Apparatus for detecting ingredient in urine, a toilet stool equipped with a urine detecting device and a room for urine detecting facility

• US 5,198,192 A
• Filed: 05/31/1989
• Issued: 03/30/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: INAX Corporation Japan
• Original Assignee: INAX Corporation (LIXIL Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Mineharu, Saito, Shiro, Kawamoto, Ryuichi, Sakakibara, Shigeru
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Trembley, T. A.
• Application Number:
  US07/359,168
• Time in Patent Office: 1,399 Days
• Field of Search: 422/68.1, 422/63, 422/79, 422/81, 422/82.01, 422/82.02, 422/82.03, 422/82.04, 422/50, 128/760, 128/771, 4/301, 4/314, 4/661, 4/420
• US Class Current: 422/68.1
• 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: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices

Abstract

A urine detection device is disposed to a urine receiving surface of a toilet stool in which urine, diluting water and reagent are mixed by vertically moving a piston in the cylinder of the detection device, the reaction between them is detected by an electrode and the ingredient in urine is detected. Liquid in the cylinder is stirred by a stirring device to blown air into the reagent reservoir, by which oxygen is dissolved in the reagent. Cleaning liquid is sprayed from the nozzle to the electrode for flushing. An opening is disposed to a supporting wall of the toilet stool, through which the cylinder is detached or attached. The electrode is disposed such that its rear end is directed to the opening and detached or attached through the opening.

Claims

1. An apparatus for detecting an ingredient in urine comprising,

cylinder means vertically disposed along its axial direction and having an upper end opening defining an inlet for urine, said cylinder means including a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a lower portion, said diametrically enlarged upper portion having an inside diameter larger than that of the lower portion;

piston means fitted in said cylinder means, said piston means being movable between the upper and lower portions of the cylinder means, said piston means, when located in the lower portion, fitting in the lower portion without a space, and when located in the diametrically enlarged upper portion, said piston means forming a space between the piston means and the upper portion;

driving means for vertically moving said piston means between the upper and lower portions of said cylinder means;

an electrode extending through a wall of said cylinder means in said diametrically enlarged upper portion and having a forward end to contact with a liquid in said cylinder means for detecting concentration of an ingredient of the liquid in said cylinder means;

reagent supplying means having an opening extending to the upper portion of the cylinder means, a reagent reservoir, a pipeline and a pump located between the reagent reservoir and said opening, and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that a reagent is supplied into the cylinder means when said valve is opened;

water supplying means having an opening extending to the upper portion of said cylinder means, a water supplying source, a pipeline connected between the opening and the water supplying source and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that water is supplied into said cylinder means when said valve is opened; and

stirring means attached to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of the cylinder means for stirring the liquid in the diametrically enlarged upper portion of the cylinder means.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the stirring means comprises:

a recess formed in the wall of the cylinder means;

a stirring piece made of a magnetic member enhoused rotatably in said recess;

a magnet disposed on an outside of said cylinder means so as to magnetically attract the stirring piece; and

a motor for rotating said magnet, thereby rotating said stirring piece.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for calculating an electrode detection value.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein said calculating means further includes means for indicating a result of the calculation.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein the electrode is an oxygen electrode for externally outputting a amount of oxygen consumed through a oxidizing reaction between a enzyme reagent and a ingredient in urine as an electric current value.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, further comprising a control device for conducting following steps:

lowering the piston means to its lowermost position so that urine can be received within the cylinder means;

raising said piston means to its uppermost position, so that urine remains only in the space diametrically enlarged upper portion of said cylinder means and said piston means;

actuating the reagent supplying means and the water supplying means so that predetermined amounts of water and reagent are supplied in the cylinder means and mixed with urine by opening the valve while lowering the piston means to its lowermost position;

operating stirring means in said step; and

calculating the concentration of the ingredient in urine based on a detection signal from the electrode and indicating results on display means.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the reagent is an enzyme reagent capable of reacting with ingredient in urine and the electrode is such an electrode as capable of externally outputting a state of reaction between said enzyme reagent and said ingredient in urine as an electric signal.

8. An apparatus for detecting an ingredient in urine comprising,

cylinder means vertically disposed along its axial direction and having an upper end opening defining an inlet for urine, said cylinder means including a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a lower portion, said diametrically enlarged upper portion having an inside diameter larger than that of the lower portion;

piston means fitted in said cylinder means, said piston means being movable between the upper and lower portions of the cylinder means, said piston means, when located in the lower portion, fitting in the lower portion without a space, and when located in the diametrically enlarged upper portion, said piston means forming a space between the piston means and the diametrically enlarged upper portion;

driving means for vertically moving said piston means between the upper and lower portions of said cylinder means;

an electrode extending through a wall of said cylinder means in said diametrically enlarged upper portion and having a forward end to contact with a liquid in said cylinder means for detecting concentration of an ingredient of the liquid in said cylinder means;

reagent supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of the cylinder means, a reagent reservoir, a pipeline and a pump located between the reagent reservoir and said opening, and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that a reagent is supplied into the cylinder means when said valve is opened;

water supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of said cylinder means, a water supplying source, a pipeline connected between the opening and the water supplying source and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that water is supplied into said cylinder means when said valve is opened; and

means for blowing air into said reagent reservoir to thereby dissolve oxygen into the reagent in said reagent reservoir.

9. An apparatus for detecting an ingredient in urine comprising,

cylinder means vertically disposed along its axial direction and having an upper end opening defining an inlet for urine, said cylinder means including a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a lower portion, said diametrically enlarged upper portion having an inside diameter larger than that of the lower portion;

piston means fitted in said cylinder means, said piston means being movable between the upper and lower portions of the cylinder means, said piston means, when located in the lower portion, fitting in the lower portion without a space, and when located in the diametrically enlarged upper portion, said piston means forming a space between the piston means and the diametrically enlarged upper portion;

driving means for vertically moving said piston means between the upper and lower portions of said cylinder means;

an electrode extending through a wall of said cylinder means in said diametrically enlarged upper portion and having a forward end to contact with a liquid in said cylinder means for detecting concentration of an ingredient of the liquid in said cylinder means;

reagent supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of the cylinder means, a reagent reservoir, a pipeline and a pump located between the reagent reservoir and said opening, and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that a reagent is supplied into the cylinder means when said valve is opened;

water supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of said cylinder means, a water supplying source, a pipeline connected between the opening and the water supplying source and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that water is supplied into said cylinder means when said valve is opened; and

a flushing nozzle disposed in said cylinder means such that water jetted out therefrom is sprayed to the forward end of the electrode.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the flushing nozzle is connected by way of a pipeline and a valve to a city water pipeline and water is jetted out from the flushing nozzle by the pressure of water in the city water pipeline.

11. A apparatus for detecting an ingredient in urine, comprising:

a toilet stool having a toilet bowl with a urine receiving surface;

cylinder means attached to the urine receiving surface of the bowl of the toilet stool and having a through hole, urine being supplied to the cylinder means through the through hole, said cylinder means being vertically disposed along its axial direction and having an upper end opening so that the upper end opening defines an inlet for urine, said cylinder means including a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a lower portion, said diametrically enlarged upper portion having an inside diameter larger than that of the lower portion;

piston means fitted in said cylinder means, said piston means being movable between the upper and lower portions of the cylinder means, said piston means, when located in the lower portion, fitting in the lower portion without a space, and when located in the diametrically enlarged upper portion, said piston means forming a space between the piston means and the diametrically enlarged upper portion;

driving means for vertically moving said piston means between the upper and lower portions of said cylinder means;

reagent supplying means for adding a reagent to urine introduced into the diametrically enlarged upper portion of the cylinder means,

an electrode attached to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of the cylinder means, said electrode contacting urine incorporated with the reagent for detecting ingredient in urine; and

standard solution supplying means for supplying a standard solution for calibrating the electrode in the cylinder means.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising water supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of said cylinder means, a water supplying source, a pipeline connected between the opening and the water supplying source and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that water is supplied into said cylinder means when said valve is opened.

13. An apparatus for detecting an ingredient in urine comprising,

a toilet stool having a bowl with a urine receiving surface, said bowl having a through hole in the urine receiving surface;

cylinder means vertically disposed along its axial direction and having an upper end opening defining an inlet for urine, said cylinder means including a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a lower portion, said diametrically enlarged upper portion having an inside diameter larger than that of the lower portion;

piston means fitted in said cylinder means, said piston means being movable between the upper and lower portions of the cylinder means, said piston means, when located in the lower portion, fitting in the lower portion without a space, and when located in the diametrically enlarged upper portion, said piston means forming a space between the piston means and the diametrically enlarged upper portion;

driving means for vertically moving said piston means between the upper and lower portions of said cylinder means;

an electrode extending through a wall of said cylinder means in said diametrically enlarged upper portion and having a forward end to contact with a liquid in said cylinder means for detecting concentration of an ingredient of the liquid in said cylinder means;

reagent supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of the cylinder means, a reagent reservoir, a pipeline and a pump located between the reagent reservoir and said opening, and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that a reagent is supplied into the cylinder means when said valve is opened; and

a sleeve inserted into the through hole in the urine receiving surface of said bowl and secured to said toilet stool, said cylinder means being screwed into a lower end of said sleeve.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the driving means is secured to the cylinder means and when the cylinder means is rotated for screwing into said sleeve, the driving means is also rotated together with said cylinder means.

15. An apparatus for detecting an ingredient in urine comprising,

a toilet stool having a bowl with a urine receiving surface, said bowl having a through hole in the urine receiving surface;

a flushing cistern for supplying flushing water to said toilet stool;

cylinder means vertically disposed along its axial direction so that urine flows through the through hole of the toilet stool to inside thereof, said cylinder means having an upper end opening to define an inlet for urine, said cylinder means including a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a lower portion, said diametrically enlarged upper portion having an inside diameter larger than that of the lower portion;

piston means fitted in said cylinder means, said piston means being movable between the upper and lower portions of the cylinder means, said piston means, when located in the lower portion, fitting in the lower portion without a space, and when located in the diametrically enlarged upper portion, said piston means forming a space between the piston means and the diametrically enlarged upper portion;

driving means for vertically moving said piston means between the upper and lower portions of said cylinder means;

an electrode extending through a wall of said cylinder means in said diametrically enlarged upper portion and having a forward end to contact with a liquid in said cylinder means for detecting concentration of an ingredient of the liquid in said cylinder means;

reagent supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of the cylinder means, a reagent reservoir, a pipeline and a pump located between the reagent reservoir and said opening, and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that a reagent is supplied into the cylinder means when said valve is opened, said reagent reservoir being disposed separately from said toilet stool; and

water supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of said cylinder means, a pipeline for introducing water from the flushing cistern to the opening, and a valve disposed in the pipeline so that water is supplied from the flushing cistern into the cylinder means when the valve is opened.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15, further comprising a recessed groove extending vertically at a rear face of the flushing cistern and a pipeline for introducing water from said flushing cistern to the cylinder means disposed within said recessed groove.

17. A toilet stool equipped with a urine detection device comprising:

a toilet stool having a bowl at a front portion and a flushing cistern disposed at an upper rear portion, said flushing cistern having a recessed groove vertically formed at the rear portion thereof, said bowl having a through hole formed at an upper surface for urine discharge;

a urine detection device connected to the through hole such that urine is received, said urine detection device including a reagent reservoir and an electrode for detecting an ingredient in urine, said urine detection device further including;

cylinder means vertically disposed along its axial direction and having an upper end opening so that the upper end opening defines an inlet for urine, said cylinder means including a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a lower portion, said diametrically enlarged upper portion having an inside diameter larger than that of the lower portion,

piston means fitted in said cylinder means, said piston means being movable between the upper and lower portions of the cylinder means, said piston means, when located in the lower portion, fitting in the lower portion without a space, and when located in the diametrically enlarged upper portion, said piston means forming a space between the piston means and the diametrically enlarged upper portion, and

driving means for vertically moving said piston means between the upper and lower portions of said cylinder means; and

a pipeline disposed between said urine detection device and said flushing cistern, said pipeline supplying water from the cistern to the urine detection device, said pipeline extending from the rear portion of the stool through the recessed groove.

18. An apparatus for detecting an ingredient in urine comprising:

a toilet stool comprising a bowl having an outer surface and a urine receiving surface, a through hole formed at the urine receiving surface of the bowl, a supporting portion surrounding the outer surface of the bowl, an opening formed at a supporting wall portion and a closure member for closing the opening;

cylinder means vertically disposed along its axial direction and attached to the bowl, said cylinder means including an upper end opening defining an inlet for urine a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a lower portion, said diametrically enlarged upper portion having an inside diameter larger than that of the lower portion;

piston means fitted in said cylinder means, said piston means being movable between the upper and lower portions of the cylinder means, said piston means, when located in the lower portion, fitting in the lower portion without a space, and when located in the diametrically enlarged upper portion, said piston means forming a space between the piston means and the diametrically enlarged upper portion;

driving means for vertically moving said piston means between the upper and lower portions of said cylinder means;

an electrode extending through a wall of said cylinder means in said diametrically enlarged upper portion and having a forward end to contact with a liquid in said cylinder means for detecting concentration of an ingredient of the liquid in said cylinder means, and a rear end directed to the opening in the supporting wall portion;

reagent supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of the cylinder means, a reagent reservoir, a pipeline and a pump located between the reagent reservoir and said opening, and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that a reagent is supplied into the cylinder means when said valve is opened; and

water supplying means having an opening extending to the diametrically enlarged upper portion of said cylinder means, a water supplying source, a pipeline connected between the opening and the water supplying source and a valve disposed in said pipeline so that water is supplied into said cylinder means when said valve is opened.

19. An apparatus for detecting an ingredient in urine comprising:

a toilet stool comprising a bowl having an outer surface and a urine receiving surface, a through hole formed at the urine receiving surface of the bowl, a supporting portion surrounding the outer surface of the bowl, an opening formed at a supporting wall portion and a closure member for closing the opening;

a urine detecting device to which urine flows from the through hole, said opening in the supporting wall portion having a size to allow said urine detection device to pass therethrough, said urine detecting device comprising;

cylinder means vertically disposed along its axial direction and having an upper end opening defining an inlet for urine, said cylinder means including a diametrically enlarged upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion having an inside diameter larger than that of the lower portion;

piston means fitted in said cylinder means, said piston means being movable between the upper and lower portions of the cylinder means, said piston means, when located in the lower portion, fitting in the lower portion without a space, and when located in the diametrically enlarged upper portion, said piston means forming a space between the piston means and the diametrically enlarged upper portion; and

driving means for vertically moving said piston means between the upper and lower portions of said cylinder means.