Urine Flow Meter And A Method To Measure Urination Flow

• US 20150105694A1
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Published: 04/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jayant Dattatraya Mahajan
• Original Assignee: Jayant Dattatraya Mahajan
• Inventors: Mahajan, Jayant Dattatraya
• Granted Patent: US 9,521,974 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/584
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/208 adapted to determine urine quantity, e.g. flow, volume
• CPC Class Codes: E03D 13/005 Accessories specially adapted for urinals
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/007 by measuring the level variations of storage tanks relative to the time
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 9/003 by measuring the weight

Abstract

The invention provides a urine flow meter of gravitation or capacitance type in which a container is connected to a weight transducer or a capacitance sensor. An arrangement is provided to sense the level of urine in the container. An arrangement of siphon tube & solenoid valve is also provided to start and stop rinsing of the container automatically. The invention is easily adapted to a male or female type urinal. The collected urine in beaker is flushed by siphon after completion of test.

Claims

1. A uroflow meter comprising a beaker (4), a solenoid valve (11) and electronic processor (6) with relay and control circuitry and a weight sensing sensor, characterized in that said beaker (4) is provided with an arrangement to receive urine from the cistern of the typical urinal, and also a siphoning device in the form of a tube;

one end of the siphon tube (8) being connected to said beaker (4) at the lower end of said beaker (4), and the other end of said siphon tube (8) positioned to release the contents of the beaker (4) into a drainage system;

said siphon tube (8) securely positioned such that any part of it does not touch any part of the drainage system;

said weight sensing sensor connected to said beaker (4) and also to an analog-to-digital converter such that when urination begins into the beaker (4), said sensor sends a signal to said converter which calculates the rate of urination

2. A uroflow meter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said solenoid valve (11) is so designed that after first time period following the stoppage of urination, it releases a first quantity of flushing fluid into said beaker (4), said flushing fluid being drained away by said siphon tube (8), thereby completing a flushing cycle.

3. A uroflow meter as claimed in claim 2, wherein the number of flushing cycles is greater than one.

4. A uroflow meter as claimed in claim 3, wherein said typical urinal is of male or female type.

5. A uroflow meter as claimed in claim 4, wherein the solenoid of said solenoid valve (11) is closed at a first volume of liquid in beaker (4), said first volume being more than volume of beaker (4) at the level of the upper tip of the siphon tube (8) but less than the total volume of beaker (4).

6. A uroflow meter as claimed in claim 5, wherein said drainage system works on a gravitational principle.

7. A uroflow meter as claimed in claim 6, wherein said drainage system is in the form of a drainage trough provided with a pump (16) to drain away collected urine from said drainage trough, said pump (16) being operated by a processor (6) and a relay.

8. A uroflow meter as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first time period is 10-45 seconds, preferably 30 seconds.

9. A uroflow meter as claimed in claim 8, said meter further comprising a mechanical flow regulating valve to regulate the flow of flushing fluid into the beaker (4) during the flushing cycle.

10. A method to measure urination flow said method comprises the steps of

a. providing a uroflow meter as claimed in claim 1

b. starting the flow of urine into said beaker (4)

c. waiting for a first time period from the stoppage of urination

d. flushing said beaker (4) with flushing fluid, said flushing fluid preferably being clean water and released using a solenoid valve (11), using a desired number of flushing cycles.

11. A method to measure urination flow as claimed in claim 10, wherein said number of flushing cycles is greater than one.

12. A method to measure urination flow as claimed in claim 11, wherein said solenoid valve (11) is closed at a first volume of liquid in beaker (4), said first volume being more than volume of beaker (4) at the level of the upper tip of siphon tube (8) but less than the total volume of beaker (4).

13. A method to measure urination flow as claimed in claim 12 wherein the rate of flushing fluid into said beaker (4) is regulated by a mechanical flow regulating valve (14).

14. A method to measure urination flow as claimed in claim 13 wherein said drainage system works on a gravitational principle.

15. A method to measure urination flow as claimed in claim 14, wherein said drainage system works by collecting the urine into a drainage trough from where it is further drained away using a pump (16) which is operated by a processor (6) and a relay.