JP3562033B2 - Cleaning mechanism of urine sampling device - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
[Object of the invention]
[Industrial applications]
The present invention relates to a sampling device for sampling urine excreted by an individual in a toilet in urine analysis. More specifically, the present invention relates to a mechanism for cleaning a urine collection container of such a sampling device.
[0002]
[Prior art]
There has been proposed a toilet with a urine analysis function that can perform urine sampling and analysis by using the toilet and support an individual's health check.
[0003]
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-187253 discloses a sampling device in which a swing arm on which a urine collection container is mounted is swung in a bowl of a toilet bowl to collect urine. An inspection and cleaning area is formed at the rear of the toilet, and a urine sample is analyzed in this area, and the urine collection container is cleaned by the cleaning water injected from the cleaning nozzle.
[0004]
The problem with this device is that it is not possible to use a commercially available standard toilet, and it requires a special toilet for urine sampling, with an inspection and washing room formed at the rear of the toilet. Such a special toilet bowl must be specially manufactured separately from a standard toilet bowl, and therefore, it is difficult to reduce the cost by mass production, so that it is too expensive to spread to general households and offices. Also, when converting an existing toilet equipped with a standard toilet into a urine analysis toilet, the existing toilet must be removed first, and then a special toilet for urine analysis must be installed. Costly and time-consuming, and the disposal of existing equipment.
[0005]
Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-30764 proposes attaching a urine sampling device to a toilet seat. A swing arm carrying the urine collection container is pivotally supported on a toilet seat so as to be able to swing, and rotates together with the toilet seat. The urine collection container is returned below the toilet seat when not in use. This urine collecting apparatus has an advantage that a urine can be sampled using a commercially available standard toilet without the need for a special toilet.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
Since this sampling device is not provided with a washing device for washing the urine collection container, it is unsanitary and there is a possibility that a good urine sample cannot be collected. Therefore, it is preferable to further provide a washing means such as a washing nozzle on the toilet seat, and to wash the urine collection container after use. However, since this sampling device is mounted on the toilet seat and is configured to rotate together with the toilet seat, when the toilet seat is inadvertently set up during or before the cleaning of the urine collection container, the washing water is placed in the toilet room. At the same time, the urine collection container may be insufficiently washed.
[0007]
An object of the present invention is to provide a urine sampling device that can sample urine using a commercially available standard toilet and can clean a urine collection container without any trouble.
[0008]
Configuration of the Invention
[Summary of Means and Action for Solving the Problems]
The present invention provides a urine sampling device mounted on a toilet seat so as to rotate with the toilet seat, comprising: a cleaning unit for cleaning the urine collection container, a control unit for controlling the cleaning unit, and a toilet seat detection unit for detecting a position of the toilet seat. It is characterized by having been provided. The control means activates the cleaning means only when the toilet seat is in its operating position (horizontal position on the toilet) after use of the urine collection container.
[0009]
When the urine collection container is to be cleaned, if the toilet seat is standing, an alarm device such as a buzzer can be activated to urge the user to lower the toilet seat.
[0010]
As described above, since the urine collection container is washed only when the toilet seat is at the horizontal position, the used washing water is surely dropped onto the toilet. Therefore, the washing water does not fly into the room.
[0011]
【Example】
Referring to FIG. 1, a toilet 10 includes a toilet bowl 12, a toilet seat 14, a toilet lid 16, and a cistern 18. The housing 22 of the urine analyzer 20 is attached to the toilet bowl 12. The control unit 24 for controlling the urine analyzer 20 and the urine sampling device of the present invention and outputting an analysis result can be installed on the side wall of the toilet.
[0012]
Referring to FIG. 2, the housing 22 includes, for example, a frame 26, an upper casing 28, and left and right lower casings 30 and 32, and can be attached to the toilet 12 by T-bolts 34 and nuts 36. The toilet seat 14 and the toilet lid 16 are rotatably mounted on the housing 22.
[0013]
The housing 22 includes a polarographic urine analysis flow cell 38, an electric syringe pump 40 with an electric rotary valve for transferring a urine sample collected by a urine sampling device to the flow cell 38, a carrier liquid tank 42, A liquid tank 44 and the like are accommodated.
[0014]
The housing 22 may also house a bidet device 46 having a crotch cleaning nozzle, a hot air drying device 48, a deodorizing device 50, a power supply device 52, and an operating unit 54 of the bidet device. The housing 22 may be further provided with a finger sphygmomanometer unit 56, and the blood pressure may be measured by engaging a finger of the subject.
[0015]
Referring to FIG. 3, the urine sampling device 58 is incorporated in the toilet seat 14. The urine sampling device 58 includes a frame 60, which is appropriately attached to the lower surface of the toilet seat 14 with screws or the like. A swing arm 62 is rotatably supported by the frame 60, and is swingable by a motor 64 such as a stepping motor and a belt 66.
[0016]
A urine collection container 68 is provided at a lower end of the swing arm 62. As can be clearly understood from FIG. 4, the urine collection container 68 has a shallow ship bottom shape, and a urine reservoir 70 is formed at the bottom. The urine collection container 68 is provided with an L-shaped urine collection tube 72 that opens toward the urine reservoir 70 so as to suck the urine accumulated in the urine reservoir. A pair of urine detecting electrodes 74 is arranged on the urine collection container 68 facing the urine reservoir 70, and monitors whether or not urine has accumulated to a desired level in the urine reservoir by monitoring the electrical resistance of the fluid. It has become.
[0017]
The L-shaped urine collection tube 72 is connected to a flexible urine suction tube 76 extending inside the hollow of the swing arm 62, and the other end of the suction tube 76 is connected to the syringe pump 40. Similarly, the lead wire 78 of the urine detection electrode 74 extends the inside of the swing arm and is connected to the control unit 24. The inlet opening of the urine collection container 68 is covered with a wire mesh 80 made of stainless steel or the like to prevent foreign matter from entering the urine collection container.
[0018]
As can be clearly seen from FIGS. 3 and 5, the frame 60 is formed with a channel-shaped storage / washing chamber 84 that opens downward toward the bowl 82 of the toilet bowl 12. The urine collection container 68 is stored at the rest position. Urine is collected in the urine collection container 68 by swinging the swing arm 62 and positioning the urine collection container 68 in the bowl space 82 as indicated by a virtual line in FIG. An injection nozzle 86 is directed to the storage and cleaning chamber 84, and the urine collection container 68 and the swing arm 62 are washed by injecting pressure water toward the urine collection container 68 that has returned to the storage and cleaning chamber 84 after use. ing. The injection nozzle 86 is supplied with pressurized water from a hose 88, and the hose is connected to a water pipe via an electromagnetic valve (described later) disposed in the housing 22.
[0019]
Referring to the schematic diagram of FIG. 6, in outline of the fluid transfer system, the syringe pump 40 has a piston 90, which rotates a stepping motor 92 controlled by the control unit 24 by a lead screw mechanism. It is moved up and down by converting it into motion. The port 94 of the syringe pump is connected to an electric rotary valve 96.
[0020]
The rotary valve 96 can be composed of a stator 98 having a plurality of ports, a rotor 100, and a motor 102 controlled by the control unit 24. The control unit 24 drives the motor 102 to rotate the rotor 100, thereby connecting the port 94 of the syringe pump 40 to the urine suction tube 76 from the urine collection container 68, the flow cell 38, the carrier liquid tank 42, the cistern 18, and the calibration liquid tank 44. Or, it is connected to a discharge pipe 104 extending to the bowl of the toilet 12.
[0021]
FIG. 7 shows an example of the configuration of the control unit 24. The control unit 24 includes a programmed microcomputer (hereinafter, microcomputer) 110, a urine analysis start button, various input switches, a liquid crystal display panel 112 for displaying instructions to a user and urine analysis results, a urine analysis result and data. It has a printer unit that outputs trends, a flash memory (EEPROM) that stores urine analysis data, an alarm buzzer 114, and the like.
[0022]
After the output of the flow cell 38 is amplified by the amplifier circuit, it is input to the A / D conversion circuit of the microcomputer 110. The signal of the current flowing between the urine detection electrodes 74 is also input to the A / D conversion circuit. As shown in FIG. 2, the frame 26 of the housing 22 is provided with a proximity sensor 116 composed of a photoelectric sensor or the like directed toward the toilet seat, and detects whether the toilet seat 14 is standing or lowered. ing. The output of the proximity sensor 116 is also input to the A / D conversion circuit. Instead of the proximity sensor 116, a pressure sensor or a micro switch may be used.
[0023]
The microcomputer controls a stepping motor 64 for driving a swing arm, a motor 102 for driving a rotary valve, a motor 92 for driving a syringe pump, and an electromagnetic valve 118 for controlling supply of cleaning water to a urine collection container cleaning nozzle 86 via respective drivers. And the buzzer 114 is driven.
[0024]
Next, the mode of use and operation of the urine sampling device 58 and the urine analyzer 20 will be described with reference to the schematic diagram of FIG. 6 and the flowcharts of FIGS.
[0025]
When the subject sits on the toilet seat and presses the urine analysis start switch of the control unit 24, the microcomputer 110 drives the swing arm drive motor 64 to position the urine collection container 68 at an appropriate urine collection position in the bowl space of the toilet. A display such as "Please urinate" is displayed on the display panel 112, and urination is urged. When the subject urinates toward the urine collection container 68 and the urine detection electrode 74 detects that urine has accumulated in the urine reservoir 70 of the urine collection container, the urine collection container 68 is driven by the rotary valve 96 so that the urine collection container 68 is connected to the syringe pump 40. Connected, for example, about 3 ml of urine sample is drawn from the urine collection container to the syringe pump 40.
[0026]
Next, the syringe pump 40 is connected to the discharge line 104, and the piston of the syringe pump 40 is raised to discard a part (for example, about 2 ml) of the urine sample into the toilet. As a result, air is removed from the syringe pump 40, and bubbles sucked together with urine are prevented from being sent to the polarographic flow cell 38.
[0027]
Again, the rotary valve is driven, and the syringe pump 40 is connected to the flow cell 38. At this position, the piston of the syringe pump 40 is further raised, and about 10 μl of the urine sample is ejected toward the flow cell 38. By driving the rotary valve again, the syringe pump 40 is connected to the discharge line 104, and the piston is moved up to the top dead center, whereby excess urine in the syringe pump 40 is discarded in the toilet. Next, the syringe pump 40 is connected to the cistern 18, and the syringe pump 40 is operated to wash the pump chamber of the syringe pump with washing water, and the washing water is discarded in the toilet.
[0028]
Next, the syringe pump 40 is connected to the carrier liquid tank 42, and the carrier liquid is sucked by the syringe pump 40. Next, the syringe pump 40 is connected to the flow cell 38, and the piston is raised to inject, for example, about 2 to 4 ml of the carrier liquid into the flow cell 38. As a result, about 10 μl of the urine sample previously injected passes through the polarographic flow cell 38 while being mixed and diluted with the carrier liquid, and is discharged into the bowl of the toilet bowl.
[0029]
As the mixture of the urine sample and the carrier liquid passes through the flow cell 38, the flow cell outputs an electric signal corresponding to the urine glucose concentration in the mixture, and this signal is amplified by the amplifier circuit, and the A / D conversion of the microcomputer 110 is performed. It is input to a circuit and converted to a digital value. The microcomputer 110 calculates the urine sugar value based on this data. The urine sugar value is displayed on the display panel 112, stored in the flash memory, and used for calculating a trend as needed. Analysis results and trends can be output from the printer unit. After the urine analysis is completed, the carrier liquid is transferred to the flow cell 38 so that the flow cell 38 is washed.
[0030]
At any time after the urine sample is aspirated, the microcomputer 110 drives the swing arm 62 to return the urine collection container 68 to the storage and cleaning chamber 84. When the cleaning of the flow cell is completed, the urine collection container 68 is cleaned. If the subject leaves the toilet shortly after the urine sampling, and a third person enters the toilet for boys' use instead, the toilet seat 14 may be jumped up. Therefore, as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9, the microcomputer 110 checks the output of the proximity sensor 116 and determines whether the toilet seat 14 is down based on the sensor output. When the toilet seat 14 is being flipped up, the microcomputer 110 sounds the buzzer 114, displays a warning such as "Please lower the toilet seat" on the display panel 112, and urges the user to lower the toilet seat. When the toilet seat is lowered accordingly, the electromagnetic valve 118 is opened for a predetermined period of time, and the washing water is injected from the injection nozzle 86 to wash the urine collection container 68 and the swing arm 62. Since the storage and cleaning chamber 84 is open downward, the used cleaning water falls into the bowl of the toilet.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the urine sampling device of the present invention, the urine collection container is washed only when the toilet seat is lowered horizontally, so that the urine collection container is sufficiently washed without splashing the washing water into the room. be able to. Therefore, the toilet and urine sampling device can be kept clean, and a fresh urine sample can be collected using a standard toilet.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a urine analyzer provided with a urine sampling device of the present invention installed in a toilet.
FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the housing shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the urine sampling device of the present invention.
4 is a partially cutaway perspective view of the urine collection container of the urine sampling device shown in FIG.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 in FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a fluid transport system of the urine analyzer shown in FIG.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of the control unit shown in FIG.
FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the operation of the urine analyzer.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a urine collection container cleaning sequence shown in FIG. 8;
[Explanation of symbols]
14: toilet seat 24: control unit 58: urine sampling device 68: urine collection container 86: washing nozzle (washing means)
114: Buzzer 116: Proximity sensor

Claims (2)

A urine sampling device mounted on the toilet seat to rotate with the toilet seat and adapted to collect urine by moving the urine collection container from a rest position near the rim of the toilet to a urine collection position in the bowl space of the toilet,
Cleaning means for cleaning the urine collection container, toilet seat detection means for detecting the position of the toilet seat, and control means for controlling the cleaning means based on the output of the toilet seat detection means, wherein the control means uses the urine collection container. The cleaning mechanism of the urine sampling device , wherein the cleaning means is operated only when the toilet seat is at the operating position later. The apparatus further comprises alarm means controlled by the control means, wherein the control means activates the alarm means when the toilet seat is at the non-operation position after use of the urine collection container, and urges the user to lower the toilet seat. A cleaning mechanism for a urine sampling device according to claim 1.

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