JPH08262015A - Cleaning mechanism of urine sampling device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a urine sampling device in which a urine sampling container can be cleaned and housed by utilizing a narrow space between a toilet seat and the rim of a toilet stool and whose draining performance of cleaning water is excellent. CONSTITUTION: A cleaning chamber 112 is formed at the rear surface of a toilet seat 18 by using the toilet seat and a frame attached to the toilet seat, and a cleaning nozzle is arranged at the side part of a urine sampling container 46. The bottom wall 123 of the cleaning chamber 112 is tilted to be a downward grade toward the entrance of the cleaning chamber 112. Since cleaning water which has been used is discharged quickly to a bowl so as not to be left in the cleaning chamber 112, it is possible to avoid the fault of an electric system.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

[Object of the invention]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a urine sampling device for collecting urine excreted from an individual sitting on a toilet seat in a toilet, and more particularly to a cleaning mechanism for such a device.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to Japanese Patent Application No. 6-51 of February 23, 1994.
No. 286 relates to an improvement of the urine sampling device. In the same application, the applicant moved the urine collection container in the bowl space of the toilet by swinging the swing arm to sample urine, and after use, washes between the front part of the rim of the toilet and the toilet seat. A urine sampling device has been proposed in which a urine collection container is housed in a chamber, and the urine collection container is washed with the washing water sprayed from a washing nozzle.

[0003]

In the device according to the above-mentioned proposal, since the washing chamber is arranged in a space having a very small vertical gap between the rim of the toilet bowl and the toilet seat, the washing chamber is washed after washing. The cleaning water remaining in the chamber may spill around into the electric drive section of the swing arm, adversely affecting the electric system.

It is an object of the present invention to improve the urine sampling device proposed above and improve the drainage of the washing chamber.

[0005]

Configuration of the Invention

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the problems, the present invention is designed to move a urine collection container into the bowl space of a toilet bowl to collect urine when in use, and between the front portion of the rim of the toilet bowl and the toilet seat when not in use. In a urine sampling device adapted to store a urine collection container in a urine, a cleaning room having an entrance through which the urine collection container can be put in and out is arranged between the rim of the toilet bowl and the toilet seat at the front of the toilet bowl, and the urine collection container is placed after use For cleaning, a cleaning nozzle connected to a cleaning water supply source is arranged toward the cleaning chamber, and the bottom surface of the cleaning chamber is inclined downward toward the inlet of the cleaning chamber.

Since the bottom of the cleaning chamber is inclined downward toward the inlet of the cleaning chamber as described above, the used cleaning water is quickly discharged into the bowl and does not remain in the cleaning chamber.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a second cleaning nozzle for cleaning the swing arm after use is provided and connected by piping to the same cleaning water supply.
The pipe to the second cleaning nozzle has an inner diameter smaller than that of the pipe to the first cleaning nozzle, and the cleaning water from the same cleaning water supply source is distributed more to the first cleaning nozzle. You can By doing so, the urine collection container and the swing arm can be washed in good balance.

[0008]

EXAMPLES First, an outline of a urine sampling apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. FIG. 1 shows a toilet having a urine analysis function equipped with the urine sampling device of the present invention. The toilet 10 is provided with a standard flush toilet bowl 12 which is commercially available, and the toilet bowl 12 has an ordinary bowl (bowl) portion 14.

A housing 16 which accommodates a well-known bidet device (not shown) is attached to the toilet bowl 12, and a toilet seat 18 and a toilet lid 20 are rotatably attached to the housing 16. The housing 16 also houses a pump and a urine analyzer (not shown) for transporting a urine sample collected by the urine sampling device of the present invention. The control unit 22 that controls the urine sampling device, the transport pump, and the urine analyzer can be installed on the wall of the toilet.

As shown in FIG. 2, the toilet seat 18 can be formed by joining an upper half body 18A and a lower half body 18B made of impact resistant resin or the like, for example, by ultrasonic welding. Electric heater wire 24 to warm the toilet seat
Can be wired as required. 2 and 3
As shown in, the toilet seat 18 is fitted with the urine sampling device 26 of the present invention.

As is conventional, the toilet seat 18 is supported at, for example, four points on the upper surface of the rim of the toilet bowl 12. Therefore, in the illustrated embodiment, the toilet seat 18 as shown by the broken line in FIG.
On the lower surface of, for example, two cushioned leg portions 28 are provided. In the other two points, the toilet seat 18 has two legs 32 provided on the frame 30 of the urine sampling device 26.
Can be supported by. As can be seen from FIG. 7, these legs 28 or 32 provide a clearance between the upper surface 36 of the rim 34 of the toilet bowl and the lower surface 38 of the toilet seat 18 at a height of about 1.5-2 cm. To be done. By utilizing this gap, the frame 30 of the urine sampling device 26 is arranged, and the urine collection container of the urine sampling device 26 and its cleaning mechanism are housed as described later. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 7, the lower surface of the toilet seat 18 is formed with recesses 40 and 42 that open downwardly so that some of the components of the urine sampling device 26 can be accommodated in these recesses. Has become.

The urine sampling device 26 collects a sample of urine excreted in the bowl 14 of the toilet bowl 12 in the air in the bowl space by a urine collection container, and after sampling, stores the urine collection container in a storage position below the toilet seat 18. It is supposed to be washed. 2 to 7, the urine sampling device 26 includes a swing arm 44 having a substantially crank shape.
The urine collection container 46 is detachably attached to the free end of the swing arm, and a drive unit 48 that supports and drives the swing arm 44.
Is mounted on the frame 30. Swing arm 44
Is the central elbow 50 as shown in FIGS.
An end elbow 52, a pipe 54 connecting the two,
It can be configured with the spindle 56.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in this embodiment, the urine collection container 46 comprises an elongated body 62 having a urine collection trough 60 having an upper opening 58 and a large diameter base 64. ing. In the illustrated embodiment, the urine collection container 46 is liquid-tightly and detachably attached to the end elbow 52 by using an O-ring 66, and the urine collection container 46 is attached to the swing arm 44.
It can be removed and cleaned or replaced. The urine collecting trough 60 of the main body is inclined toward the base 64 so that the urine poured into the trough 60 is accumulated in the urine pool 68 formed by the base 64 and the elbow 52. The outer periphery of the main body 62 is covered with a wire netting 70 or the like to prevent foreign matter from entering and prevent urine excreted from the subject from colliding with the urine collection container 46 and scattering around.

As shown in FIG. 6, the elbow 52 is provided with a suction tube 72 for sucking the urine sample accumulated in the urine reservoir 68. The suction tube 72 is connected to a suction pump in the housing 16 via a urine transport tube 74 extending in the internal passage of the elbow 52, the swing arm 44, and the spindle 56 thereof to analyze a urine sample in the housing 16. It is designed to be transported to the device.

A pair of vertically spaced electrodes 76 and 78 are exposed in the urine reservoir 68, and these electrodes are connected to the control unit 22 via lead wires 80 and 82. The control unit 22 has electrodes 76
A predetermined voltage is applied between the electrodes 78 and 78, and the conductivity of the fluid existing between the electrodes 76 and 78 in the urine reservoir 68 is detected based on the voltage drop to collect fresh urine in the urine reservoir 68. It can be configured to determine whether or not.

In the illustrated embodiment, the swing arm 44
The drive unit 48 for driving the
By driving the swing arm 44, the urine collection container 4
6 is adapted to be moved from the storage position below the front part of the toilet seat to various different urine collection positions in the bowl space (and vice versa).

Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4,
The drive unit 48 is mounted on the frame 30 that is appropriately fixed to the lower surface of the toilet seat 18 with screws or the like. The drive unit 48 includes a slider 84 slidably mounted on the frame 30, and the slider 84 is fixed to the frame 30.
It is guided by a pair of guides 86 to slide substantially parallel to the major axis of the toilet bowl 12. A rack 88 is fixed to the slider 84, and the frame 30 is attached to the rack 88.
The pinion 92 of the output shaft of the stepping motor 90 with a reduction gear fixed to is meshed. Therefore, if the motor 90 is rotated in either direction, the slider 84
Makes a translational movement back and forth. The motor 90 is the control unit 2
It can be controlled by two.

The swing arm 44 is rotatable and
The slider 84 is pivotally supported so as to move together with the slider 84. Therefore, as can be seen from FIG. 4, the slider 84 is provided with a pair of trunnion bearings 94, and the spindle 56 of the swing arm 44 is pivotally supported. A shaft hole is formed in the spindle 56, and a flexible tube 74 and lead wires 80 and 82 are passed therethrough.

The drive unit 48 further includes a swing arm 44.
A lever / cam mechanism 96 for restricting the rotation angle position of the urine collection container 46 is provided, and the position of the urine collection container 46 is controlled when the slider 90 is displaced back and forth by the motor 90. That is, as can be seen from FIG. 4, the two bearings 9
4, a lever 98 is fitted to the spindle 56 of the swing arm 44 so as to rotate integrally, and the tip of this lever 98 has a cam follower 100 in the form of a roller.
Is supported.

The cam follower 100 cooperates with a cam plate 102 which is appropriately fixed to the frame 30 with screws or the like. The cam plate 102 has two stepped horizontal cam surfaces 104 and 106 and an inclined cam surface 108.
Is formed. Swing arm 44 spindle 56
The return coil spring 110 has one end fixed to it, and the other end of this spring is fixed to the bearing 94. The preload of the return spring 110 is set to urge the swing arm 44 to rotate clockwise in FIG. The initial posture of the swing arm 44 is regulated by a stopper (not shown).

The operation of the urine sampling device 26 will be briefly described. When not in use, the slider 84 is at the forward position (position A) as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, and the cam follower 100 is on the cam plate 102. It is engaged with the first horizontal cam surface 104. Therefore, the swing arm 44
Is flipped up in a horizontal posture by the action of the return spring 110, and the urine collection container 46 is stored in the storage position in the washing chamber / storage chamber 112 formed below the toilet seat 18.

In sampling and analyzing urine, when a subject sits on the toilet seat 18 and presses the start switch 114 provided on the control unit 22, the motor 90 rotates and the rack and pinion mechanism 88/92 causes the slider 8 to move.
4 is retracted, and first, the urine collection container 46 is pulled out rearward from its storage position. Cam follower 100 is cam plate 1
When the inclined cam surface 108 of No. 02 is engaged, the lever 98 starts rotating the swing arm 44 (position B). As the cam follower 100 further rides on the inclined cam surface 108, the swing arm rotates while retracting, and the urine collection container 46 is displaced along a curved locus in which rotational movement and translational movement are combined as shown in FIG. Let When the motor 90 rotates further, the cam follower 100 will move to the cam plate 1
No. 02, the second horizontal cam surface 106 is engaged (position C), and thereafter, the swing arm 44 is translated and moved to the rear end position (position D) while maintaining the rotational angle position.

Since the trajectory of urine differs between men and women, the control unit 22 controls the position B when the men's switch is pressed.
It can be configured to stop the urine collection container 46 at a predetermined position between C and C and stop the urine collection container at a predetermined position between the positions C and D when the female switch is pressed. Further, the position of the urine collection container can be finely adjusted back and forth according to the operation of the fine adjustment switch 116.

The subject can urinate toward the urine collection container 46 when the urine collection container 46 is brought to an appropriate position. When urine hits the urine collection container 46, the urine is collected in the urine collection gutter 6
It flows down along 0 and accumulates in the urine reservoir 68. Urine collection 6
When it is detected that fresh urine has accumulated in the container 8 up to the level of the upper electrode 78, the control unit 22 automatically operates the transfer pump arranged in the housing 16 to draw the urine sample from the urine reservoir 68. Send to urine analyzer. The urine sample is subjected to quantitative analysis by the urine analyzer, and the control unit 22 displays the analysis result on the display unit 118 and outputs it to the printer 120 according to the instruction from the subject.

After the urine is sampled and transported to the analyzer, the control unit 22 rotates the motor 90 in the direction of moving the slider 84 forward. Swing arm 44
The urine collection container 46 returns to the position B with the forward movement and the upward rotation of, and then the urine collection container 46 returns to the storage position A by the translational movement of the swing arm. In this position, the urine collection container 46 is formed between the lower surface 38 of the toilet seat 18 and the upper surface 36 of the toilet rim portion 34 as shown in FIG.
It is stored in 12.

Next, the urine collection container 46 and the swing arm 44
The cleaning mechanism will be described. As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 9, the frame 30 includes a wash chamber housing 12
2 are fitted together, the lower surface of the toilet seat 18 and the frame 30
The cleaning chamber 112 is formed in cooperation with the above. As shown in FIG. 7, the surface of the bottom wall 123 of the cleaning chamber 112 is inclined backward with a downward slope. Washing chamber housing 12
2, a cleaning chamber cover 124 is rotatably supported by
The entrance to the cleaning chamber 112 is opened and closed. The cover 124 is biased to a normally open position by a coil spring 126, and is closed by an operating mechanism 128 that interlocks with the slider 84.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the actuating mechanism 128 includes a push rod 130 with which the slider 84 can be engaged, a swing lever 132, a link 134, and
The lever 136, the slide bar 138, and the cover 124
The lever 142 is interlocked with the pivot 140, and the cover 124 is closed against the spring 126 as the slider 84 advances. As can be seen from FIG. 7, the cover 124 has a recess 4 formed in the toilet seat 18.
It can be rotated using 2.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, the cleaning nozzle 144 is disposed so as to face the cleaning chamber / accommodation chamber 112, and the cleaning water is sprayed toward the urine collection container 46 at the storage position. There is. This cleaning nozzle 144
Is connected to a water pipe via a wash water supply hose 146 and a solenoid valve (not shown) arranged in the housing 16.

After the urine sampling, when the urine collection container 46 returns to the cleaning chamber 112, the control unit 22 opens the electromagnetic valve to supply the cleaning water to the cleaning nozzle 144 to clean the urine collection container 46. Since the cover 124 closes the inlet of the cleaning chamber during cleaning, the cleaning water is prevented from splashing outside.
The washing water reflects in the narrow washing room, effectively washing the urine collection container.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, a T-joint 148 is provided in the middle of the wash water supply hose 146,
A swing arm cleaning nozzle 150 arranged above the swing arm 44 is connected to the T joint 148 via a pipe 151. Therefore, as described above, when the solenoid valve is opened, the swing arm 44 is washed simultaneously with the washing of the urine collecting container 46. The inner diameter of the pipe 151 is smaller than the inner diameter of the cleaning water supply hose 146, and the urine collection container cleaning nozzle 1 is larger than the swing arm cleaning nozzle 150.
A large amount of washing water is distributed to the one 44. Therefore, the urine collection container 46 that is most soiled with urine is washed more strongly. Swing arm 44 spindle 5
A strip 152 made of a soft resin is engaged with 6 to prevent the cleaning water flowing out from the arm cleaning nozzle 150 from entering the drive unit 48 and protect the drive unit 48 from the cleaning water. It is like this.

The used cleaning water is discharged into the bowl 14. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the frame 30 has a pair of drainage channels 154 extending rearward from the cleaning chamber 112 along the inner edge of the toilet seat 18.
As can be seen from FIG. 7, these drainage channels 154 are inclined downward toward the rear, and a curved drain pipe 156 is provided at the rear end thereof. When the toilet seat 18 is in the horizontal position shown in FIG. 7, the cleaning water sprayed from the cleaning nozzles 144 and 150 flows rearward along the inclination of the drainage channel 154 and is discharged from the drain pipe 156 into the bowl 14. Therefore, the urine collection container 46 and the swing arm 44 can be washed even when the subject is sitting on the toilet seat.

[0032]

According to the present invention, since the bottom surface 123 of the cleaning chamber 112 is inclined downwardly toward the inlet of the cleaning chamber, the used cleaning water is promptly discharged from the cleaning chamber to the bowl and is then transferred to the cleaning chamber. It does not remain. Therefore, the cleaning water does not get around to the electric system for driving the swing arm, and the electric system can be prevented from malfunctioning.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a urine collection container wash nozzle 1 rather than a swing arm wash nozzle 150.
When a larger amount of wash water is distributed to the person 44, the urine collection container and the swing arm can be washed in a well-balanced manner.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a toilet with urine analysis function equipped with the urine sampling device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the urine sampling device and the toilet seat shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the urine sampling apparatus shown in FIG. 2, showing a state where a cam plate and a washing chamber cover are removed, a toilet seat is shown by a two-dot chain line, and a toilet bowl is shown by a three-dot chain line. It is shown.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged exploded perspective view of a part of the swing arm driving unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 shows the urine collection container shown in FIG. 2 as seen from above.

6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. 3, showing the swing arm and the urine collection container at various different positions.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged plan view showing the operating mechanism of the cleaning chamber cover.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an operating mechanism of a cleaning chamber cover.

[Explanation of symbols]

 12: Toilet bowl 14: Toilet bowl 18: Toilet seat 26: Urine sampling device 34: Toilet rim 44: Swing arm 46: Urine collection container 112: Wash room 123: Wash room bottom wall 144: Urine collection container washing nozzle 150: Swing arm Cleaning nozzle

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A urine sampling device in which a urine collection container is moved into a bowl space of a toilet bowl when in use to sample urine, and when not in use, a urine collection container is housed between a front portion of a rim of the toilet bowl and a toilet seat. In the device, a washing chamber having an entrance through which the urine collection container can be accessed is arranged between the rim of the toilet bowl and the toilet seat in the front part of the toilet bowl, and is connected to a flush water supply source to wash the urine collection container after use. A urine sampling device, wherein a cleaning nozzle is arranged toward the cleaning chamber, and a bottom surface of the cleaning chamber is inclined downward toward the inlet of the cleaning chamber. 2. The urine collection container is carried by a swing arm that moves the urine collection container between a urine collection position in a bowl space and a storage position in the cleaning chamber, and the urine sampling device cleans the swing arm after use. Therefore, a second washing nozzle connected to the same washing water supply source is provided, and the washing water supply amount to the second washing nozzle is smaller than the washing water supply amount to the urine collection container washing nozzle. A urine sampling device according to claim 1.