Excrement imaging device

Abstract

To provide an excrement imaging device capable of appropriately placing a toilet bowl and a toilet seat device which are sanitary equipment with different product lifespans and an excrement imaging function used for clinical applications.SOLUTION: The excrement imaging device attached to the flush toilet for picking up images of excrement includes: a plate that is attached to the rear upper surface of a bowl where a user excretes in a flush toilet; and a function box unit suspended from the left and right ends of the plate. Photographing means for photographing excrement and generating image data is provided opposite the bowl to the plate. The function box unit stores control means for controlling the operation of the photographing means; and output means for outputting the image data generated by the photographing means to the outside.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an excrement photographing device that is attached to a flush toilet and photographs an image of excrement.

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional excrement photographing device, there is known one that photographs and manages an excrement image when excreting in a toilet in order to make a comparison with the Bristol scale, which is clinically common (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In addition, when a plurality of patients use a single toilet as in a hospital, in order to manage which patient the photographed image data belongs to, personal authentication data for identifying the excretor is acquired, and this personal authentication data and excrement image data are output (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

[0003] However, in a conventional excrement photographing device, it is necessary to install a device for photographing and collecting excrement image data integrally with the toilet or with another toilet seat device. In some cases, the toilet or toilet seat device had to be replaced in accordance with the excrement photographing device, which has a shorter lifespan than the toilet or toilet seat device.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and in the present invention, an object is to appropriately arrange a toilet and toilet seat device as a sanitary equipment having different product lifetimes and an excrement imaging function used for clinical applications.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] According to the invention described in claim 1 in order to achieve the above object, there is provided an excrement imaging device attached to a flush toilet for imaging an image of excrement, including a plate portion attached to the upper rear surface of a bowl portion where a user excretes in the flush toilet, and a functional box portion hanging down from left and right ends in the lateral direction of the plate portion. The plate portion is provided with imaging means for imaging excrement to generate image data so as to face the bowl portion, and the functional box portion houses control means for controlling the operation of the imaging means and output means for outputting the image data generated by the imaging means to the outside. Therefore, for the assembly of a flush toilet and an excrement imaging device, which generally have different lifetimes as products, they can be separately arranged and combined, so there is no excessive burden, and it is possible to arrange the imaging means so as not to enter the user's line of sight, and it is possible to suppress the occurrence of mental problems due to the user being concerned about the presence of the imaging means.

[0007] According to the invention described in claim 2, the plate portion further has excrement detection means for detecting excrement excreted into the bowl portion, and the control means starts imaging by the imaging means after detecting excrement by the excrement detection means. Therefore, it is possible to capture a reliable excrement image that is not blocked by foreign objects such as toilet paper immediately after excretion by the excrement detection means. In addition, users of excrement images can efficiently collect necessary information without taking a long time to confirm the excrement images.

[0008] Further, according to the invention described in claim 3, the excrement detection means can detect both feces and urine as excrement, and the control means starts imaging by the imaging means based on the detection of either feces or urine from the excrement detection means. Therefore, it has become possible to obtain information not only on digestive diseases that require feces status management, but also on urological diseases that require urine excretion status management, and on the pre- and post-operative status management that requires metabolic management based on urine volume. This also eliminates the need for the excretor to specify whether the excretion was feces or urine, improving usability.

[0009] Further, according to the invention described in claim 4, it further comprises personal identification means for acquiring personal identification data for identifying a user, and the control means integrates the personal identification data acquired by the personal identification means and the image data captured by the imaging means and outputs the integrated data from the output means. Therefore, it is possible to use a combination of excrement image data and personal identification data, and the user of the excrement image can confirm the status of the excrement without misidentifying the individual.

Advantages of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, for the assembly of a water-washing toilet and an excrement imaging device, which generally have different lifespans as products, they can be separately arranged and combined, so there is no excessive burden, and the imaging means can be arranged so as not to enter the user's line of sight, thus suppressing the occurrence of mental problems due to the user being concerned about the presence of the imaging means.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0011]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Figure 5

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0012] Hereinafter, the feces photographing apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state where a feces photographing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is attached to a water flush toilet.

[0013] As shown in FIG. 1, the feces photographing apparatus 1 is attached to and used with a water flush toilet 100. The water flush toilet 100 has a bowl portion 102 that is recessed in a bowl shape for a user to excrete. An ascending pipe (not shown) that extends obliquely upward is formed from the bottom of the bowl portion 102, and water seal accumulates at the bottom of the bowl portion 102 by this ascending pipe. Further, above the rear of the water flush toilet 100, a washing water tank 104 for storing washing water supplied toward the bowl portion 102 is fixed. Excreta such as feces and urine discharged into the bowl portion 102 are discharged to a drainage pipe (not shown) provided in the building by the washing water supplied from the washing water tank 104.

[0014] The excrement photographing device 1 has a flat plate portion 2 placed on the upper surface of the water-washing toilet 100, and a rugged function box portion 4 provided so as to hang downward from the left end portion of the plate portion 2. Inside this function box portion 4, there is a storage space that is longer in the front-rear direction than in the left-right direction, and control means and the like described later are stored in this storage space. Further, in the plate portion 2, a pair of through holes 5 corresponding to the toilet seat mounting holes (not shown) formed in the water-washing toilet 100 are formed. By fixing the local cleaning device 200 (see FIG. 3) to the water-washing toilet 100 with a toilet seat mounting bolt (not shown) inserted into the through hole 5, the plate portion 2 is sandwiched and fixed between the upper surface of the water-washing toilet 100 and the bottom surface of the local cleaning device 200.

[0015] On the lower surface of the plate portion 2, photographing means 6 is fixed so as to face the bowl portion 102. This photographing means 6 is a camera using a CCD, and photographs the inside of the bowl portion 102, particularly the water-sealing region, to generate digitized image data. Further, beside the photographing means 6, excrement detection means 8 is fixed so as to face into the bowl portion 102. This excrement detection means 8 is an ultrasonic sensor, and detects excrement that has fallen into the water seal by detecting a change in the water level of the water seal at the bottom of the bowl portion 102 based on a change in the ultrasonic reflection time.

[0016] Also, personal identification means 10 is provided on the wall surface of the toilet room. In the present embodiment, it is assumed that the user is a hospital in-patient, and therefore, this personal identification means 10 is constituted by a barcode reader. The personal identification means 10 reads a barcode including personal identification data (ID number) for identifying the individual patient printed on a wristband or the like held by the in-patient, and is configured to be able to wirelessly transmit the read data toward the function box portion 4.

[0017] Next, the function of the excrement photographing device 1 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 2. Figure 2 is a system block diagram showing the configuration of the excrement photographing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in this Figure 2, a control means 12 for controlling the operations of the photographing means 6 and the excrement detecting means 8 is housed in the function box unit 4. The detailed control operations by the control means 12 will be described later.

[0018] Also, a receiving means 14 for receiving a signal including personal identification data wirelessly transmitted from the personal identification means 10 is housed in the function box unit 4. The control means 12 integrates the personal identification data received by the receiving means 14 into the image data of the excrement photographed by the photographing means 6 and outputs it as a set of output data toward the transmitting means 16. The transmitting means 16 wirelessly transmits the set of output data toward a router 50 installed in the toilet room. This router 50 is a relay terminal in wireless communication and can be used by installing a commercially available device in the toilet room (see Figure 3).

[0019] The output data transmitted to the router 50 is sent through a LAN 52 installed in the hospital to a server 54 installed at a predetermined location in the hospital and stored. The output data stored in this server 54 can be used by an information terminal 56 such as a personal computer or a portable information terminal. In the information terminal 56, by specifying the personal identification data (ID number) of a specific patient with a program (application software) built therein, it is possible to read and check the data of that patient from the server 54, or to narrow down the data to be read from the server 54 by specifying the period stored in the server 54.

[0020] Next, the usage state of the excrement photographing apparatus 1 will be described. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an excrement photographing device with a sanitary cleaning device assembled thereto according to an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, a local cleaning device 200 as a toilet seat device is attached to the upper surface of the plate portion 2 in the excrement photographing device 1. The local cleaning device 200 incorporates a local cleaning function unit that discharges cleaning water toward the user's local area inside a casing 202. Further, a toilet seat 204 is pivotally supported on the casing 202 so as to be rotatable. A local cleaning remote controller 206 for operating the local cleaning device 200 is installed on the wall surface of the toilet room alongside a barcode reader as the personal identification means 10.

[0021] As described above, since the plate portion 2 is flat, even when the local cleaning device 200 is placed on the upper surface of the plate portion 2, the mounting height of the local cleaning device 200 hardly changes. Therefore, the excrement photographing device 1 can be retrofitted to a toilet room in which the local cleaning device 200 is installed in the flush toilet 100. Further, since the excrement photographing device 1 is attached to the flush toilet 100 independently of the local cleaning device 200, when the photographing means 6 has deteriorated over time and reached the end of its life, only the excrement photographing device 1 can be replaced without replacing the local cleaning device 200. Note that the photographing means 6 fixed to the plate portion 2 is hidden by the casing 202 of the local cleaning device 200, making it difficult for the user to notice the presence of the photographing means 6.

[0022] A cabinet 210 is provided behind the flush toilet 100 so as to cover the cleaning water tank 104. A cushion-like backrest portion 212 is provided on the front surface of the cabinet 210. Further, a router 50 is provided on the cabinet 210. The router 50 is a relay terminal for transmitting output data output from the excrement photographing device 1 to the LAN in the hospital.

[0023] Inside the cabinet 210, there is a urine volume measuring device 300 that measures biological information such as the amount of urine excreted by the user (subject) and the urine flow rate (urine volume excreted per unit time). This urine volume measuring device 300 has a water level measuring pipeline (not shown) that communicates with the water seal of the washlet toilet 100, and it is possible to measure the urine volume and urine flow rate based on the change in the water level of the water level measuring pipeline during urination. On the wall surface of the toilet room, a urine volume measuring remote control 302 is provided above the local cleaning remote control 206. The urine volume measuring remote control 302 is provided with a measurement start switch for instructing the start of urine volume measurement, a urine volume measurement end switch for instructing the end of urination, and the like.

[0024] Next, the operation of the excrement detection means 8 in the present embodiment will be described. FIG. 4 is a water level change graph showing an example of excrement detection of the present invention. In this FIG. 4, the change rate of the water level of the water seal formed at the bottom of the bowl portion 102 is graphically shown over time for each of feces and urine. Since feces, which have volume, submerge in a short time, the change rate of the water level of the water seal is large and the time is short in general. On the other hand, since urine is excreted through the long urethra, the change rate of the water level of the water seal is suppressed, and conversely, the change in the water level change rate generally continues for a long time. The excrement detection means 8 detects the change in the water level of the water seal based on the change in the reflection time of ultrasonic waves, and based on this water level change, it is possible to detect the timing when excrement is excreted in either the case of feces or urine.

[0025] Next, the operation of the excrement photographing device 1 will be described. FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation of the excrement photographing device in the embodiment of the present invention, and specifically shows the control flow by the control means 12 of the excrement photographing device 1. When the power of the excrement photographing device 1 is turned on and the control means 12 is energized, the control sequence is started (S100). In this state, the control means 12 is in a standby state, the photographing means 6 and the excrement detection means 8 are not energized, and the receiving means 14 is energized to wait for a signal from this receiving means 14.

[0026] In this standby state, it is determined whether the receiving means 14 has received a signal from the personal identification means 10 (S101). Specifically, it is determined whether the receiving means 14 has received the barcode information by the user (patient) holding up a list band printed with a barcode containing personal identification data wrapped around the wrist against the barcode reader of the personal identification means 10. If the receiving means 14 does not receive the barcode information (S101N), the control means 12 repeats the process of S101. If the receiving means 14 receives the barcode information (S101Y), the control means 12 starts energization to activate the imaging means 6 and the excrement detection means 8 (S102).

[0027] Subsequently, in S103, it is determined whether excretion has been performed by the excrement detection means 8. If the excrement detection means 8 does not detect excretion of either feces or urine (S103N), the control means 12 repeats the process of S103. When the excrement detection means 8 detects excretion of either feces or urine (S103Y), imaging by the imaging means 6 is started in S104. Note that as a method for detecting the start of excretion, it is the point in time when a change in the water seal level occurs due to excretion of either feces or urine shown in FIG. 4.

[0028] Subsequently, the process of S105 is executed, and in the process of S106 after the process of S105, the control means 12 determines whether excretion has ended. Specifically, the control means 12 monitors the water level change signal from the excrement detection means 8, and determines that excretion has ended when the state of no water level change continues for a predetermined time. While excretion continues (S106N), the control means 12 returns to the process of S105 and continues imaging, and the processes of S105 and S106 are repeatedly executed until excretion ends. Note that the imaging by the imaging means 6 does not necessarily have to be a video. In consideration of reducing the capacity of the image data and confirming the excrement, it is preferable to perform interval imaging of still images in units of several seconds. When it is determined that defecation has ended (S106Y), the imaging by the imaging means 6 is terminated, and output data integrating the image data captured after the start of imaging (S104) and the barcode signal (see S101) including the identification signal for identifying the user (patient) transmitted from the personal identification means 10 is transmitted from the transmission means 16 toward the router 50. Subsequently, the power supply to the imaging means 6 and the excrement detection means 8 is stopped at S108, the process shifts to the standby state, and the process returns to S101.

[0029] In the excrement imaging device 1 according to this embodiment, since imaging is started immediately after excrement detection (S103Y), it is possible to capture an image of excrement without obstacles such as toilet paper immediately after defecation. Further, since the imaging period is set to only the period from the start of defecation to the end of defecation, it is possible to surely capture excrement and suppress an unnecessary increase in the data volume of the image data. In addition, since the captured image data is transmitted and output to the outside, medical staff can access the server 54 in which the image data is stored, and can view the excrement image data in a timely manner without directly accessing the excrement imaging device 1 installed in the toilet room, thereby improving work efficiency. Medical staff are not interrupted from their work just to view excrement, and most importantly, patients are not subject to the mental pressure of directly showing their excrement.

[0030] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above. However, the present invention is not limited to these descriptions. Regarding the above-described embodiments, those in which those skilled in the art make appropriate design changes are also included in the scope of the present invention as long as they have the features of the present invention. For example, as the excrement detection means 8, it can be configured in various modes instead of the one that detects the change in the water level of the sealed water by the reflection time of ultrasonic waves described above. For example, it may be configured to detect the gas generated due to excrement. If it is for feces, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, methyl mercaptan, trimethylamine, etc. are recommended, and if it is for abnormal urine, ketone bodies such as acetoacetic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, and acetone are recommended. Further, as a mode of the other excrement detection means 8, attention may be paid to the temperature of the excrement itself, and the excrement may be detected by the temperature change inside the bowl portion 102 or the sealing water.

[0031] Further, instead of setting the shooting period of the shooting means 6 from the determination of the start of excretion to the determination of the end of excretion by the excrement detection means 8, it may be set to a predetermined fixed time from the determination of the start of excretion. Further, the user may be allowed to input the start and end of shooting. Further, instead of wirelessly transmitting the output data from the transmission means 16 as the output means to the router 50, a storage means for storing the output data inside the functional box portion 4 may be provided, and a medical worker may access the storage means and an output port for outputting the output data may be provided as the output means. Alternatively, by using the storage means itself as a card-type memory, this card-type memory may be removable from an output slot as the output means.

[0032] Further, the personal identification means 10 may be built into the functional box portion 4 instead of being installed on the toilet room wall surface. Further, the personal identification means 10 does not have to be a barcode reader, and the user may be allowed to input an ID number for identifying an individual. Further, an electric shutter for opening and closing the lens portion of the camera may be provided in the shooting means 6. When the shooting means 6 is in a standby state where it does not perform shooting, the shutter is closed, and when it is not in the standby state, the shutter is opened, thereby preventing the lens from being soiled by splashed water during local cleaning by the local cleaning device 200 after shooting or during cleaning of the flush toilet 100. Further, a cleaning means for wiping the lens surface when the shutter is opened and closed may be provided, and it may have a function of automatically cleaning the shooting means 6 where excrement droplets are likely to adhere in terms of arrangement.

Explanation of Signs

[0033] 1... Excrement shooting device 2... Plate portion 4... Functional box portion 6... Shooting means 8…Excrement detection means 10…Personal identification means 12…Control means 14…Receiving means 16…Transmitting means (output means) 50…Router 52…LAN 54…Server 56…Information terminal 100…Flush toilet 102…Bowl part 104…Flushing water tank 200…Local cleaning device (toilet seat device) 202…Casing 204…Toilet seat 206…Local cleaning remote control 210…Cabinet 212…Backrest part 300…Urine volume measuring device 302…Urine volume measuring remote control

Claims

1. An excrement photographing device attached to a flushing toilet for photographing an image of excrement, comprising: a plate portion attached to the upper rear surface of a bowl portion where a user excretes in the flushing toilet; a functional box portion hanging down from the left and right ends of the plate portion in the lateral direction; wherein a photographing means for photographing excrement and generating image data is provided on the plate portion so as to face the bowl portion; the functional box portion houses a control means for controlling the operation of the photographing means and an output means for outputting the image data generated by the photographing means to the outside, and is characterized by the above. An excrement photographing device.

2. The plate portion further has an excrement detection means for detecting excrement excreted in the bowl portion; The control means starts photographing by the photographing means after detecting excrement by the excrement detection means, and is characterized by the excrement photographing device according to Claim 1.

3. The excrement detection means can detect both feces and urine as excrement; The control means starts photographing by the photographing means based on the detection of either feces or urine from the excrement detection means, and is characterized by the excrement photographing device according to Claim 2.

4. The excrement photographing device further includes a personal identification means for acquiring personal identification data for identifying a user; The control means integrates the personal identification data acquired by the personal identification means and the image data photographed by the photographing means and outputs the integrated data from the output means, and is characterized by the excrement photographing device according to Claim 1.

Images