JPH04174645A - Smell recognition judging device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To carry out the smell judgement easily at the place other then in an odorless room and continuously carry out inspection by feeding gas to an inspected person through a mask which covers at least the outer surfaces of his nose and mouth. CONSTITUTION:A mask body 12 is applied in an inspected person A so as to cover the outer surfaces of the nose and mouth, in sealed state. A gas feeding device 1 consists of an odor source 4 for feeding the supplied gas, air source 5 for feeding the aspiration gas which is deodorization-treated, controller 6 for controlling the supply state of the gas feeding sources 4 and 5, and so on. The air for aspiration which is adjusted to a prescribed pressure is forcibly supplied intermittently, and further, the supplied gas which is dilution-adjusted to a prescribed concentration by air is supplied intermittently in synchronization with the aspiration operation of the inspected person A. Aspirated gas is separation-discharged by installing an aspiration valve 13, and resuction can be prevented. Accordingly, the inspected person A and the environment on the periphery can be separated perfectly, and the influence of other odorous substance is eliminated, and only the prescribed odor stimulus can be applied to the inspected person A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an olfactory recognition determination device for determining the presence or absence of a sense of smell and the degree of recognition.

[Conventional technology]

The olfactory recognition evaluation device for objectively evaluating the sense of smell is
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 63-79636, which was proposed by the present applicant, is well known. In this method, a test gas is delivered to the subject in synchronization with breathing movements, and changes in brain waves at this time are detected and analyzed to determine whether the subject has a sense of smell or not. The breathing movement of the subject was detected using a thermistor placed inside the nasal cavity. The evaluation test was conducted in an odorless room adjusted to be odorless, and the test gas was supplied to the test subject in a semi-open state through a funnel-shaped nose cone that covered the outside of the nostril.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

The purpose of conducting judgment tests in an odor-free room is to avoid the influence of substances other than the sample gas. However, preparing an odor-free room as a test environment is an economical burden, and it is difficult for general hospitals, food manufacturers, and fragrance manufacturers to carry out judgment tests. Manufacturers could not easily conduct judgment tests.

In conventional devices, the inhaled test gas is released into the room along with the exhaled air, so it is necessary to remove the gas every time the test is completed, which also has the disadvantage of not being able to perform continuous evaluation tests.

Reactions to deep stimulation are detected as changes in brain waves, that is, changes in the evoked potential on an electrode plate attached to the scalp, but this potential is extremely weak and is therefore susceptible to disturbance. As a result of the experiment, the thermistor installed in the nasal cavity also becomes a disturbance factor. This is because fluctuations in the current value due to changes in the resistance of the thermistor are incorporated into the brain wave signal as noise.

A thermistor placed inside the nasal cavity may give subjects a strange feeling and may cause pain such as itching or overreaction of the mucous membranes. These reactions are also included in the electroencephalogram signal as noise, making it difficult to analyze the detected data.

Some subjects may be so overreacted that they are unable to take sufficient time to complete the judgment test.

As described above, conventional devices have problems such as lack of practicality and quick response because they can be used only in odorless rooms, disturbance caused by the sensor for detecting breathing movements, and the manner in which they are used.

An object of the present invention is to obtain an olfactory recognition evaluation device which is excellent in practicality and responsiveness, and is capable of easily performing olfactory evaluation even in a room other than an odor-free room, and can also perform continuous tests.

Another object of the present invention is to obtain an olfactory recognition determination device that is equipped with a breathing sensor that does not adversely affect electroencephalogram signals and does not give a subject a sense of discomfort.

Still another object of the present invention is to reduce the respiratory burden on the subject;
To obtain an olfactory recognition evaluation device that does not cause pain to a subject even when test evaluation is performed over a long period of time.

[Means to solve the problem]

The olfactory recognition determination device of the present invention includes a gas supply means 1 for supplying a breathing gas and a test gas to a subject A, and a gas supply means 1 for sealingly covering at least the outer surfaces of the nose and mouth of the subject A. The mask 2 has a mask 2 that supplies gas delivered from the subject A to the subject A, and the mask 2 has a mask 2 that operates in conjunction with the breathing motion of the subject A.
It is required that a breathing valve 13 that allows breathing gas to be inhaled and separates and discharges exhaled air, and a breathing sensor 9 that detects the opening/closing operation of the breathing valve 13 are provided.

The breathing sensor 9 includes an optical sensor 29 that optically detects the opening/closing operation of the breathing valve 13.

The gas supply means 1 is configured to forcibly supply breathing gas, and the scavenging means 2 is connected to an exhalation passage 21 connected to the mask 2.
5 and an exhalation bag 27 for temporarily storing scavenging air.

Here, the term "breathing gas" includes all gases other than air, such as single oxygen gas and mixed gases containing oxygen. Furthermore, the mask 2 includes a helmet-like structure that tightly covers the entire head, and a structure that separately covers the nose and mouth.

[Effect]

Gas is supplied to subject A through a mask 2 that covers at least the outer surfaces of the nose and mouth, so even if the environment is not odorless, the effects of other odorous substances are completely eliminated, and subject A is given only the predetermined back stimulation. give.

For example, since the respiratory motion of the subject A is detected in a non-contact manner using the optical sensor 29, disturbances caused by electromagnetic effects of the respiratory sensor 9 can be eliminated, and furthermore, the respiratory motion of the respiratory sensor 9 can be eliminated.
It is possible to eliminate the physiological reaction caused by wearing the device in the nasal cavity, etc.

Breathing valve 1 on mask 2 to avoid re-aspiration of exhaled air
3, when the breathing valve 13 is configured to open and close due to changes in the internal pressure of the mask 2, the breathing burden on the subject A increases. gas supply means 1 for forcibly feeding breathing gas;
A scavenging means 25 and an exhalation bag 27 provided in the exhalation passage 21 are provided to reduce the breathing burden.

〔Example〕

In FIG. 1, the olfactory recognition determination apparatus includes a gas supply means 1 for supplying a test gas and a breathing gas to a subject A;
It includes a mask 2 that is attached to the face of the subject A and supplies gas supplied from the gas supply means 1, and a measuring means 3 that measures and analyzes the reaction of the subject A to stimulation.

The gas supply means 1 includes an odor source 4 that supplies a sample gas, an air source 5 that supplies deodorized breathing gas, and a control unit W6 that controls the supply state of these gas supply sources 4 and 5. Breathing air adjusted to a predetermined pressure is forcibly and intermittently supplied, and a test gas diluted with air to a predetermined concentration is intermittently supplied in synchronization with the breathing movements of the subject A.

For this purpose, the control device 6 and the mask 2 are connected via an intake passage 7 and a sample gas passage 8, and furthermore, the output part of a breathing sensor 9 that detects the breathing movement of the subject A is connected to the control device 6. . The control device 6 consists of an operating section 6a composed of a large number of control valves, pressure regulating valves, etc., and a control section 6b that controls the operating state of the operating section 6a, and controls the number of times the sample gas is supplied per unit time and its You can freely change and set the supply amount, etc. The test gas is supplied in the form of a pulse signal, and after supply, the test gas passage 8 is cleaned with an air flow. An air cylinder or a compressor is used as the air source 5, and in either case odorless air is supplied under pressure.

The measuring means 3 includes a data processing circuit and the like that measures brain wave fluctuations caused by olfactory reactions, analyzes the measured brain wave data based on the output signal from the respiratory sensor 9, and performs necessary signal processing. Brain wave data is captured as changes in evoked potentials via a plurality of brain wave sensors 10 fixed to the head of subject A. As the brain wave sensor 10, in addition to the commonly used electrode plate, a magnetic sensor using a superconducting material is used.

In Fig. 2, the mask 2 consists of a mask main body 12 made of an anesthesia mask, a breathing valve 13 attached to the outer surface of the mask body, a rubber band 14 (see Fig. 1) for maintaining the wearing state of the mask 2, etc. The main body 12 is worn on the subject A so as to tightly cover the outer surfaces of the nose and mouth.

In FIG. 2, the breathing valve 13 is configured to open and close in conjunction with the breathing movements of the subject A, and is housed inside a valve case 15 made of a plastic molded product.
An intake valve 16 and an exhalation valve 17 are provided, both of which are one-way valves made of rubber membranes. The valve case 15 is provided with an intake port 18, an exhalation port 19, and a breathing port 20 that communicates with the inside of the mask body 12.The intake port 18 is connected to the intake passage 7, and the exhalation port 19 is connected to the exhalation passage 21. are doing.

In FIG. 3, the intake valve 16 is formed by protruding a wedge-shaped valve part 16b from the center of a circular flange part 16a, and the valve part 16b is located between the intake port 18 and the breathing port 20. It is installed in a position that protrudes toward the 20 side. Valve part 16b
The tip 16c is cut in a straight line, and when the subject A inhales air, it opens like a petal as shown in Figure 5, and when the subject A exhales the air, it comes into close contact to prevent backflow.

The exhalation valve 17 is a type of disc valve, and opens and closes a radially opened valve port 22 disposed between the breathing port 20 and the exhalation port 19. This valve 17 only allows passage of exhaled air, and closes the valve port 22 during inhalation.

The test gas passage 8 is made of a highly flexible silicone tube, and its outlet end is drawn into the mask body 12. During the test, the lead-out end faces the nostrils of subject A and is fixed with adhesive tape 24.

Since olfactory cells are located deep within the nasal cavity, only one test gas passage 8 is required in principle.

By providing the breathing valve 13, exhaled air can be separated and expelled and its re-inhalation can be prevented. However, the breathing valve 13 opens and closes only when the pressure fluctuation within the mask body 12 reaches a certain value, and the subject A needs to perform a more active breathing operation than in a normal breathing state. In order to reduce the breathing burden on the subject A, the gas supply means 1 forcibly supplies breathing air to assist in the inhalation operation.

A scavenging means 25 consisting of a blower fan is provided in the exhalation passage 21 to assist the exhalation operation. The amount of breathing air supplied and the amount of scavenged air in the exhalation passage 21 are adjusted according to the amount of breathing of the subject A. At this time, there is no problem because the breathing air is intermittently supplied in synchronization with the breathing movement of the subject A, but the scavenging means 25 is operated continuously, and the amount of scavenged air is likely to be too large or too small. A branch passage 26 is led out from the exhalation passage 21 near the exhalation port 19, and an exhalation bag 27 for temporarily storing exhaled air is attached to the lead-out end.

The exhalation bang 27 is made of a plastic film bag having a certain capacity, and is inflated by the exhaled air exhaled into the exhalation passage 21. During the inhalation operation, the exhaled air inside the bung is swept away by the scavenging means 2.
5 sucks it out and deflates it.

In other words, the exhalation bag 27 absorbs pressure fluctuations within the exhalation passage 21 and further prevents the exhalation valve 17 from opening at times other than during exhalation. The exhaled air discharged from the scavenging means 25 is discharged to the outside of the test chamber via a hose, duct, etc. not shown.

A breathing sensor 9 is attached to the breathing valve 13 in order to detect the breathing movement of the subject A in a non-contact manner. The respiratory sensor 9 is arranged on the back of the valve part 16b of the intake valve 16, and outputs a signal light to an optical sensor 29 that optically detects the opening/closing operation of the valve part 16b. The sensor body 30 includes a charging converter that converts a detection signal into an electrical signal. As shown in FIG. 4, the optical sensor 29 has a light emitting cable 31 and a light receiving cable 32 each having a built-in optical fiber arranged in parallel, and a light emitting port 33 at the tip of both cables 31 and 32.
The valve portion 16b is fixed to the valve case 15 with the light receiving port 34 facing each adjacent inclined surface of the valve portion 16b. A signal light is always output to the light projection cable 31, and the valve part 16b
When the valve is closed (during exhalation), the signal light is transmitted to the valve part 1.
The light is repeatedly reflected on each inclined surface 6b and enters the light receiving cable 32 through the light receiving port 34. However, when the valve portion 16b opens as shown in FIG. 5 with the intake operation, the angle of the inclined surface changes and the shape of the inclined surface changes from a flat end surface to an arcuate surface, so that most of the projected light is is dissipated and does not reach the light receiving cable 31. Based on the signal state at this time (shading ON state), it is possible to accurately know that the exhalation operation has started and that the inhalation operation is continuing. The breath exhaled from the body contains water vapor,
Since both the light emitting port 33 and the light receiving port 34 of the optical sensor 29 are arranged closer to the intake passage 7 than the valve portion 16b, the light emitting and receiving ports 33 and 34 are not fogged up by water vapor.

The judgment test does not need to be conducted in an odor-free room, but the EEG sensor 1
In order to avoid noise intrusion into the test subject A, it is necessary that the environment is free from equipment with electromagnetic effects in the vicinity of the subject A. Equipment such as the gas supply means 1, the main body of the measurement means 3, the sensor main body 30 of the respiratory sensor 9, and the scavenging means 25 are isolated at positions where they do not affect the brain wave sensor 10.

An electromagnetically shielded room or chamber is a preferred testing environment.

[Another embodiment example]

The mask 2 of the present invention can also be configured to cover the entire head, like a helmet worn on a spacesuit. In this case, it would be possible to add an electromagnetic shielding function to the helmet-shaped mask 2 to eliminate the influence on the brain wave sensor 10.

There is no need to attach the test gas passage 8 to the subject A, and the outlet end thereof may be directed to the mask body 12 in a posture directed toward the nostrils. For example, a configuration may be adopted in which a gas discharge tube is provided inside the mask body 12 and the passage 8 is connected to this.

The optical sensor 29 can be composed of a light source provided on the side of the breathing port 20 and a light receiving cable 32. In addition to detecting the presence or absence of signal light feedback and the magnitude of the feedback amount, it is also possible to detect differences in the return time of signal light (as long as the operation of the breathing valve 13 is used, the detection principle is completely Not limited.

〔Effect of the invention〕

In the present invention, the breathing gas and the test gas are supplied through the mask 2 worn by the subject A, and the olfactory judgment can be performed, so that the subject A is completely separated from the surrounding environment. Only predetermined back stimulation can be given to subject A by eliminating the influence of other back matter. This makes it possible to carry out judgment tests in normal environments other than in odor-free rooms, making it easy to carry out olfactory judgments in general hospitals, food and fragrance manufacturers, and the like. Furthermore, by replacing the previously used mask 2 or deodorizing it, it is possible to carry out continuous evaluation tests, thereby improving the practicality and responsiveness of the olfactory recognition evaluation device as a whole.

Since the mask 2 is equipped with a breathing valve 13 and a breathing sensor 9 that detects the opening/closing operation of the valve 13, the breathing movement can be detected in a non-contact manner without the need to attach the breathing sensor 9 to the subject A, which avoids the need for conventional devices. It is possible to eliminate the physiological reactions caused by attaching a breathing sensor to the nasal cavity, such as discomfort or itching, or excessive reactions of the mucous membranes, and eliminate the negative effects on brain wave signals.

In particular, since the optical sensor 29 detects the opening/closing operation of the breathing valve 13, there is no electromagnetic effect on a part of the sensor, so disturbances to the brain wave signal caused by the breathing sensor 9 can be wiped out, and the S/N ratio of the brain wave signal as a whole is reduced. and its analysis becomes easier.

Breathing gas is forcibly supplied by the gas supply means 1, and the exhalation passage 21 is provided with a scavenging means 25 and an exhalation bag 27 for temporarily storing exhaled air, so that the inhalation and exhalation of the subject A are assisted, respectively. , it is possible to reduce the increase in the breathing burden caused by the breathing valve 13, and even when the test judgment is carried out over a long period of time, it does not cause pain to the subject A, and is convenient for judgment tests on subjects who do not have physical strength.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show an embodiment of the olfactory recognition determination device according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing the arrangement structure of the optical sensor, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing the state in which the intake valve is open. 1...Gas supply means, 2...Mask, 9...Respiration sensor, 13...Respiration valve, 21...Exhalation passage, 25...Scavenging means , 27...Exhalation bag, 29...Optical sensor.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A gas supply means (1) for delivering breathing gas and test gas to the subject (A); a mask (2) that supplies the gas supplied from the gas supply means (1) to the subject (A); the mask (2) operates in conjunction with the breathing motion of the subject (A); This olfactory recognition determination device is provided with a breathing valve (13) that allows breathing gas to be inhaled and separates and discharges exhaled air, and a breathing sensor (9) that detects the opening/closing operation of the breathing valve (13). 2. The olfactory recognition determination device according to claim 1, wherein the breathing sensor (9) includes an optical sensor (29) that optically detects the opening/closing operation of the breathing valve (13). 3. The gas supply means (1) is configured to forcibly supply breathing gas, and the exhalation passageway (21) connected to the mask (2) is equipped with a scavenging means (25) and an exhaled gas. The olfactory recognition determination device according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising an exhaled air bag (27) for temporarily storing exhaled air.