Hygiene washing apparatus

Abstract

When the human body is washed, washing water is sprayed on a surface to be washed of the human body from a posterior nozzle and a bidet nozzle. On the other hand, when the human body is not washed, the posterior nozzle and the bidet nozzle are subjected to high-temperature cleaning by a nozzle cleaning nozzle. When it is detected that a sanitary washing apparatus has not been employed yet, the posterior nozzle and the bidet nozzle are allowed to be cleaned by the nozzle cleaning nozzle by a controller. After a cleaning operation is terminated, a user is notified that the cleaning operation is terminated by a notification lamp and a speaker. A scale inhibiting material supply device is interposed in a pipe on the upstream side of an instantaneous heating device by the nozzle cleaning nozzle.

1 . A sanitary washing apparatus comprising: 
 a human body washing nozzle device having a discharge port that discharges washing water for washing the human body, and    a nozzle cleaning device that sterilizes at least an outer surface of the discharge port of the human body washing nozzle device by high-temperature cleaning.    
     
     
         2 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle cleaning device cleans the human body washing nozzle device by heated washing water.  
     
     
         3 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the nozzle cleaning device discharges washing water having a flow rate of not less than 0.3 litters per minute from the discharge port.  
     
     
         4 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the temperature of the heated washing water is not less than 55° C.  
     
     
         5 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the temperature of the heated washing water is not more than 100° C.  
     
     
         6 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle cleaning device cleans the human body washing nozzle device by vapor.  
     
     
         7 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle cleaning device cleans the human body washing nozzle device by a mixed fluid of at least two of the vapor, the heated washing water, and unheated washing water.  
     
     
         8 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the human body washing nozzle device comprises a plurality of nozzles that respectively spray the washing water, and    the nozzle cleaning device has a discharge port that simultaneously cleans the plurality of nozzles.    
     
     
         9 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , comprising 
 a state detector that detects a state where the sanitary washing apparatus is employed, and    a control device that allows the human body washing nozzle device to be cleaned by the nozzle cleaning device in a case where the state detector detects that the sanitary washing apparatus has not been employed yet.    
     
     
         10 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising 
 a toilet seat on which the human body is to sit,    the state detector comprising a seating detector that detects the presence or absence of seating of the human body on the toilet seat.    
     
     
         11 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the state detector comprises an optical detector that optically detects the presence or absence of the human body on the toilet seat.  
     
     
         12 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the state detector comprises a load detector that detects the presence or absence of the human body on the toilet seat by a load on the toilet seat.  
     
     
         13 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising 
 a toilet cover,    the state detector comprising    a toilet cover opening/closing detection device that detects the opening/closing of the toilet cover.    
     
     
         14 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the nozzle cleaning device comprises    a heating device that heats the washing water, and    a spray device that sprays the washing water heated by the heating device and/or the vapor to the human body washing nozzle device.    
     
     
         15 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the human body washing nozzle device discharges the washing water heated by the heating device to the human body from the discharge port.  
     
     
         16 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 14 , further comprising 
 another heating device that heats washing water,    the nozzle cleaning device discharging the washing water heated by the other heating device to the human body washing nozzle device from the spray device.    
     
     
         17 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein 
 the nozzle cleaning device further comprises    a flow rate adjustment device that adjusts the flow rate of the washing water supplied to the heating device,    the flow rate adjustment device spraying the washing water in a gas state and/or a liquid state from the spray device by the adjustment of the flow rate of the washing water.    
     
     
         18 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a notification device that notifies, after a cleaning operation performed by the nozzle cleaning device is terminated, that the cleaning operation is terminated.  
     
     
         19 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 the notification device makes notification that the cleaning operation is terminated after an elapse of a predetermined time period since the cleaning operation performed by the nozzle cleaning device was terminated.    
     
     
         20 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 the notification device makes notification that the cleaning operation is terminated when the temperature of the human body washing nozzle device is lowered to a predetermined temperature.    
     
     
         21 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 the notification device stops the notification that the cleaning operation is terminated after an elapse of a predetermined time period since the cleaning operation performed by the nozzle cleaning device was terminated.    
     
     
         22 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 the notification device comprises a display device that visually makes notification that the cleaning operation is terminated.    
     
     
         23 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein 
 the notification device comprises an sound output device that makes notification by sound that the cleaning operation is terminated.    
     
     
         24 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a scale adhesion preventer that prevents the adhesion of a scale in the nozzle cleaning device.  
     
     
         25 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 the scale adhesion preventer comprises    a scale inhibitor supplier that supplies a scale inhibitor for inhibiting the adhesion of the scale to the washing water supplied to the nozzle cleaning device.    
     
     
         26 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the scale inhibitor includes a crystal form changing material for changing the crystal form of the scale and/or a crystal growth inhibiting material for inhibiting the crystal growth of the scale.  
     
     
         27 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the scale inhibitor includes a scale dissolving agent for dissolving the scale.  
     
     
         28 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein 
 the scale adhesion preventer comprises a cation exchange resin provided such that it can come into contact with the washing water supplied to the nozzle cleaning device.    
     
     
         29 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein 
 the scale adhesion preventer comprises    a magnetism generator that applies magnetism to the washing water supplied to the nozzle cleaning device.    
     
     
         30 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein 
 the scale adhesion preventer comprises    a ultrasonic wave generator that applies ultrasonic waves to the washing water supplied to the nozzle cleaning device.    
     
     
         31 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein 
 the nozzle cleaning device further comprises    a washing instruction unit that issues an instruction to start the cleaning operation performed by the nozzle cleaning device.    
     
     
         32 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 31 , wherein the washing instruction unit comprises a remote control device that issues an instruction to start the cleaning operation by remote control.  
     
     
         33 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 31 , further comprising 
 a disabling unit that disables the washing instruction unit,    in the washing instruction unit, the instruction to start the cleaning operation performed by the nozzle cleaning device being disabled by operating the disabling unit.    
     
     
         34 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle cleaning device starts the cleaning operation for each predetermined time interval.  
     
     
         35 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of the human body washing nozzle device is formed of a heat-resistant material.  
     
     
         36 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 35 , wherein the heat-resistant material includes stainless steel.  
     
     
         37 . The sanitary washing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a part of a surface of the human body washing nozzle device is subjected to water repellent processing.