JP3085647B2 - Urination container for urine flow measurement and analysis equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a urination container used in a urine flow measurement / analysis device used for measuring data of human urine flow and providing data for treatment and diagnosis of the urinary system based on the data. In particular, the present invention relates to a urine container for a urine flow rate measuring / analyzing apparatus which can be used by simply suspending a urine container for storing urine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional urine flow meter is, for example, of a weight type, and a portion of a container for storing urine and a urine flow analyzer are integrated, and are installed in a hospital or the like. Goes to hospitals and places where she urinates.

[0003]

However, as mentioned above, such devices are usually installed in hospitals,
Even when urging the patient to urinate at the time of outpatient diagnosis, the patient does not feel urge to urinate, or there is a feeling of mental overpressure, and the urination state and urination volume are different, making it difficult to measure urine flow in a natural state. There is a problem that it is expensive to install in a home.

[0004] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the applicant has proposed a urination container for storing urine and a urine flow meter installed at home, which can measure urine flow by urinating in a relaxed state at home. A urine flow measurement / analysis device which is separated into a circuit and a urine flow analysis device which is installed in a hospital or the like is separately developed, and a patent application has been filed on February 16, 1996.

The present invention relates to an improved urination container used in a urine flow measurement / analysis device filed on Feb. 16, 1996, and the object thereof is to:
Provided is a urine container for a urine flow measurement / analysis device that can easily suspend and use a urine container for storing urine installed in a home or the like and can easily measure urine stored in the urine container. It is in.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the invention of claim 1 measures the urine flow rate of a person using ultrasonic waves, and uses the data to measure the urinary system for treatment and diagnosis. In a urine container used in a urine flow measurement analyzer used for providing materials, the urine container for storing urine is provided so as to be suspended, and a side peripheral surface of the urine container is inclined downward from an upper portion toward a lower center. A cylindrical urine measuring cylinder is mounted upward from the center of the inner inclined bottom of the urine container upward, and a small diameter is formed on the side peripheral surface on the lower end side of the urine measuring cylinder at the center of the inner inclined bottom of the urinary container. Form a urine inflow hole,
An ultrasonic transducer that reflects ultrasonic waves toward the liquid level of urine in the urine measuring cylinder and receives the reflected wave is attached to the back side of the bottom surface below the urine measuring cylinder. is there.

Here, the ultrasonic vibrator may have both functions as an ultrasonic oscillator and a receiver, or each of the ultrasonic vibrators may be a separate one dedicated to ultrasonic oscillation and one dedicated to reception. You may.

[0008]

The present invention having the above configuration operates as follows. When urination starts in the container, the urine liquid level rises, and the transmitted wave continuously transmitted at regular time intervals from the ultrasonic vibrator placed on the bottom of the container at the air interface at the urine liquid level The reflected wave is received by the ultrasonic transducer as a reflected wave from the urine liquid surface. Due to the time difference of the reflected waves,
The height of the urine liquid level is calculated, the urine volume is calculated from the relationship between the height and the volume of the container, and the urine flow rate is calculated from the urine volume and Δt. These calculation results are recorded on a portable storage medium. On the other hand, in this recording, data such as the urine flow rate of the recording medium is read out, and the urine flow rate at the time of urination is reproduced by a urine flow rate analyzer used for urinary diagnosis and the like.

In the measurement of urine flow in the present invention, the urine volume ml (= t ₀ ) calculated based on the magnitude of the time difference between received pulses generated by ultrasonic transmission and the urine volume ml (= This is performed by obtaining the urine flow rate by dividing the difference from the difference (t ₀ + Δt) by the unit time Δt.

[0010]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described more specifically based on embodiments of the invention shown in the drawings. Here, FIG. 1 (A) is a cross-sectional view of the urination container, FIG. 1 (B) is a side view of the urination measurement cylinder, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the urination container equipped with the urination measurement cylinder, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a schematic overall diagram of the measurement / analysis device, FIG. 4 is a schematic overall mechanism diagram of the urine flow measurement / analysis device, FIG.
FIG. 6 is another schematic overall mechanism diagram of the urine flow measurement / analysis device, and FIG. 6 is a reflection waveform diagram from the liquid level when urine is accumulated in a container for accumulating urine.

In FIG. 1, a urine container 1 is a container for storing urine measured by using an ultrasonic wave described later.
In the center of the column, a small cylindrical urination measuring cylinder 2 is mounted vertically. The urination container 1 is used by being easily hung on a support bar 3 projecting horizontally from a wall or the like.

The urine discharge container 1 has an open upper surface, and the open upper side has a cylindrical shape, and the cylindrical side peripheral surface is inclined downward from the upper part toward the lower center to be inverted. It is formed in a conical shape, and the lower end side thereof is formed with a mounting hole 1a for mounting and mounting the urine measuring cylinder 2 having a small cylindrical shape again.

The mounting hole 1a is a hole for mounting the lower end of the urination measuring cylinder 2, and the inner diameter of the mounting hole 1a is substantially the same as the outer diameter of the urination measuring cylinder 2. The lower part of the urination measuring cylinder 2 is configured so that it can be inserted into the mounting hole 1a and can be removed from the mounting hole 1a. By inserting the lower part of the urination measuring cylinder 2 into the mounting hole 1a and mounting it,
It is held vertically in the center of the interior of the urination container 1.

On the inner peripheral surface at the lower end of the small cylindrical mounting hole 1a, there is formed a circular step-shaped stopper 1b slightly protruding in a step-like shape inside, and a urination measuring cylinder inserted into the mounting hole 1a. The lower end of the vessel 2 is prevented from being inserted further below the stepped stopper 1b.

A mounting hole 1 is provided below the stepped stopper 1b.
A small cylindrical initial urine reservoir 1c smaller than the inner diameter of a is formed. The bottom of the initial urine reservoir 1c is closed by a bottom surface 1d so that urine does not leak.

A small cylindrical mounting hole 1e for mounting the ultrasonic transducer 5 is formed below the bottom surface 1d of the initial urine reservoir 1c on the lower end side of the urination container 1. The ultrasonic transducer 5 is mounted upward at the center of the ceiling of the mounting hole 1e, which is the back surface of the bottom surface 1d of the mounting hole 1a.

On the cylindrical peripheral surface at the top of the urination container 1,
The mounting holes 1f, 1 are provided at two diametrically opposite locations.
f is formed, and for example, a string,
Both ends of a hanging tool 1g such as a chain are tied and attached. The hanging device 1g attached to the upper part of the urination container 1 is suspended, for example, by a support bar 3 projecting horizontally from a wall or the like, and the urination container 1 is suspended by the support bar 3 or the like via the hanging device 1g. Has been lowered.

The urine measuring cylinder 2 mounted vertically at the center of the urine container 1 has a small cylindrical shape and both ends are open. The urine measuring cylinder 2 has a small-diameter urine inflow hole 2a formed on a side peripheral surface on the base side that protrudes upward from a portion attached to the attachment hole 1a. The urine discharged into the urination container 1 flows along the inclined side peripheral surface, and the urine inflow hole 2 formed in the base peripheral side surface of the urine measuring cylinder 2 in the lower center.
a to flow into the inside of the urination measuring cylinder 2. In the drawing, a plurality of urine inflow holes 2a are formed.
One.

A funnel 4 is provided above the urination container 1. Funnel 4 is the part that directly takes in the urination of the patient,
The patient urinates directly to the funnel 4. The funnel 4 is supported by a support receiver (not shown) or the like, and is located above the urination container 1. Urine discharged from the patient passes through the funnel 4 and the urine container 1 and is stored in the central urine measuring cylinder 2.

The ultrasonic transducer 5 measures the liquid level of urine collected in the urine measuring cylinder 2 above the bottom surface 1d of the initial urine reservoir 1c serving as the ceiling of the mounting hole 1e by using ultrasonic waves. It is a device that does. The ultrasonic transducer 5 emits an ultrasonic wave toward the urine inside the urination measuring cylinder 2 vertically mounted on the center of the urination container 1 after passing through the bottom surface 1d. It functions to receive the reflected wave reflected at the interface between the urine and the air layer inside.

The transmission command circuit 8 is a device for issuing a transmission command to the ultrasonic transmission amplifier 9 at regular time intervals. The ultrasonic transmission amplifier 9 is a device that amplifies a weak electric signal sent from the transmission command circuit 8 to the ultrasonic transducer 5 and increases the electric energy to a level sufficient to oscillate ultrasonic waves.

The ultrasonic receiving amplifier 10 includes the ultrasonic vibrator 5
Is a device that amplifies the weak reflected wave converted into the electric signal received by the device. The reflected wave amplified by the ultrasonic receiving amplifier 10 is sent to a time difference measuring circuit 11 described later.

The flow rate measuring circuit 11 includes the ultrasonic receiving amplifier 1
The liquid level is calculated from the time difference between the transmitted waveform generated at the time of transmission from the received waveform data taken from 0 and the reflected waveform from the interface between urine and air, and the urination volume is calculated from this liquid level, and at regular time intervals. Calculate urine flow.

The IC card writing circuit 12 shown in FIG. 4 is a device for transferring the urine flow rate data calculated by the flow rate measuring circuit 11 onto a memory of, for example, an IC card 13 as a portable recording medium. The IC card 13 storing the data is brought to the hospital.

The urine flow analyzer 14 is installed in a hospital remote from the above-mentioned device, and is provided with the IC delivered to the hospital.
The device reads urination data stored in the IC card 13 from the card 13 and analyzes and displays the data. The urine flow analyzer 14 also has a storage device, and the urination data of the IC card 13 can be transferred to the urine flow analyzer 14 and stored.

The urine flow analyzer 14 includes an IC card reading circuit 15 for reading urine data stored in the IC card 13, a data processing circuit 16 for processing urine data read by the IC card reading circuit 15, and displaying urine data. The display device 17 mainly includes a display device 17.

The display device 17 includes a display, a printer, and the like. The urination data can be viewed through the screen of the display device 17, or can be printed out through the printer of the display device 17, and can be copied.

As shown in FIG. 5, communication means can be used instead of the portable recording medium such as the IC card 13 described above. That is, for example, a telephone line 25 is used as the communication means, and the urine flow rate data measured and calculated by the flow rate measurement circuit 11 is transmitted to a communication circuit 22 such as a modem.
A communication transmission unit 23 for transmitting data via the telephone line 25 via the communication circuit 22 is connected to the communication circuit 22. Further, a communication receiving unit 24 for receiving urine flow data transmitted through the telephone line 25 is connected to the urine flow analyzer 14. The telephone line 25 may be wireless instead of a wired cable.

Next, the operation based on the configuration of the embodiment of the present invention will be described below. The patient urinates in a urination container 1 installed at home to store urine. Urination is performed toward the funnel 4. The urine discharged into the funnel 4 flows through the funnel 4 and flows obliquely by the inclined inner peripheral surface of the urine container 1 installed therebelow, and the urine measurement mounted vertically in the center of the inside of the urine container 1 Urine inflow hole 2a
Inflows through. The urine flows into the urination measuring cylinder 2 after bubbles generated during urination when the urine passes through the small-diameter urine inflow hole 2a and waving of the liquid surface are removed.

At this time, the amount of urine collected at the start of urination in the urination container 1 on the outer peripheral side of the urine measuring cylinder 2 is extremely small, and most urine is collected in the initial urine reservoir 1c and the urine measuring cylinder 2
Flows into. In particular, the first urine that has begun to flow flows from the lower end of the opened urination measuring cylinder 2 into the initial urine reservoir 1c below and immediately fills the initial urine reservoir 1c, and the liquid level immediately rises. Thus, the liquid level of the urine measuring cylinder 2 above it also rises. At the start of urination, for example, the liquid level per ml rises highest.

As urination continues, for example, the rise in liquid level per ml decreases gradually. This is a urination measurement cylinder 2
This is because urine also accumulates inside the inclined urination container 1 on the outside.

A change in the liquid level due to urination of the urine measuring cylinder 2 vertically mounted in the center of the urine container 1 for storing urine is detected by the ultrasonic transducer 5. That is, the weak electric signal emitted from the transmission command circuit 8 is amplified by the ultrasonic transmission amplifier 9 and sent to the ultrasonic vibrator 5, and the ultrasonic vibrator 5 generates an ultrasonic wave based on this signal in the initial urine reservoir 1c. And fires into the urination measuring cylinder 2. Ultrasonic waves emitted from the ultrasonic transducer 5 are reflected at the interface between the urine and the air layer on the surface of the liquid level of the urination measuring cylinder 2, and the initial urine reservoir 1 c
Is again received by the ultrasonic transducer 5.

The reflected wave received by the ultrasonic transducer 5 is converted into an electric signal by the ultrasonic transducer 5, amplified by the ultrasonic receiving amplifier 10, and sent to the flow measuring circuit 11. The flow rate measurement circuit 11 calculates the liquid level based on the time difference between the transmitted waveform generated at the time of transmission and the reflected waveform from the interface between urine and air from the received waveform data taken in from the ultrasonic receiving amplifier 10, and determines the amount of urination from the liquid level. The calculation is performed to calculate the urine flow at regular time intervals.

The urine amount data calculated by the flow rate measuring circuit 11 is transferred to the memory of the IC card 13 through the IC card writing circuit 12. Since the data transferred to the IC card 13 has a storage capacity enough to accumulate urination data for one week, for example, it is necessary to easily bring the IC card 13 containing the data stored once a week to a hospital or the like. Can be.

At the hospital, when the IC card 13 delivered is inserted into the IC card reading circuit 15 of the urine flow analyzer 14, the urination data on the memory of the IC card 13 is stored in the IC card 13.
Urine flow analyzer 14 via card reading circuit 15
Is forwarded to Then, after the transferred urination data is processed by the data processing circuit 16, the display device 17
Is displayed as a graph on the screen. The displayed graph screen can be copied using a printer or the like.

FIG. 6 is a reflection waveform diagram from the liquid level when urine is collected in the urine measuring cylinder 2 of the urination container 1 for storing urine. a is a transmission waveform of the ultrasonic transducer 5, and b is a reflection waveform when urine flows into the urination measurement container 1a and accumulates to a certain liquid level. In the figure, t ₀ represents the transmission start time of the transmission waveform a, and t ₁ represents the time at which the transmission waveform a disappears, and multiplies the duration (t ₁ −t ₀ ) of the transmission waveform a by the propagation speed of the ultrasonic wave. And the distance x. Here, when the reflected waveform b occurs during the duration (t ₁ -t ₀ ) of the transmitted waveform a (that is, when the reflected liquid level is within the distance x), the transmitted waveform a and the reflected waveform Since it is difficult to identify the waveform b, it is difficult to measure the distance x. Therefore, in order to accurately measure the urine flow rate, a dummy acoustic coupling material for compensating for the distance x is required, but this time it is not necessary. Generally, a urine flow meter usually starts measurement after the initial urine volume of several ml or more has accumulated, so the initial urine volume of several ml is used as a dummy acoustic coupling material for compensating the distance x. This is because the method of performing the above is used. That is, the initial urine reservoir 1c has a capacity of several ml or more of the initial urine volume, and has a height x + that is equal to or more than the distance x from the ultrasonic transducer 5.
It is realized by designing so that α matches the initial urine volume of several ml. Here, the initial urine reservoir 1c is located below the step-shaped stopper 1b, but the above-mentioned design applicable portion is not only the initial urine reservoir 1c but also the lower part of the urine inflow hole 2a including the initial urine reservoir 1c. May be all. Further, in the figure, t is the time for the ultrasonic wave to reciprocate between the liquid level and the distance x + α corresponding to the initial urine volume of several ml, which can measure the distance without being affected by the transmitted waveform. The height of the liquid level is determined from the time t and the speed of the ultrasonic wave, and the urine volume is determined from the height. Of course, the time t becomes longer as the urine volume increases.

As described above, since the urine container 1 for storing urine and the flow rate measuring circuit 11 and the urine flow analyzer 14 can be separated and installed at different places, the urine container 1 for storing urine can be provided.
By installing the flow rate measuring circuit 11 at home in a home, natural urination without mental overpressure can be achieved. Then, the urine flow data measured at home can be delivered to the physician via a portable recording medium or communication, so that the physician can more accurately diagnose the urinary system from these data. Moreover, since only the container for storing urine and the flow rate measuring circuit 11 need to be installed at home, there is no need to install the urine flow rate analyzer 14, so that
The cost of equipment installed in the home can be reduced, and it becomes economical.

It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiment of the present invention, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the ultrasonic vibrator has both functions as an ultrasonic oscillator and a receiver has been described. You may. Also, the case where the portable recording medium is the IC card 13 has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a magnetic card may be used.

[0039]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the urine container for urine flow measurement / analysis device according to the present invention, a urine container installed in a home or the like for storing urine can be easily suspended and used. In addition, urine bubbles and waving of the liquid surface generated during urination are removed when passing through a small-diameter urine inflow hole formed on a side peripheral surface of a urination measuring cylinder mounted at the center of the inner inclined bottom of the urination container. be able to. Then, the level of urine flowing into the urination measuring cylinder of the urination container is transmitted from the ultrasonic vibrator and the ultrasonic wave reflected at the liquid level is used to accurately and easily measure the urine flow rate. And a very novel and beneficial effect.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1A is a cross-sectional view of a urine container showing an embodiment of the present invention. (B) is a side view of the urination measuring cylinder showing the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a urination container equipped with a urination measurement cylinder according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic overall view of a urine flow rate measuring and analyzing apparatus showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic overall mechanism diagram of a urine flow rate measurement / analysis device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is another schematic overall mechanism diagram of the urine flow measurement / analysis device showing the embodiment of the present invention.

6 (A) and 6 (B) show an embodiment of the present invention and are reflection waveform diagrams from the liquid level when urine is accumulated in a container for accumulating urine.

[Explanation of symbols]

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 urination container 1a mounting hole 1b stepped stopper 1c initial urine reservoir 1d bottom surface 1e mounting hole 1f mounting hole 1g hanging tool 2 urination measuring cylinder 2a urine inflow hole 3 support rod 4 funnel 5 ultrasonic oscillator 8 transmission command circuit 9 Ultrasonic transmission amplifier 10 Ultrasonic reception amplifier 11 Flow rate measurement circuit 12 IC card writing circuit 13 IC card 14 Urine flow rate analyzer 15 IC card reading circuit 16 Data processing circuit 17 Display device 22 Communication circuit such as modem 23 Communication transmission unit 24 Communication distance corresponding to the reflected waveform t ₀ outgoing start time t ₁ the initial urine volume are difficult to distance x + alpha few ml distance measurement for outgoing waveform overlaps the time x outgoing waveform disappears from the receiving unit 25 the telephone line a transmitter waveform b liquid level Time to reciprocate between t x + α and liquid level

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Noriyuki Yamaguchi 1-1, Akunouramachi, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki Shipyard, Nagahishi Control System Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Yasuaki Nakano Kannoshima, Nagasaki City, Nagasaki Prefecture 3-526, Machi-cho Sanken Dentsu Kogyo Co., Ltd. (56) References JP-A-9-220216 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) A61B 5/20

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A urination container used in a urine flow measurement / analysis device used for measuring the urine flow of a person using ultrasonic waves and using the data to provide data for treatment and diagnosis of the urinary system. The urine container for storing the urine is provided so as to be freely suspended, and the side peripheral surface of the urine container is formed so as to be inclined downward from the upper part toward the lower center, and is formed into a cylindrical shape upward from the center of the inner inclined bottom part of the urine container. A urine measuring cylinder is attached, and a small-diameter urine inflow hole is formed on the side peripheral surface on the lower end side of the urinary measuring cylinder at the center of the inner inclined bottom of the urine container, and on the back side of the bottom surface below the urinary measuring cylinder. A urine container for a urine flow measurement / analysis device, comprising an ultrasonic transducer for reflecting ultrasonic waves toward a liquid level of urine in a urine measuring cylinder and receiving the reflected waves. 2. The urine container according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic vibrator has both functions as an ultrasonic oscillator and a receiver. 3. The urine discharge container for a urine flow measurement / analysis device according to claim 1, wherein the ultrasonic vibrator is composed of separate members dedicated to ultrasonic oscillation and dedicated to ultrasonic wave reception.