Capacitance coupled sensor and substance detecting method using capacitance-coupled sensor

• US 7,387,619 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2002
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aluvo Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Aluvo Company Limited
• Inventors: Kitamura, Teruo
• Primary Examiner(s): Zalukaeva; Tatyana
• Assistant Examiner(s): HAND, MELANIE JO
• Application Number:
  US10/488,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20040199131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,339 Days
• Field of Search: 604317-319, 324658-686
• US Class Current: 604/319
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/451 Genital or anal receptacles A61F5/441, A61F5/442, A61F5/443 take precedence ; other body securing means A61F5/4408; devices for taking faeces samples A61B10/0038; devices for taking urine samples A61B10/007
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 9/00 Bed-pans, urinals or other sanitary devices for bed-ridden persons; Cleaning devices therefor, e.g. combined with toilet-urinals urinals worn by the patient A61F5/44

Abstract

To allow a DC voltage to be obtained as an output signal for higher versatility. A sensor unit 400 has three electrodes: a transmission electrode 401, a reception electrode 402 and a shielding electrode 403. The shielding electrode 403 shields the transmission electrode 401 and the reception electrode 402 from each other in terms of high-frequency and is constantly earthed. A high-frequency voltage is applied to the transmission electrode 401 from a high-frequency oscillation circuit 410. A high-frequency voltage depending upon the magnitude of the electrostatic capacity between the electrodes 401 and 4023 is outputted from the reception electrode 402. The high-frequency voltage outputted from the reception electrode 402 is converted into a DC voltage by a detection circuit 420. The presence or absence or the amount of a substance is determined based on the magnitude of the DC voltage produced in the detection circuit 420.

Claims

1. A capacitance-coupled sensor configured to detect the presence or absence of a substance, comprising:

a sensor unit having a transmission electrode, a reception electrode capacitively couplable to said transmission electrode, and a shielding electrode interposed between said transmission electrode and said reception electrode for shielding the transmission electrode and the reception electrode from each other,

a high-frequency oscillator interposed between said transmission electrode and said shielding electrode for applying a high-frequency voltage to said transmission electrode;

a detector interposed between said reception electrode and said shielding electrode for converting a high-frequency voltage outputted from said reception electrode into a DC voltage;

an excrement cup attachable to a patient for receiving at least excrement of said patient; and

a stool discharge passage for discharging at least stool from said excrement cup with an in-cup opening which opens upward in said excrement cup,

wherein said sensor unit is placed across said in-cup opening so that stool excreted by said patient can be received by the sensor unit and said stool on said sensor unit is passed through said sensor unit when said stool discharge passage is subjected to suction, and

wherein said sensor unit is constituted of a plurality of conductive wires divided into first to third groups each having a plurality of conductive wires, said plurality of conductive wires including at least three conductive wires extending in parallel to each other at small intervals as a whole,

a plurality of conductive wires in said first group serving as a plurality of transmission electrodes,

a plurality of conductive wires in said second group serving as a plurality of reception electrodes, and

a plurality of conductive wires in said third group serving as a plurality of shielding electrodes,

said conductive wires serving as shielding electrodes being arranged between each of conductive wires serving as transmission electrodes and each of said conductive wires serving as reception electrodes,

said conductive wires serving as transmission electrodes being electrically connected with each other at one end,

said conductive wires serving as said reception electrodes being electrically connected with each other at one end, and

said conductive wires serving as shielding electrodes being electrically connected with each other at one end an excrement cup attachable to a patient for receiving at least excrement of said patient.

2. The capacitance-coupled sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said conductive wires is coated with an insulating coating material.

3. The capacitance-coupled sensor as claimed in claim 1, further comprising spacer members provided at both longitudinal ends of said conductive wires for maintaining the intervals between said conductive wires.

4. The capacitance-coupled sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said high-frequency oscillator is a clock incorporated in a computer.

5. The capacitance-coupled sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said substance is a living body, excrement of a living body, gas, liquid, solid matter, powder, particulate matter or gelatinous substance.