CAPACITIVE MEASUREMENT DEVICE WITH INTEGRATED ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL SHIELDING

• US 20170105670A1
• Filed: 10/15/2015
• Published: 04/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Utah Research Foundation (State of Utah), Stream DX, Inc
• Original Assignee: Stream DX, Inc
• Inventors: Holt, Brian D., McClellan, Scott B., Le, Alvin Y., Ogden, Kent James
• Granted Patent: US 10,448,875 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0223 of calibration, e.g. protocols for calibrating sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0252 using ambient temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/227 Sensors with electrical connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/208 adapted to determine urine quantity, e.g. flow, volume
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/007 by measuring the level variations of storage tanks relative to the time
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/56 by using electric or magnetic effects G01F1/66 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 22/00 Methods or apparatus for measuring volume of fluids or fluent solid material, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/263 by measuring variations in capacitance of capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/268 mounting arrangements of probes

Abstract

A substance measurement device includes: a container portion configured to receive a substance; a sensing device configured to measure a property of the substance related to at least one of a flow rate of the substance into the container portion, a level of the substance within the container portion, and a volume of the substance within the container portion; and at least one shield positioned within the container portion and configured to provide at least one of: a mechanical buffer between the substance entering the container portion and the sensing device; and an electrical shield between the substance entering the container portion and the sensing device.

Claims

1. A substance measurement device, comprising:

a container portion configured to receive a substance;

a sensing device configured to measure a property of the substance related to at least one of a flow rate of the substance into the container portion, a level of the substance within the container portion, and a volume of the substance within the container portion; and

at least one shield positioned within the container portion and configured to provide at least one of;

a mechanical buffer between the substance entering the container portion and the sensing device; and

an electrical shield between the substance entering the container portion and the sensing device.

2. The substance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the substance is a liquid.

3. The substance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the substance is urine.

4. The substance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the first sensing device is a capacitive sensor.

5. The substance measurement device of claim 4, further comprising:

a controller communicatively coupled to the first sensing device and configured to perform at least one of;

capture raw data indicative of capacitance from the capacitive sensor and store it in at least one of a memory and a storage device; and

calculate at least one of the flow rate of the substance into the container portion, the level of the substance within the container portion, and the volume of the substance within the container portion based on raw data from the capacitive sensor over time.

6. The substance measurement device of claim 5, further comprising:

an electronics portion removably coupled with the container portion, wherein the electronics portion includes the controller.

7. The substance measurement device of claim 6, wherein the electronics portion further includes:

a communication module communicatively coupled to the controller.

8. The substance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the at least one shield partitions a sensing portion of the container portion from a non-sensing portion of the container portion;

wherein the non-sensing portion of the container portion is configured to receive the substance from outside of the container portion;

wherein sensing portion of the container portion is configured to receive the substance from the non-sensing portion of the container portion through at least one of gaps, channels, and voids below, around, or through the at least one shield; and

wherein the sensing device is configured to measure the property of the substance within the sensing portion of the container portion.

9. The substance measurement device of claim 1, further comprising:

an exterior shield positioned on the outside of the container portion and configured to isolate the sensing device from external disturbances caused by effects of an external environment outside of the container portion.

10. The substance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the container portion includes at least one tapered side-wall that tapers from a smaller size at a lower portion of the container portion to a larger size at an upper portion of the container portion above the lower portion of the container portion.

11. The substance measurement device of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronics portion removably coupled with the container portion;

wherein the container portion does not include a bottom wall;

wherein a top surface of the electronics portion serves as a bottom for the container portion when the electronics portion is coupled with the container portion.

12. The substance measurement device of claim 11, wherein the top surface of the electronics portion includes additional sensors that come into contact with the substance when it enters the container portion.

13. The substance measurement device of claim 1, wherein the container portion includes at least one side-wall and a bottom wall.

14. The substance measurement device of claim 1, further comprising:

an electronics portion removably coupled with the container portion using complimentary coupling elements.

15. The substance measurement device of claim 14, wherein the complimentary coupling elements include at least one of threads, bayonet mounts, tabs, clips, and fasteners.

16. A liquid measurement device, comprising:

a liquid collection container portion configured to receive liquid;

a capacitive sensor configured to measure changes in capacitance within the liquid collection container portion due to changes in the level of the within the liquid collector container portion;

a controller communicatively coupled to the capacitive sensor;

at least one shield positioned within the container portion and configured to provide both;

a mechanical buffer between the liquid entering the container portion and the sensing device; and

an electrical shield between the liquid entering the container portion and the sensing device; and

wherein the controller is configured to perform at least one of;

capture raw data indicative of capacitance from the capacitive sensor and store it in at least one of a memory and a storage device; and

calculate at least one of the flow rate of the urine into the container portion, the level of the urine within the container portion, and the volume of the urine within the container portion based on raw data from the capacitive sensor over time.

17. The liquid measurement device of claim 16, further comprising:

an electronics portion removably coupled with the liquid collection container portion, wherein the electronics portion includes the controller and a communication module communicatively coupled to the controller.

18. The liquid measurement device of claim 16, further comprising:

an electronics portion removably coupled with the liquid collection container portion;

wherein the liquid collection container portion does not include a bottom wall;

wherein a top surface of the electronics portion serves as a bottom for the liquid collection container portion when the electronics portion is coupled with the liquid collection container portion.

19. A urine measurement device, comprising:

a urine collection container portion configured to receive urine;

a capacitive sensor configured to measure changes capacitance within the urine collection container portion due to changes in the level of the urine within the urine collection container portion;

a controller communicatively coupled to the capacitive sensor;

at least one shield positioned within the container portion and configured to provide both;

a mechanical buffer between the urine entering the container portion and the sensing device; and

an electrical shield between the urine entering the container portion and the sensing device;

at least one exterior shield positioned on the outside of the urine collection container portion and configured to isolate the capacitive sensor from external disturbances caused by effects of an external environment outside of the urine collection container portion; and

wherein the controller is configured to perform at least one of;

capture raw data indicative of capacitance from the capacitive sensor and store it in at least one of a memory and a storage device; and

calculate at least one of the flow rate of the urine into the container portion, the level of the urine within the container portion, and the volume of the urine within the container portion based on raw data from the capacitive sensor over time.

20. The urine measurement device of claim 19, further comprising:

an electronics portion removably coupled with the liquid collection container portion using complimentary coupling elements, wherein the electronics portion includes the controller and a communication module communicatively coupled to the controller;

wherein the liquid collection container portion does not include a bottom wall;

wherein a top surface of the electronics portion serves as a bottom for the liquid collection container portion when the electronics portion is coupled with the liquid collection container portion.