JPH08304140A - Liquid-quantity measuring apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a liquid-quantity measuring apparatus, which can measure liquid quantity without requirement for a tank having a capacity that can contain a liquid to be measured, whose quantity is measured, at one time. CONSTITUTION: One end of a first conduit 12 is communicated with the bottom part of an input receiving tank 10, into which liquid to be measured flows through an opening. A first pinch valve 16 is provided at the first conduit 12. Furthermore, a float switch 18 is provided at the bottom part of the input receiving tank 10. The liquid to be measured flows into the input receiving tank 10, and the float switch 19 is floated. The continued time of the outputted signal is counted. The liquid quantity is operated in a central operating device based on the continued time and the preliminarily measured flow rate in the first conduit 12.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for measuring the amount of liquid such as urine, which is suitable for a urine test device for measuring the amount of urine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In hospitals and the like, the urine volume and urine specific gravity of urine excreted from a patient are measured as one of important clues for knowing the change in the condition of the patient.

Conventionally, in order to examine these urines,
In the toilet of the hospital, a shelf for storing the urine collected each time in a urine bottle etc. was provided, and the staff of the hospital measured these and recorded the measurement results. Then, a large amount of urine is stored for a long time, which is a major cause of bad odor and uncleanness. Therefore, an apparatus that can automatically measure the urine volume and the urine specific gravity of the collected urine has been desired.

In view of such a demand, the applicant of the present patent has proposed a urine test device for automatically measuring according to Japanese Patent Application No. 5-23508. In the technique, urine is flowed into a predetermined measuring tank, the liquid level position of urine in the measuring tank is measured,
The urine volume was calculated from the relationship between the liquid surface position and the liquid volume measured in advance. Then, from the inorganic components contained in urine, uric acid, urate salts, calcium oxalate, phosphates, etc. are deposited, and are easily attached to the means for measuring the inner surface of the measuring tank and the liquid surface position, etc. It is intended to devise how to eject the cleaning liquid so as not to adhere to the inner surface of the measuring tank and the liquid level measuring means.

[0005]

The technique proposed above has no deposit of deposits and is sufficiently practical. However, the volume of the measuring tank must be able to accommodate the urine collected at one time. The urine volume of urine collected from a patient varies greatly from patient to patient, and it is necessary to set a large allowable range. Therefore, the measuring tank has an extremely large volume, which causes a large urine test apparatus.

The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances as described above, and it is possible to measure a liquid amount without requiring a tank having a volume capable of accommodating a liquid to be measured whose liquid amount is measured at one time. An object of the present invention is to provide a liquid amount measuring device that can be used.

[0007]

In order to achieve such an object, the liquid amount measuring device of the present invention has one end of a conduit communicating with the bottom of a charging receiving tank into which a liquid to be measured flows and closing the conduit. Alternatively, a valve for controlling opening and closing is provided, a float switch is provided at the bottom of the charging receiving tank, and a time measuring means for measuring the duration of a signal output by the float switch floating, is provided. The liquid amount of the liquid to be measured is calculated by the calculating means based on the previously measured flow rate of the liquid to be measured passing through the conduit in the open state.

Control means for controlling the opening of the valve when the valve is closed and the liquid to be measured flows into the input receiving tank and the float switch floats to output the signal. It may be configured with.

Further, when the float switch floats when the valve is closed and the signal is output, and when the float switch descends from the float and the signal disappears. The second liquid amount remaining in the bottom of the input receiving tank and the conduit is measured in advance, and the first and second liquid amounts are calculated by the calculating means from the duration and the flow rate. The liquid amount may be calculated by adding it to the calculated value.

[0010]

[Operation] The flow rate through the conduit is almost constant and can be measured in advance. Then, the liquid to be measured that has flowed into the input receiving tank floats the float switch to output a signal. While this signal is output and the float switch is floating, the liquid to be measured passes through the conduit and flows out of the input receiving tank. Therefore, the duration for which the signal is output is measured, and the liquid amount of the liquid to be measured can be calculated from this duration and the flow rate. Since the amount of liquid is measured while the liquid to be measured flows,
It does not require a tank with a volume to be accommodated each time.

If the valve closes the conduit and the float switch outputs a signal to control the valve to open the conduit, the liquid to be measured must pass through the conduit before the float switch floats. There is no measurement error and it is sufficient.

Further, the first liquid amount necessary for the float switch to float and output a signal and the second liquid amount remaining when the float switch descends and the signal disappears are measured in advance, If these are added to the calculated value calculated from the duration of the signal, the measurement error can be further reduced.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.
Will be described with reference to. 1 is a structural diagram showing an embodiment of the liquid volume measuring device of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of a urine test device to which the liquid volume measuring device of the present invention is applied, and FIG. 3 is
It is a circuit block diagram used for the urine test apparatus shown in FIG.
FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the urine test apparatus shown in FIG.

First, the structure of a urine test device to which the liquid amount measuring device of the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. One end of the first conduit 12 communicates with the bottom of the input receiving tank 10 into which urine flows, and the other end communicates with the specific gravity measuring tank 14. The specific gravity measuring tank 14 is provided at a position lower than that of the input receiving tank 10, and the urine in the input receiving tank 10 is filled with the first conduit 1
It is arranged so as to naturally flow down into the specific gravity measuring tank 14 after passing through 2. The first conduit 12 is provided with a first pinch valve 16 which controls the first conduit 12 in the closed state and the open state. Furthermore, a float switch 18 is provided at the bottom of the charging receiving tank 10, and a signal is output when it floats. A small diameter portion 14a is provided at the bottom of the specific gravity measuring tank 14 so as to communicate downward, and a lower end is inserted into the small diameter portion 14a so that a specific gravity measuring float 20 is vertically movable. Moreover, the specific gravity measuring tank 14 has a bottom portion or a small diameter portion 14a.
One end of the second conduit 22 is opened for communication at a predetermined height position near the communication part of, and the other end is opened for communication with the drainage tank 24. The second conduit 22 is provided with a second pinch valve 26 for controlling the closing and opening of the second conduit 22. By controlling the opening of the second pinch valve 26, the specific gravity measuring tank 1
The urine in 4 is discharged and only the urine at a predetermined liquid surface position for measuring the specific gravity remains in the small diameter portion 14a. The height position of the specific gravity measuring float at the predetermined liquid surface position is detected by the sensor 28 provided along the upper end portion. Also,
A temperature sensor 30 that measures the temperature of urine is provided in the small diameter portion 14a. Further, one end of the third conduit 32 communicates with the bottom of the small-diameter portion 14a, and the other end thereof communicates with the drain tank 24.
The communication is opened. The third conduit 32 is provided with a third pinch valve 34 that controls closing and opening of the third conduit 32.
The drainage tank 24 is located below the small-diameter portion 14a so that the urine in the specific gravity measuring tank 14 will naturally flow down to the drainage tank 24 by controlling the opening of the second and third pinch valves 26, 34. Will be placed. Further, the small diameter portion 14a is communicated with the suction port of the suction pump 38 via the fourth conduit 36. A fourth pinch valve 40, which controls closing and opening of the fourth conduit 36, is interposed in the fourth conduit 36. The discharge port of the suction pump 38 is connected to the fifth conduit 42.
Through the sample collection nozzle 44. The sample collecting nozzle 44 is moved by a dispenser (not shown in FIG. 2) on a plurality of arranged sample containers to appropriately collect the sample. Then, a receiving container 46 is provided below the sample collecting nozzle 44, and the bottom portion thereof is the sixth conduit 4
8 to communicate with the drainage tank 24. Drainage tank 2
4 is communicated with the suction port of the drainage pump 52 via the seventh conduit 50, and is discharged from the drainage port of this drainage pump 52. The drain tank 24 is provided with two upper limit and lower limit detection float switches 54 and 56 for detecting the upper limit position and the lower limit position of the liquid surface, respectively.

Then, for example, washing water such as tap water is supplied to the solenoid valve 60 and an appropriate pipe through the aspirator 62,
It is arranged above the input receiving tank 10 and the specific gravity measuring tank 14, and the jet water is supplied to the jet nozzle so that the jet water flows spirally along the wall surface of the tank. The aspirator 62 appropriately mixes the detergent liquid from the detergent liquid tank 66, which is communicated via the pipe in which the fifth pinch valve 64 is interposed, with the cleaning water.
Further, the cleaning water that has passed through the electromagnetic valve 60 is supplied to an injection nozzle that is provided in the receiving container 46 and that cleans the sample collecting nozzle 44, by an appropriate pipe.

Then, as shown in FIG.
Pinch valves 16, 26, 34, 40, 64, solenoid valve 60, suction pump 38, drainage pump 52, and dispenser 7
0 is appropriately controlled by a control signal from the central processing unit 80. Here, the dispenser 70 appropriately moves the sample collection nozzle 44 onto the sample container, and the suction pump 3
The urine is dispensed into the sample container by a predetermined amount in cooperation with the sample container 8. Further, signals are provided to the central processing unit 80 from the float switch 18, the sensor 28, the temperature sensor 30, the upper and lower limit detection float switches 54 and 56, and the starting switch 72. Here, although not shown in FIG. 2, the activation switch 72 is provided, for example, in conjunction with opening and closing of the lid of the input receiving tank 10 and flows into the urine test device to inspect urine excreted by the patient. In order to do so, the device is configured to be activated by opening the lid of the charging receiving tank 10.

Next, the essential part of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. Although the float switch 18 is provided at the bottom of the charging receiving tank 10, the bottom of the charging receiving tank 10 is formed with a small diameter such that the float of the float switch 18 can be moved up and down. As a result, a high level of liquid is obtained with a small amount of urine, and the float switch 18 floats up with respect to a small amount of urine, and the sensitivity of the float switch 18 becomes sensitive accordingly. Further, the first conduit 12 is made of a flexible rubber tube having a small inner diameter and the like, and is closed by the projecting pressing of the projecting pin of the first pinch valve 16 and opened by being stored.

By the way, the first conduit 12 in the open state
The flow rate Q passing through is measured in advance. This flow rate Q strictly changes depending on the viscosity of the liquid passing through and the height of the head of the liquid in the input receiving tank 10, but in the case of urine, the viscosity is almost constant, and the difference in the head has a great influence. According to the experiment of the present inventor, the change of the flow rate Q can be neglected practically. So urine is the first conduit 1
By measuring the time for passing 2 as the duration T of the signal that the float switch 18 floats and outputs,
The liquid volume V can be easily calculated from the duration T and the flow rate Q.

Further, the first pinch valve 16 allows the first
When the conduit 12 is closed, the flow switch 18 is lifted and a first liquid amount V1 required for outputting a signal is measured in advance. Furthermore, when the first conduit 12 is open,
When the float switch 18 descends from the floating state and the signal disappears, the second liquid amount V2 remaining in the bottom of the charging receiving tank 10 and in the first conduit 12 is measured in advance. The second liquid amount V2 is a known liquid amount obtained by adding a first liquid amount V1 to the calculated liquid amount V by pouring a known liquid having a liquid amount Vs into the receiving tank 10 in advance. It can be measured from the difference from Vs.

Further, the operation of the urine test apparatus shown in FIG. 2 will be described with reference to FIG. These operation controls are processed by software by the central processing unit 80 shown in FIG. First, the lid or the like of the charging receiving tank 10 is opened, and the central processing unit 80 sets the device to the initial state by a signal from the start switch 72. That is, all of the first to fifth pinch valves 16, 26, 34, 40, 64 are controlled to be closed (step 1). Then, urine is put in the receiving tank 10
When the float switch 18 floats up and a signal is output (step 3), the first pinch valve 16 is opened (step 4) and at the same time, the central processing unit 80 starts the timing operation. (Step 5). If the float switch 18 continues to output a signal (step 6), the central processing unit 80 determines the duration T
And the flow rate Q to calculate the urine volume (step 7), and when the calculated urine volume matches a predetermined volume (step 8), the fourth pinch valve 40, the suction pump 38 and the dispenser 70 are controlled appropriately. Then, a sample is collected (step 9). Here, the predetermined amount in step 8 is equal to or more than the total amount necessary to fill the small diameter portion 14a of the bottom of the specific gravity measuring tank 14 to measure the specific gravity with the specific gravity measuring float 20 and the amount to be dispensed in sample collection. If it is good. Then, when the sample collection is completed, the second pinch valve 26 is opened (step 10). When the second pinch valve 26 is opened, the amount of urine other than the amount of urine necessary for measuring the specific gravity is discharged to the drainage tank 24 via the second conduit 22. Therefore, the specific gravity measuring tank 14 may have a smaller volume than the measured liquid amount. Of course, in step 8, when the calculated urine volume first matches a predetermined volume, sampling is performed only once. Then, the signal of the float switch 18 is monitored before the sample is collected and after the second pinch valve 26 is opened. When the signal from the float switch 18 disappears,
The timing operation is ended (step 11). If the signal of the float switch 18 disappears before the calculated urine amount reaches a predetermined amount, the sample collection is not performed and the timing operation is ended. Here, if the urine volume has not reached the predetermined volume, the second pinch valve 26 is not opened, so it is opened (step 12). Second pinch valve 2
When 6 is opened, the height of the liquid surface of the specific gravity measuring tank 14 becomes constant and the height of the specific gravity measuring float 20 becomes stable (step 13). Then, the height of the specific gravity measuring float 20 and the output of the temperature sensor 30 cause The specific gravity is calculated by the central processing unit 80 (step 14). Whether the liquid level of the specific gravity measuring tank 14 is constant or not can be determined by whether the output of the sensor 28 for detecting the height of the specific gravity measuring float 20 is changed or constant. Further, the liquid amount V is calculated from the duration T and the flow rate Q of the signal of the float switch 18 obtained by the time counting operation, and the calculated value is the first and second liquid amounts V1,2.
And the urine volume is calculated by the central processing unit 80 (step 15). If the calculated urine volume is equal to or less than the predetermined volume (step 16), since the sample has not yet been collected, the sample including the urine required for the specific gravity measurement is collected here (step 17). If the sample collection is completed or the calculated urine volume is equal to or larger than the predetermined volume, the sample collection has already been performed, and the third pinch valve 34 is immediately opened to discharge the urine to the drainage tank 24 (step 17). . Thereafter, the electromagnetic valve 60 is opened to start cleaning (step 18), and after cleaning for a predetermined time, the electromagnetic valve 60 is closed to complete cleaning (step 1).
9), the operation is ended. If the calculated urine volume does not reach the volume required for the specific gravity measurement, the measured specific gravity is regarded as an error.

The control of the drainage pump 52 is performed independently of the operation of measuring the urine volume and the urine specific gravity. That is, when the liquid level rises and a signal is output from the upper limit detection float switch 54, the drainage pump 52 is driven, and when the liquid level falls and a signal is output from the lower limit detection float switch 56, the drainage pump 52. Drive is stopped,
It is controlled by the central processing unit 80. Further, the drainage pump 52 is operated by the central processing unit 80 according to the total amount of urine input from the state where the signal is output from the lower limit detection float switch 56, without depending on the detection signal of the upper limit detection float switch 54. It may be controlled. The fifth pinch valve 64 may be controlled such that the detergent liquid is mixed into the cleaning water from the detergent liquid tank 66 for each cleaning, but not for each cleaning but for each predetermined period or for each predetermined period. The detergent liquid may be mixed every measurement.

When the signal is output from the timing means for measuring the duration of the signal output from the float switch 18, the arithmetic means for calculating the liquid amount, and the float switch 18, the opening control of the first pinch valve 16 is performed. In the above embodiments, the control means are all processed by software in the central processing unit 80.

In the liquid volume measuring device of the present invention as described above, the liquid volume is calculated by measuring the time during which the liquid to be measured flows down the first conduit 12 and calculating the liquid volume. It does not require a tank with a volume that can be stored once. And
In the present invention, there is no limitation on the amount of liquid that can be measured. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, if it is used in a urine test device or the like, it is suitable for downsizing of the entire device. And
If the first pinch valve 16 is opened when the float switch 18 floats and outputs a signal, delay in the float of the float switch 18 is prevented when the flow rate of the liquid to be measured flowing into the receiving tank 10 is small. Therefore, the measurement accuracy of the flow rate is improved. Further, if the first liquid amount V1 required until the float switch 18 floats up and the second liquid amount V2 remaining when the float switch 18 descends are added to the calculated value to correct this, the liquid amount measurement accuracy Is further improved, which is suitable for measuring a small amount of liquid.

FIG. 5 shows the urine test apparatus shown in FIG.
6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of an operation different from that in FIG. 4. The operation shown in FIG. 5 is provided in place of the step between step 5 and step 12 of the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 to check whether or not the urine volume has reached a predetermined volume for sample collection. The height of the specific gravity measuring float is used for the determination, and even if all the urine that has flowed into the charging receiving tank 10 flows down and the signal of the float switch 18 disappears, urine is added again within a predetermined time. When inflowing, the total urine volume is calculated, which is different from that in FIG.

The difference in operation will be described in detail below. If the timing operation is started (step 5) and the signal is continuously output from the float switch 18 (step 6), the sensor 28 detects the height of the upper end of the specific gravity measuring float 20, and the predetermined height is reached. If it rises above, it can be determined that a sufficient amount of urine for collecting a sample has flowed into the specific gravity measuring tank 14 (step 3).
0). Therefore, sample collection is performed (step 3
1) Then, the second pinch valve 26 is opened (step 32). It should be noted that sampling and collection are performed only when the specific gravity measuring float 20 floats to a predetermined height for the first time. During this time, the signal of the float switch 18 is constantly monitored. In step 6 of this monitoring, when the signal of the float switch 18 disappears, the timing operation is interrupted (step 33) and at the same time the first pinch valve 16 is closed (step 34). Then, it is monitored whether or not the float switch 18 floats again to output a signal (step 35), and if the signal is output again, the first pinch valve 16 is opened again (step 36), and at the same time. The timekeeping operation is restarted (step 37), and the process returns to step 6. If the signal of the float switch 18 is not output in step 35, this is monitored for a predetermined time (step 3
8) If the signal from the float switch 18 is output within the predetermined time, the process returns to step 35, and if the signal is not output again within the predetermined time, the timing operation is terminated from the interruption (step 39). Then, the first pinch valve 16 is opened (step 40), and if the amount of urine has not reached the predetermined amount thereafter, the second pinch valve 26 is not opened, so this is opened (step 12). Step 1
After 2, the operation is similar to that shown in FIG.

In the operation shown in FIG. 5, the input receiving tank 1
Even if all the urine that has flowed into 0 flows down, if it flows in again within a predetermined time, the total urine volume is calculated. In addition, the sufficient urine volume necessary for collecting the sample is measured by the specific gravity measuring tank 14
Whether or not it has flowed into the inside is determined from the floating height of the specific gravity measuring float 20, so that it is not necessary to repeatedly calculate the urine volume until a predetermined amount is reached as in the operation of FIG. It is only necessary to calculate the urine volume at this time, the number of calculations is small, and the calculation speed does not need to be high.

FIG. 6 shows the urine test apparatus shown in FIG.
6 is a flowchart illustrating an example of another operation different from those in FIGS. 4 and 5. The operation shown in FIG. 6 is provided instead of the step between step 5 and step 16 in the flowchart shown in FIG.
The urine volume is calculated only once when all the urine that has flowed in flows down into the specific gravity measuring tank 14 and the signal of the float switch 18 disappears. It should be noted that the specific gravity measuring tank 14 needs a volume capable of accommodating the entire amount of urine.

The difference in operation will be described in detail below. When the timing operation in FIG. 4 is started (step 5), the signal is continuously monitored from the float switch 18 (step 50), and when the signal disappears, the timing operation is terminated (step 50). 51). Then, the urine volume is calculated from the duration T obtained by the time counting operation (step 52). If the calculated urine amount is larger than the predetermined amount (step 53), the sample is collected here (step 54). When the sample collection is completed, the second pinch valve 26 is opened (step 55),
When the height of the specific gravity measuring float 20 becomes stable (Step 5
6) The specific gravity of urine is calculated by the central processing unit 80 from the height of the specific gravity measuring float 20 and the output of the temperature sensor 30 (step 57). After that, the operation of step 16 of FIG. 4 is performed and is the same as that of FIG. If the calculated urine volume is less than the predetermined volume in step 53, there is not enough urine to collect the sample, and therefore the sample is collected in step 55.
Second pinch valve 26 is opened (step 5).
5).

In the operation shown in FIG. 6, the calculation of the urine amount may be performed once when the signal of the float switch 18 disappears, and it is not necessary to perform the calculation at high speed, and the calculation is extremely easy. is there.

In the above embodiment, an example in which the liquid volume measuring device of the present invention is applied to the measurement of urine volume has been described, but the liquid to be measured is not limited to urine, and the first conduit 12 is almost the same. It is possible to measure the amount of any liquid flowing down at a constant flow rate Q. Further, in order to keep the flow rate Q flowing down the first conduit 12 constant, an appropriate orifice may be provided in the first conduit 12. If the specific gravity measuring tank 14 is also washed with the washing water flowing into the input receiving tank 10, the specific gravity measuring tank 1
It is not necessary to spout the washing water on the upper end of No. 4. In this case, it goes without saying that the second, third and fourth pinch valves 26, 34 and 40 are appropriately controlled to be opened and closed. Furthermore, although the sample collection is performed in each of the above-described embodiments, the sample collection may not be performed. Further, it may be possible to appropriately select whether or not to collect the sample by setting the conditions.

[0031]

As described above, since the liquid amount measuring device of the present invention is constructed, the following special effects are obtained.

In the liquid quantity measuring device according to claim 1,
It is suitable for downsizing of the apparatus, since a tank having a capacity for accommodating the liquid to be measured at one time is not required. Moreover, there is no limitation on the amount of liquid that can be measured, and the present invention can be applied to an apparatus in which the liquid amount of a liquid to be measured changes greatly each time measurement is performed.

In the liquid amount measuring device according to the second aspect, since the float switch floats up and outputs a signal with a small amount of liquid, the float switch operates with high sensitivity, and the liquid amount measuring device can measure the liquid amount accordingly. Measurement error can be reduced.

Further, in the liquid amount measuring device according to the third aspect, the first liquid amount required until the float switch is lifted up and a signal is output, and the float switch is lowered so that the signal disappears. Since the remaining second liquid amount is sometimes added to the calculated value for correction, the measurement accuracy is improved accordingly.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram showing an embodiment of a liquid volume measuring device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of a urine test device to which the liquid volume measuring device of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 3 is a circuit block diagram used in the urine test apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the urine test apparatus shown in FIG.

5 is a flowchart explaining an example of an operation different from that in FIG. 4 in the urine test apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart explaining an example of another operation different from those in FIGS. 4 and 5 in the urine test apparatus shown in FIG. 2.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Input Receiving Tank 12 First Conduit 16 First Pinch Valve 18 Float Switch 80 Central Processing Unit

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A valve for opening and closing one end of a conduit at a bottom portion of a charging receiving tank into which a liquid to be measured flows, and a valve for controlling the closing or opening of the conduit, and a float switch provided at a bottom portion of the charging receiving tank. The float switch is provided with a timing means for measuring the duration of the signal output by floating, and calculated by the measured duration and the pre-measured flow rate of the measured liquid passing through the conduit in the open state. A liquid volume measuring device, characterized in that the liquid volume of the liquid to be measured is calculated by means. 2. The liquid amount measuring device according to claim 1,
A control means is provided which controls the opening of the valve when the valve is closed and the liquid to be measured flows into the input receiving tank and the float switch floats and the signal is output. Characteristic liquid volume measuring device. 3. The liquid amount measuring device according to claim 2,
The first liquid amount necessary for the float switch to float and the signal to be output when the valve is closed, and the amount of the liquid in the input receiving tank when the float switch descends from the float and the signal disappears. The second liquid amount remaining in the bottom and in the conduit is measured in advance, and the calculation means adds the first and second liquid amounts to a calculated value calculated from the duration and the flow rate. A liquid amount measuring device characterized in that the liquid amount measuring device is configured to calculate the liquid amount.