JP5131637B2 - Intestinal condition measurement device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an intestinal state measuring apparatus capable of estimating intestinal health without contact.

  In order to know the state of health in the human intestine, the components in the excrement are measured or estimated without contact.

As a technique for estimating a component in excreta without contact, for example, there is Patent Document 1. Patent document 1 estimates the state of a stool qualitatively using an odor sensor, and does not measure it quantitatively.

On the other hand, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique for knowing the state of the intestine using a gas component (hereinafter referred to as excretion gas) discharged together with excrement. Patent Document 2 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 additional information for determining intestinal health 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.

The apparatus and method for measuring excretion gas disclosed in Patent Document 3 is also the invention of the present applicant, detecting hydrogen gas or methane gas in the excretion gas with a gas sensor, estimating the number of bifidobacteria, and determining intestinal health. Is.

Japanese Patent No. 3582172. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-315836. Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2005-292049.

By the way, there is stool pH as an index representing the intestinal state. In general, it is said that the pH of feces should be more acidic, and the lower the pH, the better the intestinal health. The present inventors pay attention to carbon dioxide among the components of excretion gas, and there is a correlation between the concentration of carbon dioxide gas and the pH of feces, that is, the higher the concentration of carbon dioxide gas, the lower the pH of feces. And found that the higher the carbon dioxide concentration of the excretory gas, the better the state of health in the intestines.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an intestinal state measuring apparatus capable of accurately determining health by taking into account the state of stool.

In order to achieve the above object, an intestinal state measuring apparatus according to the present invention includes a gas sensor for measuring a concentration of a predetermined component in gas coexisting during defecation, and a pH of feces from the predetermined component concentration measured by the gas sensor. A first computing unit that computes an estimated value; and a second computing unit that computes an intestinal state index estimated value from the pH estimated value of the stool, and is used when the pH estimated value of the stool is less than or equal to a predetermined value It is provided with the alerting | reporting part alert | reported to a person.

The intestinal state measurement apparatus according to the present invention calculates a stool moisture estimated value from a predetermined component concentration measured by the gas sensor, and notifies the user when the stool moisture estimated value is equal to or greater than a predetermined value. You can also

According to the intestinal state measuring apparatus of the present invention, the health state in the intestine based on the stool gas without contact is estimated, and at the same time, the state of the stool estimated based on the excretion gas is also taken into consideration to determine the health state. As a result, you can make better health judgments than ever.

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

An intestinal state measuring apparatus according to the present invention includes a gas sensor that measures a concentration of a predetermined component in a gas that is generated at the time of defecation, and a first operation that calculates an estimated pH value of the stool from the predetermined component concentration measured by the gas sensor. And a second calculating unit that calculates an intestinal state index estimated value from the stool pH estimated value, and a notification unit that notifies a user when the stool pH estimated value is equal to or less than a predetermined value. It is characterized by that.

In the case of diarrheal stool, the pH of the stool is often very low. According to the present invention, the pH value of the stool is estimated from the concentration of the predetermined component in the gas that is generated at the time of defecation, and the user is notified when the estimated pH value of the stool is equal to or less than the predetermined value. Estimating the pH value of feces from the concentration of certain components of the stool and estimating the health status index as an estimated value of the intestinal status index, using the gas concentration to estimate the status of the stool itself So, you can make better health judgment than ever.

  The intestinal state measuring apparatus according to the present invention includes a gas sensor that measures a concentration of a predetermined component in gas coexisting during defecation, and a stool water estimated value that is calculated from the predetermined component concentration measured by the gas sensor. An informing unit for notifying a user when the estimated stool moisture is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, and a third calculating unit that calculates an intestinal state index estimated value from the estimated stool moisture It is characterized by providing.

In the case of diarrheal stool, the amount of water in the stool is very large and is often over 90%. According to the present invention, the amount of water in the stool is estimated from the concentration of a predetermined component in the gas that is generated at the time of defecation, and the user is notified when the estimated amount of water is greater than or equal to the predetermined value. Estimate the amount of stool water from the concentration of certain components of the stool and estimate the state of health as an intestinal state index estimate, and inferring the state of the stool itself using the gas concentration As a result, it is possible to make a total health judgment that takes into account the state of the stool.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments suitable for the invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description is omitted.

The intestinal state measuring device of the present invention can be built in, for example, a sanitary washing toilet seat attached to a Western-style toilet, can be built-in a toilet seat of a Western-style toilet, or can be retrofitted to an existing Western-style toilet.

FIG. 1 is an external view (partially see through) showing an example of a sanitary washing toilet seat device attached to a Western-style toilet with a built-in intestinal condition measuring device M of the present invention. A deodorizing fan exhaust passage 4 is installed using a space provided between the sanitary washing toilet seat device 2 incorporating the intestinal state measuring device M attached to the toilet 1 and the top of the stool 3 periphery. A carbon dioxide sensor 5 is attached in the exhaust passage 4 for the deodorizing fan. In addition, the storage unit for storing the sensor output, the first calculation unit, the second calculation unit, the determination unit, and the control unit for controlling the sensor are integrated and incorporated in the rear part of the sanitary washing toilet seat device 2, and the determination result is further displayed. The notification unit for informing and the intestinal state index display unit for displaying the intestinal state index are incorporated in the operation unit 11 of the sanitary washing toilet seat device.

That is, the configuration of the intestinal state measuring apparatus M includes a carbon dioxide sensor 5, a storage unit, a first calculation unit, a second calculation unit, a control unit, a determination unit, a transmission unit, and an intestinal state index display unit. Data exchange between the carbon dioxide sensor 5 and the control unit is performed by connection, and data exchange between the control unit, the transmission unit, and the intestinal state index display unit is performed by infrared rays.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a configuration showing an example of the intestinal state measuring apparatus M of the present invention. In the deodorizing fan exhaust passage 4, the deodorizing fan 12, the deodorizing cartridge 13, and the carbon dioxide sensor 5 are arranged in this order from the windward side. The movement of the carbon dioxide sensor 5 and the deodorizing fan 12 is controlled by the control unit 9. The storage unit 6 stores the output of the carbon dioxide sensor 5 and the calculation result and the determination result of the determination unit 14. The first calculation unit 7 estimates the fecal pH value from the sensor output, and the second calculation unit 8 calculates the intestinal state index estimated value from the fecal pH estimation value. Here, the notification unit 20 includes a storage unit 6, a determination unit 14, a control unit 9, and a transmission unit 10. The determination unit 14 determines whether the pH value of the stool estimated by the first calculation unit 7 is higher or lower than the threshold value stored in the storage unit 6. The control unit 9 transmits the determination result to the transmission unit 10, and the transmission unit 10 notifies the user of the determination result determined by the determination unit 14. The intestinal state index display unit 22 notifies the user of the intestinal state index estimated by the second calculation unit.

FIG. 3 is an example showing a procedure of a method for informing a health condition using the intestinal condition measuring apparatus M (mounted on a sanitary washing toilet seat apparatus) of the present invention.

This figure will be described below. The user enters the toilet, defecates, and then leaves, but since the intestinal state measuring device M of the present invention is attached to the toilet, the user knows the physical condition of the day before leaving the room, or continuously If you have been measuring, you can know the change in physical condition over time.

When the user's entry / exit is detected, the carbon dioxide sensor 5 is switched on. When the user is seated, the seating sensor detects the seating, and recording and storage of the carbon dioxide sensor 5 is started. Until the user finishes defecation, the carbon dioxide sensor 5 detects data at regular intervals and writes them in the storage unit 6. After the defecation ends, the sensor recording ends when the user starts the buttocks cleaning.

After the storage is completed, the control unit 9 searches the maximum value Vmax of the carbon dioxide concentration within the stored time range, and records the value in the storage unit 6 as a measured value (peak value Vp). Based on the correspondence between the sensor signal value-acetic acid as the first correspondence data and the acetic acid-pH as the second correspondence data, the first calculation unit 7 calculates the fetal pH value from the measurement value stored in the storage unit 6. Infer.

Next, the determination unit 14 determines whether or not the estimated pH value estimated by the first calculation unit 7 is lower than the threshold value of the estimated pH value stored in the storage unit 6. When the estimated pH value is lower than the threshold value, the determination unit 14 determines that the state of the stool is “diarrheal stool”, and the transmission unit 10 receives the result determined by the determination unit 14 and notifies the determination result to the user. To do. When the estimated pH value is higher than the threshold value of the estimated pH value stored in the storage unit 6, the determination unit 14 determines that the state of the flight is “ordinary flight”, and the second calculation unit 8 receives the result. Thus, the intestinal state index estimated value corresponding to the estimated pH value is identified based on the correspondence between pH and intestinal age, which is the third correspondence data. Here, the intestinal state index estimated value is the intestinal age. The identification result is transmitted to the intestinal state index display unit 22 through the control unit 9, and the intestinal state index display unit 22 notifies the user of the identification result.

The detailed operation will be described below.
The first calculation unit 7 identifies the acetic acid concentration Br corresponding to the peak value Vp stored in the storage unit 6 based on the first correspondence data as shown in FIG. 4, and then, as shown in FIG. Based on the second corresponding data, the estimated pH value corresponding to the acetic acid concentration Br is identified. The control unit 9 writes the identified pH estimated value (pH 1) in the storage unit 6.

FIG. 6 is a model of a graph showing judgment in the case of stool, that is, diarrhea stool. The determination unit 14 compares whether or not the estimated pH value (pH1) identified by the first calculation unit 7 is lower than the stored threshold value (pHL). When pH1 ≦ pHL, it is determined that the state of the stool is “diarrheal stool”. The determination result is written in the storage unit 6 and transmitted to the transmission unit 10 via the control unit 9. The transmission unit 10 receives the determination result from the determination unit 14 and informs the user that measurement is impossible. The stool status is distinguished as diarrheal stool, normal stool, and constipation stool. Since constipation has high stool pH and low carbon dioxide gas concentration, the state of the intestine can be determined from the gas concentration. However, in the case of diarrheal stool, the pH of feces is abnormally lowered due to abnormal fermentation in the intestine, and high-concentration carbon dioxide gas may be discharged during defecation. That is, if you try to determine the intestinal health only from the gas concentration of excreted gas, it may be judged that the intestinal state is good even in the case of diarrheal stool, but more accurately by taking into account the state of the stool Intestinal status can be determined.

On the other hand, if pH1> pHL, the determination unit 14 determines that the state of the stool is “ordinary stool”. Based on the result, the second calculation unit 8 identifies the intestinal age Ag, which is the intestinal state estimated value corresponding to pH1, based on the third correspondence table as shown in FIG. The identified intestinal age is written in the storage unit 6 and is transmitted to the intestinal state index display unit 22 via the control unit 9. The intestinal state index display unit 22 receives the determination result of the determination unit 14 and informs the user of the intestinal age that is the estimated value of the intestinal state index.
Here, the intestinal age, which is an estimated value of the intestinal state index, is an age determined by the state of the intestine, and is determined based on, for example, the pH of the intestine (here estimated from the estimated pH of feces). Age. For example, the intestinal state corresponding to a certain intestinal age (intestinal pH in this case) is an average intestinal state (in this case, intestinal pH) of a plurality of users whose intestinal age and actual age are the same. pH). The meaning of the intestinal pH may be difficult for the user to understand, but the user can feel the difference with his / her age by making correspondence with his / her age, which makes it easier to understand his / her health condition.

FIG. 8 shows an operation panel that the user operates to know the measurement result. FIG. 8 shows an embodiment of the transmission unit 10 that notifies the user of the determination result. The operation panel 21 is provided with a button 15 for personal recognition, a display start button 16 and a liquid crystal panel 17. This liquid crystal panel functions as the transmission unit 10 for notifying the determination result when the determination unit 14 determines that the pH value is lower than the threshold value shown in FIG. 6 (in this case, pH = 5.5). On the other hand, if the determination unit 14 determines that the pH value is higher than the threshold value shown in FIG. 6 (in this case, pH = 5.5), the intestinal state index display unit 22 that displays the intestinal state index estimated value. Function as. The user can see the result by pressing the display button 16 after the defecation is completed. When the determination unit 14 determines that the pH value is higher than the threshold value shown in FIG. 6 (in this case, pH = 5.5), the liquid crystal panel 17 functions as the intestinal state index display unit 22, and the second calculation unit 8. Displays the "intestinal age" estimated in. If the determination unit 14 determines that the threshold value is lower than the threshold value, the liquid crystal panel 17 functions as the transmission unit 10 and displays a determination result such as “Socty Handy Guide” as shown in the liquid crystal panel 17.

FIG. 9 shows an operation panel operated by the user to know the measurement result, but is another embodiment of the transmission unit 10 that notifies the user of the determination result. The operation panel 21 includes a button 16 for personal recognition, a display start button 17, and a determination result, a red (indicating abnormal value) LED 18, which is a transmission unit of the present invention, and a blue (normal) indicating intestinal state index display unit. LED 19 is mounted. The user can see the result by pressing the display button 16 after the defecation is completed. When the determination unit 14 determines that the pH is higher than the threshold value shown in FIG. 6 (in this case, pH = 5.5), the estimated “gut age” estimated by the second calculation unit 8 is indicated. For example, when it is estimated that “the intestinal age is 35 years old”, the blue LED 19 of “30's” that is an intestinal state index display unit is turned on to notify the intestinal state. On the other hand, when the determination unit 14 determines that the pH is lower than the threshold value, the red LED 18 serving as the transmission unit 10 is turned on to notify that it is out of the measurement range. Although the transmission part 10 of a present Example is a separate body from the operation part of a sanitary washing toilet seat apparatus, you may incorporate in the operation part of a sanitary washing toilet seat apparatus. The measurement result may be notified by voice.

In the present embodiment, a graph that also stores a value equal to or less than a predetermined value as a threshold is used as a graph indicating the judgment in the case of stool, that is, diarrheal stool. You may use the graph. In this case, since the value smaller than the predetermined value is not stored in the graph, the calculation by the second calculation unit 8 cannot be performed, so the measurement value is not displayed on the transmission unit. That is, it is a notification.

Another embodiment showing a procedure of a method for notifying the health state using the intestinal state measuring apparatus M of the present invention will be shown. The movement of the apparatus is almost the same as in the first embodiment, and only a method for determining the state of the stool different from the first embodiment will be described here. In addition, the 3rd calculating part which estimates the water content of a stool from a sensor output instead of a 1st calculating part, and the 4th which calculates an intestinal state parameter | index estimated value from the stool water content estimated value instead of a 2nd calculating part. An arithmetic unit is provided.

Data detected by the carbon dioxide sensor 5 until the user starts and ends the defecation is stored in the storage unit 6. After the storage is completed, the control unit 9 searches the maximum value Vmax of the carbon dioxide concentration within the stored time range, and records the value in the storage unit 6 as a measured value (peak value Vp). The third calculation unit identifies the estimated moisture value Ms1 corresponding to the peak value Vp stored in the storage unit 6 based on the first correspondence data as shown in FIG. The control unit 9 writes the identified moisture estimated value (Ms1) in the storage unit 6. FIG. 11 is a model of a graph showing judgment in the case of stool, that is, diarrheal stool. The determination unit 14 compares whether or not the estimated moisture value (Ms1) identified by the third calculation unit is higher than the stored threshold value (MsL) (in this case, MsL = 90%). When MsL ≦ Ms1, it is determined that the state of the stool is “diarrheal stool”. The determination result is written in the storage unit 6 and transmitted to the transmission unit 10 via the control unit. The transmission unit 10 receives the determination result from the determination unit 14 and informs the user that measurement is impossible. On the other hand, if MsL> Ms1, the determination unit 14 determines that the state of the flight is “ordinary flight”. Based on the result, the fourth computing unit identifies the estimated pH value corresponding to Ms1 based on the third correspondence table as shown in FIG. 12, and then based on the third correspondence table as shown in FIG. Intestinal age Ag that is an estimated value of intestinal state corresponding to pH 1 is identified. The identified intestinal age is written in the storage unit 6 and is transmitted to the intestinal state index display unit 22 via the control unit 9. The intestinal state index display unit 22 receives the determination result of the determination unit 14 and informs the user of the intestinal age that is the estimated value of the intestinal state.

  In this embodiment, a carbon dioxide sensor is used as the gas sensor, but an ammonia sensor may be used instead of the carbon dioxide sensor. According to the above embodiment, if the intestinal health level is determined only from the gas concentration of the excreted gas, it may be determined that the intestinal state is good even in the case of diarrheal stool. By doing so, the intestinal state can be accurately determined.

(Partial perspective view) external view showing an example of the intestinal state measuring device (mounted on a sanitary washing toilet seat device) of the present invention The layout which shows an example of the structure in the exhaust passage for deodorizing fans which concerns on the intestinal state measuring apparatus of this invention. The figure which shows the procedure for estimating an intestinal health parameter | index from the detected gas concentration which concerns on this invention. The conversion graph which shows an example of the procedure for estimating an intestinal health parameter | index from the detected gas concentration which concerns on this invention. The conversion graph which shows an example of the procedure for estimating an intestinal health parameter | index from the detected gas concentration which concerns on this invention. The conversion graph which shows an example of the threshold value of the estimated pH value which concerns on this invention. The conversion graph which shows an example of the procedure for estimating an intestinal health parameter | index from the detected gas concentration which concerns on this invention. The front view which shows an example of the display part for alert | reporting to a user the judgment result for estimating an intestinal health parameter | index from the detected gas concentration which concerns on this invention The front view which shows an example of the display part for alert | reporting to a user the judgment result for estimating an intestinal health parameter | index from the detected gas concentration which concerns on this invention The conversion graph which shows an example of the procedure for estimating an intestinal health parameter | index from the detected gas concentration which concerns on this invention. The conversion graph which shows an example of the threshold value of the estimated moisture content which concerns on this invention. The conversion graph which shows an example of the procedure for estimating an intestinal health parameter | index from the detected gas concentration which concerns on this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Toilet bowl, 2 ... Sanitary washing toilet seat device, 3 ... Toilet bowl, 4 ... Deodorizing fan exhaust passage, 5 ... Carbon dioxide sensor, 6 ... Memory | storage part, 7 ... 1st calculating part, 8 ... 2nd calculating part, 9 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS ... Control part, 10 ... Transmission part, 11 ... Sanitary washing toilet seat apparatus operation part, 12 ... Deodorizing fan, 13 ... Deodorizing cartridge, 14 ... Judgment part, 15 ... Individual recognition button, 16 ... Display button, 17 ... Liquid crystal screen, 18 ... Transmission unit (LED), 19 ... Intestinal state index display unit (LED), 20 ... Notification unit, 21 ... Operation panel, 22 ... Intestinal state index display unit, M ... Intestinal state measurement device

Claims (2)

An intestinal state measuring device,
A gas sensor that measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in the gas that accompanies defecation;
A first calculator that calculates a fecal pH estimate from the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the gas sensor;
A second calculator that calculates the intestinal age from the estimated pH value of the stool,
An intestinal state measurement apparatus comprising: a notification unit that notifies a user when a pH value of the stool is equal to or less than a predetermined value. An intestinal state measuring device,
A gas sensor that measures the concentration of carbon dioxide in the gas that accompanies defecation;
A third calculation unit for calculating an estimated value of the stool moisture from the carbon dioxide concentration measured by the gas sensor;
A fourth operation unit that calculates the intestinal age from the estimated water content of the stool,
An intestinal state measurement apparatus comprising: a notification unit that notifies a user when the estimated water value of the stool is equal to or greater than a predetermined value.

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