JP2001264322A - Toilet arrangement type excretion measuring instrument, specimen liquid measuring instrument and liquid feed device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a measuring instrument small in size, simple in structure, capable of being hermetically closed, high in reliability, exerting no effect on the structure of a tank itself, enabling flexible layout and capable of detecting the liquid exhaustion of the tank. SOLUTION: A liquid exhaustion detector (1) is arranged between the tank (2) and a liquid receiving device (3). The tank, the liquid exhaustion detector and the liquid receiving device are connected by piping 4. The liquid exhaustion detector not exerting effect on the shape and structure of the tank is realized by separating constitution of the tank and liquid exhaustion detector perfectly.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an apparatus for detecting the amount of liquid in a tank which is suitable for an analytical instrument having a tank for a reagent or the like which requires detection of a liquid shortage, an instrument for physics and chemistry experiments, and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a device for detecting a liquid amount in a tank of a reagent or the like is provided with a float in the tank, and a method of detecting liquid shortage by changing the position of the float, or a method in which a plurality of electrodes are installed in the tank and the electrodes are connected. A liquid shortage detection device integrated with a tank is mainly used, for example, a method of detecting liquid shortage by an electrical change of the liquid. In addition, for the detection of liquid shortage when replacing the entire tank such as a household stove or humidifier, a method of storing the liquid in the tank in a tray provided with a float and detecting the liquid shortage by changing the position of the float is widely used. It's being used.

[0003]

A conventional float is provided in a tank, and a liquid shortage is detected by a change in the position of the float, or a plurality of electrodes are installed in a tank and the liquid shortage is caused by an electric change between the electrodes. In the detection method, it is necessary to install a detection device in the tank.Therefore, when the tank capacity is small, the installation space cannot be secured or the tank becomes large in order to secure the installation space for the detection device. is there. Furthermore, in the case of a tank whose shape changes depending on the amount of liquid or the like, there is also a problem that liquid shortage cannot be detected accurately.

Further, in a system in which liquid in a tank such as a household stove or humidifier is stored in a tray provided with a float and liquid shortage is detected by a change in the position of the float, there is a pan portion. It is difficult to completely seal the detection device. In addition, since it is necessary to install the receiving portion and the float close to the tank, there is a disadvantage that the installation space cannot be secured, or the tank portion becomes large in order to secure the installation space for the detection device.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a detecting means for detecting the state of the liquid in the pipe to detect the amount of liquid in the tank.
With this configuration, the positional relationship between the tank and the detection unit is not restricted, and the shape and structure of the tank are not affected.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, two or more electrodes are provided facing the inside of the pipe, and the amount of liquid in the tank is detected by a change in electric resistance or impedance between the electrodes. If there is liquid in the tank, the liquid is filled between the electrodes,
The electrical resistance or impedance between the electrodes is lower than without liquid. However, if the tank runs out of liquid, air enters between the electrodes instead of the liquid, and the electrical resistance or impedance between the electrodes becomes higher than when the liquid is full. This electrode is connected to a circuit for detecting a change in electric resistance or impedance, and when a certain threshold value is exceeded for a certain period of time, a signal indicating that the tank has run out of liquid is output. In addition, this device can detect the amount of liquid inside the tank and the out-of-liquid state in a state where the liquid is sealed because the electrodes are installed inside the pipe.

Here, when air bubbles are mixed in the liquid, air enters between the electrodes in spite of the presence of the liquid in the method described in the preceding paragraph, and the electric resistance or impedance between the electrodes changes, and the liquid shortage is erroneously detected. Sometimes. In such a case, a sub-tank is provided in the middle of the pipe as in claim 3.
By providing the electrodes facing the inside of the sub tank, erroneous detection due to bubbles is prevented. Even if some air bubbles are mixed in the liquid, the air bubbles collect on the upper surface of the sub tank and the liquid is filled between the electrodes, so that the electric resistance or impedance between the electrodes is not affected by the air bubbles. This electrode is connected to a circuit for detecting a change in electric resistance or impedance, and when a certain threshold value is exceeded for a certain period of time, a signal indicating that the tank has run out of liquid is output, thereby detecting the liquid shortage.

Further, when there are a plurality of tanks and the amounts of these liquids are respectively detected, the number of electrodes increases, and the number of electric wires connected to a circuit for detecting a change in electric resistance or impedance also increases. For example, in order to detect a liquid shortage in N tanks, a minimum of two electrodes and a total of 2 × N or more electrodes are required, and the number of electric wires connected to a circuit for detecting electric resistance or impedance change is also required. Since 2 × N wires are required, the connection is complicated, and the space for installing the electric wires becomes large. Therefore, one of the electrodes for detecting the amount of liquid in each tank is electrically connected to be common and the other is connected to a circuit for detecting a change in electric resistance or impedance for each tank, thereby reducing the number of electric wires to two. × N to N + 1
The number of books can be reduced and the same operation can be achieved.

A plurality of tanks described above can be provided for each type of liquid to be stored.

The liquid other than the excrement is for storing the output value of the sensor when the liquid is supplied to the sensor as a sensor output reference value (calibration liquid) or for storing the sensor ( In addition to the (storage solution), when the sensor carries a trapping substance that specifically adsorbs to the target substance in the excrement, the sensor may be for dissociating the adsorbed component on the sensor element surface (dissociation liquid). .

The present invention described above can be applied not only to the toilet-installed excrement measuring device, but also to a test solution measuring device and a liquid sending device in general.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to examples and drawings.

FIG. 1 is a view showing the entire configuration of a reagent solution measuring apparatus according to the present invention. The test solution measuring device is, for example, a tank A (22) tank B (23) tank C (2
4) Having these chemicals and the sample to be measured (8)
A liquid supply device (A) that switches or mixes and supplies a liquid to the biosensor body (20) through a pipe in a predetermined order, a biosensor body (20) that reacts with the supplied liquid and outputs an electric signal, and It comprises a signal processing unit that converts an electric signal from the biosensor body (20) into a measured value.

As shown in FIG. 2, the test solution measuring device is disposed in a control analysis unit 104 separate from the toilet seat.
Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, it is arranged in a housing 122 provided in the toilet seat.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquid shortage detecting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The out-of-liquid detecting device (1) as detecting means for detecting the amount of liquid in the tank includes:
Tank (2) such as tank A (22) to tank C (24)
And a device (3) supplied with a liquid, such as a liquid supply device (A)
Installed between In addition, the tank and the liquid shortage detecting device, and the liquid shortage detecting device and the liquid supply device are connected by a pipe (4). A liquid-out detecting device that does not affect the shape and structure of the tank is realized by a configuration in which the tank and the liquid-out detecting device are completely separated.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the details of a liquid shortage detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The liquid-out detecting device is composed of two conductive materials such as a hollow cylindrical tube (5) made of an insulating material such as resin, and stainless steel installed in contact with a liquid passing through the tube. , An electric wire (7) drawn from the electrode, and a circuit (8) connected to the electric wire for detecting a change in electric resistance or impedance.

The pipe inlet (9) is connected to the pipe from the tank,
The outlet (10) is connected to a pipe to the device to which the liquid is supplied. When the tank is emptied, air flows into the tube from the tank, and air also enters between the electrodes, so that the electric resistance or impedance between the electrodes is lower than when the tube is filled with liquid. A circuit (8) for detecting a change in electric resistance or impedance monitors a change in electric resistance or impedance between the electrodes, and outputs a tank out signal when a certain threshold value is exceeded for a certain period of time.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the details of a liquid shortage detecting device according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The out-of-liquid detecting device includes two electrodes made of a conductive material, such as a sub-tank (11) made of an insulating material such as a resin, and stainless steel installed so as to be in contact with a liquid passing through the sub-tank. (6) An electric wire (7) connected to the electrode and a circuit (8) for detecting a change in electric resistance or impedance connected to the electric wire. The shape of the sub-tank (11) is a hollow cylinder having an inner diameter sufficiently larger than the diameter of the pipe to be connected, and has a fluid inlet (9) and a fluid outlet (10) at both ends.

The electrode (6) has a structure integrated with, for example, a fluid inlet (9) and a fluid outlet (10), and is attached to a sub-tank (11). The outlet (10) is connected to the pipe to the device to which the liquid is supplied. A seal mechanism such as an O-ring is inserted between the sub tank and the electrode to prevent liquid leakage. When the tank is emptied, air flows from the tank into the sub-tank and air also enters between the electrodes, so that the electric resistance or impedance between the electrodes is lower than when the sub-tank is filled with liquid. A circuit (8) for detecting a change in electric resistance or impedance monitors a change in electric resistance or impedance between the electrodes, and outputs a tank out signal when a certain threshold value is exceeded for a certain period of time.

Here, if bubbles are mixed in the liquid even though the tank is not empty, the bubbles flowing into the sub-tank collect on the upper surface of the inner wall of the sub-tank, and the bubbles may enter between the electrodes and be erroneously detected. Absent.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing details of a liquid shortage detecting device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. For example, a single case (13) made of an insulating material such as a resin and having three cylindrical flow paths (12) is provided in order to detect liquid shortage in three tanks. The inlet (9) of each channel is connected to a pipe from the tank, and the outlet (10) is connected to a pipe to a device to which the liquid is supplied. The end of the case is made of a conductive material such as stainless steel. One is an electrode A (14) common to three integrated flow paths, and the other is three B1 (15) electrodes, one for each flow path. ), B2 (16) and B3 (17). Circuit for detecting changes in electrodes and electrical resistance or impedance (8)
Usually, six wires (18) are required to connect the electrodes and the electrodes, but if one electrode is used in common, the number is four. The tank can be detected by detecting a change in electric resistance or impedance between the common electrode A (13) and the other electrode. In this way, when it is necessary to detect the liquid shortage of the N tanks, by using one electrode in common, the electric wire for connecting the electrode and the circuit for detecting the electric resistance or impedance change to 2 × N The same operation can be achieved by reducing the number from N to N + 1.

The present embodiment has the following effects by the above configuration.

It is possible to realize out-of-tank liquid detection that is smaller in size and simpler in structure than conventional devices, can be hermetically sealed, has high reliability, and does not affect the structure of the tank itself, and allows a flexible layout. Furthermore, it cannot be detected with high accuracy by the conventional device.
Even for tanks whose shape changes depending on the amount of liquid, etc.
A small and simple structure, which can be hermetically sealed, and which can realize a highly reliable tank liquid out detecting device.

Further, even a tank having a structure in which the entire tank is exchanged can be completely sealed, and a highly reliable tank liquid out detecting device can be realized with a small and simple structure.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of a reagent solution measuring apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram in which a reagent solution measuring device according to the present invention is arranged in a control analysis unit 104 separate from a toilet seat.

FIG. 3 is a view showing a toilet bowl and a toilet seat provided with the reagent solution measuring device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram in which the reagent solution measuring device according to the present invention is disposed in a housing 122 provided in a toilet seat.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a configuration of a liquid shortage detection device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing details of a liquid shortage detection device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing details of a liquid shortage detection device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing details of a liquid shortage detection device according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Liquid-out detection apparatus 2 Tank 3 Liquid supply apparatus 4 Pipe 5 Tube 6 Electrode 7 Electric wire 8 Circuit for detecting electric resistance or impedance change 9 Inflow port 10 Outflow port 11 Subtank 12 Flow path 13 Case 14 Electrode A 15 Electrode B1 16 electrode B2 17 electrode B3 18 electric wire A liquid supply device 19 liquid sending unit 20 biosensor body 21 signal processing unit 22 tank A 23 tank B 24 tank C 25 sample 104 control analysis unit 122 housing

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page F term (reference) 2D038 ZA03 2F014 DA02 EA10 2G045 AA15 AA22 AA36 CB03 CB04 FA34 GC02 GC08 HA06 HA09 HA14 JA07 JA08

Claims (10)

[Claims] 1. A sensor for measuring a component of excrement, a transport path for transporting excrement to the sensor, and a tank for storing liquid other than excrement supplied to the sensor or the transport path. A liquid supply device provided in the transport path or other than the transport path and connected to the tank via a pipe, and detecting a liquid state in the pipe by detecting a state of a liquid in the pipe. A toilet-installed excrement measuring device, comprising: 2. The tank according to claim 1, wherein two or more electrodes are installed facing the inside of the pipe, and a liquid amount in the tank is detected by detecting an electrical change between the electrodes. A toilet-installed excrement measurement device. 3. The toilet-installed excrement measuring device according to claim 2, wherein a sub-tank is provided in the middle of the pipe, and two or more electrodes are installed facing the inside of the sub-tank. 4. The toilet-installed excrement according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the tanks are provided, and at least one of the electrodes for detecting the amount of liquid in each tank is electrically common to the plurality of tanks. Object measuring device. 5. The toilet-installed excrement measuring device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of tanks are provided for each type of liquid to be stored. 6. The toilet installation according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is for storing an output value of the sensor when the liquid is supplied to the sensor as a sensor output reference value. Type excrement measuring device. 7. The toilet-installed excrement measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the liquid is for storing the sensor. 8. The sensor carries a capture substance that specifically adsorbs to a target substance in excrement, and the liquid is for dissociating an adsorbed component on the surface of the sensor element. Item 6. The toilet-installed excrement measuring device according to any one of Items 1 to 5. 9. A sensor for measuring a component of a reagent, a transport path for transporting the reagent to the sensor, and a tank for storing a liquid other than the reagent supplied to the sensor or the transport path. A liquid supply device provided in the transport path or other than the transport path, connected to the tank via a pipe, and detecting a state of a liquid in the pipe to detect a liquid amount in the tank. A reagent measuring device, comprising: a detection unit. 10. A tank for storing a liquid, a receiving device connected to the tank via a pipe, and a detecting means for detecting a state of the liquid in the pipe to detect a liquid amount in the tank. And a liquid sending device comprising: