JP6872092B2 - Methods and sensors for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch, as well as pouches and alarms - Google Patents

Description

It relates to a sensor used in a device that issues an alarm when the internal pressure of a pouch rises due to ballooning or crushing.

The biggest problem for ostomates is leakage. Leakage here means that the excrement contained in the pouch sneaks between the face plate and the skin and leaks out from the peripheral edge of the face plate. Sneaking in occurs due to the complex action of factors such as the properties of excrement, the presence or absence of wrinkles and skin disorders on the skin, and sweating. And the biggest factor is probably the increase in pressure inside the pouch. The dive progresses greatly due to the increase in internal pressure. If there is no increase in internal pressure, the dive will not progress significantly. Eventually, the increase in internal pressure pushes out excrement and leaks from the face plate. In other words, it is most important and effective to reduce the chance of the internal pressure of the pouch rising in order to prevent the progress and leakage of the pouch.

The primary cause of increased internal pressure is ballooning, which is full of excrement and gas in the pouch. Ostomates dispose of food on a regular basis, but ingestion of gas-producing foods can cause ballooning prior to disposal. In particular, elderly people with reduced physical ability often do not notice it, and it is necessary to issue an alarm to the person or caregiver that the condition is dangerous.

The second cause is the crushing that puts pressure on the pouch. Even if the pouch is not full, the internal pressure rises momentarily due to crushing, and the dive advances greatly. Crushing occurs when the pouch is crushed unconsciously, pressed with clothes, or sandwiched between desks. In particular, ostomates shortly after surgery are often crushed because they are unfamiliar with the handling of orthoses. Therefore, it is necessary to issue an alarm at the same time as the occurrence of crushing and warn to immediately eliminate the cause of crushing. By issuing an alarm, it becomes easier to manage yourself, and it becomes possible to acquire the correct lifestyle as an ostomate at an early stage. There is a demand for a device that issues an alarm when such ballooning or crushing occurs.

Related technologies are open to the public. Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-517972 measures a change in the shape of a pouch by a change in the resistance value of a resistance element attached to the pouch. Japanese Patent Application 2015-548763 attaches a flexible resistance element to a pouch with a clip or the like. These are mainly techniques for detecting ballooning. Since the amount of deformation of the shape due to crushing is small and the deformed parts vary, it is difficult to detect by these methods. In addition, when attached to different types of ostomy appliances, the reference value for issuing an alarm is different for each, so the reliability is lowered.

Japanese Patent Application 2001-517972 Japanese Patent Application 2015-548763

The method of detecting an increase in the internal pressure of the pouch makes the most reasonable way to activate the alarm when the pouch becomes dangerous due to ballooning or crushing. An object of the present invention is the development of a method and a sensor for operating an alarm device when the internal pressure of the pouch exceeds a predetermined value, a pouch to which the sensor is attached, and an alarm device using the sensor.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the method of detecting the internal pressure of the pouch according to the present invention, a hole is made in the pouch, a small chamber having an opening is connected around the hole, and the air pressure in the small chamber is electrified. Measured by a barometric pressure-electric converter that converts the target signal.

Further, the method for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch according to the present invention includes a small chamber having an opening and an atmospheric pressure-electric converter that converts the atmospheric pressure in the small chamber into an electric signal, and provides a hole in the pouch. The opening is coupled around the hole using a coupling means for coupling the opening to the pouch, and the air pressure in the chamber is measured by a barometric pressure-to-electric converter.

Further, the alarm device according to the present invention is characterized in that the above-mentioned method of detecting the internal pressure of the pouch is used.

Further, in the alarm device according to the present invention, when the atmospheric pressure in the small room measured by the above-mentioned method of detecting the internal pressure of the pouch exceeds (A1) a predetermined atmospheric pressure, (A2) and / or atmospheric pressure. It is characterized in that it is driven when the pressure rises sharply.

Further, the sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch according to the present invention is a small chamber having an opening, an atmospheric pressure-electric converter that converts the atmospheric pressure in the small chamber into an electric signal, and the opening is coupled to the pouch. It is characterized by having a coupling means for making a hole in the pouch, connecting the opening around the hole using the coupling means, and measuring the air pressure in the small room by a barometric pressure-electric converter. And.

Further, in the sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch according to the present invention, the pressure-electric converter is (A) an elastic body forming at least a part of the wall surface of the small room, and (B1) the amount of elastic deformation of the elastic body. It is characterized by being composed of a pressure switch that switches when the amount of deformation exceeds a predetermined amount, and (B2) and / or an analog converter that converts the amount of elastic deformation of the elastic body into an analog signal.

Further, the sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch according to the present invention is divided into at least a portion including the coupling means and a portion not including the coupling means, and can be combined and used at the time of use and separated after the use. It is a feature.

Further, the pouch according to the present invention is divided into a portion including at least a coupling means and a portion not including the coupling means in the sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch described above, and at least the portion including the coupling means is a pouch in advance. It is characterized in that it is attached to.

Further, the alarm device according to the present invention is characterized in that it is driven by using the sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch described above.

Further, in the alarm device according to the present invention, when the atmospheric pressure in the small room measured by the sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch exceeds (A1) a predetermined atmospheric pressure, (A2) and / or the atmospheric pressure It is characterized in that it is driven when the pressure rises sharply.

Further, the pouch according to the present invention is equipped with a sensor for detecting the internal pressure of a pouch equipped with a small room having an opening, a pressure-electric converter that converts the air pressure in the small room into an electric signal, and a pouch. It is a pouch, characterized in that at least a part of a small room is attached to the pouch.

Further, the pouch according to the present invention includes a small chamber having an opening and an atmospheric pressure-electric converter that converts the atmospheric pressure in the small chamber into an electric signal, and has an opening around a hole formed in the pouch. A pouch with a sensor that detects the internal pressure of the pouch by measuring the air pressure inside the small room with a barometric pressure-electric converter, and at least part of the small room is attached to the pouch. It is characterized by.

Further, the pouch according to the present invention includes a small chamber having an opening and an atmospheric pressure-electric converter that converts the atmospheric pressure in the small chamber into an electric signal, and has an opening around a hole formed in the pouch. A pouch that attaches a sensor that detects the internal pressure of the pouch by measuring the air pressure inside the small room with a barometric pressure-electric converter, and at least the part that includes the opening and the part that does not include the opening. It is characterized in that a portion including at least an opening is attached to the pouch.

Further, in the pouch according to the present invention, a pressure switch that switches when the elastic deformation amount of the elastic body that receives the internal pressure of the pouch exceeds a predetermined deformation amount, and / or the elastic deformation amount of the elastic body is converted into an analog signal. It is a pouch to which a sensor that detects the internal pressure of the pouch by an analog converter is attached, and is characterized in that an elastic body is pre-attached to the pouch with a hole.

According to the present invention, an alarm is issued when ballooning occurs. This is especially effective for elderly people and busy people who tend to forget to dispose of excrement regularly, or when they eat foods that easily generate gas. Further, in the present invention, since an alarm is issued even when crushed, the cause of crushing can be immediately removed. In particular, ostomates shortly after surgery are often inadvertently crushed because they are unfamiliar with the orthosis. By using this technology, awareness of self-management will be raised, and it will be possible to get used to handling pouches at an early stage and acquire good lifestyle habits. Then, the chance of an increase in internal pressure can be reduced, and the progress of sneaking in and the occurrence of leakage can be suppressed.

The structure is simple, and cost reduction, miniaturization, and high reliability can be realized. By taking the form of an accessory, it can be attached to most products on the market. At that time, anyone can easily attach it to the pouch without major processing.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a sensor that detects the internal pressure of the pouch according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 is an operating phase diagram of FIG. The perspective view of the double-sided tape used for the bonding means. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a sensor using a deodorizing filter as a coupling means according to the second embodiment. FIG. 4 is an operating phase diagram of FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the sensor according to the third embodiment. The figure which shows the procedure of attaching the sensor of FIG. 6 to a pouch and making a hole. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a sensor using an elastic body according to the fourth embodiment. FIG. 8 is an operating phase diagram. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a sensor using a pedestal as a coupling means according to the fifth embodiment. FIG. 10 is an operating phase diagram. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a pouch to which the coupling means according to the sixth embodiment is attached. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a sensor having an air hole according to a seventh embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a sensor divided into a switch portion and an elastic body portion according to the eighth embodiment. FIG. 14 is an operating phase diagram of FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a pouch to which an elastic body is attached according to the ninth embodiment. FIG. 5 is a relationship diagram between the contact current value (I) and the internal pressure (F) of the pouch according to the ninth embodiment.

Example 1
The target pouch is a bag body that is attached to an opening constructed in the human body and receives excrement such as stool and urine discharged from the opening, and is provided in a single-item or two-item orthosis. FIG. 1 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of an alarm device in which a pouch, double-sided tape, and a sensor unit and a vibration motor are housed in one case. The pouch is composed of two thin films, one of which shows an enlarged cross section. There is a small room 3 on the bottom surface of the case 5, and a ceramic substrate 11 in the back of the small room, and terminals are connected to the printed circuit board 12 through the case. A semiconductor pressure sensor 9, an IC, or the like is mounted on the ceramic substrate, and a constant current circuit, an amplifier circuit, a temperature compensation circuit, a signal processing circuit, an alarm device drive circuit, and the like are incorporated.

A diaphragm and a strain gauge are formed on the semiconductor pressure sensor. When atmospheric pressure is applied to the diaphragm, the resistivity of the strain gauge changes, and it is processed by a circuit to function as an atmospheric pressure sensor that measures atmospheric pressure. The output may be a digital output that switches at a predetermined threshold value, an analog output that indicates the strength of atmospheric pressure, or a combination thereof. Pressure sensors and barometric pressure sensors include capacitance type pressure sensors, thin film type pressure sensors using a metal gauge thin film, and pressure gauges that measure the amount of elastic deformation of an elastic body that receives atmospheric pressure. Any of these barometric pressure-electric converters that convert to a target signal may be used.

A vibration motor controlled by an alarm device drive circuit and a battery are connected to the printed circuit board 12 and fixed in the case. The double-sided tape 15 of FIG. 3 is used as a connecting means for attaching the opening of the small room to the pouch, and is supplied as a replacement part. It has a donut shape that matches the shape of the case, the adhesive layer 17 is protected by the upper and lower release papers 18, and there is a notch 16 at the base of the tab 19.

The method of use is to make a hole 2 in the thin film of the pouch 1 as shown in FIG. Next, the holes and the small chambers 3 are aligned so as to face each other, and the openings 4 are attached with double-sided tape. The hole is surrounded by an adhesive layer so that air does not leak. The inside of the pouch and the small chamber 3 are communicated with each other by the hole 2, and the internal pressure of the pouch is applied to the semiconductor pressure sensor. The output signal of the semiconductor pressure sensor is driven by a vibration motor via each circuit. For example, when the internal pressure exceeds a predetermined value, it functions as a barometric pressure switch that turns on the output, and the vibration motor can be driven by the occurrence of ballooning. Alternatively, a method is also recommended in which a plurality of predetermined values are set, and when each predetermined value is exceeded, different intermittent drive patterns and drive signals of different strengths are output to drive the vibration motor. On the other hand, when the internal pressure is crushed, the internal pressure rises sharply, so a method of driving the alarm device when the rate of increase of the internal pressure per hour exceeds a predetermined rate of increase is also recommended.

When ballooning or crushing occurs in this way, the vibration of the vibration motor attached to the pouch is transmitted to the abdomen, and it is possible to alert the ostomate. It is possible to immediately remove the cause of the increase in internal pressure, and it is possible to significantly reduce the progress of sneaking in and the occurrence of leaks. Alternatively, a wireless transmission device can be driven instead of the vibration motor to transmit an alarm signal or internal pressure data. Nurses in nursing care facilities and hospitals who receive the data can constantly monitor the status of ostomates and pouches by accumulating and analyzing the data. In this embodiment, the case is attached to the pouch by double-sided tape which is a connecting means. That is, the structure is divided into a part including the connecting means and a part not including the connecting means. As a result, when replacing the pouch, the case can be peeled off while pressing the tab 19 of the double-sided tape by hand, and the double-sided tape can be discarded together with the pouch. Double-sided tape is inexpensive and is supplied as a replacement part. The case body can be used repeatedly and is economical.

Example 2
FIG. 4 shows a method in which the semiconductor pressure sensor is housed in a case and connected to the alarm device unit via a cord or a connector. There is an opening 4 of the small room 3 on the lower surface of the case 5, and a dust filter 21 having a plurality of fine holes is formed in the opening. A protruding wall is formed in the small room, and in the back is a ceramic substrate on which the same semiconductor pressure sensor 9 and IC as in the first embodiment are mounted, and a cord is connected to the substrate. The cord is connected to the case of the alarm device unit in which the battery and the vibrator are stored via a connector or the like. The case is equipped with a clip, which is clipped to the waist of the underwear and adheres to the abdomen. Considering that excrement and dust pass through the dust filter, protruding walls are alternately formed from the upper part and the lower part of the space in order to increase the distance to the ceramic substrate. The shape of the wall may be spiral, a combination of a plurality of passages, or the like.

A deodorant filter 22 is used as a coupling means for attaching the opening to the pouch. The deodorant filter is a porous urethane foam in which activated carbon is bonded to a network structure with alginic acid, and high permeability and deodorant effect can be obtained. The deodorant filter has a flat donut shape, and the hole in the center is a hole 23 for communicating the pouch and the small room. An adhesive layer 24 and a release paper 25 are provided on the upper surface and the lower surface of the deodorizing filter.

In order to take advantage of the performance of the deodorant filter, it is recommended that the case be mounted above the pouch where gas easily collects. As shown in FIG. 5, a hole 2 is made in the pouch 1, the hole, the hole 23 of the deodorizing filter, and the dustproof filter 21 face each other, and the two release papers 25 of the deodorizing filter are peeled off and attached. To do. The internal pressure of the pouch is applied to the semiconductor pressure sensor via the holes and chambers of these members. That is, the inside of the pouch and the small room communicate with each other, and the atmospheric pressure is measured by the atmospheric pressure-electric converter installed in the small room. When an increase in internal pressure is detected, the vibrator of the alarm device vibrates in the abdomen and issues a warning. Even if urine or watery stool infiltrates from the dust filter, it will not reach because the distance to the semiconductor pressure sensor is long. When replacing the pouch, remove the case from the deodorant filter and discard the deodorant filter together with the pouch.

When the internal pressure rises due to ballooning or the like, the gas passes through the deodorizing filter 22 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 5, and is slowly exhausted to the outside. Alternatively, the ostomate may intentionally push the pouch by hand to exhaust the gas, but at that time, if the deodorant filter is clogged with excrement, there is a risk of pushing it too strongly. Even when the internal pressure is excessively increased in this way, the alarm device is activated to call attention. In addition to the vibrator, the alarm device may sound a piezoelectric buzzer, emit a pre-stored voice through a speaker, or emit light at the same time. A plurality of alarm devices may be combined regardless of whether they are wired or wireless.

Example 3
FIG. 6 shows another form of the small room in which the semiconductor pressure sensor is housed. A sponge 31 is fitted in the opening 4 opened in the bottom surface of the case 5. The sponge is a porous material with numerous fine holes, and has water absorption and breathability. In the back of the small room 3, there is a ceramic substrate 11 on which the same semiconductor pressure sensor 9 and IC as in the first embodiment are mounted, and a cord is connected to the substrate. The double-sided tape 15 shown in FIG. 3 is used as the bonding means for attaching the opening 4 to the pouch. FIG. 6 shows an enlarged cross-sectional view of the pouch portion of the two-part orthosis. The periphery 32 of the two vinyls of the pouch is heat-welded to form a bag body, and the skin contact side is attached to and detached from the face plate portion. The fitting portion 33 is arranged.

As a procedure for attaching the opening of the small room to the pouch, there is a method of first making a hole in the pouch and then attaching the opening to the pouch, which was disclosed in Example 1. Here, the procedure of first attaching the opening to the pouch and finally making a hole in the pouch is shown. FIG. 7 shows a state of being attached to the pouch. First, the opening 4 is aligned at a position facing the vinyl fitting portion on the anti-skin side, and the opening 4 is attached using the double-sided tape 15. Next, a needle 35 with a sharp tip is inserted from the fitting portion, and the needle is pierced toward the sponge 31. Holes 2 are drilled in the pouch, and the certainty is increased by sticking in several places. In this way, it is possible to make a hole in the pouch later. Since the sponge is breathable and water-absorbent, it does not interfere with the passage of air, and even if watery stool or urine invades, it is absorbed by the sponge because it is a trace amount. This method can be performed in the same way with a single item orthosis.

Example 4
FIG. 8 shows a pressure switch utilizing the elastic deformation of the elastic body. A rubber film made of a material such as natural rubber or elastomer is used as the elastic body. The rubber film 41 is attached to the О ring 42 in a tense state and fixed to the case 5. An elongated metal movable section 43 and a fixed section 44 face each other on the upper part of the elastic body, and both are fixed to the case in an insulated state and connected to the alarm device portion by a cord. The elastic body and the two sections constitute a pressure switch that conducts when the elastic deformation amount of the elastic body reaches a predetermined deformation amount. A pressure switch is a type of barometric pressure-electric converter that emits a digital signal from an off state to an on state at a predetermined pressure. The alarm device unit contains a battery and a vibration motor connected in series with the pressure switch.

By aligning the detection level change dial 45 on the upper part of the case with the position where the detection level is displayed, the position of the fixing spring is defined by the screw 46. The space below the elastic body is the small chamber 3, and the lower surface of the О ring is the opening 4. FIG. 9 shows a state in which an opening is attached to the pouch 1 having the hole 2 by using the double-sided tape 15 shown in FIG. Double-sided tape is a bonding means. FIG. 9 shows a state in which the internal pressure of the pouch increases, the amount of elastic deformation of the rubber film increases, the movable spring is pushed up, and the rubber film is electrically connected to the fixed spring. When a predetermined internal pressure is reached, this pressure switch conducts and the vibration motor is driven.

The sensitivity at which an alarm is issued can be set by the detection level change dial according to the characteristics of the skin protective agent and orthosis of the face plate and one's preference. Therefore, it can be used according to the characteristics of various ostomy appliances on the market. When replacing the pouch, the case can be peeled off from the double-sided tape and the case can be used repeatedly. On the other hand, double-sided tape can be supplied at a low price, and it is disposable together with the pouch in consideration of hygiene.

Example 5
FIG. 10 shows an example in which silicon rubber is used as the elastic body and a pedestal is used as the bonding means. The pedestal 51 is formed in a ring shape made of synthetic resin, and is a coupling means for fixing the opening 4 of the small room around the hole 2 formed in the pouch 1 and bringing them into close contact with each other. A water absorbing paper 52 cut into a circle is adhered to the hole in the center. Water-absorbent paper is a sheet that has breathability and water absorption by compressing pulp and paper, and absorbs excrement that has entered through the holes made in the pouch to prevent the elastic body from being contaminated. An adhesive layer 53 and a release paper 54 are provided on the bottom surface, and a fitting convex portion 55 is formed in a ring shape on the upper surface. The above is the pedestal part.

There is an opening 4 of the small room 3 on the lower surface of the sensor portion, and a fitting recess 56 is formed so as to surround the periphery. At the top of the small room, a silicone rubber member is fitted into the mounting frame of the case. The silicone rubber is formed with an elastic body 57, a support frame 58 for holding the elastic body, and some concentric folds, and a conductive rubber 59 is bonded to the center of the upper surface. A printed circuit board 60 is arranged on the ceiling inside the case, and a comb-shaped electrode 61 is formed on a portion facing the conductive rubber. With this structure, a pressure switch that pushes up the conductive rubber by elastic deformation of the elastic body and conducts when it comes into contact with an electrode is configured. The electrode signal is transmitted to the alarm device side from the cord connected to the printed circuit board. The above is the sensor unit.

The contact resistance value at the time of conduction obtained from the contact varies depending on the shape and volume resistivity of the conductive rubber, but is not suitable for directly driving a vibration motor having a small resistance value. Therefore, a smoothing circuit for applying a voltage to the electrodes to prevent chattering, a signal amplification circuit, a circuit for switching by comparing with a predetermined threshold value or a changeable threshold value, an alarm device drive circuit, etc. are provided as necessary. Be done. These circuits are provided on the Blind board and the alarm device side. Alternatively, a method of using metal brush contacts or metal pieces instead of the conductive rubber, depositing a metal film on the silicon rubber, or adhering a metal thin film to reduce the contact resistance is also recommended.

For mounting, as shown in FIG. 11, a hole 2 is made in the pouch 1, the release paper 54 is peeled off, and the pedestal 51 is attached around the hole. Next, the fitting convex portion and the fitting concave portion are fitted, and the pedestal portion and the sensor portion are combined. When the internal pressure of the pouch rises, the pressure is transmitted to the small room that communicates with the inside of the pouch, pushing up the elastic body. Then, when the pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure, the electrodes are conducted by the conductive rubber, and the vibration motor is driven.

In this embodiment, the sensor portion and the pedestal portion are separated, and the fitting mechanism enables the division and combination. Therefore, it is possible to combine them at the time of use and separate them after use. The pedestal portion functions as a connecting means for fixing the opening of the small room around the hole 2. Since the water-absorbent paper may be contaminated with the solid content 62 and the moisture 63 that have entered through the hole 2, the pedestal portion is discarded together with the pouch. The pedestal is inexpensively supplied as a replacement part. On the other hand, the sensor unit is not contaminated and can be used repeatedly, which is economical.

Example 6
Non-woven fabric is placed on the skin of most pouches. If you want to attach the sensor to the skin surface side, you have to cut off the non-woven fabric, which is troublesome and may damage the pouch. Therefore, FIG. 12 shows an example in which a fitting convex portion, which is a coupling means, is formed on the pouch in advance at the production stage of the orthosis. The fitting convex portion 55 has the same specifications as the fitting convex portion 55 formed on the pedestal 51 of FIG. 10, and is bonded to the pouch by welding by heat or ultrasonic waves, adhesion by an adhesive, or the like. Then, the non-woven fabric 66 around the fitting convex portion is removed so as not to interfere with the mounting.

To use it, first make a hole in the pouch inside the fitting convex part, and then fit the fitting part, and the non-woven fabric does not get in the way at that time. In this way, by attaching the coupling means to the optimum part of the pouch in advance, even elderly people can use it easily and appropriately. Of course, it may be used without attaching the sensor, and the fitting convex portion does not get in the way. Since the specifications of the fitting portion are the same as those in the fifth embodiment, the sensor portion can be attached to the pouch not provided with the fitting convex portion by using the pedestal 51.

In this way, the coupling means and the sensor unit can be separated and combined, and the coupling means is attached to the pouch in advance. This made it possible to combine them during use, separate them after use, use the sensor section repeatedly, and dispose of the coupling means together with the pouch. The member to be attached to the pouch may be a member including at least the connecting means, and the connecting means and the opening, the connecting means and a part of the small room, the connecting means and the small room and the elastic body, the connecting means and the small room and the elastic body and the switch It may be a part of a part ..., etc.

Another way of interpreting this structure is explained below. It is considered that the fitting convex portion 55 and the pouch 1 are bonded by a method such as heat welding, so that the structure does not have a bonding means. That is, it is considered that the fitting convex portion 55 is a part of the case 5, and the fitting convex portion is formed by dividing a part of the case. The opening in this interpretation is the opening 67 in FIG.

In this interpretation, the structure is divided into a portion including an opening and a portion not including the opening, and the portion including the opening is pre-attached to the pouch. The part to be attached to the pouch may be at least a part including the opening, and the opening and a part of the small room, the opening and the small room and the elastic body, the opening and the small room and the elastic body and the pressure switch. Some ..., etc. may be used. In this way, it is divided into a portion including at least an opening and a portion not including the opening, and the pouch has a structure in which at least the portion including the opening is attached. In other words, it is a structure in which at least a part of the small room is attached to the pouch.

Example 7
In the structure of the sensor portion of Examples 5 and 6, since the upper space of the elastic body 57 is sealed, an inherent stress is always applied to the elastic body even if the atmospheric pressure fluctuates. On the other hand, the internal pressure of the pouch is always under atmospheric pressure. The method of measuring the internal pressure of a pouch affected by atmospheric pressure by comparing it with the inherent stress is affected by fluctuations in atmospheric pressure.

The volatility of the internal pressure of the pouch is much larger than the volatility of the atmospheric pressure, and it is thought that the volatility of the atmospheric pressure falls within a negligible range. However, an air hole 71 is provided in the case 5 of FIG. 13 in order to remove the fluctuation element of the atmospheric pressure. In this structure, the upper surface of the elastic body 57 is exposed to the atmospheric pressure, and the effect of canceling the fluctuation element of the atmospheric pressure can be obtained.

Example 8
FIG. 14 shows a structure in which the sensor portion is divided into a switch portion and an elastic body portion. The components of the switch section are a movable film 57 made of silicon fixed to the mounting frame 80, a conductive rubber 59 adhered to the central upper surface of the movable film, a printed circuit board 60 arranged on the upper part of the case, and facing the conductive rubber. A comb-shaped electrode 61 formed on the printed circuit board and a cord connected to the printed circuit board. A pressure switch is configured in which the movable membrane is pushed up from below and the conductive rubber comes into contact with the electrodes to conduct conduction.

On the other hand, the pedestal 81 of the elastic body is a thin plate made of synthetic resin, and has a donut shape with a hole in the center. The rubber film 82 is cut to the same outer diameter as the pedestal, and is bonded to the pedestal by welding or an adhesive. The rubber film is a thin film with extensibility and elasticity, and functions as an elastic body that receives the internal pressure of the pouch. A donut-shaped adhesive layer 83 is provided on the upper surface of the pedestal and is protected by a release paper 84. This adhesive layer is for combining the elastic body portion and the switch portion when using the sensor so that they can be separated after use. On the other hand, a donut-shaped adhesive layer 85 is provided on the lower surface of the rubber film and is protected by a release paper 86. The adhesive layer 85 is a bonding means for attaching the opening 4 to the pouch. The above are the components of the elastic body.

In this structure, the elastic body portion includes the opening 4, and the switch portion does not include the opening. Both portions have a structure that can be separated and combined by the adhesive layer 83. This is a structure for discarding only the contaminated part because the part near the opening is easily contaminated with excrement. The members to be separated and discarded form a coupling means, a coupling means and an opening, a coupling means and an opening and a part of a small chamber, a coupling means and a small chamber and an elastic body, and a coupling means and a small chamber and an elastic body and a switch. It may be a part of a member to be formed, etc., and is a member including at least a connecting means. In this way, due to the structure that divides at least the part including the connecting means and the part not including the connecting means, it is possible to discard only the part including the connecting means after use and repeatedly use the part not including the connecting means. it can.

FIG. 15 shows a state in which the sensor is attached to the pouch. In the mounting procedure, the elastic body portion and the switch portion are first united by the adhesive layer 83. Next, the center of the rubber film is aligned with the hole 2 formed in the pouch 1, and the rubber film is attached by the adhesive layer 85 as a bonding means.

The narrow layer of air formed between the lower surface of the rubber film and the pouch functions as a small chamber 3, and the inside of the pouch and the small chamber communicate with each other through a hole 2. Further, the joint portion between the pedestal 81 and the rubber film 82 becomes the opening 4. FIG. 15 shows a state in which the small chamber is expanded by the increase in the internal pressure of the pouch, the rubber film pushes up the movable film 57, and the pressure switch is electrically connected. Even if excrement invades the small room, it does not leak to the outside and the movable membrane does not get dirty. Therefore, it can be attached to a portion where excrement in the downward direction of the pouch collects. Further, by preparing a plurality of elastic body parts using rubber films having different elastic moduli, it is possible to change the sensitivity of the sensor by using the elastic body parts properly.

Example 9
A ostomy appliance in which a rubber film is attached to a pouch in advance at the production stage of the orthosis will be described. The pouch 1 has a circular hole 2. The circular rubber film 82 cut to a size obtained by adding a margin 91 to the size of the hole is bonded to the pouch by welding by heat or ultrasonic waves, adhesion by a solvent, double-sided tape, or the like. If the sensor is not attached, it will be used as it is, but the rubber film will not interfere with its use.

The switch unit used in Example 8 is used for this pouch. As the double-sided tape for adhering the switch portion to the pouch, the same double-sided tape 15 as in FIG. 3 is used, and the double-sided tape is attached in the same procedure. When replacing the pouch, the switch part is peeled off from the double-sided tape, and the rubber film is discarded together with the pouch, which is hygienic. In this embodiment, the rubber film is securely attached to the optimum portion of the pouch, so that high reliability can be obtained. It saves the trouble of making holes in the pouch and is appreciated by elderly people with disabilities.

In this structure, the rubber film 82, which is an elastic body, swells as the internal pressure of the pouch rises, pushes up the movable film 57 provided in the switch portion, and the contacts become conductive. That is, it functions as a pressure switch that switches when a predetermined amount of elastic deformation is exceeded. Alternatively, as another method, the amount of elastic deformation may be mechanically expanded by the principle of leverage, connected to a variable resistor, for example, and extracted as an electrical analog signal. This is an analog converter that converts the amount of elastic deformation of an elastic body into an analog signal.

Further, a pressure-sensitive conductive rubber may be used instead of the conductive rubber 59.
The pressure-sensitive conductive rubber shows a very high resistance value in a non-pressurized state, and has a property that the resistance value smoothly decreases with pressure.
FIG. 17 shows the relationship between the current value (I) obtained from the electrode 61 to which a constant voltage is applied and the internal pressure (F) of the pouch.
At the internal pressure where the pressure-sensitive conductive rubber does not come into contact with the electrodes, the current value is almost zero, and it functions as a pressure switch, which has the advantage of suppressing power consumption.
Then, the current value starts to rise at a steep angle from the internal pressure F0 in contact with the electrode, and functions as an analog converter.

If a drive signal is emitted at a threshold value set to a current value corresponding to a predetermined internal pressure, the alarm device functions as a pressure switch that is driven by the predetermined internal pressure.
Furthermore, if the threshold setting can be selected with the selection switch, the sensitivity of the sensor can be changed.
Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 17, it is possible to set a plurality of threshold values L1 to Ln, emit different drive signals for each threshold value, and drive the alarm device.

In this way, the internal pressure of the pouch is detected by at least one of a pressure switch that switches when the amount of elastic deformation of the elastic body exceeds a predetermined amount of deformation, or an analog converter that converts the amount of deformation of the elastic body into an analog signal. It doesn't matter if it is done.

As described above, according to the present invention, since the alarm device is driven when ballooning or crushing occurs, the ostomate can immediately eliminate the cause. Therefore, it is possible to significantly suppress the progress of sneaking in and the occurrence of leakage. The structure is simple, cost reduction, miniaturization, high reliability can be realized, and mass production is easy. By supplying it as an accessory, it can be attached to most ostomy appliances on the market. Easy to install even for the elderly.

1 Pouch 2 Pouch hole 3 Small room 4 Opening 5 Case 9 Semiconductor pressure sensor

Claims (5)

A small room with an opening and
An atmospheric pressure-electric converter that converts the atmospheric pressure in the small room into an electrical signal,
It is composed of a coupling means for binding the opening to the pouch.
Make a hole in the pouch during the installation procedure
The opening is coupled around the hole using the coupling means.
A method for detecting the internal pressure of a pouch, wherein the air pressure in the small room is measured by the air pressure-electric converter. A small room with an opening and
An atmospheric pressure-electric converter that converts the atmospheric pressure in the small room into an electrical signal,
It is composed of a coupling means for binding the opening to the pouch.
Make a hole in the pouch during the installation procedure
The opening is coupled around the hole using the coupling means.
A sensor that detects the internal pressure of a pouch, characterized in that the air pressure in the small room is measured by the air pressure-electric converter. A part of the parts that make up the atmospheric pressure-electric converter,
The sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch according to claim 2, wherein a part of the small chamber is included in the coupling means. At least the portion including the binding means
Divide into parts that do not include the binding means
Combine when using
The sensor for detecting the internal pressure of the pouch according to claim 2, wherein the sensor can be separated after use. A small room with an opening and
An atmospheric pressure-electric converter that converts the atmospheric pressure in the small room into an electrical signal,
It is composed of a coupling means for binding the opening to the pouch.
Make a hole in the pouch during the installation procedure
The opening is coupled around the hole using the coupling means.
The air pressure in the small room is measured by the air pressure-electric transducer and
The output of the barometric pressure-electric converter
(A1) When the specified output is exceeded
And / or (B1) An alarm device characterized in that it is driven when the rate of increase per predetermined time is exceeded.

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