JP2009250647A - Health condition measuring instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a health condition measuring instrument for accurately measuring excretion gas, even if a gas sensor is installed in an exhaust duct of a deodorizing fan. <P>SOLUTION: This health condition measuring instrument is equipped with the fan for discharging gas, concurrently generated at the time of defecation into the exterior, the gas sensor positioned in the deodorizing duct where the fan is disposed, and a control part for calculating an intestinal condition index based on a gas concentration acquired from the gas sensor. The gas sensor comprises a detection part and a heating part which heats the detection part, with a wind-speed lowering part disposed on the upstream side of the gas sensor for relieving the wind hitting the detection part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a health condition measuring apparatus capable of estimating an intestinal condition for judging a health condition in a non-contact manner.

  It is well known that intestinal conditions reflect human health. As an example of an index for knowing the state of the intestine, measurement of the pH value in the intestine and the intestinal bacterial flora (bacteria balance) is performed. Specifically, excreted feces are collected and subjected to pretreatment such as dilution with water, and then pH or the number of bacteria is measured. Moreover, in the case of pH, it is also measured by bringing the pH electrode into contact with the stool as it is. From the pH value or the number of bacteria in the stool, the pH value or bacterial balance in the intestine is estimated. However, sampling at the time of defecation and subsequent processing are complicated. In addition, it is necessary to store the stool stably between collection and measurement, otherwise the measured value will deviate from the value of the stool immediately after defecation due to the activity contained in the stool. There were also problems such as being unable to accurately measure the internal state.

Patent Documents 1 to 4 include techniques for knowing the intestinal state in a non-contact manner using a gas component (hereinafter referred to as excretion gas) that is generated during defecation.

Patent Document 1 is the applicant's invention relating to an intestinal state notification device and method. In this apparatus, hydrogen gas in excreted gas is measured by a gas sensor, and intestinal state information corresponding to the signal value output from the gas sensor is extracted from the intestinal health degree determination auxiliary information and notified to the user. . The intestinal state information includes the total number of various bacteria present in the intestine, the number of bifidobacteria, the number of bad bacteria, the ratio of the number of bifidobacteria in the total number of enteric bacteria, or the total number of enteric bacteria. The ratio of the number of bad bacteria is used.

  Moreover, the excretion gas measuring apparatus and method of patent document 2 are also applicant's invention, and the hydrogen gas or methane gas in excretion gas is detected with a gas sensor, the number of bifidobacteria is estimated, and an intestinal health degree is determined. It is.

Moreover, the health measuring device of patent document 3 deodorizes the odor which generate | occur | produced at the time of excretion with an oxidation catalyst, and detects an odor component density | concentration from the oxidation current required at that time.

Furthermore, the living body monitor device of Patent Document 4 is equipped with a gas sensor on a T-band made of cloth, detects the gas released from the anus with the gas sensor, converts it into data, and compares the data stored in the memory with past data. However, a warning is displayed on the display device when an abnormality is recognized, such as when the difference is large.

Moreover, the toilet deodorization apparatus of patent document 5 attaches the odor sensor which detects ammonia gas behind an adsorbent, and when the density | concentration of ammonia gas becomes high, the rotation speed of a fan is lowered | hung, and adsorption | suction of the odor by adsorbent Is going to increase.

Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-315836. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-292049. JP-A-8-211048. JP-A-9-43182. JP 2000-328629 A.

By the way, when attaching a gas sensor to a toilet bowl with a deodorizing device, as described in Patent Document 2, it is convenient to install it in an exhaust passage for a deodorizing fan. Further, since a certain amount of wind flows through the deodorizing fan exhaust passage, it is convenient for quantitatively sensing the gas component discharged together with the excrement.

However, the air volume for deodorizing is excessive particularly for a gas sensor having a heating unit. That is, in order to efficiently deodorize, it is necessary to inhale air from the toilet bowl at a considerably high speed, but at such a wind speed, it is difficult to keep the operating environment of the sensor, for example, temperature constant, and it cannot be measured accurately. . Furthermore, there is a problem that the service life of the sensor is shortened by being exposed to a strong wind.

An object of the present invention is to provide a health condition measuring apparatus that accurately measures excretion gas even if a gas sensor is installed in a deodorizing fan exhaust passage.

In order to solve the above-described problems, a health condition measuring apparatus according to the present invention includes a fan that discharges a gas that is generated at the time of defecation to the outside, a gas sensor located on a deodorizing passage where the fan is disposed, and a gas obtained from the gas sensor. A control unit that calculates an intestinal state index from the concentration, the gas sensor has a detection unit and a heating unit that heats the detection unit, and a wind speed reduction unit that relaxes the wind that hits the detection unit is provided upstream of the gas sensor. Is arranged. Further, a plate-like wind avoiding portion is configured as the wind speed reducing portion.

Even if a gas sensor is installed in the exhaust passage for a high-speed deodorizing fan, the gas concentration can be measured with high accuracy, and the service life of the gas sensor is extended because it is not exposed to strong wind.

  Before describing the best mode for carrying out the present invention, the function and effect of the present invention will be described.

  The health condition measuring apparatus of the present invention measures the concentration of the gas in the combined gas that co-occurs at the time of defecation, and the result is converted into an intestinal condition index such as intestinal bacteria balance and fecal pH through the procedure described below. The pH value of the stool is an indicator of the intestinal environment. When the intestinal bacteria that control the intestinal environment are well balanced, Bifidobacterium, which is a good bacterium, is dominant, and the pH in the intestine is kept weakly acidic. . The pH in the intestine is also affected by the food that is consumed, and if you ingest meat and so on, the risk of colorectal cancer increases when it is inclined to the alkaline side and the pH is 7 or higher, while if you take oligosaccharides and vegetables in a well-balanced manner. Can maintain weak acidity.

  The health condition measuring apparatus according to the present invention provides a fan that discharges gas that is generated at the time of defecation to the outside, a gas sensor located on a deodorizing passage where the fan is disposed, and an intestinal condition index from a gas concentration obtained from the gas sensor. The gas sensor has a detection unit and a heating unit that heats the detection unit, and a wind speed reduction unit that relaxes the wind that hits the detection unit is arranged on the upstream side of the gas sensor.

  According to the present invention, since the wind speed reduction unit is provided on the upstream side of the gas sensor, the gas concentration contained in the gas that accompanies defecation is accurately measured without being directly affected by the strong wind by the deodorizing fan, The intestinal state can be measured with high accuracy. Furthermore, since the gas sensor is not exposed to strong winds, the service life is extended.

  In the health condition measuring apparatus of the present invention, a plate-like wind avoiding portion is configured as the wind speed reducing portion. While the plate-like wind avoiding portion prevents the wind from directly hitting the sensor, the gas to be measured arrives at the sensor by diffusion, which is convenient.

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is an external view (partial perspective view) showing an example of a Western-style toilet with a built-in human body cleaning device equipped with the health condition measuring device of the present invention.

The exhaust passage 4 for a deodorizing fan is installed using the space provided between the toilet seat 2 of the toilet bowl 1 and the top of the toilet bowl 3 periphery. A deodorizing fan 5, a deodorizing cartridge 6 as a deodorizing part, and a gas sensor 7 are attached in the exhaust passage 4 for the deodorizing fan.

The control unit 8 includes a gas sensor control unit that controls the operation of the gas sensor 7, and a calculation unit that analyzes output data obtained from the gas sensor 7 and calculates an intestinal state index from the gas concentration. The control unit 8 is incorporated in the rear part of the toilet seat 2, and a display unit 10 for intestinal state index data as a calculation result is incorporated in the operation panel 11 of the human body washing apparatus. Data exchange between the gas sensor 7 and the control unit 8 is performed by connection, and data exchange between the control unit 8 and the display unit 10 is performed by infrared rays.

FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of the health condition measuring apparatus of the present invention. A deodorizing fan 5, a deodorizing cartridge 6, a wind speed reducing unit 12, and a gas sensor 7 are arranged in this order from the windward side in the exhaust passage 4 for the deodorizing fan having a square cross-sectional structure. The gas sensor 7 includes a detection unit 7a that reacts with a component to be measured and converts it into an electrical signal, and a heating unit 7b for keeping the detection unit at a constant temperature. The detection part of the sensor generally has an optimum operating temperature, and a heating part for heating the detection part is provided in order to keep the optimum operating temperature. In the present embodiment, a carbon dioxide sensor is used as the gas sensor 7, but an odor sensor, a semiconductor hydrogen sensor, and the like can be given as examples. These gas sensors have advantages such as simple structure, low cost and easy handling. In this embodiment, the sensor is located at the lower part of the exhaust passage for the deodorizing fan, and the wind speed reducing part is shaped so that the upper part of the exhaust passage for the deodorizing fan is opened.

The wind speed reduction unit 12 disposed upstream of the gas sensor 7 reduces the wind speed hitting the detection unit of the gas sensor 7, and as a result, the temperature of the detection unit is controlled within a predetermined range by the heating unit even when air is blown by the deodorizing fan 5. However, in this embodiment, the exhaust passage is closed up to a height exceeding the detection portion 7a side (upper side) of the gas sensor 7, and the upper and the deodorizing fan exhaust passage 4 are connected to each other. The plate-like wind avoiding portion has a certain thickness and forms a space between the inner wall of the structure to be formed (hereinafter abbreviated as the exhaust passage inner wall 16).

Next, a second embodiment is shown. The configuration is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, but only the cross-sectional shape of the deodorizing fan exhaust passage is different and has a circular structure. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main part of the present embodiment as viewed from the downstream side where the gas sensor 7 is installed. A gas sensor 7 is attached to the lower side of the cross section of the exhaust passage 4. The wind speed reducing unit 12 is installed in a state where a part of the exhaust passage 4 is blocked and only the upper side is opened, and a space is formed between the wind speed reducing unit 13 and the exhaust passage inner wall 16. The outer peripheral portion of the cross section of the wind speed reducing portion other than the top surface 15 of the wind speed reducing portion facing the space has a surface shape that matches the shape of the exhaust passage inner wall 16 and is designed to contact the exhaust passage inner wall 16 without a gap. .

Further, the wind speed reducing unit 12 is installed such that the height of the top surface 15 is higher than the installation position of the gas sensor 7. In this embodiment, as in the first embodiment, the gas sensor 7 is arranged at a certain distance from the wind speed reduction unit 12, but the wind speed reduction effect is more effective if the gas sensor 7 is arranged so that the distance between them is zero. It's still expensive. In the present embodiment, the wind speed reducing unit 12 and the gas sensor 7 are arranged on the downstream side of the deodorizing cartridge 6, but the wind speed reducing unit 12 and the gas sensor 7 may be arranged on the upstream side of the deodorizing cartridge 6. This arrangement is particularly suitable for measuring gas components adsorbed by the deodorizing cartridge 7, such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide gas.

In the first and second embodiments, since the wind flows through the space between the wind speed reducing portion higher than the detection portion 7a of the gas sensor 7 and the exhaust passage inner wall 16, the wind directly hits the detection portion 7a of the gas sensor 7. Without passing through the gas sensor 7. Therefore, since the wind which hits the gas sensor 7 becomes weak, the influence of the cooling effect by an airflow is relieved. In addition to alleviating the cooling effect, noise picking up due to direct air flow and adhesion of particles and water droplets to the detection unit 7a are also alleviated. Even if there is a wind speed reduction unit, the gas component to be detected reaches the detection unit 7a by the side flow or diffusion of the wind, so that measurement can be performed without any problem.

In the first and second embodiments, the wind sent by the deodorizing fan 4 flows downstream from the space formed between the exhaust passage inner wall 16 of the wind speed reducing unit 12 and above the gas sensor. When the gas component in the excretion of the detection target is carried on the wind, a part of the gas component reaches the detection unit 7a by the side flow or diffusion of the wind, and is detected and measured by the gas sensor 7. The sensor output signal obtained by the gas sensor 7 is sent to the control unit 8 and recorded. Next, the calculation unit of the control unit 8 obtains the gas concentration from the output signal of the sensor, and further estimates the intestinal state index from the gas concentration.

FIG. 4 is a conceptual diagram showing a third embodiment of the health condition measuring apparatus of the present invention. The structure forming the exhaust passage 4 for the deodorizing fan has the same square cross-sectional structure as in the first embodiment, and a part of the inner wall is recessed to form a recess. The hollow has a square bottom, has a side surface 17 parallel to the direction transverse to the gas flow through the exhaust passage 4, forms a square space 18 having a virtual surface 19, and a gas sensor in the square space 18. 7 is placed so as to be located inward of the virtual surface 19. In the present embodiment, the upper part of the side surface 17 on the upstream side of the recess of the exhaust passage inner wall 16 is a wind speed reducing portion.

Then, the example of the method of estimating an intestinal state parameter | index from the gas concentration measurement value of excretion gas with the health condition measuring apparatus of this invention is demonstrated.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart and conversion graph showing an example of a procedure for estimating the in-vivo pH value from the gas concentration measurement value of excretion gas by the health condition measurement apparatus of the present invention. Carbon dioxide was used as an example of gas. As shown in FIG. 5 (a), the acetic acid concentration of stool can be estimated using the carbon dioxide gas concentration in the gas that accompanies defecation, and the fecal pH value, that is, the intestinal pH value can be estimated from the acetic acid concentration. The pH value can be estimated.

FIG. 5 (b) shows the correlation between the maximum value of carbon dioxide gas concentration (depending on voltage, expressed in volume%) in the gas generated during defecation and the acetic acid concentration (μmol / g) in the stool collected at that time. It is the actual measurement data shown. The reason why there is a correlation between the carbon dioxide gas concentration and the acetic acid concentration is not clear, but the pH value of feces depends on the concentration of carboxylic acid contained, and a certain proportion of this carboxylic acid is in the body. It is presumed that it is decomposed into water and carbon dioxide.

Therefore, the concentration of acetic acid occupying most of the carboxylic acid is also correlated with the carbon dioxide gas concentration. FIG. 5 (c) shows measured data indicating the correlation between the acetic acid concentration in the stool and the pH value in the stool. Although the data is somewhat disturbed by the influence of other acids and bases, the data is almost linear. The relationship.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing a conversion procedure to a pH value when the carbon dioxide gas concentration is measured by the health condition measuring apparatus of the present invention. FIG. 6A is a graph showing an example in which the gas sensor 7 measures the carbon dioxide gas concentration (depending on the voltage) in the gas generated during defecation. The time (seconds) on the horizontal axis represents the time required for defecation, t1 is the start of defecation, and t2 is the end of defecation. Since the maximum concentration appears at the time when the amount of defecation is the largest, a more accurate pH value can be estimated by using the gas concentration (maximum value Vp) at this time.

The Vp value is used to estimate the acetic acid concentration Cac from the graph showing the correlation between the carbon dioxide gas concentration and the acetic acid concentration in the stool (same as FIG. 5B) in FIG. ), The pH value can be estimated from a graph showing the correlation between the acetic acid concentration in the stool and the pH value in the stool (same as in FIG. 5C).

FIG. 7 is an example showing a procedure of a health condition measuring method using a health condition measuring apparatus of the present invention (built in a sanitary washing toilet seat apparatus attached to a western toilet). The operation of the user (hereinafter referred to as “user”) is displayed on the left side, and the process performed by the toilet seat device (including the process of the health condition measuring apparatus) is displayed separately on the right side.

As shown in the flow of this figure, the user enters the toilet, defecates, and then exits, but since the health condition measuring device of the present invention is attached to this toilet, By displaying the estimated pH value on the display unit 10, it is possible to know the physical condition of the day, or to know the change in physical condition over time when continuously measured.

First, when the user enters the room, the human body detection sensor detects the entry, and the gas sensor control unit of the control unit 8 activates the carbon dioxide gas sensor 7. When the human body detection sensor is not used, the user may manually turn on the health condition measuring device.

When the user is seated, the seating sensor detects the seating, and the gas sensor control unit of the control unit 8 starts the operation of the deodorizing fan 5 and the carbon dioxide gas sensor 7. Since the wind carried by the deodorizing fan by the function of the wind speed reducing unit passes above the gas sensor 7 so that it does not directly hit the gas sensor 7, the temperature of the detection unit of the gas sensor does not change before and after the fan operation, and the gas is smoothly An output corresponding to the concentration of the carbon dioxide sensor is obtained. Here, the time of the sensor at the start of operation is set to t1, and the voltage value (Vol% concentration) of the carbon dioxide gas sensor 7 corresponding to the time is called V1. Note that the gas sensor may be started without the use of a seating sensor by the user pressing the sensor start switch.

Until the user starts and finishes defecation, the carbon dioxide gas sensor 7 detects the data Vx for a certain time tx, for example, every second, and writes them in the control unit 8.

After defecation ends, the user starts washing the human body. At this time, the recording of the carbon dioxide gas sensor 7 is terminated in conjunction with the cleaning button. The time t2 at the end of the defecation and the detection data V2 at that time of the carbon dioxide gas sensor 7 are stored. When considering that the washing button may be used before or during defecation, the user may manually terminate the storage without interlocking with the washing button.

Next, the calculation unit of the control unit 8 searches for the maximum value Vmax of the carbon dioxide gas concentration in the range of t1 to t2. Then, the value of Vmax itself or a value obtained by subtracting the minimum value Vb1 of the carbon dioxide gas concentration from Vmax is recorded as a measured value (maximum value Vp).

Then, the acetic acid concentration Cac value is estimated from the Vp value, and then the pH value is estimated from the acetic acid concentration Cac value. The identified pH value is written in the control unit 8, and the identification result is notified to the user by the display unit 10 or the like.

When the user leaves the seat, the seating sensor senses it and the deodorizing fan 5 stops. When the user leaves the room, the human body detection sensor detects that the room has left, and the signal is sent to the gas sensor control unit of the control unit 8 to turn off the carbon dioxide gas sensor 7.

Although the carbon dioxide gas sensor is used in this embodiment, the intestinal state index can be measured in the same manner by using a conversion method corresponding to the hydrogen gas sensor or the hydrogen sulfide sensor. it can.

1 is an external view (partial perspective) showing an example of a Western-style toilet equipped with a sanitary washing toilet seat device equipped with the health condition measuring device of the present invention. The conceptual diagram which shows an example of the health condition measuring apparatus of this invention The conceptual diagram which shows the example of the cross-section of the wind speed reduction part in the health condition measuring apparatus of this invention The conceptual diagram which shows the other example of the health condition measuring apparatus of this invention Flow and conversion graph showing an example of a procedure for estimating the intestinal pH value from the carbon dioxide gas concentration by the health condition measuring apparatus of the present invention The graph which shows the conversion procedure to pH value at the time of measuring a carbon dioxide gas density | concentration with the health condition measuring apparatus of this invention An example showing the procedure of a health condition measuring method using the health condition measuring apparatus of the present invention (installed in a sanitary washing toilet seat apparatus)

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Toilet bowl, 2 ... Toilet seat, 3 ... Toilet bowl, 4 ... Deodorizing fan exhaust passage, 5 ... Deodorizing fan, 6 ... Deodorizing cartridge, 7 ... Gas sensor, 7a ... Detection part, 7b ... Heating part, 8 ... Control part, DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Display part, 11 ... Operation panel, 12 ... Wind speed reduction part, 13 ... Wind speed reduction part, 15 ... Top surface of wind speed reduction part, 15 ... Exhaust passage inner wall, 17 ... Side surface, 18 ... Square space, 19 ... Square space Virtual plane.

Claims (2)

A fan that discharges the gas that co-exists during defecation to the outside,
A gas sensor located on a gas passage in which the fan is disposed;
A controller that calculates an intestinal state index from the gas concentration obtained from the gas sensor,
The gas sensor has a detection unit and a heating unit for heating the detection unit,
A health condition measuring apparatus, wherein a wind speed reducing section for relaxing wind that hits the detection section is arranged upstream of the gas sensor. 2. The health condition measuring apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the wind speed reducing unit is a plate-like wind avoiding unit.

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