BIDET DEVICE

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2024-0118355, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a bidet device.

Description of the Related Art

A bidet is a device capable of automatically performing anal cleaning and female local cleaning by spraying cleaning water through a nozzle. In addition, the bidet may be operated such that, when the cleaning using the cleaning water is completed, air is sprayed from a drying device provided inside the bidet to dry the cleaned area.

Recently, for the convenience of operation control, a bidet device having a remote controller capable of manipulating bidet functions separately from a bidet main body is being released. The bidet and the remote controller transmit and receive control signals mainly by a wireless communication method, and pairing between the bidet and the remote controller is performed at an initial operation, when the bidet or the remote controller is replaced, or when the power of the bidet or the remote controller is turned off and on.

In this regard, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2018-0074441 of the present applicant, titled “Bidet Device Having Wireless Remote Controller and Pairing Method Thereof” (Patent Document 1), discloses a bidet device having a wireless remote controller and a pairing method of the remote controller and the bidet. The bidet device of Patent Document 1 includes a bidet that performs an operation according to a received control signal, and a remote controller that transmits, to the bidet, a control signal for controlling the operation of the bidet according to a user's manipulation. The bidet and the remote controller of Patent Document 1 are paired in response to a user pressing at least one button provided on the remote controller a preset number of times, or pressing a preset button provided on the remote controller.

Meanwhile, in order to prevent unintended pressing of a remote controller button and wasting power consumption, there exist users who turn off the power of the remote controller after use and turn on the power when using it. When used in such a manner by a user, the power of the remote controller is frequently turned off and on, and there is a problem in that pairing must be newly performed every time the power of the remote controller is turned off and on, or the power plug of the bidet is unplugged and replugged. There is an inconvenience in that a user must perform a pairing operation, such as pressing a button, to newly pair the remote controller and the bidet each time, and there may be a problem in that pairing is not smoothly performed depending on the communication state, causing user discomfort.

In relation thereto, Korean Patent Publication No. 10-2023-0052549 of iZen Co., Ltd., titled “Bidet Device, Server, and System Performing Pairing According to Signal Strength of a Nearby User Terminal” (Patent Document 2), discloses a bidet device that automatically performs matching between the bidet device and the user terminal when it is determined, based on a signal strength of the user terminal, that the bidet device and the user terminal are close to each other. Since the server of Patent Document 2 provides a user interface (UI) for setting an operation or function of the bidet device through the user terminal, it may be considered that the user terminal of Patent Document 2 also serves a role of a general remote controller.

However, the bidet device of Patent Document 2 has a problem in that it must always be in a standby state to receive signal strength of the user terminal and determine proximity. Even if the user is located far from the bidet with the user terminal and is not in a state requiring preparation for matching, when the bidet device must always be in the standby state, there arises a problem in which power is unnecessarily wasted.

DOCUMENTS OF RELATED ART

• • (Patent Document 1) Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2018-0074441 (published on Jul. 3, 2018)
  • (Patent Document 2) Korean Patent Application Laid-Open No. 10-2023-0052549 (published on Apr. 20, 2023)

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The embodiments of the present invention have been invented in the background as described above, and are intended to provide a bidet device that is pairable even when the power of the bidet or the remote controller is turned off and on after initial pairing, without the bidet and the remote controller being adjacent to each other.

The embodiments of the present invention have an effect that, after the initial pairing, even when the power of the bidet or the remote controller is turned off and on, pairing is possible without the bidet and the remote controller being adjacent to each other.

In addition, the embodiments of the present invention have an effect of preventing wasting power consumption by allowing a power-saving state when dummy data is not received for a preset power saving determination time in the remote controller control unit.

In addition, the embodiments of the present invention have an effect of providing convenience to a user by enabling re-pairing without a separate manipulation by the user, as a remote controller scan state is placed when dummy data is not received for a preset scan determination time in the bidet control unit, even if pairing is disconnected.

In addition, the embodiments of the present invention have an effect that the bidet may be paired with a plurality of remote controllers, so that a user may freely select a desired remote controller.

In addition, the embodiments of the present invention have an effect that the remote controller may be paired with a plurality of bidets of different types, so that a user does not need to have a remote controller for each bidet, which is economical and convenient.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a bidet device, comprises: a bidet configured to be installed in a toilet and to perform a cleaning operation based on a received control signal; and a remote controller configured to transmit the control signal input according to a user's manipulation to the bidet, wherein, when the remote controller is placed in a predetermined adjacent area to the bidet, the bidet and the remote controller are placed in an initial pairing state in which pairing is initially performed, and, after the initial pairing state, when either of the bidet or the remote controller is turned off and on, the bidet and the remote controller are pairable regardless of the remote controller being out of the predetermined adjacent area.

Further, the bidet may comprise: a toilet seat configured to allow a user to be seated; a nozzle capable of discharging cleaning water toward the user; and a bidet manipulation unit manipulated by the user to control the nozzle, and wherein the bidet manipulation unit may be connected to the toilet seat.

Further, the bidet may comprise: a bidet communication unit configured to receive the control signal; and a bidet control unit configured to control the bidet communication unit, and wherein the remote controller may comprise: a remote controller communication unit configured to transmit the control signal; and a remote controller control unit configured to control the remote controller communication unit.

Further, the bidet control unit may control the bidet communication unit to transmit dummy data to the remote controller communication unit every preset dummy data transmission time, and wherein the remote controller control unit may control the remote controller communication unit and the remote controller control unit to be placed in a power-saving state in which power used in the remote controller communication unit and the remote controller control unit when the dummy data is not received for a preset power saving determination time is reduced compared to power used in the remote controller communication unit and the remote controller control unit in a normal operation state in which the remote controller is paired with the bidet.

Further, the remote controller control unit may control the remote controller communication unit to transmit the dummy data to the bidet communication unit every dummy data transmission time, and wherein the bidet control unit may control the bidet communication unit to enter a remote controller scan state in which a preset scan signal is transmitted, by the bidet communication unit, to the remote controller communication unit for a preset scan signal transmission time, when the dummy data is not received for a preset scan determination time.

Further, when the scan signal transmitted from the bidet communication unit in the remote controller scan state is received by the remote controller communication unit, the bidet and the remote controller may be paired.

Further, the bidet may be selectively paired with one of a plurality of remote controllers of different types.

Further, different identification codes respectively provided to the plurality of remote controllers may be pre-stored in the bidet control unit, and wherein the bidet control unit may receive an identification code of the remote controller that is paired through the bidet communication unit, and may identify a type of the remote controller based on the received identification code.

Further, the remote controller control unit may determine a control signal transmitted from the bidet communication unit to the remote controller communication unit based on types of the plurality of remote controllers.

Further, the remote controller may further comprise a plurality of remote controller buttons manipulated by a user, and wherein control signals corresponding to at least some of the plurality of remote controller buttons may be pre-input in the remote controller control unit.

Further, the remote controller may be selectively paired with one of a plurality of bidets of different types.

Further, the remote controller control unit may determine control signals corresponding to the plurality of remote controller buttons, to be transmitted by the remote controller communication unit to the bidet communication unit, based on types of the plurality of bidets.

Further, when a type of the bidet paired with the remote controller is different, the remote controller control unit may control a control signal corresponding to the remote controller button to be different.

Further, the remote controller control unit may control a control signal corresponding to one of the remote controller buttons when the remote controller is paired with the bidet to be different from a control signal corresponding to the one of the remote controller buttons when the remote controller is paired with a bidet of a different type from the bidet.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a bidet device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a bidet according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart when dummy data is transmitted from a bidet communication unit.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart when dummy data is transmitted from a remote controller communication unit.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating that a bidet according to an embodiment of the present invention is capable of being paired with a plurality of remote controllers, and that a remote controller according to an embodiment of the present invention is capable of being paired with a plurality of bidets of different types.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, specific embodiments for implementing the technical idea of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

In addition, in describing the present disclosure, when it is determined that detailed descriptions of known configurations or functions may obscure the gist of the present disclosure, the detailed descriptions will be omitted.

Moreover, it should be understood that when a component is referred to as being ‘connected to’ or ‘supplied to’ another component, it may be directly connected to, or supplied to another component, but other components may exist between the components.

The terms used in the present specification are only used for describing the specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the present disclosure. Singular expressions include plural expressions unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

In addition, in the present specification, expressions such as upper, lower, side, etc. are described based on the drawings, and it is made clear in advance that they may be expressed differently if the direction of the object is changed. For the same reason, some components in the accompanying drawings are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically illustrated, and the size of each component does not entirely reflect the actual size.

Further, terms including ordinal numbers, such as first, second, etc., may be used to describe various components, but the components are not limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one component from another.

The meaning of “including” used in the present specification specifies specific features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, and does not exclude the presence or addition of other specific features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 1, a bidet device 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. The bidet device 1 may perform anal cleaning and bidet cleaning by spraying cleaning water toward a user. The bidet device 1 may include a bidet 10 and a remote controller 20.

With reference to FIG. 2, the bidet 10 is installed in a toilet and may perform anal cleaning and bidet cleaning by spraying cleaning water toward a user through a nozzle 600, which will be described later, provided in a bidet main body 300, which will be described later. The bidet 10 may be configured to be installable in a toilet, and may perform a cleaning operation based on a received control signal. The bidet 10 may include a bidet communication unit 100, a bidet control unit 200, a bidet main body 300, a cover 400, a toilet seat 500, a nozzle 600, and a bidet manipulation unit 700.

The bidet 10 may be paired with the remote controller 20. The bidet 10 may be paired with the remote controller 20, and may operate according to a control signal transmitted from the remote controller 20. A method by which the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 are paired may differ depending on whether it is initial pairing or not. When the remote controller 20 is placed in an adjacent area in which the remote controller 20 is disposed adjacent to the bidet 10, the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 may be placed in an initial pairing state in which pairing is first performed. After the initial pairing state, when the power of one or more of the bidet 10 or the remote controller 20 is turned off and on, the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 may be paired even at a position where the remote controller 20 is out of the adjacent area.

The bidet communication unit 100 may receive a control signal. The bidet communication unit 100 may receive a control signal transmitted from a remote controller communication unit 800, which will be described later. When the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 are paired, the bidet communication unit 100 may receive a control signal transmitted from the remote controller communication unit 800. Using the control signal received in the bidet communication unit 100, at least one of the bidet main body 300, the cover 400, the toilet seat 500, the nozzle 600, or the bidet manipulation unit 700 may be controlled. The control signal received in the bidet communication unit 100 may be delivered to the bidet control unit 200.

The bidet control unit 200 may control at least one of the bidet communication unit 100, the bidet main body 300, the cover 400, the toilet seat 500, the nozzle 600, or the bidet manipulation unit 700. The bidet control unit 200 may be implemented by a computing device including a microprocessor, and since the implementation method is obvious to those skilled in the art, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

The bidet control unit 200 may control the bidet communication unit 100 to transmit dummy data to the remote controller communication unit 800 every preset dummy data transmission time. When the initial pairing is disconnected, the bidet control unit 200 may control the bidet communication unit 100 to transmit dummy data to the remote controller communication unit 800 every dummy data transmission time. When dummy data is not received for a preset scan determination time, the bidet control unit 200 may control the bidet communication unit 100 to enter a remote controller scan state in which a preset scan signal is transmitted, by the bidet communication unit 100, to the remote controller communication unit 800 for a preset scan signal transmission time. When a scan signal transmitted from the bidet communication unit 100 in a remote controller scan state is received by the remote controller communication unit 800, the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 may be paired. In other words, the bidet control unit 200 may allow the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 to be paired even without a separate manipulation by a user when the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 are in an unpaired state after initial pairing.

The bidet control unit 200 may allow the bidet 10 to be selectively paired with one of a plurality of remote controllers 20 of different types. In the bidet control unit 200, different identification codes respectively provided to the plurality of remote controllers 20 may be pre-stored. The bidet control unit 200 may receive an identification code of a remote controller 20 that is paired through the bidet communication unit 100, and may identify a type of the remote controller 20 based on the received identification code. When the bidet 10 is selectively pairable with one of a plurality of remote controllers 20 of different types by the bidet control unit 200, a user may freely select a desired remote controller 20, and thus may experience convenience.

The bidet main body 300 may accommodate a container (not illustrated) for accommodating cleaning liquid, liquid, and the like, a nozzle 600 for ejecting the cleaning liquid, liquid, and the like toward the toilet or the front side where a user is positioned; a fan (not illustrated) for providing a drying function to the user, an electric circuit, or the like. The bidet main body 300 may be installed in a toilet.

The cover 400 may be rotatably mounted to the bidet main body 300. The cover 400 may be configured to be rotatable with respect to the bidet main body 300 between a posture in which the interior of the toilet is closed with respect to the exterior and a posture in which the interior of the toilet is opened to the exterior.

The toilet seat 500 may be configured such that a user may be seated. On the toilet seat 500, a seating surface on which a user is seated may be formed, and the toilet seat 500 may be rotatable such that the seating surface faces upward when needed for use by the user.

The nozzle 600 may discharge cleaning water toward a user. The nozzle 600 may be provided in the bidet main body 300. The nozzle 600 may include a spray hole for spraying water toward a user, and a cleaning water hole for spraying water into the toilet. In addition, the nozzle 600 may also be configured such that at least one of water sprayed into the toilet or drained water is discharged through the spray hole.

The bidet manipulation unit 700 may be manipulated by a user to control the nozzle 600. The bidet manipulation unit 700 may be connected to the toilet seat 500. The bidet manipulation unit 700 may receive an input from a user for spray pressure of cleaning water sprayed from the nozzle 600. The bidet manipulation unit 700 may include a manipulation panel having a plurality of buttons for operation, and a housing in which a power supply unit is installed. The bidet manipulation unit 700 may be disposed on a left side or a right side of the bidet main body 300, or may be disposed on a left side or a right side of an upper portion of a toilet.

The remote controller 20 may transmit a control signal input according to a user's manipulation to the bidet 10. The remote controller 20 may be configured to be detachable from the bidet 10. A manipulation panel having a plurality of buttons for operation of the nozzle 600 or for temperature control of the toilet seat 500 may be disposed on the remote controller 20. The remote controller 20 may include a remote controller communication unit 800, a remote controller control unit 900, and remote controller buttons 1000.

The remote controller communication unit 800 may transmit a control signal. The control signal transmitted from the remote controller communication unit 800 may be received by the bidet communication unit 100. According to the control signal transmitted from the remote controller communication unit 800, the bidet control unit 200 may control at least one of the bidet communication unit 100, the bidet main body 300, the cover 400, the toilet seat 500, the nozzle 600, or the bidet manipulation unit 700.

The remote controller control unit 900 may control the remote controller communication unit 800. The remote controller control unit 900 may be implemented by a computing device including a microprocessor, and since the implementation method is obvious to those skilled in the art, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

When dummy data is not received for a preset power saving determination time, the remote controller control unit 900 may control the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 to enter a power-saving state. When the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 are placed in the power-saving state by the remote controller control unit 900, power used in the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 may be reduced less than power used by the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 in the normal operation state in which the remote controller 20 is paired with the bidet 10. For example, in the power-saving state, even if a user manipulates the remote controller button 1000, the remote controller control unit 900 may prevent the remote controller communication unit 800 from transmitting a control signal to the bidet communication unit 100, thereby reducing power used in the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900. When the remote controller control unit 900 controls the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 to enter the power-saving state, power waste may be reduced.

The remote controller control unit 900 may control the remote controller communication unit 800 to transmit dummy data to the bidet communication unit 100 every dummy data transmission time. The dummy data transmitted from the remote controller communication unit 800 by the remote controller control unit 900 may be used for pairing of the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20. In addition, control signals corresponding to at least some of the plurality of remote controller buttons 1000 may be pre-input in the remote controller control unit 900. In other words, when a user manipulates at least some of the plurality of remote controller buttons 1000, the remote controller control unit 900 may control the remote controller communication unit 800 accordingly. The remote controller control unit 900 may control the remote controller communication unit 800 to transmit a control signal corresponding to a remote controller button 1000 manipulated by a user to the bidet communication unit 100.

The remote controller control unit 900 may allow the remote controller 20 to be selectively paired with one of a plurality of bidets 10 of different types. The remote controller control unit 900 may determine control signals corresponding to the plurality of remote controller buttons 1000 to be transmitted by the remote controller communication unit 800 to the bidet communication unit 100, based on the types of the plurality of bidets 10. In addition, the remote controller control unit 900 may determine a control signal to be transmitted from the bidet communication unit 100 to the remote controller communication unit 800, based on the types of the plurality of remote controllers 20. For example, when types of a bidet 10 paired with a remote controller 20 are different, even when a user presses a remote controller button 1000 at the same physical position, a different control signal may be transmitted by the remote controller communication unit 800.

The remote controller button 1000 may be manipulated by a user. The remote controller button 1000 may be provided in plurality. The remote controller button 1000 may be provided for operation of the nozzle 600 or for temperature control of the toilet seat 500, and the like. A control signal corresponding to the remote controller button 1000 manipulated by a user may be transmitted from the remote controller communication unit 800 to the bidet communication unit 100.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, an operation process of the bidet device 1 having the configuration as described above will be described.

For initial pairing, the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 may be required to be disposed adjacent to each other. When, after initial pairing, at least one of the bidet 10 or the remote controller 20 has power turned off and on, and re-pairing is needed, the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 may not be required to be disposed adjacent to each other.

With reference back to FIG. 3, the bidet control unit 200 may control the bidet communication unit 100 to transmit dummy data to the remote controller communication unit 800 every dummy data transmission time. When dummy data transmitted from the bidet communication unit 100 is not received for a power saving determination time, the remote controller control unit 900 may control the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 to enter a power-saving state. When the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 are placed in the power-saving state by the remote controller control unit 900, power used in the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 may be reduced less than power used by the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 in the normal operation state in which the remote controller 20 is paired with the bidet 10. When the remote controller control unit 900 controls the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 to enter the power-saving state, power waste may be reduced.

With reference back to FIG. 4, after the initial pairing, the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 may be paired even when the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 are not disposed adjacent to each other. The remote controller control unit 900 may control the remote controller communication unit 800 to transmit dummy data to the bidet communication unit 100 every dummy data transmission time. The bidet control unit 200 may control the bidet communication unit 100 to enter a remote controller scan state in which a scan signal is transmitted, by the bidet communication unit 100, to the remote controller communication unit 800 for a scan signal transmission time, when dummy data is not received for a scan determination time. When a scan signal transmitted from the bidet communication unit 100 in a remote controller scan state is received by the remote controller communication unit 800, the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 may be paired.

With reference back to FIG. 5, the bidet 10 may be selectively paired with one of a plurality of remote controllers 20 of different types. In the bidet control unit 200, different identification codes respectively provided to the plurality of remote controllers 20 may be pre-stored, and the bidet control unit 200 may receive an identification code of a remote controller 20 paired through the bidet communication unit 100, and may identify a type of the remote controller 20 based on the received identification code. The bidet control unit 200 may control at least one of the bidet communication unit 100, the bidet main body 300, the cover 400, the toilet seat 500, the nozzle 600, or the bidet manipulation unit 700, based on a control signal transmitted by the remote controller control unit 900 according to the type of the identified remote controller 20. The bidet 10 may be paired to a plurality of remote controllers 20, which has an effect of allowing a user to freely select a desired remote controller 20.

The remote controller 20 may be selectively paired with one of a plurality of bidets 10 of different types. The remote controller control unit 900 may determine control signals corresponding to the plurality of remote controller buttons 1000 to be transmitted by the remote controller communication unit 800 to the bidet communication unit 100, based on the types of the plurality of bidets 10. The remote controller control unit 900 may determine a control signal to be transmitted from the bidet communication unit 100 to the remote controller communication unit 800, based on the types of the plurality of remote controllers 20. For example, depending on a type of the bidet 10 paired with the remote controller 20, even when a user presses a remote controller button 1000 at the same physical position, a different control signal may be transmitted by the remote controller communication unit 800. In other words, the remote controller control unit 900 may control a control signal corresponding to one of the remote controller buttons 1000 when the remote controller 20 is paired with the bidet 10 to be different from a control signal corresponding to one of the remote controller buttons 1000 when the remote controller 20 is paired with a bidet of a different type from the bidet 10. In addition, the remote controller 20 may be paired with a plurality of bidets 10 of different types, so that a user does not need to have a remote controller 20 for each bidet 10, thereby providing an effect of being economical and convenient.

Hereinafter, operations and advantages of the bidet device 1 having the configuration as described above will be described.

The bidet device 1 has an effect that, after the initial pairing, the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 may be paired even when power of the bidet 10 or the remote controller 20 is turned off and on, without the bidet 10 and the remote controller 20 being adjacent to each other.

In addition, when dummy data is not received for a power saving determination time in the remote controller control unit 900, the remote controller communication unit 800 and the remote controller control unit 900 are placed in a power-saving state, thereby having an effect of preventing unnecessary power from being wasted.

In addition, when dummy data is not received for a scan determination time in the bidet control unit 200, the bidet communication unit 100 is placed in a remote controller scan state by the bidet control unit 200, so that even when pairing is disconnected, pairing may be performed again without a separate manipulation by a user, which has an effect of providing convenience to the user.

In addition, the bidet 10 may be paired with a plurality of remote controllers 20, thereby having an effect that a user may freely select a desired remote controller.

In addition, the remote controller 20 may be paired with a plurality of bidets 10 of different types, thereby having an effect that a user may use the bidet device 1 economically and conveniently without needing to have a remote controller for each bidet.

Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described as specific embodiments, this is merely an example, and the present disclosure should be construed as having the broadest scope according to the technical idea disclosed herein without being limited thereto. Those skilled in the art may implement a pattern of a shape not indicated herein by combining/substituting the disclosed embodiments, but this also does not deviate from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, those skilled in the art may easily change or modify the disclosed embodiments based on the present specification, and it is clear that such changes or modifications also fall within the scope of the present disclosure.