JP2627492B2 - Urine absorber - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a urine absorbing apparatus suitable for assisting urination of patients who have difficulty urinating, and for disposing of urine in patients who are unable to move due to trauma such as so-called bedridden elderly people or bone fractures. It is related to the improvement of.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, the care of so-called bedridden elderly people has become a serious social problem in Japan. Therefore, the present inventor aims to reduce the burden on the caregiver at the time of cleaning up urine, which is the most difficult in nursing care. Has previously proposed a urine absorption device capable of ensuring a caregiver's sleep time (Japanese Patent Application No. 5-2589).
No. 20).

[0003] In the above apparatus, when a urine detecting sensor detects urination of a bedridden elderly person into a diaper, a suction pump is operated to suck urine into a urine tank, and a warm air blowing mechanism is operated by a suction pump of the suction pump. It was configured to blow hot air to a local part of a bedridden elderly person for a predetermined time at a temperature and a blowing amount corresponding to the amount.

[0004]

By the way, in the above-mentioned device, a comb-shaped or spiral electrode made of a flexible and corrosion-resistant conductive material is used as a urine detection sensor. The electrodes were installed on a urine receiving member (receiver) in the diaper, and wiring for connecting the electrodes to the controller of the apparatus was laid along a urine suction tube connecting the receiver and the urine tank. .

[0005] Therefore, by disposing of the receiver, a large number of bedridden elderly people can use the same device without feeling unclean, and for the purpose of saving the caregiver the trouble of cleaning the receiver, paper similar to diapers is used. If the receiver is made of a soft and inexpensive material such as that described above, some of the electrodes and wirings provided in the receiver must be disposable for the same reason as described above.

However, unlike the diaper and the receiver, the electrodes and the wiring are made of a material that is relatively expensive and has a certain hardness. If it is made of a soft and flexible material such as a diaper, it is not practical because it is difficult to lay electrodes and wiring.

[0007] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to detect urination by means other than the electric means, so that the urine receiving member can be made of a disposable material. The device can be used without feeling dirty,
Another object of the present invention is to provide a urine absorbing device that can save a caregiver the trouble of cleaning the urine receiving member.

[0008]

To achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a urine absorbing device for guiding urine excreted in a urine receiving mechanism to a urine tank through a urine suction tube. A differential pressure detecting tube provided between the one end and the other end at the time of excretion of the urine, and the differential pressure detecting tube provided at the differential pressure detecting tube. A differential pressure detecting means for detecting the differential pressure generated in the detection tube; and a urine which is activated by an output from the differential pressure detecting means and guides urine excreted in the urine receiving mechanism to the urine tank by a suction action. And a suction mechanism.

[0009]

According to the present invention, when urine excretion detects a differential pressure generated in the differential pressure detecting tube by the differential pressure detecting means,
Since the urine suction mechanism is configured to guide the urine excreted in the urine receiving mechanism by the suction action to the urine tank, urination can be detected by means other than the electrical means.
Therefore, unlike the conventional device that performs urine detection by electric means, the urine receiving mechanism can be made of a disposable material, so that many bedridden elderly people can use the same device without feeling dirty. In addition, it is possible to save the caregiver the trouble of cleaning the urine receiving mechanism.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a urine absorbing apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in the figure, the apparatus includes a urine tank 9 and a urine absorbing apparatus main body (hereinafter referred to as an "apparatus main body") 1 mainly including various parts required for urine suction, and a receiver for receiving excreted urine. 3. Residual urine pool with siphon structure 7
And a urine suction tube 5 for guiding urine in the receiver 3 into the urine tank 9.

[0013] The receiver 3 is disposable.
With a soft and relatively inexpensive material having flexibility, in a shape that can be attached to local parts such as bedridden elderly people via diapers, etc.
Moreover, it is configured to be detachable from the urine suction tube 5.

The urine suction tube 5 has an upstream end communicating with the receiver 3 and a downstream end inserted into the apparatus main body 1 and bent downward above the urine tank 9, so that urine is further discharged from the upper part of the urine tank 9. It is inserted into the tank 9 and extends downward in the urine tank 9, and the downstream end is opened at an intermediate position between the top and the bottom in the urine tank 9. In the vicinity of the bent portion of the urine suction tube 5, a check is made to prevent the urine in the urine tank 9 from being sucked into the first air suction tube 15 described later when air is suctioned by the sensor pump 23 described later. Valve 11 is mounted. Furthermore, at the lowest part of the urine suction tube 5, the above-mentioned residual urine pool 7 for dropping the residual urine is provided for quick urine suction and for preventing malfunction due to residual urine in the tube 5 during standby for urine suction. Is formed.

The apparatus main body 1 includes a urine tank 9 and a check valve 11.
Deodorizing section 13, first air suction tube 15, dew condensation prevention heater 17, three-way solenoid valve 19, differential pressure switch 2
1, sensor pump 23, second air suction tube 25, main pump 27, transformer 29, interlocking contacts 31, 33,
A normally open contact 35, a fuse 37, and a power switch 39 are incorporated. The apparatus main body 1 further includes a controller 41 having a timer T1, a timer T2, and a three-way solenoid valve driving unit 43, a liquid level sensor 45, a buzzer driving unit 47, and a buzzer 49.

The interlocking contact 31 is a contact for selectively driving the transformer 29 and the main pump 27.
Normally, the transformer 29 is closed, and the main pump 27 is kept closed only while the timer T1 is operating.

The interlocking contact 33 is a contact for selectively driving the timer T2 and the three-way solenoid valve driving unit 43, and usually closes the timer T2 side, and only when the timer T1 is driving, The three-way solenoid valve drive unit 43 side is kept closed.

The normally open contact 35 is a contact for controlling the sensor pump controlled by the timer T2, and is closed after a lapse of a predetermined time (for example, 0.5 seconds) from the time when the timer T2 is started, so that the timer T2 is driven. Keep closing.

The first air suction tube 15 is used for sucking air more slowly from the urine suction tube 5 side and exhausting it to the deodorizing section 13 side during the standby time of the urine suction than at the time of urine suction. The side end communicates with the bent portion of the urine suction tube 5, and the downstream end communicates with the deodorizing section 13. The first air suction tube 15 has a dew condensation prevention heater 17 and a three-way solenoid valve 1 from the upstream side to the downstream side.
9, the differential pressure switch 21 and the sensor pump 23 are installed in this order.

The dew condensation prevention heater 17 is mounted to prevent dew condensation in the first air suction tube 15. After the power switch 39 is turned on, the timer T1 is driven and the interlocking contact 31 is turned on by the transformer 29.
When the side is closed, heat is generated by electric power supplied from the commercial power supply through the transformer 29, and the first air suction tube 15 is heated.

The three-way solenoid valve 19 is used to stand by for urine suction.
The valve main body is positioned at a position communicating between the urine suction tube 5 and the urine tank 9 side and the first air suction tube 15 so that the sensor pump 23 can slowly suck air. The three-way solenoid valve 19 is driven by the three-way solenoid valve driving unit 43 to a position where the above-mentioned communication is shut off during urine suction, and forcibly returns the inside of the first air suction tube 15 to atmospheric pressure to return to normal pressure.

The differential pressure switch 21 closes the normally open contact only when a differential pressure is generated in the first air suction tube 15 due to infiltration of urine into the urine suction tube 5, and a timer start signal is sent to the timer T1. Is output. The differential pressure switch 21 is configured to automatically open the normally open contact that has been closed when the differential pressure is eliminated by the interruption by the three-way solenoid valve 19.

After the power switch 39 is turned on, the normally open contact 35 is closed while the communication by the three-way solenoid valve 19 is maintained. A gentle suction of air is performed through the air suction tube 15.

The second air suction tube 25 is used when urine in the receiver 3 is introduced into the urine tank 9 through the urine suction tube 5 during urine suction.
The second air suction tube 25 has an upstream side bent above the urine tank 9, an upstream end opening to the upper part of the urine tank 9, and a downstream end near the deodorizing section 13 for the first air suction. It joins the downstream part of the tube 15 and communicates with the deodorizing part 13. The main pump 27 is attached to the second air suction tube 25.

The main pump 27 is started slightly after the timer T1 and the three-way solenoid valve driving unit 43 are started.
The urine in the receiver 3 is guided into the urine tank 9 through the urine suction tube 5 by sucking the air in the urine tank 9 through the second air suction tube 15.

The deodorizing section 13 contains a deodorizing agent (not shown) for deodorizing the odor in the inflowing air, and in the standby state for urine suction, the air in the air flowing in from the first air suction tube 15 side. The odor is deodorized and exhausted, and at the time of urine suction, the odor in the air flowing in from the second air suction tube 25 side is deodorized and exhausted.

The urine tank 9 also contains a deodorant 51 for deodorizing odors generated from accumulated urine.

The liquid level sensor 45 is attached to the urine tank 9, and when the liquid level of urine in the urine tank 9 reaches a predetermined height, detects this and outputs a predetermined logic level signal to the timer T1.
For example, an optical sensor is used. The logic level signal is applied not only to the reset terminal of the timer T1 as a prohibition signal for prohibiting the urine suction operation, but also to the buzzer driving section 47 as a start signal for the buzzer 49.

The buzzer driving section 47 is activated by using the logic level signal from the liquid level sensor 45 as a trigger, drives the buzzer 49 for a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds), and provides a caregiver or the like with the liquid in the urine tank 9. Notifies that the surface has reached a predetermined height.

After turning on the power switch 39, the timer T2
For example, it is a so-called on-delay timer that closes the normally open contact 35 with a time delay of about 0.5 seconds. While the power switch 39 is turned on, the timer T <b> 2 is driven unless the interlocking contact 33 is switched to the three-way solenoid valve driving unit 43 side.
The reason for giving the above time delay when the timer T2 starts is as follows.
This is for starting the sensor pump 23 after the atmospheric pressure in the urine tank 9 returns from the negative pressure to the normal pressure. Therefore, the delay time is set substantially equal to the time required for the atmospheric pressure in the urine tank 9 to return to normal pressure.

The timer T1 is driven for a predetermined time by using a timer start signal from the differential pressure switch 21 as a trigger. During driving, the interlocking contact 31 is switched to the main pump 27 side and the interlocking contact 33 is driven by a three-way solenoid valve. Switch to the part 43 side. The driving time of the timer T1 is a length corresponding to one urination time of a bedridden elderly person (for example, 20 to 30).
Seconds). The driving of the timer T1 is forcibly stopped only while the logic level signal is being applied from the liquid level sensor 45, and when the application of the logic level signal is stopped, the timer T1 automatically returns from the driving stopped state to the drivable state.

The three-way solenoid valve driving section 43 is driven by the above-mentioned switching of the interlocking contact 33, and the three-way solenoid valve 19 is turned on.
It is driven to a position where the communication between the urine tank 9 side and the first air suction tube 15 is cut off.

Next, the sequence operation of the above configuration will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to the timing chart of FIG.

First, when the power switch 39 is turned on at the time t1, the timer T2 is started immediately and the power supply to the dew condensation prevention heater 17 through the transformer 29 is started.
The dew condensation prevention heater 17 starts the heat generation operation. Next, at time t2, when the timer T2 closes the normally open contact 35, the sensor pump 23 is started, and a gentle air suction operation through the first air suction tube 15 is started.

At time t3, when a pressure difference is generated in the first air suction tube 15 by urinating the receiver 3, a timer start signal is output from the differential pressure switch 21.
The timer T1 and the three-way solenoid valve 19 start immediately, while
The timer T2, the transformer 29, and the dew condensation prevention heater 17 immediately stop driving. Next, at a time t4 slightly after the time t3, the main pump 29 starts, while the sensor pump 23 stops driving. Then, at time t5, the differential pressure switch 21 automatically opens the normally open contact that has been closed.

Next, when the timer T1 stops driving at time t6, the three-way solenoid valve 19 and the main pump 29
Also stops driving. On the other hand, the timer T2 is immediately restarted, and the heat generation operation of the dew condensation prevention heater 17 is also immediately restarted. Further, at time t7 slightly after time t6, the sensor pump 23 restarts.

At time t8, when the power switch 39 is opened,
Immediately, the timer T2 stops driving, the power supply to the dew condensation prevention heater 17 is cut off, and the heat generation operation of the dew condensation prevention heater 17 stops. Further, the time t slightly after the time t8
At 9, the sensor pump 23 stops driving. Thus, a series of urine suction operations ends.

When the power switch 39 is turned on again, the above-described sequence operation is repeated again.

As described above, according to one embodiment of the present invention, the receiver 3 is configured so that it can be inserted into and removed from the urine suction tube 5 by using a flexible and relatively inexpensive material. In addition, since the differential pressure switch 21 is attached to the first air suction tube 15, it can be disposable. Therefore, even when the present apparatus is used for a large number of bedridden elderly people, it can be used without feeling dirty, and the caregiver does not need to clean the receiver 3.

Further, since the urine suction tube 5 is provided with the residual urine reservoir 7 having a siphon structure, it is possible to drop the residual urine in the tube 5 while waiting for urine suction.
Malfunction due to residual urine attached to the tube 5 can be prevented.

Further, since the first air suction tube 15 is warmed by the dew condensation prevention heater 17 at the time of waiting for urine suction, dew condensation in the first air suction tube 15 can be prevented.

Further, at the time of urine suction standby, the sensor pump 23 is driven, and the air sucked from the receiver 3 side through the first air suction tube 15 is exhausted through the deodorizing section 13, so that the odor generated by the drying of urine is eliminated. Can be removed.
On the other hand, at the time of urine suction, the main pump 27 is driven,
Since the air deodorized in the urine tank 9 is sucked through the air suction tube 25 and exhausted through the deodorizing section 13, it is possible to remove the malodor generated at the time of urine suction.

The above description relates only to one embodiment of the present invention, and does not mean that the present invention is limited to only the above-described content.
For example, in this embodiment, the controller 41 having the timers T1 and T2 and the three-way solenoid valve driving unit 43 controls each unit of the apparatus in sequence.
Alternatively, the above-described control may be performed by a microcomputer.

In this embodiment, an optical sensor is used as the liquid level sensor 45. However, a mechanical sensor comprising a sensor unit having a magnet mounted on a float switch and a limit switch interlocked with the sensor unit is used. May be.

In the present embodiment, the buzzer 49 is used as a means for notifying a caregiver or the like that the liquid level in the urine tank 9 has reached a predetermined height.
A method may be adopted in which a lamp is used in place of 9 and the lamp is turned on or blinked for a predetermined time, or a method of using a sound output device and notifying the above fact by driving the device is used. .

Further, if the lid of the urine tank 9 is not completely closed after discarding the urine, a means for notifying the above fact may be provided to alert the caregiver or the like, or Even if a sensor for detecting the opening and closing of the lid is provided to the controller 41 and the power switch 39 is turned on, the air suction operation by the sensor pump 23 and the urine suction operation by the main pump 27 cannot be performed until the lid is completely closed. Such a configuration is also possible.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention,
A urine absorbing device comprising a urine receiving member made of a disposable material so that a large number of bedridden elderly people can use the same device without feeling unclean and can save the caregiver the trouble of cleaning the urine receiving member. Can be provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a urine absorbing device according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a timing chart showing a sequence operation of each unit in FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 apparatus main body 3 receiver 5 urine suction tube 7 residual urine reservoir 9 urine tank 11 check valve 13 deodorizing unit 15 first air suction tube 17 dew condensation prevention heater 19 three-way solenoid valve 21 differential pressure switch 23 sensor pump 25 second air suction tube 27 Main pump 29 Transformer 31 33 Interlocking contact 35 Normally open contact 39 Power switch 41 Controller 43 Three-way solenoid valve drive unit 45 Liquid level sensor 47 Buzzer drive unit 49 Buzzer T1 T2 Timer

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masashi Ono 2-17-7 Nagatsuda, Midori-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture (72) Inventor Masanori Ikeda 3-28-9 Kanamachi, Katsushika-ku, Tokyo (72) Inventor Ryo Watanabe 2-182-2 Kokubu, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba (72) Inventor Yoshiaki Yamashita 4-1-1-1, Kokufudai, Ichikawa-shi, Chiba

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] A urine absorbing device for guiding urine excreted in a urine receiving mechanism to a urine tank through a urine suction tube, wherein the urine suction tube communicates with the urine suction tube at one end, and the urine is excreted between the one end and the other end when excreting the urine. A differential pressure detecting tube configured to generate a differential pressure therebetween, and a differential pressure detecting means provided on the differential pressure detecting tube and detecting the differential pressure generated in the differential pressure detecting tube during excretion of urine. A urine suction device, which is activated by an output from the differential pressure detection means and guides urine excreted in the urine receiving mechanism to the urine tank by a suction action. 2. The urine absorbing device according to claim 1, wherein the urine suction tube is provided with a urine collecting mechanism for collecting urine attached to the urine suction tube. 3. The urine absorbing device according to claim 1, further comprising a deodorizing agent for deodorizing odor of urine flowing through the urine suction tube, in the urine tank. 4. The urine suction device according to claim 1, wherein the urine receiving mechanism is made of a soft material having flexibility and can be attached to a local part of a human, and A urine suction device, which is configured to be insertable into and removable from the urine suction tube. 5. The urine absorbing device according to claim 1, wherein the deodorizing section deodorizes and exhausts the odor in the inflowing air, and communicates at one end with an upper part of the urine tank. And an air suction tube for urine suction communicating with the deodorizing unit at the other end, and the urine suction mechanism is attached to the urine suction tube. 6. The urine absorbing device according to claim 1, wherein the tube for detecting a differential pressure communicates with the deodorizing section on the other end side. A urine suction device characterized in that the tube is provided with an air suction mechanism for guiding air on the urine receiving mechanism side through the urine suction tube to the deodorizing section more slowly during standby of urine suction than during urine suction. 7. The urine absorbing device according to claim 1, wherein the urine suction tube is driven during standby of urine suction.
A urine absorbing device comprising an electric heating means for preventing dew condensation in a urine suction tube. 8. The urine absorbing device according to claim 1, wherein when it is detected that the liquid level of the stored urine has reached a predetermined height in the urine tank, A urine absorbing device comprising: a prohibition unit that prohibits the driving of the urine suction mechanism; and a notification unit that reports that the prohibition unit has performed the detection for a predetermined time.