System for collecting information on health

• US 5,119,829 A
• Filed: 11/07/1990
• Issued: 06/09/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: INAX Corporation (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: INAX Corporation (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Sakakibara, Shigeru, Kondo, Mineharu, Saito, Shiro, Kawamoto, Ryuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US07/610,278
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 128/632, 128/633, 128/760, 128/771, 128/904
• US Class Current: 600/584
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/007 for taking urine samples measuring urological functions A61B5/20; genital receptacles A61F5/451; urinals for bed-ridden persons A61G9/006
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/493 urine
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/528 Atypical element structures, e.g. gloves, rods, tampons, toilet paper

Abstract

An apparatus for examining urine for certain constituents thereof includes a vertically disposed cylinder for receiving urine therein. The cylinder includes a diametrically enlarged upper portion having an inside diameter which is larger than that of its remaining portion. A piston is vertically movably disposed in the cylinder. If the piston is lowered, urine can be stored in the cylinder. If it is raised, the urine is discharged from the cylinder, except that only a small portion thereof remains in a clearance defined between the piston and the diametrically enlarged portion of the cylinder. If the piston is lowered again, a reagent and water are supplied into the cylinder and mixed with the urine remaining therein. An electrode is connected to the cylinder for determining the concentration of sugar, etc. in the urine which has been mixed with the reagent and water. Disclosed also is a toilet stool having a bowl surface in which the upper end of the apparatus is exposed for receiving urine into the cylinder. The toilet stool including the apparatus can be employed to organize a system for collecting information on health. The system includes a first computer provided near the toilet stool for collecting data, such as the concentration of sugar in the urine, and transferring them, and a second computer which may be installed in a hospital for receiving the data from the first computer and storing them progressively.

Claims

1. A system for collecting information on health, comprising,

a first computer having operating means for operating the computer according to a program,

health examination means for measuring physical condition of a patient to be examined, said health examination means being connected to the first computer so that information of the patient measured by the health examination means is recorded in the first computer, said health examination means including means for examining contents of urine, means for measuring temperature, means for measuring weight and means for measuring blood pressure, said means for examining contents of urine including a toilet stool;

vertical disposed cylinder means having a tits upper end an opening defining an inlet for urine, said opening being located int he toilet stool, said cylinder means including a wall portion, and an enlarged space having a diameter which is larger than that of a remaining portion;

piston means provided vertically movably in said cylinder means;

means for moving said piston means vertically in said cylinder means;

an electrode extending through the wall portion near the enlarged space of said cylinder means and having an end adapted to contact with a liquid in said cylinder means for detecting a constituent of said liquid;

reagent supply means including a cartridge, a pipeline, a valve situated in the pipeline, and a pump, said cartridge being connected to the space of the cylinder means through the pipeline, valve nd pump so that a reagent may be supplied into said cylinder means when said valve is opened; and

water supply means including a source of water supply, a pipeline connected to the space inside said wall portion and a valve provided in said pipeline of the water supply means, so that water may be supplied into said cylinder means when said valve of the water supply means is opened, and

a second computer located away from the first computer and electrically connected to the first computer, said second computer storing data transferred from the first computer so that the stored data in the second computer can be examined at desired location and time.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first computer is located in a place where there is no doctor, and the second computer is located in a place where there is a doctor so that the doctor can examine physical condition of the patient away from the patient.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said operating means includes a CRT, one menu of said means for examining contents of urine, said means for measuring temperature, said means for measuring weight and said means for measuring blood pressure being displayed on the CRT so that the desired health examination means is selected and physical condition thus selected is measured.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein said CRT includes a touch screen, which can be pressed for operating the computer.