JPH08262016A - 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, in which cleaning water does not creep into the motor-driven drive part of a swing arm and which is excellent in a waterproofing property. CONSTITUTION: A swing arm 44 which carries and holds a urine sampling container 46 is supported by a frame 30 which is attached to the lower part of a toilet seat 18. A motor-driven drive part 48 is mounted on the frame 30, and a rotational motion and a translational motion are given to the swing arm 44. Due to the translational motion of the swing arm 44, the urine sampling container 46 comes in and out from a cleaning chamber which is arranged between the rim of a toilet stool and the toilet seat 18. Inside the cleaning chamber, the urine sampling container 46 is cleaned by cleaning water which is jetted from a cleaning nozzle 144. A guide groove is formed on the frame 30, and a shielding member 152 which is used to prevent the cleaning water from creeping into the motor-driven drive part 48 is guided.

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 bowl by driving the swing arm by the rotational movement and the translational movement to sample urine,
A urine sampling device has been proposed in which after use, a urine collection container is housed in a cleaning chamber between the front part of the rim of the toilet bowl and the toilet seat, and the urine collection container is cleaned by the cleaning water sprayed from the cleaning nozzle.

[0003]

In the device according to the above-mentioned proposal, a shield member which interlocks with the translational motion of the swing arm is provided to prevent the wash water of the urine collection container from entering the electric drive unit. Has become. However, if the shielding member malfunctions, the cleaning water may enter the electric drive unit and adversely affect the electric system. An object of the present invention is to improve the urine sampling device proposed above,
It is to improve the waterproofness of the electric drive unit.

[0004]

Configuration of the Invention

The present invention is characterized in that the above-mentioned proposed apparatus is provided with a guide means for guiding the shielding member along with the translational movement of the swing arm. Since the shielding member is positively guided in this manner, the shielding member slides smoothly in conjunction with the translational movement of the swing arm, and prevents the wash water from entering the electric drive unit.

[0005]

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 in the conventional case, the toilet seat 18 is supported on the upper surface of the rim of the toilet bowl 12 at, for example, four points. 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
Slider 8 to move in parallel with slider 84
4 is supported. 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,
A flexible tube 74 and leads 80 and 82 are passed therethrough.

The drive unit 48 further includes a swing arm 44.
A lever / cam mechanism 96 for restricting the rotational angle position of the urine collection container 46 is provided, and the position of the urine collection container 46 is controlled when the slider 84 is translated back and forth by the motor 90. That is, as can be seen from FIG. 4, the spindle 5 of the swing arm 44 is interposed between the two bearings 94.
A lever 98 is fitted to 6 to rotate integrally, and a cam follower 1 in the form of a roller is attached to the tip of the lever 98.
00 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 provided 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 back from its storage position by translational movement. When the cam follower 100 engages the inclined cam surface 108 of the cam plate 102,
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
Engages with the second horizontal cam surface 106 of the cam plate 102 (position C), and thereafter, translates to the rear end position (position D) while maintaining the rotational angle position of the swing arm 44.

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. A cleaning chamber cover 124 is rotatably supported by the cleaning chamber housing 122 so as to open and close an inlet to the cleaning chamber 112. 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.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the operating mechanism 128 includes a push rod 130 with which the slider 84 can be engaged, a swing lever 132, a link 134, a lever 136, a slide bar 138, and It comprises a lever 142 interlocking with the pivot 140 of the cover 124, and closes the cover 124 against the spring 126 as the slider 84 advances. As best seen in FIG. 7, the cover 124 has a recess 42 formed in the toilet seat 18.
Can be rotated using.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2 and 3, a cleaning nozzle 144 is arranged 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. 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 spindle 56 of the swing arm 44 has a shielding strip 1 made of a flexible resin such as polyester.
52 is engaged to prevent the cleaning water flowing out from the arm cleaning nozzle 150 from entering the drive unit 48,
The drive unit 48 is adapted to be protected from washing water.

As can be seen from FIG. 10, the frame 3
The peripheral wall 154 on the inner peripheral side of 0 is provided with a notch 156 having a width equal to the stroke of the translational movement of the swing arm 44, so that the translational movement of the swing arm is enabled. Inside the notch 156, a guide groove 158 is formed in the frame 30 along the notch 156 so that the lower end of the shielding strip 152 is engaged.

With such a structure, when the swing arm 44 moves in translation, the shielding band member 152 is guided by the guide groove 158 and slides smoothly in the guide groove 158. Since the lower end of the shielding strip 152 is engaged with the guide groove 158, the wash water is prevented from entering the electric drive unit 48.

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 160 extending rearward from the cleaning chamber 112 along the inner edge of the toilet seat 18.
As can be seen clearly from FIG. 7, these drainage channels 160 are inclined downward toward the rear, and a curved drain pipe 162 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 slope of the drainage channel 160 and is discharged from the drain pipe 162 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, the frame 3 of the electric drive unit 48 is provided.
0 is provided with a guide groove 158 for guiding the shielding member 152,
Since the shielding member 152 is positively guided when the swing arm moves in translation, the shielding member slides smoothly in conjunction with the swing arm and prevents the washing water from entering the electric drive unit 48. . Therefore, the cleaning water does not spill into the electric system, and the failure of the electric system can be avoided.

[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.

10 is a perspective view of a part of the frame as viewed along the XX cross section of FIG. 2;

[Explanation of symbols]

 18: Toilet seat 26: Urine sampling device 34: Toilet rim 44: Swing arm 46: Urine collection container 48: Electric drive unit 144: Urine collection container cleaning nozzle 152: Shielding member 158: Shielding member guide groove

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A swing arm carrying a urine collection container is rotatably and translationally supported by a frame attached to the lower surface of a toilet seat, and the swing arm is driven by an electric drive unit so that the urine collection container can be used when the urine collection container is used. In a urine sampling device that moves in the bowl space to sample urine and after use, stores a urine collection container between the front part of the rim of the toilet bowl and the toilet seat to clean the swing arm A urine sampling device, characterized in that an interlocking shield member is provided to prevent wash water from entering the electric drive unit, and guide means for guiding the shield member is provided in the frame.