Apparatus for measuring transpiration amount

• US 6,287,255 B1
• Filed: 10/15/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: KAO Corporation
• Original Assignee: KAO Corporation
• Inventors: Hoshi, Masato, Shioya, Yasushi, Nakai, Ryozo, Endo, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, RYAN CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US09/418,430
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 600/362-363, 600/345-346, 600/349, 600/356, 600/357, 600/372, 600/382-384, 600/573, 600/584, 600/307, 73/290.1
• US Class Current: 600/307
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/101 for examining the tear film
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4266 sweat secretion

Abstract

Described is an apparatus for measuring a water transpiration amount, which comprises a barrel-type body having a humidity sensor inside of the body and opening portions on the top and bottom of the body, wherein a gas introductory path for feeding, from the outside of the apparatus, a gas having a predetermined water content to a surface to be measured is disposed at the side wall portion of the body and a freely openable or closable shutter is installed at the bottom opening portion of the body.

The apparatus according to the present invention makes it possible to carry out accurate and prompt measurement of a water amount transpired locally from the skin surface, ocular surface or the like without being influenced by the external circumstances such as wind.

Claims

1. In an apparatus for measuring a transpiration amount, said apparatus including a barrel-type body having a humidity sensor provided inside of said barrel-type body and opening portions on a top and a bottom of said barrel-type body, an improvement comprising:

a gas introductory path for feeding a gas having a predetermined water content, from an outside of said apparatus, to a surface to be measured, wherein said gas introductory path is disposed at a side wall portion of said barrel-type body of said apparatus, and a freely openable or closable shutter portion is installed at a bottom opening portion of said barrel-type body of said apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said humidity sensor is disposed above an opening portion of the gas introductory path inside of said barrel-type body of said apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said gas introductory path is formed by fixing an appropriate number of pipes, each of which opens at a position a little above an end of said bottom opening portion of said barrel-type body of said apparatus, to an inside surface of said barrel-type body of said apparatus.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shutter portion comprises a rotary slide plate.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said shutter portion comprises a vertically movable lid.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said barrel-type body of said apparatus is provided, inside thereof, with a temperature sensor.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an eye-surrounding attachment for forming a closed space is disposed in connection with said bottom opening portion of said barrel-type body of said apparatus with said shutter portion being interposed therebetween.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the gas introductory path is provided with a nozzle mechanism for filling an inside of said eye-surrounding attachment with the gas without directly injecting the gas to an ocular surface of said eye-surrounding attachment.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said nozzle mechanism is formed by installing, below a lower opening portion of said gas introductory path, a gas collision plate equipped with a gas exhaust port, with a gas supplying space being disposed between said gas collision plate and an inside wall of said barrel-type body of said apparatus.

10. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said nozzle mechanism is formed by connecting, with a lower opening portion of said gas introductory path, a doughnut-shaped pipe having an appropriate number of nozzle holes opened toward an inside wall of said eye-surrounding attachment.