JP2018126331A - Excrement photographing apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To properly arrange a toilet bowl/toilet seat device as sanitary equipment having different lifetime as a product and an excrement photographing function for use in clinical application.SOLUTION: A excrement photographing apparatus is mounted at a water closet and photographs an image of excrement. The excrement photographing apparatus includes a plate part mounted on the rearward upper surface of a bowl part where a user excretes in the water closet and a function box part suspended from a lateral direction end of the plate part. Photographing means for photographing the excrement and generating image data is provided so as to be opposed to the bowl part in the plate part. In the function box part, control means for controlling the operation of the photographing means and output means for outputting the image data generated by the photographing means toward the outside are stored.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to an excrement photographing apparatus that is attached to a flush toilet and photographs an image of excrement.

As a conventional excrement photographing apparatus, in order to make a comparison with the Bristol scale, which is commonly used clinically, an apparatus for photographing and managing excrement images when excreted with a toilet is known. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
In addition, when multiple patients use one toilet such as a hospital, personal authentication data for identifying the excretion person is acquired so that the captured image data can be managed. In addition, there is also known one that outputs this personal authentication data and excrement image data (for example, see Patent Document 2).

  However, in the conventional excrement photographing apparatus, it is necessary to install a device for photographing and collecting excrement image data integrally with the toilet bowl or with another toilet seat apparatus. In some cases, it was necessary to replace the toilet bowl or toilet seat apparatus in accordance with the excreta photographing apparatus having a shorter lifespan than the apparatus.

Japanese Patent No. 3204400 JP 2014-031655 A

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. In the present invention, a toilet bowl / toilet seat device as a sanitary equipment device having a different lifetime as a product, and excrement photography used for clinical application. The purpose is to arrange the functions appropriately.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is an excrement photographing apparatus that is attached to a flush toilet and photographs an image of excrement, and a user performs excretion in the flush toilet. A plate portion attached to the rear upper surface of the bowl portion, and a function box portion depending from the end portion in the left-right direction of the plate portion, and photographing for excrement to generate image data on the plate portion Means is provided to face the bowl portion, and the function box portion has a control means for controlling the operation of the photographing means, and an output for outputting the image data generated by the photographing means to the outside. And means are housed.
Therefore, in general, it is possible to separately arrange and combine flush toilets and excrement photographing devices with different lifetimes as products, so there is no excessive burden and the photographing means is used by the user. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the occurrence of a mental problem because the user cares about the existence of the photographing means.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the plate portion further includes excrement detection means for detecting excretion excreted in the bowl portion, and the control means includes the excretion detection means. The imaging by the imaging means is started after the excrement is detected.
Accordingly, it is possible to capture a reliable excretion image immediately after excretion is performed by the excretion detection means and not obstructed by foreign matter such as toilet paper. In addition, the user of the excrement image can efficiently collect necessary information without taking a long time to confirm the excretion image.

According to the invention described in claim 3, the excrement detection means can detect both stool and urine as excrement, and the control means can detect either stool or urine from the excrement detection means. On the basis of such detection, photographing by the photographing means is started.
Therefore, not only the digestive system that requires stool status management, but also urological diseases that require urinary excretion management, and status management before and after surgery that requires metabolic control by urine volume. Can now. This also eliminates the need for the excretor to specify whether the excretion was stool or urine, and also improves usability.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the apparatus further comprises personal identification means for acquiring personal identification data for identifying a user, wherein the control means includes the personal identification data acquired by the personal identification means, and the photographing means. And the image data photographed by the step is integrated and output from the output means.
Therefore, the excrement image data and the personal identification data can be used in combination, and the user of the excretion image can check the state of the excretion without making a mistake in the individual.

  According to the present invention, since it is possible to arrange and combine the flush toilet and the excrement photographing apparatus having different lifetimes as products in general, there is no excessive burden and photographing. It is possible to arrange so that the means does not enter the user's line of sight, and the effect that the user can suppress the occurrence of a mental problem due to the presence of the photographing means. is there.

It is a perspective view which shows the state which attached the excretion imaging | photography apparatus in embodiment of this invention to the flush toilet. It is a system block diagram which shows the structure of the excretion imaging | photography apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is the perspective view which assembled | attached the sanitary washing apparatus to the excretion imaging | photography apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a water level change graph which shows an example of the excrement detection of this invention. It is a flowchart which shows operation | movement of the excretion imaging | photography apparatus in embodiment of this invention.

Below, the excrement photography device concerning the present invention is explained based on a drawing.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an excrement photographing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a flush toilet.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the excrement photographing apparatus 1 is attached to a flush toilet 100 and used. The flush toilet 100 has a bowl portion 102 that is recessed in a bowl shape for the user to excrete. A rising pipe (not shown) extending obliquely upward is formed from the bottom of the bowl portion 102, and the rising water accumulates sealed water at the bottom of the bowl portion 102. A washing water tank 104 for storing washing water supplied toward the bowl portion 102 is fixed above the rear portion of the flush toilet 100. Excrements such as urine and urine discharged to the bowl portion 102 are discharged to a drain pipe (not shown) provided in the building by the wash water supplied from the wash water tank 104.

  The excrement photographing apparatus 1 includes a flat plate portion 2 placed on the upper surface of the flush toilet 100, and a rough function box provided so as to hang downward from an end on the left side of the plate portion 2. Part 4. The function box portion 4 has a storage space that is longer in the front-rear direction than in the left-right direction. Further, the plate portion 2 is formed with a pair of through holes 5 corresponding to toilet seat mounting holes (not shown) formed in the flush toilet 100. By fixing the local cleaning device 200 (see FIG. 3) to the flush toilet 100 with a toilet seat mounting bolt (not shown) inserted into the through-hole 5, the plate unit 2 is connected to the upper surface and the local area of the flush toilet 100. It is sandwiched and fixed between the bottom surface of the cleaning device 200.

  The photographing means 6 is fixed to the lower surface of the plate portion 2 so as to face the bowl portion 102. The photographing means 6 is a camera using a CCD, and photographs the inside of the bowl portion 102, particularly the sealed water area, and generates digitized image data. In addition, an excrement detection means 8 is fixed beside the imaging means 6 so as to face the inside of the bowl portion 102. This excrement detection means 8 is an ultrasonic sensor, and detects excrement that has fallen into the seal water by detecting a change in the water level of the seal water at the bottom of the bowl 102 by an ultrasonic reflection time change. is there.

  Moreover, the personal identification means 10 is provided in the wall surface of the toilet room. In this embodiment, an inpatient in a hospital is assumed as a user. Therefore, the personal identification means 10 is configured by a bar code reader. The personal identification means 10 reads a barcode including personal magazine identification data (ID number) for identifying a patient personally printed on a wristband or the like held by an inpatient, and uses the read data as a function box It is configured to be capable of wireless transmission toward the unit 4.

Next, the function of the excrement photographing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 2 is a system block diagram showing the configuration of the excreta imaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the function box unit 4 stores a control unit 12 that controls operations of the imaging unit 6 and the excrement detection unit 8. The detailed control operation by the control means 12 will be described later.

  The function box unit 4 also includes a receiving unit 14 that receives a signal including personal identification data wirelessly transmitted from the personal identification unit 10. The control means 12 integrates the personal identification data received by the receiving means 14 into the excrement image data imaged by the imaging means 6 and outputs it to the transmission means 16 as one set of output data. The transmission means 16 wirelessly transmits the one set of output data to the router 50 installed in the toilet room. The router 50 is a relay terminal for wireless communication, and a commercially available device can be installed in a toilet room (see FIG. 3) and used.

  The output data transmitted to the router 50 is sent to and stored in a server 54 installed at a predetermined location in the hospital through the LAN 52 installed in the hospital. The output data stored in the server 54 can be used by an information terminal 56 such as a personal computer or a portable information terminal. In the information terminal 56, by specifying personal identification data (ID number) of a specific patient by a program (application software) built therein, the patient data is read from the server 54 and confirmed, It is possible to narrow down the data to be read from the server 54 by specifying the period stored in 54.

Next, the usage state of the excreta photographing apparatus 1 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view in which a sanitary washing device is assembled to the excreta imaging device according to the embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, a local cleaning device 200 as a toilet seat device is attached to the upper surface of the plate portion 2 in the excrement photographing apparatus 1. The local cleaning device 200 has a built-in local cleaning function unit that discharges cleaning water toward the local part of the user in the casing 202. A toilet seat 204 is pivotally supported on the casing 202 so as to be rotatable. A local cleaning remote controller 206 for operating the local cleaning device 200 is installed on the wall surface of the toilet room along with the barcode reader as the personal identification means 10.

  Thus, since the plate part 2 is flat, even if the local cleaning device 200 is placed on the upper surface of the plate part 2, the mounting height of the local cleaning device 200 is hardly changed. The excrement photographing apparatus 1 can be retrofitted to the toilet room in which the local cleaning device 200 is installed in the toilet 100. Further, since the excrement photographing apparatus 1 is attached to the flush toilet 100 independently of the local washing apparatus 200, the local washing apparatus 200 should be replaced when the photographing means 6 has deteriorated over time and has reached the end of its life. Without exchanging the excreta photographing apparatus 1 alone. In addition, the imaging | photography means 6 currently fixed to the plate part 2 comes to be concealed by the casing 202 of the local cleaning apparatus 200, and the presence of the imaging | photography means 6 can be made inconspicuous to a user.

  A cabinet 210 is provided behind the flush toilet 100 so as to cover the flush water tank 104. A backrest 212 having cushioning properties is provided on the front surface of the cabinet 210. A router 50 is provided on the cabinet 210. The router 50 is a relay terminal for transmitting the output data output from the excrement photographing apparatus 1 to the LAN in the hospital.

  The cabinet 210 incorporates a urine volume measuring device 300 that measures biological information such as the amount of urine excreted by the user (subject) and the urinary flow rate (volume of excreted urine per unit time). This urine volume measuring device 300 has a water level measuring line (not shown) that communicates with the sealed water of the flush toilet 100, and the urine volume and urine flow are changed by the water level change of the water level measuring line at the time of urination. The rate can be measured. On the wall surface of the toilet room, a urine volume measuring remote control 302 is provided above the local washing remote control 206. The urine volume measurement remote control 302 is provided with a measurement start switch for instructing the start of urine volume measurement, a urine volume measurement end switch for instructing the end of urination, and the like.

  Next, operation | movement of the excrement detection means 8 in this embodiment is demonstrated. FIG. 4 is a water level change graph showing an example of excrement detection according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a graph showing the change over time of the stool and urine (urine) with respect to the water level change rate of the sealed water formed at the bottom of the bowl portion 102. Since stool is submerged in volume in a short time, the rate of change in the level of the sealed water is large and the time is generally short. On the other hand, since urine is excreted through a long urethra, the rate of change in the level of the sealed water is generally suppressed, and conversely, the rate of change in the level of the water level continues for a long time. The excrement detection means 8 detects a change in the water level of the sealed water based on a change in the reflection time of the ultrasonic wave. Based on this change in the water level, excrement is excreted in both cases of stool and urine. It is possible to detect the timing.

Next, the operation of the excrement photographing apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the excreta imaging apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and specifically shows a control flow by the control means 12 of the excreta imaging apparatus 1.
When the excrement photographing apparatus 1 is turned on and the control means 12 is energized, a control sequence is started (S100). In this state, the control unit 12 is in a standby state, the energization of the imaging unit 6 and the excrement detection unit 8 is not performed, and the reception unit 14 is energized and waits for a signal from the reception unit 14. It is in a state.

  In this standby state, it is determined whether or not the signal from the personal identification means 10 has been received by the receiving means 14 (S101). Specifically, the user (patient) holds the wristband printed with a barcode including personal identification data wound around his wrist against the barcode reader of the personal identification means 10 and receives the barcode information. 14 determines whether it has been received. When the receiving unit 14 does not receive the barcode information (S101N), the control unit 12 repeats the process of S101. When the receiving means 14 receives the barcode information (S101Y), the control means 12 starts energization to activate the imaging means 6 and the excrement detection means 8 (S102).

Subsequently, in S103, it is determined whether or not excretion is performed by the excrement detection means 8.
When the excretion detection means 8 does not detect any excretion of stool or urine (S103N), the control means 12 repeats the process of S103. When excretion detection means 8 detects the excretion of either stool or urine (S103Y), imaging by imaging means 6 is started in S104. In addition, as a method for detecting the start of excretion, it is a point in time when a change in the level of the sealing water due to the excrement of either stool or urine shown in FIG. 4 occurs.

Subsequently, the process of S105 is executed, and in the process of S106 after the process of S105, the control means 12 determines whether or not excretion has ended. Specifically, the control means 12 monitors the water level change signal from the excrement detection means 8, and determines the end of excretion when a state where there is no water level change continues for a predetermined time.
While the excretion continues (S106N), the control means 12 returns to the process of S105 and continues the imaging, and the processes of S105 and S106 are repeatedly executed until the excretion ends.
Note that the shooting by the shooting means 6 does not have to be a moving image, and it is preferable to take a still image at intervals of several seconds in consideration of reducing the volume of image data and confirming excrement.
When it is determined that the excretion is finished (S106Y), the photographing by the photographing means 6 is finished, and the image data taken after the photographing start (S104) and the user (patient) transmitted from the personal identification means 10 are identified. The output data obtained by integrating the barcode signal including the signal (see S101) is transmitted from the transmission unit 16 to the router 50. Subsequently, in S108, the energization of the imaging means 6 and the excretion detection means 8 is stopped, the process shifts to a standby state, and the process returns to S101.

  In the excrement photographing apparatus 1 in this embodiment, since photographing is started immediately after excretion detection (S103Y), an image of excrement without an obstacle such as toilet paper immediately after excretion can be photographed. In addition, since the imaging period is only the period from the start of excretion to the end of excretion, excretion can be reliably imaged and an increase in the data capacity of image data can be suppressed. Further, in order to transmit the photographed image data and output it to the outside, the medical worker goes to the toilet room by accessing the server 54 in which the image data is stored, and the excreta photographing device installed there Even if it does not access 1 directly, the excrement image data can be seen in a timely manner, and the workability can be improved. Health care workers are not cut off just to see the excrement, and above all the patient is not subject to mental pressure to show excrement directly.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Those skilled in the art that have been appropriately modified in design with respect to the above-described embodiments are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the characteristics of the present invention.
For example, the excrement detection means 8 can take various forms in place of the above-described detection of the change in the water level of the sealed water based on the reflection time of the ultrasonic waves. For example, gas generated due to excrement may be detected. Carbon dioxide, hydrogen, methyl mercaptan, trimethylamine, and the like are recommended for stool, and ketone bodies such as acetoacetic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetone are recommended for urine in abnormal states.
Further, as another aspect of the excrement detection means 8, attention may be paid to the temperature of the excrement itself, and the excrement may be detected by the temperature change of the inside of the bowl portion 102 or the sealing water.

Moreover, it can replace with imaging | photography from the excretion start determination by the excretion detection means 8 to an excretion end determination, and can also make the imaging | photography period of the imaging | photography means 6 into the fixed fixed time previously determined from the excretion start determination. Further, the user may input the start of shooting and the end of shooting.
Further, instead of wirelessly transmitting the output data from the transmission means 16 as the output means to the router 50, a storage means for storing the output data is provided in the function box unit 4 to provide medical care. An output port for a user to access the storage means and output the output data may be provided as the output means, or the memory means itself is a card-type memory so that the card-type memory is output as the output means. It may be possible to take out from the output slot.

Further, the personal identification means 10 may be built in the function box 4 instead of being installed on the wall surface of the toilet room. The personal identification means 10 does not need to be a barcode reader, and the user may input an ID number that identifies the individual.
The photographing means 6 is provided with an electric shutter that opens and closes the lens portion of the camera. When the photographing means 6 is in a standby state where no photographing is performed, the shutter is closed, and when the shutter is not in standby, the shutter is opened. It may be possible to prevent the lens from being soiled by splashed water at the time of local cleaning by the local cleaning device 200 after completion of photographing or at the time of cleaning the flush toilet 100.
Further, a cleaning means for wiping the lens surface when the shutter is opened and closed may be provided to automatically clean the photographing means 6 on which the excrement droplets are likely to adhere.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Excrement imaging device 2 ... Plate part 4 ... Function box part 6 ... Imaging means 8 ... Excretion detection means 10 ... Personal identification means 12 ... Control means 14 ... Reception means 16 ... Transmission means (output means)
50 ... Router 52 ... LAN
54 ... Server 56 ... Information terminal 100 ... Flush toilet 102 ... Bowl part 104 ... Wash water tank 200 ... Local washing device (toilet seat device)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 202 ... Casing 204 ... Toilet seat 206 ... Local washing | cleaning remote control 210 ... Cabinet 212 ... Backrest part 300 ... Urine volume measuring apparatus 302 ... Urine volume measurement remote control

Claims (4)

An excrement photographing apparatus that is attached to a flush toilet and photographs an image of excrement,
In the flush toilet, a plate portion attached to the rear upper surface of the bowl portion where the user excretes,
A functional box portion hanging from the left and right ends of the plate portion,
The plate part is provided with a photographing means for photographing the excrement to generate image data so as to face the bowl part,
The function box unit contains control means for controlling the operation of the photographing means and output means for outputting the image data generated by the photographing means to the outside. Shooting device. The plate portion further includes excrement detection means for detecting excretion excreted in the bowl portion,
2. The excrement photographing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit starts photographing by the photographing unit after detecting excrement by the excrement detecting unit. The excrement detection means can detect both stool and urine as excrement,
The excrement photographing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the control means starts photographing by the photographing means based on detection of either stool or urine from the excrement detecting means. A personal identification means for obtaining personal identification data for identifying the user;
2. The excrement according to claim 1, wherein the control unit integrates the personal identification data acquired by the personal identification unit and the image data captured by the imaging unit and outputs the integrated data from the output unit. Shooting device.

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