Suction device for living body and accumulation container for suctioned substance

Abstract

To enhance the suction performance of a suction device for a living body while separately securing the accumulation amount of a suctioned substance.SOLUTION: A suction device for a living body includes: a suction tank that communicates with a suction tube to be inserted into a living body as a suction target to apply a negative pressure to the suction tube and receives a sucked substance from the suction tube; an air pump that communicates with the suction tank to suck air to apply a negative pressure to the suction tank; and a discharge part that is closed by the negative pressure of the suction tank to temporarily accumulate the sucked substance in the suction tank and is opened by the release of the negative pressure of the suction tank to discharge the sucked substance, the sucked substance being secondarily accumulated in an accumulation container arranged at a discharge destination of the discharge part.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for a living body suction device that suctions unwanted matter (phlegm, nasal mucus, secretions, foreign bodies, etc.) from a living body. In particular, the present invention relates to a living body suction device and a collection container combined with the device. [Background technology]

[0002] 2. Description of the Related Art There is a known technique for a phlegm suction device that sucks up unwanted matter trapped in the airways and removes it as suction material.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology that describes a "phlegm suction device comprising a storage container connected to a suction catheter for storing suctioned phlegm, and an air pump connected to the storage container for generating negative pressure in the suction catheter via the storage container." [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-131356 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a conventional sputum suction device such as that in Patent Document 1, if there is to be some margin in the amount of accumulated suction material, it is necessary to increase the volume of the storage container.

[0006] When the volume of the storage container increases in this way, it is not possible to apply sufficient negative pressure to the suction catheter (suction tube) until the increased air in the storage container is sucked out by the air pump, which causes a problem of a longer time lag before suctioning the airway can begin.

[0007] In addition, the increased volume of the container increases the cushioning effect of the air in the container (equivalent to a cushioning spring), so even if the suction tube becomes clogged with the object to be suctioned, the increased air in the container cushions the air, making it difficult to instantly increase the negative pressure in the suction tube and making it difficult to clear the clog.

[0008] To improve these problems with the conventional structure, it was necessary to increase the negative pressure of the air pump. In that case, the air pump would become larger by the amount of the increase in the upper limit of the negative pressure. This would result in new problems such as an increase in the size of the device itself, increased power consumption, and shorter battery life.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to improve the suction performance of a living body suction device while ensuring the accumulation amount of the suction material. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The living body suction device of the present invention comprises a suction tank that communicates with a suction tube inserted into the living body to be suctioned to apply negative pressure and receive aspirated material from the suction tube, an air pump that communicates with the suction tank to draw air and apply negative pressure to the suction tank, and a discharge section that is closed by the negative pressure of the suction tank to primarily accumulate the aspirated material in the suction tank and is opened by releasing the negative pressure of the suction tank to discharge the aspirated material, and is characterized in that the aspirated material is secondarily accumulated in a collection container located at the discharge destination of the discharge section. Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to separately secure a secondary accumulation amount of aspirate using an accumulation container, while reducing the size of the suction tank by the secured amount, thereby improving the suction performance of the living body suction device.

[0012] The details of the problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be described in the embodiments described later. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an air system between the air pump 120 and the suction tank 110. As shown in FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a mounting portion of the suction tank 110. As shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the float 165b. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a large-capacity type accumulation container 200. As shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a cup-type accumulation container 200. As shown in FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external appearance of the suction device 100 for a living body. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the second sensor 150. As shown in FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a flowchart (first half) illustrating the operation of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the first embodiment (second half). [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the second embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart (first half) illustrating the operation of the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the operation of the second embodiment (second half). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. EXAMPLES

[0015] Overview of the First Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the first embodiment. In FIG. 1, the system of the first embodiment includes a living body suction device 100, a collection container 200, a terminal device 300, and a suction tube A.

[0016] Among these, the living body suction device 100 includes a suction tank 110, an air pump 120, a pipe 120a, an outside air adjustment valve 120b, a discharge unit 130, an isolation room 140, a second sensor 150, a control unit 160, a suction switch 160b, and a first sensor 170. Furthermore, the control unit 160 includes an outside air adjustment unit 161, a pump control unit 162, a placement monitoring unit 163, an accumulation management unit 164, a suction management unit 165, and a monitor transmission unit 166.

[0017] On the other hand, the terminal device 300 includes a monitor receiving unit 310 and a time-lapse recording unit 320. The terminal device 300 may be a device dedicated to the living body suction device 100, or may be realized by an existing mobile terminal, a smartphone, a wearable terminal such as a smart watch, a general-purpose information processing device such as a computer, or an application (a program recorded in a computer-readable medium) that causes a computer to function as the terminal device 300. The configuration of each part will be explained below in order.

[0018] <Air system configuration explanation> FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of an air system between the air pump 120 and the suction tank 110. As shown in FIG.

[0019] 2, the suction tank 110 is an airtight container that communicates with the suction tube A inserted into the living body of the suction target and applies negative pressure to the suction tank 110. Furthermore, the suction tank 110 also serves as a primary container that receives the aspirate sucked by the suction tube A and temporarily stores it.

[0020] The suction tank 110 communicates with the suction tank 110 via the filter 120c and the pipe 120a. When the suction tank 110 is removed from the living body suction device 100 for cleaning, the connection between the suction tank 110 and the pipe 120a can be disconnected. The filter 120c has a function of blocking liquid and allowing gas to pass through.

[0021] The air pump 120 applies a negative pressure to the suction tank 110 by drawing air from the suction tank 110 that is in communication with the air pump 120 via a pipe 120a.

[0022] An outside air adjustment valve 120b for allowing outside air to flow in and out of the suction tank 110 is provided on the path of the piping 120a.

[0023] The discharge portion 130 includes a valve portion 130a and a fastener 130b. The valve portion 130a is screwed to the tip of the funnel-shaped bottom surface of the suction tank 110 while being held down by the fastener 130b.

[0024] In the discharge part 130, the valve part 130a is closed by the negative pressure of the suction tank 110. As a result, the negative pressure of the suction tank 110 does not escape from the discharge part 130, and the negative pressure acts on the suction tube A. In addition, due to the closure of the discharge part 130 (valve part 130a), the aspirated material in the suction tube A does not pass through the discharge part 130, and is temporarily accumulated in the suction tank 110.

[0025] The discharge unit 130 opens the valve unit 130a by releasing the negative pressure in the suction tank 110. As a result, the aspirate temporarily accumulated in the suction tank 110 flows down the funnel-shaped bottom surface of the suction tank 110 and is discharged from the discharge unit 130. The accumulation container 200 disposed at the discharge destination secondarily accumulates the discharged aspirate.

[0026] Configuration of the mounting portion of the suction tank 110 FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a mounting portion of the suction tank 110. As shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the suction tank 110 is detachably attached to a storage portion 100a of the living body suction device 100, and is fixed by a lock portion 100b.

[0027] The bottom surface of the storage section 100a is formed into a funnel shape to match the bottom surface of the suction tank 110, and a through hole 100c for passing the discharge section 130 through to the isolation chamber 140 side is provided at the tip of the funnel shape.

[0028] A first sensor 170 for optically detecting the up-down position of a float 165b (described later) is provided in the storage portion 100a through a transparent portion of the suction tank 110.

[0029] <<Configuration of Float 165b>> FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of the float 165b. 4, the float 165b slides up and down freely in a groove inside the suction tank 110. The float 165b floats on the suctioned material inside the suction tank 110 and slides up and down.

[0030] The first sensor 170 is provided at a position where it optically detects the up and down positions of the float 165b through a transparent portion of the suction tank 110. The first sensor 170 here is provided with photointerrupters stacked in two stages, one above the other, so that it optically detects when the float 165b is lowered (middle stage in FIG. 4) and when it is at its maximum elevation (lower stage in FIG. 4) and outputs the results to the suction management unit 165 (see FIG. 1).

[0031] Configuration of accumulation container 200 FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a large-capacity type accumulation container 200. As shown in FIG. In FIG. 5, the accumulation container 200 is provided with a volume portion X1 for secondarily accumulating the aspirated matter discharged from the discharge portion 130 through a hole portion X0 on the upper surface.

[0032] The bottom surface of the accumulation container 200 is provided with fitting parts X2 and X3 for guiding the normal placement of the discharge part 130 at the discharge destination by fitting with the fitting shape of the floor surface of the isolation chamber 140, which is the storage space. Of these, the fitting part X2 has a four-legged convex shape in order to raise the bottom surface of the accumulation container 200 above the installation surface. The fitting part X3 has an I-shaped groove in order to guide the accumulation container 200 to the back of the isolation chamber 140. Note that the I-shaped groove may be tapered by widening the groove width on the inlet side so as to fit more naturally into the guide position.

[0033] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a cup-type accumulation container 200. As shown in FIG. The functional features of the cup-type accumulation container 200 are that the contact area of ​​the fitting portion X2 is increased to improve the contact stability of the elongated cup-type container, and that the fitting portion X3 is a cross groove, allowing the cup to be inserted into the isolation chamber 140 from four different directions.

[0034] Other functions are the same as those of the large-capacity accumulation container 200 (FIG. 5), so a duplicated description will be omitted here.

[0035] <<Configuration of isolation room 140>> FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of the external appearance of the suction device 100 for a living body. 7, the exterior of the living body suction device 100 includes an opening 140a of the isolation room 140, an isolation door 140b, an audio / display unit 160a, a suction switch 160b, a suction dial 160c, a battery cover 100d, and a power cord 100e.

[0036] Of these, a packing is placed in the opening 140a, and by closing the isolation door 140b, the isolation chamber 140 is kept airtight and odor leakage from the isolation chamber 140 is prevented.

[0037] Furthermore, on the floor surface of the isolated chamber 140, mating portions Y2, Y3 for guiding the mating portions X2, X3 of the accumulation container 200 are provided.

[0038] The fitted portion Y3 is an I-shaped convex rail that fits into the groove of the fitting portion X3 to guide the accumulation container 200 to the back of the isolation chamber 140.

[0039] The four fitted parts Y2 are formed from an integrally molded plate member 154 (see FIG. 8). These fitted parts Y2 have a shallower depression than the thickness of the protrusion of the fitting part X2, so that the load of the accumulation container 200 is distributed and applied to the four fitted parts Y2 via the four fitting parts X2.

[0040] Detection of correct placement of accumulation container 200 FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating an example of the configuration of the second sensor 150. As shown in FIG. Here, the second sensor 150 is configured to include four radially arranged strain sensors 151 and a fixture 153 that fixes the central ends of the strain sensors 151 to a base 152. The peripheral free ends of the four strain sensors 151 are connected to the four corners of a plate member 154.

[0041] In this state, when the accumulation container 200 is normally placed at the discharge destination of the discharge unit 130, the plate member 154 becomes horizontal, and the loads applied to the four strain sensors 151 become evenly balanced.

[0042] On the other hand, if the accumulation container 200 is abnormally positioned, the plate member 154 will be slightly tilted, causing the load balance on the four strain sensors 151 to become uneven.

[0043] In this manner, the second sensor 150 detects whether or not the accumulation container 200 is normally placed at the discharge destination of the discharge unit 130 by detecting the balance of the loads applied to the four strain sensors 151 .

[0044] Detection of Accumulation Amount in Accumulation Container 200 Meanwhile, the weight of the accumulation container 200 is distributed among the four strain sensors 151. Therefore, the second sensor 150 detects the loads from the four strain sensors 151, respectively, and detects the accumulation amount (total weight including the container) of the accumulation container 200 by adding up the detected loads. Note that since the weight of an empty accumulation container 200 differs between the large-capacity type (FIG. 5) and the cup type (FIG. 6), the accumulation management unit 164 may correct the detected accumulation amount (weight) according to the type of accumulation container 200.

[0045] Operational Description of the First Embodiment Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described. 9 and 10 are flow charts illustrating the operation of the first embodiment. The operation will be described below in the order of the step numbers shown in FIGS.

[0046] Step S101: The pump control unit 162 waits until the suction switch 160b is turned on. On the other hand, when the suction switch 160b is turned on, the pump control unit 162 advances the operation to step S102.

[0047] Step S102: The placement monitoring unit 163 judges whether the accumulation container 200 is normally placed at the discharge destination of the discharge unit 130 based on the output of the second sensor 150. The normal placement here corresponds to the second sensor 150 detecting the minimum load for the accumulation container 200 and the load balance being even. On the other hand, the abnormal placement (not normal placement) refers to either the second sensor 150 not detecting the minimum load for the accumulation container 200 (the accumulation container 200 is not present) or the load balance being uneven (the accumulation container 200 is not inserted in the correct position).

[0048] Step S103: If the accumulation container 200 is properly placed, the placement monitor 163 proceeds to step S105. On the other hand, if the accumulation container 200 is not properly placed, the placement monitor 163 does not operate the air pump 120 and proceeds to step S104.

[0049] Step S104: The placement monitoring unit 163 notifies the user of the “placement abnormality” of the accumulation container 200 by voice or display via the audio / display unit 160a. This notification prompts the user to properly place the accumulation container 200. After completing this notification, the placement monitoring unit 163 returns the operation to step S101.

[0050] Step S105: The accumulation management unit 164 detects the weight of the accumulation container 200 based on the output of the second sensor 150. The accumulation management unit 164 stores the detected weight (including the container weight) as the accumulation amount immediately before suction.

[0051] Step S106: The accumulation management unit 164 judges whether the accumulation amount immediately before suction exceeds the secondary accumulation limit. The secondary accumulation limit here corresponds to the "allowable upper limit accumulation amount" obtained by subtracting a margin (the standard or maximum accumulation amount of the suction tank 110 in one suction) from the weight (including the container weight) of the suction material accumulated to the maximum in the accumulation container 200.

[0052] In addition, the secondary accumulation limit of the accumulation amount differs between the large-capacity type (FIG. 5) and the cup type (FIG. 6) because the capacity of the volume section X1 is different. Therefore, the accumulation management unit 164 changes the secondary accumulation limit in accordance with the type setting of the accumulation container 200. In addition, the secondary accumulation limit of the large-capacity type and the cup type may be made to match in advance by evenly adding weights M of the following formula to the cup-type accumulation container 200. Weight M = (Secondary accumulation limit of large capacity type) - (Secondary accumulation limit of cup type)

[0053] If the result of the determination is that the accumulated amount in the accumulation container 200 does not exceed the secondary accumulation limit, the accumulation management unit 164 proceeds to step S108. On the other hand, if the accumulated amount in the accumulation container 200 exceeds the secondary accumulation limit, there is a risk that the accumulation container 200 will overflow if the suction operation is continued. Therefore, the accumulation management unit 164 proceeds to step S107 without operating the air pump 120.

[0054] Step S107: The accumulation management unit 164 notifies the user that the accumulation container 200 is “full” by voice or display via the audio / display unit 160a. In response to this notification, the user is asked to replace the accumulation container 200 or discard the aspirated material in the accumulation container 200. After completing this notification, the accumulation management unit 164 returns the operation to step S101.

[0055] Step S108: The pump control unit 162 drives the air pump 120 to apply negative pressure to the suction tank 110.

[0056] Step S109: The negative pressure of the suction tank 110 maintains the discharge part 130 closed. As a result, the aspirate from the suction tube A is temporarily accumulated in the suction tank 110.

[0057] Step S110: The suction management unit 165 detects the up-down position of the float 165b as the amount of the object to be suctioned based on the output of the first sensor 170, and stores it as one of the implementation histories (including date and time information) of the suction operation.

[0058] Step S120: The suction management unit 165 judges whether the vertical position of the float 165b reaches the primary accumulation limit. The primary accumulation limit here corresponds to the limit at which the suction tank 110 becomes full. If the vertical position of the float 165b does not reach the primary accumulation limit, the suction management unit 165 shifts the operation to step S121. On the other hand, if the vertical position of the float 165b reaches the primary accumulation limit, the suction management unit 165 shifts the operation to step S122 while notifying the user via the audio / display unit 160a that "the suction operation will be temporarily stopped and the suction tank 110 will be discharged."

[0059] Step S121: The pump control unit 162 determines whether the suction switch 160b has been turned off. If the suction switch 160b remains on, the pump control unit 162 returns to step S108 and continues the suction operation. On the other hand, if the suction switch 160b has been turned off, the pump control unit 162 proceeds to step S122.

[0060] Step S122: The pump control unit 162 stops the negative pressure of the air pump 120, releases the negative pressure, and opens the discharge unit .

[0061] Step S123: Furthermore, the outside air adjustment unit 161 opens the outside air adjustment valve 120b to forcibly reduce the negative pressure in the suction tank 110, thereby speeding up the opening of the exhaust unit .

[0062] Step S124: By opening the discharge part 130, the aspirated material temporarily accumulated in the suction tank 110 is discharged from the discharge part 130. The aspirated material discharged from the discharge part 130 is secondarily accumulated in the accumulation container 200.

[0063] Step S125: The accumulation management unit 164 determines whether the increase in the accumulation amount in the accumulation container 200 has stopped and stabilized based on the output of the second sensor 150. If the increase in the accumulation amount in the accumulation container 200 has stopped, the accumulation management unit 164 determines that the discharge of the aspirated material is completed, and proceeds to step S126. If the accumulation amount in the accumulation container 200 is increasing, the accumulation management unit 164 determines that the aspirated material is in the process of being discharged, and returns to step S124.

[0064] Step S126: The accumulation management unit 164 detects the accumulated amount (including the container weight) of the accumulation container 200 after suction based on the output of the second sensor 150. The accumulation management unit 164 subtracts the accumulated amount immediately before suction (see step S105) from the accumulated amount after suction to obtain an increase in the accumulation container 200 (the amount of aspirated material discharged this time from the discharge unit 130). The accumulation management unit 164 stores the current amount of aspirated material as one of the implementation history (including date and time information) of the suction operation.

[0065] Step S127: The monitor transmitting unit 166 transmits the implementation history of the suction operation to the monitor receiving unit 310 of the terminal device 300. The monitor transmitting unit 166 may transmit this information collectively during a period when communication with the terminal device 300 is possible, rather than during a period when communication with the terminal device 300 is impossible. The monitor receiving unit 310 records the received information as the implementation history of the suction operation in the time-series recording unit 320 over time. The terminal device 300 uses such implementation history of the suction operation in an app or the like as appropriate within the scope of the user's permission.

[0066] Step S128: The outside air adjustment unit 161 closes the outside air adjustment valve 120b in preparation for the next suction operation. If necessary, the suction tube A and the inside of the device may be cleaned by suctioning or immersing a cleaning liquid (such as water) at this point. When suctioning such a cleaning liquid, it may be included in or excluded from the execution history of the suction operation.

[0067] After completing the above operations, the pump control unit 162 returns the operation to step S101, and enters a standby mode (energy saving mode) with minimum power consumption until the start of the next suction operation.

[0068] Effects of Example 1 The effects achieved by the first embodiment will be described below.

[0069] (1) Conventional sputum suction devices such as those in Patent Document 1 have only one storage container, so if there is a need to allow for a margin in the amount of suction material accumulated, the volume of the storage container must be increased. As a result, sufficient negative pressure cannot be applied to the suction tube until the air pump is used to suck out the increased air in the storage container, resulting in a problem of a long time lag before suctioning inside the living body can begin.

[0070] However, in the first embodiment, the storage container is divided into a suction tank 110 and an accumulation container 200. The volume of the suction tank 110 is sufficient if it has a volume of the aspirate required for one suction operation, so the volume of the suction tank 110 can be made relatively small. This makes it possible to shorten the time until the air in the suction tank 110 is sucked out by the air pump 120, and shorten the time lag until sufficient negative pressure is applied to the suction tube A. Therefore, the first embodiment is superior in that the time lag until suction inside the living body can be shortened by dividing the storage container into a suction tank 110 and an accumulation container 200.

[0071] (2) Furthermore, in Example 1, the volume of the suction tank 110 is made relatively small, so that the cushioning effect of the air in the suction tank 110 (equivalent to a cushioning spring) can be reduced. Therefore, when the suction tube A is clogged with the suction object, the air in the suction tank 110 is not so much cushioned, and the negative pressure in the suction tube A can be instantaneously increased, making it easier to clear the clog. Therefore, Example 1 is superior in that the negative pressure can be instantaneously increased in response to a clog in the suction tube A to clear the clog by functionally dividing the storage container into the suction tank 110 and the accumulation container 200.

[0072] (3) In particular, in the first embodiment, the upper limit of the negative pressure required for the air pump 120 can be lowered by the amount of the reduction in the volume of the suction tank 110. Therefore, the first embodiment is also superior in that the air pump 120 can be made smaller by the amount of the reduction in the upper limit of the negative pressure required for the air pump 120, thereby making it possible to reduce the size of the living body suction device 100. Furthermore, the first embodiment is also superior in that the power consumption can be reduced by the amount of the reduction in the negative pressure required for the air pump 120, thereby saving energy and extending the battery drive time. Furthermore, the first embodiment is also superior in that the air pump 120 can be made quieter by the amount of the reduction in the negative pressure required for the air pump 120.

[0073] (4) Conventional sputum suction devices such as those in Patent Document 1 have only one storage container, which must be airtight. This means that every time a user discards the aspirated material from the storage container, the user must disassemble the airtight parts of the storage container (remove the tube and other parts), which is time-consuming for the user.

[0074] However, in the first embodiment, the function of the storage container is divided into the suction tank 110 and the accumulation container 200, and the aspirated material is accumulated in the accumulation container 200. The accumulation container 200 does not need to be as airtight as the suction tank 110. Therefore, when a user discards the aspirated material from the accumulation container 200, there is little need to disassemble the parts of the suction tank 110 and the accumulation container 200. Therefore, the first embodiment is superior in that the user's effort in discarding the aspirated material can be reduced by dividing the function of the storage container into the suction tank 110 and the accumulation container 200.

[0075] (5) In the first embodiment, the discharge unit 130 is disposed between the suction tank 110 and the accumulation container 200. The discharge unit 130 is closed by the negative pressure of the suction tank 110 to temporarily accumulate the aspirated material in the suction tank 110, and is opened by releasing the negative pressure of the suction tank 110 to discharge the aspirated material to the accumulation container 200 side. Therefore, a linked operation is naturally performed in which the aspirated material is temporarily accumulated in the suction tank 110 when suction starts, and is secondarily transferred to the accumulation container 200 when suction stops. Therefore, the first embodiment is superior in that the discharge unit 130 is disposed, and the aspirated material can be transferred from the suction tank 110 to the accumulation container 200 in conjunction with the start and stop of the suction operation.

[0076] (6) In the first embodiment, the negative pressure in the suction tank 110 can be forcibly lowered by controlling the outside air adjustment valve 120b. Therefore, the time until the discharge part 130 is opened can be shortened. Therefore, the first embodiment is superior in that the timing to start discharging the suctioned object from the suction tank 110 can be accelerated by controlling the outside air adjustment valve 120b.

[0077] (7) In the first embodiment, the second sensor 150 detects that the accumulation container 200 is normally placed at the discharge destination of the discharge unit 130, and the air pump 120 is not operated unless normal placement is detected. Therefore, the first embodiment is superior in that it can prevent a situation in which the aspirated material leaks into the isolation chamber 140 due to an abnormal placement of the accumulation container 200 by detecting normal placement of the accumulation container 200 and operating the air pump 120.

[0078] (8) In the first embodiment, the accumulation amount of the accumulation container 200 is detected by the second sensor 150, and when the accumulation amount exceeds the secondary accumulation limit, the user is notified that the accumulation container 200 is “full.” Therefore, the first embodiment is superior in that the accumulation container 200 can be prevented from overflowing by detecting the fullness of the accumulation container 200 by the second sensor 150.

[0079] (9) In the first embodiment, the amount of accumulated air in the suction tank 110 is detected by the first sensor 170, and when the amount of accumulated air exceeds the primary accumulation limit, the air pump 120 is forcibly stopped. Therefore, the first embodiment is superior in that the amount of accumulated air in the suction tank 110 is detected by the first sensor 170 and the air pump 120 is controlled, thereby preventing the suction tank 110 from overflowing.

[0080] (10) In the first embodiment, the implementation history of the suction operation is stored based on the accumulated amount in the accumulation container 200 detected by the second sensor 150. Therefore, the first embodiment is advantageous in that the amount of the aspirate of the living body suction can be recorded as time-series data.

[0081] (11) Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the execution history of the suction operation is transmitted to the terminal device 300 based on the accumulated amount of the accumulation container 200 detected by the second sensor 150. Therefore, the first embodiment is advantageous in that the amount of the aspirate of the living body suction can be managed on the terminal device 300 side as time-series data.

[0082] (12) In the first embodiment, the implementation history of the suction operation is stored based on the accumulated amount of the suction tank 110 detected by the first sensor 170. Therefore, the first embodiment is advantageous in that the amount of the suctioned material of the living body suction can be recorded as time-series data.

[0083] (13) Furthermore, in the first embodiment, the execution history of the suction operation is transmitted to the terminal device 300 based on the accumulated amount of the suction tank 110 detected by the first sensor 170. Therefore, the first embodiment is advantageous in that the amount of the suctioned material of the living body suction can be managed on the terminal device 300 side as time-series data.

[0084] (14) In the first embodiment, the created "suction operation implementation history" can be shared with a medical institution (or a care facility or a home security company, etc.) via communication, etc. In this case, the "suction operation implementation history" can be added to an electronic medical record or used to manage the condition and health of the suction target (e.g., a patient).

[0085] (15) In addition, in the first embodiment, the created "suction operation execution history" can be shared with family members in remote locations via communication or the like. In this case, it becomes possible to know the situation of the other person in the remote location from the "suction operation execution history".

[0086] (16) In the first embodiment, the accumulation container 200 includes fitting parts X2 and X3 that guide the discharge part 130 to be properly positioned at the discharge destination. Therefore, the accumulation container 200 of the first embodiment is advantageous in that leakage of the aspirated material can be prevented when the aspirated material is discharged from the suction tank 110 to the accumulation container 200. EXAMPLES

[0087] <<Structural Features of the Second Embodiment>> FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of the second embodiment. In FIG. 11, the configuration of the second embodiment is characterized in that a blowout prevention valve 410 and a first sensor 470 are provided.

[0088] The blowout prevention valve 410 is provided on the path from the suction tank 110 to the suction tube A, and is a valve that closes when the suction tank 110 exerts a positive pressure.

[0089] The first sensor 470 is a detection means for detecting the amount of accumulated liquid in the suction tank 110 in multiple stages or continuously. For example, the first sensor 470 can be realized by further increasing the number of stages of the photointerrupter of the first sensor 170 shown in FIG. 4. For example, the first sensor 470 may be a "detection means for detecting the weight of the suction tank 110". Furthermore, the first sensor 470 may be a "detection means for detecting the liquid level position in the suction tank 110". Furthermore, the first sensor 470 may be a "detection means for calculating the amount of accumulated liquid in the suction tank 110 (tank volume - air volume) by detecting the volume of air in the suction tank 110".

[0090] Other configurations of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, so a duplicated description will be omitted here.

[0091] Operational Features of the Second Embodiment 12 and 13 are flow charts illustrating the operation of the second embodiment. 12 and 13, the operational feature of the second embodiment is that steps S201 to S207 are carried out instead of steps S110 to S124 (see FIGS. 9 to 10) of the first embodiment. The operations in steps S201 to S207 will be explained below in order.

[0092] Step S201: The suction management unit 165 detects the accumulated amount of the suction tank 110 from the output of the first sensor 470. The suction management unit 165 stores the detected accumulated amount of the suction tank 110 as one of the execution history (including date and time information) of the suction operation.

[0093] Step S202: The suction management unit 165 sets the value of the following formula to the primary accumulation limit. Primary accumulation limit=MIN[(maximum accumulation amount of accumulation container 200)-(current accumulation amount of accumulation container 200)-surplus, (maximum accumulation amount of suction tank 110)]

[0094] Here, MIN[] is an operator that outputs the smaller of the two values ​​in []. The margin may be a small value provided just in case to prevent the accumulation container 200 from overflowing, and may be set to zero if unnecessary.

[0095] Step S203: The suction management unit 165 judges whether the accumulated amount of the suction tank 110 reaches the primary accumulation limit. If the accumulated amount of the suction tank 110 does not reach the primary accumulation limit, the suction management unit 165 shifts the operation to step S204. On the other hand, if the accumulated amount of the suction tank 110 reaches the primary accumulation limit, the suction management unit 165 shifts the operation to step S205 while notifying the user via the audio / display unit 160a that "the suction operation will be temporarily stopped and the suction tank 110 will be discharged."

[0096] Step S204: The pump control unit 162 determines whether the suction switch 160b has been turned off. If the suction switch 160b remains on, the pump control unit 162 returns to step S108 and continues the suction operation. On the other hand, if the suction switch 160b has been turned off, the pump control unit 162 proceeds to step S205.

[0097] Step S205: After stopping the negative pressure of the air pump 120, the pump control unit 162 drives the air pump 120 to apply positive pressure to the suction tank 110.

[0098] Step S206: The ejection prevention valve 410 is closed by the positive pressure of the suction tank 110, thereby preventing the suctioned material from flowing back or ejecting into the suction tube A. On the other hand, the discharge part 130 is suddenly opened by the positive pressure of the suction tank 110.

[0099] Step S207: The aspirate temporarily stored in the suction tank 110 is forcibly discharged from the discharge unit 130 by the positive pressure of the suction tank 110.

[0100] Other operations of the second embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment, so a duplicated description will be omitted here.

[0101] Effects of Example 2 In addition to the effects described in the first embodiment, the second embodiment has the following effects.

[0102] (1) In the second embodiment, when discharging the aspirated material from the suction tank 110 to the accumulation container 200, a positive pressure is applied to the suction tank 110. Therefore, it becomes possible to forcibly discharge the aspirated material in the suction tank 110 from the discharge unit 130. Therefore, the second embodiment is superior in that the aspirated material can be quickly discharged through the discharge unit 130 by applying a positive pressure to the suction tank 110.

[0103] (2) Furthermore, in the second embodiment, a spray prevention valve 410 is disposed on the path from the suction tank 110 to the suction tube A. This spray prevention valve 410 is closed by the positive pressure of the suction tank 110. Therefore, the second embodiment is superior in that the placement of the spray prevention valve 410 can prevent the suctioned material from flowing back or spraying into the suction tube A.

[0104] (3) The first sensor 470 of the second embodiment detects the amount of accumulation in the suction tank 110 in multiple stages or continuously. Therefore, it is possible to detect the amount of accumulation in the suction tank 110 in more detail as the implementation history of the suction operation. Therefore, the second embodiment is superior in that the implementation history of the suction operation can be obtained in more detail by detecting the amount of accumulation in the suction tank 110 in multiple stages or continuously.

[0105] (4) In the second embodiment, the primary accumulation limit of the suction tank 110 is dynamically preset according to the following formula:

[0106] Primary accumulation limit=MIN[(maximum accumulation amount of accumulation container 200)-(current accumulation amount of accumulation container 200)-surplus, (maximum accumulation amount of suction tank 110)]

[0107] When the amount of accumulation in the suction tank 110 reaches this primary accumulation limit, the suction management unit 165 stops the negative pressure of the air pump 120. Therefore, even if the suctioned matter in the suction tank 110 is discharged into the accumulation container 200, the maximum accumulation amount of the accumulation container 200 is not exceeded, and the accumulation container 200 does not overflow. Therefore, the second embodiment is superior in that the overflow of the accumulation container 200 can be prevented at the very limit by dynamically setting the primary accumulation limit of the suction tank 110 in advance.

[0108] (5) In the second embodiment, the pump control unit 162 controls the suction tank 110 to alternately apply negative and positive pressure, thereby repeatedly opening and closing the discharge unit 130. In this case, the second embodiment is superior in that the aspirated material adhering to the vicinity of the discharge unit 130 can be peeled off and dropped by the "repeated opening and closing of the valve" and the "flow of air in and out due to positive and negative pressure" of the discharge unit 130.

[0109] Other supplementary information In the above-described embodiment, the outside air adjustment valve 120b is controlled to release the negative pressure in the suction tank 110. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the negative pressure in the suction tank 110 can be released by natural suction from the suction tube A when the negative pressure of the air pump 120 is stopped. If this is sufficient, the control of the outside air adjustment valve 120b may be omitted.

[0110] In the above-described embodiment, the suction tube A is inserted from the oral cavity or nasal cavity. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and may be any tube in which the suction tube A is inserted into a living body. For example, the suction tube A may be inserted into a living body in combination with a tracheotomy cannula, an artificial respirator, an endoscope, a laparoscope, or the like.

[0111] Furthermore, in the above-described embodiment, the second sensor 150 performs both "detection of normal placement" and "detection of accumulation amount" for the accumulation container 200. However, the present invention is not limited to this. These functions of the second sensor 150 may be realized by separate detection means.

[0112] In the above-described embodiment, when the accumulation container 200 is normally placed, the plate member 154 directly below becomes horizontal. The second sensor 150 detects this horizontal state as an even load balance to determine whether the accumulation container 200 is normally placed. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when the accumulation container 200 is normally placed, the plate member 154 may be slightly tilted. In this case, the tilt of the normal placement (unequal load balance) may be stored and compared with the load balance of the second sensor 150 to determine whether the accumulation container 200 is normally placed.

[0113] Furthermore, in the above-mentioned embodiment, an electric air pump is assumed for explanation. However, the air pump of the present invention is not limited to an electric type as long as it is a means for sucking air. For example, various air pump mechanisms such as a manual type, a chemical reaction type, and a mouth suction type may be adopted.

[0114] In the above-described embodiment, the discharge unit 130 is assumed to have a valve structure. However, the discharge unit of the present invention is not limited to a valve structure as long as it is a means that closes by negative pressure and opens by releasing the negative pressure. For example, various discharge units such as a valve structure that opens and closes by control linked to negative pressure may be used.

[0115] In the above-mentioned second embodiment, the control for switching the driving of the air pump 120 from negative pressure to positive pressure has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the positive pressure may be applied to the suction tank 110 by controlling the switching of the air path between the intake pipe and the exhaust pipe of the air pump 120. In addition, the positive pressure may be applied to the suction tank 110 by controlling a separate air pump for positive pressure.

[0116] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications are possible.

[0117] For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail in its entirety in order to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to having all of the configurations and steps described.

[0118] Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to the type of each component (for example, parts such as a sensor). For example, each component may be replaced with a different type of component having an equivalent function.

[0119] Also, individual elements of the embodiments may be partially combined. Furthermore, other configurations or other steps may be added or substituted to the embodiments. Also, some configurations or some steps may be deleted from the embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0120] 100... Living body suction device, 100a... Storage part, 100b... Lock part, 100c... Through hole, 100d... Battery cover, 100e... Power cord, 110... Suction tank, 120... Air pump, 120a... Pipe, 120b... Outside air adjustment valve, 120c... Filter, 130... Discharge part, 130a... Valve part, 130b... Fastener, 140... Isolation room, 140a... Opening, 140b... Isolation door, 150... Second sensor, 151... Strain sensor, 152... Base, 153... Fixing device, 154... Plate member, 160... Control part, 160a... Audio / display unit, 160b...suction switch, 160c...suction dial, 161...outside air adjustment unit, 162...pump control unit, 163...location monitoring unit, 164...accumulation management unit, 165...suction management unit, 165b...float, 166...monitor transmission unit, 170...first sensor, 200...accumulation container, 300...terminal device, 310...monitor reception unit, 320...time-lapse recording unit, 410...blowout prevention valve, 470...first sensor, A...suction tube, X0...hole portion, X1...volume portion, X2...fitting portion, X3...fitting portion, Y2...fitted portion, Y3...fitted portion

Claims

1. a suction tank that communicates with a suction tube inserted into a living body to be suctioned, applies negative pressure to the suction tube, and receives the suctioned material from the suction tube; an air pump communicating with the suction tank to draw air and apply negative pressure to the suction tank; a discharge section that is closed by a negative pressure in the suction tank to temporarily store the aspirated material in the suction tank and that is opened by releasing the negative pressure in the suction tank to discharge the aspirated material, The aspirated material is secondarily accumulated in an accumulation container disposed at the discharge destination of the discharge unit. A living body suction device characterized by:

2. The living body suction device according to claim 1, an outside air adjustment valve for allowing outside air to flow into the suction tank; an outside air adjustment unit that controls the outside air adjustment valve to forcibly reduce the negative pressure in the suction tank, opens the exhaust unit, and exhausts the suctioned object from the suction tank. A living body suction device characterized by:

3. The living body suction device according to claim 1, a blowout prevention valve provided on a path from the suction tank to the suction tube and closed by a positive pressure of the suction tank; a pump control unit that controls the air pump to apply positive pressure to the suction tank, thereby forcibly discharging the suctioned material from the suction tank through the discharge unit. A living body suction device characterized by:

4. The living body suction device according to claim 1, a first sensor for detecting an amount of accumulated liquid in the suction tank; and a suction management unit that stops the negative pressure of the air pump when the detected amount of accumulation in the suction tank reaches a predetermined primary accumulation limit. A living body suction device characterized by:

5. The living body suction device according to claim 1, a second sensor for detecting whether the accumulation container is normally disposed with respect to the discharge destination of the discharge unit; and a placement monitoring unit that does not operate the air pump when the second sensor does not detect a normal placement. A living body suction device characterized by:

6. The living body suction device according to claim 1, a second sensor for detecting an amount of the accumulated liquid in the collection container disposed at a destination of the discharge unit; a storage management unit that notifies the user when the storage amount exceeds a predetermined secondary storage limit. A living body suction device characterized by:

7. The living body suction device according to claim 1, Equipped with a monitor transmission unit that transmits the execution history of the suction operation to an external terminal device A living body suction device characterized by:

8. An accumulation container that is detachably arranged in a storage space of the living body suction device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, a volume portion that accommodates the aspirate discharged from the discharge portion; a fitting portion that guides the discharge portion to a discharge destination by fitting with a fitting shape of the storage space; A collection container for a living body suction device, comprising:

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