TWI842049B - Intelligent urine flow detecting system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

An intelligent urine flow detecting system is configured to measure a urine data of the urine urinated by a user and includes a sensor, an urine storing box, a toilet bowl, an uroflowmeter and a controller. The sensor generates a use signal when a user is detected and a leave signal when user is undetected for a time length threshold value. The urine storing box is configured to store the urine urinated by the user. The toilet bowl is configured to receive and guide the urine urinated by the user to the urine storing box. The uroflowmeter is configured to compute the weight of the urine storing box to generate a urine flow speed the urine data. The controller controls the uroflowmeter to start according to the use signal and transmits the urine data to a data processing device according to the leave signal and the flow speed.

Description

Intelligent urine flow detection system and method

The present invention relates to the field of detection, and in particular, to an intelligent urine flow detection system and method.

Urine testing is one of the common methods to assess the health of the body, and urine flow testing is one of the examination items in urine testing. Urine flow testing is a convenient, simple, non-invasive and non-contact test, and urine flow testing can evaluate whether the patient's urinary system is normal. Urine flow testing devices are used to perform urine flow testing and have been widely used in medical institutions. Medical personnel can use the urine flow curve and other parameters measured by the urine flow testing device to determine whether the patient has urinary diseases (such as prostate cancer, chronic prostatitis, urethral stenosis, chronic cystitis, lower urinary tract infection, urination dysfunction, etc.).

Generally speaking, a urine flow test device includes a funnel, a urine storage container, and a uroflowmeter. When a user or patient performs a urine flow test, the user or patient first urinates into the funnel, and then the funnel guides the urine into the urine storage container. Finally, the uroflowmeter calculates the change in urine volume in the urine storage container to generate the urine flow test result. However, the urine flow test devices currently on the market are all independent devices. When the user or patient finishes the test, the urine in the urine storage container needs to be manually poured out and cleaned before it can be used by the next user, thereby increasing labor costs and reducing convenience. Furthermore, since urine is excrement and may contain many pathogens, if the funnel and urine storage container of the urine flow detection device are not cleaned regularly, the cleanliness of the environment will be reduced. The funnel and urine storage container of the urine flow detection device are currently still cleaned manually, which also reduces practicality and convenience.

Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new urine flow detection system and detection method to solve the problems of existing technologies.

In view of this, one scope of the present invention provides an intelligent urine flow detection system to solve the problems of the existing technology.

In one embodiment, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention is used to measure the urine volume data of urine discharged by the user. The intelligent urine flow detection system includes a sensor, a urine storage box, a toilet, a urine flow meter and a controller. The sensor is used to detect the user, wherein the sensor generates a use signal when the user is detected, and generates an exit signal when the user is not detected and the time length threshold is reached. The urine storage box has a storage space for accommodating the urine discharged by the user. The toilet is used to receive the urine discharged by the user and guide the urine through the guide outlet to the storage space of the urine storage box. The urine flow meter is connected to the urine storage box and is used to measure the weight in the urine storage box to calculate the urine flow rate and urine volume data corresponding to the urine discharged by the user. The controller is connected to the sensor and the urine flow meter. The controller controls the start of the uroflowmeter according to the use signal, and transmits urine volume data to the data processing device according to the exit signal and urine flow rate.

The urine storage box includes a main body and an upper cover, and the upper cover is detachably arranged on the main body.

The intelligent urine flow detection system further includes an identification module connected to a controller. The identification module is used to confirm the identity of the user and generate a confirmation signal, and the controller controls the activation of the urine flow meter according to the usage signal and the confirmation signal.

The intelligent urine flow detection system further includes a water outlet pipe and a first control valve. The water outlet pipe is connected to the storage space of the urine storage box. The first control valve is arranged between the water outlet pipe and the urine storage box and is connected to the controller. The controller is used to control the first control valve to open so that the urine contained in the urine storage box flows through the water outlet pipe to a sewage pipe, wherein the sewage pipe does not contact the urine storage box.

In one embodiment, the intelligent urine flow detection system further includes a water pump and a water outlet pipe. The water outlet pipe is connected to the storage space of the urine storage box, and the water pump is arranged on the sewage pipe and connected to the controller and the water outlet pipe. The controller is used to control the water pump to discharge the urine in the urine storage box to the sewage pipe through the water outlet pipe, wherein the water outlet pipe does not contact the urine storage box.

Furthermore, the intelligent urine flow detection system includes a second control valve and a third control valve connected to the controller, and the sewage pipe includes a first sewage pipe and a second sewage pipe. The first sewage pipe is connected to the guide outlet of the toilet and the storage space of the urine storage box, and the third control valve is arranged in the first sewage pipe. The second sewage pipe is connected to the first sewage pipe and is located between the toilet and the third control valve, and the second control valve is arranged in the second sewage pipe. The outlet pipe is connected to the second sewage pipe. When the controller receives a use signal, the controller closes the first control valve and the second control valve and opens the third control valve.

Among them, the intelligent urine flow detection system includes a water supply tank connected to the toilet and the controller and used to provide a cleaning water. The controller controls the water supply tank to provide cleaning water and closes the second control valve and opens the first control valve and the third control valve according to the exit signal to clean the urine storage box.

Furthermore, the intelligent urine flow detection system includes a vacuum pump disposed on the second sewage pipe and connected to a controller. The controller controls the water supply tank to provide cleaning water and controls the vacuum pump to start and close the first control valve and the third control valve and open the second control valve according to a cleaning signal to clean the toilet.

The controller pre-stores a weight threshold. When the controller controls the water supply tank to provide cleaning water and the urine flow meter measures that the weight of the urine storage box is greater than the weight threshold, the controller generates a warning signal.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a smart urine flow detection method for measuring the urine volume data of a user discharging urine into a urine storage box in a toilet. The smart urine flow detection method includes the following steps: generating a use signal when a user is detected; controlling the activation of the urine flowmeter according to the use signal; the urine flowmeter measures the weight of the urine storage box to calculate the urine flow rate and urine volume data of the corresponding urine; and generating a departure signal when the user is not detected to reach a time length threshold, and transmitting the urine volume data to a data processing device according to the departure signal and the urine flow rate.

Among them, the step of controlling the activation of the uroflowmeter according to the usage signal further includes the following steps: confirming the identity of the user and generating a confirmation signal; and controlling the activation of the uroflowmeter according to the usage signal and the confirmation signal.

Among them, the intelligent urine flow detection method further includes the following steps: providing cleaning water to clean the urine storage box according to the exit signal.

Furthermore, the intelligent urine flow detection method further includes the following steps: when the flow rate of the corresponding cleaning water calculated by the urine flow meter is less than the flow rate threshold or the weight of the urine storage box measured by the urine flow meter is greater than the weight threshold, a warning signal is generated.

In summary, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can be combined with various toilets and uroflowmeters, so that users can urinate in the urinal of the toilet and perform urine flow detection at the same time, thereby improving efficiency and convenience. In addition, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can identify the user corresponding to the urine volume data generated by the uroflowmeter through the identification module, thereby improving detection efficiency. Furthermore, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can automatically discharge urine from the urine storage box and automatically clean the toilet and urine storage box without manual cleaning by controlling multiple valves through the controller, which can improve convenience and willingness to use and reduce labor costs. Furthermore, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention also has the function of detecting overflow of the urine storage box for troubleshooting. In addition, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can switch between a general toilet or a toilet with urine flow detection according to the needs of the user, thereby improving practicality.

1, 2, 3, 4: Intelligent urine flow detection system

10, 20, 30, 40: Toilet

14, 24, 34, 44: water outlet pipe

101, 201, 4011: Guided exits

151, 251, 451: First control valve

102: Catheter

252, 452: Second control valve

11: Main control box

253, 453: Third control valve

111:Sensor

16: Water inlet pipe

112: Controller

161, 361: Water inlet valve

113: Identification module

325: Pumping port

12, 22, 32, 42: Urine storage box

37: Water pump

120, 220, 320, 420: Accommodation space

401: Toilet

402: Water supply tank

121, 321: ontology

48: Vacuum pump

122, 322: Upper cover

5: Data processing device

123, 223: Urine collection port

7: Sewage pipe

124: Water outlet

71: First sewage pipe

13, 23, 33, 43: Uroflowmeter

72: Second sewage pipe

131:Weight sensor

S1~S10: Steps

132: Transmission module

FIG1 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a smart urine flow detection system according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

FIG2 is a cross-sectional view of the intelligent urine flow detection system according to FIG1.

FIG3 is a functional block diagram of a smart urine flow detection system according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

FIG4 is a flowchart showing the steps of a smart urine flow detection method according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

FIG5 is a cross-sectional view of a smart urine flow detection system according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

FIG6 is a schematic diagram showing the structure of a smart urine flow detection system according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the intelligent urine flow detection system according to FIG. 6 .

FIG8 is a cross-sectional view of a smart urine flow detection system according to one specific embodiment of the present invention.

Figures 9A to 9C are cross-sectional views of the smart urine flow detection system in Figure 8 in different working states.

In order to make the advantages, spirit and features of the present invention easier and clearer to understand, the following will be described and discussed in detail with reference to the attached drawings using specific embodiments. It is worth noting that these specific embodiments are only representative specific embodiments of the present invention, and the specific methods, devices, conditions, materials, etc. cited therein are not used to limit the present invention or the corresponding specific embodiments. In addition, the devices in the figure are only used to express their relative positions and are not drawn according to their actual proportions, which should be explained in advance.

Please refer to Figures 1, 2 and 3. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a smart urine flow detection system 1 according to one specific embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the smart urine flow detection system 1 according to Figure 1. Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of the smart urine flow detection system 1 according to one specific embodiment of the present invention. The smart urine flow detection system 1 of the present invention is used to measure the urine volume data of the urine discharged by the user. As shown in Figures 1 to 3, in this specific embodiment, the smart urine flow detection system 1 includes a toilet 10, a main control box 11, a urine storage box 12 and a urine flow meter 13. The main control box 11 is coupled to the toilet 10 and is located above the toilet 10. The urine storage box 12 is arranged below the toilet 10. And the urine flow meter 13 is connected to the bottom of the urine storage box 12. Furthermore, the main control box 11 includes a sensor 111 and a controller 112, and the controller 112 is connected to the sensor 111 and the uroflowmeter 13.

In this specific embodiment, the toilet 10 has a guide outlet 101, the urine storage box 12 has a storage space 120, and the guide outlet 101 is connected to the storage space 120. The toilet 10 is used to receive urine discharged by the user and guide the urine through the guide outlet 101 to the urine storage box 12, and the storage space 120 of the urine storage box 12 is used to accommodate and store the urine discharged by the user. In practice, the toilet 10 can be a urinal, and the urinal can be hung and fixed on the wall. The guide outlet 101 can be located at the bottom of the urinal, and the urinal can further include a conduit 102 connecting the guide outlet 101 and the storage space 120 of the urine storage box 12. The urine storage box 12 includes a body 121 and an upper cover 122, and the upper cover 122 is detachably disposed on the body 121. The upper cover 122 of the urine storage box 12 may include a urine collection port 123 connected to the storage space 120. Furthermore, the conduit 102 of the urinal may pass through the urine collection port 123 of the urine storage box 12. Therefore, the user may urinate into the urinal, and the urinal may collect urine so that the urine passes through the guide outlet 101 and the conduit 102 and flows into the urine storage box 12. It is worth noting that the toilet in this specific example is a urinal, but it is not limited to this in practice. The toilet may also be a structure, element or device that collects and guides urine.

In this specific embodiment, the uroflowmeter 13 is used to measure the weight of the urine storage box 12 to calculate the urine flow rate and urine volume data corresponding to the urine discharged by the user. In practice, the uroflowmeter 13 may include a weight sensor 131, and the weight sensor 131 is used to contact and support the urine storage box 12. When the user urinates into the urinal, the urine continues to pass through the catheter 102 and flows into the urine storage box 12. At this time, the weight sensor 131 of the uroflowmeter 13 can continuously measure the weight of the urine storage box 12 to calculate the urine flow rate in the urine storage box 12. In other words, the uroflowmeter 13 can measure the flow rate of the urine discharged by the user, thereby generating urine volume data corresponding to the user.

It is worth noting that, as shown in FIG. 2 , the size of the urine collection port 123 of the urine storage box 12 is larger than the outer diameter of the urinal conduit 102, and the weight sensor 131 can be located at the upper edge of the body of the uroflowmeter 13, so that there is a gap between the urine storage box 12 and the body of the uroflowmeter 13. In other words, the urine storage box 12 only contacts the weight sensor 131 of the uroflowmeter 13 and does not contact other components. Therefore, the uroflowmeter 13 can truly measure and calculate the user's urine volume data without being affected by other components, thereby improving accuracy.

In this specific embodiment, the sensor 111 of the main control box 11 is used to detect the user. When the sensor 111 senses the user, a use signal is generated, and when the sensor 111 does not sense the user for a time length threshold, a leave signal is generated. In practice, the sensor 111 can be an infrared sensor, and the emitting tube of the infrared sensor can emit infrared rays to sense the surroundings of the urinal. When the user urinates in the urinal, the user can reflect the infrared light emitted by the transmitting tube, and the receiving tube of the infrared sensor can receive the infrared light reflected by the user. At this time, the sensor 111 generates a use signal; and when the user finishes urinating and leaves the urinal, the receiving tube of the infrared sensor cannot receive the infrared light emitted by the transmitting tube. At this time, the sensor 111 will record the length of time that the receiving tube does not receive the infrared light. When the length of time reaches the time length threshold, the sensor 111 generates a departure signal. In practice, the time length threshold can be 5 seconds, but is not limited to this.

In this specific embodiment, the controller 112 of the main control box 11 controls the uroflowmeter 13 to start according to the use signal generated by the sensor 111, and transmits the urine volume data to the data processing device 5 according to the exit signal generated by the sensor 111 and the urine flow rate calculated by the uroflowmeter 13. In practice, the controller 112 can be a central processing unit (CPU) or a control chip. When the controller 112 receives the use signal generated by the sensor 111, the controller 112 will determine that the user is in front of the urinal and wants to urinate. At this time, the controller 112 controls the uroflowmeter 13 to start and monitors the urine flow rate calculated by the uroflowmeter 13 at the same time. Further, the controller 112 can pre-store the time length threshold. When the controller 112 receives the exit signal generated by the sensor 111 and detects that the urine flow rate calculated by the uroflowmeter 13 is 0, and the controller 112 detects that the length of time when the urine flow rate is 0 reaches the time length threshold, the controller 112 will determine that the user has finished urinating and left the urinal. At this time, the controller 112 controls the uroflowmeter 13 to transmit the urine volume data to the data processing device 5. In practice, the time length thresholds stored in the sensor 111 and the controller 112 can be the same.

In practice, the uroflowmeter 13 may further include a transmission module 132 connected to the weight sensor 131, and the data processing device 5 may be a smart phone, a cloud server, or a remote host, etc. The transmission module 132 may be a signal transmitter and may transmit the urine volume data calculated by the weight sensor 131 to the data processing device 5 via wireless transmission (such as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, ZigBee, etc.). For example, the user's smart phone may be installed with an application corresponding to the uroflowmeter or a medical institution. When the user finishes urinating and leaves the urinal, the controller can control the uroflowmeter to transmit urine volume data to the user's smartphone via Bluetooth. In another embodiment, when the user finishes urinating and leaves the urinal, the controller can control the uroflowmeter to transmit urine volume data to the cloud server or remote host of the medical institution via Wi-Fi, so that medical staff can grasp the user's physiological condition at any time. Furthermore, medical staff can also analyze the urine volume data stored in the cloud server or remote host and generate an analysis report, and then transmit the analysis report to the user's smartphone.

Furthermore, the main control box 11 may also include an identification module 113 for confirming the identity of the user and generating a confirmation signal. In practice, the identification module 113 may include a sensor chip and a storage unit, and the storage unit may pre-store the user's identity data. Before the user wants to perform a urine flow test, the user may first bring a magnetic card storing the identity data close to the sensor chip using near field wireless communication (NFC). When the sensor chip reads the identity data in the magnetic card and determines that the identity data in the magnetic card matches the identity data in the storage unit, the sensor chip generates a confirmation signal. In another embodiment, the identification module may include a camera, a face recognition chip, and a storage unit, and the storage unit may pre-store the user's feature data. When the user wants to detect urine volume and is in front of the urinal, the camera can first take a picture of the user's face. When the face recognition chip determines that the face image taken by the camera matches the feature data in the storage unit, the face recognition chip generates a confirmation signal. After the controller 112 receives the use signal generated by the sensor 111 and the confirmation signal generated by the identification module 113 at the same time, the controller 112 controls the uroflowmeter 13 to start. In addition, when the controller 112 controls the uroflowmeter 13 to transmit the urine volume data to the data processing device 5, the controller 112 can also transmit the user's identity data corresponding to the urine volume data to the data processing device 5.

Please refer to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 4 is a flowchart showing the steps of a smart urine flow detection method according to one specific embodiment of the present invention. The steps of the smart urine flow detection method of Figure 4 can be achieved by the smart urine flow detection system 1 of Figures 1 to 3. As shown in Figure 4, the operation process of the smart urine flow detection system 1 of the present invention includes: Step S1: Whether the sensor 111 detects the user. If the detection result is no, then return to step S1 and continue to detect; if the detection result is yes, then execute step S2: the sensor 111 generates a use signal; step S3: the identification module 113 confirms the identity of the user and generates a confirmation signal; step S4: the controller 112 controls the uroflowmeter 13 to start according to the use signal and the confirmation signal; step S5: the uroflowmeter 13 measures the weight of the urine storage box 12 to calculate the urine flow rate and urine volume data; step S6: the controller 112 determines whether the departure signal generated by the sensor 111 is received, the urine flow rate calculated by the uroflowmeter 13 is 0, and the time length of the urine flow rate being 0 reaches the time length threshold. If the judgment result is no, then return to step S6 and continue detection; if the judgment result is yes, then execute step S7: the controller 112 controls the urine flow meter 13 to transmit the urine volume data to the data processing device 5.

In practice, when a user wants to perform a urine flow test, the sensor 111 of the smart urine flow test system 1 will detect the user to generate a use signal, and the identification module 113 will confirm the identity of the user and generate a confirmation signal, and the controller 112 will control the uroflowmeter 13 to start according to the use signal and the confirmation signal. When the user urinates, the toilet 10 of the smart urine flow test system 1 will collect and guide urine into the urine storage box 12, and the uroflowmeter 13 will continuously measure and calculate the urine flow rate and real-time urine volume data of the urine storage box 12. When the user finishes urinating and leaves, the sensor 111 of the smart urine flow detection system 1 generates an exit signal when it has not detected the user for a certain period of time, and when the urine flow rate calculated by the uroflowmeter 13 is 0 for a certain period of time, the controller 112 controls the uroflowmeter 13 to transmit the urine volume data corresponding to the user to the data processing device 5. Therefore, the smart urine flow detection system of the present invention can combine the toilet with the uroflowmeter, so that the user can also perform urine flow detection while urinating in the urinal of the toilet, thereby improving efficiency, convenience and cleanliness, and reducing labor costs. In addition, the smart urine flow detection system of the present invention can identify the user corresponding to the urine volume data generated by the uroflowmeter through the identification module, thereby improving the detection efficiency. It is worth noting that in another specific embodiment, when the intelligent urine flow detection system 1 is only used by a single user and only needs to measure the urine volume data of a single user, the controller 112 can only control the activation of the urine flow meter according to the usage signal without identifying the identity of the user through the identification module.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 , in this specific embodiment, the intelligent urine flow detection system 1 further includes a water outlet pipe 14 and a first control valve 151. The water outlet pipe 14 is connected to the storage space 120 of the urine storage box 12. The first control valve 151 is arranged between the water outlet pipe 14 and the urine storage box 12 and connected to the controller 112. In practice, the urine storage box 12 may include a water outlet 124 connected to the storage space 120 and located on the side wall of the body 121 of the urine storage box 12. One end of the water outlet pipe 14 corresponds to the water outlet 124, and the first control valve 151 is located between the water outlet 124 and the water outlet pipe 14. Furthermore, the other end of the water outlet pipe 14 is connected to the sewage pipe 7. After the controller 112 receives the exit signal generated by the sensor 111 and controls the uroflowmeter 13 to transmit the urine volume data corresponding to the user to the data processing device 5, the controller 112 can control the first control valve 151 to open so that the urine in the urine storage box 12 flows through the outlet pipe 14 to the sewage pipe 7. Therefore, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can automatically discharge the urine in the urine storage box by controlling the valve by the controller without manual cleaning, thereby improving convenience and reducing labor costs. It is worth noting that, as shown in Figure 2, the outer diameter of the outlet pipe 14 is smaller than the size of the sewage pipe 7. In other words, the urine storage box 12 will not contact the sewage pipe 7. Therefore, the uroflowmeter 13 can truly measure and calculate the user's urine volume data without being affected by the attraction or tension of the sewage pipe 7, thereby improving accuracy.

Furthermore, the intelligent urine flow detection system 1 may include an inlet pipe 16 and an inlet valve 161. The inlet pipe 16 may be connected to the top of the urinal, and the inlet valve 161 is disposed in the inlet pipe 16 and connected to the controller 112. In practice, one end of the inlet pipe 16 may be connected to the top of the urinal, and the other end of the inlet pipe 16 may be connected to a water supply tank (not shown). The water supply tank may provide cleaning water, and the controller 112 may control the inlet valve 161 to open so that the cleaning water passes through the inlet pipe 16 and flows to the urinal. As shown in FIG. 4 , after the intelligent urine flow detection system 1 executes step S7, step S8 may be further executed: the controller 112 provides cleaning water to clean the urine storage box 12 according to the exit signal generated by the sensor 111. In practice, after the urine flow meter 13 transmits the urine volume data to the data processing device 5, the controller 112 can simultaneously control the water inlet valve 161 and the first control valve 151 to open. At this time, the urine contained in the urine storage box 12 flows to the sewage pipe 7 through the water outlet pipe 14, and the cleaning water provided by the water supply tank can also flow through the water inlet pipe 16, the urinal, the urine storage box 12 and the water outlet pipe 14 in sequence and flow to the sewage pipe 7 to clean the urinal and the urine storage box at the same time. Therefore, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can also control multiple valves through the controller to achieve the function of automatically cleaning the toilet and the urine storage box, thereby improving cleanliness and convenience.

In addition, the controller 112 can pre-store a flow rate threshold. When the controller 112 controls the first control valve 151 to open and the flow rate calculated by the uroflowmeter 13 is less than the flow rate threshold, the controller 112 generates a warning signal. In practice, the flow rate threshold may correspond to the flow rate of the outlet pipe 14. In a preferred embodiment, the flow rate threshold may be slightly less than the flow rate of the outlet pipe 14. When the user detection is completed and the controller 112 controls the first control valve 151 to open, the controller 112 can continuously monitor the flow rate of the urine storage box 12 detected by the uroflowmeter 13. When the flow rate calculated by the uroflowmeter 13 is less than the flow rate threshold, it means that the water outlet 124 of the urine storage box 12 or the outlet pipe 14 may be blocked by foreign matter. At this time, the controller 112 generates and sends out a warning signal (as shown in step S9 and step S10 in FIG. 4 ). In addition, when the controller 112 controls the water inlet valve 161 to open to provide cleaning water to the urine storage box 12 and controls the first control valve 151 to open, the controller 112 can also continuously monitor the flow rate of the corresponding cleaning water calculated by the urine flowmeter 13. When the flow rate of the corresponding cleaning water calculated by the urine flowmeter 13 is less than the flow rate threshold, the controller 112 generates a warning signal. The warning signal can be a message such as text, sound, color, light, etc., and the controller 112 can also transmit the warning signal to the data processing device 5 to remind the user or medical institution personnel. The user or medical staff can also open the upper cover 122 of the urine storage box 12 to confirm whether there is any foreign matter in the urine storage box 12. Therefore, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can have the function of blockage detection through flow detection, thereby improving efficiency and convenience.

In a specific embodiment, the controller 112 may also pre-store a weight threshold. When the controller 112 controls the first control valve 151 and the water inlet valve 161 to open and the weight of the urine storage box measured by the uroflowmeter 13 is greater than the weight threshold, the controller 112 generates a warning signal. In practice, when the user test is completed and the controller 112 controls the first control valve 151 and the water inlet valve 161 to open, the controller 112 may continuously monitor the weight of the urine storage box 12 measured by the uroflowmeter 13. When the weight measured by the uroflowmeter 13 is greater than the weight threshold, it indicates that the water outlet 124 or the water outlet pipe 14 of the urine storage box 12 may be blocked by foreign matter, causing the washing water to be unable to flow to the sewage pipe 7 and accumulate in the urine storage box 12. At this time, the controller 112 generates and sends out a warning signal to remind the user or medical staff (as shown in step S9 and step S10 in Figure 4). The controller 112 can also control the water inlet valve 161 to close while generating the warning signal. Therefore, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention also has the function of detecting urine box overflow, thereby improving efficiency and convenience.

The intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can be in other forms in addition to the aforementioned specific embodiments. Please refer to FIG. 5, which is a cross-sectional view of an intelligent urine flow detection system 2 according to one specific embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the difference between this specific embodiment and the aforementioned specific embodiment is that the intelligent urine flow detection system 2 of this specific embodiment further includes a second control valve 252 and a third control valve 253 connected to the controller, and the sewage pipe 7 includes a first sewage pipe 71 and a second sewage pipe 72. The first sewage pipe 71 connects the guide outlet 201 of the toilet 20 and the accommodating space 220 of the urine storage box 22, and the third control valve 253 is arranged in the first sewage pipe 71. The second sewage pipe 72 is connected to the first sewage pipe 71 and is located between the toilet 20 and the third control valve 253, and the second control valve 252 is set in the second sewage pipe 72. The outlet pipe 24 is connected to the second sewage pipe 72. It is worth noting that the first sewage pipe 71 can pass through the urine collection port 223 of the urine storage box 22, the size of the first sewage pipe 71 is smaller than the size of the urine collection port 223, and the first sewage pipe 71 does not touch the urine storage box 22.

In practice, when the user wants to perform urine volume detection, the sensor generates a use signal and the identification module generates a confirmation signal, and the controller can control the third control valve 253 to open and the first control valve 251 and the second control valve 252 to close according to the use signal and the confirmation signal. At this time, the urine discharged by the user can flow to the urine storage box 22 for the urine flow meter 23 to calculate and generate urine volume data. When the user finishes the detection and leaves, the controller can control the first control valve 251, the third control valve 253 and the water inlet pipe to open and control the second control valve 252 to close according to the exit signal, so that the urine in the urine storage box 22 flows through the outlet pipe 24 to the second sewage pipe 72, and cleans the urinal and the urine storage box. In addition, when the user only wants to urinate without urine volume detection, the controller can only control the second control valve 252 to open and the third control valve 253 to close according to the use signal. At this time, the urine discharged by the user will flow directly from the first sewage pipe 71 to the second sewage pipe 72 instead of flowing into the urine storage box 22. Therefore, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can switch between a general toilet or a toilet with urine flow detection according to the needs of the user, thereby improving practicality and convenience.

Please refer to Figures 6 and 7 together. Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a smart urine flow detection system 3 according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the smart urine flow detection system 3 according to Figure 6. As shown in Figures 6 and 7, the difference between this embodiment and the aforementioned embodiment is that the smart urine flow detection system 3 of this embodiment replaces the control valve with a water pump 37. The water outlet pipe 34 connects the storage space 320 of the urine storage box 32 and the sewage pipe 7. The water pump 37 is arranged on the sewage pipe 7 and connected to the controller. In practice, the upper cover 322 of the urine storage box 32 further includes a water pumping port 325. One end of the water outlet pipe 34 passes through the water pumping port 325 to connect the storage space 320 and is located near the bottom of the body 321 of the urine storage box 32. It is worth noting that the size of the water outlet pipe 34 is smaller than the size of the water inlet 325, and the water outlet pipe 34 does not contact the urine storage box 32.

In practice, when the user wants to test the urine volume, the urine discharged by the user flows to the urine storage box 32 and the controller can control the urine flow meter 33 to start according to the use signal to calculate and generate urine volume data. When the user finishes the test and leaves, the controller can control the pump 37 to start to extract the urine in the urine storage box 32 into the outlet pipe 34 and flow to the sewage pipe 7. Furthermore, the controller can also control the water inlet valve 361 to open so that the cleaning water flows through the toilet 30 to the urine storage box 32, and the pump 37 can also extract the cleaning water flowing to the urine storage box 32 to the sewage pipe 7 for discharge.

In addition to being a urinal in the aforementioned specific embodiment, the toilet in the smart urine flow detection system of the present invention can also be other types of toilets. Please refer to Figures 8 and 9A to 9C. Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a smart urine flow detection system 4 according to a specific embodiment of the present invention. Figures 9A to 9C are cross-sectional views of the smart urine flow detection system 4 in different working states according to Figure 8. As shown in Figure 8, the smart urine flow detection system of the present invention can also be applied to a vacuum toilet. In this specific embodiment, the toilet 40 in the smart urine flow detection system includes a toilet 401 and a water supply tank 402, and further includes a vacuum pump 48, a second control valve 452 and a third control valve 453 connected to a controller, and the sewage pipe 7 includes a first sewage pipe 71 and a second sewage pipe 72. The water supply tank 402 is used to provide cleaning water to the toilet 401 and is connected to the controller. The first sewage pipe 71 is connected to the guide outlet 4011 of the toilet 401 and the storage space 420 of the urine storage box 42, and the third control valve 453 is arranged in the first sewage pipe 71. The second sewage pipe 72 is connected to the first sewage pipe 71 and is located between the toilet 401 and the third control valve 453, and the second control valve 452 and the vacuum pump 48 are arranged in the second sewage pipe 72. The outlet pipe 44 is connected to the storage space 420 of the urine storage box 42 and the second sewage pipe 72.

In practice, as shown in FIG9A , when the user wants to perform a urine volume test, the controller can control the third control valve 453 to open and control the first control valve 451 and the second control valve 452 to close. At this time, the urine discharged by the user can flow to the urine storage box 42 for the urine flow meter 43 to calculate and generate urine volume data. As shown in FIG9B , when the user finishes the test and leaves, the controller can control the first control valve 451 and the third control valve 453 to open and control the second control valve 452 to close. At this time, the urine in the urine storage box 42 can pass through the outlet pipe 44 and flow to the second sewage pipe 72. Further, the controller can also control the water supply tank 402 to open to provide cleaning water to clean the toilet 401 and the urine storage box 42. As shown in FIG. 9C , when the user only goes to the toilet without urine volume detection, the controller can control the second control valve 452 to open and the first control valve 451 and the third control valve 453 to close. At this time, the user's excrement will not flow into the urine storage box 42. After the user finishes going to the toilet, the controller can start the vacuum pump 48 to discharge the user's excrement directly to the second sewage pipe 72.

In summary, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can be combined with various toilets and uroflowmeters, so that users can urinate in the urinal of the toilet and perform urine flow detection at the same time, thereby improving efficiency and convenience. In addition, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can identify the user corresponding to the urine volume data generated by the uroflowmeter through the identification module, thereby improving detection efficiency. Furthermore, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention can automatically discharge urine in the urine storage box and automatically clean the toilet and urine storage box without manual cleaning by controlling multiple valves through a controller, thereby improving convenience and cleanliness and reducing labor costs. Furthermore, the intelligent urine flow detection system of the present invention also has the function of detecting urine box overflow, and can switch between a general toilet or a toilet with urine flow detection according to the needs of the user, thereby improving practicality and convenience.

The above detailed description of the preferred specific embodiments is intended to more clearly describe the features and spirit of the present invention, rather than to limit the scope of the present invention by the preferred specific embodiments disclosed above. On the contrary, the purpose is to cover various changes and arrangements with equivalents within the scope of the patent application for the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the patent application for the present invention should be interpreted in the broadest sense based on the above description, so as to cover all possible changes and arrangements with equivalents.

1: Intelligent urine flow detection system

10: Toilet

102: Catheter

11: Main control box

111:Sensor

12: Urine storage box

13: Uroflowmeter

14: Water outlet pipe

16: Water inlet pipe

7: Sewage pipe

Claims (10)

A smart urine flow detection system is used to measure a urine volume data of a urine discharged by a user. The smart urine flow detection system includes: a sensor for detecting the user, wherein the sensor generates a use signal when the user is detected, and generates a leave signal when the user is not detected for a time length threshold; a urine storage box having a storage space for accommodating the urine discharged by the user; a toilet for receiving the urine discharged by the user and guiding the urine through a guide outlet to the storage space of the urine storage box; a water outlet pipe connected to the storage space of the urine storage box; a urine flow meter connected to the urine storage box and including A weight sensor, which is used to carry the urine storage box and measure the weight of the urine storage box to calculate a urine flow rate and the urine volume data corresponding to the urine discharged by the user; a controller, connected to the sensor and the urine flowmeter, the controller controls the urine flowmeter to start according to the use signal, and transmits the urine volume data to a data processing device according to the exit signal and the urine flow rate; and a water pump, which is arranged on a sewage pipe and connected to the controller and the water outlet pipe; wherein the controller is used to control the water pump to discharge the urine in the urine storage box to the sewage pipe through the water outlet pipe, and the water outlet pipe does not contact the urine storage box. As described in the first item of the patent application scope, the urine storage box includes a main body and an upper cover, and the upper cover is detachably arranged on the main body. The intelligent urine flow detection system as described in item 1 of the patent application further comprises an identification module connected to the controller, the identification module is used to confirm the identity of the user and generate a confirmation signal, and the controller controls the activation of the urine flow meter according to the use signal and the confirmation signal. The intelligent urine flow detection system as described in item 1 of the patent application further comprises a water supply tank connected to the toilet and the controller, and the controller controls the water supply tank to provide a cleaning water according to the exit signal. As described in the patent application scope 4, the controller stores a flow rate threshold value. When the controller controls the water supply tank to provide the cleaning water and the flow rate corresponding to the cleaning water calculated by the urine flow meter is less than the flow rate threshold value, the controller generates a warning signal. As described in the fourth item of the patent application, the controller stores a weight threshold value in advance. When the controller controls the water supply tank to provide the cleaning water and the weight of the urine storage box measured by the uroflowmeter is greater than the weight threshold value, the controller generates a warning signal. A smart urine flow detection method is used to measure the urine volume data of a user discharging urine into a urine storage box in a toilet. The smart urine flow detection method includes the following steps: generating a use signal when the user is detected; controlling a urine flow meter to start according to the use signal; a weight sensor of the urine flow meter carries the urine storage box and measures the weight of the urine storage box to calculate a urine flow rate and the urine volume data corresponding to the urine; generating a departure signal when the user is not detected for a time length threshold, and transmitting the urine volume data to a data processing device according to the departure signal and the urine flow rate; and controlling a water pump to extract the urine from the urine storage box and discharge it to a sewage pipe through a water outlet pipe, wherein the water outlet pipe does not contact the urine storage box. As described in Item 7 of the patent application scope, the smart urine flow detection method further includes the following steps in the step of controlling the activation of the urine flow meter according to the usage signal: confirming the identity of the user and generating a confirmation signal; and controlling the activation of the urine flow meter according to the usage signal and the confirmation signal. The intelligent urine flow detection method as described in Item 7 of the patent application further comprises the following steps: providing a cleaning water to clean the urine storage box according to the exit signal. The intelligent urine flow detection method as described in item 9 of the patent application further comprises the following steps: when the flow rate of the cleaning water calculated by the urine flow meter is less than a flow rate threshold or the weight of the urine storage box measured by the urine flow meter is greater than a weight threshold, a warning signal is generated.

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