Sanitary Facility

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This Application claims priority under 35 USC § 119 and the Paris Convention to French Patent Application No. 2405762 filed on Jun. 3, 2024.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present description relates to sanitary facilities and in particular sanitary facilities for public use.

BACKGROUND

The document FR 3,129,416 A1 describes an example of a sanitary facility with a system for detection of waste left on the floor of the facility and also cleaning nozzles with which to selectively clean these wastes from the floor.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present specification serves to improve the existing system.

For that purpose, the present description deals with a sanitary facility comprising a structure delimiting a receiving space for users, where the receiving space comprises a floor and a toilet device, and where the sanitary facility further comprises: a waste detection device able to detect and locate waste present on the floor; a central unit able to receive information from the waste detection device, and to determine in which preset zone(s) the waste is located; and a washing device able to wash the floor, where the washing device comprises: at least one nozzle able to spray a fluid; means for rotating the at least one nozzle; and means for detection of at least some angular positions of a nozzle, means of detection which send the central unit position information for the at least one nozzle, where the rotating means are driven by the central unit for selectively washing the preset zones of the floor on which the waste is present.

The use of rotating nozzles serves both to adequately cover the entire floor surface, but also to target the cleaning in the zones containing waste. It is thus possible to supply the facility with nozzles which spray a “linear” jet instead of a “spray”, thus reducing the consumption of cleaning fluid. Reduction of the washing-fluid consumption is advantageous in itself, but also enhances the hygiene of the sanitary facility because limiting the volume of water used reduces the need to recycle water and therefore reduces the risks of viral or other contamination. The proposed device is also advantageous because it is mechanically simple and robust.

In various embodiments of the sanitary facility, use could further be made of one and/or another of the following provisions (alone or in all mutual combinations thereof):

• • the facility comprises a solenoid valve driven by the central unit for supplying fluid to the at least one nozzle when the at least one nozzle is directed towards a set zone having waste;
  • the means of detection of at least some angular positions of the at least one nozzle comprises at least one cam pivoting in unison with the at least one nozzle and angular position sensors for the at least one cam;
  • the rotating means give the at least one nozzle an oscillatory pivoting movement with two end positions defining the angular range of the at least one nozzle, where the angular range is subdivided in at least two angular sectors forming fixed zones;
  • the at least one cam comprises a first cam configured to allow the detection of the end angular positions of the range of the at least one nozzle and a second cam configured to allow the detection of a boundary between two angular sectors associated with the at least one nozzle;
  • the at least one nozzle comprises three nozzles and the facility comprises respective means for rotating each of the three nozzles;
  • the rotating means comprise a motor rotating an eccentric and a connecting rod connecting the eccentric to the nozzle;
  • the at least one nozzle is arranged at a lower end of a vertical tube;
  • the facility further comprises a fixed nozzle, preferably arranged near a door giving or blocking access to the receiving space.

The present description is also directed to a process for washing a sanitary installation according to one of the embodiments described above, where the process comprises the steps consisting of: detecting the presence of waste; determining a specific zone among the preset zones (A1-A7) in which the waste is located; determining a specific nozzle from the at least one nozzle which is associated with the specific zone; rotating this specific nozzle; and supplying this specific nozzle with fluid when this specific nozzle is oriented towards the specific zone.

According to an embodiment, the facility comprises a waste collection zone and the specific nozzle is supplied with fluid only when it is directed towards the specific zone and when it has a movement tending to bring the orientation of the specific nozzle closer to the collection zone.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other characteristics and advantages of the sanitary facility will appear on reading the following detailed description, and analyzing the attached drawings, on which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an example of a sanitary facility according to the present description.

FIG. 2 is a horizontal section view of the sanitary facility from FIG. 1, in perspective.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of the preset zones of the floor.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a nozzle.

FIG. 5 shows means for rotating and detecting the position of the nozzle.

FIG. 6 is a process diagram according to the present description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

The figures show the elements schematically. In the various figures, the same references designate identical or similar items.

FIG. 1 shows an overall, outside view of a sanitary facility 1, in particular a public sanitary facility which may be installed in an urban area S. The sanitary facility 1 generally comprises a structure 2 forming an outside enclosure provided with a door 3 controlled by the user interface 4 (for example a button for opening).

FIG. 2 shows a horizontal section view of the sanitary facility 1. In particular, the structure 2 enclosing a receiving space 5 for users and a technical area 6 separated from the receiving space 5 by a partition 8 can be seen in it. The receiving space 5 is delimited by the floor 7, the partition 8, a peripheral wall 9 and the ceiling (not visible).

The receiving space 5 comprises a floor 7 and is provided with a toilet device 10, for example a toilet bowl. The term “floor” is used here in the most general accepted meaning and includes for example ground in concrete, for example painted or tiled concrete. The receiving space 5 may further receive various equipment, for example a sink 11.

The sanitary facility 1 comprises a washing device 12 suited for washing the floor, and in particular eliminating waste which may be on the floor 7. The washing device comprises one or more nozzles for spraying liquids under pressure, independently drivable by a central unit described later, and able to selectively wash some zones of the floor 7. The sprayed liquid may be water or a detergent. The wall 8 may have openings near the floor 7 to allow the washing device 12 to empty the waste through a free space 8a of the wall 8 under the impulse of the waterjet produced by the nozzles. The collection of waste in the technical area may conform to what is presented in the document FR 3,129,416 A1.

FIG. 3 shows a possible configuration of the washing device 12 in top view. The floor 7 is subdivided in some number of preset zones A1-A7. The washing nozzles 14, 16, 18, 20 are distributed on the periphery of the floor 7. Thus every area of the floor may be reached by a liquid jet coming from at least one of the nozzles 14-20. The nozzles 14-20 can be nearly even with the floor 7.

The nozzles may comprise one or more fixed nozzle(s), and one or more rotationally mobile nozzles. In this example, there are three rotating nozzles 14, 16 and 18 and one fixed nozzle 20. The person from the art will understand that the number, position and type of nozzles (fixed or rotating) may be adapted according to the geometry of the floor 7.

The rotating nozzles 14, 16, 18 may have a back-and-forth movement, meaning oscillatory or pendular pivoting between two end positions, where the two end positions define the (angular) range of the nozzle. The movement is a rotation around a vertical axis. Alternatively, the axis of rotation may be inclined relative to the vertical, for example at an angle less than 30°, preferably less than 10°.

In a variant, the rotation of the nozzles is complete (in contrast to oscillatory rotation).

The preset zones A1 to A6 accessible by the rotating nozzles may be made up of angular sectors which are subdivisions of the angular ranges of each nozzle 14, 16, 18. Thus, on FIG. 3, the zones A1 and A2 are both adjacent angular sectors with respective angles α1 and α2. These angles together form the angular range of the nozzle 14. Similarly, the zones A3 and A4 are angular sectors coming from the nozzle 16, with angles α3 and α4 and the zones A5 and A6 are angular sectors coming from the nozzle 18 with angles α5 and α6. The angular range of each nozzle may be cut in two angular sectors with substantially equal angles (α1=α2, α3=α4, α5=α6).

The angles α1 and α2 may for example be included between 20 and 30°, and more precisely be near 24°. The angles α3 and α4 may for example be included between 20 and 30°, and more precisely be near 23°. The angles α5 and α6 may for example be included between 20 and 30°, and more precisely be near 27°.

In a variant, an angle of an angular sector may be substantially larger than an angle of an adjacent angular sector.

While the angular range of the nozzles is shown here as divided into preset zones (for example, A1 and A2 for the nozzle 14), it is understood that the angular range of each nozzle could be subdivided in more than two zones, in particular when the floor has a larger size.

The nozzle 20 which is closest to the door 3 may be a fixed nozzle. It sprays the cleaning liquid over zone A7 with a spray forming an angle included between 60° and 80°, preferentially 70°. The sanitary facility may be equipped with other fixed nozzles, in particular for areas where rotating nozzles cannot be placed, since they are bulkier because of the rotational drive mechanism.

The sanitary facility 1 further comprises at least one waste detection device 22 able to detect and locate waste present on the floor 7.

The waste detection device 22 may comprise an optical sensor, for example an electronic camera. In the example shown, the sanitary facility comprises a single waste detection device 22 which may be placed, for example, under the sink 11, the sink 11 helping to protect this waste detection device 22. Two waste detection devices 22 (or more) could be provided, for example fixed to the partition 8.

When the detection device 22 is a camera, said camera is preferably located at a height above the floor 7 less than 75 cm. More generally, said camera may advantageously be oriented on a bias downward and have a field-of-view (obtained by physical and/or software means) covering a volume having some maximum height above the floor where said maximum height is less than 75 cm. Preferably, said field-of-view does not cover the upper part of the toilet bowl 10 to guarantee respect for the privacy of the users.

FIG. 4 schematically shows the nozzle 14. An identical configuration may be provided for the nozzles 16 and 18.

The nozzle 14 may be connected to a tube 24 oriented substantially vertically along an axis Z14. As shown in FIG. 4, the nozzle 14 may be screwed onto the tube 24 using lateral flat surfaces. In a variant, the nozzle 14 is formed integrally with the tube 24. When it is supplied with water, the nozzle 14 sprays a waterjet J through an outlet orifice 14.1. The waterjet J may be substantially linear, meaning extending over less than a 10° angle, preferably less than 5° angle, in contrast to a spray which sprays a jet over at least a 20° angle.

The nozzle 14 pivots around the axis Z14 from a first end position materialized by the line L1 to a second end position materialized by the line L2. These two end positions L1, L2 define the angular range of the nozzle. The range may be subdivided, for example, in two zones A1, A2. The line L3 materializes the boundary between these two zones A1, A2. The angles between L1 and L3, and L2 and L3 respectively are noted α1 and α2.

The wall 9 has openwork for in large part hiding the mechanism for supplying and moving the nozzle while allowing the nozzle to spray a jet on the floor 7.

FIG. 5 shows an isometric view of means for rotating 26 the nozzle. The rotating means 26 may comprise an electric motor 28 whose output shaft turns around a vertical axis Z28. The motor 28 may be a stepper motor. The motor 28 may rotate an eccentric 30. The connecting rod 32 connects the eccentric 30 to a tab 34 which is kinematically secured to the tube 24 and the nozzle (not shown). Thus, although the motor 28 turns around the axis Z28, the tube 24 and the nozzle turn around the axis Z14. The axes Z14 and Z28 are substantially parallel to each other. The motor 28 may turn through 360° in which case the connecting rod-crank leads to oscillations of the nozzle. Alternatively, the motor 28 may turn through less than one turn and therefore have a range delimited by two end angular positions, in which case the two end positions of the motor correspond respectively to two end positions of the nozzle.

The diameter of the eccentric 30 and the length of the connecting rod 32 may be selected appropriately and independently for each nozzle, such that the nozzles may have a respective angular range allowing them, together, to substantially cover all of the surface of the floor 7.

In order to mechanically verify the angular position of the nozzle, cams 36, 37 are fixed on the output shaft of the motor 28. One or more detectors 38 comprising a follower cam may detect certain critical positions of the cams (and therefore certain angular positions of the nozzle). The detectors 38 comprise, for example, an elastic blade (springy steel) in contact with the cam, elastic blade opening and closing an electrical contact.

The cams 36, 37 have a respective profile designed to detect predefined angular positions of the nozzle. For example, one of the cams 36, 37 may have a profile allowing detection of end positions (L1, L2 on FIG. 4) of the nozzle and the other of the cams 36, 37 may have a profile allowing detection of the boundary (L3 in FIG. 4) between the two zones A1 and A2. The detectors 38 send the position information from the cams 36, 37 to a central unit 40.

In a variant not shown, detection of the angular position of the nozzle may be done by means other than cams. For example, the nozzle may have an angular range delimited by two physical stops and the position of the nozzle may be determined by measuring the time past between a given moment and the moment at which the nozzle left a stop position. By knowing the rotational velocity and angular acceleration of the nozzle (by design or by learning), it is possible to establish a law relating the time and angular position of the nozzle. Such a means of detection of the angular position of the nozzle could make it possible to subdivide the angular range of the nozzle into an infinite number of zones, or even to redefine the zones during use of the system.

The central unit 40 communicates: with the waste detector 22 from which it receives position information for the waste; with the motor 28 which it drives for directing the nozzle into the zone occupied by the waste; and with a solenoid valve 50 which does or does not allow the supply of the nozzle. The nozzle is supplied by a flexible hose 52 connected to the tube 24. The solenoid valve 50 may be arranged between the flexible hose 52 and a water source (not shown).

It is thus possible with this simple and robust design to (1) detect ends of range of the nozzle 14; (2) control the motor 28 for stopping or acting on the direction of rotation thereof when the nozzle 14 comes to an end of range; (3) detecting whether the nozzle is located in the zone A1 or A2 (or when the nozzle passes from one zone to another) and therefore verifying the supply of water from the nozzle so that it only sprays a waterjet into the zone occupied by waste.

The means of rotating each nozzle are controlled independently by the central unit 40 according to the presence and location of the waste. Similarly, the water supply (by solenoid valve or other) is regulated by the central unit 40 independently for each of the nozzles, according to the presence and location of the waste.

The set of drive means 26 and detection means 36, 37, 38 may be arranged in a substantially hermetic housing (not shown). Openings provided for seal joints may allow the connecting rod and possibly electrical connectors (supplying the motors and sensors 38) to pass through the housing. The housing may be accessible from the technical area 6, from the space 5 or from the outside, potentially by removing a protection panel, limiting access to the housing to a maintenance technician.

The reader will understand that FIG. 5 is only an illustrative example of the present description and that other devices for rotating or verifying the angular position of the nozzle are conceivable, in particular a contactless detection (optical, Hall effect, etc.) or rotating with a geared motor.

While the present description prefers an oscillatory pivoting movement for the nozzles, in a variant, the rotation of the nozzles is complete, for example by means of a motor and a reduction gear, with the nozzle turning through 360°. It is only supplied with water when it faces a preset zone which is occupied by waste.

FIG. 6 shows a process 100 for washing the floor of a sanitary facility 1 described above. In step 110, the waste detection means 22 establish the presence of waste and the location(s) thereof on the floor 7. In step 120, the central unit 40 receives information about the presence of waste and the location thereof and the central unit 40 determines in which specific zone(s) among the presets zones A1-A7 the waste is located. The central unit 40 determines in step 130 one or more specific nozzles associated with this or these specific zones. For example, in connection with FIG. 3, an object may be located both in zone A1 and in zone A5. It is thus possible to select one and/or the other of nozzles 14 and 16 for clearing such waste. The central unit 40 could select one and/or the other of the nozzles according to preset parameters or according to statistical learning allowing it to select the strategy which has the greatest likelihood of effectively clearing the detected waste.

In step 140, the central unit drives rotating means for rotating the one or more specific nozzles.

In step 150, the central unit drives the water supply so that each specific nozzle sprays a waterjet when it is oriented towards the associated specific zone. For example, in connection with FIG. 4, if the waste is located in zone A2, the nozzle 14 will only be supplied with water once it has passed the boundary L3 and it is oriented towards the zone A2.

The reader will understand that although these steps are presented sequentially, they may be done continuously for several nozzles depending on the waste detection. It may also be done at least partially simultaneously. For example, when the activation of the nozzle (for example nozzle 14) is able to move waste into a zone (for example A6) which is no longer accessible to this nozzle, another nozzle (for example nozzle 16) takes up the relay until the evacuation of the waste through the free space 8a of the wall 8.

The process 100 may be iterative as shown in FIG. 6 by the arrow connecting step 150 with step 110. For example, so long as the floor is not completely free of waste, the process may be repeated. In another example, a predefined number of cycles may be performed. In a variant, the process stops when a user wishes to access the receiving space, even if waste remains on the floor.

In some examples, the objective of activation of the nozzles is to collect waste in a defined area of the sanitary facility 1. It may therefore be advantageous in step 150, not only to limit the supply to the nozzles when they are oriented towards waste, but also when the speed of movement thereof tends to bring the waste close to the collection zone. In other words, the specific nozzle (selected because it is associated with the zone occupied by waste) is supplied with fluid only when it is directed towards the specific zone and when it has a movement tending to bring the orientation of the specific nozzle closer to the collection zone.

To drive this process 100, the central unit 40 (for example a microcontroller or other) may communicate with the user interface 4, with the waste detection device 22, with the washing device 12, with the respective position detectors 36, 37, 38 for each nozzle, with the respective motor 28 for each nozzle, and as applicable with a presence sensor, and also with a communication device suited for communicating by any known means (wired, radio or other connection) with a remote server.

Note that the central unit 40 may be provided with at least one artificial intelligence module and/or communicate with an artificial intelligence module of a remote server in particular for detection of the type of waste and/or for determining which nozzles 14, 16, 18, to actuate and in what order in order to optimally clear the waste into the collection zone.

According to alternative or complementary embodiments (considered alone or in combination of each of the variants disclosed above):

• • the sanitary facility comprises at least one presence sensor able to detect the presence of a user in the receiving space 5. The presence sensor may be any known type (ultrasound, radar, laser or other);
  • the central unit is able to operate said at least one waste detection device and said washing device solely when no user is present in said receiving space;
  • the central unit is able to verify the state of the floor with said at least one waste detection device after washing the floor with said washing device;
  • the central unit is able to control a washing operation by the washing device so as to selectively clean preset zones where waste is located and, if said electronic central unit determines that the waste is still located on the floor after the washing operation, said central electronic unit is able to determine in which preset zones the waste is located and again command a washing operation by said cleaning device so as to selectively clean the preset zones where the waste is located;
  • the central unit communicates with a remote server and is suited for reporting to said remote server that it is necessary to trigger a maintenance operation when said central unit detects a defective operation situation from the information received from said at least one waste detection device;
  • the central unit is able to detect a defective situation when said at least one waste detection device still detects waste after a predetermined number of successive washing operations;
  • the central unit is able to detect a defective situation when said at least one waste detection device detects waste larger than a preset size and/or when said at least one waste detection device detects waste of preset type.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

• • 1: Sanitary facility
  • 2: structure
  • 3: door
  • 4: user interface
  • 5: receiving space
  • 6: technical area
  • 7: floor
  • 8: wall separating the receiving space 5 from the technical area 6
  • 8a: free space of the wall 8
  • 9: wall
  • 10: toilet device
  • 11: sink
  • 12: washing device
  • 14, 16, 18: rotating nozzles, called specific if waste occupies an associated present zone
  • 14.1: orifice of nozzle 14
  • 20: fixed nozzle
  • 22: waste detector
  • 24: tube
  • 26: rotating means
  • 28: motor
  • 30: eccentric
  • 32: connecting rod
  • 34: tab
  • 36, 37: cams
  • 38: position detector for the nozzle
  • 40: central unit
  • 50: solenoid valve
  • 52: flexible water supply hose
  • 100: washing process
  • 110: detecting the presence and position of waste
  • 120: determining one or more zones occupied by waste, referred to as specific, among the preset zones A1-A7
  • 130: determining one or more nozzle(s), referred to as specific, associated with specific zones
  • 140: rotating the one or more specific nozzle(s)
  • 150: supplying water to the one or more specific nozzle(s) depending on the orientation thereof
  • A1-A7: preset zones (angular sectors), called specific if occupied by waste
  • J: jet of liquid
  • L1, L2: end positions of the angular range
  • L3: boundary between A1 and A2
  • J: waterjet
  • Z14: axis of rotation of nozzle 14
  • Z28: axis of rotation of motor 28
  • α1-α7: angles defining the preset zones