18 is pushed into the interior of the flush toilet main body 2 through the pipe opening 16.
(43) The wash water supply pipe 20 and power supply cable 22 introduced into the flush toilet main body 2 are guided by the side wall surface 32a and bottom wall surface 32b of the plumbing passageway 2e, and are smoothly pushed out to the rear surface side of the flush toilet main body 2. Here, the inside side wall surface 32a and bottom wall surface 32b are formed to slope from the inside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2 downward toward the outside. Therefore the ends of the guided wash water supply pipe 20 and power supply cable 22 are pushed out toward the rear of the flush toilet main body 2 and to the outside in the left-right direction thereof, so that installers can easily access the ends of the wash water supply pipe 20 and power supply cable 22 even in a small washroom space.
(44) In the flush toilet apparatus 1 of the first embodiment, the affixing holes 12 and pipe opening 16 are covered (FIG. 4) by the toilet seat 4 sanitary washing apparatus 18 disposed on the toilet top surface 2a, so the wash water supply pipe 20 and the like passing through the pipe opening 16 can be concealed, and the exterior appearance of the entire flush toilet apparatus 1, and cleanability, can be improved. The pipe opening 16 through which the wash water supply pipe 20 is passed is formed further to the outside in the left-right direction than the affixing holes 12, and the center point C1 thereof is positioned further to the front than the center point C2 in the front-back direction of the affixing holes 12, therefore an installer, with easy visual confirmation of the wash water supply pipe 20 passing through the pipe opening 16, can dispose a toilet seat 4 in the appropriate location on the toilet top surface 2a, and has easy access to the wash water supply pipe during installation. In addition, the bent supply pipe 28 extends from the connecting base end portion 24 disposed on the side end portion at the rear of the toilet seat 4, so as to bend toward the inside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2, and the wash water supply pipe 20 is connected to this bent supply pipe 28 (FIG. 6). With respect to the pipe opening 16, on the other hand, the center point C1 thereof in the left-right direction is formed so as to be positioned further to the inside in the left-right direction than the connecting base end portion 24, and thus can be smoothly introduced into the pipe opening 16 without excessive bending of the wash water supply pipe 20 extending from the bent supply pipe 28, so that the toilet seat 4 can be easily placed at an appropriate location on the toilet top surface 2a, and the wash water supply pipe 20 can be securely hidden.
(45) Also, using the flush toilet apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the back end in the front-back direction of the pipe opening 16 is formed so as to be positioned further to the rear of the flush toilet main body 2 than the back end in the front-back direction of the affixing holes 12 (FIG. 4). Therefore when a ceramic flush toilet main body 2 is fired, the shrinkage direction L2 in the edge part of the affixing holes 12 and the shrinkage direction L1 in the edge part of the pipe opening 16 come close to being parallel, making it more difficult for cracking to occur during firing, so that flush toilet main body 2 yield can be improved.
(46) In addition, in the flush toilet apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the bent supply pipe 28 is rotatably connected to the connecting base end portion 24 (FIG. 6), therefore a wash water supply pipe 20 connected to the bent supply pipe 28 can be easily handled. Also, when placing a toilet seat 4 on the flush toilet main body 2, if force is applied to the wash water supply pipe 20 extending from the bottom surface of the sanitary washing apparatus 18 into the pipe opening 16, that force can be dissipated by the rotation of the bent supply pipe 28, therefore excessive force on the bent supply pipe 28 to which the wash water supply pipe 20 is connected, and the resulting breakage thereof, can be prevented.
(47) Using the flush toilet apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the back end in the front-back direction of the pipe opening 16 is formed to be positioned more to the front side of the flush toilet main body 2 than the connecting base end portion 24 (FIG. 4). As a result, when the wash water supply pipe 20 is pulled out toward the rear of the flush toilet main body 2 after the toilet seat 4 is mounted on the flush toilet main body 2, this tension force can be dissipated as compressive force on the bent supply pipe 28 as well. This allows the risk of breakage of the wash water supply pipe 20 and the like to be reduced when pulling the wash water supply pipe 20 using excessive force.
(48) Moreover, in the flush toilet apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, a plumbing passageway 2e communicating with the pipe opening 16 is provided, and one of the side wall surfaces 32a thereof is positioned further to the inside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2 than the vertical plane P1 passing through the center point C1 in the left-right direction of the pipe opening 16. Thus when a wash water supply pipe 20, connected to a bent supply pipe 28 directed inward in the left-right direction, and itself directed inward in the left-right direction, is inserted into a pipe opening 16, the wash water supply pipe 20 hits the side wall surface 32a of the plumbing passageway 2e and is guided by same, to be pushed toward the rear of the flush toilet main body 2. Therefore an installer can, in a simple manner, direct a wash water supply pipe 20 inserted in a pipe opening 16 to the back side of the flush toilet main body 2.
(49) Also, in the flush toilet apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the plumbing passageway 2e side wall surface 32a and bottom wall surface 32b are sloped downward from the inside toward the outside in the left-right direction of the flush toilet main body 2 (FIG. 6), so that the wash water supply pipe 20 guided thereby is fed out from the plumbing passageway 2e toward the rear and outside of the flush toilet main body 2. Therefore an installer can easily access fed-out wash water supply pipes 20.
(50) In addition, using the flush toilet apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the plumbing passageway 2e bottom wall surface 32b is formed to slope downward toward the back of the flush toilet main body 2 (FIG. 6), so a wash water supply pipe 20 inserted into the plumbing passageway 2e can be easily fed out to the rear of the flush toilet main body 2. Also, flush water or condensate penetrating into the plumbing passageway 2e can be discharged from the plumbing passageway 2e by the slope of the bottom wall surface 32b.
(51) In addition, with the flush toilet apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the cross sectional area of the plumbing passageway 2e gradually increases toward the back of the flush toilet main body 2 (FIG. 6), therefore the wash water supply pipe 20, inserted into the plumbing passageway 2e, can be easily drawn through.
(52) Furthermore, using the flush toilet apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, a packing 30, being a waterproofing member, is disposed between the toilet top surface 2a and the bottom surface of the toilet seat 4 sanitary washing apparatus 18 (FIG. 5), therefore wash water which has flowed over the toilet top surface 2a can be prevented from passing through the pipe opening 16 and penetrating into the flush toilet main body 2.
(53) Next, referring to FIG. 7, we explain a flush toilet apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
(54) The flush toilet apparatus 101 of the present embodiment has the same constitution, operation, and effect as the above-described first embodiment, except for the different constitution of the flush toilet main body. Therefore only the points about the flush toilet apparatus in this embodiment which differ from the first embodiment are discussed here. FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a flush toilet apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention, showing the case in which only a sanitary washing apparatus is installed on the flush toilet main body. I.e., FIG. 7 shows a case in which the reservoir tank, the seat portion of the toilet seat, the toilet seat cover, and the sanitary washing apparatus housing cover have been removed from the flush toilet apparatus of the second embodiment of the invention.
(55) In the above-described first embodiment, the pipe opening 16 provided on the toilet top surface 2a of the flush toilet main body 2 (FIG. 5) communicates with the plumbing passageway 2e opened toward the rear of the flush toilet main body 2. Put another way, the flush toilet main body 2 in the first embodiment is a flush toilet main body of what is called the full skirt type, whereby the entire perimeter is surrounded by a skirt portion 2d (FIG. 1), and wash water supply pipes or the like extending from the sanitary washing apparatus 18 are drawn out from the rear through the inside of the skirt portion 2d.
(56) In contrast, as shown in FIG. 7, a skirt portion 102d is provided on only the front side half of the flush toilet main body 102 of the second embodiment of the invention, and the rear side is covered by the skirt portion. Therefore in the present embodiment the flush toilet main body 102 comprises a structure corresponding to the plumbing passageway in the first embodiment. Hence, after passing through the pipe opening 116 disposed on the toilet top surface 102a, the wash water supply pipe 120 and power supply cable 122 extending from the sanitary washing apparatus 118, as viewed from the side surface of the flush toilet main body 102, are exposed to the outside. However the wash water supply pipe 120 and the like, although passing through a pipe opening 116 and being exposed from the side below the toilet top surface 102a, are hidden from above and therefore difficult for a user to see, so there is no significant loss in the exterior appearance of the flush toilet apparatus 101.
(57) Thus the present invention can also be applied to flush toilet apparatuses comprising a flush toilet main body which is not of the full skirt type.
(58) We have explained above a preferred embodiment of the invention above, however several variations can be added to the above-described embodiment.
EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS
(59) 1: flush toilet apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention 2: flush toilet main body 2a: toilet top surface 2b: bowl portion 2c: discharge trap pipe 2d: skirt portion 2e: plumbing passageway 4: toilet seat 4a: seat portion 4b: toilet seat cover 6: reservoir tank 6a: operating portion 8: wash water supply hole 8a: center water conduit 8b: first water conduit 8c: second water conduit 10a: first spout port 10b: second spout port 12: affixing holes 14: affixing member 14a: affixing bolts 16: pipe opening 18: sanitary washing apparatus 18a: jet nozzle 18b: nozzle drive device 18c: heating device 18d: microprocessor 20: wash water supply pipe 22: power supply cable 24: connecting base end portion 26: electromagnetic valve 28: bent supply pipe 28a: outflow pipe portion 28b: horizontal pipe portion 28c: inflow pipe portion 30: packing (waterproofing member) 32a: side wall surface 32b: bottom wall surface 101: flush toilet apparatus according to a second embodiment of the invention 102: flush toilet main body 102a: toilet top surface 116: pipe opening 118: sanitary washing apparatus 120: wash water supply pipes 122: power supply cable
