JP2000342615A - Diaper and excretion monitoring system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an excretion monitoring system capable of informing about diaper replacement time accurately. SOLUTION: This excretion monitoring system S consists of a filler 16 making water content of excrement absorbed by an excrement absorbing part 100 of a diaper 1 permeate through the whole filler, the diaper 1 having a resin film 2 which faces a detection part to a short side of the filler 16 and reduces electric resistance between electrodes when the detection part becomes wet and a transmitter 4 which monitors electric resistance between electrodes and transmits modulated waves when the electric resistance is reduced, and a receiver 5 informing when the modulated waves are inputted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a diaper and excretion monitoring system, which can accurately notify a diaper changing time.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the rapid aging of the population in recent years, the number of elderly people requiring care represented by urine and fecal incontinence tends to increase. For this reason, the burden of nursing care on urinary and fecal incontinence of the elderly in need of nursing care has been increasing more and more in accommodation facilities and homes. Many techniques have been applied for reducing the burden on the caregiver by detecting the presence or absence of incontinence of the diaper wearer and notifying the caregiver.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-220259 discloses that a pair of electrodes are attached and formed slightly apart to form a capacitance between the two electrodes, an alternating current is applied between the electrodes, and the discharge between the electrodes is caused by excretion. A technique of notifying the wetness of a diaper by detecting a change in capacitance of the diaper has been disclosed (prior art 1). Also, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open
Japanese Patent Publication No. 0-151154 discloses a disposable diaper in which a plurality of electrodes for detecting electrical displacement are arranged inside a diaper (prior art 2).

[0004]

However, the above prior art has the following problems. Prior art 1
If the diaper gets a little wet, it will be notified. In the case of the prior art 2, since a large number of electrodes need to be installed on the entire diaper, the cost of manufacturing the diaper increases. Also,
Since the amount of excretion into the diaper and the wet area are not necessarily proportional, the time for changing the diaper is not accurately reported.

[0005] It is an object of the present invention to provide a diaper and excretion monitoring system in which the diaper replacement time is accurately notified.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems [Claim 1] When the water of the excrement absorbed by the excrement absorbing portion reaches the vicinity of the excrement absorbing portion, the excrement of the diaper is provided with a water transmission band for transmitting the moisture. It is located in the surrounding area. Then, at least one pair of conductor detection units whose electrical characteristics change when the moisture transmission band corresponding to the detection unit gets wet faces the right part of the moisture transmission band.

When the accumulated amount of excrement absorbed in the excrement absorbing portion increases and the water in the excrement reaches the moisture transmitting band arranged around the excrement absorbing portion, the water in the excrement absorbing portion is moved by the capillary phenomenon. It reaches the right place where the detection unit faces. As a result, the electrical characteristics (resistance value, capacitor, impedance, resonance frequency, etc.) of the conductor change. By exchanging the diaper after detecting the change in the electrical characteristics of the conductor, it is possible to prevent lateral leakage in which excrement overflows from the side of the diaper. Since the detection unit does not get wet with a small amount of excrement, the electrical characteristics of the conductor do not change, and excessive diaper replacement can be prevented.

[0008] [Claims 2 and 5] A water transmission band is arranged so as to surround the excrement absorption unit, and the detection unit faces at least a part of the water transmission band. When the accumulated amount of the excrement absorbed in the excrement absorbing portion increases, the water in the excrement reaches the water transfer zone surrounding the excrement absorbing portion. Then, the electric wave travels through the moisture transmission zone due to the capillary phenomenon and reaches the moisture transmission zone facing the detection unit, so that the electrical characteristics (resistance value, capacitor, impedance, resonance frequency, etc.) of the conductor change. In this way, by disposing the moisture transmission band so as to surround the excrement absorbing portion, it is possible to detect the accumulation of excrement of a predetermined amount or more regardless of the flow direction of the water in the excrement.

[Claims 3 and 6] By waterproofing the portions other than the detecting portion of the conductor, the electrical characteristics of the conductor change only in accordance with the wetting of the moisture transfer zone. Thus, a small amount of excrement is not notified, and the diaper replacement time can be accurately notified.

When the accumulated amount of excrement absorbed in the excrement absorbing portion increases, the water in the excrement reaches the water transfer zone, and is transmitted through the water transfer zone by a capillary phenomenon. To reach the right place where the detection unit faces. As a result, the electrical characteristics (resistance value, capacitor, impedance, resonance frequency, etc.) of the conductor change, the transmitter transmits a signal, the signal is input to the alarm, and the alarm notifies.

[0011] By replacing the diaper by the monitor based on the notification, it is possible to prevent lateral leakage of excrement from overflowing from the side of the diaper. In addition, since the detection unit does not get wet with a small amount of excrement, no notification is made, and excessive diaper replacement can be prevented. With a configuration in which the signal of the transmitter is wirelessly transmitted to the alarm, the observer can monitor the presence or absence of excretion away from the wearer of the diaper, which is convenient.

[0012]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An excretion monitoring system S (corresponding to claims 1 to 6) according to a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 2, the excretion monitoring system S includes a diaper 1, a resin film 2 incorporated in the diaper 1, and a diaper cover 3 surrounding the diaper 1 from the outside.
And a transmitter 4 fixed to the upper front side of the diaper cover 3
And a receiving device 5.

The diaper 1 has a substantially T-shaped band shape, a paper diaper main body 10 and four sets of engaging portions 1 for fixing the front part to the rear part.
The excrement (urine and stool) absorbed by the elderly in need of care, who is a diaper wearer, is absorbed by the excrement absorbing unit 100. This diaper 1 has a wide front portion surrounding the front excretory device of the elderly requiring care, which is the wearer, and a wide rear portion surrounding the rear excretory device,
The center surrounds the buttocks (neither shown).

As shown in FIG. 1B, the diaper 1 passes through a waterproof material 120 for preventing excretion from leaking out of the diaper and a cotton-like pulp 14 described later in a paper base material 11. It is formed by laminating a polymeric water-absorbing material 13 that absorbs excrement, cotton-like pulp 14 that absorbs excrement, and a soft surface material 15 that comes into contact with the skin. In addition, 111 is a side gather for improving the adhesion to the skin.

The cloth filler 1 is a moisture transmission band that transmits the excrement moisture absorbed by the excrement absorbing unit 100 to the entire filler so as to surround the excrement absorbing unit 100.
6 is embedded in a rectangular shape in the polymer water-absorbing material 13 around the diaper (see FIG. 1A and FIG. 2).

Further, a resin film 17 in which electrodes 171 and 172 are formed in parallel is disposed between the polymer water absorbing material 13 and the waterproof material 120 (see FIG. 1B). In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, the waterproof coating 173 is applied to the electrodes 171 and 172 of the resin film 17 so that only the portion intersecting the short side of the filler 16 is exposed. The resin film 17 is detachably held by the transmitter 4 as shown in FIG. 3, and the electrodes 171 and 172 are electrically connected to the resistance change detecting circuit of the transmitter 4.

The diaper cover 3 has a substantially E-shaped band shape.
Made of vinyl chloride with excellent water repellency. The rear part of the diaper cover 3 is formed wider than the rear part of the diaper 1, and the central part is formed to have substantially the same size as the central part of the diaper 1,
The front part is formed wider than the front part of the diaper 1.

The diaper cover 3 is provided with a diaper 1
Is secured from the outside, and the diaper 1 is fixed to the lower body of the elderly in need of care by two sets of engaging portions 31 provided on the inner surfaces of the front and rear portions (see FIG. 2).

The transmitter 4 includes a resistance value detection circuit, a transmission circuit,
And a battery (not shown) for supplying operating power to each circuit.

The resistance value detection circuit is composed of an electrode 171 and an electrode 17
An electrical resistance value between the two is detected. The transmission circuit includes an exchange time determination circuit, an oscillation circuit, a modulation circuit, and a power amplification circuit, and transmits radio waves from a transmission antenna (none is shown).

The replacement time discriminating circuit includes the electrode 171 and the electrode 1
When the electrical resistance between the two 72 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined value, it is determined that it is time to change the diaper, and a low-frequency signal is output to the modulation circuit.

The oscillation circuit is of a crystal oscillation type and oscillates a carrier wave (400 MHz band) of a predetermined frequency. The modulation circuit modulates the carrier with a low-frequency signal (diaper changing time). The power amplifier circuit power-amplifies the modulated wave or the carrier wave to about 1 mW.

The receiving device 5 is portable and has a receiving antenna 51, a liquid crystal display 52, a battery, a receiving circuit, a driving circuit, and a buzzer (all not shown). The receiving circuit demodulates a low-frequency signal from a radio wave captured by the receiving antenna 51.

When the low frequency signal is demodulated, the driving circuit
The display 52 displays "diaper change" and sounds a buzzer. When the distance from the transmitter 4 is large or the receiving device 5 is blocked and the carrier cannot be received, the driving circuit performs the out-of-service display on the display 52 and outputs a buzzer with a different sounding pattern from the notification of the diaper change. Sounds.

Next, advantages of the excretion monitoring system S of this embodiment will be described. [A] In the excretion monitoring system S, the filler 16 is arranged in a rectangular shape so as to surround the excrement absorbing portion 100, and a portion of the resin film 17 where the electrodes 171 and 172 are exposed (detection unit).
Face each short side of the rectangle of the filler 16.

When the amount of the excrement absorbed in the excrement absorbing section 100 increases, the moisture in the excrement reaches the long side of the rectangle and is transmitted through the filler 16 by capillary action, and the electrode 1
The exposed portions 71 and 172 reach the short sides facing and wet the exposed portions, and the electrical resistance between the electrode 171 and the electrode 172 is reduced, so that the transmitter 4 transmits a modulated wave and the receiving device 5
Gives notification with a buzzer or the like.

[0027] By exchanging the diaper based on the notification by the observer, it is possible to prevent the lateral leakage of the excrement overflowing from the side of the diaper regardless of the excretion position of the excrement or the posture of the diaper wearer. . The electrode 17 of the resin film 17 is exposed so that only the portion intersecting with the short side of the filler 16 is exposed.
Since the first and the first 172 are covered with the waterproof coating 173, the exposed portions of the electrodes 171 and 172 are not wet with a small amount of excrement, so that the notification is not performed, and the excessive diaper replacement can be prevented.

[I] As shown in FIG. 3, the resin film 17 previously incorporated in the diaper 1 is sandwiched and fixed to the transmitter 4 when the diaper is replaced, so that the resin film 17 is easily set. be able to.

Next, a diaper (corresponding to claims 1 to 6) according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The diaper of the present embodiment differs from the first embodiment in the following structure.
Electrode 18 formed parallel to the surface of resin film 18
1 and 182 are formed in a comb shape near the leading end of the film to form a capacitor (detection unit). These electrodes 181, 18
The detection unit 2 is attached to the outside of the waterproof material 120, and its capacitance changes according to the wetting of the filler 16 inside the waterproof material 120.

An alarm (notifying means) attached to the diaper includes an AC voltage generating circuit for applying an AC voltage to the electrodes 181 and 182, and a capacitance detecting circuit for detecting a change in capacitance between the electrodes 181 and 182. And a drive circuit that determines that it is time to change the diaper when the increase in capacitance is recognized and sounds a buzzer. Filler 16
To prevent capacitance change due to factors other than wetting,
A shielding electrode 183 for electrostatic shielding is provided in the capacitor portion.

The diaper according to the present embodiment has the following advantages in addition to the advantages according to the above [I]. [U] Filler 16 so as to surround excrement absorbing portion 100
Are arranged in a rectangular shape, and the electrodes 181 and 1 of the resin film 18 are arranged.
The capacitor portion (detection portion) of 82 faces the short side of the rectangle of the filler 16.

When the amount of accumulated excrement absorbed by the excrement absorbing section 100 increases, the moisture in the excrement reaches the long side of the rectangle and is transmitted through the filler 16 by capillary action, and the electrode 1
When the short sides facing the capacitor portions 81 and 182 are reached, the capacitance increases and the drive circuit of the alarm sounds a buzzer.

The observer replaces the diaper on the basis of the notification of the alarm, thereby preventing side leakage of the excrement overflowing from the side of the diaper regardless of the excretion position of the excrement and the posture of the diaper wearer. be able to.

The present invention includes the following embodiments in addition to the above embodiment. a. In the second embodiment, a shielding electrode 1 for electrostatic shielding is used.
83 has the same shielding effect even when electrically floating. b. In claims 1 to 6, the change in the electrical characteristics of the electrode (conductor) may be monitored by a change in impedance, a change in resonance frequency, or the like, in addition to a change in resistance or a change in capacitor.

C. In claims 4, 5 and 6, the transmission of the signal from the transmitter to the annunciator may be performed by light (including infrared rays), ultrasonic waves, or the like, in addition to radio waves. Alternatively, a wired connection may be used.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a top view of a main part of a diaper used in an excretion monitoring system according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the excretion monitoring system.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining a structure for detachably and electrically connecting a resin film and a transmitter in the excretion monitoring system.

FIG. 4 is a main part top view (a), a main part cross-sectional view (b), and a main part bottom view (c) of a resin film used in an excretion monitoring system according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 S Excretion monitoring system 1 Diaper 4 Transmitter 5 Receiving device (Announcer) 16 Filler (Water transfer zone) 100 Excrement absorbing part 171, 172, 181, 182 Electrode 173 Waterproof coating

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Masahiko Ito 1-1-1 Showa-cho, Kariya-shi, Aichi F-term in DENSO Corporation (reference) 2G060 AA07 AC01 AF06 AF07 AF10 AG08 AG10 HC08 HC10 HD02 HD03 HE10 3B029 BE04 4C098 AA09 CC03 CC10 CC11 CD08 DD04 DD23

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A water transfer band, which is arranged around the excrement absorbing portion of a diaper and transmits the water when the excrement absorbed by the excrement absorbing portion reaches the vicinity of the excrement absorbing portion. A diaper having at least one set of conductors whose electrical characteristics change when the moisture transfer zone corresponding to the detection unit is wet, with the unit facing an appropriate position of the moisture transfer zone. 2. The diaper according to claim 1, wherein the water transfer band is arranged so as to surround the excrement absorbing unit, and the detection unit faces at least a part of the water transfer band. 3. The diaper according to claim 1, wherein a part other than the detection part of the conductor is covered with a waterproof coating. 4. A water transmission band disposed around the excrement absorbing portion of the diaper and transmitting the moisture when the moisture of the excrement absorbed by the excrement absorbing portion reaches the periphery of the excrement absorbing portion. At least one set of conductors whose electrical characteristics change when the moisture transmission band corresponding to the detection unit is wet, monitoring the electrical characteristics of the conductor, and An excretion monitoring system comprising a transmitter for transmitting a signal when the signal changes, and an alarm for notifying when the signal is input. 5. The excretion monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein the water transfer band is arranged so as to surround the excrement absorption unit, and the detection unit faces at least a part of the water transfer band. 6. The excretion monitoring system according to claim 4, wherein portions other than the conductor detecting portion are waterproof-coated.